While genetics do influence metabolic health, lifestyle habits remain one of the most powerful ways to reduce chronic disease risk and preserve health span.
“We used to think aging and disease simply happened to us, but we now know metabolic health is something we can shape — through how we live and, when needed, through medication,” Al-Aly says.
Rather than aiming for perfection, experts recommend focusing on small, sustainable habits that improve blood sugar regulation, reduce inflammation, and support a healthy weight. Research suggests that implementing a few simple, consistent behaviors is more effective for improving metabolic health than trying to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight.
1. Get More Daily Movement
Exercise is one of the most powerful tools for improving metabolic health and promoting healthy aging, Zilbermint says. “What I tell my patients is that exercise is the closest thing we’ve got to longevity medication.”
Regular movement helps the body use glucose (sugar) more efficiently, reduces inflammation, and supports a healthy weight — all of which lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver disease. It also helps preserve muscle mass, mobility, and cardiovascular fitness as you age.
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, plus two strength-training sessions. Just as important, find ways to move throughout the day, as taking a brisk walk, climbing stairs, or breaking up long periods of sitting can all contribute to better metabolic health and longevity.
“Moving your body has tremendous health benefits,” Al-Aly says. “Take that walk, go on a bike ride, or go to the gym.”
2. Aim for a Healthy Weight — With Help, if Needed
Maintaining a healthy weight is a cornerstone of boosting metabolic health, but it’s not always easy. Hormones strongly influence appetite and energy balance, which can make sustained weight loss challenging.
“Obesity is a chronic disease — not a failure of willpower,” Al-Aly says. “If you’ve been struggling with obesity, and diet and exercise approaches have not worked, you are not alone. But fortunately, we now have medications that can help.”
For some people, GLP-1s may be an appropriate addition to healthy eating and regular physical activity. Beyond promoting weight loss, research suggests these medications reduce inflammation and improve heart, liver, and overall metabolic health, with emerging evidence indicating they may also support healthy aging.
“Medications that improve metabolic health and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress may also contribute to a greater health span,” says Al-Aly.
3. Eat to Reduce Inflammation
Diet plays a major role in inflammation — and, in turn, metabolic health. Eating patterns high in ultra-processed foods, refined grains, added sugars, and saturated fats have been linked to long-term low-grade inflammation, increasing the risk of chronic disease.
“Inflammation is one of the common threads linking heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, some cancers, and certain types of dementia,” Zilbermint says. “I tell my patients to think of inflammation like a fire smoldering beneath many diseases of aging, and that’s why it needs to be tackled.”
Research suggests that anti-inflammatory eating patterns, including the Mediterranean diet, can help lower inflammation while supporting heart and metabolic health — and potentially promote a longer lifespan. Experts recommend filling your plate with vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish while limiting ultra-processed foods, sugary beverages, and excess saturated fat.
4. Prioritize Sleep
Sleep is when the body repairs tissues, regulates hormones, and resets many of the processes that keep metabolism running smoothly. “Sleep is not just downtime, it’s maintenance time,” Zilbermint says.
Too little sleep — or an inconsistent sleep schedule — can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and blood sugar, increase inflammation, and raise the risk of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
To reap the metabolic health and longevity benefits, experts recommend aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep each night and going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day. A regular sleep schedule has been shown to support your body’s internal clock, which plays an important role in blood sugar regulation, metabolism, and healthy aging.
5. Manage Stress Levels
Stress is a part of daily life, but chronic uncontrolled stress can take a toll on metabolic health by raising cortisol, blood pressure, and inflammation — all of which contribute to conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Fortunately, managing stress doesn’t have to require major lifestyle changes. Regular physical activity, meditation, deep breathing, spending time outdoors, and maintaining strong social connections can all help lower stress and support healthy aging.
“Maintaining good rapport with family, friends, and the community reduces anxiety, stress, and the risk of cognitive disease like Alzheimer’s — and it can also improve health span,” Al-Aly adds.
6. Stay on Top of Preventive Care
Many conditions that affect metabolic health — such as high blood pressure, prediabetes, and liver disease — can develop unnoticed for years, which is why routine preventive care is essential.
Regular checkups help monitor key markers of metabolic health, including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, liver function, kidney function, and waist circumference or body weight. Detecting problems early gives you the opportunity to make lifestyle changes or begin treatment before long-term damage happens.
“Metabolic health is really not a destiny,” Zilbermint says. “We know that genes matter — but lifestyle habits, your environment, and early disease detection and treatment through regular doctor’s visits matters tremendously.”
