What if you could just do something for one minute a few times an hour that would change your life? It’s that simple, and I’m going to prove it to you.
First, let me share a little secret: I’ve managed to stay fit and healthy by being lazy. My friends used to make fun of me for my quick gym visits. They’d say, “John, I was at the gym an hour before you. You came in, gave air kisses to three girls, worked out for 10 minutes, and left, while I spent a total of 1.5 hours here.” But guess what? I look great, and they don’t. Why? Because while they dread going to the gym for an hour, I go every day for just 10 minutes. It’s easy to go every day when it’s only for 10 minutes!
Now, let’s take this practice to an extreme. Consider Jack LaLanne, the father of exercise, who started the first gym in 1939. Back then, he gave women a series of simple home exercises. What if we went back to the future and did simple things all day long?
I recently went to physical therapy for my neck and started doing small exercises here and there. My posture improved, my range of motion increased, and it turns out we can burn between 3 and 10 calories a minute depending on the activity. So let’s settle on 5 calories a minute for simplicity. If you’re awake for 16 hours a day and do something for just one minute every 20 minutes, that’s 48 times a day. Multiply that by 7 days a week, and you’re burning an extra 1,680 calories a week, which translates to around 2 pounds of weight loss a month or 25 pounds a year. Plus, you’ll be more flexible, feel younger, and be in less pain.
Who wants to join me?
What about success? What if you made that one important phone call that only takes a minute? You know the one you have been avoiding for 3 weeks, while you were busy organizing your files. What if you took another 5 minutes each day to do the most important things you need to do? Most of those calls will go to voicemail, taking just 30 seconds. Send a text, comment on Instagram—each of these actions could change your life, and they all take less than a minute.
One minute is all you need to say no to temptations. I used to take clients to lunch every day at the best restaurants in New York. My mind might have been thinking vodka gimlet, fillet mignon and a chocolate mousse pie for dessert, but the words that came out of my mouth were broiled fish and salad and club soda with lime. Sure I wanted to call the waiter back and change my order, but that feeling passed. That afternoon I’d feel great while jogging 5 miles. We buried many a salesman who spent the afternoon at the infamous Palm Restaurant in New York drinking their way to cirrhosis of the liver. Just a few seconds of self discipline helped me navigate decades of taking people to lunch and not getting fat, drunk or dead.
Ever notice that cravings pass in about five minutes? The initial action only takes a minute. Just get up, stretch, make the call, drink water. There are endless things you can do in less than a minute that will change your life. I’m not asking you to go to the gym or walk 10,000 steps. I’m only asking for one minute here and there, and it will add up.
Here’s a math test: What’s longer, one minute three times each waking hour or 30 minutes of exercise? Duh—assuming you’re awake 16 hours a day, that’s 48 minutes versus 30 minutes. This is the lazy person’s way, my way, to stay healthy, happy, and wealthy.
One last test: What’s more effective, 30 minutes of meditation in the morning followed by 17 hours of endless mind chatter, or a peaceful, reflective day where you let go of negative thoughts and reactions? I live my life in peace. The average person thinks 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts a day, mostly negative and repetitive. That’s no way to live. Start by giving me just one minute, and we can change our lives together.
Now, if I can just take a minute to figure out how to open up the comments so I can get comments and we can have more fun.
Happiness Health and Beauty Secrets 