We tend to put pressure on ourselves to be the best, most motivated versions of ourselves at all times. It’s important to acknowledge that motivation ebbs and flows, and we’ll always have ups and downs.
In today’s episode, Robin shares her top tips to get motivated (because she isn’t always motivated either!) and prepare yourself for the roadblock of sluggishness. She shares how you can create an environment to rely on when your motivations are low and ways to prompt yourself into getting movement.
Join Robin and a few special guests on this journey of wellness and tune into this episode to learn how you can overcome the waves of feeling unmotivated.
Show highlights: what you can look forward to in this episode!
What makes it difficult to find motivation to workout
The biggest mistakes people make when overcommitting
Why 10 minutes is enough to help you break the streak
Utilizing community to help you
How the people you follow can influence your inspiration and motivation
The importance of recognizing that motivation comes in waves
How imagining how good your body will feel after a workout can motivate you
Imagine what the healthiest version of yourself would do
Members of the Balanced Life Team share their tricks for staying motivated
If you’re here because you want to go from skinny to muscular, you’ve come to the right place!
I know exactly how you feel.
I was once a very thin guy struggling to put on muscle! Hell, my “before photo” below on the left below is after a decade of training and “eating a lot.”
It took me 10 years of struggle to crack the “bulk up” code, so don’t beat yourself up if you’re really struggling to put on mass.
We’ve helped people just like you get bigger in our Online Coaching Program: we use the same tactics and strategies I’ll discuss below!
Okay, let’s get into it! Click any of the links below to learn about the 9 key mistakes skinny guys make when trying to bulk up:
I didn’t put the weight on a necessarily healthy or sustainable way, but after 6 years of struggle, this experience solidified the connection between diet and getting bigger.
It finally made sense.
If you don’t eat enough calories, you won’t get any bigger.
So if you are not getting bigger and more buff, then you are not eating enough.
It’s science.
If you’re trying to gain weight: when in doubt, eat.
Under optimal conditions, you’ll most likely be able to put on 1-2 pounds of muscle per month.
Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t make tremendous strength gains – you’re just not going to build 50 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks.
So start by having proper expectations: don’t try to “Put on 50 pounds” by the week or month. It’s time to think in terms of days and years to make your progress permanent:
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and muscle isn’t built in a matter of days either. It’s going to take months of sustained effort, and it’s going to take consistency and patience.
But you can get there.
If you struggle with not seeing results, and you want a Yoda in your pocket (that sounds weird…) to help you bulk up fast, our online coaching program fits that exact scenario
3. Not having a solid plan (How to Go from Skinny to Muscular)
If you want to go from skinny to buff, you need a plan.
A plan that is balanced, and provides you with big movements that stimulate growth all over your body.
It’s better to pick a basic plan and stick with it for months and months and months, than jump around from week to week chasing the newest shiny object.
Other great barbell-based programs are Stronglifts 5×5, Wendler’s 5/3/1 program, and Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength program.
I started with basic barbell training, then moved into more of a hybrid barbell/bodyweight program (thanks to my Online Coach).
Which should you pick?
Honestly, any of them will work – you just need to start, and stick with it for months at a time, focusing on getting stronger with each movement.
You can also download our Strength 101 Guide when you sign up in the box below:
Download our comprehensive guideSTRENGTH TRAINING 101!
Everything you need to know about getting strong.
Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.
How to find the right gym and train properly in one.
4. Not Doing Enough (How to Grow Muscle)
If you are trying to get bigger, you might not be doing a tough enough workout in the gym or in the park to stimulate muscle growth.
No matter what, you need to be doing heavier weight, or doing more repetitions in order to challenge your body, breakdown muscle fiber, and force your body to rebuild stronger.
This is called “progressive overload,” and it’s the only way you’re going to build size in the right places.
However, you must be scaling these exercises constantly to make them increasingly more difficult, which many people struggle to do.
Just doing more regular push-ups, bodyweight squats, and pull-ups is a good way to get conditioned, but after a certain point, it most likely won’t produce muscle growth without increasing the challenge.
That’s when you need to progressively overload your muscles with a more difficult movement.
I detail this during my “stay in shape while traveling” post, in which I packed on a few pounds of muscle while ONLY doing bodyweight exercises.
I started by doing just pull-ups and dips.
Now I’m up to doing pull-ups with 60 pounds on a weight belt, and dips with 70 pounds on a weight belt.
I used to just do push-ups and pull-ups, now it’s parallette gymnastic complexes:
You just need a solid plan that allows you to consistently push your muscles further.
Looking for a plan to gymnastics mastery? Outside of our coaching program, our new app will show you exactly how to start training with rings.
You can try out your free trial right here:
5. Going Too Quickly and Getting Injured (Being Safe)
In the age of instant gratification, we always want more, now now now.
Over the past decade, I followed a terrible cycle of setbacks and injury:
Try to get bigger. Eat lots of food, and put on some weight.
Ramp up my workouts too quickly.
Sustain some sort of injury from trying to do too much.
Take a month off to recover.
Start back at #1.
Repeat the process.
Have patience.
Start out with easy weight, and get a teeny tiny bit better every single day.
In fact, it wasn’t until I stopped chasing fast goals and instead focused on tiny habits that I went from Steve Rogers to Captain America.
Back when I started deadlifting again, I kept thinking “I can do more! I can go heavier!” – but I patiently forced myself to go just a tiny bit further than the week prior.
Live to train another day, and just focus on the process:
“Hit the gym 3-4 times per week, get a tiny bit stronger. Then go home and eat!”
As bodybuilder Lee Haney says, “Exercise to stimulate, not to annihilate.”
Getting yourself to slow down and put faith in the process is really difficult. It’s why everybody fails at diets, and why nobody can get results that stick.
They try to do TOO much, TOO soon, and keep falling back to square one.
If you are tired of falling back to square one and want somebody to help you make sustainable, permanent progress towards bulking up, check out our coaching program!
6. Not Following a Sustainable Strategy (Consistency)
Just like losing a bunch of weight by running on a treadmill and starving oneself is not sustainable in the long term, neither is making yourself miserable for a month just to pack on some size.
As soon as you go back to “eating like normal” and “exercising like normal,” you’ll lose all of your gains!
For me, I’ve found sustained success by doing the following:
Eating roughly the same meals every single day.
Getting enough sleep by going to bed at the same time each night.
Training 4 days a week for about an hour.
As a result, I’ve been able to make consistent progress for the past 4 years, and my new “normal” is progress and strength improvements!
What I’m trying to say: be honest with yourself.
If you can’t work out six days a week for the next year, DON’T train that way!
Start with twice a week, doing a basic weight training program, and dump the extra time you would have spent training into eating more or getting more sleep.
If you can train three days a week, that should be plenty to make you bigger: muscles are made in the kitchen, after all!
Remember, if you’re not getting bigger, you’re not eating enough!
Eat more.
It might take you 6+ months longer than if you went all-in and did nothing but eat and lift all day every day, but you’ll actually KEEP the progress you’ve made rather than giving it all back.
This was a brutal lesson I couldn’t learn until I hired an online personal trainer who helped me get my mindset right, and put the right systems in place!
7. Not Making It a Priority (Remember Your Training)
After telling myself “I want to get big and strong,” I realized that for much of the past decade, it wasn’t really a priority.
I put work, messing around on the internet, video games, and going out and drinking ahead of my training on my list of priorities.
Since 2014, I’ve made it a point to see what I could accomplish if I made getting bigger and stronger a priority in my life.
Most importantly, I started taking this seriously and hired an online trainer that I’ve been working with for 5+ years.
Here’s what I did to prioritize my transformation and training:
I ate extra meals even when I wasn’t hungry.
I rearranged my training schedule so work would NEVER be an excuse.
I said “no” more often to staying out really late and drinking.
I programmed my workouts into my calendar.
I had my coach keep me accountable.
I scheduled Saturday morning workouts so I wouldn’t go out drinking on Friday.
I made fitness a priority.
Is this goal of going from skinny to buff truly a priority for you? If it’s not, you’re going to give up when you’re tired, or not hungry, or don’t want to exercise.
As we talk about in our “How to Get in Shape” article, you need to have a BIG WHY: the reason you’re doing this!
I wanted to get bigger so I could be more confident when going on dates.
What about you? Why are you here?
Write down your reason, stick it on your bathroom mirror or laptop, and use it as a reminder.
Because this isn’t going to be easy!
If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.
And if you want to GET bigger permanently, you need to do things differently, consistently, and permanently.
Never forget why you are doing this!
I did this journey alone for a decade before I finally got some help in staying accountable and keeping me on track.
If you’re looking for somebody to keep you accountable, tell you exactly what to do in the gym, and tell you how many calories you should eat, we can help there too.
8. Sweating the Small Stuff (Keep It Simple)
Bicep curls! Forearm curls! Calf raises!
“Should I target all three heads of the triceps muscle?”
“I see the big guy over there doing 8 types of bicep exercises – should I do what he’s doing?”
“Does chest day need to be bench, incline bench, decline bench, cable chest flys, dumbbell flys?”
“But where’s my bicep curls, tricep extensions, ab work, etc.!?!?!”
ALL of those muscles get worked incredibly well with the above exercises, so don’t worry about isolating.
Instead, just get strong.
When you can lift heavy things or complete intense bodyweight exercises, your body needs to adapt.
If you want to do things like bicep curls or triceps extensions, great.
Just do them AFTER doing the big important workouts.
As long as you are eating enough to fuel your recovery and following the Bulk Up Like the Hulk Axioms, you’ll be good to go!(Covered in the free download when you join our email list in the box below!)
Download our free skinny guy’s guide to putting on muscle!
Enter your email below to download now
The Nerd Fitness “Get Bigger” Shopping List
Bulk like the Hulk with our rules for getting bigger
9. Not Recovering Enough (Get Sleep)
I used to pride myself on not needing a lot of sleep.
I also used to be dumb, apparently.
Since putting a focus on getting bigger and stronger, I’ve had to considerably up my sleep time.
When you strength train, your muscles break down and need to rebuilt over the next 24-48 hours.
Sleep is a key part of this process.
Without it, your body can’t recover, and you can’t grow.
I find I am exhausted the day of really heavy max deadlifts, so I prioritize more sleep on those days!
Muscles aren’t made in the gym, they’re made while you’re resting.
If you are somebody who wants to get bigger, and go from skinny to buff, make sure you don’t make the 9 mistakes I used to make!
And if you want results, here are 3 options we offer:
1) If you’re tired of the guesswork and just to be told exactly what to do, consider checking out our 1-on-1 online coaching program! We create custom programs and nutritional guidelines for people like you struggling to put on size.
2) If you want a roadmap for home workouts, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
Try your free trial right here:
3) Join the Rebellion! We have a free newsletter that we send out twice per week with new content helping you build muscle and level up your life.
Sign up the box below and I’ll send you a bunch of free guides!
Download our free skinny guy’s guide to putting on muscle!
Enter your email below to download now
The Nerd Fitness “Get Bigger” Shopping List
Bulk like the Hulk with our rules for getting bigger
I’d love to hear from you in the comments below:
What are your biggest struggles when it comes to bulking up?
Have you had success as a skinny dude or lady and made great progress?
Have you struggled your whole life with being skinny and still can’t seem to crack the code?
Let me know how I can help!
-Steve (former Steve Rogers, current Captain America)
PS: Check out these other articles in our “Build Muscle Fast” Series:
This High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) guide is probably the best interval training guide in the galaxy.
My justification for such a bold claim?
We’re really good at this stuff, AND we have dinosaurs and Muppets.
Plus, lots of great gifs:
We build custom interval training programs just like the ones in this guide for our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Clients, including workouts for at home, the gym, or even while traveling.
In this Ultimate Guide to Interval Training, we’ll cover:
If you’re interested in starting a HIIT practice (which you are, ’cause you’re here), you may want to try our new app! It contains a fun adventure that will take you from sitting on your couch to a full HIIT workout – with plenty of benchmarks in between for you to find your groove. No guesswork needed, just jump into the app and follow it’s next steps.
You can sign-up for a free trial right here:
What is Interval Training? What is HIIT?
In 2018, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) was ranked the number one fitness trend by American College of Sports Medicine.[1]
Essentially, HIIT is just following a specific regimen where you vary your speeds and intensity throughout a shorter run, swim, bike, or row.
Any exercise can be a form of HIIT, but here’s a common routine:
Jogging lightly for three minutes.
Pushing yourself harder for a minute (run or sprint).
Repeating this cycle 4 more times.
Because everybody is busy and overwhelmed, fast results in the least amount of time is why most people discover HIIT.
