Evidence-Based Health & Longevity

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Empowering you with evidence-based strategies to optimize your health and wellness, helping you lead a healthier, happier life through lifestyle medicine.

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Longevity Toolkit

Evidence-informed, action-first strategies for building sustainable health habits. Start with one habit per domain and track for 14 days.

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The Big 5 Ideas You Need to Take Away

Our current medical system wasn't designed to adequately treat chronic disease

The six big levers of health that our within our control are sleep, exercise, nutrition, mental health, drugs & supplements, and surgery/medical interventions

You MUST be involved in your own healthcare. This is going to take work - educating yourself about this topic, putting in effort to make changes, and staying on top of your medical appointments + developing an interactive relationship with your physician. Instead of being a passenger in your body, you need to be the captain - NOBODY can do this for you.

Focus on the low-hanging fruit in healthier sleep, exercise, and nutrition habits. It's easily to make this overcomplicated, but the basics will get you 90% of the way there!

Lifestyle change is HARD - and that's completely normal. Give yourself grace and don't be too hard on yourself, and consider behavioral habits that will make it easier to see change.

Remember - your doctors, medical professionals, and healthcare system really do want the best for you and are doing the best they can with the system we have. Medical, pharmacologic, and surgical advancements have changed the face of civilization for the better.

That doesn't mean we should ignore the importance of lifestyle changes, but also doesn't mean that drugs and traditional medical interventions are "bad" and that "unnatural" remedies aren't still extremely important!

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First Steps to Changing Your Behavior

The way to change behavior is to form a small habit that you'll do consistently. Use these tiny levers to make that happen:

Identity first: 'I'm the type of person who doesn't miss workouts'

Implementation intentions: 'I will [behavior] at [time] in [location]'

Habit stacking: After a current habit, then the new one

Two-minute rule: Make the first step ≤2 minutes

Make it obvious: Put equipment where you'll see it

Make it easy: Lower friction, prepare in advance

Make it satisfying: Track streaks, small rewards

Temptation bundling: Pair 'want' + 'should'

Never miss twice: If today derails, tomorrow is a reset

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Sleep (Foundation for Everything)

Target: 7–9 hours for most adults; protect regularity and light exposure

General Toolkit:

Create a better circadian rhythm - try to get light exposure when you wake up, and as much as possible go to bed and wake up at similar times each day

3–2–1 rule: ~3h before bed stop eating, ~2h stop drinking, ~1h minimize phone/electronics

Reduce light in the evening 1-2 hr before bedtime, especially overhead lighting. Consider a light dimmer/red light to signal to your brain that it's time for bed.

Wind-down: same sequence nightly

Reduce caffeine intake 10-12 hours before bedtime

Make your bedroom cool and dark - aim for 65º F, and use blackout curtains/electrical tape/eye mask to minimize light

If you snore or breathe loudly, it might be indicative of an underlying issue. Talk to your doctor, consider a sleep study, and think about other tools (mouth tape, side sleeping instead of back sleeping, raising the head of the bed so you're partially upright)

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Exercise (Strength • Zone 2 • Stability)

Why Exercise Matters

400% lower mortality - Those with elite cardiorespiratory fitness (measured by the top percentile of VO2 max) had a 400% lower all-cause mortality than the lowest percentile. There was no upper limit to this benefit!

Weekly "Minimum Viable" Template:

Zone 2

3–5 hrs/week total (30–60 min most days)

VO₂max

1 session/week (4–8 repeats of 1–3 minutes hard)

Strength

2–4 days/week (push, pull, hinge, squat, carry, core)

Stability

5–10 min/session (hips, ankles, T-spine + balance)

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Nutrition (Simple, Filling, Sustainable)

North Star

Try to minimize hyper-palatable (addictive) and hyper-processed foods, and switch to minimally processed foods you enjoy (and your tastebuds will change after a couple of months!). The goal isn't to create a new fad diet, but to create a pattern of eating you can stick to for the rest of your life.

Daily Anchors:

Aim for protein up to 1g/lb of bodyweight/day. This requires you to be very intentional, and will create diet that keeps you full throughout the day. Some people find they lose weight just from this alone.

Plates: ½ veggies/fruit, ¼ protein, ¼ starch/whole grains

Fats: olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, fatty fish 2×/week

When possible, cook food at home. You know exactly what ingredients and what portions you're using. If you're busy, consider meal prepping (make one big batch of food) to eat throughout the week.

