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The Minimum Method
When it comes to looking and feeling your best, less really can be more. Discover how to maximize your sleeping, eating, exercising—even thinking and breathing—with minimum effort.
The truth is most people don’t actually need grueling, extreme workouts or aggressively limited diets to lose weight and feel proud to flaunt their bodies in bathing suits. What they need is a plan that is focused on efficiency—the best results for the least amount of time and effort—and one that is actually designed to be maintained for more than 30 days.
In The Minimum Method, by nutrition expert and celebrity fitness trainer Joey Thurman, you’ll learn a wealth of practical advice, simple nutrition truths, minimal-effort recipes, and how to exercise smarter, not harder. Instead of unrealistic workouts and time-consuming meal plans, Thurman’s science-backed method is based on getting the maximum benefit out of things like quick and simple “exercise snacks” and sleep hygiene hacks.
Thurman doesn’t shy away from the shortcomings of the mainstream health/fitness/diet industry—in fact, he acknowledges and apologizes for his own past experience in perpetuating the harmful myth that everyone should be pushing their bodies to the limit in order to improve. Now, he’s on a mission to help others prioritize genuine health instead of some imaginary and unattainable standard of perfection.
Ultimately, The Minimum Method teaches how to adopt a healthier mindset and lifestyle: feeling your best when you don’t get enough sleep, working fitness into your busiest days, getting back on track when you slip up, and celebrating your progress.
With The Minimum Method, you’ll have the key to better health, using small, easy changes that add up to huge, life-altering results.
The truth is most people don’t actually need grueling, extreme workouts or aggressively limited diets to lose weight and feel proud to flaunt their bodies in bathing suits. What they need is a plan that is focused on efficiency—the best results for the least amount of time and effort—and one that is actually designed to be maintained for more than 30 days.
In The Minimum Method, by nutrition expert and celebrity fitness trainer Joey Thurman, you’ll learn a wealth of practical advice, simple nutrition truths, minimal-effort recipes, and how to exercise smarter, not harder. Instead of unrealistic workouts and time-consuming meal plans, Thurman’s science-backed method is based on getting the maximum benefit out of things like quick and simple “exercise snacks” and sleep hygiene hacks.
Thurman doesn’t shy away from the shortcomings of the mainstream health/fitness/diet industry—in fact, he acknowledges and apologizes for his own past experience in perpetuating the harmful myth that everyone should be pushing their bodies to the limit in order to improve. Now, he’s on a mission to help others prioritize genuine health instead of some imaginary and unattainable standard of perfection.
Ultimately, The Minimum Method teaches how to adopt a healthier mindset and lifestyle: feeling your best when you don’t get enough sleep, working fitness into your busiest days, getting back on track when you slip up, and celebrating your progress.
With The Minimum Method, you’ll have the key to better health, using small, easy changes that add up to huge, life-altering results.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published December 27, 2022
89 people are currently reading
2780 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 7, 2023
A contender for one of the worst books I’ve ever read. A hilarious title for a ceaseless smattering of pseudo science that justifies every minute of some robot bros daily routine. A very bad regurgitation/book report of the most popular health/wellness books in the last two years.
March 17, 2023
As I was scrolling through books on Amazon (like I always do), I came across this title and thought “um, yes, I am the laziest person I know when it comes to my health, why wouldn’t I read this book?”. So I bought it (not even realizing that it published that day).
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I had no expectations for this book and honestly it was way better than I thought it was going to be. There are chapters on unlearning bad habits, sleep patterns, brain power, breathing, nutrition, exercise, stretching, and examples of ways to include all recommendations into a given day. I also liked how at the end of chapters the author gave advice for beginners (aka people who haven’t exercised in years), normal people (aka people who occasionally take care of themselves), and fit people (aka people who are already deep into the fitness/nutrition/training world). Overall, the book gave me some easy to use advice on how to become a healthier person (physical, mental, spiritual, and socially) in the new year!
