by Michael Plank
If you’re just joining the Bare Minimum Mondays posts, here’s the premise…
Action always gets more results than ideas. (Related to this: the thing you do is better than the thing you don’t do, progress is better than perfection, consistency, even with something small, is more effective than occasional bursts of excellence).
Every Monday, we send out things to try in four areas: movement (exercise), nutrition, sleep, and stress management. These are, without question, the four most powerful tools available for tackling a massive number of maladies. The goal isn’t for you to do all of them forever. It’s not even for you to do all of them this week. The goal is to give you enough things to try that you can find a couple that stick, and then for you to have some intentionality in each of those areas that you can stick with for the rest of your life.
Take what you need, discard the rest.
Let’s get into it.
Move
Hold a plank position for 20 seconds, 3 times. Planks improve core strength and stability, which supports posture and reduces back pain. See how to do them HERE.
Eat
Drink a glass of water before each meal. Drinking water before meals reduces calorie intake and supports weight management, not to mention improving hydration, which makes your body work and feel better.
Sleep
Wake up at roughly the same time each day this week (plus or minus 30 minutes), even on weekends. Consistent wake-up times regulate circadian rhythms and improve sleep quality. Read more HERE.
Manage
Take 5 deep breaths when you feel stressed. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and anxiety. Read more HERE.