When you look at your plate/portions, reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates (like bread, pasta, rice) and substitue for more meats/fruits/veggies

Some people can be sensitive to dairy and gluten and have no idea. If you're able to, it could be useful to cut these food groups out for 2 weeks and see if you notice and change in the way you're feeling, your energy levels, and bloating/bowel habits.

Low-fat diets used to be the fad, but in hindsight that was likely due to marketing and lobbying by the food industry. Instead aim to minimize processed and refined sugar/carbohydrates, and don't be afraid to try out healthy types of fat such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, and fatty fish.

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Exercise & Workout Resources

Workout YouTube Channels

K boges(Calisthenics)

Iron Wolf(Calisthenics)

Sydney Cummings Houdyshell(Full body & Cardio)

Body Project(Full body)

Yoga with Adriene(Yoga)

Jeff Nippard(Weight lifting)

Will Tennyson(Weight lifting)

Ryan Humiston(Weight lifting)

Eugene Teo(Weight lifting)

Quick Workouts

5 min Warmup (Iron Wolf)(5 min)

30 min Stretching/Flexibility Routine (Tykato Fitness)(30 min)

Bodyweight 15 minute workout (Iron Wolf)(15 min)

Beginner Bodyweight Workout (Strength Side)(15 min)

StewSmith Travel Workout(Variable)

20 Min Beginner Yoga Workout (Yoga With Adrienne)(20 min)

20-Minute Cardio Jump Rope Workout (TIFF x Dan)(20 min)

25 MIN FULL BODY HIIT for Beginners (growingannanas)(25 min)

30 Minute HIIT Cardio Workout (SELF)(30 min)

30-Minute Home Pilates Workout (Move with Nicole)(30 min)

JimWendler Boring But Big 5-3-1 Lifting Program(Program)

JimWendler 5-3-1 Spreadsheet(Tool)

Beginner-Friendly 2-Day Strength Split (Machine-Based):

Day A:

Leg press • Seated row • Chest press machine • Leg curl • Plank (30-60 sec)

Day B:

Leg extension • Lat pulldown • Shoulder press machine • Hip abduction • Wall sit (30-60 sec)

Start with 2 sets of 8-12 reps, focus on form over weight

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Quick "Start Here" for Busy Weeks

Mon, Wed, Fri:

30–45 min strength (split A/B), each with a 10–20 min Zone 2 warm-up/finish

Tue, Thu, Sat:

30–60 min Zone 2 or ruck/walk

Daily:

5–10 min mobility, 7–9 h sleep routine, protein+fiber at each meal

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Mental Health (Arguably the Most Important)

Focus on the basics first (sleep, movement, and nutrition)

Spend time in nature regularly and try to get sunlight exposure (especially early in the day)

Spend time with friends, family, and loved ones. Focus energy on developing meaningful relationships

Try to reduce stressors in your life (as much as realistically possible)

Try to make time for hobbies or activities that bring you joy regularly engage in

Minimize time on electronics, especially social media

The importance of sleep cannot be understated.

Try a 5–10 minute daily check-in/reflection/meditation

Do not write off professional help, therapy, and medications - it takes courage to seek help and sometimes this can be the only way to get better, especially when underlying conditions are present.

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Supplements - After You've Focused on Everything Else

Focus on the low hanging fruit with sleep, exercise, nutrition first - supplements are not always necessarily to be "healthy." That said, here are a few with decent support in current literature.

Creatine monohydrate(3–5 g/day)

Supports strength and cognition

Vitamin D(Test and treat if deficient)

Individualized with clinician

Omega-3s(Favor fish intake)

Prescription EPA for high triglycerides

Next Steps for Learning

Curated books, podcasts, and episodes to deepen your understanding of longevity and lifestyle medicine. These are the resources that have shaped my own journey into lifestyle medicine, and offer a great starting point to learning more about the subject!

Essential Books

Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity

by Dr. Peter Attia

This book started it all for me and really opened my eyes to the structure of our healthcare system and how unequipped we are to treat chronic disease. It provides a great foundational overview of various health metrics and the current body of research on lifestyle medicine as a whole.

View on Amazon

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

by James Clear

A comprehensive guide to building better habits and breaking bad ones. This book provides practical strategies for creating lasting behavior change through small, incremental improvements.

View on Amazon

Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health

by Dr. Casey Means and Calley Means

Focuses specifically on the global impact of metabolic health on all of the body systems, as well as the role of environmental factors on lifestyle and overall health.