•
I had no expectations for this book and honestly it was way better than I thought it was going to be. There are chapters on unlearning bad habits, sleep patterns, brain power, breathing, nutrition, exercise, stretching, and examples of ways to include all recommendations into a given day. I also liked how at the end of chapters the author gave advice for beginners (aka people who haven’t exercised in years), normal people (aka people who occasionally take care of themselves), and fit people (aka people who are already deep into the fitness/nutrition/training world). Overall, the book gave me some easy to use advice on how to become a healthier person (physical, mental, spiritual, and socially) in the new year!
January 19, 2023
This is truly a back-to-basics book that emphasizes the fundamentals (breathing, sleep, fueling your brain) before beginning to work out. This book is inclusive and focuses on helping the reader understand that you need to accept where you are and dismantle some of the common myths around fitness. I really liked the straightforward way the author presents information and the graphics are a great summary of concepts explained in the book.
January 1, 2023
The Minimum Method is a new concept of a fitness book. He begins the book by apologizing for the miscommunication and how we were told every day to get up and to attach each day with a passion that it’s going to be a good day. He explained it’s okay to have bad days and not to give every workout our very best. We can even consume carbs. He shared how he grew up playing hockey and then moved on to lifting weights. He discovered his passion in becoming a certified personal trainer. He had a main goal of teaching readers to truly to show up for themselves. He explained how critical it is to focus on how we feel and not on the external benefits. This book is primary guided to teach readers the minimum method and to learn the essentials to transform our health. The book covered sleep, exercise, breathing, nutrition, stretching, and much more.
One of my favorite chapters discussed the importance of sleep and resting. We have to learn to prioritize our sleep times. A lack of sleep can cause us to want to overeat the next day. There have been studies conducted to show we lose our lack of control when we are running low of sleep. It has been estimated that it can cause use to crave up to 20% more calories the next day. We will also experience problems with our cognitive reasoning and problem solving. He explained how he struggled with depression since he was a teenager and if we don’t get enough sleep this will affect our moods. It can lead us to developing metabolic syndrome. He looked at the different stages of sleep and included a helpful illustration describing each stage. One of my favorite tips he shared was how we need to record our favorite show and watch it later and not stay up late. I liked how he explored the different sleep chronotypes using animals. He explained how they relate to our internal time clocks and how we can figure out where we are most productive in our day. I enjoyed the discussion of supplement that can benefit us in helping us sleep. I also liked how he revealed how we can learn to wake up properly using light exposure.
I would recommend this life changing book to anyone who is ready to change their lives and they can do so by using the minimum method. I liked how helpful Joey Thurman is and I enjoyed in doing some of his workout programs and exercises. I have even saw a couple of his TV interviews and how open he is about his depression and how he wants to help readers to better their life. This book dives in and goes more in depth to provide tips and solutions to tackle our health head on. I immensely loved how each chapter enclosed helpful summaries and action steps we can take to transform our lives. One of my things, the book taught me was the importance of breathing properly and how we can all get 20% more oxygen. It contained steps by steps examples to guide us. The book is a very impactful book and I highly recommend it to benefit your overall health and wellbeing.
One of my favorite chapters discussed the importance of sleep and resting. We have to learn to prioritize our sleep times. A lack of sleep can cause us to want to overeat the next day. There have been studies conducted to show we lose our lack of control when we are running low of sleep. It has been estimated that it can cause use to crave up to 20% more calories the next day. We will also experience problems with our cognitive reasoning and problem solving. He explained how he struggled with depression since he was a teenager and if we don’t get enough sleep this will affect our moods. It can lead us to developing metabolic syndrome. He looked at the different stages of sleep and included a helpful illustration describing each stage. One of my favorite tips he shared was how we need to record our favorite show and watch it later and not stay up late. I liked how he explored the different sleep chronotypes using animals. He explained how they relate to our internal time clocks and how we can figure out where we are most productive in our day. I enjoyed the discussion of supplement that can benefit us in helping us sleep. I also liked how he revealed how we can learn to wake up properly using light exposure.