You may be asking, “Steve, just how short and intense are we talking about here? Also, your new haircut looks spiffy.”
Thank you, you’re very kind.
So let’s explore the pros and cons of intervals.
What are the Benefits of HIIT? Why Should You Do Interval Training?
The 1996 landmark Tabata study demonstrated the benefits of extreme HIIT.[2]
Dr. Izumi Tabata, from Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sports, was obsessed with interval training.
The doctor sought to see exactly what kind of gains were obtained from short, intense, periods of exercise. He conducted an experiment with Olympic athletes on stationary bikes and put them through intense bouts of exercise followed by short periods of rest.
The results were fascinating.
Compared to regular cardio, HIIT had a greater impact on improving BOTH:
Aerobic increases (endurance).
Anaerobic increases (power).
Even crazier? Tabata was able to demonstrate improvements in his athletes with just four minute bursts.
So what’s happening here?
Simple: your heart is a muscle.
If you keep your heart beating at a constant rate, never expanding it outside of its comfort zone, it will never grow stronger.
By introducing chaos and pushing your muscles outside of their comfort zone, they must adapt and grow more resilient in order to survive.
Intense interval training challenges your heart by constantly forcing it outside of its comfort zone.
In other words: progressive overload – the same concept behind building strength.
Since Tabata’s 1996 study, many other trials have shown the positive impact of interval training.
Here are some of the benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training:
#1) HIIT for Weight loss. A study in the Journal of Obesity found participants were able to lose more body fat following a HIIT program compared to regular cardio.[3]
This makes sense, because other studies suggest high-intensity interval training burns more calories than a “steady state” workout.[4]
Revving up your effort requires more out of you, including calories. If you’re interested in HIIT for weight loss, you might be on the right track.
Plus, interval training can take less time than steady-state cardio.
The average interval training workout is 20 minutes or less.
However, I should note that a meta-study (a review of multiple studies) found no real difference in fat loss between HIIT and steady-state cardio.[5] We’ll talk about this, and the impact of diet for weight loss later.
#2) HIIT for lowering blood sugar.Managing blood sugar is really important for health, not just for diabetics.
Those trying to lose fat should be aware of their blood sugar and corresponding insulin levels.
The good news for our current discussion? HIIT has been shown to help lower and manage blood sugar levels.[6]
#3) HIIT for heart health. Touching on the “antifragile” topic again, HIIT has been shown to help with overall cardiovascular health.
It does so in the same way traditional endurance training does, but at a fraction of the time (almost half).[7]
Now, before you accuse me of being a shill for Big HIIT, I will mention that many of the comments that “HIIT is the secret to fat loss” are overblown.[8]We’ll touch on more of that later.
For now, let’s chat about how to actually do some interval training.
What’s an example of Interval Training? How to do interval running
The key to HIIT is being able to go from “easy” to “difficult.” All sorts of different exercises can get you there:
Aerobic (cardio).
Bodyweight (strength training).
Resistance (weight training).
HIIT is generally associated with running (aerobic), so we’ll devote this section to just that.
The easiest way to experiment with HIIT would be to run.
Here’s how to start with a basic HIIT running workout. Go to a park in your neighborhood. Warm-up with some light jogging, high knees, and mobility – leg swings, arm swings, etc,
And then begin your workout!
Run/jog at a brisk pace for 30 seconds.
Jog/walk at a slower pace for 2 minutes.
After your rest, shoot for another 30-second run/jog.
Continue until you get tired or after about ten “push/rest” intervals.
And BAM! You just did HIIT.
Don’t get disheartened if you find yourself stopping a lot during your first week of HIIT training.
You’ll be surprised how quickly you get better at this!
Also, “running” or “jogging” is subjective. Whatever walking fast means to you is great. Do that for your periods of intensity.
It should be noted, that the entire “Couch to 5K” concept rests on interval training through running.
It’s all broken down into “walking,” “jogging” and “running.”
If you’re curious, check out our in-depth Couch to 5k review. If you want to start interval training, “Couch to 5K” could be a good way to do it.
More of an indoor person?
Consider a treadmill, where it actually sets intervals for you based on your desired difficulty.
Just be careful on it…
We’ll be talking about machines a lot more in the next section, but a treadmill is all you need to do a HIIT workout.
Experiment with the speed and incline to find a setting that you would consider “intense.” Many machines can be programmed to flip between this and an “easy” setting.
And you know what that means… boom! It’s built for HIIT.
When we designed NF Journey (our awesome new app), we used an “intense” and “easy” interval switch for most of the workouts.
If you want, you can sign-up for a free trial right here to see what I mean:
How do HIIT Workouts Work? (More HIIT cardio to choose from)
There are a lot of different aerobic exercises for HIIT cardio.
For example, you could jump on a bike, which is like HIIT running but with wheels (duh):
Every spin class is based on HIIT cycling (SoulCycle, Flywheel, or even your local gym now has spin classes).
Elliptical. If it has a dial for resistance, it can be used for interval training. For a couple of minutes, go on low resistance (0-2 level). Then crank up the resistance for one minute (up to 8-10). Repeat this process 12 times, which will give you a 20-minute workout.
Stair Climber. Much like the elliptical, alternate between periods of low intensity for two minutes, then one minute for high intensity. The difference with the climber is the dial will control the speed of the stairs. Be careful.
Rowing machine. Start with a two-minute warm-up. On minute three, row like you’re being chased by the Kraken for a full 60 seconds. Then catch your breath. The rowing machine might be hard to do for a full 20 minutes, since it’s a lot of upper body. Shoot for ten minutes at first.
Jumping rope.Jumping rope is a full-body exercise. Also, it’s fun. There’s no dial here, your own body controls the pace of the jump. Follow the same two minute easy, one minute intense as above. Jump rope can also be done with friends!
So far we’ve just been talking about aerobic exercises.
Let’s cover our other categories, of bodyweight and resistance.
What Are the Best HIIT Exercises? (Two Other Forms of Interval Training)
“Steve, this all sounds great. But I hate running!”
Burpees. Stand up, then squat down, kick your legs out, do a push-up, bring your legs back in, and explode up into a jump. Try to do 20 repetitions, then rest for two minutes. Repeat until you hate yourself:
Push-ups. For 20 seconds, do as many push-ups as possible. Rest. Then do it again. If you’re worried about proper form, check out our push-up guide and watch this:
Pull-ups. Same idea as above, do pull-ups for 20 seconds, then rest. If you can’t do a pull-up, we got you covered in our pull-up progression guide:
Kettlebell swing. For ten minutes, do 20 kettlebell swings on every minute.
This will be intense, and worthy of congratulations when you’re done. Check out our 20 Minute Beginner Kettlebell Workout for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about kettlebells.
Battle ropes.If your gym has battle ropes, they’ll be a great tool for HIIT. For intensity, the amount of slack in the rope determines the load. The more slack on the rope the tougher, and more intense, the workout. Also, don’t get stuck in just up and down movements. Some variation will help target different muscles.
Weight lifting.The critical piece will be moving from one exercise to another quickly enough. For example, hustling from the bench press to the lat bar: we call this circuit training!
Yes, you can also do circuit training as a form of HIIT.
Circuit training is going through a sequence of exercises, or stations, back to back.
Push-ups to pull-ups, back to push-ups, only resting briefly from one exercise to another.
Circuit training would be perfect to mix into a HIIT workout, since you can design your circuit to be very intense.
Plus, there’s a Batman workout hidden in there. You’re welcome.
We create custom HIIT programs for busy people like you that are ACTUALLY fun. If you’re looking for a supportive coach to guide you and tell you exactly what to do each day, we got you covered!
If you just want a beginner circuit to get started with, you can try out our Beginner Bodyweight Workout Routine. Plus you can download a free worksheet to track your progress with this circuit when you join the Rebellion below:
Grab Your Beginner Bodyweight Routine Worksheet. No Gym Required!
Complete this workout at home, no equipment required
Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises
Learn how to finally get your first pull-up
Oh, what’s that? You want to have even MORE fun while getting the benefits of HIIT?
Sure. let’s think outside the box:
Basketball, tennis, soccer, and Ultimate (frisbee) are AMAZING styles of exercise that use interval training (it’s all start and stop!).
Run here, catch this, and wait for the next round to start.
That’s what we’re looking for in a HIIT workout.
So pick a form of FUN exercise that gets your heart racing faster and slower throughout the activity (yes, I suppose even THAT activity would count).
Is HIIT Good for Losing Weight? Is Interval Training Good for Losing Weight?
My guess is that you’re reading this article because you’re trying to get the most efficient “bang for your buck” when it comes to getting in shape.
And HIIT is a great form of exercise and COULD help with weight loss.
I will, however, lower some of these outlandish claims that exist in the media.
For example, Time magazine calls HIIT “miraculous” in one article.[9]
That’s a little much, even for me, who writes for a living on why you should work out and likes using hyperbole for effect.
Seriously, I’m better at it than ANYBODY ON THE PLANET.
Ahem.
Cardio, strength training, and HIIT all have many benefits.
HIIT deserves praise, but exercise, in general, deserves praise. As we discussed in our “Cardio vs HIIT vs Weights” post, all three forms of training have their place, and the best one for you is the one you actually do.
And if you want to download our free 10-level Nutrition Guide to help you fix your diet starting today, you can do so by signing up in the box below:
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
Getting Started with Interval Training
When it’s time to advance your high-intensity interval training, think about the following:
Frequency. This would be the number of intervals in your workout.
Intensity.How hard are you going in each interval?
Time.How long are your intervals and rest periods?
Maybe you start out doing 3 intervals of intense running.
Once it becomes routine, bring it up to 4.
Maybe you crank the resistance on your stationary bike to “8” during your intense interval. When it becomes normal, bring it up to “10.”
Maybe you do pull-ups for 20 seconds. When you’ve got a good handle on that, aim for 30 seconds.
This mindset will keep you advancing in interval training.
Consistency is the name of the game here. Even just doing a HIIT workout once a week will help you progress in all three categories.
Mistakes to Avoid When Doing High-Intensity Interval Training
There’s a lot to consider when embarking on a HIIT practice.
No matter which routine you end up starting with, make sure you follow these words of wisdom:
Ease into it. As the saying goes, “you must walk before you can run.” The importance is building a HIIT practice. If you need to go “less intense” before progressing to “intense,” that’s fine. It’ll help build your aerobic capabilities (endurance), which will be important when working on intensity. Start with walking.
Keep proper form. Doing your movements correctly will help prevent injury. Here’s how to run properly. This is even more critical in your later intervals, where you may be exhausted and tired. If you find yourself breaking form, go ahead and slow down. Intense isn’t worth an injury.
Get rest. Our bodies actually build muscle while we are resting. So take some “off days” from your HIIT practice. Want to stay active on these days? Do some fun exercise!
Take it easy, focus on your form, and make sure to prioritize rest.
HIIT Timer Recommendations
HIIT centers on doing intervals.
One moment it’s intense, the next you’re onto a short rest break.
A good way to know when it’s time to go from one sequence to the next is a timer. A loud “beep” can tell you when it’s okay to catch your breath or when you have to kick it in gear.
Here are 5 HIIT timers you can try out:
Runtastic. Don’t let the name fool you, this free app is for more than just running. You can customize for many different interval workouts, depending on what exercise you go with. And the interface looks slick.
Seconds. It’s free and customizable to any form of HIIT. It can also integrate with your music, which is pretty sweet.
Seven. If you’re new to HIIT, Seven would be a good app for you. It’s free, plus it has illustrations for exercises. You also get to customize your own virtual personal trainer, which may be the future of fitness. The bots are coming…
Sworkit.First off, it’s a clever name (taken from “Simply Work It.”) Second, it’s free. Third, it can display your workout, goals, and calories burned. I like it.
J&J Official Seven Minute Workout. This free app from Johnson & Johnson is actually really awesome. It has premade workouts you can choose form based on your fitness level, or tweak them to make it your own.
Also, we need to talk about interval timers. Most of the apps referenced are completely customizable.
For example, you can change the intense interval from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.
This is critical because it’s up to you to decide how long you can do intense vs. rest.
Generally, folks recommend one minute of intensity and then two for rest when doing HIIT.
However, this all depends on the individual, and exercises performed.
For example, burpees are tougher to do than jumping over a rope:
So feel free to make changes like 30 seconds of intensity and three minutes of rest. Make it your own.
Whatever way you chose to do HIIT, is fine, as long as you actually do it. The benefits of HIIT kick in when going HARD for you.
In other words, you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to get the benefits of HIIT.[10]
A light jog totally works. Just don’t do it in a mascot costume.
