If all goes according to plan, Liz Earle is yet to reach middle age.
At 63, her 'slightly tongue-in-cheek' goal is to live until she's 130 – a number she recently increased from 120. But when you consider that both her grandmothers were centenarians, and that her biological age – according to tests measuring 'assorted cellular markers, including telomeres, glycans and inflammation' – currently sits around 39, that number may not be as far-fetched as it sounds.
Getting to this point has involved plenty of trial and error. The new Women's Health cover star calls herself 'the original lab rat' because she's willing to put 'new-age' longevity interventions to the test and spends hours reading the latest research. But, for the most part, her routine is built around simple habits.
Here are five she swears by.
1. Intermittent fasting
Liz's approach to gut health is refreshingly simple. She places a lot of emphasis on eating well ('You can't "out-biohack" a poor diet or chronic stress') and practises intermittent fasting.
The goal is to 'rest' her digestive microbes overnight, so she aims to finish dinner by 9pm before breaking her fast later the following morning.
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2. Targeted supplementation
Liz is a firm believer in a 'food first' approach ('Supplements are supplementary to diet – the clue's in the name'), but admits her views have evolved over the years.
Today, she takes a combination of vitamin D with K2, omega-3 and magnesium glycinate. She also includes a number of longevity-focused supplements, including urolithin A, spermidine and coenzyme Q10.
3. Consistent strength training
Liz strength trains three times a week with personal trainer Michael Garry, who introduced her to the importance of resistance training for muscle and bone health.
That training has delivered benefits beyond the physical.
'When I feel strong physically – when I know that I can lift a really heavy object or I've got more stamina and more endurance – I feel emotionally stronger, more resilient, tougher,' she says.
'Knowing I'm not frail is a real strength, and I think more women deserve to feel that way.'
Want to train like Liz?
Her PT, Michael Garry, has created a 4-week training plan exclusively for members of the WH COLLECTIVE. It's designed to remove one of the biggest barriers to fitness: time. You'll train for just 35 minutes three times a week – Liz's exact strategy to build muscle, boost metabolism and support long-term health. Tap the link below to unlock 14 free days of training and start Liz's plan today.
4. Prioritising deep sleep
The latest focus for Liz is maximising the amount of deep sleep she gets.
As well as keeping her bedroom cool and dark, she's avoiding alcohol and experimenting with interventions such as blue-light-blocking glasses when she's on her phone in the evenings, alongside using old-fashioned incandescent bulbs to minimise her exposure to melatonin-disrupting LED lighting.
5. Taking a 360-degree approach to longevity
Liz has been interested in biohacking since she first discovered the concept, but struggled to see herself represented in what was largely a male-dominated space.
It's one of the reasons why much of the content on her platform, Liz Earle Wellbeing, aims to make space for midlife women in the longevity conversation.
After years of reading the research, however, her own routine remains refreshingly straightforward: sky before screens, maintaining a healthy social life and filling her plate with colourful foods all play a part.
'The biggest wins are still the simplest ones,' she says.
You can read our full cover interview with Liz by hitting this link. Subscribe to Women's Health here.
Lauren Geall is deputy site editor for Women’s Health UK and Men’s Health UK. She graduated from Exeter University with a BA in English Literature before studying an MA in Magazine Journalism at City, University London. She’s been writing about health, fitness and wellbeing for over five years, with a total of seven years in digital journalism. Prior to her current role, she worked at Stylist as the acting health and fitness editor. As well as being a keen runner, Lauren is passionate about women’s sport and can often be found cheering on Arsenal Women at the Emirates or keeping tabs on the Red Roses’ latest win.
