Simple Wins

Albert Einstein believed the highest form of intelligence wasn’t brilliance or even genius—it was simplicity. His view of intelligence followed a clear progression:

• Smart: Basic understanding and ability to perform tasks.

• Intelligent: Good problem-solving skills and a grasp of complex concepts.

• Brilliant: Exceptional intelligence and the ability to make significant discoveries.

• Genius: Highly advanced intelligence and the ability to make groundbreaking contributions.

• Simple: The ability to think clearly and make things easy to understand, even for those with less advanced knowledge.

  
  

Simple is the hardest level to reach. It takes real work to boil complex ideas down to something clear and useful. And the same thing applies to fitness and health.

Just because something sounds complex or scientific doesn’t mean it’s better. In fact, when someone is making things sound more complicated than they need to be, it usually means they don’t understand the basics well enough themselves.

These days, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the noise around fitness and health. Every week, there’s a new workout method, a new “optimal” exercise, a new fringe study people twist into a full-blown training philosophy. It’s confusing—and honestly, most of it doesn’t matter.

When you look at what works (really works) it’s always the basics. Lift weights. Move your body. Build your heart and lungs. Eat mostly whole foods. Sleep. Stay consistent.

There are many ways to do these things, but do not get stuck in the weeds, whatever style you enjoy, do that!

The concepts are few. The methods are many.

You don’t have to squat a barbell to build strong legs—you can use dumbbells, a sandbag, a machine, or just your own bodyweight. You don’t have to run 50 miles a week to be healthy—you can bike, row, hike, walk, swim. The method should match your goal. If you’re not training to be a powerlifter, you don’t need to lift like one. If you’re not chasing a marathon, you don’t need to train like a marathoner. Find a style that fits your goals and your life. That’s what matters most.

It’s the same with nutrition. You can go higher carb, lower carb, eat three meals, eat five meals—it all works if you focus on real food, proper portions, and consistency.

The basics haven’t changed because they don’t need to. But a lot of people get stuck chasing complexity. They hear about a new study or a new method and assume they’re missing out. The truth is, you can find a study to back almost anything if you look hard enough.

Most studies are small, poorly designed, or spun with biased statistics. Good science isn’t about a single study—it’s about what’s been proven, replicated, and stood the test of time. And reading research well is a skill most people don’t actually have, no matter how confidently they present it online.

Stick to what’s been shown to work: lift, move, eat real food, sleep, enjoy life and have good relationships, take care of your mental health, repeat. 

At the end of the day, the people who win in health and fitness aren’t the ones with the most complicated plans. It’s the ones who find something simple that fits their life—and stick with it.

Simple doesn’t mean easy. It just means focused. It means doing the things that matter most, over and over again, while ignoring the noise. That’s how you make real progress.

That’s how you build a body that lasts.

Stick to the basics. Master the fundamentals. You’ll be way ahead of the people trying to outsmart themselves.

Example of a great week of exercise

• Monday (30 - 60 minutes): Full-body strength training (Squat, Push, Pull, Core )

• Tuesday (30-45 minutes): Steady-state cardio (bike, run, row, brisk walk)

• Wednesday (30 - 60 minutes): Full-body strength training (Hinge, Pull, Push, Carry)

• Thursday (30-45 minutes): steady-state cardio (choose a different method if possible)

• Friday (25 - 45 minutes): Full-body strength training (Unilateral work + Core focus)

• Saturday: Hobby movement (hiking, pick-up basketball, bike ride, playing with kids, anything active and enjoyable)

• Sunday: Light walk (at least 30-45 minutes at an easy pace, or another hobby activity)

  
  

A week of exercise like this will make you feel like a different person. Its less than an hour a day, you can make that happen.

Stay Healthy,

Thomas Stevens