• Some of the longest-living people on earth get their exercise with daily walks, not the gym.
• A longevity researcher reconsidered his routine after visiting centenarians in Italy’s Blue Zone.
• He learned that a more relaxed approach may prevent injury and lead to a longer, healthier life.

Steven Austad is a gym fanatic.

As the director of an anti-aging research nonprofit, he’s deeply aware that exercise might be the closest thing we have to a longevity cure-all.

That’s why he puts in about an hour a day on his bike or in the weight room as part of his longevity routine.

“I don’t take any supplements. I don’t even take a multivitamin, but I do spend a lot of time in the gym,” he told Business Insider

But on a recent research trip, Austad met with centenarians who stayed spry with a completely different style of exercise, and it changed how he thinks about working out.

“I met all these hundred-year-olds and talked to them and watched them,” he said. “They get a lot of exercise, but it’s not heavy exercise.”

Here’s what we know about the healthiest kind of movement — and why being a little bit lazy may be the key to a long, healthy life.

The best exercise for longevity

Sardinia, Italy is one of the few places in the world where people regularly live to be 100 (or even older).

Known as Blue Zones, residents in these regions have traditions that scientists suspect are linked to enduring good health. Despite being spread around the globe, from Okinawa, Japan to Nicoya, Costa Rica, Blue Zones tend to share lifestyle habits like staying active, eating simple, mostly veggie-based superfoods, and building strong social communities.

Austad traveled to Sardinia last year while working on a research paper about whether longevity hotspots live up to the hype. He wanted to test the theory that the high number of centenarians in Blue Zones is more about poor record-keeping than any exceptional anti-aging habits.

What he found is that Sardinian elders are legit. Not only did he verify that residents of the island are active and vibrant into their 90s and 100s, but what he saw changed his own approach to healthy living.

Villages in Sardinia are dotted throughout the region’s rugged, mountainous terrain. As a result, people who live there are consistently hiking as part of their day-to-day activities to get around.

Combined with other household chores like gardening, Sardinians tick all the boxes of longevity exercise without ever setting foot in a gym: lots of easy cardio, a bit of high-intensity effort from walking uphill, and muscle-strengthening movements using a full range of motion.

Austad also spoke with a regenerative medicine doctor in the area, who specializes in staving off problems caused by injury or aging.

She told him that her patients are primarily young people who hurt themselves in the gym.

Austad was stunned. All the 90- and 100-year-olds he had met were vibrant and healthy, while the younger generations needed medical care for pushing themselves too hard.

“That’s just remarkable,” Austad said. “It convinced me that you don’t have to be fanatical about this stuff.”

Take it easy for a longer life

Coming back from his Italian excursion, Austad couldn’t help but rethink his own approach to exercise.

Previously, he liked hit the gym hard, leaning into the addictive rush of endorphins from intense exercise, and was constantly tempted to push for an extra set or more time working out. For him, rest days felt like a distraction.

“The occasional day off, it drives me nuts,” he said. “I’ve got this one bad knee, and if I overdo it with that knee, I pay the price. So that kind of keeps me real, tells me when I’m starting to overdo it.”

Austad still hits the gym regularly, with a mix of cardio and strength training that prioritizes core stability and everyday motions like pulling and pressing.

But since his recent studies on the Blue Zones, he said he’s more likely to give himself a break without stressing about it.

“It makes me feel a little bit less guilty on the days when I decide that I shouldn’t work out,” Austad said.

• Senada Greca has been training Kim Kardashian four to six times a week since 2023.
• She says fitness should be about nurturing and strengthening, not punishing or shrinking.
• Fitness helped her overcome stressors from being a first-generation immigrant.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Senada Greca, founder of WeRise and cofounder of Aonic. It has been edited for length and clarity.

At least four times a week, I meet with Kim Kardashian for a personal training session. Today, we’re focused on the upper body and core. Over our hour-and-a-half session, we’ll do assisted pull-ups, hollow-body chest presses, face-pulls, and more. Kim likes to end most training sessions with a dead hang on the bar.

