Mark Wahlberg Says He Used to Work Out for ‘Aesthetic,’ but ‘Now It’s More About Longevity’ (Exclusive)

"I want to live a long time," the actor tells PEOPLE exclusively ahead of F45's upcoming Wahlberg Week

Mark Wahlberg's reasons for staying in shape have changed over the years.

While chatting exclusively with PEOPLE ahead of F45's upcoming Wahlberg Week, which will run from Oct. 2 to Oct. 8 at participating F45 studios worldwide, the actor, 52, also opens up about how his fitness goals have altered from when he was a young adult to now.

Detailing how his preferred workout routines involve "strength training," and that "cardio days are tough for me," Wahlberg says, "For me, now, it's much more about longevity than anything else. You know?"

"Before it was about aesthetic when trying to get in shape," he adds. "Now, I want to live a long time."

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Related: We Tried It: F45 Training, the Fitness Franchise Backed by Mark Wahlberg with Locations Near You

Wahlberg — who doubles as an F45 Training investor and a Chief Brand Officer — is known for his intense workouts, which usually kick off his day at 4 a.m.

When asked how he feels that early in the morning, Wahlberg says, "You know what? I feel good. I get up and it's nice and quiet. I get a little time to pray and reflect, and then I'm in the gym, and all that stuff is done."

"I feel better getting up early," he adds. "If I don't work out in the morning, I have a really hard time doing it towards the end of the day."

And while he admits he also deals with thoughts about skipping the gym on certain days — explaining, "I probably feel like that almost every day" — Wahlberg states, however, "I know what the feeling is going to be like after. That's hard to duplicate."

"If I cut corners, then I can't be at my best," he continues. "Everything that I've done, that I've been successful at, is done by doing the work."

Adds the Uncharted star: "I encourage everybody, even if you just work out for 10 minutes, you're going to feel better. We're all very fortunate and blessed. You want to live as long as possible. You want to be able to move, and certainly, you got to do it."

Related: Mark Wahlberg Reveals the Fitness Advice He 'Wishes' He Would've Listened to 20 Years Ago

During Wahlberg Week in October, seven brand-new workouts personally designed by the actor in the form of cardio, strength and hybrid training classes will be made available — and free — for fitness fans to take part in.

"Throughout the week, it gets progressively more difficult," Wahlberg tells PEOPLE. "But the great thing about F45 is that you can go at your own pace."

"You don't have to push yourself that hard," the father of four continues. "You can get the hardest workout you've ever had, or you can also get something that's super comfortable."

Wahlberg adds: "I remember the last time we did it, people were like, 'God, these sets are a little bit long.' But then, come the end of the week, they felt like they had really conquered their fitness goals, and they thought there wasn't anything they couldn't accomplish. That feeling is pretty incredible."

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