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Today we’re going to tell you exactly how to restart your fitness journey.

Whether this is the first time you’ve had to “respawn” or the 50th, you’re in the right place.

We help folks restart their exercise or nutrition routines as part of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program…and we’re really freaking good at it! Today, we’ll share with you the same strategies we deploy with them.

This time can be different. Learn how a NF Coach can help.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why It’s Okay to Start Again
• Restarting Step 1: Forgive Yourself
• Restarting Step 2: What Went Wrong?
• Restarting Step 3: Change a Variable
• Restarting Step 4: Respawn
• Restarting Step 5: Supercharge Your Results
• Get Back in the Fight (Next Steps)

Let’s do this.

Why It’s Okay to Start Again

So you fell off the wagon already.

Welcome to the club.

It’s called “being human!”

There are like 7 billion of us.

So how did I know you probably fell off the fitness wagon already?

Because statistically speaking, MOST people have already abandoned or missed out on a lot of the resolutions they’ve set for 2022.^[1] Seriously.

However, have no fear. Since we treat life as a videogame around these parts, we’re all very comfortable with restarting or “respawning.”

First, we must…

STEP 1: FORGIVE YOURSELF

I heard a podcast interview recently about a man who had made a huge realization through seeing a therapist.

Specifically, their therapist asked them “Would you talk to somebody the way you talk to yourself?”

I bet the answer is a RESOUNDING “No.”

Nobody deserves that kind of abuse.

We’re often our own worst critic and our own worst enemy:

Do you know that voice in your head, that one calling you a loser or a failure?

Treat the voice in your head like a roommate. You don’t HAVE to listen to their advice!

“Oh you think I’m a piece of s** and that’s why I can’t stick with a workout routine?

I disagree strongly.

I might have some faults, but I’m here, and I’m still trying!

So, thanks but I’m good. I’m just gonna get back to work.”

You’re reading this, which means you’re trying. Forgive yourself. Then move on.

As Coach Matt explains in the video below, “self compassion” is really important when attempting to fulfill New Year’s resolutions:

STEP 2: ASK WHAT WENT WRONG?

Your goal of working out 2 hours a day and only eating Keto failed after three weeks.

Congratulations!

You conducted an experiment that did not have the results you expected.

That’s neither a good nor a bad thing. Like any other experiment, it just… IS.

So write down specifically what your experiment entailed. 

What did you try to do?

• I was going to exercise every day.
• I was going to run a mile each morning.
• I was going to eat strictly Paleo every day.

Look at your list: this is a combination of variables that don’t work for your lifestyle.

IMPORTANT POINT: Learning from the millions of people that have come through Nerd Fitness over the past decade, my guess is that your experiment didn’t work out for one of two reasons:

#1) Your goals were too vague:

“I should exercise more this year” – For how long? How often? What kind of exercise?

#2) You tried to change ALL the things:

• Eat 1,800 calories a day – instead of your normal 3,000.
• Go running 5 days a week – when you don’t exercise at all now.
• Get 8 hours of sleep a night – when a normal night is 5.

So instead of turning your Fitness Switch “Off” from this unrealistic pace, maybe you just turn it down to a “5” so you can keep going:

STEP 3: CHANGE A VARIABLE IN YOUR EXPERIMENT

You’re reading this guide, which would lead me to believe you’re interested in trying again to lose weight and get in shape.

To avoid getting the same results, we need to change the variables in the experiment to try and get different results.

You know…

For your next attempt consider adjusting one of the following variables.

Remember, any good experiment has accurate measurements for their changing factors! You don’t just put “some uranium” in a nuclear reactor. You know the exact amount.

We need to be exact with your variables.

Let me give you some suggestions:

#1) Change the exercise variable: 

Did you actually enjoy the exercise you attempted? If you discovered that you hate running, great! Never do that again. “Exercise sucks,” so I would pick something you actually enjoy.

#2) Try a substitution rather than addition: 

ADDING a brand new exercise routine into a busy schedule can be really challenging. Fortunately, you can focus on substituting or adding in a way that doesn’t take up more time: nutrition! How you eat is 80-90% of the weight-loss equation, and you’re already eating every day. So focus on substituting a vegetable for fries once a week, or swapping sparkling water for soda. You can also keep a food journal and change up your breakfast twice a week.

#3) Adjust your “win scenario”:

I get it. You were able to train in your home gym for the first few weeks of this year, going for at least an hour.

But THEN…work got busy. And you only had 30 minutes, which wasn’t enough time to get through your workout. So why not set the win scenario at “30 minutes,” or “15 minutes,” or just “1 exercise”? Lower the bar!

This is a 10-year journey we’re on here, so the exercise itself is not nearly as important as building a routine of working out that fits into your life. Lower the bar for what a “win” scenario is.

Example: if you roll out your yoga mat for 1 set of 1 exercise, it counts as a win. Doesn’t matter if did a full hour workout or just a 5 minute set of push-ups.

It all counts.

Remember, we just don’t want your Fitness Dial hitting “0.”

STEP 4: RESPAWN, GET BACK IN THE FIGHT

When you play a challenging video game, you’re going to die. A lot. (I died literally thousands when playing Hollow Knight, one of my favorite games in recent memory).

What happens after you die in a game?

You respawn, and try again!

You’ve learned a new tactic or pattern. You have a new technique. You’ve uncovered a secret. Or you’ve just gotten better. So you try, again.

And again.

And again.

And when you finally succeed?

Nirvana. Adulation. Pure joy.

There’s no shame in failing when it comes to weight loss. We have hundreds of stories of people who kept failing, but kept reading and trying, and then finally – something clicked.

And that next attempt is the one that changed their life’s path. Like Joe, who made like a dozen weight-loss attempt until he changed the right variable and got results:

So try again today.

Keep these things in mind when restarting your fitness journey:

1. Change your nutrition variable – try calorie counting instead of Paleo or vice versa.
2. Change your workout variable – try strength training instead of running.
3. Focus on building the routine by making the ‘win scenario’ super small.

Write down your plan, and start executing.

STEP 5: SUPERCHARGE YOUR RESULTS

I know hacking your experiments to get better data isn’t exactly “scientifically smart” or “morally responsible,” but I’m the one writing this guide and I have more important stuff to say. So you’re just gonna have to deal with it.