I’ve been training Kim for three years now. I also help millions of other people (mostly women) through my training platform WeRise, and the fitness and nutrition videos I post on social media.

Strength training is powerful, especially for women. Once you know the strength your body possesses, you’ll understand how to feel good in your body, rather than feeling like you need to shrink or punish it. I know, because that’s a change I’ve made myself.

Immigrating to the US from Albania at 14 was difficult

I’m the oldest of three girls, born in Albania. After the communist government was overthrown in the early 1990s, there was a lot of civil unrest. I remember the first time we heard gunshots. We hid under the bed, staying down for a long time.

Luckily, my family won the green card lottery (editor’s note: the green card lottery is formally called the Diversity Visa Program), and we were able to immigrate to America in 1997 when I was 14. That helped set up a safer, more prosperous future for my sisters and me.

At the time, it was very challenging. I spoke with a heavy accent and dressed differently from my classmates in upstate New York, which led to a lot of bullying. Since I was the only one in the family who spoke English, I had to help my parents with legal documents, doctors’ appointments, and getting my sisters into school. It was a lot.

I developed an eating disorder that took years to recover from

Everything in my life felt out of control. The one thing I could control was my eating, and not long after immigrating, I developed anorexia. Within a few years, I was also struggling with depression and anxiety. I was exercising, but only to punish my body.

In college, I connected with counseling and medication that helped me start getting healthy. The real turning point came when I was in my mid-20s and met a new primary care doctor. She was in her 50s, but running marathons every quarter. She taught me to think about exercise as a way to support mental health. I started running and became more physically and mentally stable.

About 10 years ago, in my mid-30s, I started strength training. It changed my life, as I started using exercise to nourish myself.

I left my corporate job when I realized I had stability in fitness

In my immigrant family, financial security was always very important. I had a corporate job, and had never considered building something on my own — it just wasn’t done.

I started teaching yoga at night, and loved how my classes made people feel. In 2019, I began posting videos of my workouts, at first for myself. I was extremely consistent, which helped me grow a big following. When the pandemic happened, my following grew exponentially as people looked for workouts they could do at home.

In 2020, I launched my website and began charging for memberships. I quickly saw that my fitness business could be stable and successful. That gave me the courage to quit my corporate job to follow my passion. In the years since, my audience has only grown, and I’ve had amazing opportunities, like training Kim.

Today, I’m in the best shape of my life — physically and mentally — at 43. I don’t often talk about my age, because I feel ageless and don’t want to define myself by a number. At the same time, I want to show that getting older doesn’t have to mean winding down.

• Margot Robbie stars in Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” adaptation.
• She’s been promoting the film lately while wearing Victorian-inspired fashion.
• Her best looks have included dramatic dresses and diamond jewelry.

No one method dresses like Margot Robbie.

The 35-year-old actor has mastered the art of embracing the characters she plays at red-carpet events. Remember her “Barbie” press tour in 2023?

She’s at it again this year while promoting her role in Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights,” which will be in theaters on February 13. Robbie has attended interviews, photo calls, and the film’s premiere in stunning Victorian-inspired looks.

Here are the outfits she’s worn so far, ranked from worst to best.

Margot Robbie’s outfit for “The Julia Cunningham Show” didn’t make much sense.

The actor was photographed wearing a sleeveless dress by Mark Gong. It had a white printed bodice, a red satin bralette, and a black mesh overlay.

The outfit’s layered design looked unfinished, and it was a little too understated to be paired with the designer’s leather wrap heels.

Robbie attended the radio interview alongside her costar, Jacob Elordi, and musician Charli XCX, who worked on the film’s music.

She dressed too simply for a press event in London.

She wore a black Vivienne Westwood minidress for the Q&A event.

The sleeveless piece had a scooped neckline, a corset top, and a bubbled miniskirt. It was a cute dress, but it ultimately needed some accessories to make it pop.

The actor took a daring fashion approach for a “Wuthering Heights” photo call, but it missed the mark.

Robbie attended that event in a vintage John Galliano ensemble. It comprised a dramatic, corseted coat with pink feather embellishments and a black micro miniskirt.

She also wore red thigh-high socks and silver heels.