I would recommend this life changing book to anyone who is ready to change their lives and they can do so by using the minimum method. I liked how helpful Joey Thurman is and I enjoyed in doing some of his workout programs and exercises. I have even saw a couple of his TV interviews and how open he is about his depression and how he wants to help readers to better their life. This book dives in and goes more in depth to provide tips and solutions to tackle our health head on. I immensely loved how each chapter enclosed helpful summaries and action steps we can take to transform our lives. One of my things, the book taught me was the importance of breathing properly and how we can all get 20% more oxygen. It contained steps by steps examples to guide us. The book is a very impactful book and I highly recommend it to benefit your overall health and wellbeing.
November 7, 2023
This was an....interesting read. I will give credit where due, there was some interesting tidbits, but with questionable reliability as the author would say one thing and then say something in later chapters that was the complete opposite. Fortunately this is a field I have studied regularly for over a decade so I was able to parse through facts vs fiction. The author also promotes weed and talked about himself being high. I'm not going to get to into that as I know many people use it, but it is well known that it is linked with a number or psychological and behavioral disorders, lung infections, etc. Additionally, a relatively high number of people who use it develop an addiction or dependence on it. Again, I'm not telling people how to live their lives, but recommending something that can cause addictions and other health issues was unnecessary and could be downright harmful. I'm happy for him if he has never encountered issues from its use, but speaking as someone who has family members who have become addicted and it has triggered severe depression and schizophrenia as well as other issues and is commonly known to cause these issues, for him to promote it, especially with no knowledge of his reader's family history or medical record, is disgusting. The only positive is that it was at the end of the book and not a main focal point, but again, should not have been included.
One of the funniest parts of the book was when he shared a "workout" he submitted online that he "appaulingly" didn't win, but thought was so good he shared with us. Y'all, it was 3 or 4 moves total and not even fantastic ones at that. I couldn't make this stuff up. The author thinks extremely highly of himself and it is very obvious in his writing. Personally, I wouldn't rely on this guy for medical advice though. While I did find a few interesting things, I feel this information is available in books by much more knowledgeable and experienced professionals.
One of the funniest parts of the book was when he shared a "workout" he submitted online that he "appaulingly" didn't win, but thought was so good he shared with us. Y'all, it was 3 or 4 moves total and not even fantastic ones at that. I couldn't make this stuff up. The author thinks extremely highly of himself and it is very obvious in his writing. Personally, I wouldn't rely on this guy for medical advice though. While I did find a few interesting things, I feel this information is available in books by much more knowledgeable and experienced professionals.
April 1, 2023
Great overall book with focusing on understanding how to get healthy. Focus is on consistency and not unrealistic perfection. Chapter on sleep and breathing was very informative. Minus points for the illustrations they were hard to read with childish fonts. I would like to see an appendix with each chapter summed up with action steps, workout charts and example menu. Also the annoying PC language describing differences between male and female, stick with science not worrying about offending people.
December 30, 2022
I decided to pick this book up because I’m always on the lookout for tips on optimizing my fitness routine. People tend to waste a lot of time on activities with minimal return, and I thought this might give me some pointers heading into the new year.
In short, it did serve its purpose, and I took away a few things I can incorporate into my routine. And for someone with less experience, this may be just the book they need, as it outlines simple advice and incorporates additional activities like sleep and meditation exercises that have proven to be just as beneficial to your health as nutrition and fitness.
But I unfortunately can’t say that I really enjoyed the book. First of all, it has that annoying “let me tell you a secret”-style writing that will probably get on your nerves fast. The author assumes his audience has no idea what they’re doing, are easily confused, and are easily discouraged. I’m personally not a fan of this style of writing, although I understand why it’s used. I’d rather the author just assume I have the intelligence to understand what he’s saying and just communicate the ideas to me. Marketing-speak/copywriting-style writing drives me absolutely crazy.