As we discussed, if you’re consistent, you’ll improve.
So don’t stress about where you have to start.
For now, download an app and get going. Ours will help you train with HIIT too:
I hate multiple choice. Pick a HIIT workout for me!
Let’s power walk as our form of HIIT.
This is an example of a beginner HIIT workout we might prescribe for our Coaching Clients who are starting to train for their first 5K.
Let’s do seven intervals, two minutes each:
Warm-up. For three minutes, walk at an easy pace.
Intervals.For the first 60 seconds, power walk, like you’re trying to beat someone to the front of the line at Starbucks.
For the next 60 seconds, just walk.
Repeat six more times.
Cool down.You can do some more light walking, or a little bit of stretching here would be great.
Total time: 20 minutes.
I want to stress, that you can do just about any exercise in exchange for this routine. Just minus “power walk” and add “push-ups and bodyweight squats”
It’ll still be a great HIIT workout.
“But Steve, that’s still multiple choice!”
Right, right… sorry. Stick to power walking! Done!
How to Start Interval Training now
Do our power walking routine above. It’s a great place to start.
If you’re looking for EVEN MORE stuff to do, we have a few options for ya:
1) Check out our popular 1-on-1 coaching program. You’ll work with our certified NF instructors who will get to know you better than you know yourself and program your workouts and nutrition for you.
2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Check out Nerd Fitness Journey!
Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
Try your free trial right here:
3) Enlist in 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 guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It’ll help you start incorporating interval training into your workouts.
Download our comprehensive guideSTRENGTH TRAINING 101!
Everything you need to know about getting strong.
Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.
How to find the right gym and train properly in one.
There are a zillion ways to do HIIT, so don’t let the options paralyze you.
Pick one. Anyone. And get to it.
Interval training, in any form, is a solid fitness choice and a great practice to have in the workout arsenal.
Any questions?
Which HIIT workout style is your favorite?
Leave it in the comments below!
-Steve
PS: Make sure you check out the rest of our content on interval training:
This study demonstrated the benefits of HIIT on ‘recreational active’ participates, showing that the Tabata principles work on regular folks too, not just Olympic athletes.
I know what it’s like to hate exercise, and ALSO want to lose weight and see results. Ugh.
We’ve built an entire company and community around helping people overcome these obstacles – our Online Coaching Program helps people find exercises they love, and also how to make the right nutritional choices.
We are all on a unique journey and we’d love to help you with yours!
ExercIse Sucks. Do This Instead.
“But Steve, I don’t like to exercise!”
While some are like Odie and love to run around all day, others are like Garfield and feel like they must be allergic to exercise.
Exercise is merely a supporting actor, which is why we don’t ever NEED to spend time doing exercise we hate.
We’ve already talked extensively on Nerd Fitness on how to eat better, so I won’t hash that out here.
So let’s talk about exercise.
Sure, it would be great if we all strength trained 5 days a week and got super strong, but the reality is most of us don’t have that time – or the desire – to hit the gym.
“Overweight people have a tendency to sit, while lean ones have trouble holding still and spend two hours more a day on their feet, pacing around and fidgeting, researchers are reporting in findings published today.
The difference translates into about 350 calories a day…”
350 extra calories burned per day ain’t no joke!
As we cover in our “How many calories should I eat every day?” guide, burning an extra 350 calories per day can result in sustainable weight loss and maintenance over time for many.
Not only that, but when you factor in inertia (an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and object in motion tends to stay in motion), it paints a pretty interesting picture:
We spend our lives trying to be more “efficient,” but what if the key to weight loss is to be LESS efficient?
From standing up more frequently to parking FARTHER away from the grocery store, every additional step or movement counts. Today’s guide shares TONS of ways to get yourself used to moving more frequently.
I’m actually air drumming and shuffling my feet as we speak!
From dancing to yoga to climbing to roughhousing with your kids, it all counts.
This brings me to today’s point:
Exercise is a bonus. Exercise helps your heart get stronger, can help build muscle, usually gets you outside the house and absorbing vitamin D, and brings you a litany of other health benefits. Also, any additional calories burned is a bonus!
Exercise can help us make fewer unhealthy food choices. Instead of “I earned this” you can start telling yourself: “If I’m going to exercise regularly, I might as well make it worth it by eating right too.”
Daily exercise is a constant reminder that we are leveling up our lives – that we should continue to make other good choices or we’re practically wasting our time.
This is the type of stuff we focus on – with personalized instruction, with each of our online coaching clients.
Some clients are learning Olympic lifting, while others are simply focusing on taking the stairs more and tracking their food. We are all on a unique journey and we’d love to help you with yours!
40 Ways to Exercise Without Exercising
#1) Hiking, especially with friends – Strap on a pair of shoes, get out of the comfy confines of your hobbit-hole, and go explore the world around you!
Make sure you follow our Beginner Hiking Guide on how to find a hiking spot near you, what shoes to wear, what to bring with you, and more.
#2) Walking – No time to hike? Go for a simple walk. Even a 15-minute brisk walk is enough time to get close to a mile walked, which gets you one step closer to Mordor.
Do you have a 30-minute meeting at work? Have a walking meeting instead. Steve Jobs was known for doing this.
You should know Tim, a member of our Nerd Fitness community who lost 50 pounds – while injured – just by fixing his nutrition and going for long walks every day!
I’m proud that Tim used the philosophies laid out in our online courses under Nerd Fitness Prime, to get his results!
#3) LARP – Live Action Role Playing. Might seem silly to those on the outside, but to those playing, it’s an amazing adventure that reminds us how awesome our imaginations are.
Also, depending on the game, you could be wearing a heavy costume, swinging heavy weaponry, and running for your life!
#4) Rock Climbing – I love rock climbing. It’s one of the best arm/back/forearm workouts in existence, you get to feel like a badass when you reach the top of the wall, and all climbing routes are graded so you can level up the challenge as you get stronger/fitter/better.
It’s a fit nerd’s dream!
#5) Geocaching – If rock climbing is a fit-nerd’s dream, then geocaching is an adventure nerd’s dream brought to life. Become a real-life treasure-hunter (Lara Croft? Nathan Drake? You decide!), and get a great workout in while you’re at it.
Or, if you’re truly nerdy, you can do some Digital Geocaching with Pokemon Go or Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
#6) Dancing – Ever tried serious swing dancing? You’ll be sweating within ten minutes. How about hip hop? Drenched in sweat, and sore as hell the next day.
Zumba? Tango? Flamenco? You’d be surprised at what you can sign up for and what will elevate your heart rate.
#7) Roughhousing with your kids. I don’t have kids, but when I do, you can bet your ass I’ll be the dad out rolling around in the back yard with them. Don’t forget what it’s like to be a kid – it keeps you young.
#8) Climbing on stuff – A few years back, I attended a great conference, Midoricon, I was walking through the woods with NF Rebel Joe (No, not THAT Joe).
It was awesome to see this guy, having lost 100 pounds since finding Nerd Fitness, explore the woods like it was no problem: climbing on stumps, balancing on fallen trees, climbing trees, and more.
We work with LOTS of Coaching Clients to get them outdoors and help build them “fun climbing programs” that burn tons of calories but don’t really feel like exercise.
Whether it’s Kung Fu, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, Karate or Capoeira (breakdance fighting, seriously), there’s a martial art out there that will make you feel like a badass.
#10 Consider a standing desk – Although we all know that correlation does not prove causation, it’s no surprise that there’s a strong correlation between sitting all day and an unhealthy lifestyle.
Why not fix your posture, strengthen your legs, get more “fidget time” in, and spend the day being more productive with a standing desk? I have THIS desk and it allows me to switch between sitting and standing.
#11) Have an active meeting – Hat tip to Charlie Hoehn on this one. If somebody wants to meet up with you for coffee, suggest something active: throwing a baseball, tossing a frisbee, going for a hike – anything that gets you up and moving.
I say yes to pretty much anybody that invites me to play golf. Wink wink.
#12) You know… – That thing that consenting adults do?
Yeah. Do that.
Self-explanatory.
Moving on…
#13) Clean! – Ugh, nobody likes to clean the house/apartment. It’s not my favorite thing to do. So I instead make a game out of it.
I see how much I can accomplish with a single song blasting at max volume, while probably also dancing. I also CRUSH podcasts while doing the dishes.
Of course, after getting through one song, I figure “welp, I’ve already started, might as well keep going.”
#14) Try handstands – Here’s how to do handstands. This is a fun activity that builds up some serious arm and core strength and will leave you sweating bullets after even a few minutes.
So go find a park, go do handstands, cartwheels, somersaults, and whatever else makes you feel young again.
#15) Parkour – Our beginner’s guide to Parkour is one of the most popular on Nerd Fitness. I don’t care how old you are, there’s no reason you can’t get started with rolling around in your yard and vaulting over picnic tables and bike racks.
Or, you can do it in your office:
#16) Playout – Is Parkour too serious for you? Try a playout! Spiderman was on to something – climbing walls, swinging from skyscrapers, and popping flips around the bad guys.
You might not be able to swing between buildings, but you can definitely visit a playground in your area and get creative!
#17) Adult gymnastics – In the same vein as Parkour, gymnastics will help you build some of the BEST real-world strength you can get with any type of exercise, and it’s all done in a playful way without a single weight being picked up.
Swing from rings, somersault, flip onto pads, and more.
There are gyms all over the country.
#18) Yoga – Build flexibility, strength, and learn to freaking relax.
There are a million kinds of Yoga, including awesome stuff like Acro-Yoga, baby goat Yoga (not kidding), and Yoga with beer.
Sign up for a few different kinds and see which one lines up the best with what you’re looking for.
#19) Play video games that make you be active – Beat Saber. DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) counts too. Just Move. Anything that gets you off your ass and moving!
Oh, what’s that? You’re playing a normal game like Grand Theft Auto V? Make a rule that you can only play while standing up, or that you have to do 10 push-ups every time you die.
That’s what I do to keep myself from spending twelve hours on the couch in marathon gaming sessions!
#20) Play on a playground – Go down the slide, swing across the monkey bars, climb the rope all, balance on the balance beam.
Create an obstacle course for yourself and see how quickly you can get through it.
Full guide to the most effective diet and why it works.
Complete and track your first workout today, no gym required.
#23) Bike to work – I know there are a lot of Rebels in our community who dropped a bunch of weight by making one change: they biked to work, or biked to their friend’s house, or started biking generally.
You get from Point A to Point B, you save money on gas, and you get a workout. That would make Michael Scott proud.
Here’s our Guide to Biking if you want some help getting started.
#24) Play a childhood game – What games did you play as a child? Capture the flag? Kick the can? Simple tag?
Get a few friends together and give it a try – it will be the most fun you’ve had in a while!
#25) Park at the far end of the parking lot – Every step counts.
Every tiny decision that is slightly different than the “OLD you” counts.
#26) Take the stairs. It’s only two flights! And we are designed to move. You can do this.
Sure, you’ll get winded the first handful of times. But it eventually becomes routine.
And it all counts! Make a game out of it.
#27) Crush audiobooks while “exercising.” This is called ‘temptation bundling.‘ Pair something you love with an activity you’re trying to do more of.
But I bet if you could only listen to Harry Potter (for the 600th time) while walking on a treadmill, you’d be more likely to get to the gym.
#28) Build stuff. Whether you’re building a fort with your kid in the backyard, or trying to figure out why you have 5 extra screws in that IKEA dresser you’re putting together, building stuff involves lots of moving and bending and picking up and maneuvering.
Warning: you’ll swear no less than 100 times building furniture. Earmuffs!
#29) Sit in a squat, or pike position on the floor while watching TV. No, not leaning against the couch. Sitting up actively engaging your core!
You can also do some sort of stretch or movement like these bodyweight exercises during commercials (or in the 15 seconds between Netflix episodes!)
#30) Impromptu dance parties. Kids or no kids, I find that great Disney songs are fantastic for bringing out your inner child.
Blast the tunes, dance around the house, and be absurd. WHO CARES! As a wise woman once said…”Let it gooooooo.”
#31) Go for a walk while on the phone. What if you just decided you had to stand for all of your phone calls?
For starters, I know many people who do phone interviews while standing because it makes them more alert and a better guest.
Next: you’re gonna get so many steps in while on the phone without realizing it!
#32) Having an impromptu picnic. Instead of sitting and gorging yourself at the dining room table, why not eat on the floor?
Grab a blanket or a towel, eat in your living room or head out into the backyard, and make it a picnic!
You’ll need to adjust your posture and seating style constantly.