Though the individual pieces she wore were fun, they weren’t cohesive as an outfit.

Her “Wuthering Heights” street style has been understated, but on theme.

For one London outing, Robbie wore a Dilara Findikoglu ensemble. It featured skinny trousers with buckled straps, a red-and-pink corset top, and pointed leather heels.

She also carried a leather jacket, a purse, and wore oval-shaped sunglasses.

The outfit might not have been the flashiest she wore on the “Wuthering Heights” press tour, but it did blend modern design with Victorian aesthetics perfectly.

Her red-carpet style, on the other hand, has been chic.

She wore a custom Thom Browne design for a photo event in Paris.

The black gown had off-the-shoulder sleeves, a corseted minidress, and an attached skirt with visible garters. It was pretty, edgy, and accessorized well with a choker necklace.

One small tweak would have taken her French fashion to the next level.

Robbie attended a “Wuthering Heights” photo call in Paris on February 2. She wore Chanel for the occasion.

Her sleeveless gown had a corseted velvet top, with the red fabric extending across its white full skirt and long train. She also wore a velvet choker with a statement diamond weighing over 100 carats.

The latter was designed by Lorraine Schwartz.

The outfit was elegant and on theme, but it would have been nice to see Robbie highlight it further with an updo.

She looked like she stepped out of the Victorian era for a “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” appearance.

Styled by Andrew Mukamal, Robbie wore Alexander McQueen for the late-night show.

Her black-lace dress had long sleeves, a high neckline, and a keyhole cutout down its bodice.

She looked stunning, and the outfit set the tone for the “Wuthering Heights” press tour.

To complement the see-through piece, Robbie wore black aviator sunglasses, beaded heels, and a long, wavy hairstyle.

She also donned one-of-a-kind earrings from Jessica McCormack. The sparkling jewelry featured large, pear-shaped diamonds that weighed 15 carats combined.

Robbie referenced the 1847 novel with a red corset, and it made for an unforgettable fashion moment.

For a photo shoot at Greystone Mansion, Robbie wore a red leather set by Turkish designer Dilara Findikoglu.

The snakeskin set featured a corset that highlighted a shell-covered bra, a long-sleeved bolero jacket with laced sleeves, and a micro miniskirt with flared detailing.

On Instagram, her stylist said the look was inspired by a line from the “Wuthering Heights” novel: “I’d rather be hugged by a snake.”

They accessorized the standout look with a Jessica McCormack necklace. It featured a 10-carat, pear-shaped diamond on a red cord.

The actor looked like royalty at the “Wuthering Heights” world premiere.

She arrived in a Schiaparelli couture gown that might go down as one of the best she’s ever worn.

The strapless design featured a structured, lace bodice with a sweetheart neckline, a black velvet peplum skirt, and a striking red hem that surrounded her like flower petals.

Her historic accessory was equally stunning.

Robbie paired the gown with a heart-shaped necklace that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor.

The gold Cartier piece houses the late star’s iconic Taj Mahal diamond, which was gifted to Taylor by her former husband Richard Burton on her 40th birthday.

Vogue reported that the necklace, which also features a jade mount and ruby stones, is inscribed with the phrase “Love is Everlasting” and the name Nur Jahan, who was the jewel’s first owner.

Robbie made a bold statement at the London “Wuthering Heights” premiere.

Dilara Findikoglu created her gown, which was see-through and covered in strands of braided hair. It was entirely unique in design and equally unforgettable.

She also wore a replica of The Bracelet of Charlotte, a mourning jewelry piece belonging to Charlotte Brontë.

• I fell in love with France while teaching there for a few summers. In 2015, I moved there.
• I was pleasantly surprised by my ability to adapt to the country’s more laidback lifestyle.
• The language barrier and limited store hours were a bit harder to navigate than I expected.

I’m originally from the Bahamas, but my love for France began while working there as an English language camp counselor every summer from 2011 to 2014.

Year after year, I fell more in love with the country — and, soon, the seed of a plan to live here began to sprout its roots. In August 2015, I finally packed my bags and made my dream of living in France a reality.

