The title of this post may sound like clickbait, but it was actually inspired by a remarkable study by Dr. Mike Evans, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto. In 2011 he produced a video based on the study that totally changed my perspective on fitness since it proved how being healthy can be accomplished by following one easy habit. The particular video, which is incredibly entertaining and currently has over 5 million views, is embedded below - In a nutshell, it describes how thirty minutes a day of moderate exercise (e.g. brisk walking) is the single best thing you can do for your health. Period. That's it. Done.

We all know things are easier said than done, so as simple as exercising for 30 minutes a day sounds, finding the time and resources to make it happen can be a challenge. I've worked from home for the past six years and, while it has benefits, there are also downsides - My life is more sedentary and I move around less. As a result it's easy to gain weight and become too comfortable. I lost the routine I once had of going to the gym since it was no longer on my work commute. For others, having children, working irregular hours, or being on the road can have the same effect - It affects your time and routines.

Changing routines can have a dramatic effect on one's life. Routines form habits which, more than anything else, will dictate the direction of your life and health. Once formed, habits are tough to break and almost become unconscious automatic behaviors. To change my life I had to change my habits. It started with just thirty minutes a day.

Drawing inspiration from Dr. Mike Evans' study I started to change my habits; the first was going for daily walks. I didn't set fitness goals or change my diet, I simply committed to daily walks. After a few weeks the daily walks became part of my routine and turned into a habit. In fact, I began to walk more places because I enjoyed walking. And when the weather was bad I walked inside on our Treadmill that had otherwise been gathering dust. Eventually walking for thirty minutes a day became too easy, so I adjusted my habits.

Walking for thirty minutes turned into jogging. Then I introduced calisthenics (body weight exercises) into the thirty minutes to complement the cardio workout with strength training. Soon thirty minutes stretched into sixty minutes and I was performing full fledged workouts - As I became fitter my motivation grew. Eventually I added kettlebells and boxing into the routine, and created a home gym in my basement. Things began to really snowball. I learned that setting goals doesn't produce results, forming habits does. Laziness begets laziness and action begets action - Change your habits, change your life. Once in motion you will gain momentum and you only need to start with thirty minutes a day.

Have you ever heard the story about the Russian pencil?

Back in the 1960's the US and Russia were in the depths of the space race trying to one-up each other. They were going back in forth with satellite launches, putting monkeys into space, and ultimately landing people on the moon. The US was technically superior to the Russians but not necessarily as resourceful. What the Russians lacked in technology they made up for with brute determination.

Operating in space offers a whole other level of complexity compared to working in the cozy confines of our atmosphere - Even the simplest of things like pens will not work in zero gravity. In fact, the US poured thousands of dollars and many hours into devising a pen that would work in space and had many failures. The Russians, on the other hand, simply chose to use a pencil. It's a classic example how simple solutions based on fundamentals often win-out over fancy technologies or the latest trends, and it relates to fitness as much as space travel.

I've never been one to buy into the latest fitness trends followed by the masses because the "m" is usually silent. I find the best exercise to stay fit is the one I'll actually do. However, one fitness trend that recently caught my interest is kettlebell workouts and it's because they're not so much a trend as they are an old school Russian device from the 1800's that have only recently caught on in Canada. As mentioned above, Russians have a reputation for being no-nonsense and resourceful, so I figured there must be something to these cannonballs with a handle.

I've exercised on and off over the years but would never consider myself of athletic build. Although I'm in decent shape for my age (5'9', 180 lb, 40 y/o male), muscle tone and endurance have never come easily for me. That is until I discovered kettlebell workouts - Unique exercises that produce results without spending a bunch of money or investing a ton of time. They're the Russian pencil of exercise equipment - Simple devices that can be used anywhere while addressing cardio, strength, and flexibility in one workout. Previously my workout routines consisted of jogging and calisthenics, and though they helped my endurance they were not producing noticeable results to my physique. My goal was to become more toned and fit as opposed to building muscle bulk.

The guys at Flaman Fitness in Saskatoon helped me select the proper weight and type of kettlebell for my needs, explained their benefits, and pointed me in the direction of a few YouTube video workouts. Within three months of working out three times a week with kettlebells for 30 minute sessions I saw more results than the previous two years of my jogging/calisthenics routine. My workouts have produced visible results that encourage me to keep up with the routine. I now feel stronger throughout my whole body, my muscles are firmer, belly fat has reduced, and my cardio endurance has been maintained. Kettlebells can be tricky to use because of their odd shape and proper technique is key to prevent injury, but once you get the hang of things they become fun to use and there are many different workouts to choose from.

I likely could have produced similar results going to a fitness club, using fancy machines and lifting free weights, but I don't have time for that. I did not want to become a gym rat nor did I want to build muscle for the sake of bulk. I've arguably reached the mid point of my life and for me being healthy means being functionally fit - I want to feel good, easily lift things around the house, confidently climb ladders, swing an ax with authority, climb a hill without panting, and look good for my family. Kettlebell workouts have helped me achieve this, and I have Russian resourcefulness and Flaman Fitness expertise to thank.

About Harley Rivét: In the interest of full disclosure I work with Flaman Fitness as a digital marketing consultant, so if you're thinking this post was solicited then you'd be right. That said, my experience with using kettlebells is real and so are the results which I owe partly to the staff at Saskatoon Flaman Fitness for pointing me in the right direction and offering workout advice.