So you spent your youth smoking, eating doughnuts, or keeping the couch warm. Don't despair.

There are four simple steps middle-aged people can take to lower the risk of death in the ensuing four years by 40 percent -- even if they haven't been a health superstar to date.

Live the Good Life
Make these modest changes to start undoing all the unhealthy things you did before:

• Eat more than five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. (Search for fruit- and veggie-friendly recipes.)
• Walk at least 2.5 hours a week. (Find a walking buddy on our message boards.)
• Shave your BMI to under 30; 24.9 is ideal. (Check your BMI here.)
• Quit smoking. (Try our new quit-smoking program -- it really works!)

All Four Is Best
Try to take all four changes to heart -- it's your best shot at lowering your risk of heart disease. But tackling even one or two items will still have an impact on your longevity. Update your RealAge Test to see the impact!