Minimal Effective Dose Mentality

“People often overestimate what they can get done in one day, yet underestimate what they can get done in a lifetime.”

– Some unknown sage on a mountain top

It’s not a race.

The majority of people I talk to about their health and fitness goals don’t care about winning a race, lifting a particular weight, or even visible abs.

They want to be happier and healthier in their own skin.

They want to upgrade to a better version of themselves.

They want the physical capability to not be left behind in a physically demanding game or excursion with friends.

They want to walk up the stairs without being out of breath.

They want to get down on the ground to play with their kids and not struggle to get back up.

The solution to get to a healthier and fitter version of yourself isn’t a matter of spending exactly 1 hour in the gym 3-6 times a week. It’s not about the 8 minute ab program either. Nor does it have to be the $200+ gym membership that provides you community and accountability where change can happen more easily. It doesn’t even have to involve a personal trainer!

It’s about determining your Minimal Effective Dose over the long haul

A minimal effective dose is the smallest exposure to something you can get but still get an improvement from. It focuses on what is essential. It isn’t particularly marketable because it emphasizes long-term, sustainable change instead of quick fixes. These are the same quick fixes that end up putting you in a worse off place than when you started. Quick fixes are temporary, eventually you will have to take the time to truly take care of an issue if you want to quit seeing the problems it causes crop up over time. This takes time and this takes intentional effort, but it doesn’t have to be painful. It can actually be an enjoyable process.

Analysis

Here’s one way to find your minimal effective dose for consistent movement:

1. Look at the past few days, weeks, even months for any regularly occuring movement activity
   • Yes, yard-work actually does count.
   • More examples beyond going to the gym, lifting weights, running, swimming etc. could include playing with your kids or pets, walking, helping someone move, painting, washing windows, sitting on the floor, and cleaning house.
2. Analyze the things you do regularly. What type of patterns do they involve?
   • Squatting, lunging, hinging, pushing, pulling, crawling, carrying, twisting, climbing etc.?
3. What movements do you seem to be lacking the most?
   • “All of them…”
     • If that’s your answer, no problem 🙂 Up is the only direction to go. Start with one pattern and go from there.
4. Think about how you could incorporate some of those movements into some type of daily “dose” whenever you do a certain activity or at a certain time each day
   • Do you lack squatting? Try to maintain a deep squat or squat hold when you are weeding the flower beds, playing with your kids or pets, or even holding yourself above a seat for a few seconds before you sit down into the chair.
     • A little goes a long way if it’s done consistently and the above examples shouldn’t make you cripplingly sore, so that’s a bonus!
   • Do you lack mobility on and off the floor? Sit on the floor just one minute per day and build from there.
     • You might need a chair to get up and use your hands and knees at first but as you consistently do this minimal dose, it’ll get easier and easier.
5. Make an appointment with yourself 
   • Remembering to do the things you know you need to do for longevity, health, well-being etc. is hard at first but one way to make it easier is to use any of the various and free reminders/calendars/apps that are available. Do this until it’s second nature or always use these tools if you find yourself more committed when you schedule something like this.

Examples:

Middle aged married male; 4 kids under 15 years old; works at a desk 40+ hours per week

• Current activity might include yard work, climbing up a ladder to clean the gutters, chasing his kids, helping a friend move, and perhaps participation in a coed softball team or other recreation level activity
• Patterns most likely include lunging to get down to a child’s level, squatting to pickup a couch, child, or leaf bag, hinging at the hips to pick weeds, pressing a child overhead, carrying a child, etc.
• Lacking patterns perhaps involve twisting, climbing, crawling, pulling, and pushing. While those might be the ones that are most lacking, that’s not to say we can ignore the few movements that are being done.
• The “minimum effective dose” might look something like the two options listed below:
  1. Once per day (inspiration from Original Strength & GMB Fitness):
     • Roll on the floor just using your upper body and then do it with the lower body
     • Rock back and forth
     • Baby crawl, cross crawl, leopard crawl, bear crawl, frogger, or monkey
     • Child press (floor or overhead); they will love it and you solidify your Superman status with actual strength!
     • Doorway rows
  2. “IF ____ happens, THEN I will ____”
     • If I go to sit down, I will hold my position for 5 seconds above the chair before doing so.
     • If I open the refrigerator, I will do 5 air squats.
     • If my child is playing on the floor, I will do some variation of a crawl around them 4 times AND/OR sit in various positions for 1+ minutes on the floor to help with mobility

Summary

In a nutshell, and without requiring you to analyze movement patterns and put forth thought…

• The more enjoyable the activity is for you, the more likely you will stick to it.
• Piggybacking off of something you already do everyday (sit in a chair, play with kids, open doors, etc.) helps the new routine or new habit stick.
• Increased movement/activity doesn’t have to take an hour, 30 minutes, or even 15 minutes. It starts with your minimal effective dose. The one YOU can commit to. The one that gives YOU specific benefits.

Whatever you decide, make sure you choose something that you actually will enjoy and have fun with. “Exercise” can have a negative connotation associated with it because of how it is marketed, but if you stick to the little bit of extra movement you actually enjoy, you will most likely find yourself experimenting with more and more because of a natural curiosity as opposed to an expected obligation.

– Bryce