Welcome back to our Saturday edition! Want to know how well you're aging? One longevity doctor gives her patients a 5-second walking test that measures functional fitness. Try it at home.

On the agenda:

But first: Cardio is out. Weights are in.


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This week's dispatch

Foto: iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI

Gyms are becoming a treadmill graveyard

Cardio helped create the gym. Strength training is now forcing a makeover.

Business Insider's health team, Gabby Landsverk and Hilary Brueck, writes that gym rats today are trading in ellipticals, treadmills, and stair masters for free weights in favor of strength training.

And building a more sculpted body isn't just about looking fit.

Fitness industry consultant Pete McCall told Business Insider evidence shows "building muscle through strength training, as opposed to using cardio to manage weight, has a much greater effect on promoting longevity."

If you're still into cardio, "Fit Nation" author Natalia Mehlman Petrzela said, "the treadmill is not disappearing."

Instead, gym equipment manufacturers are creating more high-intensity equipment that meets both preferences. Meanwhile, some gyms are spending six figures to remodel their facilities to offer more weights and free-standing areas to execute strength-training workouts.

"What strength training really affords people is to make age just feel like a number," Mauro Maietta, district fitness manager at Crunch Fitness in Manhattan, told BI.


Foto: Amr Bo Shanab

Time for that standing desk?

Most of us spend the time between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays actively using our brains more than our bodies. But it turns out that's terrible for our health.

Health experts say sitting for extended periods can increase your risk of dying early. Luckily, research shows plenty of ways to combat this, from "exercise snacking" to being more active in the office. A Business Insider reporter decided to test these habits for a week.

What worked and what didn't.


Foto: Wengen Ling/Getty Images

Fine-dining faux pas

Dining at a high-end restaurant is a luxurious experience. But if you're used to more casual fare, there are four etiquette mistakes you don't want to make in a finer setting.

Interacting with staff, for instance, can make all the difference. And don't even think about showing up late.

Bon appétit.


Foto: Terri Peters

A weekend in the "Hamptons of the South"

Area 30A is an up-and-coming beach spot in the Florida panhandle dubbed "the Hamptons of the South" for its stunning views and charming towns.

Terri Peters spent two nights in 30A to see if the region lived up to its hype. Here's what she found — and what surprised her.

Inside a Florida hot spot.

Also read:

A stretch of Florida beaches has soared from a lesser-known gem to 'the Hamptons of the South'


Taylor Swift. Foto: Kate Green/Getty Images

How Taylor Swift won in the end

Some Swifties breathed a sigh of relief after the debate when Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris for president. But it wasn't who Swift backed that was as surprising as when she did it.

Her announcement arrived amid a wave of backlash from some fans for her silence on the election. Even though she's known for planning far in advance, she also has a finger on the pulse — especially when it comes to the feedback of her dedicated fans.

Inside her strategy to shut down critics.

Also read:


Foto: A24; Natalie Ammari/BI

What we're watching this weekend

  • "Civil War": Alex Garland's vision of a dystopian near-future America, starring Kirsten Dunst as a war photojournalist, is now on Max.
  • "My Brilliant Friend": The fourth and final season of the HBO drama premiered this week.
  • "In a Violent Nature": The year's most experimental horror movie is available on Shudder.

See the full list.


Foto: iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI

Deals we love


More of this week's top reads:


The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago.

Read the original article on Business Insider