#33) Sit in a squat. We cover this in our “How to squat” guide, but sitting in a deep squat – often for long timeframes – is built into us as a species! We’ve just become soft from sitting in chairs all day long.
I try to accumulate 15 minutes of “squat time” each day – sitting in a squat while reading a chapter in a book, or journaling, or answering an email with my laptop on the ground.
Here I am sitting in a squat while reading Level Up Your Life(available online and in bookstores nationwide!)
#34) The “Pull-up bar Tax”. Get yourself a door-frame pull-up bar. Put it on a door that you have to cross through regularly.
And every time you go through, you have to do either 1 pull-up, 1 negative pull-up, or 10 seconds of hanging from the bar.
#35) Lasers around the house. Set up colored string pulled tightly across your kid’s rooms or in certain hallways, and you have to go over and under the lasers each time you traverse the hallway.
Don’t touch the lasers!
#36) Climb a tree. Your level of safety and ability on this will be dependent on your experience here, but I remember climbing trees like a monkey as a kid and loving every minute of it.
Even if it’s just hanging from a tree branch or trying to scramble up to a low branch, it can be a great way to “exercise.”
#37) The floor is lava. This is both great for exercising around your apartment, for a fun date night or night with the kids, and for playing True American. Though one is slightly more healthy than the other.
#38) Casual Parkour. From avoiding cracks on the sidewalk to balancing on curbs, or jumping from tile to tile, or hopping up onto a bench and then back down, it all counts!
Just get yourself to move differently than you would have otherwise! We are currently working with a woman who has lost 100-pounds through our Coaching Program, and her exercise is all “fun parkour in the woods behind the house!”
#39) Literally fidget more! Yes, from tapping your toes to music and twitching your legs to the beat of the music. Getting up and sitting back down. Doing laps around your office.
You don’t need to get a standing desk or treadmill desk, but there’s a definite correlation between those that can’t sit still and body composition.[1]
#40) Your kid is a backpack! From piggyback rides to playing horsey, staying active with your kids is really powerful in instilling a love of fitness in them.
If you’re a badass mom like Brownwyn – a success story from Nerd Fitness Prime, you can even do pull-ups while your kid holds on!
Full guide to the most effective diet and why it works.
Complete and track your first workout today, no gym required.
Challenge yourself to Have fun: Next Steps!
If you are looking for more guidance beyond the 40 Fun Exercise Suggestions above, we have three options to continue your journey:
1) Join our epic Online Coaching Program! We create personalized programs for each customer based on their lifestyle, goals, and personality. From parkour in the park to just walking more with your children, or even “becoming a badass powerlifter,” we cater each experience to each person.
2) If you’re looking for a bunch of fun ways to exercise, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you move more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
We assign fun missions daily to get you to exercise in a way that doesn’t feel like exercise…because it’ll feel like a side quest instead.
Try your free trial (no credit card needed) right here:
3) Enlist in The Rebellion (it’s free)! Sign up for our biweekly newsletter and join the Nerd Fitness Rebellion!
I’ll send you tons of free guides and bonuses to help you get started on your journey today.
Sign up below:
Get your Nerd Fitness Starter Kit
The 15 mistakes you don’t want to make.
Full guide to the most effective diet and why it works.
Complete and track your first workout today, no gym required.
No matter which path you pick above, I want you to commit to trying something new, or doing something different, at some point in the next week:
Say yes before you can say no. Stop saying “I don’t have time” and realize you do. Stop saying “I can’t afford it” and find a way to make it a priority. Do all of this before you can talk yourself out of it. The best way to do that?
Commit in advance. Put down a deposit and make an investment in yourself. I pre-paid 6 weeks of swing dance lessons. Having already paid for it, I knew I’d be just throwing my money away if I didn’t attend.
Go with a friend. I went to my swing classes alone, which forced me to further develop my social skills, but if you happen to be TOO afraid to attend a class, get a friend to drag you there.
Expect to suck. If you are learning a new skill, expect to suck at it. You’ll get better as long as you remember to…
Have fun. Remember, we could get hit by a bus tomorrow. Every day above ground is a blessing, so enjoy it!
When in doubt, move more.
That one thing you always wanted to try but have been putting off?
Today’s a good day to get started. Just take that FIRST step.
Google classes in your city. Find a site that focuses on beginners, and read about it. If there’s a place to pre-pay or make a deposit, do it.
With today’s Advanced Bodyweight Routine, you can burn fat, build muscle, and get a great workout in! All with no gym membership required!
It’s the kind of workout we build through our online coaching program. If you’re in a hurry, sign-up for our free weekly newsletter and we’ll send you PDFs of our “Work Out at Home” guides!
If you’re ready, click the sections below to get right into the action:
Don’t forget to warm up. You can run in place, jump rope, do a few push-ups, pedal on a stationary bike, jog up and down your stairs, etc. Since we are doing advanced movements here, the warm-up becomes even more critical.
If you are following this bodyweight workout plan because you’re trying to get in great shape without needing a gym, download our free-guide: Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It’ll provide an exact plan to follow for growing strong.
Download our comprehensive guideSTRENGTH TRAINING 101!
Everything you need to know about getting strong.
Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.
How to find the right gym and train properly in one.
If you don’t have a resistance band, you can do negative pull-ups instead. Jump and hold yourself above the bar, and then slowly, under control, lower yourself to the ‘starting position’ of a pull-up. Then repeat!
This is a great way to build up enough strength to eventually get your first pull-up.
8) PULL-UP
We have a full guide on proper pull-up form so you can hone in your technique.
9) CHIN-UPS
Much like a pull-up, but with your palms facing toward you.
Here’s a video going over proper pull-up and chin-up form:
If you can’t do pull-ups or chin-ups, you have another option…
10) INVERTED BODYWEIGHT ROW (OVERHAND)
An inverted bodyweight row can be a great “pull” exercise if you can’t do a pull-up yet, or if you don’t have a proper pull-up bar nearby. Because a good sturdy table can be used for inverted rows:
11) INVERTED BODYWEIGHT ROW (UNDERHAND)
12) ASSISTED BODYWEIGHT DIPS
With a resistance band, you can start performing assisted dips. A great exercise while you build up strength for normal dips.
13) BODYWEIGHT DIPS
14) KNEE PUSH-UP
15) ELEVATED PUSH-UP
16) REGULAR PUSH-UP
We have a whole article on how to do a proper push-up, but we also cover it extensively in this 5-minute video:
17) DECLINE PUSH-UPS
18) KNEE PLANK
19) PLANK
20) SIDE PLANK
21) JUMPING JACKS
If you are looking for even MORE bodyweight exercises you can use in your workouts, make sure to check out our mega-resource:
Full guide to the most effective diet and why it works.
Complete and track your first workout today, no gym required.
How to Scale Your Bodyweight Routine
As I said earlier, this whole routine is scalable based on your ability. For example, here is a sample routine for somebody who has conquered the Beginner Bodyweight Workout but can’t do the full routine above:
“HOW OFTEN SHOULD I DO THE ADVANCED BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT?”
Do this routine 2-3 times a week, but never on consecutive days. It’s a message we really strike home in our guide, “How Often Should I Work Out?”
You don’t build muscle when you’re exercising, you build muscle when you’re resting, so try not to do a strength training routine (of the same muscle groups) two days in a row.
If you’re still uneasy about this advanced workout, start with our Beginner Bodyweight Workout instead. You can download a worksheet to get started when you sign-up for our free weekly newsletter:
Grab Your Beginner Bodyweight Routine Worksheet. No Gym Required!
Complete this workout at home, no equipment required
Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises
Learn how to finally get your first pull-up
After the Advanced Bodyweight Workout: Next Steps!
This should help you get started with a really powerful bodyweight training routine. But we hear frequently that people want MORE instruction, MORE guidance, and MORE workouts.
If that’s you, we have MULTIPLE options to take the next step. Pick the option below that best aligns with your goals and timeline:
1) If you want step-by-step guidance, a custom bodyweight training program that levels up as you get stronger, and a coach to keep you accountable, check out our killer 1-on-1 coaching program:
2) If you want a daily prompt for doing workouts at home, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
Try your free trial right here:
3) Enlist in 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 guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It’ll help you start incorporating these advanced bodyweight moves into your training.
Download our comprehensive guideSTRENGTH TRAINING 101!
Everything you need to know about getting strong.
Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.
How to find the right gym and train properly in one.
4) Level Up Your Workout! If you’re looking for more workout routines to follow, I got you covered:
How to Do Your First Handstand: now we’re talking! Learn the different progressions that will eventually have you getting your first freestanding handstand!
6 Levels of Gym Workouts: never wonder what to do in the gym again! Follow these 6 levels of workouts to go from Newbie to Gym Hero!
I’d love to hear how this workout was for you.
Leave a comment below with your results or any questions you have on advanced bodyweight training and how else we can help.
For the Rebellion!
-Steve
PS: Where do you go after you’ve crushed the Advanced Bodyweight Workout? Well, have you ever heard of the PLP Progression? There’s really no limit on how challenging that can get.
If you are craving a great reformer workout, but lacking a reformer at home, then you’re going to love this 10-minute workout you can do from home!
This 10-minute Reformer on the Mat workout was inspired by many exercise done on the reformer, but they can be done right on your mat.
In 10 minutes, you’ll get an effective workout that will wake up and strengthen your entire body. You might even discover a new favorite reformer-inspired Pilates exercise!
“Steve, how many calories should I eat every day? I have goals!”
Great question.
Knowledge is power, so today, we are going to make you more powerful by calculating your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
Of course, “knowing is half the battle.” The other half is what you actually DO with your TDEE information!
Fortunately for you, we’ve helped thousands of Online Coaching Clients lose weight and get healthy, and TDEE is just one of many factors we consider when building a specific strategy for somebody’s goals.
Okay FINE, I’ll share the other factors and strategies below too.
Simply click on the section below for quick reading, though I’d recommend you read the whole enchilada to properly apply your TDEE to your life:
Although you can adjust it, I want you to set your “Activity Level” as “Sedentary,” (I’ll explain why in a minute):
Nerd Fitness Total Daily Energy Expenditure Calculator
(Note: we have used The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation to create this calculator! [1])
Hooray! You now know estimates of your BMR and TDEE![2]
You may be thinking, “Ah, Steve, what do either of these mean?”
I got you boo.
Make sure you write down your two numbers, and then move onto the next section.
If you’re already starting to get overwhelmed, have no fear! We help hundreds of men and women calculate their calorie goals, and we’d love to help you too!
WHAT IS BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR)?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the total amount of calories needed to keep your body functioning.
Breathing, cell production, pumping blood, and keeping your body temperature up all require calories to function.
This means that even when you sit perfectly still, you still use plenty of calories keeping your body in good working order.
“Basal” more or less means “basic,” so you can think of BMR as the number of calories needed for basic daily functions.
Your sex, weight, and height will all affect the number of calories you need, which is why they are variables in our equation above.
The taller you are, or the more you weigh, the higher your BMR will be.
There is simply more of you to fuel: more blood to pump, more cells to produce, more body mass to transport and manage.
Your age will also factor in: the older you get the lower your BMR will be.
Roughly two-thirds of the calories you need each day go into keeping your body running.
The other third?
That goes into powering your motion.
You know, because going from one place to another requires energy. So does lifting stuff.
So let’s talk about Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) next.
WHAT IS TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TDEE)?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is an estimate of how many total calories you burn in a day.
Since your BMR calculates the calories you need for a state of rest, to get a true total we need to factor in movement and exercise.
To do this, we’ll take your BMR and multiply it by an “Activity Level” factor.[3]
Activity Levels can be thought of as the following:
Sedentary. You regularly have to tell Netflix you are still watching. You don’t intentionally exercise at all.
Sedentary = BMR x 1.2
Lightly Active. You casually stroll through your neighborhood a few times a week. On average, you walk for exercise about 30 minutes a day. Another way to think about this would be 15 minutes per day of vigorous exercise like running or lifting weights.
Light Active = BMR x 1.375
Moderately Active. If we called the gym on a weeknight looking for you, they’d find you. This averages out to about one hour and 45 minutes of walking (for exercise, not going around your house) a day, or 50 minutes of vigorous exercise a day.
Moderately Active = BMR x 1.55
Very Active. You work in construction during the day and you’re on the company softball team. This averages out to about four hours and 15 minutes of walking (again, for intentional exercise) a day, or two hours of vigorous exercise.
Very Active = BMR x 1.725
If you’re following along at home, you may notice that different Activity Levels can make a big difference in the calories burned.
Let’s use some numbers:
Suppose you’re male, 35 years old, weigh 200 pounds, and are six foot even (72 inches).