Once you start your new experiment, here’s how you can stack the deck in your favor:

#1) Write everything down. Write down your workouts. Write down what you eat. Treat it like a science experiment, and you’re collecting data! Plan ahead. Be PRO-active (“I will do Strength Training Workout A at 4pm and tonight I’ll have roasted chicken and bacon-wrapped asparagus) instead of RE-active (“What should I do for exercise right now?” and “Ah, what’s for dinner? Oooh, Burger King!”)

Coach Staci provides some additional tips in the video How a Journal Can Help Us Make Our Goals:

For more strategies here, check out our guide Tracking Your Fitness Progress.

#2) Recruit allies to your team. Don’t go this alone, as you’re more likely to succeed based on the people you spend time with and hang around. So recruit allies. Start spending more time with healthy people that empower you (even virtually), rather than unhealthy people that enable you and drag you down. Join a running group online. Find a lifting “accountabilibuddy,” or someone you can check in with.

#3) Hire a professional.

There are two types of coaches worth the investment:

• An in-person trainer if you are looking to supercharge your form on specific exercises like Olympic lifts, squats, deadlifts, etc. An in-person trainer can be good for people that need the accountability of somebody they’ve paid to meet them in the gym. Although to be honest, with the ongoing pandemic, gym availability and safety can be hit or miss.
• An online coach that represents mobile, worldwide accountability. I’ve had a coach for 7A years and it’s changed my life. Knowing that I have a workout and nutrition strategy to follow each day is game-changing.

As Coach Matt explains below, sometimes “outsourcing” help can be a real game-changer when trying to get in shape (or back in shape):

GET BACK IN THE FIGHT

An old mandrill named Rafiki once taught me: “Yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it, or learn from it.”

Okay maybe he taught that to Simba in The Lion King, but I too learned the same lesson:

TO RECAP:

#1) Forgive yourself. You wouldn’t talk to somebody else the way you talk to yourself. So have some freaking compassion! You’re trying.

#2) Identify what experiment you JUST tried. Write down what you believe went wrong over the past few weeks. Congrats – you found a strategy that doesn’t work.

#3) Pick a new path, try a different variable. A good scientist meticulously tracks their data and writes down their hypothesis. I would change one of the following:

• Exercise: do less – focus on building the routine and doing it consistently. Here’s how to exercise in a way that doesn’t feel like exercise.
• Nutrition: change less. If you couldn’t stick with a diet for 3 weeks, it was too restrictive. Try a different path. For help, check out our Guide to Healthy Eating. It’s designed to build on one small tiny improvement over time.
• Win scenario: don’t let “perfect” be the enemy of “good.”

#4) And then try again.

Oh, and for #5 (“Supercharge your results”), I have two perfect ways to help you respawn today:

A) If you want step-by-step guidance on how to lose weight, eat better, and get stronger, check out our killer 1-on-1 coaching program.

Many of our clients kept respawning for years, and it was only when working with a trained professional that they finally learned how to maintain progress.

Our Coaching program changes lives. Learn more here!

B) If you want an exact blueprint for getting in shape, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Plus, there’s a nice shiny button you can press so you can respawn in our app whenever you want! No judgement, restart whenever.

Try your free trial right here:

Alright, that does it for me today.

For the Rebellion!

-Steve

PS: If you want more tips and tricks on how to stick to your goals this year, check out 5 Hacks to Effortlessly Build Healthy Habits in 2022.

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Photo Citation: Oh My Goodness! Shut Me Down, The Iron Giant, “Hello, old friend. Is he ready for me?”, Happy Halloween!!, At the blacksmith’s (Part 2), Medieval Blacksmith

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Today I’m going to help you achieve your first push-up!

Yep, I know that sounds super confident.

But it’s because I have a push-up progression plan that’s helped loads of clients in our Online Coaching Program crush their first push-up. 

We help people get their first push-up and we’re really good at it. Learn more:

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What’s the best push-up progression plan?
• 4 push-up variations (to progress to a full push-up).
• What is the proper form for a push-up?
• 2 “must-do” exercises for achieving a full push-up.
• The “Get Your First Push-up” Workout Plan.
• Getting your first push-up (Next Steps).

Follow our guide and you’ll be doing “Earth Downs” in no time:

Let’s get started.

What’s the Best Push-up Progression Plan?

As I discuss in the video above, the most important part of your push-up progression plan: consistency.

Yeah, I know, there’s nothing too earth-shattering there.

But no matter what your current strength level is, the best way to work towards a push-up is to train your push muscles consistently. No matter where you’re starting today.

This is how our friend Mason went from wall push-ups to regular push-ups, then all the way to diamond push-ups.

Oh, and he lost like 70 pounds along the way too!

I’ll discuss push-up variations you should start with in the next section. Plus, we’ll wrap up today’s guide by discussing just how often you should train your push muscles.

Just remember, if you want your first push-up (and you should, cause push-ups are awesome), then you’ll need to be consistent with our push-up progression plan.

Cool?

Cool.

Our first stop on the Push-up Progression Plan: finding a push-up variation for you to become comfortable with. Something you can do about 8-10 reps with, for about 3-4 sets.

To start, you’ll probably train with an elevated push-up variation:

These will be easier than a regular push-up, since the higher the elevation, the less of your body’s weight you’ll be lifting during the movement.

Conversely, if you were to elevate your feet, you’d actually be lifting more than a regular push-up:

Let’s provide a rough breakdown of the percentage of your body’s weight lifted for different elevations of push-ups.^[1]

The Percentage of Body Weight Supported by Our Hands During Push-Ups:

• 4’ Elevated Push-up (Wall): 9%
• 3′ Elevated Push-up (Countertop): 20%
• 2′ Elevated Push-up: 36-41%
• Knee Push-up: 49%
• 1′ Elevated Push-up: 54%
• Regular Push-up: 64%

The strategy behind our push-up progression plan is to slowly move you down to the ground, lifting more and more of your own weight as you go.

Think of it like gaining XP in a video game, so one day you’ll be able to tackle the final boss: the floor.

It might help to pretend there’s a witch below it. 

Alright, let’s show you exactly how to do some of these push-up variations.

4 Push-up Variations (to Progress to a Full Push-Up)

The push-up variations below can be thought of as benchmarks.

If you can’t complete 8-10 reps, nbd.

We’ll have you train at the level below and you’ll move up before you know it.

