You Don’t Need to Do Everything — You Need to Do the Right Thing
If you’ve ever opened Instagram, searched “fitness plan,” or wandered into a big-box gym without a plan, you’ve likely felt it — that overwhelming sense that in order to really be fit, you have to do… everything.
Lift heavy. But also do cardio. And mobility. And yoga. And HIIT. And breathwork. And something with a sled, a kettlebell, a foam roller, and maybe a sledgehammer, just to be safe.
This is the myth of more: the modern fitness world’s sneakiest lie.
But here’s the truth: You don’t need to do everything. You need to do the right things — consistently, with purpose, and with just enough challenge to spark change without causing chaos.
Welcome to the M.E.D. Method mindset.
The "Do More" Dilemma
The idea that more = better has become deeply ingrained in fitness culture. Social media, influencer marketing, and an endless stream of fitness trends have created the illusion that unless your training week includes six unique disciplines and at least one electrolyte-enhanced sweat puddle, you’re not doing enough.
But the problem isn’t effort. It’s direction. Unfocused effort leads to burnout, plateaus, or worse — injuries that take you even further away from your goals.
Doing more for the sake of doing more is like trying to drive cross-country with a full tank of gas but no map. You’re moving, sure. But are you getting anywhere that matters?
Redefining "Enough"
This is where the Minimum Effective Dose (M.E.D.) philosophy flips the script. It’s not about doing less to cut corners — it’s about doing just enough to spark progress, on purpose, with a plan.
Minimum Effective Dose: The smallest amount of stress required to produce a desired adaptation.
This principle is used across biology, pharmacology, and strength training — and it’s backed by science. Research has shown that well-designed strength programs using two to three sessions per week can drive hypertrophy and strength gains similar to those from higher-frequency training, especially in busy or non-elite populations source: Schoenfeld et al., 2016.
And when it comes to cardio, studies have consistently shown that as little as 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity (or 150 minutes of moderate) significantly improves cardiovascular health, metabolic function, and longevity markers source: WHO Guidelines, 2020.
So, no — you don’t need 90 minutes a day, six days a week. You need a smart system that respects your life and your goals.
Why Specific Beats Exhaustive
When clients first come into my ecosystem — especially parents, high-performing professionals, or ex-athletes in a slump — they often assume they need to earn their results through sheer volume.
What they really need is specificity. Not “every movement known to man,” but:
A couple of full-body strength sessions
A balance of push, pull, hinge, squat, and carry patterns
Some conditioning that doesn’t fry their nervous system
And recovery built into the structure — not treated as an afterthought
This creates a training ecosystem that’s effective because it’s efficient — not in spite of it.
Consistency > Complexity
Here’s what doesn’t get said enough in the fitness world:
The plan that gets followed beats the “perfect” plan that gets abandoned.
Flashy programs may look great on paper, but they fall apart the moment life happens — when your kid gets sick, your boss moves a deadline, or your sleep falls apart for a week. Efficiency-minded programs, like those in the M.E.D. Method, are designed to be resilient. They flex with real life without derailing your progress.
This is the power of building consistency through constraint. When you know your workout takes 25 minutes, fits your goals, and won’t wreck you for the rest of the day, it becomes infinitely easier to stay consistent — and that’s what creates real, sustainable transformation.
The Real Win: Sustainability
Doing “everything” might feel productive — for a while. But it’s rarely sustainable. And if it’s not sustainable, it’s not effective.
The real win? A program you can stick with for years, not just weeks. One that lets you build strength, maintain energy, and feel capable — without having to micromanage your entire life around it.
You don’t need a fitness plan that takes over your calendar. You need one that fits into it like a power piece — small, efficient, essential.
What I REALLY Want You to Understand
The fitness world doesn’t need another plan that glorifies exhaustion. It needs more plans that help people train smarter, live better, and stay in the game for the long haul.
You don’t have to do everything. You just have to do the right things — consistently, intentionally, and with the courage to trust that less can truly be more.