You’re also wearing a recently ironed collared shirt and it looks great on you. It really brings out your eyes.
Awesome shirt or no awesome shirt, we know your BMR comes in at 1,882 calories given the variables we identified. Meaning you’ll need roughly 1,900 calories for basic bodily functions.
This is where things get interesting.
If you’re Sedentary, we’ll multiply 1,882 (BMR) by 1.2 to get a TDEE of 2,258, which means you’ll need 2,258 calories to maintain your current weight, support bodily functions, and to walk around your house, to go from your car to your office, from your office back home, etc.
Let’s imagine a scenario where you are not Sedentary. Instead, we’ll calculate that you are Lightly Active, meaning you walk around your neighborhood a few times a week.
We take your BMR of 1,882 and multiply it by 1.375 to get a TDEE of 2,588.
The difference between Lightly Active and Sedentary is 230 calories, about what you’d find in a single glazed donut.
As we mention in our “Lose Weight and Build Muscle” article, strength training requires a lot of energy, not only for the exercise itself, but also for rebuilding muscle in the days following the activity.
In general, we consider strength training to be “vigorous exercise,” which we highlighted above.
If it takes 30 mins of walking a day to be “Lightly Active,” 15 minutes of daily strength training would roughly be equivalent.
If estimating your Activity Level and TDEE is starting to freak you out:
Trying to pick and calculate the right amount of calories to consume can be stressful.
Especially if you’ve had trouble losing weight in the past. And that’s just the math part – we haven’t even got to the psychological part about how delicious pizza and ice cream are.
It’s actually the reason we created our uber-popular 1-on-1 Coaching Program. We sought to take all the guesswork out of getting in shape, by creating a program to tell you exactly what to do.
HOW DO I USE BMR AND TDEE FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
If you’ve read this far into the article, I imagine you are interested in learning your Total Daily Energy Expenditure for weight loss.
I also imagine you support my belief that The Shawshank Redemption is the greatest movie ever made:
The TDEE we calculated above will give us a good estimate of calories you require each day – if your scale is staying constant: congrats!
You found your ‘calorie equilibrium.’
This means your body burns just as many calories as you consume each day.
However, I’m going to guess you’re here because your goal is to see the scale go down!
Think of it this way: if your weight is fairly consistent, your body is currently in equilibrium. You burn the same number of calories that you consume every day.
So, in order for you to lose weight, you need to start reducing your total calorie intake, which then forces your body to start burning the stored fat you have for energy.
You’ve already calculated roughly how many calories you burn (your TDEE) on a daily basis, let’s see roughly how many calories you’re consuming each day too!
(If your weight is staying steady, then these numbers should be relatively close – provided your tracking is accurate!)
It’s this nerd’s humble opinion that the easiest way to track calories consumed is with an app.
We live in the future.
Use a smartphone and download one of the following to track your food intake:
My Fitness Pal. The gold standard of calorie counting apps. It’s also the most popular, supporting the largest food database in the game. Plus it can download recipes from the internet and provide an estimate of calories.
FatSecret.Basic, simple, and free, FatSecret is a great calorie tracker. It’ll allow you to connect with other users, plus it’s got a barcode scanner for caloric content from labels. Super nifty.
Lose it!Another free calorie counting app, focusing more on goal setting. Additionally, the Snap It™ feature lets you use pictures for data input. Double nifty.
You certainly don’t have to track your food forever.
But a solid week’s worth of data will help you get a sense of the food you are consuming, especially if you eat roughly the same food each day.
Not sure if you’re getting your portion sizes correct? Most people don’t. Consider a cheap food scale to educate yourself on actual portion sizes! You can also check out our guide How to Portion Control, which will teach you how to use your hand to estimate calories:
The important thing is to compare your daily calories consumed to your TDEE.
In order to lose weight, you need to have your calories consumed less than your TDEE on average.
(If you’re currently thinking, “But Steve according to my stats I burn way more calories than I consume, but I’m not losing weight!” I would read this.)
Some numbers to think about:
3,500 calories equals roughly one pound of fat.
There are seven days in a week.
Basic math suggests if you want to lose one pound of body fat in a week (a sustainable goal for some), you need to create a caloric deficit of 500 calories a day: either through consuming 500 fewer calories, burning 500 more calories, or a combination of the two.
When you consume fewer calories than you burn consistently, your body will have to start pulling from your stored fat to complete daily functions.
Aka weight loss.
Let’s imagine that your TDEE is 2,500. This means you’d want to consume around 2,000 calories a day to lose around a pound per week.
As we discuss to great detail in “Why Can’t I Lose Weight,” sustained weight loss is largely a result of consistently managing the first half of the equation: “calories in.”
Said another way: it’s much more difficult to sustainably increase your Activity Level than it is to reduce the calories you consume.
After all, what’s more likely to become a lifelong habit? Making a substitution on the food you’re consuming, or suddenly finding the time to vigorously exercise for 90 minutes every single day after being a couch potato?
Food that grew in the ground, on a tree, ran on the land, swam in the sea, or flew through the air.
Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts are all great examples of REAL food.
This is what you should be eating more of.
The fine folks at WiseGEEK did an awesome post where they took pictures of what 200 calories of a certain food looks like.
200 calories of broccoli gets you enough broccoli to fill up an entire plate:
Or half a Snickers bar:
Yeah…
By eating REAL food, you have a MUCH higher margin for error to stay under your calorie goal for the day.
If you accidentally overeat broccoli, you might accidentally eat an additional 20-30 calories.
If you accidentally overeat candy or soda or processed foods, you can consume an extra 500-1000+ calories without feeling satiated or full.
Put it all together: If you want to create a caloric deficit consistently, focusing on REAL food gives you the best fighting chance to stay under your daily target of calories.
And yes, I know a Snickers bar is way more delicious than broccoli – it was designed in a lab by scientists to be AMAZING!
I’m not gonna tell you to never eat a Snickers ever again either.
Instead, start being proactive about your food choices.
If you want to eat a Snickers, plan for it by deliberately reducing your calorie intake in the meal before or after (or consider skipping a meal).
Many of our coaching clients found weight loss previously unattainable until one of our trained professionals objectively reviewed their life and provided actionable feedback.
They all follow the same premise: by changing or eliminating certain food groups (or macronutrients), you’re more likely than not to eat a caloric deficit automatically.
All diets will prioritize protein (as should you), but some diets are low fat and others are low carb.
Every person will respond differently and will have more success with some than others.
So yes, any diet can help you lose weight in the short term – just remember that you need to stick with the changes permanently to make the results stick permanently!
After all, temporary changes create temporary results.
I personally follow a mental model diet, that focuses on real food most of the time, and occasionally includes some junk food. I plan my week of eating ahead of time:
#1) Minimize processed food – they’re designed for you to overeat them. Take a look again at that Snickers bar.
Do you really think you’d only eat half of one to stick to 200 calories? Of course not. This argument is more or less the rationale for following a paleo diet.
#2) Eat veggies. Vegetables are nutrient-dense and light on calories. Because of all the fiber, they are also tough to overeat.
Imagine eating all that broccoli.
Are you going for seconds? Probably not. So eat your veggies to help keep you full. Hate vegetables? I once was like you. Read “How to make vegetables taste good“.
#3) Be wary of liquid calories. Cut back on soda, juices, smoothies, and any beverage with calories.
Even most coffee orders (with sugar, cream, etc.) will have a ton of hidden calories.
All these drinks are sugar bombs since there is no fiber to balance out all the carbs you are consuming. Stick to water, and unsweetened tea or coffee. Here are our thoughts on diet soda.
#4) Prioritize protein. When your body heals itself, like after exercise, your body uses protein as the building block of muscle rebuilding.
Outside of repairing your body, protein will also work to keep you full and satiated: 400 calories of chicken will leave you wayyy more full than 400 calories worth of Gatorade.[7]
If you prioritize protein on your plate, you’ll be doing a lot of the heavy lifting on proper nutrition.
As we lay out in our epic “How Much Protein Should I Eat?” guide, some great sources of protein include chicken, eggs, beef, pork, fish, nuts, legumes, quinoa, and most dairy products.
These four points will help you on your journey to create a caloric deficit.
Disclaimer: this is all easier said than done. After all, 70% of the country is overweight. Don’t worry though, because most of them don’t read Nerd Fitness.
You do. This is like a strategy guide for life.
We’ve helped thousands of people like you here at NF, and we really focus on nutrition.
As we said, it’s 90% of the battle!
It’s why we created our own free, fun 10-level nutritional system. Each level gets a bit more challenging and healthier, but you can progress at your own speed to make your changes stick.
You can download our 10-Level Nutrition Guide when you sign up in the box right here:
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
HERE’S WHAT TO DO TO LOSE WEIGHT WITH YOUR TDEE
Let’s recap this whole guide for you, with some actionable steps:
#1)Determine your BMR and TDEE. This will be critical for computing your caloric deficit. They’re good numbers to keep in mind during the whole experiment. Calculate your TDEE here.
#2) Track everything, as is, for one week.Log everything you eat. No judgment. If you eat five slices of pizza in a night, count every slice.
This step alone has helped many Rebels turn their lives around. Consider a food tracking app or online tracker to educate yourself!
#3) Compare numbers.Where is your current caloric intake at? How does this compare against your TDEE? If your intake is higher than your TDEE, you’re likely gaining body fat. We want to flip the equation.
#4) Create a consistent caloric deficit.The easiest and most sustainable way to do this is to eat REAL food. Mixing in strength training and fun cardio can help too.
#5) Track progress.Continue to track caloric intake to ensure you expend more calories than you consume.
That’s it.
You can do this. I know you can because many of our readers have done it themselves.
Want help taking your next step after calculating your TDEE? I have MULTIPLE options for you. Pick the path below that best aligns with your goals and timeline:
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:
2) If you want an exact blueprint for how to eat better and get in shape, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
Try your free trial right here:
3) Enlist in the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.
Sign up in the box below when you download our free weight loss guide!
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
You can do this, and we got your back!
-Steve
PS:Seriously, how great is The Shawshank Redemption? I could quote that movie all day long.
“Steve, how many calories should I eat every day? I have goals!”
Great question.
Knowledge is power, so today, we are going to make you more powerful by calculating your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
Of course, “knowing is half the battle.” The other half is what you actually DO with your TDEE information!
Fortunately for you, we’ve helped thousands of Online Coaching Clients lose weight and get healthy, and TDEE is just one of many factors we consider when building a specific strategy for somebody’s goals.
Okay FINE, I’ll share the other factors and strategies below too.
Simply click on the section below for quick reading, though I’d recommend you read the whole enchilada to properly apply your TDEE to your life:
Although you can adjust it, I want you to set your “Activity Level” as “Sedentary,” (I’ll explain why in a minute):
Nerd Fitness Total Daily Energy Expenditure Calculator
(Note: we have used The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation to create this calculator! [1])
Hooray! You now know estimates of your BMR and TDEE![2]
You may be thinking, “Ah, Steve, what do either of these mean?”
I got you boo.
Make sure you write down your two numbers, and then move onto the next section.
If you’re already starting to get overwhelmed, have no fear! We help hundreds of men and women calculate their calorie goals, and we’d love to help you too!
WHAT IS BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR)?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the total amount of calories needed to keep your body functioning.
Breathing, cell production, pumping blood, and keeping your body temperature up all require calories to function.
This means that even when you sit perfectly still, you still use plenty of calories keeping your body in good working order.
“Basal” more or less means “basic,” so you can think of BMR as the number of calories needed for basic daily functions.
Your sex, weight, and height will all affect the number of calories you need, which is why they are variables in our equation above.
The taller you are, or the more you weigh, the higher your BMR will be.
There is simply more of you to fuel: more blood to pump, more cells to produce, more body mass to transport and manage.
Your age will also factor in: the older you get the lower your BMR will be.
Roughly two-thirds of the calories you need each day go into keeping your body running.
The other third?
That goes into powering your motion.
You know, because going from one place to another requires energy. So does lifting stuff.
So let’s talk about Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) next.
WHAT IS TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TDEE)?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is an estimate of how many total calories you burn in a day.
Since your BMR calculates the calories you need for a state of rest, to get a true total we need to factor in movement and exercise.
To do this, we’ll take your BMR and multiply it by an “Activity Level” factor.[3]
Activity Levels can be thought of as the following:
Sedentary. You regularly have to tell Netflix you are still watching. You don’t intentionally exercise at all.
Sedentary = BMR x 1.2
Lightly Active. You casually stroll through your neighborhood a few times a week. On average, you walk for exercise about 30 minutes a day. Another way to think about this would be 15 minutes per day of vigorous exercise like running or lifting weights.