Here are 4 variations for our Push-up Progression Plan:

Push-up Progression Level 1: Wall Push-ups

Place your hands on a wall about chest weight (roughly 4′, 48″, or 122 cm). Bend your arms and get as close to the wall before pushing back up.

Push-up Progression Level 2: Waist-High Push-ups

Place your hands on a surface about waist high (roughly 3′, 36″, or 92 cm). Bend your arms and touch your chest to the surface before pushing back up.

Push-up Progression Level 3: Knee-High Push-ups

Place your hands on a surface about knee high (roughly 1.5′, 18″, or 46 cm). Bend your arms and touch your chest to the surface before pushing back up.

Push-up Progression Level 4: Knee Push-ups

Hold yourself up on your hands and knees, with the body in a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower down to the ground before pushing back up.

FINAL BOSS: Push-ups!

You made it to a push-up!

Are you doing them correctly?

Our next section will dive into the correct form, since this is a guide on getting your first proper push-up (I wouldn’t hold out on you).

But first, you may be asking yourself a question: when do I progress up to the next level?

For that, I’d recommend downloading our new app (it’s free to try out).

Nerd Fitness Journey will guide you through a workout routine specifically designed to help you get your first push-up, with benchmarks and signals on when to move up. 

Plus, you get to earn actual XP so you level up your very own superhero!

You can give it a free test drive right here:

What Is the Proper Form for a Push-Up?

The video above walks you through the correct way to do a proper push-up, and also includes a few well-placed jokes from yours truly.

Here’s how to complete one perfect push-up:

• With your arms straight, glutes clenched, and abs braced, steadily lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle or less.
• Try to keep your elbows relatively close to your body, and keep note of when they start to flare out as you get tired.
• Once your chest (or nose/chin) touches the floor (or your arms go down to a 90-degree angle), pause slightly and then push back up until you’re at the starting position.

Here are 4 common mistakes with push-ups:

#1) Make sure you keep your elbows in. Often, beginners will flare out their elbows when doing a push-up.

A good way to think of this, is you want your body to appear more like an ARROW from the top, not a T.

This infographic on the proper push-up form shows you want I mean:

#2) Keep your head in line with your body. We don’t want your head shifting forward, which could put unnecessary stress on your neck and prevent a full range of motion.

#3) Keep your hips in line with your body (no sagging). We want you in one straight line as you push your body up and down:

#4) Attempt to do a full range of motion with your push-up (as long as it’s pain-free). Shoot to come all the way down, so your chest is touching the ground or the object you’re doing push-ups against.

If you want more help here, we have a full guide on how to do proper push-ups, (including advanced variations to try).

Exercises For Achieving a Full Push-Up

There are two exercises that will go a long way towards achieving your first push-up:

1. Push-up Negatives
2. Front Planks or Top of Push-up Holds

First, let’s talk about push-up negatives.

“Negative” in exercise terminology generally means only doing half of a traditional rep, normally lowering the movement.

To do a Push-up Negative: 

• Hold yourself up at the top of a push-up, with the body in a straight line from shoulders to feet.
• Lower down and touch the ground, then let the knees rest on the ground to help you push back up.
• You can do a push-up negative from an elevated surface too.

Next, let’s talk about Front Planks or Holding at the Top of a Push-up.

This is important for a few reasons:

• Builds a strong midsection. A sturdy core will help a lot when doing push-ups.
• If you can’t hold the top of a push-up position, doing one complete rep will prove almost impossible.

Holding a plank might be tough for you, so let’s talk about a few variations you can experiment with.

Hold Level 1: Knee Planks

Hold yourself up on your forearms and knees, with the body in a straight line from shoulders to knees.

Hold Level 2: Front Planks

Lie on the floor with your forearms flat, making sure that your elbows are aligned directly under your shoulders.

Engage your core and raise your body off the floor in a straight line from head to feet, keeping your forearms planted. Try not to let your hips rise or drop.

Hold Level 3: Push-up Hold

Hold yourself up at the top of a push-up position, with the body in a straight line from shoulders to feet.

If you follow the Push-up Challenge in NF Journey, you’ll notice that pretty much every workout ends with a type of one of these holds, since core strength is so critical for push-ups.

Oh, and if you want to just try Nerd Fitness Journey to see what I mean, you can do so right here:

The Push-up Workout Plan

Remember earlier when I said the name of the game with push-up progression is consistency?

To show you what I mean, it’s time to build a workout for conquering push-ups.

I’d recommend three workouts a week for a Push-up Progression Plan, with a rest day between.

Could be Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday.

As long as there’s a day off between workouts, it’s fine.

Oh, and if you can only do two workouts a week, that’s okay too. Just do the best you can (even once a week).

The “Get Your First Push-up” Workout is:

• A Warm-Up
• 3 or 4 sets of a Push-up Variation for 8-10 reps
• 2 or 3 reps of a Push-up Negative
• 60 second Plank or Hold

Let’s dive into each of these a bit more.

Step #1) Warm-up

• Arm circles: 10x/way
• Wrist stretches: 5/side

Arm circles for push-ups will look like this:

Wrist stretches for push-ups will look like so:

You can always do a more formal warm-up routine, but just make sure you include some variation of these two moves.

Step #2) Train with a Push-up Variation

Earlier, we went through 4 variations that will help you get your first push-up.

After your warm-up, you should train with one of them.

For our Push-up Progression Plan, I want you to alternate between two variations:

• On Day A, do 3 or 4 sets of a push-up variation that you can do 8-10 reps in.
• On Day B, do 3 or 4 sets of a push-up variation that you can do 5-8 reps in (so a harder variation).

For example:

• On Monday maybe you do 3 sets of waist-high push-ups for 10 reps.
• Wednesday, you can do 3 sets of knee-high push-ups for 8 reps.
• Then Friday, back to the waist-high variation.

Step #3) Do a Negative

After you train with your push-up variation, I want you to attempt 2-3 reps of a negative push-up.

If these are too tough, simply do an easier variation, like knee push-up negatives:

Any of the 4 variations we discussed earlier can be done as a “negative.”

These negatives will be important, as they’ll go a long way towards building strength for a regular push-up.

Step #4) Plank/Hold for 60 seconds

We’re going to end our “Get Your First Push-up” Workout with a hold:

• Front Plank
• Holding the Top of the Push-up

Choose whichever variation you like, but attempt to hold the position for a full minute, with as few sets as possible.