View on Amazon

Awesome Health-Focused Podcasts

The Drive – Peter Attia MD

by Peter Attia, MD

My favorite podcast. Dr. Attia meets with a variety of experts across various disciplines, not only focusing on biochemistry and medical science, but also mental health and happiness. Almost every episode has me stop what I'm doing multiple times and think, 'Holy crap, I never knew this.'

Listen Now

FoundMyFitness – Rhonda Patrick PhD

by Rhonda Patrick, PhD

Similar to The Drive in that it goes deep on the clinical side and has a variety of expert guests. Often leans slightly towards physical activity and exercise protocols, which is nice.

Listen Now

Huberman Lab Podcast – Andrew Huberman PhD

by Andrew Huberman, PhD

Engaging and geared more toward a mass audience (vs. clinician focus) and doesn't always go as deep into the science. Each episode offers protocols you can implement in your life.

Listen Now

Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin, PhD

by Dr. Andy Galpin, PhD

A newer podcast by an exercise scientist and performance coach who works with top athletes nationwide. More focused on exercise and athletics but also covers nutrition and supplements.

Listen Now

Specific Interesting Episodes

How Metabolic & Immune System Dysfunction Drive the Aging Process

by The Drive – Episode #359

Comprehensive exploration of how metabolic dysfunction and immune system changes contribute to the aging process and what we can do about it.

Listen to Episode

The Science of Resistance Training, Building Muscle & Anabolic Use

by The Drive – Episode #335

Deep dive into the science of resistance training, muscle building, and the role of anabolic compounds in performance and longevity.

Listen to Episode

Longevity 101: A Foundational Guide to Peter's Frameworks for Longevity

by The Drive – Episode #311

Essential foundational episode covering Peter's core frameworks and approaches to longevity, perfect for newcomers to the field.

Listen to Episode

Injury Prevention, Recovery, and Performance Optimization for Every Decade

by The Drive – Episode #350

Comprehensive guide to injury prevention, recovery strategies, and performance optimization tailored for different age groups and life stages.

Listen to Episode

Dr. Ben Bikman: How To Reverse Insulin Resistance Through Diet, Exercise, & Sleep

by FoundMyFitness – Episode #104

Deep dive into insulin resistance and practical strategies for reversal through lifestyle interventions.

Listen to Episode

Dr. Keith Baar: Simple Exercises That Can Repair Tendons, Collagen Fact vs. Fiction

by The Tim Ferriss Show – Episode #797

Comprehensive look at tendon repair, collagen science, and the anti-RICE protocol for injury recovery.

Listen to Episode

Dr. Andy Galpin: The Optimal Diet, Supplement, & Recovery Protocol for Peak Performance

by FoundMyFitness – Episode #101

Evidence-based protocols for nutrition, supplementation, and recovery strategies for optimal performance.

Listen to Episode

Max Lugavere – The Terrifying Link Between Diet & Mental Health

by Modern Wisdom – Episode #709

Explores the critical connection between nutrition and mental health, with actionable insights for cognitive optimization.

Listen to Episode

Nsima Inyang - True Athleticism at Any Age, Microdosing Movement, 'Rope Flow' as a Key Unlock, Why Sleds and Sandbags Matter, and Much More

by The Tim Ferriss Show – Episode #816

Comprehensive discussion on athleticism, movement patterns, and unconventional training methods that can benefit people of all ages.

Listen to Episode

About LifestyleAcademy

LifestyleAcademy was founded by Paul Clancy and brought to you by AdmissionsAcademy.org, an organization committed to expanding access to educational resources for pre-health students nationwide.

Our mission is to empower patients with evidence-based strategies for optimizing their health and wellness to help them lead healthier, happier lives. Drawing from the latest research in lifestyle medicine and insights from longevity leaders such as Peter Attia and Dr. Rhonda Patrick, we provide tools and frameworks for patients who want to become more involved in their health, learn more about the field, and live healthier lives!

Paul Clancy MD/MBA '26, Founder

I'm a fifth-year MD/MBA student at the University of Virginia, pursuing a residency in anesthesiology. After watching my parents age and noticing barriers in our system to address prevention and root-cause disease, I started LifestyleAcademy to more easily share resources to help patients and friends have a more interactive role in their healthcare through evidence-based strategies focused on lifestyle medicine.

I'm also the founder of AdmissionsAcademy.org, a nonprofit organization committed to increasing equity in the medical school admissions process by expanding access to high-quality, free educational resources.

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