However, no amount of prior experience coming here for short spurts could’ve prepared me for moving to France and actually living there.

I underestimated how tough navigating the language barrier would be

Living in a foreign country can be a daunting shock to the system when you don’t speak the native language.

I knew my French being limited to phrases like “hello” and “thank you” would put me at a disadvantage — but I still wasn’t prepared for the frustration I’d feel and the judgment I’d get for being no better than a toddler trying to communicate.

Once I arrived in Rennes, where I’d chosen to move, it became clear to me English was not prevalent, and that I would need to navigate all my administrative procedures with limited French.

To navigate day-to-day transactions, such as opening a bank account, I used Google Translate to create a script. It was challenging, but I managed to get things done.

This experience taught me to never underestimate a language barrier or assume you can rely on English abroad — not even in big cities.

As a word of advice, if you plan to move to France or any country where you do not speak the native tongue, be sure to take classes in that language for six months to a year before you go.

Doing so will help you navigate day-to-day life and ensure a more seamless integration — especially when navigating the paperwork and administrative tasks that come with moving.

The slower pace of life has been nice, but it took me a bit to adjust to shops’ limited hours

Europe is known for having a slower-paced lifestyle than much of North America. However, I still couldn’t believe how relaxed my day-to-day life became after I moved — or how quickly I was able to get used to it.

My first summer living in France without having to work the whole time was the most surprising. During August, entire businesses close for summer holidays and cities feel emptier as locals go on vacation for two or three weeks at a time. It was refreshing.

I’ve grown to really appreciate how the French know how to relax and enjoy life. However, it did take me a little longer to get used to shops here having limited hours.

Businesses like pharmacies, grocery stores, clothing shops, and even private clinics often close before or just after sunset throughout France — even in many major cities.

A lot of businesses are also closed on Sundays, as it’s meant to be a countrywide day of rest.

This was a bit jarring since I come from a country where many stores are open late for convenience — some are open 24/7, seven days a week.

However, I’ve since learned how to plan accordingly and mark which errands are time-sensitive on my to-do list.

Ultimately, though, this experience reminded me that no amount of research can prepare you for moving to a new country. There will always be surprises around the corner — but, for me, moving here has been worth it.

• I made the famous mac and cheese recipe by “Next Level Chef” star Tineke “Tini” Younger.
• Her mac and cheese has racked up over 100 million views on TikTok.
• I loved her twists on the recipe and think this dish is perfect for Super Bowl Sunday.

It’s not easy for a recipe to take hold on TikTok these days. So rarely does another dalgona coffee or feta pasta come our way.

That changed when “Next Level Chef” star Tineke “Tini” Younger shared her mac and cheese recipe.

Younger originally posted the video for Thanksgiving in November 2023, and the recipe — which seems to rack up more than 100 million views every time it’s shared — became an instant hit.

Tini’s recipe is now a holiday favorite, but I always crave mac and cheese on Super Bowl Sunday.

Here’s how to make it.

Tineke “Tini” Younger’s mac and cheese recipe features twists on the traditional ingredients.

To make Tini’s mac and cheese at home, you’ll need:

• 1 pound of cavatappi pasta
• 16 ounces of mozzarella cheese, grated
• 16 ounces of colby jack cheese, grated
• 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 12-ounce can of evaporated milk
• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of pepper

First, I cooked my pasta.

In her TikTok video, Younger said she opts for cavatappi noodles because their shape holds the cheese sauce better than elbow pasta.

“All that cream gets all in the hole, so you bite into the cream and the cheesiness,” she said.

Once my pasta was al dente, I drained the pot and set it aside while I started the sauce.

Then I turned on my oven and began prepping the cheeses.

I preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and greased my baking dish (Younger recommends using a 9-inch by 13-inch pan) before I started grating all the cheese.

The recipe includes 2 ½ pounds of cheese, and Younger is adamant that you shred it yourself.

“Do not use pre-shredded cheese at all,” she says in the TikTok.

Next, I tossed all the cheeses together.

After giving everything a good mix, I divided half of the cheese to use for the sauce.

I also prepped my seasoning mix.

