Peter Attia Workout Routine & Diet

According to longevity expert and doctor Peter Attia, exercise is the single most important when it comes to determining length and quality of life. Not only are you improving your physical fitness, but you are also deterring other aspects of aging such as cognitive decline as well. 

With this in mind, Attia designed a comprehensive workout routine for himself so he can live as long and healthy as possible. In this guide, we have compiled the full Peter Attia workout routine so that you can have a workout plan based on living a long and healthy life as well. 

Peter Attia Stats

• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 178 lbs
• Profession: Longevity Specialist & Doctor

Peter Attia Workout Routine

Routine Goals

As expected, Attia likes to frame the goals of his workout routine in the context of longevity. For him, that means imagining everyday life and the tasks that he wants to be able to do no matter what age he is. In his book Outlive, he outlined some example tasks that one should have in mind:

• Hopping over a small fence
• Having sex
• Picking up a young child off the floor
• Being able to get up off the floor with just one arm

These are just some examples, but the main principle here is that having a long life does not really mean much if you cannot do basic things and depend on your own body. 

It is up to you to decide what these things are for you. Maybe it is being to swim in the ocean or hike a steep trail. Think about the things you love doing and design your own list. 

That being said, regardless of your list, whether or not you will be able to do your desired tasks will depend on four key pillars outlined by Attia: Stability, Strength, Aerobic efficiency, and Anareaboic performance.

This can sound complicated, but here is what all that means in simple terms

• Being aerobically fit enough to walk long distances (Ex. Slow walk on the back for miles)
• Being anaerbocally fit enough to travel short distances quickly (Ex. Sprinting 40 yards)
• Being strong enough to carry what you want (Groceries, Pets, Grandchildren)
• Being stable enough to avoid falling

How To Tackle Each Pillar

Now that we have established each pillar, here is Peter Attia recommends you structure your routines:

• Stability: 5-10 minutes before each workout (Adds up to one hour per week)
• Strength: Three lifting sessions per week
• Aerobic Efficiency: Four zone 2 cardio workouts
• Anaerobic Performance: One 30-minute VO2 Max Workout

Peter Attia Workout Schedule

In one of his latest podcast appearances, here is Attia broke down his workout week

• Monday: 10 minutes stability, 60 minutes lower body strength
• Tuesday: 10 minutes stability, 60 minutes zone 2
• Wednesday: 10 minutes stability, 60 minutes upper body strength
• Thursday: 10 minutes stability, 60 minutes zone 2
• Friday: 10 minutes stability, 60 minutes lower body strength
• Saturday: 10 minutes stability, 60 minutes zone 2, 30 minutes zone 5
• Sunday: 10 minutes stability, 60 minutes zone 2, 60 minutes upper body strength

Of course, he did list specific exercises or reps/sets but we can provide some examples based on his social media and common practices.

Lower Body

• Trap Bar Deadlifts
• Squats
• Lunges
• Leg Curls
• Leg Extensions

Upper Body

• Pull-ups
• Overhead presses
• Bench presses
• Bicep Curls
• Tricep pressdowns
• Face pulls

How To Train Like Attia

Attia points to his above routine as a good starting point for most people. However, he adds that longevity is a lifeline commitment that must be taken care of every day. Therefore, you should adjust the routine to fit your needs as well.

Here is you Attia suggests you do this

Master Stability

Peter Attia has suggested before that most people should first take a few months to improve their stability before they start doing any sort of serious training. 

The reasons for this are simple. The more stable you are, the more weight you will be able to lift safely. Second, you will also have a far reduced chance of injury. 

Attia specifically recommends DNS (dynamic neuromuscular stabilization) for increasing stability. He also says that getting a trainer or joining something like a yoga class could be beneficial as well. 

Get Strong

Attia views muscular strength as something that you have to build up in your younger years so that your body will be capable for the decades to come. This base of strength will protect you from injury and allow you to continue to do the things you love.

Peter Attia Strength Standards

Attia has a few strength standards that he views as the bare minimum. Furthermore, he views these as a good overall measure of where you stand

• Dead Hang For 2 Minutes: Measures grip strength, should health, upper back, and mobility
• Wall Sit For Two Minutes: Measures quad and ab strength
• Farmer’s carry bodyweight for two minutes: Measures core and grip strength

Push Yourself Anaerobically 

Peak cardiorespiratory fitness, as indicated by VO2 max levels, stands out as a key predictor of lifespan, according to Attia. Enhancing your VO2 max essentially makes you functionally younger.

From 25 years onwards, VO2 max typically declines by 10% every decade and even 15% after reaching 50 years old. Attia suggests engaging in one or two half-hour VO2 max exercises weekly for optimal benefits. If you’re not preparing for specific sports events like a triathlon, one session is sufficient. Activities that engage a wide array of muscles and rapidly elevate your heart rate, such as rowing, running, or cycling, are perfect.

VO2 max routines are slightly longer and a tad less vigorous than sprinting. Attia’s preferred VO2 max regimen consists of maintaining your highest possible pace for four minutes, then resting fully for another four minutes. This sequence should be done four to six times.

Build Up Your Endurance

Attia highlights the value of zone 2 training for overall health and enhancing mitochondrial function, which naturally decreases with age. This training, associated with a range of 65-75% of one’s maximum heart rate, can counteract numerous health issues, from heart disease to diabetes. 

Activities like treadmill walking, cycling, or swimming, sustained for prolonged periods, are ideal. Attia advises at least three hours of zone 2 training weekly for optimal benefits.

Peter Attia Diet Plan

Attia has a very varied diet but he follows some key principles. For his own needs, he tends to stick to one gram of protein per pound of body weight and also chooses to stick to around 2700-2800 calories per day. 

Similar to Andrew Huberman, he also practices intermittent fasting, particularly the 16/8 method. 

Here are some meals and snacks that Attia has mentioned as some of his favorites:

• Protein Shakes with frozen fruit
• Dense Omelets
• Magic Spoon Cereral
• Chicken Salad 
• Curry stir fry
• Steak/Salmon Salad
• Berries
• Sushi

Peter Attia Supplements 

Peter Attia takes several supplements throughout his day to help with various things. 

Here are his daily supplements for longevity:

• AG1 Green Powder
• SlowMag Magnesium
• Thereacurmin
• Omega 3 Fish Oil
• 1 Baby Asprin

Daily Supplements for sleep:

• Glycine
• Ashwagandha
• Magnesium L-Threonate 

Bottom Line

Clearly, Peter Attia has designed his workout routine using his years of experience and extensive knowledge in the field. However, this routine with everything from the recovery to the workouts and diet plan is quite extensive. 

My recommendation would be to begin to insert parts of his routine and slowly begin to craft your own routine that uses the same principles but works best for you.

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