7 Minutes of Exercise A Day

7 Minutes of Exercise A Day

That's what my doctor asked of me. Not even a half hour, way less than any fitness program would recommend. Just 7 minutes. And I couldn’t even do that much.

And if I'm being honest, some days, even now, I struggle to do it. It’s not because I don’t have the time. Even on my busiest days, I can carve out a few minutes or even incorporate movement into what I’m already doing. No, this battle isn’t about time—it’s a mental game, and it’s one I was losing. Badly.

What was the problem?

The first obstacle was mindset. It’s easy to brush off 7 minutes as “not enough,” especially when we’re bombarded with fitness programs that encourage 30, 45, or even 60-minute sessions. But the reality is, even small amounts of exercise can make a difference. Short bouts of exercise, particularly if they’re done with intensity, are shown to boost mood, improve energy levels, and maintain health​.

The key problem was motivation—or, rather, the lack of it. Motivation, as outlined in the curriculum, is the energy that drives behavior, and it fluctuates depending on our mood, circumstances, and stress levels​. On days when I was mentally drained, the idea of moving my body felt like too much. The mind kept telling me, “7 minutes won’t do anything, so why bother?”

That’s where the mental game comes in. We often fail to follow through with plans when we don’t have a strong motivational foundation. It’s easy to find excuses, especially when the goal seems insignificant​.

What was my solution?

My solution was a two-parter: reframing my thinking and making the exercise easier to integrate into my life. I had to adjust my mindset by understanding that any movement is better than none. Studies show that even 7 minutes of moderate-to-intense exercise can improve energy expenditure and positively impact metabolism​. Small, consistent actions can add up to significant results over time.

I also learned to stack my exercise with existing habits to sneak some more fitness into my non-exercise time​. This includes things like walking during phone calls, doing squats while waiting for the microwave, or incorporating brief bodyweight exercises during work breaks. Instead of thinking of exercise as a standalone task, I started integrating it into my daily life.

How to stay the course?

Staying consistent with a 7-minute exercise routine doesn’t come naturally—it requires a strategy. Here are a few things that worked for me:

1. Set clear goals: I gave myself small, realistic goals to start. While the long-term goal was to do a consistent 7 minutes daily, the short-term goal was simply to get moving—anything was progress​.
2. Create a plan: Having a plan in place can make all the difference. I scheduled my 7-minute workout at the same time each day, turning it into a habit. Studies show that specific, planned actions are far more likely to succeed​.
3. Track small victories: Each day that I did those 7 minutes, I celebrated the win, knowing that small progress adds up over time. The curriculum emphasizes that the more success you experience, the more motivated you become​.
4. Focus on the mental benefits: On days when physical motivation was low, I focused on the mental benefits. Exercise isn’t just about physical change—it also reduces stress and increases mental clarity. Even a brief session can boost your mood​.

In the end, consistency matters more than intensity or duration, especially when starting out. The mental hurdle is often the biggest challenge, but once I changed my thinking and found ways to incorporate exercise into my day, the habit stuck. So, whether it's 7 minutes or 70, any movement is a step in the right direction.