Hey there,
Coach Matt Myers from Team Nerd Fitness here!
While Steve writes his Monday newsletter with stories to help you resolve your life in general, he asked me to give more specific guidance about health and fitness.
I do this fitness -thing almost as long as Steve has written his newsletter.
(In fact, I mailed Steve in 2010 and since then we have been friends – and now 8 years of colleagues!)
For 15 years I have had the privilege of coaching many people. I have had a chair in the front row that actually helps people with their fitness goals when life becomes messy (what it always does).
Here are 3 lessons that I have learned on the way – less our coaches use daily to help people with a busy life, big goals and brains who do not always want to work together.
Let’s be a level up!
🧠 lesson 1: there is no ‘normal’.
Tell me if this sounds familiar …
“I just need life to settle down a little … and then I get back on the right track.”
Yes. That version of “normal”? It’s a myth.
Life does not calm down. It changes.
Whether it is a tough week at work, your children who get sick, travel, take care of a family member or just try to keep your head above water – life never seems to settle down for long.
So we make a plan that anticipates those challenges, instead of something that derails.
At Nerd Fitness we call this as Dial.
- An alternative training that you can do at home in 15 minutes for when you have stressed, tired and shortage
- Simple dietary habits where you can fall back in a pinch (ie eat protein with every meal)
- A list of meals that you can take on the road that match your goals and keep you on the right track
By having several ways to stay on course, you continue to build your momentum, even if life is chaotic.
There is no normal. And that is to be expected!
🔎 lesson 2: zoom in, zoom out
Have you ever thought of yourself
“I want to get in shape, but I just have to go so far.”
Or,
“I used to be in excellent condition, but now everything just feels like that difficult. “
Those are completely normal thoughts to have! (🙋erk I know I’ve had them!)
However, what I have observed in the course of time is that these thoughts often remove people from the energy to persist and continue.
So what can a nerd do?
That’s where one of our favorite tools comes: Zoom in, zoom out.
Zoom in: What should I do today?
Zoom out (every few weeks): am I going in the right direction?
Zooming helps you to avoid laser focus on your daily actions and to avoid the endless spiral of “I am not there yet”.
Instead, ask:
✅ Did I do my training today?
✅ Did I get a protein and a vegetable with every meal? Etc.
Then take a step back every 1-4 weeks and check the larger picture:
What is going well?
What was a challenge?
What should change or the goal needs to be adjusted?
That rhythm-daily focus with periodic, big-picture check-ins is how real change takes place.
⚖ Lesson 3: Make it meaningful and executable.
How do you know if a strategy is the right one for you?
Find the right balance between challenging and feasible.
Too easy? It will not move the needle.
Too difficult? You will not do it consistently enough to make a difference.
The right level of challenge is different for every person.
Maybe it follows macros every day and trains 3x/week.
Perhaps it goes for a daily walk and prioritizing vegetables and vegetables with every meal.
Perhaps it is conscious and slow eating and creating a routine before bed to get a better sleep.
There is no “good” or “wrong” answer here. The right level of challenge will change for you over time.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and adjust until you find that sweet spot: Challenging enough to feel meaningful, but executable enough to stay consistent.
These 3 lessons are a core part of what we use in Nerd fitness coaching – and they have helped thousands of people to get into excellent condition, even when life throws curveballs.
Which one did you notice the most?
Send me an e -mail to “(E -Mail Protected)“I would like to hear what you are working on.
I will broadcast every other week or as useful tips like this, so feel free to feel questions you have!
– Coach Matt
Ps Do you want help with building your plan – and you actually stick to it when life goes crazy? View our online coaching program »