As far as the content goes, the chapter on brain health is superficial; too much space is devoted to breathing techniques; and the advice on supplements seems to be based more on the author’s opinions than on science. The chapter on sleep was well-received, but it felt like the chapters on nutrition and exercise could have been organized better.
Again, I think this book is definitely targeted to beginners, and may be beneficial for those just starting out. Otherwise, I might think twice before purchasing the book.
In short, it did serve its purpose, and I took away a few things I can incorporate into my routine. And for someone with less experience, this may be just the book they need, as it outlines simple advice and incorporates additional activities like sleep and meditation exercises that have proven to be just as beneficial to your health as nutrition and fitness.
But I unfortunately can’t say that I really enjoyed the book. First of all, it has that annoying “let me tell you a secret”-style writing that will probably get on your nerves fast. The author assumes his audience has no idea what they’re doing, are easily confused, and are easily discouraged. I’m personally not a fan of this style of writing, although I understand why it’s used. I’d rather the author just assume I have the intelligence to understand what he’s saying and just communicate the ideas to me. Marketing-speak/copywriting-style writing drives me absolutely crazy.
As far as the content goes, the chapter on brain health is superficial; too much space is devoted to breathing techniques; and the advice on supplements seems to be based more on the author’s opinions than on science. The chapter on sleep was well-received, but it felt like the chapters on nutrition and exercise could have been organized better.
Again, I think this book is definitely targeted to beginners, and may be beneficial for those just starting out. Otherwise, I might think twice before purchasing the book.
December 18, 2022
I requested this book on a whim because I've read so many other books on this topic and the idea of thinking about how to optimize your time and streamline a way to think about your health really appealed to me.
This book is broken into different chapters tackling different areas from meditation to breathing to exercise to nutrition etc. I liked that it was more holistic and really leaned into getting more sleep and building a well-rounded way to be healthy and whole.
I also liked that he had different next steps depending on your starting point and how hard you want to tackle some of these topics. You can pace yourself according to where you are and what feels feasible to you.
As we got into the exercise and nutrition chapters, I started feeling like the book was losing me. There was a lot of great information across the board in the whole book. But then it got so detailed and so much information and so many different things I had to keep track of that I got overwhelmed and couldn't get through the chapters anymore.
It definitely didn't feel minimum at that point. I know the author was trying to give options and more information but I specifically chose this because I wanted simple. To be fair, he does still give you a simple starting point for movement (7minute + 2 walks) and for nutrition (eat whole) but it all just left me more overwhelmed than inspired in the end.
with gratitude to edelweiss and benballa books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is broken into different chapters tackling different areas from meditation to breathing to exercise to nutrition etc. I liked that it was more holistic and really leaned into getting more sleep and building a well-rounded way to be healthy and whole.
I also liked that he had different next steps depending on your starting point and how hard you want to tackle some of these topics. You can pace yourself according to where you are and what feels feasible to you.
As we got into the exercise and nutrition chapters, I started feeling like the book was losing me. There was a lot of great information across the board in the whole book. But then it got so detailed and so much information and so many different things I had to keep track of that I got overwhelmed and couldn't get through the chapters anymore.
It definitely didn't feel minimum at that point. I know the author was trying to give options and more information but I specifically chose this because I wanted simple. To be fair, he does still give you a simple starting point for movement (7minute + 2 walks) and for nutrition (eat whole) but it all just left me more overwhelmed than inspired in the end.
with gratitude to edelweiss and benballa books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2025
Saw this author on the Kelly and Mark talk show and was impressed by his approach to exercising. Didn't pay much attention to the co-hosts as they are both into exercise as looking good is part of their job.
The book did not start out the way I thought it would from the exercise focus on the show, but it did have some good suggestions about getting more sleep and breathing (though your nose not your mouth. I found myself mouth breathing during the pandemic when I was wearing a mask), and getting more protein in your diet.
Some of his suggestions like the sone about going for a 10 minute walk after every meal were very interesting and doable.
