I want to make exercise a part of my life to increase lifespan, but don't want it to harm me later?

I'm young, wouldn't years of long-distance runnng/jogging be really hard on my joints/legs? Are cycling/swimming more healthy forms of exercise over the long run?
Answer:
Jett,Generally, yes, and I say this a bit reluctantly because I am a runner, and I love running. But it is hard on the joints.Frankly, I would bicycle if I were you, though swimming is good, too. I don't swim--it's only a preference. I am a terrestrial animal and just don't care for the water--but I know that it's very good exercise. Either one would be great for long-term exercise.There is one other consideration you might want to take if your goal is longevity--lose weight. Get down to about what you weighed as a senior in high school (assuming that you were not a linebacker). Studies have shown on other animals that lower weight means longer life. Studies now are beginning to show that it works in humans, too: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20040419/...You might find information from some of the calorie restriction groups interesting:http://www.calorierestriction.org/...http://www.lef.org/http://qualitycounts.com/fpcalorie.html...All of which seems to say that, if you eat less and exercise more--the kind of exercise doesn't seem to matter, as long as it's aerobic and about 45 minutes a day, so bicycling would be very good for you and one that you can do for your whole long life--you will live longer and healtheir.Good luck.

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IS THE CYCLING INDAISE OR OUTSIDE? EITHER WAY YOU FLUID UP AND DO NOT OVER EXHAUST YOURSELF. SWIMMING TONE AND WORK EVERY MUSCLE AND ORGAN IN YOUR BODY. IN ALL DO YOUR BEST.

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You've got it right. In my opinion, swimming and yoga are the very best exercises because they don't stress the joints but keep your muscles supple and strong and your heart and lungs fit.

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I think it is cool that you are thinking about living an active life. Good job! My answer and opinion to your question is to mix it up. Running is great, but too much can affect your joints. So take a break from running sometimes and do something else. Add variety in your life to make things fun and less repetitive and boring!! Go swim for a couple of weeks, or bicyling. Dont forget about resistance training! Your body is built to move, not sit. So stay active and you should be fine. I saw that you said that you want to increase your lifespan. Exercise is only part of the equation. You also want to consider other factors such as food, stress, drugs, etc. But this is all about exercise so I will stick to that. Good luck!

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