The Minimalist Guide to Exercise
Minimal doesn’t have to mean lazy. It can mean working smarter. That is if you plan well and execute even better.
This is for those who want to do as little as possible and still get some of those sweet rewards exercise has to offer.
If you want to have your cake and eat it too, metaphorically speaking, you can. I have been a person who just wants to do the bare minimum as far as exercise goes here and there for years. Exercise is not some all or nothing endeavor. It’s do something and you shall be rewarded. Sometimes I just don’t care what I do, I just want that chemical reward.
Efficiency is key, but it’s useless without a solid plan. If you really only have 30 min a day to exercise, you have to plan. You can’t just hope it happens. This is a tangent I will refuse at this moment as it’s boring and I get worked up, because time as an excuse fires me up.
If you want to exercise as little as possible, and reap the benefits you can. I worry people think you have to spend hours and hours in the gym to benefit so they don’t exercise at all. I hear that as an excuse and not the actual truth. I know that because I used to use the same one. I know betta now and had my own mental blocks to get through.
You can get a lot for yourself in just 15 minutes, so stop thinking that if you don’t have an hour you won’t exercise at all. The simple fact is that you probably don’t want to exercise at all and use time to justify why you chose not to. Again, I know I can be harsh…
Is there a catch? Well yes there is. It’s very important to be mindful of your nutrition or food intake. Mindful eating is always necessary. If you over eat it just doesn’t matter what you do as far as any weight management or aesthetic benefits. Nothing can beat a poor diet. Food will beat any “exercise” hand. Yes you should still exercise, you just can’t expect much to change body composition wise if you eat poorly. I do think that we do become more motivated to eat well when we exercise, so take that as a reason to start.
There are tons of physical benefits to this kind of exercise, but with all that’s happening in the world who cares. What I think is amazing is the fact that you can improve your mood by completing a 15 min high intensity interval workout (HIIT). It can also improve your cognitive function, and help you sleep better. This short amount of exercise can help with depression and anxiety. To me this 15 min is so loaded with benefits I find a way to make it happen. You won’t spend 15 minutes exercising and think oh that was a waste of time.
If you don’t currently exercise don’t worry, you can just begin with a little 15 min HIIT, and be happy with the fact that you have started. The best part is you can make your own HIIT using body weight exercises.
If you don’t want to go anywhere or if you don’t have any equipment this is the workout for you. You can go 30 seconds on and 15 seconds off for 15 minutes. If you want you can get a jump rope, or some hand weights. Just start where you can. The more you try this the less opportunity for reasons not to. There really aren’t a lot of rules, just do it. Release ignorant confines you have placed on exercise and just begin.
If you live in a small space the ideal equipment to use is a bag of bands. You can get them for as little as $10.00 and off you go. I travel with mine. I also like a TRX, you can literally use it anywhere. It also fits in a little bag.