When he finally got into the exercise parts of the book, he started throwing around terms naming parts of the body, that most people would need to look up. When he did include pictures, I didn't find them very helpful. Not impressed with his website, either.
The book did not start out the way I thought it would from the exercise focus on the show, but it did have some good suggestions about getting more sleep and breathing (though your nose not your mouth. I found myself mouth breathing during the pandemic when I was wearing a mask), and getting more protein in your diet.
Some of his suggestions like the sone about going for a 10 minute walk after every meal were very interesting and doable.
When he finally got into the exercise parts of the book, he started throwing around terms naming parts of the body, that most people would need to look up. When he did include pictures, I didn't find them very helpful. Not impressed with his website, either.
January 25, 2023
This really resonated with me!
Most self improvement books I've read in the past have gone in one ear and out the other, but I feel like everything in this book was my life summed up.
It was nice to read from a professional that I don't have to kill myself at the gym every day to feel fit, and that it's OK to mess up with my eating every now and then. The section on sleep makes me think more about my patterns. I no longer go straight to the coffee machine when i get up.
Every mistake and "failure" I've made is mentioned, and knowing that I can fix it helps me realize that I'm not alone.
I will find myself going back to this for reference when I need to - and I know I will! Thank you, JT for speaking to me here!
Most self improvement books I've read in the past have gone in one ear and out the other, but I feel like everything in this book was my life summed up.
It was nice to read from a professional that I don't have to kill myself at the gym every day to feel fit, and that it's OK to mess up with my eating every now and then. The section on sleep makes me think more about my patterns. I no longer go straight to the coffee machine when i get up.
Every mistake and "failure" I've made is mentioned, and knowing that I can fix it helps me realize that I'm not alone.
I will find myself going back to this for reference when I need to - and I know I will! Thank you, JT for speaking to me here!
February 23, 2024
For a book that emphasizes the "minimum method" it felt a bit like an information overload. The information seemed good but was presented in a slow-paced and overwhelming way. I liked his opening thoughts about the importance of keeping things simple and his critique of the diet information. I found myself highlighting excerpts from the book to reference or try later. I'm a bit skeptical about where his information comes from as well since there wasn't much (possibly any but I don't want to speak unfairly) reference to the evidence behind various methods. An interesting read, but not as accessible as presented in my opinion.
May 16, 2023
I found this book after reading several books by Dr. Will Cole and seeing he wrote the introduction Joey Thurman's The Minimum Method.
This was a wonderful book that made me actually think I could accomplish the healthy guidance tools that Joey talks about. He offers three different levels of bettering yourself for a healthy lifestyle. He talks about sleep, exercise, nutrition, and many other chapters on how best lead a healthy life.
This was a fairly quick read once I got down to it. I loved the exercises for back health.
This was a wonderful book that made me actually think I could accomplish the healthy guidance tools that Joey talks about. He offers three different levels of bettering yourself for a healthy lifestyle. He talks about sleep, exercise, nutrition, and many other chapters on how best lead a healthy life.
This was a fairly quick read once I got down to it. I loved the exercises for back health.
May 30, 2023
I picked this up from my local library based on the cover. I'm getting older and want to maintain fitness and health as long as possible.
It's a pretty quick read, although I bounced around in this one. Chapters on rest, brain functioning, breathing, eating/nutrition, exercise, stretching/warmup/recovery. Each chapter lays out the current summary of research, best practices and the most important things to do, at a minimum.
I'm busier than ever at work, this helps me focus on what I need most. I'm buying a copy too.
It's a pretty quick read, although I bounced around in this one. Chapters on rest, brain functioning, breathing, eating/nutrition, exercise, stretching/warmup/recovery. Each chapter lays out the current summary of research, best practices and the most important things to do, at a minimum.
I'm busier than ever at work, this helps me focus on what I need most. I'm buying a copy too.
