February 8, 2026: The bar is lower than you think
Hi friends,
Only 1 in 4 Americans meet the CDC's exercise guidelines.
Want to know what it takes to join them?
150 minutes of moderate activity per week (that's 21 minutes a day)
OR 75 minutes of vigorous activity
Plus 2 strength training sessions per week
That's it. That's less time than the average American spends watching TV each week.
Exercise is the most important habit that I’ve adopted in my life.
Yes, the physical benefits are great—improved endurance, strength, and better body composition. But that's not what keeps me coming back.
It's the psychological boost I get from working out. On days I exercise, my mood is drastically better. I think more clearly. I have more energy, not less. I feel less stressed.
Yet, for the numerous benefits of exercise, most people fall short of these guidelines.
Most people aren't stuck because they're lazy. They're stuck because:
They're waiting for motivation to strike
They don't have a plan
The gap between "nothing" and "gym routine" feels impossible to bridge
Motivation can be great to lean on when you have it, but you don't need it.
Once "exercising” becomes part of who you are, not just something you do when you feel like it, the motivation problem disappears. You just do it because you're a person who exercises.
If you don't exercise consistently now, start absurdly small:
Go for a 10-minute walk today
Do 10 pushups before your morning coffee
Take the stairs instead of the elevator
Build slowly. Consistency matters more than intensity.
The bar is low, and the benefits are massive.
Until next week,
Kevin
✍️ Quote I’m reflecting upon
“You don’t know how strong you are until you have to be.”