Light Active = BMR x 1.375
Moderately Active. If we called the gym on a weeknight looking for you, they’d find you. This averages out to about one hour and 45 minutes of walking (for exercise, not going around your house) a day, or 50 minutes of vigorous exercise a day.
Moderately Active = BMR x 1.55
Very Active. You work in construction during the day and you’re on the company softball team. This averages out to about four hours and 15 minutes of walking (again, for intentional exercise) a day, or two hours of vigorous exercise.
Very Active = BMR x 1.725
If you’re following along at home, you may notice that different Activity Levels can make a big difference in the calories burned.
Let’s use some numbers:
Suppose you’re male, 35 years old, weigh 200 pounds, and are six foot even (72 inches).
You’re also wearing a recently ironed collared shirt and it looks great on you. It really brings out your eyes.
Awesome shirt or no awesome shirt, we know your BMR comes in at 1,882 calories given the variables we identified. Meaning you’ll need roughly 1,900 calories for basic bodily functions.
This is where things get interesting.
If you’re Sedentary, we’ll multiply 1,882 (BMR) by 1.2 to get a TDEE of 2,258, which means you’ll need 2,258 calories to maintain your current weight, support bodily functions, and to walk around your house, to go from your car to your office, from your office back home, etc.
Let’s imagine a scenario where you are not Sedentary. Instead, we’ll calculate that you are Lightly Active, meaning you walk around your neighborhood a few times a week.
We take your BMR of 1,882 and multiply it by 1.375 to get a TDEE of 2,588.
The difference between Lightly Active and Sedentary is 230 calories, about what you’d find in a single glazed donut.
As we mention in our “Lose Weight and Build Muscle” article, strength training requires a lot of energy, not only for the exercise itself, but also for rebuilding muscle in the days following the activity.
In general, we consider strength training to be “vigorous exercise,” which we highlighted above.
If it takes 30 mins of walking a day to be “Lightly Active,” 15 minutes of daily strength training would roughly be equivalent.
If estimating your Activity Level and TDEE is starting to freak you out:
Trying to pick and calculate the right amount of calories to consume can be stressful.
Especially if you’ve had trouble losing weight in the past. And that’s just the math part – we haven’t even got to the psychological part about how delicious pizza and ice cream are.
It’s actually the reason we created our uber-popular 1-on-1 Coaching Program. We sought to take all the guesswork out of getting in shape, by creating a program to tell you exactly what to do.
HOW DO I USE BMR AND TDEE FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
If you’ve read this far into the article, I imagine you are interested in learning your Total Daily Energy Expenditure for weight loss.
I also imagine you support my belief that The Shawshank Redemption is the greatest movie ever made:
The TDEE we calculated above will give us a good estimate of calories you require each day – if your scale is staying constant: congrats!
You found your ‘calorie equilibrium.’
This means your body burns just as many calories as you consume each day.
However, I’m going to guess you’re here because your goal is to see the scale go down!
Think of it this way: if your weight is fairly consistent, your body is currently in equilibrium. You burn the same number of calories that you consume every day.
So, in order for you to lose weight, you need to start reducing your total calorie intake, which then forces your body to start burning the stored fat you have for energy.
You’ve already calculated roughly how many calories you burn (your TDEE) on a daily basis, let’s see roughly how many calories you’re consuming each day too!
(If your weight is staying steady, then these numbers should be relatively close – provided your tracking is accurate!)
It’s this nerd’s humble opinion that the easiest way to track calories consumed is with an app.
We live in the future.
Use a smartphone and download one of the following to track your food intake:
My Fitness Pal. The gold standard of calorie counting apps. It’s also the most popular, supporting the largest food database in the game. Plus it can download recipes from the internet and provide an estimate of calories.
FatSecret.Basic, simple, and free, FatSecret is a great calorie tracker. It’ll allow you to connect with other users, plus it’s got a barcode scanner for caloric content from labels. Super nifty.
Lose it!Another free calorie counting app, focusing more on goal setting. Additionally, the Snap It™ feature lets you use pictures for data input. Double nifty.
You certainly don’t have to track your food forever.
But a solid week’s worth of data will help you get a sense of the food you are consuming, especially if you eat roughly the same food each day.
Not sure if you’re getting your portion sizes correct? Most people don’t. Consider a cheap food scale to educate yourself on actual portion sizes! You can also check out our guide How to Portion Control, which will teach you how to use your hand to estimate calories:
The important thing is to compare your daily calories consumed to your TDEE.
In order to lose weight, you need to have your calories consumed less than your TDEE on average.
(If you’re currently thinking, “But Steve according to my stats I burn way more calories than I consume, but I’m not losing weight!” I would read this.)
Some numbers to think about:
3,500 calories equals roughly one pound of fat.
There are seven days in a week.
Basic math suggests if you want to lose one pound of body fat in a week (a sustainable goal for some), you need to create a caloric deficit of 500 calories a day: either through consuming 500 fewer calories, burning 500 more calories, or a combination of the two.
When you consume fewer calories than you burn consistently, your body will have to start pulling from your stored fat to complete daily functions.
Aka weight loss.
Let’s imagine that your TDEE is 2,500. This means you’d want to consume around 2,000 calories a day to lose around a pound per week.
As we discuss to great detail in “Why Can’t I Lose Weight,” sustained weight loss is largely a result of consistently managing the first half of the equation: “calories in.”
Said another way: it’s much more difficult to sustainably increase your Activity Level than it is to reduce the calories you consume.
After all, what’s more likely to become a lifelong habit? Making a substitution on the food you’re consuming, or suddenly finding the time to vigorously exercise for 90 minutes every single day after being a couch potato?
Food that grew in the ground, on a tree, ran on the land, swam in the sea, or flew through the air.
Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts are all great examples of REAL food.
This is what you should be eating more of.
The fine folks at WiseGEEK did an awesome post where they took pictures of what 200 calories of a certain food looks like.
200 calories of broccoli gets you enough broccoli to fill up an entire plate:
Or half a Snickers bar:
Yeah…
By eating REAL food, you have a MUCH higher margin for error to stay under your calorie goal for the day.
If you accidentally overeat broccoli, you might accidentally eat an additional 20-30 calories.
If you accidentally overeat candy or soda or processed foods, you can consume an extra 500-1000+ calories without feeling satiated or full.
Put it all together: If you want to create a caloric deficit consistently, focusing on REAL food gives you the best fighting chance to stay under your daily target of calories.
And yes, I know a Snickers bar is way more delicious than broccoli – it was designed in a lab by scientists to be AMAZING!
I’m not gonna tell you to never eat a Snickers ever again either.
Instead, start being proactive about your food choices.
If you want to eat a Snickers, plan for it by deliberately reducing your calorie intake in the meal before or after (or consider skipping a meal).
Many of our coaching clients found weight loss previously unattainable until one of our trained professionals objectively reviewed their life and provided actionable feedback.
They all follow the same premise: by changing or eliminating certain food groups (or macronutrients), you’re more likely than not to eat a caloric deficit automatically.
All diets will prioritize protein (as should you), but some diets are low fat and others are low carb.
Every person will respond differently and will have more success with some than others.
So yes, any diet can help you lose weight in the short term – just remember that you need to stick with the changes permanently to make the results stick permanently!
After all, temporary changes create temporary results.
I personally follow a mental model diet, that focuses on real food most of the time, and occasionally includes some junk food. I plan my week of eating ahead of time:
#1) Minimize processed food – they’re designed for you to overeat them. Take a look again at that Snickers bar.
Do you really think you’d only eat half of one to stick to 200 calories? Of course not. This argument is more or less the rationale for following a paleo diet.
#2) Eat veggies. Vegetables are nutrient-dense and light on calories. Because of all the fiber, they are also tough to overeat.
Imagine eating all that broccoli.
Are you going for seconds? Probably not. So eat your veggies to help keep you full. Hate vegetables? I once was like you. Read “How to make vegetables taste good“.
#3) Be wary of liquid calories. Cut back on soda, juices, smoothies, and any beverage with calories.
Even most coffee orders (with sugar, cream, etc.) will have a ton of hidden calories.
All these drinks are sugar bombs since there is no fiber to balance out all the carbs you are consuming. Stick to water, and unsweetened tea or coffee. Here are our thoughts on diet soda.
#4) Prioritize protein. When your body heals itself, like after exercise, your body uses protein as the building block of muscle rebuilding.
Outside of repairing your body, protein will also work to keep you full and satiated: 400 calories of chicken will leave you wayyy more full than 400 calories worth of Gatorade.[7]
If you prioritize protein on your plate, you’ll be doing a lot of the heavy lifting on proper nutrition.
As we lay out in our epic “How Much Protein Should I Eat?” guide, some great sources of protein include chicken, eggs, beef, pork, fish, nuts, legumes, quinoa, and most dairy products.
These four points will help you on your journey to create a caloric deficit.
Disclaimer: this is all easier said than done. After all, 70% of the country is overweight. Don’t worry though, because most of them don’t read Nerd Fitness.
You do. This is like a strategy guide for life.
We’ve helped thousands of people like you here at NF, and we really focus on nutrition.
As we said, it’s 90% of the battle!
It’s why we created our own free, fun 10-level nutritional system. Each level gets a bit more challenging and healthier, but you can progress at your own speed to make your changes stick.
You can download our 10-Level Nutrition Guide when you sign up in the box right here:
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
HERE’S WHAT TO DO TO LOSE WEIGHT WITH YOUR TDEE
Let’s recap this whole guide for you, with some actionable steps:
#1)Determine your BMR and TDEE. This will be critical for computing your caloric deficit. They’re good numbers to keep in mind during the whole experiment. Calculate your TDEE here.
#2) Track everything, as is, for one week.Log everything you eat. No judgment. If you eat five slices of pizza in a night, count every slice.
This step alone has helped many Rebels turn their lives around. Consider a food tracking app or online tracker to educate yourself!
#3) Compare numbers.Where is your current caloric intake at? How does this compare against your TDEE? If your intake is higher than your TDEE, you’re likely gaining body fat. We want to flip the equation.
#4) Create a consistent caloric deficit.The easiest and most sustainable way to do this is to eat REAL food. Mixing in strength training and fun cardio can help too.
#5) Track progress.Continue to track caloric intake to ensure you expend more calories than you consume.
That’s it.
You can do this. I know you can because many of our readers have done it themselves.
Want help taking your next step after calculating your TDEE? I have MULTIPLE options for you. Pick the path below that best aligns with your goals and timeline:
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:
2) If you want an exact blueprint for how to eat better and get in shape, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
Try your free trial right here:
3) Enlist in the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.
Sign up in the box below when you download our free weight loss guide!
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
You can do this, and we got your back!
-Steve
PS:Seriously, how great is The Shawshank Redemption? I could quote that movie all day long.
“Steve, how many calories should I eat every day? I have goals!”
Great question.
Knowledge is power, so today, we are going to make you more powerful by calculating your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
Of course, “knowing is half the battle.” The other half is what you actually DO with your TDEE information!
Fortunately for you, we’ve helped thousands of Online Coaching Clients lose weight and get healthy, and TDEE is just one of many factors we consider when building a specific strategy for somebody’s goals.
Okay FINE, I’ll share the other factors and strategies below too.
Simply click on the section below for quick reading, though I’d recommend you read the whole enchilada to properly apply your TDEE to your life:
Although you can adjust it, I want you to set your “Activity Level” as “Sedentary,” (I’ll explain why in a minute):
Nerd Fitness Total Daily Energy Expenditure Calculator
(Note: we have used The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation to create this calculator! [1])
Hooray! You now know estimates of your BMR and TDEE![2]
You may be thinking, “Ah, Steve, what do either of these mean?”
I got you boo.
Make sure you write down your two numbers, and then move onto the next section.
If you’re already starting to get overwhelmed, have no fear! We help hundreds of men and women calculate their calorie goals, and we’d love to help you too!
WHAT IS BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR)?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the total amount of calories needed to keep your body functioning.
Breathing, cell production, pumping blood, and keeping your body temperature up all require calories to function.
This means that even when you sit perfectly still, you still use plenty of calories keeping your body in good working order.
“Basal” more or less means “basic,” so you can think of BMR as the number of calories needed for basic daily functions.
Your sex, weight, and height will all affect the number of calories you need, which is why they are variables in our equation above.
The taller you are, or the more you weigh, the higher your BMR will be.
There is simply more of you to fuel: more blood to pump, more cells to produce, more body mass to transport and manage.
Your age will also factor in: the older you get the lower your BMR will be.
