Death by... Lack of Exercise?

It won’t kill you today. But your couch is playing the long game.

If you don’t drink water, you’ll die. Not eventually—within a few days sometimes as little as three.

If you don’t eat, you’ll still go down, but slower—a couple of months, maybe more if you’ve got serious reserves. Angus Barbieri went over a year without food, under medical supervision and with supplements. (Don’t try that at home!)

But a lack of exercise?

Exercise tells your muscles, your bones, your brain: we’re still using this body—don’t throw it away yet. Without it, everything drifts out of balance, and you age faster than you need to.

Not exercising won’t kill you today, or next week, not even a year from now.

But it will quietly steal your years from the other end.

You don’t need a gym, a punishing routine, or—least of all—a six-pack to impress anyone.

Start with just a few minutes. Gentle movement. Something like Radio Taiso works wonders. Then build from there—without straining yourself (follow the DSY principle which literally stands for Don’t Shit Yourself).

That’s the whole idea behind what I advocate. Sustainable movement. Zero equipment. No shame. Just the kind of consistent, kind approach that actually gets results.

Take that time back. Move. A little. Then a little more.

(My friend, on seeing a draft of this post, said it sounds like I’m running for mayor or something. So let me just say: vote for the coach, not the couch!)