If you need to break up the 60-second hold, you could:

• Do three sets of 20 seconds each.
• Do two sets of 30 seconds each.

Just aim to go longer and longer as you go. If you can’t make it to a full minute, don’t stress. Just work on holding a knee or elevated plank.

These holds will help strengthen your core, which will be critical for doing push-ups with proper form.

Oh, and if you want someone to modify this workout for you (let’s say you also want to do some HIIT for fat loss) our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program can do just that.

Plus, your coach can review your movements through our app so you’ll know your training correctly and safely.

You’re not alone on this journey. Let our Online Coaches help you conquer your first push-up!

How to Achieve Your First Push-up (Next Steps)

That should give you everything you need to get started with the push-up progression plan.

Remember…

The “Get Your First Push-up” Workout is:

• A Warm-Up
• 3 or 4 sets of a Push-up Variation for 8-10 reps
• 2 or 3 reps of a Push-up Negative
• 60 second Plank or Hold

Do this three times a week, with a day of rest between workouts, and you’ll be good to go.

As you continue on the Push-up Progression Plan, remember to keep pushing harder. We want you slowly but surely increasing the challenge of the workout (known in the biz as “progressive overload.”)

This could be:

• Adding another rep (8 reps of waist-high push-ups to 9)
• Adding another set (3 sets of knee push-ups to 4)
• Moving up to a more difficult variation (waist-high push-ups to knee-high)

Oh, and if you need any help along the way, I gotcha boo.

Here’s how to continue your journey with Nerd Fitness:

#1) Our Online Coaching Program: perfect for someone who wants an expert (like me!) to design the right path for conquering push-ups. We’re all different, so why not have a coach guide you through a program that’s custom-made for you?

You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program would be a good fit. Just click on the image below for more details:

Our coaching program changes lives. Learn how!

#2) If you want an exact blueprint for crushing push-ups, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Plus, our 6-week Push-up Challenge has helped quite a few Rebels achieve their first push-up!

Try your free trial right here:

#3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion. You’ll meet individuals from all different walks of life, all of whom are trying to level up their lives. 

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our “Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know” guide, which will teach you exactly how to grow strong enough to rock push-ups:

Alright, I want to hear from you now:

Can you do a proper push-up?

If not, what level are you on?

Are we missing any helpful suggestions for a beginner?

Let me know in the comments!

-Jim

PS: Check out the rest of our guides on doing push-ups:

• How to Do Push-Ups with Correct Form
• Steve’s 7 Favorite Push-Up Variations
• 5 Common Push-Up Mistakes

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Photo source: Gecko push-up; Figure push-up; 102, 103, 104…; doll push-up, push-up sunset;

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So you want to learn about the best core exercises?

Well my friend, you’ve arrived at the right place!

We help men, women, and intergalactic bounty hunters grow strong as part of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program, and we always put an emphasis on core muscles when we build client workouts.

Are you training your core muscles correctly? Let our coaches help you decide!

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why is training your core muscles important?
• What are the best core exercises for beginners? 
• How can I strengthen my core at home?
• The 5 best core exercises
• Core exercises to avoid (skip the sit-ups)
• “What exercise burns the most belly fat?” (Best core exercises for weight loss)
• How to build a core workout (Next steps)

Alright buckeroo, let’s do this thang!

Why Is Training Your Core Muscles Important?

You use your core muscles for just about everything:

• Getting out of bed in the morning? Not without a sturdy core.
• Pushing a grocery store cart across the parking lot? Your core will make that happen.
• Fighting off ninjas who just discovered your secret identity? Karate kicks require a strong core.

You get the gist.

So what exactly do we mean when we say “core”?

Contrary to popular belief, your core isn’t just your abs.

Some of the muscles found in your core include:

• Erector spinae: this is the muscle around your spine and helps you stand up straight.
• Rector abdominis: better known as your “abs.” 
• Obliques: these are found on the sides of your torso and help you twist (and shout).
• Gluteal muscles: also known as your “glutes” or “butt” or “bum” or “ass” or – okay, you get the point –  which connects your legs to your core.

You might also hear your core referred to as your “trunk.” Same thing.

The core muscles really are the foundation of the human body. And much like building a house, when it comes to fitness, you need to start with a strong foundation.

This is why we focus on building a strong core with each of our coaching clients. 

A Nerd Fitness Coach can guide your strength training! Click here to learn more!

What Are the Best Core Exercises for Beginners? How Can I Strengthen My Core at Home?

If you’re just starting your fitness journey, we won’t make you jump into the deep end quite yet. 

Here are the Best Core Exercises for Beginners:

#1) Plank

Your entire core is engaged in a plank, as you stabilize yourself in a straight line (don’t sink)! 

If you can’t quite support yourself into a full plank, have no fear, you can start with…

#2) Knee Plank

Just like a regular plank, but you have your knees for support. Start with these until you can do the real thing.

#3) Hip Bridge

The hip bridge will activate the glutes and the rest of your core as you bring your body up.

#4) The Hollow Body Hold

The hollow body is one of the best ways to engage the midsection and stabilize the body. We utilize the hollow body exercise as part of our strategy for getting your first handstand.

Once you get comfortable holding the position, try…

#5) The Hollow Body Rocking

These 5 exercises will go a long way towards developing serious core strength.

“Steve, these moves are easy peezy. What are some advanced core exercises?”

I thought you’d never ask.

The 5 Best Core Exercises

Now the real fun starts.

Here are The 5 Best Core Exercises:

#1) Squats

Squats? Yes, squats. 

Squats train just about every muscle in your core (and lower body). Your core is engaged as you stabilize yourself up and down. If you don’t currently train with squats, start with a simple assisted bodyweight squat:

You can also read our full guide on how to perform squats to level up your game.

#2) Deadlifts

We’re big fans of the deadlift around these parts. Not only is it a core exercise, but it’s really an EVERYTHING exercise (lower body, core, and upper body). 

Senior Coach Staci credits performing deadlifts to her visible abs:

If you want a strong core, start performing deadlifts.

#3) Push-ups

Just like how a plank forces you to stabilize your core, a push-up will do all that and more as you push yourself up and down.

How’s your push-up form? Most people do them incorrectly.

Read our full guide on how to do a proper push-up to hone your technique.