I threw my garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper into a small bowl so it’d be ready for the roux.

It was time to get cooking.

First, I melted my butter in a large pan over medium heat.

Once the butter had melted, I added half the seasoning mix.

I started stirring as I added the flour. Younger said you should try to cook out all the flour, so I kept stirring for a few minutes.

I added the can of evaporated milk.

Younger said you should start whisking right after adding the milk to avoid clumps in your roux. This is also when your sauce should begin to thicken.

I also added the heavy cream and the rest of my seasoning.

My roux was ready!

I slowly began adding all my cheese.

Younger said you should let each handful of cheese melt before adding more.

Once all the cheese had melted, I threw in the pasta.

I made sure to give the pot a big mix so all the noodles were coated with the delicious-smelling cheese sauce.

Then I began building my mac and cheese pan.

I added half of my cheesy cavatappi to the pan, spreading the noodles into an even layer.

I added half of my cheese mixture on top, then repeated the steps before throwing my pan into the oven.

I baked my mac and cheese for 25 minutes, until the cheese had melted and began to bubble. Then I threw the pan on broil for two minutes to help give the top a beautiful golden crust.

My mac and cheese got everyone talking at a potluck.

I made two pans of Younger’s mac and cheese (one with breadcrumbs and one without) for my friend’s NFL playoffs potluck, and it was one of the most popular dishes of the day.

The cavatappi noodles were the perfect vehicle for the thick and creamy cheese sauce, giving each bite an explosion of flavor. I far preferred them to the traditional elbow noodles, and I think Younger’s mac and cheese convinced everyone that cavatappi is the superior shape.

The cheese sauce was rich, indulgent, and delicious, and the Dijon mustard added a nice subtle tang. Our group was split 50/50 on whether the mac and cheese tasted better with breadcrumbs, so just stick to your personal preference.

If you’re looking for a Super Bowl side to steal the spotlight, Younger’s mac and cheese is the ultimate touchdown.

• Amazon’s Anthropic stake is now valued at $60.6 billion, a seven-fold increase.
• Amazon has invested $8 billion in Anthropic so far.
• Some of the gains have been recorded as Amazon’s earnings.

Talk about return on investment. Amazon’s bet on Anthropic looks like an enormous win, at least on paper.

The cloud giant disclosed on Friday that it holds $45.8 billion of convertible notes and $14.8 billion of nonvoting preferred stock in the AI startup. Taken together, the figures show that Amazon‘s Anthropic stake is now worth $60.6 billion.

Amazon has invested $8 billion in Anthropic since late 2023, indicating a seven-fold increase in value. If borne out, that would rank among the most lucrative strategic technology investments the company has ever disclosed.

The two companies have a deep commercial tie-up. Anthropic has committed to buy 1 million of Amazon’s Trainium chips, binding one of the leading AI labs closely to Amazon Web Services.

Anthropic last raised $13 billion in September at a $183 billion post-money valuation, following a $3.5 billion round in March that valued the company at $61.5 billion. The AI startup is in talks for another funding round that would push its value to $350 billion.

The convertible notes held by Amazon convert to preferred stock as Anthropic raises additional capital. So every time the startup closes a round, Amazon gets valuable new stock in one of the hottest AI companies on the planet.

Some of the upside has already flowed through to Amazon’s earnings. Conversions in 2025 generated about $5.6 billion in recognized gains, and Amazon booked a further $7.2 billion upward adjustment to its “other income” in the third quarter as Anthropic’s valuation climbed.

An Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider that the value of the company’s Anthropic stake rose from $38.5 billion in the third quarter to $60.6 billion in the fourth. The company expects to book a further $15 billion gain in first-quarter “other income” as some of the notes convert to nonvoting preferred stock, the spokesperson added.

Amazon also disclosed that these valuations relied on “significant judgment.” The company classified the convertible notes as “Level 3” assets, meaning their values are based on unobservable inputs and Amazon’s own assumptions rather than market prices, the company disclosed.

That’s common with stakes in startups, which don’t have securities that trade regularly on liquid public markets. That’s what IPOs are for — and Anthropic is reportedly eyeing a listing this year.

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