We start this biohacking chapter talking about a loop. This is a death loop, in which our body, due to excessively producing cortisol, begins to inflame and create multisystemic problems, which even affect our brain, progressively causing a disconnection from itself.

We also briefly mention that this loop can be halted by something very simple: exercise.

I know this solution may seem obvious and unpopular, but that's why the goal of this episode, more than just telling you to move your ass, is simply to share some facts and data with you. What you do with that information is really your responsibility.

Until the year 2010, 80% of Chileans did NOTHING in terms of exercise. That means 80% of people are out there, living stressed, inflamed, and disconnected, becoming prone to making really bad decisions.

The fitness industry knows this, and that's why it bombards you with impossible promises: abs in 30 days, extreme transformations, Instagram bodies that require surgeries, filters, and a psychopathic level of dedication. 

The biggest lie we buy

We've been led to believe that we need a gym membership, imported supplements, athletic apparel, aesthetic looks, and two hours a day to "be fit". That’s bullshit. 

We've also been led to believe that the reason you should exercise is to achieve a desired physical change. That's a piece of crap stuck on your shoe.

We've been led to believe that a training sequence lasting 20 minutes in the movie (or translated to real life: 2 workout sessions) will turn us into another person. This is dry crap. 

All these drivers are rubbish because they appeal to illusions. They play with a fantasy that you’re three installments (cash price) away from your next self. 

The most real reality is that to do 99% of the sports that will cleanse you of cortisol, you need nothing more than clothes that don't constrain you, and your own humanity. Physical changes don't work as an end in themselves because when it comes to health, there is no physical change in record time. True physical change takes about 5 years. It’s a matter of consistency and persistence.

Unfortunately, neither you, nor I, nor anyone is special. Real life isn't like the action sequence from your favorite action movie, where after training for a few weeks, your body, life, and everything turns around. 

Sweetness.

To successfully do exercise in a way that impacts your life, what you need is something much simpler yet more complex:  find a way to move that you enjoy, that makes you have a good time.

Sports psychology studies show that the strongest predictor of exercise adherence is enjoyment. The freaking enjoyment, dude. Imagine the simplicity.

But the algorithm convinces you that exercise has to hurt, that you have to suffer, that "no pain no gain" and all that imported nonsense. Result: millions of people traumatized by sports since school, when some sadistic teacher humiliated them in physical education.

Exercise should be challenging because it’s an effort, but it should never become a torture because sooner or later you'll end up with injuries.

People who train with friends are 65% more likely to maintain their routine for the long term. That's why crossfitters are so unbearable but so consistent: they found their tribe. Social support is key to adherence.

80% quit the gym before 3 months. Eighty percent, brother. Gyms literally base their business model on you not going. Huberman Lab explains that willpower alone is never enough.

The caveman brain needs to move

Our genes expect us to walk between 5 and 15 kilometers daily. Today the average is 2 kilometers. Your body accumulates, accumulates, and accumulates that energy without knowing where to focus it. Result: cortisol, anxiety, depression.

Exercise is the most effective antidepressant that exists. More than any pill, more than any therapy. Half an hour of moderate movement has the same effect as a dose of antidepressants, but without the side effects of making you feel like a zombie. Wendy Suzuki scientifically demonstrated it: exercise changes our brain.

But there's something even more astonishing: just imagining that you exercise can make you stronger. Your brain is as powerful as the active visualization of the same motor areas. Imagine what happens when you really move.

First, forget everything you believe you know about fitness. The exercise industry is as rotten as the food industry: they sell you expensive solutions to problems they created themselves.

Week 1-2: Walk. It’s that simple. 15 minutes after lunch. No motivational music, no special clothes, no nonsense. Just walk. Synchronized movement allows your body to do things it couldn’t do alone.

Week 3-4: Add something you like. Did you enjoy biking as a kid? Rent one. Did you dance at parties? Find dance videos. Does your dog need walking? You’ve got a workout buddy already.

Month 2: Experiment. Studies on specialization show that trying different activities before specializing increases the chances of finding something you truly enjoy.

The perfect strategy

"Micro-habits" sound like LinkedIn charlatanry, but neuroscience supports them. Five minutes of daily activity generate measurable neurological changes. Five minutes, the time you spend scrolling Instagram in the bathroom.

Leave your workout clothes next to your bed. Reduce friction. Make it so easy that feeling guilty for not doing it is harder than actually doing it. MIT researchers found that designing your environment is more powerful than motivation.

Find the exercise that fits your personality. Are you introverted? Running, swimming, cycling. Extroverted? Team sports, group classes. Competitive? You need metrics and challenges. Contemplative? Yoga, tai chi, nature walks.

If you quit exercise due to injury, parenthood, work, or any adulting stuff, listen up: comparing yourself to your former self is pure self-sabotage.

Your context changed. Your body changed. Your priorities changed. Trying to pick up where you left off is like wanting to get back with your ex expecting everything to be the same. The toxicity of sports culture can be as harmful as sedentary behavior.

Start from scratch without ego. Without expectations. As if it were the first time. Studies on injuries show that finding the right balance is key to recovery.

The ultimate hack

Want to know the real biohack? Exercise generates energy, dude. It seems contradictory, but it's pure physics: a body in motion tends to stay in motion. A body at rest tends to rot on the couch watching Netflix.

That chronic tiredness you feel is precisely because you don't move. Your mitochondria (the powerhouses of your cells) atrophy without activity. Exercise multiplies and strengthens them. More mitochondria = more energy = less reliance on coffee and energy drinks.

There’s one more thing: strong muscles are directly connected to a healthy brain. Your muscle tissue releases molecules that protect your neurons. Literally, doing squats protects your cognitive ability.

The "system" wants you to believe you need to become an Olympic athlete. The truth is simpler: you need to move like the animal you are. Humans evolved to be active, and your brain functions like a flock of starlings: it needs coordinated movement to reach its potential.

Find your clique, your activity, your rhythm. Make it sustainable, enjoyable, and enduring. The best exercise is the one you do consistently, even if it’s "mediocre" by Instagram standards.

Revitalize your physical self means reconnecting with what your body was designed to do: move, play, explore, share. Everything else is smoke.