Roughly two-thirds of the calories you need each day go into keeping your body running.
The other third?
That goes into powering your motion.
You know, because going from one place to another requires energy. So does lifting stuff.
So let’s talk about Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) next.
WHAT IS TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TDEE)?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is an estimate of how many total calories you burn in a day.
Since your BMR calculates the calories you need for a state of rest, to get a true total we need to factor in movement and exercise.
To do this, we’ll take your BMR and multiply it by an “Activity Level” factor.[3]
Activity Levels can be thought of as the following:
Sedentary. You regularly have to tell Netflix you are still watching. You don’t intentionally exercise at all.
Sedentary = BMR x 1.2
Lightly Active. You casually stroll through your neighborhood a few times a week. On average, you walk for exercise about 30 minutes a day. Another way to think about this would be 15 minutes per day of vigorous exercise like running or lifting weights.
Light Active = BMR x 1.375
Moderately Active. If we called the gym on a weeknight looking for you, they’d find you. This averages out to about one hour and 45 minutes of walking (for exercise, not going around your house) a day, or 50 minutes of vigorous exercise a day.
Moderately Active = BMR x 1.55
Very Active. You work in construction during the day and you’re on the company softball team. This averages out to about four hours and 15 minutes of walking (again, for intentional exercise) a day, or two hours of vigorous exercise.
Very Active = BMR x 1.725
If you’re following along at home, you may notice that different Activity Levels can make a big difference in the calories burned.
Let’s use some numbers:
Suppose you’re male, 35 years old, weigh 200 pounds, and are six foot even (72 inches).
You’re also wearing a recently ironed collared shirt and it looks great on you. It really brings out your eyes.
Awesome shirt or no awesome shirt, we know your BMR comes in at 1,882 calories given the variables we identified. Meaning you’ll need roughly 1,900 calories for basic bodily functions.
This is where things get interesting.
If you’re Sedentary, we’ll multiply 1,882 (BMR) by 1.2 to get a TDEE of 2,258, which means you’ll need 2,258 calories to maintain your current weight, support bodily functions, and to walk around your house, to go from your car to your office, from your office back home, etc.
Let’s imagine a scenario where you are not Sedentary. Instead, we’ll calculate that you are Lightly Active, meaning you walk around your neighborhood a few times a week.
We take your BMR of 1,882 and multiply it by 1.375 to get a TDEE of 2,588.
The difference between Lightly Active and Sedentary is 230 calories, about what you’d find in a single glazed donut.
As we mention in our “Lose Weight and Build Muscle” article, strength training requires a lot of energy, not only for the exercise itself, but also for rebuilding muscle in the days following the activity.
In general, we consider strength training to be “vigorous exercise,” which we highlighted above.
If it takes 30 mins of walking a day to be “Lightly Active,” 15 minutes of daily strength training would roughly be equivalent.
If estimating your Activity Level and TDEE is starting to freak you out:
Trying to pick and calculate the right amount of calories to consume can be stressful.
Especially if you’ve had trouble losing weight in the past. And that’s just the math part – we haven’t even got to the psychological part about how delicious pizza and ice cream are.
It’s actually the reason we created our uber-popular 1-on-1 Coaching Program. We sought to take all the guesswork out of getting in shape, by creating a program to tell you exactly what to do.
HOW DO I USE BMR AND TDEE FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
If you’ve read this far into the article, I imagine you are interested in learning your Total Daily Energy Expenditure for weight loss.
I also imagine you support my belief that The Shawshank Redemption is the greatest movie ever made:
The TDEE we calculated above will give us a good estimate of calories you require each day – if your scale is staying constant: congrats!
You found your ‘calorie equilibrium.’
This means your body burns just as many calories as you consume each day.
However, I’m going to guess you’re here because your goal is to see the scale go down!
Think of it this way: if your weight is fairly consistent, your body is currently in equilibrium. You burn the same number of calories that you consume every day.
So, in order for you to lose weight, you need to start reducing your total calorie intake, which then forces your body to start burning the stored fat you have for energy.
You’ve already calculated roughly how many calories you burn (your TDEE) on a daily basis, let’s see roughly how many calories you’re consuming each day too!
(If your weight is staying steady, then these numbers should be relatively close – provided your tracking is accurate!)
It’s this nerd’s humble opinion that the easiest way to track calories consumed is with an app.
We live in the future.
Use a smartphone and download one of the following to track your food intake:
My Fitness Pal. The gold standard of calorie counting apps. It’s also the most popular, supporting the largest food database in the game. Plus it can download recipes from the internet and provide an estimate of calories.
FatSecret.Basic, simple, and free, FatSecret is a great calorie tracker. It’ll allow you to connect with other users, plus it’s got a barcode scanner for caloric content from labels. Super nifty.
Lose it!Another free calorie counting app, focusing more on goal setting. Additionally, the Snap It™ feature lets you use pictures for data input. Double nifty.
You certainly don’t have to track your food forever.
But a solid week’s worth of data will help you get a sense of the food you are consuming, especially if you eat roughly the same food each day.
Not sure if you’re getting your portion sizes correct? Most people don’t. Consider a cheap food scale to educate yourself on actual portion sizes! You can also check out our guide How to Portion Control, which will teach you how to use your hand to estimate calories:
The important thing is to compare your daily calories consumed to your TDEE.
In order to lose weight, you need to have your calories consumed less than your TDEE on average.
(If you’re currently thinking, “But Steve according to my stats I burn way more calories than I consume, but I’m not losing weight!” I would read this.)
Some numbers to think about:
3,500 calories equals roughly one pound of fat.
There are seven days in a week.
Basic math suggests if you want to lose one pound of body fat in a week (a sustainable goal for some), you need to create a caloric deficit of 500 calories a day: either through consuming 500 fewer calories, burning 500 more calories, or a combination of the two.
When you consume fewer calories than you burn consistently, your body will have to start pulling from your stored fat to complete daily functions.
Aka weight loss.
Let’s imagine that your TDEE is 2,500. This means you’d want to consume around 2,000 calories a day to lose around a pound per week.
As we discuss to great detail in “Why Can’t I Lose Weight,” sustained weight loss is largely a result of consistently managing the first half of the equation: “calories in.”
Said another way: it’s much more difficult to sustainably increase your Activity Level than it is to reduce the calories you consume.
After all, what’s more likely to become a lifelong habit? Making a substitution on the food you’re consuming, or suddenly finding the time to vigorously exercise for 90 minutes every single day after being a couch potato?
Food that grew in the ground, on a tree, ran on the land, swam in the sea, or flew through the air.
Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts are all great examples of REAL food.
This is what you should be eating more of.
The fine folks at WiseGEEK did an awesome post where they took pictures of what 200 calories of a certain food looks like.
200 calories of broccoli gets you enough broccoli to fill up an entire plate:
Or half a Snickers bar:
Yeah…
By eating REAL food, you have a MUCH higher margin for error to stay under your calorie goal for the day.
If you accidentally overeat broccoli, you might accidentally eat an additional 20-30 calories.
If you accidentally overeat candy or soda or processed foods, you can consume an extra 500-1000+ calories without feeling satiated or full.
Put it all together: If you want to create a caloric deficit consistently, focusing on REAL food gives you the best fighting chance to stay under your daily target of calories.
And yes, I know a Snickers bar is way more delicious than broccoli – it was designed in a lab by scientists to be AMAZING!
I’m not gonna tell you to never eat a Snickers ever again either.
Instead, start being proactive about your food choices.
If you want to eat a Snickers, plan for it by deliberately reducing your calorie intake in the meal before or after (or consider skipping a meal).
Many of our coaching clients found weight loss previously unattainable until one of our trained professionals objectively reviewed their life and provided actionable feedback.
They all follow the same premise: by changing or eliminating certain food groups (or macronutrients), you’re more likely than not to eat a caloric deficit automatically.
All diets will prioritize protein (as should you), but some diets are low fat and others are low carb.
Every person will respond differently and will have more success with some than others.
So yes, any diet can help you lose weight in the short term – just remember that you need to stick with the changes permanently to make the results stick permanently!
After all, temporary changes create temporary results.
I personally follow a mental model diet, that focuses on real food most of the time, and occasionally includes some junk food. I plan my week of eating ahead of time:
#1) Minimize processed food – they’re designed for you to overeat them. Take a look again at that Snickers bar.
Do you really think you’d only eat half of one to stick to 200 calories? Of course not. This argument is more or less the rationale for following a paleo diet.
#2) Eat veggies. Vegetables are nutrient-dense and light on calories. Because of all the fiber, they are also tough to overeat.
Imagine eating all that broccoli.
Are you going for seconds? Probably not. So eat your veggies to help keep you full. Hate vegetables? I once was like you. Read “How to make vegetables taste good“.
#3) Be wary of liquid calories. Cut back on soda, juices, smoothies, and any beverage with calories.
Even most coffee orders (with sugar, cream, etc.) will have a ton of hidden calories.
All these drinks are sugar bombs since there is no fiber to balance out all the carbs you are consuming. Stick to water, and unsweetened tea or coffee. Here are our thoughts on diet soda.
#4) Prioritize protein. When your body heals itself, like after exercise, your body uses protein as the building block of muscle rebuilding.
Outside of repairing your body, protein will also work to keep you full and satiated: 400 calories of chicken will leave you wayyy more full than 400 calories worth of Gatorade.[7]
If you prioritize protein on your plate, you’ll be doing a lot of the heavy lifting on proper nutrition.
As we lay out in our epic “How Much Protein Should I Eat?” guide, some great sources of protein include chicken, eggs, beef, pork, fish, nuts, legumes, quinoa, and most dairy products.
These four points will help you on your journey to create a caloric deficit.
Disclaimer: this is all easier said than done. After all, 70% of the country is overweight. Don’t worry though, because most of them don’t read Nerd Fitness.
You do. This is like a strategy guide for life.
We’ve helped thousands of people like you here at NF, and we really focus on nutrition.
As we said, it’s 90% of the battle!
It’s why we created our own free, fun 10-level nutritional system. Each level gets a bit more challenging and healthier, but you can progress at your own speed to make your changes stick.
You can download our 10-Level Nutrition Guide when you sign up in the box right here:
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
HERE’S WHAT TO DO TO LOSE WEIGHT WITH YOUR TDEE
Let’s recap this whole guide for you, with some actionable steps:
#1)Determine your BMR and TDEE. This will be critical for computing your caloric deficit. They’re good numbers to keep in mind during the whole experiment. Calculate your TDEE here.
#2) Track everything, as is, for one week.Log everything you eat. No judgment. If you eat five slices of pizza in a night, count every slice.
This step alone has helped many Rebels turn their lives around. Consider a food tracking app or online tracker to educate yourself!
#3) Compare numbers.Where is your current caloric intake at? How does this compare against your TDEE? If your intake is higher than your TDEE, you’re likely gaining body fat. We want to flip the equation.
#4) Create a consistent caloric deficit.The easiest and most sustainable way to do this is to eat REAL food. Mixing in strength training and fun cardio can help too.
#5) Track progress.Continue to track caloric intake to ensure you expend more calories than you consume.
That’s it.
You can do this. I know you can because many of our readers have done it themselves.
Want help taking your next step after calculating your TDEE? I have MULTIPLE options for you. Pick the path below that best aligns with your goals and timeline:
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:
2) If you want an exact blueprint for how to eat better and get in shape, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
Try your free trial right here:
3) Enlist in the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.
Sign up in the box below when you download our free weight loss guide!
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
You can do this, and we got your back!
-Steve
PS:Seriously, how great is The Shawshank Redemption? I could quote that movie all day long.
“Steve, how many calories should I eat every day? I have goals!”
Great question.
Knowledge is power, so today, we are going to make you more powerful by calculating your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
Of course, “knowing is half the battle.” The other half is what you actually DO with your TDEE information!
Fortunately for you, we’ve helped thousands of Online Coaching Clients lose weight and get healthy, and TDEE is just one of many factors we consider when building a specific strategy for somebody’s goals.
Okay FINE, I’ll share the other factors and strategies below too.
Simply click on the section below for quick reading, though I’d recommend you read the whole enchilada to properly apply your TDEE to your life:
Although you can adjust it, I want you to set your “Activity Level” as “Sedentary,” (I’ll explain why in a minute):
Nerd Fitness Total Daily Energy Expenditure Calculator
(Note: we have used The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation to create this calculator! [1])
Hooray! You now know estimates of your BMR and TDEE![2]
You may be thinking, “Ah, Steve, what do either of these mean?”
I got you boo.
Make sure you write down your two numbers, and then move onto the next section.
