Do The Bare Minimum

You aren’t too busy to workout, you just don’t want to, and that is ok. I think it is fair to say that on any given day there are far more people who don’t want to exercise, than those who do. Exercise is a habit that is hard to maintain and harder to start. Although you do have some things on your side, first, exercise is addictive; it makes you feel good both mentally and physically, and second, you don’t have to be perfect.

You don’t have to go to the gym every day.

You don’t have to have the cleanest diet or stick to a regiment of supplements.

You just need to do the bare minimum to feel good and stay healthy.  

Regular exercise is the best form of injury prevention and often prescribed by physical therapists to treat a host of common injuries. You cannot afford never to exercise, or you’ll become weak and injury-prone, but you also don’t need to spend an hour every single day working out. I only lift weights for about 45 minutes three days a week; my goals aren’t to become a bodybuilder. I want to look and feel good. Therefore my workout program reflects that. On the days I don’t lift weights, I take my dog for a long walk or short run for a little cardio. It is not a stressful schedule to maintain, and for 90% of the population, this is more than enough.

The same is true for dieting, I have no illusions of maintaining a six-pack for the rest of my life, a six-pack is something achievable for most of the population. However, unless you are genetically gifted, you’ll find it is incredibly hard to maintain. So instead do the bare minimum, eat vegetables, only drink things with zero calories, and if it floats your boat skip breakfast. Creating a calorie deficit is the only element of diet that matters for body composition, so if you want to eat sweets every day, feel free, but subtract those calories for your daily allotment for the rest of the day. That is why I skip breakfast because I’d rather use those breakfast calories for later in the day when I really want them.

Doing the bare minimum will only help you maintain your current weight, if you want to create a calorie deficit, you’ll have to work a little harder. Often, you’ll have to choose a salad over a sandwich and go without dessert, but once you reach your desired weight, you’ll be able to add some calories back to your diet. Remember, it easy to maintain weight but hard to lose it. 

Lastly, please skip the supplements, fads, or anything that has a big price tag on it. We are talking about bare minimums here people. I promise you, it doesn’t cost much money to be healthy. Fruits, vegetables, and lean protein are very affordable at your local grocery store and provide plenty of nutrients. All you have to do is try to eat healthily and exercise a few days a week, and everything else is gravy.