#4) Pull-ups

Yes, pull-ups are an upper-body exercise. But you’ll engage your core as you hoist yourself up. The more you keep your body in control (don’t flail about as you go up and down), the more you’ll train your core.

Can’t do a pull-up yet? No problem, read “How to Get Your First Pull-Up in 30 Days.”

#5) Knees to Elbow

This will challenge your core like you wouldn’t believe. The slower you go, the more intense it will be.

Bonus Core Exercise: Toes to Bar

This is an advanced move, but a great core exercise that only requires a pull-up bar!

Are you doing these moves correctly?

A good way to check would be to record a video of yourself and match it against the gifs and videos here. If they look close, you’re doing great!

The other option would be to have a trained professional review your form, which we can do in our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program!

Our spiffy mobile app lets you send a video of your training directly to your coach, who will provide feedback so you can perfect your technique.

They’ll also build a workout program that’s custom to your situation, which can improve your core strength!

Have a Nerd Fitness Coach build you a core workout and check your form! Click here to learn more!

Why You Shouldn’t Do Sit-Ups

You may have noticed that we haven’t covered sit-ups in our guide on the best core exercises.

This is 100% intentional. You don’t need to do sit-ups.

In fact, there’s an argument you SHOULDN’T do sit-ups at all.

Sit-ups can be hard on your back.^[1] They’re also an incomplete exercise, as they don’t work out your entire core (stomach AND lower back). 

So skip the sit-ups. 

Instead, I’d recommend you go with a Reverse Crunch:

“What Exercise Burns the Most Belly Fat?” (Best Core Exercise for Weight Loss)

There’s a common belief that if you simply do enough crunches or sit-ups, you’ll get a flat stomach.

I hate to break it to you, but this isn’t true.

It’s something I bring up in the article: “Can You Actually Banish Belly Fat?” 

You cannot spot reduce fat on your body:

• Not on your thighs.
• Not on your love handles.
• Not on your stomach. 

This is why the Thighmaster is a joke:

Depending on your age, weight, sex, and genetic makeup, your body will lose fat in a certain order, from certain parts of your body, that you can’t control.

Here are some things to consider:

• Everybody has abdominal muscles. Yep, even you! They might be tiny, or weak, but everybody has 6-pack abs. They might just be hidden under a layer of fat. No judgment, just reality.
• Fat does NOT turn into muscle – they are two different things. Like oil and water, fat sits on top of muscle. You could have ridiculously strong abs ready to pop out, but if they are buried under a lot of fat, no amount of exercise will give you a flat stomach or make those abs pop, because it doesn’t address the fat on top of your muscles.
• A flat stomach only appears when you have a low enough bodyfat percentage. The reason there are 1,000,000,000 ab workouts on YouTube is that people know there’s BIG money in the ab-industry for people desperate to get a flat stomach! And ab exercises are much easier to market as exciting than “eat better, get strong, move more, for a long long time.”

So if you want a flat stomach or six-pack abs, we need to create a plan for sustainable weight loss. 

I know, WAY EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

Have no fear, I have a couple of resources for you:

• How to Lose Weight Without Dieting (The 5 Rules of Weight Loss): you’ve probably been on a diet before. You might even be on a diet right now. We discuss why they generally don’t work (temporary changes create temporary results) and provide a less conventional but more permanent solution (tiny changes for the win).
• Our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program: many of our clients spent years yo-yoing their weight, going from one diet to another. It’s only when working with one of our coaches that they were able to achieve sustainable weight loss. 

Want to lose weight without hating life? Learn how we can help.

How to Build a Core Workout (Next Steps)

Now that we know how to perform the best core exercises, you know what time it is?

It’s my favorite time.

It’s time to build a workout routine!

Woot.

As Coach Staci advises in the video below, we recommend beginners strength train two to three times a week with a full-body workout:

That full-body workout will hit:

• Quads (front of your legs).
• Butt and hamstrings (back of your legs).
• Chest, shoulders, and triceps: (“push” muscles).
• Back, biceps, and grip ( “pull” muscles).
• Core (abdominals and lower back).

We just went over what you should do for that last segment, “core”. 

What should you do for the others? For ideas, read our guide: “How To Build Your Own Workout Routine.”

That will help you build a practice to grow strong.

Don’t get startled by my comment that you should train “two to three times a week.” If you can only do a full-body workout once a week, that’s WAY BETTER than none a week.

Once you get the practice going, we can always work to increase the frequency later. 

The most important thing you can do today: start!

Want a little help getting going? The perfect next step on what you should do now?

No problemo!

Here are 3 options on how to continue with Nerd Fitness:

Option #1) If you want step-by-step guidance on how to lose weight, eat better, and get stronger, check out our killer 1-on-1 coaching program:

Option #2) If you want an exact roadmap for getting fit, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Plus, we have Missions specifically designed to help you achieve a strong core.

Try your free trial right here:

Option #3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign-up below and receive our free guide Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It includes step-by-step instructions for the Best Core Exercises covered in today’s guide. 

Alright, enough from me. Your turn:

Do you agree with my list of the best core exercises?

Do you think I’m missing any?

Am I completely off base on my position on sit-ups?

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: Many of the exercises covered today came from our post “The 42 Best Bodyweight Exercises.” Give it a read if you’d like to start training without a gym!

###

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So, you want to know how much protein you need?

Well my friend, you’ve arrived at the right place.

We built a protein calculator to help our Online Coaching clients and I’m excited to share it with you today too!

Not sure how much protein to eat for your goals? Find out how our coaches can help!

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• The Nerd Fitness Protein Calculator 
• How much protein should I eat in a day? 
• How much protein should I eat to build muscle?
• How much protein should I eat to lose weight?
• Can I eat too much protein?
• How to get enough protein (Next steps)

You look like you’re in a hurry, so let’s jump right in!

The Nerd Fitness Protein Calculator

On the Metric System? Click here. 

Boom! 

You now have a range for the amount of protein you need in a day!

I know…we just threw a lot at you. 

Let’s explain some of these numbers and equations in case you want to nerd out on the details. 

How Much Protein Should I Eat in a Day?

As we cover in our guide How Much Protein Do I Need to Eat, you’re going to find all sorts of different recommendations for how much protein you should be consuming.

For example, the current international Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.4g per pound of bodyweight (0.8 g per kg of body weight).^[1]

Case closed?

Nope.

In our opinion, and as described in this review article^[2] the RDA for protein is too low and should be higher regardless of your body composition.

Our calculator actually starts you off at 0.54–0.82g per pound of bodyweight (1.2–1.8 g/kg), which tops out at over twice the level of the RDA.^[3]

Also, the amount of protein you eat will depend on your individual goals. That’s why we have so many variables in our protein calculator.

The RDA’s blanket recommendation for protein intake is oversimplified.

We’ll dive into this further in the subsequent sections.

One final point: we gave you a wide recommended range of protein, because people vary quite a bit in their protein needs.

So don’t take our protein recommendation as gospel!

Consider your results here as a starting point. Try one range, see how you feel, and take it up or down from there.

If you respond well to a protein intake that’s not within our recommended range, don’t sweat it!

The protein recommendations here come from studies, and studies are based on averages. You may be an outlier.

Use our calculator as a starting point, and assess your results over time. We give this same advice to our coaching clients when they ask us about protein.

Are you eating enough protein? Let our coaches help you decide!

How Much Protein Should I Eat to Build Muscle?

If you’re trying to build muscle, you’re going to want to eat enough protein to induce muscle repair and growth. 

Proteins are the building blocks of muscle, so you’ll need plenty if you’re looking to build a muscular physique!

How much?

If you’re of healthy weight, active, and wish to build muscle, aim for 0.64–1.09 g/lb (1.4–2.4 g/kg).^[4]

There is some evidence that a higher range might be beneficial. Not so much in gaining more muscle, but to minimize fat gain during a bulking phase.^[5] 

As we mention in our guide, 12 Tips to Gain Weight Quickly, you might put on a little fat when eating in a caloric surplus to grow muscle.

More protein may counteract this a little.^[6] 

If you’re an experienced lifter on a bulk, intakes up to 1.50 g/lb (3.3 g/kg) may help you minimize fat gain.

Now of course, if you want to grow muscle, you can’t just eat protein…you also need to strength train!

Luckily, we’re experts on that.

Here are some resources to begin your training:

1. 5 Best Strength Training Workout Routines For Beginners. If you don’t know where to start your strength training journey, start here. This guide will walk you through bodyweight exercises onto becoming a full gym warrior (here’s how to build a home gym if you’re avoiding public facilities). 
2. The Beginner Bodyweight Workout. If you’re looking for an exercise routine that can be done ANYWHERE, look no further. Our beginner routine has jumpstarted many Rebels in their strength training. You’d be surprised how much muscle you can build with your own weight, a milk jug, and a sturdy table. 
3. Build Your Own Workout Routine. After you do a workout or two, it’s time to strategize. What should you train and on what days? When should you rest? Our guide will walk you through building a complete routine. 

Another option is to check out our Online Coaching Program, where a trained expert can build you a customized workout, then adjust it each month based on your progress:

Have a Nerd Fitness Coach design a custom workout for your home or gym!

How Much Protein Should I Eat to Lose Weight?

If you’re looking to lose weight, eating plenty of protein will be an important part of the equation. 

Why is protein important for weight loss?

Think of it this way: protein is the only macronutrient you don’t store.^[7] 

• Carbs are stored as muscle glycogen.
• Fat is stored as body fat.

Your body can use either as a fuel source while it’s in a calorie deficit.

Not so for protein.

Meaning most of the protein in your body is currently doing a job: building muscle tissue, making enzymes, strengthening bones, etc.

If you don’t eat enough protein, your body will turn towards your muscles for its needs.

So if you’re not careful when you’re losing weight, you could lose muscle AND fat.

Obviously, from a health and physique standpoint, this is not good.

That’s why you need to eat plenty of protein and strength train when you’re in a calorie deficit – so you lose fat while retaining your hard-earned muscle mass.

This is something Coach Matt covers extensively in the video How to Gain Muscle While Losing Fat:

For more, check out The Guide to Body Recomposition.

The other important point about protein and fat loss: protein will help you stay full.^[8]

If you’re trying to lose weight, keeping your hunger at bay will be critical. Luckily, studies have found that those on a high-protein diet tend to eat fewer calories overall.^[9]

If you can’t seem to lose weight, start eating plenty of protein!

Are you currently on a weight-loss mission?

We can help! 

Here are some resources to get you going:

1. The 5 Rules of Weight Loss. If you’ve ever been on a diet, or are currently on a diet, give this a read. Here we discuss why people succeed with popular dieting programs and why they don’t, plus actionable steps you can take to achieve sustainable weight loss.
2. Start Eating Healthy Without Being Miserable. If you’re confused about healthy eating (“Should I nix carbs? Do I have to count calories?”), start here. We’ll explain how to consistently build healthy meals while still eating the foods you love. Nobody should be forced to give up pizza forever. 
3. How Many Calories Should I Eat Every Day? We’re not going to make you count calories for the rest of your life. However, we do want you to have some awareness of the number of calories you are eating. We’ll give you a range to shoot for, plus some tips on how to portion control. 

You can also download a Free 10 Level Diet Guide too when you join the Rebellion and sign up in the box below:

Can I Eat Too Much Protein?

Now that I’ve drilled it into your head that you should be eating plenty of protein, a natural question will arise:

How much protein is too much protein?

We’ve got good news for you: as long as you’ve got a healthy liver and kidneys, you can eat lots of protein with no ill effects.

As Examine points out in its research on protein:^[10]

“Higher protein intakes seem to have no negative effects in healthy people,”** 

**Of course, if you have specific kidney or medical issues with regards to protein intake, PLEASE go with your doctor’s recommendation for required protein consumption!

Go ahead and aim for the high end from our protein calculator. 

One final note: if our current recommendation for protein is a lot higher than what you normally do, ease into it.

Don’t go from minimal protein intake to woofing down steak and eggs while chugging a protein shake.^[11]

Studies have found that immediately doubling protein intake can have negative effects.^[12] 

Increase your intake gradually, a little more each day, and you’ll be fine!

How to Get Enough Protein (Next Steps)

Now that you have an estimate of the amount of protein you need, the last question to answer is: how do I eat all this protein?

Our #1 recommendation is to get protein from whole foods whenever possible. This will ensure you get plenty of vitamins and minerals.

A serving of protein is about the size and thickness of your palm:

Protein can come from any number of sources, including:

• Meat (steak, bison, pork).
• Fowl (chicken, turkey, duck).
• Eggs^[13]
• Fish and shellfish (salmon, tuna, shrimp).
• Legumes (black beans, chickpeas).

Not a meat-eater? Read our massive plant-based guide!

However, if you’re aiming for the higher ranges of protein intake (or you’re on a serious bulk,) you might need to supplement. 

Personally, I drink a protein shake daily to help me reach my goals. 

Some protein supplements to consider:

1. Whey protein powder, a milk byproduct widely used as a protein supplement.^[14]
2. Egg-based protein powders
3. Pea protein powder, a popular supplement in the plant-based community. 

Check out The Ultimate Protein Shake Guide for more protein powder recommendations and recipes on how to make delicious smoothies. 

Whether through whole foods or supplements, protein should be a main part of every meal you eat. It’s one of our top recommendations for being a healthy nerd. 

Calculate your protein needs, determine the proper portion sizes to reach your target, and see how you feel!

You can always adjust up or down based on your results.

If you need any help along the way, we got you. 

Here are three ways to continue your journey with Nerd Fitness:

#1) Our Online Coaching program: a coaching program for busy people to help them make better food choices, stay accountable, and get healthier, permanently.

As I said before, we teach portion control to our clients who struggle with overeating, so we’ll provide a non-judgmental expert to help you reach your goals.

You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program is right for you:

Our coaching program changes lives. Learn how!

#2) If you want an exact blueprint leveling up your nutrition, check out Nerd Fitness Journey! Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

If you follow our Nutrition missions, you’ll learn to eat more protein while earning XP! Sah-weeeet.

Try your free trial right here:

#3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our Rebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out at home” guides, the Nerd Fitness Diet Cheat Sheet, and much more!

Alright, I want to hear from you:

Did you calculate your protein requirements?

Do you generally consume around this target?

Have any tips or tricks for getting enough protein?

Let us know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: Check out the rest of our protein series:

• How Much Protein Should I Eat?
• The Ultimate Protein Shake Guide

###

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It’s time to learn about The CICO (“calories in, calories out”) Diet!

You probably have questions like: 

Steve, does CICO work? 

Will counting calories help me lose weight?

Okay, what the hell IS a calorie?

Well my friend, you’ve arrived at the right place!

I’ve been writing about this stuff for 13 years, and our team of nerdy experts help our Online Coaching clients with all types of diets (including CICO). We are really flippin’ good at it!

Is CICO right for you? Maybe! Let our coaches help you decide.

Here’s what we’ll cover to answer the question: “What is CICO?”

• What is the CICO Diet plan?
• Is losing weight really about calories?
• Does calorie counting work? (CICO and weight loss)
• The problem with CICO (Humans are bad estimators)
• Tips for sustainable weight loss (Next steps)

It’s time to get started!

What Is the CICO Diet plan?

“CICO” stands for “Calories In, Calories Out.”

The CICO Diet is a weight-loss strategy where the participant tries to tip the balance of what they eat (calories in) against what they burn (calories out).

That’s pretty much it.

It doesn’t really matter what food you eat, because there are no restrictions on any specific food groups with CICO. 

It also doesn’t matter what exercise you do (if any).

As long as you get the equation right, and the calories you eat are lower than the calories you burn on a daily basis, you’re good to go.

The CICO Diet is really simple and has helped quite a few people lose weight. 

This is likely why the CICO Diet has grown in popularity in the subreddit r/loseit. 

Is Losing Weight Really About Calories?

Yes. Losing weight actually does come down to burning more calories than you consume.

It’s about as close to fact as we can get in nutrition science.^[1]

As we address in our guide How to Lose Weight (The 5 Rules of Weight Loss), our bodies obey the Laws of Conservation of Energy and Thermodynamics: 

To lose weight, we need to burn more calories than we consume regularly. 

With this knowledge, it makes sense to design a diet specifically around this principle: match the calories you eat (in), with the calories you expend (out).

No other food rules need to apply:

• Forget about Keto and low-carb.
• It doesn’t matter if a caveman ate it.
• Who knows what the Mediterraneans ate anyway?

As long as you meet your calorie goal, you can forget about the rules of any specific diet.

This appeals to me personally, because I’ve created my own guidelines for how to eat, and I don’t pledge allegiance to any particular dieting strategy.

Because I’m a mind-reader, I know your next question is likely…

Does Calorie Counting Work? (CICO and Weight Loss)

In principle, CICO works.

In practice, it becomes a little more complicated. 

Okay, fine, A LOT more complicated.

That’s because a lot of things influence “calories in.” 

Ditto for “calories out.”

Let’s break some of this down.

Here are some of the things that impact “Calories In:”

• Appetite: how hungry we are is going to drastically affect how many calories we consume. Hormones, body composition, and our tastes and preferences will all impact our appetite.^[2] 
• Calories absorbed: the preparation of food will affect the bioavailability of calories. For example, cooking starches (like potatoes) generally increases the calories available.^[3] Your own individual gut microbe can also influence the amount of energy extracted during digestion.^[4] So will the macronutrient content of the food you eat.
• Psychological considerations: your stress levels, sleep quality, and certain conditions like PCOS can all impact the regulation of hormones, which can influence your metabolism and appetite.^[5]

Oh, and all of the above assumes we’re actually tracking calories accurately. Which pretty much nobody does. Ever. But I’ll get to that shortly. 

And remember, this is only half of the equation.

Here are some of the things that impact “Calories Out:”

• Energy burned while resting: your Basal Metabolic Rate is a count of how many calories you burn at rest and will be controlled by your age, weight, height, biological sex, muscle composition, etc. 
• Energy burned through Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): do you fidget a lot? That increases your NEAT, or the energy you burn doing stuff other than exercising. Think tapping your feet, twirling your hair, using your hands when speaking, etc. Even just an hour of this kind of movement can accumulate an extra 300 calories burned.^[6]
• Exercise: of course, how much you intentionally exercise will impact your calories out, although perhaps not as much as most people think (more on this later).

This is only scratching the surface on what determines “calories in, calories out.”^[7]

The important thing to consider here is that none of the above invalidate the basic premise of an energy deficit being necessary for weight loss. 

These factors will just influence one end of the equation or the other. 

For example, let’s chat about protein and CICO:

• Eating plenty of protein has been shown to help keep people feeling full and satiated.^[8] So lots of protein can help folks lose weight, not because it changes the requirements for weight loss, but because it might allow them to get through the day less hungry (lowering their “calories in.”)
• Adequate dietary protein can help with building and maintaining muscle.^[9] The more muscle someone has, the more calories they’ll need to maintain it (raising their “calories out.”)^[10]

Read our guide “How much protein should I eat?” for more on this subject.

To recap this section: from a biological perspective, eating fewer calories than you burn is 100% necessary for weight loss. 

But all sorts of things impact the number of calories we eat and the number of calories we expend. 

This is going to lead us to…

The Problem With CICO (Humans Are Bad Estimators)

The majority of the problems people have with CICO is that it allows nutrient-deficient food to enter the diet, only limiting “how much.”

They’ll argue that people should be eating fruits and vegetables, lean protein, avoiding processed foods, and blah blah blah… 

We all know this. 

You don’t need someone else telling you to eat your veggies.

This isn’t the problem with CICO. 

The problem with CICO is it’s really hard to estimate “calories in” and “calories out.”

Like, REALLY hard. We humans are TERRIBLE at it. 

Take “calories in” or how much we eat: people generally UNDERestimate how many calories they consume by about 30-40%.^[11] Even dieticians, who are specifically trained in nutrition science, underestimated how much they eat.^[12]

“That may be true Steve, but don’t worry about me. I read the label on everything I buy so I know exactly how many calories I’m eating.”

Well, are you aware that the FDA allows a 20% leeway on total calories identified on packages?^[13] Meaning that 100 calorie drink of Orange Juice might actually be 120?

If you’re a food manufacturer, which way are you going to lean towards? Especially when you know people might scrutinize the calories of your nutrition label in an effort to lose weight.

This isn’t just paranoia: this study found that packaged snack food generally contains MORE calories in it than advertised.^[14]

Yeah…and remember, this is only half of the equation. 

It’s about to get even worse.

People are also really bad at estimating “calories out.” 

When folks self-assess how many calories they burned by exercising, they’re generally WAY OFF, by as much as 50%!^[15]

Oh, and those fitness trackers we wear?

They’ve been shown to be inaccurate, some by up to 90%!^[16]

That’s why we made this infographic on tracking “calories out”:

This is the main problem with CICO: we’re stuck with educated guesses for “calories in” and “calories out.”

So we underestimate the calories we eat by 40%. And then we overestimate how many calories we burn by 50%.

No WONDER we think our metabolism is broken if we can’t lose weight!

The truth is we’re unknowingly eating too much, and/or moving too little.

Ugh.

Heck, even how many calories you need a day (your baseline or Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is an estimate, something we acknowledge in our calorie calculator, which you can play with right here:

THE NERD FITNESS CALORIE CALCULATOR

 

In summary: balancing “calories in against calories out” is really all quite messy when you get right down to it.

Does that make all this hopeless?

Not even remotely.

But it does give us some context if you can’t seem to lose weight.

Tips for Sustainable Weight Loss (Next Steps)

This post is not made to dissuade you from trying The CICO Diet.

I actually encourage everyone to track their food and calories for one week, because it’s often an eye-opening experience on how much they’re truly eating.

If possible, take a few days and use a cheap food scale instead of just eyeballing it. You’ll be shocked about the actual portion sizes of some foods!

When it comes to sustainable weight loss, here at Nerd Fitness, we encourage two paths:

• Make small tiny changes towards “real food” (like the Nerd Fitness Healthy Plate above).
• Make small tiny changes towards a strength training practice.

Both of these strategies can dramatically – and positively – influence “calories in” and “calories out” respectively.  

In our Guide to Healthy Eating, we explain why every website tells you to eat vegetables (which we also tell you): vegetables are full of nutrients, contain lots of fiber to keep you full, and are generally low in calories.

Eating lots of vegetables, or “real food,” will help you naturally lower “calories in.”

How about another example to think about? Here are 200 calories of a blueberry muffin:

Compare it to 200 calories of broccoli (Thanks to wiseGEEK):

Which one do you think you’re likely to accidentally overeat for your calorie allotment?

Right.

For our other strategy, the Strength Training 101 series explains why growing strong is important for fat loss: 

Building muscle takes a lot of calories (and so does maintaining it).

In other words, a stronger version of yourself will require more calories.

And will be able to escape from jail easier. 

This will naturally raise your “calories out.”

The trick with it all is the “make small tiny changes” bit.

We’ve seen over and over that small steps (eating one new vegetable a week, a simple bodyweight workout) create momentum. Over time, these small changes are the keys to permanently getting healthy.

The entire Nerd Fitness Coaching program is based on this premise.

So what should you do now? Pick a small change and get going!

Here are some options for a healthy new habit:

• Calculate an estimate of how many calories you need (knowledge is power, even if it’s an approximation)
• Learn proper portions for some of the food you eat
• Serve one new vegetable with dinner this week
• Start a walking practice (even just 5 minutes at first is great)
• Try a simple beginner strength training workout (here’s one you can do in your living room)

The most important thing you can do now: start!

The exact “small tiny change” doesn’t matter so much, just pick one you feel comfortable with and get going! Once that habit becomes sustainable, pick a new one! And so on and so on…

We’ve seen it time and time again here that this is the true path towards success.

Boom!

Still here? Want some more guidance? An exact plan to follow on where to go next?

Alright, you got it, but only because you’ve been nice this whole time.

Here’s how Nerd Fitness can help:

#1) Our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program: a coaching program for busy people to help them make better food choices, stay accountable, and get healthier, permanently.

You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program is right for you. Just click on the image below for more details:

#2) If you want a roadmap for getting in shape, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app will help you exercise and eat better, all while you build your very own superhero.

Interested?

Try your free trial right here:

#3) Join The Rebellion! We have a free email newsletter that we send out twice per week, full of tips and tricks to help you get healthy, get strong, and have fun doing so. 

I’ll also send you tons of free guides that you can use to start leveling up your life too:

Alright, I think that about does it for this article.

Now, your turn:

What are your thoughts on The CICO Diet?

Do you have a strategy for balancing “calories in” and “calories out”?

Think I’ve got it all totally wrong? 

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: Make sure you read the rest of our content on sustainable weight loss:

• The 5 Rules of Weight Loss
• Why Can’t I Lose Weight?
• Which Diet is Right for Me?

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