If you’re already starting to get overwhelmed, have no fear! We help hundreds of men and women calculate their calorie goals, and we’d love to help you too!
WHAT IS BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR)?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the total amount of calories needed to keep your body functioning.
Breathing, cell production, pumping blood, and keeping your body temperature up all require calories to function.
This means that even when you sit perfectly still, you still use plenty of calories keeping your body in good working order.
“Basal” more or less means “basic,” so you can think of BMR as the number of calories needed for basic daily functions.
Your sex, weight, and height will all affect the number of calories you need, which is why they are variables in our equation above.
The taller you are, or the more you weigh, the higher your BMR will be.
There is simply more of you to fuel: more blood to pump, more cells to produce, more body mass to transport and manage.
Your age will also factor in: the older you get the lower your BMR will be.
Roughly two-thirds of the calories you need each day go into keeping your body running.
The other third?
That goes into powering your motion.
You know, because going from one place to another requires energy. So does lifting stuff.
So let’s talk about Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) next.
WHAT IS TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TDEE)?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is an estimate of how many total calories you burn in a day.
Since your BMR calculates the calories you need for a state of rest, to get a true total we need to factor in movement and exercise.
To do this, we’ll take your BMR and multiply it by an “Activity Level” factor.[3]
Activity Levels can be thought of as the following:
Sedentary. You regularly have to tell Netflix you are still watching. You don’t intentionally exercise at all.
Sedentary = BMR x 1.2
Lightly Active. You casually stroll through your neighborhood a few times a week. On average, you walk for exercise about 30 minutes a day. Another way to think about this would be 15 minutes per day of vigorous exercise like running or lifting weights.
Light Active = BMR x 1.375
Moderately Active. If we called the gym on a weeknight looking for you, they’d find you. This averages out to about one hour and 45 minutes of walking (for exercise, not going around your house) a day, or 50 minutes of vigorous exercise a day.
Moderately Active = BMR x 1.55
Very Active. You work in construction during the day and you’re on the company softball team. This averages out to about four hours and 15 minutes of walking (again, for intentional exercise) a day, or two hours of vigorous exercise.
Very Active = BMR x 1.725
If you’re following along at home, you may notice that different Activity Levels can make a big difference in the calories burned.
Let’s use some numbers:
Suppose you’re male, 35 years old, weigh 200 pounds, and are six foot even (72 inches).
You’re also wearing a recently ironed collared shirt and it looks great on you. It really brings out your eyes.
Awesome shirt or no awesome shirt, we know your BMR comes in at 1,882 calories given the variables we identified. Meaning you’ll need roughly 1,900 calories for basic bodily functions.
This is where things get interesting.
If you’re Sedentary, we’ll multiply 1,882 (BMR) by 1.2 to get a TDEE of 2,258, which means you’ll need 2,258 calories to maintain your current weight, support bodily functions, and to walk around your house, to go from your car to your office, from your office back home, etc.
Let’s imagine a scenario where you are not Sedentary. Instead, we’ll calculate that you are Lightly Active, meaning you walk around your neighborhood a few times a week.
We take your BMR of 1,882 and multiply it by 1.375 to get a TDEE of 2,588.
The difference between Lightly Active and Sedentary is 230 calories, about what you’d find in a single glazed donut.
As we mention in our “Lose Weight and Build Muscle” article, strength training requires a lot of energy, not only for the exercise itself, but also for rebuilding muscle in the days following the activity.
In general, we consider strength training to be “vigorous exercise,” which we highlighted above.
If it takes 30 mins of walking a day to be “Lightly Active,” 15 minutes of daily strength training would roughly be equivalent.
If estimating your Activity Level and TDEE is starting to freak you out:
Trying to pick and calculate the right amount of calories to consume can be stressful.
Especially if you’ve had trouble losing weight in the past. And that’s just the math part – we haven’t even got to the psychological part about how delicious pizza and ice cream are.
It’s actually the reason we created our uber-popular 1-on-1 Coaching Program. We sought to take all the guesswork out of getting in shape, by creating a program to tell you exactly what to do.
HOW DO I USE BMR AND TDEE FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
If you’ve read this far into the article, I imagine you are interested in learning your Total Daily Energy Expenditure for weight loss.
I also imagine you support my belief that The Shawshank Redemption is the greatest movie ever made:
The TDEE we calculated above will give us a good estimate of calories you require each day – if your scale is staying constant: congrats!
You found your ‘calorie equilibrium.’
This means your body burns just as many calories as you consume each day.
However, I’m going to guess you’re here because your goal is to see the scale go down!
Think of it this way: if your weight is fairly consistent, your body is currently in equilibrium. You burn the same number of calories that you consume every day.
So, in order for you to lose weight, you need to start reducing your total calorie intake, which then forces your body to start burning the stored fat you have for energy.
You’ve already calculated roughly how many calories you burn (your TDEE) on a daily basis, let’s see roughly how many calories you’re consuming each day too!
(If your weight is staying steady, then these numbers should be relatively close – provided your tracking is accurate!)
It’s this nerd’s humble opinion that the easiest way to track calories consumed is with an app.
We live in the future.
Use a smartphone and download one of the following to track your food intake:
My Fitness Pal. The gold standard of calorie counting apps. It’s also the most popular, supporting the largest food database in the game. Plus it can download recipes from the internet and provide an estimate of calories.
FatSecret.Basic, simple, and free, FatSecret is a great calorie tracker. It’ll allow you to connect with other users, plus it’s got a barcode scanner for caloric content from labels. Super nifty.
Lose it!Another free calorie counting app, focusing more on goal setting. Additionally, the Snap It™ feature lets you use pictures for data input. Double nifty.
You certainly don’t have to track your food forever.
But a solid week’s worth of data will help you get a sense of the food you are consuming, especially if you eat roughly the same food each day.
Not sure if you’re getting your portion sizes correct? Most people don’t. Consider a cheap food scale to educate yourself on actual portion sizes! You can also check out our guide How to Portion Control, which will teach you how to use your hand to estimate calories:
The important thing is to compare your daily calories consumed to your TDEE.
In order to lose weight, you need to have your calories consumed less than your TDEE on average.
(If you’re currently thinking, “But Steve according to my stats I burn way more calories than I consume, but I’m not losing weight!” I would read this.)
Some numbers to think about:
3,500 calories equals roughly one pound of fat.
There are seven days in a week.
Basic math suggests if you want to lose one pound of body fat in a week (a sustainable goal for some), you need to create a caloric deficit of 500 calories a day: either through consuming 500 fewer calories, burning 500 more calories, or a combination of the two.
When you consume fewer calories than you burn consistently, your body will have to start pulling from your stored fat to complete daily functions.
Aka weight loss.
Let’s imagine that your TDEE is 2,500. This means you’d want to consume around 2,000 calories a day to lose around a pound per week.
As we discuss to great detail in “Why Can’t I Lose Weight,” sustained weight loss is largely a result of consistently managing the first half of the equation: “calories in.”
Said another way: it’s much more difficult to sustainably increase your Activity Level than it is to reduce the calories you consume.
After all, what’s more likely to become a lifelong habit? Making a substitution on the food you’re consuming, or suddenly finding the time to vigorously exercise for 90 minutes every single day after being a couch potato?
Food that grew in the ground, on a tree, ran on the land, swam in the sea, or flew through the air.
Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts are all great examples of REAL food.
This is what you should be eating more of.
The fine folks at WiseGEEK did an awesome post where they took pictures of what 200 calories of a certain food looks like.
200 calories of broccoli gets you enough broccoli to fill up an entire plate:
Or half a Snickers bar:
Yeah…
By eating REAL food, you have a MUCH higher margin for error to stay under your calorie goal for the day.
If you accidentally overeat broccoli, you might accidentally eat an additional 20-30 calories.
If you accidentally overeat candy or soda or processed foods, you can consume an extra 500-1000+ calories without feeling satiated or full.
Put it all together: If you want to create a caloric deficit consistently, focusing on REAL food gives you the best fighting chance to stay under your daily target of calories.
And yes, I know a Snickers bar is way more delicious than broccoli – it was designed in a lab by scientists to be AMAZING!
I’m not gonna tell you to never eat a Snickers ever again either.
Instead, start being proactive about your food choices.
If you want to eat a Snickers, plan for it by deliberately reducing your calorie intake in the meal before or after (or consider skipping a meal).
Many of our coaching clients found weight loss previously unattainable until one of our trained professionals objectively reviewed their life and provided actionable feedback.
They all follow the same premise: by changing or eliminating certain food groups (or macronutrients), you’re more likely than not to eat a caloric deficit automatically.
All diets will prioritize protein (as should you), but some diets are low fat and others are low carb.
Every person will respond differently and will have more success with some than others.
So yes, any diet can help you lose weight in the short term – just remember that you need to stick with the changes permanently to make the results stick permanently!
After all, temporary changes create temporary results.
I personally follow a mental model diet, that focuses on real food most of the time, and occasionally includes some junk food. I plan my week of eating ahead of time:
#1) Minimize processed food – they’re designed for you to overeat them. Take a look again at that Snickers bar.
Do you really think you’d only eat half of one to stick to 200 calories? Of course not. This argument is more or less the rationale for following a paleo diet.
#2) Eat veggies. Vegetables are nutrient-dense and light on calories. Because of all the fiber, they are also tough to overeat.
Imagine eating all that broccoli.
Are you going for seconds? Probably not. So eat your veggies to help keep you full. Hate vegetables? I once was like you. Read “How to make vegetables taste good“.
#3) Be wary of liquid calories. Cut back on soda, juices, smoothies, and any beverage with calories.
Even most coffee orders (with sugar, cream, etc.) will have a ton of hidden calories.
All these drinks are sugar bombs since there is no fiber to balance out all the carbs you are consuming. Stick to water, and unsweetened tea or coffee. Here are our thoughts on diet soda.
#4) Prioritize protein. When your body heals itself, like after exercise, your body uses protein as the building block of muscle rebuilding.
Outside of repairing your body, protein will also work to keep you full and satiated: 400 calories of chicken will leave you wayyy more full than 400 calories worth of Gatorade.[7]
If you prioritize protein on your plate, you’ll be doing a lot of the heavy lifting on proper nutrition.
As we lay out in our epic “How Much Protein Should I Eat?” guide, some great sources of protein include chicken, eggs, beef, pork, fish, nuts, legumes, quinoa, and most dairy products.
These four points will help you on your journey to create a caloric deficit.
Disclaimer: this is all easier said than done. After all, 70% of the country is overweight. Don’t worry though, because most of them don’t read Nerd Fitness.
You do. This is like a strategy guide for life.
We’ve helped thousands of people like you here at NF, and we really focus on nutrition.
As we said, it’s 90% of the battle!
It’s why we created our own free, fun 10-level nutritional system. Each level gets a bit more challenging and healthier, but you can progress at your own speed to make your changes stick.
You can download our 10-Level Nutrition Guide when you sign up in the box right here:
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
HERE’S WHAT TO DO TO LOSE WEIGHT WITH YOUR TDEE
Let’s recap this whole guide for you, with some actionable steps:
#1)Determine your BMR and TDEE. This will be critical for computing your caloric deficit. They’re good numbers to keep in mind during the whole experiment. Calculate your TDEE here.
#2) Track everything, as is, for one week.Log everything you eat. No judgment. If you eat five slices of pizza in a night, count every slice.
This step alone has helped many Rebels turn their lives around. Consider a food tracking app or online tracker to educate yourself!
#3) Compare numbers.Where is your current caloric intake at? How does this compare against your TDEE? If your intake is higher than your TDEE, you’re likely gaining body fat. We want to flip the equation.
#4) Create a consistent caloric deficit.The easiest and most sustainable way to do this is to eat REAL food. Mixing in strength training and fun cardio can help too.
#5) Track progress.Continue to track caloric intake to ensure you expend more calories than you consume.
That’s it.
You can do this. I know you can because many of our readers have done it themselves.
Want help taking your next step after calculating your TDEE? I have MULTIPLE options for you. Pick the path below that best aligns with your goals and timeline:
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:
2) If you want an exact blueprint for how to eat better and get in shape, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).
Try your free trial right here:
3) Enlist in the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.
Sign up in the box below when you download our free weight loss guide!
Download our free weight loss guide
THE NERD FITNESS DIET: 10 Levels to Change Your Life
Follow our 10-level nutrition system at your own pace
What you need to know about weight loss and healthy eating
3 Simple rules we follow every day to stay on target
You can do this, and we got your back!
-Steve
PS:Seriously, how great is The Shawshank Redemption? I could quote that movie all day long.