April 5, 2023
preaching to the choir
solidifies my beliefs
re: health and wellness
Picked this out of my library's RECENTLY ADDED! section without any idea what it's about. Discover this supremely likable celebrity trainer espousing the same views I hold (I also work in the fitness industry) and helping broaden my knowledge with scientifically-backed opinions and a "don't sweat it" attitude I share.
"Reaching goals is great, but making progress toward goals is where life is taking place."
solidifies my beliefs
re: health and wellness
Picked this out of my library's RECENTLY ADDED! section without any idea what it's about. Discover this supremely likable celebrity trainer espousing the same views I hold (I also work in the fitness industry) and helping broaden my knowledge with scientifically-backed opinions and a "don't sweat it" attitude I share.
"Reaching goals is great, but making progress toward goals is where life is taking place."
April 28, 2024
I really like Joey’s approach to health an exercise. And the whole minimum things to do… brilliant. I’ve incorporated many of his tips, stretches and exercises into my day – and I can already feel the difference. (My resting heartrate is lower, my sleep score is better, and I feel more energised.)
Though I can’t always keep up, the exercises on his website are well-worth watching before trying them yourself.
A great book on health, diet and exercise.
Though I can’t always keep up, the exercises on his website are well-worth watching before trying them yourself.
A great book on health, diet and exercise.
October 10, 2023
I was worried this was going to be a bit 'Chad-y' but it was actually really good. Things were explained thoroughly and cited.
I liked the audiobook but did find it hard to stay engaged when lists of things were being read out. Not something that can be avoided with an audiobook like this one just thought I'd mention it. It didn't stop me from reading the book or enjoying it as a whole.
I liked the audiobook but did find it hard to stay engaged when lists of things were being read out. Not something that can be avoided with an audiobook like this one just thought I'd mention it. It didn't stop me from reading the book or enjoying it as a whole.
Want to read
December 31, 2022Good concept with decent execution. There's some good info here and some good graphics. I'm sure it was a lot of work to put together. I don't think I'll come back to it. I'm sure some readers will find value in it.
Thanks very much for the free review copy for review!!
Thanks very much for the free review copy for review!!
March 16, 2023
I’m giving the book 4 stars on the whole because he stresses what is importance for whole wellness. His focus on sleep and eating before fitness shows it’s not just a fitness book. He gets in the weeds in some areas especially fitness but you come away with an easy plan to improve your fitness .
January 2, 2024
Not really minimalistic
There was an awful lot of “to do’s” in this book for it to claim to be a minimum method. Nothing new or innovative — glad I borrowed this one from the library.
There was an awful lot of “to do’s” in this book for it to claim to be a minimum method. Nothing new or innovative — glad I borrowed this one from the library.
February 12, 2023
Love the healthy positivity, the transparency, the realistic goal setting for wherever you are in your journey!
Now to pick my first “Let’s Go” for better sleep steps to incorporate!
Now to pick my first “Let’s Go” for better sleep steps to incorporate!
February 25, 2023
This book has easy to follow tips for a healthier life.
June 3, 2023
Parts are very informative. Parts were a bit much for me.
June 12, 2023
Great book on health, diet and exercise! Sleep and breathing too!
September 3, 2023
3 stars
October 10, 2023
It was a good health and wellness read, though I wish there was a bit more on the exercise front. Not what I expected, but overall good with some tips I did find myself taking from it.
August 15, 2024
Little things you can
do to make your life suck less.
Not bad for self help.
***this was a Goodreads win!***
do to make your life suck less.
Not bad for self help.
***this was a Goodreads win!***
Read
December 26, 2024Nothing new here but I enjoyed the reminders and thoughts.
February 17, 2025
Audiobook
June 14, 2025
Ooo just wait until I get back on my healthy BS 😊
Kudos to this book that brings a new light towards developing good habits to keep your health in check👌🏽
Kudos to this book that brings a new light towards developing good habits to keep your health in check👌🏽
September 23, 2023
AUDIOBOOK: I enjoyed this book and have recommended it to some people. It provides interesting evidence and analogies, and varying levels of actionable steps.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews