5 Travel Workouts: The Ultimate Guide To Get In Shape While Traveling

5 Travel Workouts: The Ultimate Guide To Get In Shape While Traveling

  June 02, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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Ever said, “I’d love to get in shape, but I travel too much?”

If so, this guide is for you!

Today we’re gonna teach you exactly how to get fit no matter what type of business trip you’re on.

We’ll cover:

• 5 Quick Travel Workouts (no equipment required).
• How to eat healthy while traveling.
• What are some of the healthiest fast food options?
• How do I eat a healthy continental breakfast?
• How to make exercise on the road a priority.
• How to overcome jet lag (and other tips)

It’s time to get you a specific action plan that you can take with you on your next trip.

This is the philosophy we teach to all of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Clients. Many travel quite a bit, so having “worldwide accountability” and a specific plan for travel has been a game-changer for these Rebels.

Are you trying to learn a new exercise, lose weight, or build muscle, but find doing it on the road a challenge? Let us help you – click below to learn more.

5 Travel Workouts You Can Do Anywhere

Without access to your favorite gym, it can seem like you are doomed to remain sedentary until you get back home.

Have no fear! These 5 workouts you can do anywhere and at anytime!

#1) THE 20-MINUTE HOTEL ROOM WORKOUT

Set the alarm clock to 15 minutes from now and see how many circuits you can do!

1. Bodyweight squats: 20 reps.
2. Incline push-ups: 15 reps (feet on floor, hands on edge of bed or desk).
3. One-arm luggage rows: 10 reps (each arm, use your suitcase as your weight).

    

4. Reverse crunches: 10 reps.

Click right here for more advanced hotel workouts you can try.

#2) BEGINNER BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT

No gym required for this workout!

If you have a body, you can do this circuit! If you’re a brain floating in a jar, email me. I’ll think of a workaround for you.

1. Bodyweight squats: 20 reps.
2. Push-ups: 10 reps.
3. Walking lunges: 10 reps each leg.
4. Dumbbell rows (using your luggage/laptop bag as a weight): 10 reps each arm.
5. Plank: 15 seconds.
6. Jumping jacks: 30 reps

Run through this circuit three times. If you don’t have milk in the hotel room for the rows, find something of roughly the same weight with a good handle. Your luggage might work perfectly.

3) THE PLAYGROUND WORKOUT

Throughout the world, you’re often never that far away from a playground or a park.

Get a workout in there!

1. Alternating step-ups: 20 reps (10 each leg).
2. Elevated push-ups: 10 reps.
3. Swing rows: 10 reps.
4. Assisted lunges: 8 reps each leg.
5. Bent leg reverse crunches: 10 reps.

4) ADVANCED BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES CIRCUIT

Was that Beginner Bodyweight Workout too easy for you?

Then try out this more advanced circuit!

1. One legged squats: 10 each side [warning super-difficult, only attempt if you’re in good enough shape].
2. Bodyweight Squats: 20 reps.
3. Walking Lunges: 20 reps (10 each leg).
4. Jump step-ups: 20 reps (10 each leg).
5. Pull-Ups: 10 reps [or inverted bodyweight rows].
6. Dips (between two chairs): 10 reps.
7. Chin-ups: 10 reps [this might be tough in a hotel room, so try an inverted bodyweight rows with underhand grip].
8. Push-Ups: 10 reps.
9. Plank: 30 seconds.

5) THE ANGRY BIRDS WORKOUT

This is Nerd Fitness. There’s no way I’m going to miss including a nerdy-themed workout.

1. Bodyweight Squats: 30 reps.
2. Push-Ups: 20 reps (or 40 knee push-ups).
3. One arm rows: 30 reps (each arm).
4. Planks: – 60 seconds.

How to Eat Healthy While Traveling

Here’s what I do specifically while traveling:

#1) Skip meals strategically. I know that if I skip breakfast, it means I can eat a slightly larger lunch and have an extra drink with dinner and STILL come in under my daily calorie expenditure.

#2) Prepare for bad meals. I love me a good steak dinner with a side of mac and cheese and sweet potato fries and dessert and a few beers. When I’m on vacation or celebrating, that sounds like heaven to me.

However, I know if I always eat like that, I’m going to pack on lots of weight.

So I plan ahead for a big meal so that I can enjoy it guilt-free, and not see the scale budge. I eat protein and veggies for lunch, strategically undereating so that I can overeat for dinner – and not gain weight in the long run.

#3) Never eat 2 bad meals in a row. We have a big “never two in a row” rule at Nerd Fitness. Believe it or not, even being healthy just 50% of the time carries with it the tremendous potential for weight loss and a healthier life. So, if you eat a bad lunch, follow it up with a healthy dinner. Eat too much pizza for dinner? Cool! Make your breakfast healthy.

This is NOT “100% or nothing.” Every decision counts, every meal counts, so any decision where you are SLIIIIIGHTLY healthier than you would have been otherwise is a win in my book.

If you’re interested in the Nerd Fitness philosophy on proper diet, make sure you read our article “How to Start Eating Healthy,” which will teach you how to build a plate like this:

Curious about my default diet these days? You can read all about it right here. And here is the specific diet I followed – while traveling frequently – to lose 22 pounds sustainably.

Here are some other strategies for healthy eating on the road.

#1) Ask your hotel for a mini-fridge. Fill it with your own healthy snacks – just make sure they don’t charge you for taking out the other foods! Fruit, sliced veggies, and some deli meat will provide you with some sustenance until you can order a proper meal.

Here is a post with some ideas for healthy snacks you can buy and store in your room.

#2) Travel with a cooler. If you know the hotel can’t accommodate a mini-fridge, or you’re on a road trip, no problem! Bring a mini-cooler or cooler bag. If you use a bag, it’ll fold up for easy packing.

Is it weird to travel with a cooler? Sure. But we embrace weird around these parts.

#3) Bring non-perishable snacks with you. I’ve eaten almonds forgotten in a backpack, months later, and lived to tell the tale.

Lots of dry food like nuts and jerky won’t spoil anytime soon, so store some in your travel bag. Munching some beef jerky is a much better idea than the pizza in the airport terminal. Here are some good almonds to purchase, and here’s some recommended beef jerky for you to try out.

#4) Focus on protein and fiber. When choosing meals or snacks, make sure the foods you pick are full of protein and fiber.^[1] This will help keep you full, so you’re not tempted to eat the donuts waiting for you at your work conference.

What are protein and fiber-rich foods? Hard-boiled eggs will store well, and can be bought at many convenience stores. That’s a good protein source. Deli meat, jerky, and nuts will also do the trick for your protein requirements.

Fiber-rich foods? Fruits and vegetables for the win. Always bring an apple with you.

#5) All is not lost if you order fast food. There’s a common belief amongst our coaching clients, that the moment you step foot in a fast food store, you lost. You made a terrible decision by even walking in. Might as well order whatever, because you already failed.

This is 100% not true. What you order will make all the difference. For example, I eat a chicken bowl from Chipotle almost every day. To the point that it’s weird.^[2]

Why? Because it’s healthier than anything I’m realistically going to make at lunchtime, given my schedule.

Remember, what you order is more important than where you order from.

Let’s dive into that last point a little more.

What Are Some Healthy Fast Food Options?

Let’s outline an entire day’s worth of eating, provided by a drive-thru window (we cover this in our fast food article).

Most of these can also be found at your average airport terminal.

#1) BREAKFAST:

Location: Starbucks

• Sous Vide Egg Bites, Bacon & Gruyere: A great protein source. Go ahead and order some black coffee with it too.
  • Calories: 310
  • Protein: 19g
  • Net Carbs: 9g
  • Fat: 22g

Location: Dunkin’ Donuts

• Sausage Egg and Cheese Bagel (no bagel): Sausage and egg are a breakfast staple. Plus, cheese!
  • Calories: 370
  • Protein: 16g
  • Net Carbs: 3g
  • Fat: 33g

#2) LUNCH:

Location: McDonald’s

• Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad (Use the Balsamic Vinaigrette): It’s mostly greens, grilled chicken and a little bacon. No customization required. Your salad comes in under 400 calories.
  • Calories: 320
  • Protein: 42g
  • Net Carbs: 6g
  • Fat: 14g

Location: Subway

• Oven Roasted Chicken: Grab it with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onion, green peppers, cucumbers, and olives, with oil and vinegar as dressing. Also, feel free to add bacon and guacamole to increase your calories. Your nutrition info will look like this if ordered as above:
  • Calories: 490
  • Protein: 24g
  • Net Carbs: 11g
  • Fat: 35.5g

#3) DINNER:

Location: Boston Market

• Three-Piece Dark: Lot’s of protein, decent fat, and no carbs.
  • Calories: 300
  • Protein: 37g
  • Net Carbs: 1g
  • Fat: 16g
•  Green Beans: Keep it simple.
  • Calories: 90cals
  • Protein: 1g
  • Net Carbs: 4g
  • Fat: 5g
• Fresh Steamed Vegetables: Following our “simple” strategy.
  • Calories: 60
  • Protein: 2g
  • Net Carbs: 4g
  • Fat: 3.5g

Location: Chipotle

• Salad Bowl (with Carnitas): order it with Fajita Vegetables, Fresh Tomato Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheese, and YES for Guacamole.
  • Calories: 710
  • Protein: 34g
  • Net Carbs: 12
  • Fat: 51g

The above should help give you some ideas on what to order when you’re depending on fast food.

Want some more ideas? Check out our guide on healthy fast food.

How Do I Eat a Healthy Continental Breakfast?

So your room comes with a free complimentary breakfast.

Might as well take advantage of it!

Go ahead and load up on these:

1. Eggs. We mentioned earlier to prioritize protein with your meals. Just about every hotel continental breakfast will have some eggs. The quality might be so-so, however. If they have some hot sauce around, this can make just about any scramble tolerable.
2. Sausage. Continuing with our protein theme, if there is sausage at the buffet, grab some. Granted, it’ll often have some sugar in the form of maple syrup included. But we’re going with the best we can here.
3. Bacon. We love bacon around these parts so much, we wrote an entire post on it. The fat in bacon will help keep you full until you’re next meal. Plus, if the eggs are crappy (the eggs will probably be crappy), you can mix in some bacon to bring up the tasty factor.
4. Fruit. It can’t all be about meat. Go ahead and grab some fruit for your plate. Apples are relatively high in fiber, which is why they’re my go-to. Bananas also have decent fiber, as well as vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium. Are there berries available? Grab some for their antioxidant potential (we talk all about berries and antioxidants in this article).
5. Toast. I know, I know, we might be attracting the Carb Police on us for this one. But you can do a lot worse at a breakfast buffet than a little whole-wheat toast. If you put some eggs and bacon on it, you have yourself a pretty decent breakfast sandwich with some fiber to help keep you full.

Alright, prioritize the above on your plate. Plus, minimize:

1. Juice. If I could give you one single piece of diet advice, it would be this: try not to drink your calories. There’s a lot of arguments on diets, but this advice is widely accepted. An orange has plenty of vitamins in it, plus a lot of fiber to help balance out the sugar. OJ? Zero fiber, and it’s mostly just high-calorie sugar water at this point! Skip the juice and eat the whole fruit.
2. Pancakes/Waffles. Don’t eat these, unless you are good at portion control! The high-calorie batter itself will have sugar in it, plus it’s designed to have more sugar (maple syrup) poured on top. Stick to toast.
3. Cereal. This breakfast food is often packed full of carbs, calories, and sugar. For example, the third ingredient for Cheerios is “sugar.” And that’s Cheerios. Don’t even get me started on Fruit Loops or Frosted Flakes. Again, stick to toast.

The above advice should get you started on loading up properly at a breakfast buffet.

How To Make Staying Fit A Priority on the Road

If you are trying to get healthy but need to travel frequently, I want you to make exercise your constant.

I don’t know if you were a Lost fan, but my favorite episode, “The Constant,” involved a character named Desmond who had to find the one “constant” in his life in order to stay sane.

Something Desmond could focus on as his mind traveled through time.

You had to be there.

I’ve traveled quite a bit over the years: sightseeing countries, sleeping on buses, exploring temples, and visiting a new town seemingly every other day.

During all this chaos: exercise became my constant.

I knew that without a doubt, no matter where I was or what I was doing, every other day I would find a way to work out – no excuses. I might have had to add in an extra day between workouts maybe a handful of times.

What I’m trying to say is this: if you are serious about prioritizing your health, even while traveling, then start treating exercise like YOUR constant.

Make it a reliable, consistent thing in your schedule, no matter where you are in the world.

No matter what.

Sound difficult? Start by asking yourself the following:

“If I HAD to still get my workouts in, even if I am traveling or on vacation, how would I do it?”

Most answers will be something like this:

1. “If I had to work out, it would mean that I need to wake up SUPER early tomorrow morning to hit the gym before the conference starts.”
2. “If I had to get my run in, it would mean I could only go for a 20 minute run instead of my normal 60-minute run.”
3. “If I had to get my workout in, that would mean I need to actually PAY for a day pass at a real gym, because I know hotel gyms are crappy.”

This is the most important question you can ask yourself before your trip: “How do I make this work for me?” 

Then, structure your environment and schedule to make it happen:

1. Add it to your calendar.
2. Set up a text reminder.
3. Plan your schedule around it.
4. Have your coach or friend remind you.
5. Research the nearest gym or park.

Again, ask yourself – what if you HAD to work out, no matter what. How would you get it done? What would you need to change?

And then do whatever you can to make it your constant.

How to Overcome Jet Lag (and other tips)

We need to address a few final points: sleep, jet lag, and hydration.

All of these are going to impact your ability to follow the advice above. 

#1) SLEEP.

When I’m sleep-deprived, I often don’t have the energy to exercise…when the reality is that exercise is often the thing that will give me energy (foreshadowing).

Also, if you’re lacking on shuteye, you’ll get hungrier.^[3] When you’re sleep-deprived, your brain sends signals for more energy, which means more calories. This is troublesome if you’re trying to hold out until you can order a nutritious chicken salad.

Prioritize sleep.

Two good tools to help with this are earplugs and an eye mask. Some hotels have a way of being bright and noisy.

#2) HOW TO DEAL WITH JET LAG.

Even being able to go to sleep, is going to assume you are not suffering terribly from “jet lag.”

Jet lag is the phenomenon of traveling from one time zone to another, but still being stuck in the former time.

For example, you fly from New York to London.

It was night when you left New York. It is now morning in London. You may or may not have slept on the plane.

What time is it?

Your body can have some serious trouble getting back on track, because our circadian rhythms (our biological clock) is thrown off from the geographic change.

My solution: work out (click here for that section).

Studies have shown that a good sweat can help change your circadian rhythm, which might help you adjust to the local time.^[4]

If you’re able to, work out as soon as you get settled to help combat jet lag. I’ve personally found this to be super helpful in adjusting to the local time. 

#3) STAY PROPERLY HYDRATED

Air travel dehydrates you.^[5] The cabin’s air is environmentally controlled, with lower moisture than you find here on the ground.

• Humidity on the good old fashioned Earth: 30-60%
• Moisture in an average airplane: 10-20%

Yeah…that 10-20% is less than the Sahara desert.

That’s pretty dry…

On top of that, the pressurization of the cabin itself causes you to expel H2O.

Something something, physics. Something something, less water.

The low humidity and pressurized environment create a perfect scenario for you to lose lots of water. 

And if you’re dehydrated, it can make you tired, which can go back to that whole hunger and calories thing.

Drink water.

Above All Else, Preserve Momentum While Traveling!

Whatever you’re currently working on improving in your life, you can continue working on that while traveling.

You only fall off the wagon if you resign yourself to the fact that it’s impossible to stay fit while traveling!

Why not have the opposite mindset, and ask “How do I make this work for me?”

Millions of people manage to stay healthy despite a hectic travel schedule, and I want the same for you.

Here are some final tips to help you while traveling: 

1. Travel day? Pack some healthy snacks with you in your bag – apples and almonds are my go-to.
2. Going out to dinner with co-workers? Find the restaurant online, scour the menu, and “pre-order your dinner” in your mind so you know what to order when you get there. Order the “meat + veggie + potato” option on the menu, and ask for double veggies instead. Aim for something like steak tips, or grilled chicken, salmon, etc.
3. Traveling with your family? Let them know that you’re making a concerted effort to eat better and that you’d like their support.
4. Going out with friends? Let’s say you’re going out with buddies, and you have no choice but to eat fried food and drink tons of beer (I hate when that happens). Compensate by being extra diligent on the days before and after – no drive-thru meals, no late-night vending machine stops, no bad snacks while at the convention.

Pick your battles. Plan ahead. Make eating a priority.

If you want any help as you head out on the road, I got you boo.

Here’s how Nerd Fitness can help you get in shape while you travel:

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

Lots of our clients travel full-time, and their coach is one of the few constants they have every day.

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

#2) If you want a roadmap for getting in shape on the road, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app will help you exercise and eat better, all while you build your very own superhero…no matter where on Earth you are!

Interested?

Try your free trial right here:

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

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

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

Alright, that’s about it for this guide. Now, your turn:

Do you travel for work?

Do you upcoming vacation this summer?

What struggles do you have while on the road? What kind of questions do you have about staying in shape and traveling?

Leave a question in the comments and I’ll help in any way that I can.

-Steve

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All photo citations can be read right here: Backpacker, Decathlon, Good Party, Newtonmas, Apples, Model Train Display, Califonia Dreamin, Angry Hulk, Dirt Bike.

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

1. You can check on this study on protein and satiation, and this one on fiber.
2. Again, embrace it.
3. Here’s a study on sleep and appetite for you to check out.
4. You can check out this study on exercising and circadian rhythms.
5. The LA Times has a great article on the subject.

The post 5 Travel Workouts: The Ultimate Guide To Get In Shape While Traveling first appeared on Nerd Fitness.

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What is the CICO (Calories In, Calories Out) Diet? How to Count Calories for Weight Loss

What is the CICO (Calories In, Calories Out) Diet? How to Count Calories for Weight Loss

  June 02, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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

You probably have questions like: 

Steve, does CICO work? 

Will counting calories help me lose weight?

Okay, what the hell IS a calorie?

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

I’ve been writing about this stuff for 12 years, and our team of coaches help their Online Coaching clients with all types of diets (including CICO). We are really flippin’ good at it!

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

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

It’s time to get started!

What Is the CICO Diet plan?

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

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

That’s pretty much it.

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

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

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

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

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

Is Losing Weight Really About Calories?

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

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

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

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

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

No other food rules need to apply:

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

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

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

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

Does Calorie Counting Work? (CICO and Weight Loss)

In principle, CICO works.

In practice, it becomes a little more complicated. 

Okay, fine, A LOT more complicated.

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

Ditto for “calories out.”

Let’s break some of this down.

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

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

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

And remember, this is only half of the equation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is going to lead us to….

The Problem With CICO (Humans Are Bad Estimators)

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

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

We all know this. 

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

This isn’t the problem with CICO. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s about to get even worse.

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

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

Oh, and those fitness trackers we wear? They’ve been shown to be inaccurate, some by up to 90%!^[16]

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

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

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

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

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

Ugh.

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

THE NERD FITNESS CALORIE CALCULATOR

Total Daily Energy Expenditure Calculator

Your sex * Male Female

Male/Female

Age *

Use age in years.

Weight *

Use pounds (lbs). If using metric system, multiple kg times 2.2 for lbs.

Height *

Use inches. If using metric system, divide cm by 2.54 for total inches.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your BMR is an estimate of the total calories burned a day, while in a state of rest.

Activity Level * Sedentary (You frequent tell Netflix you are still watching) Lightly Active (You casually stroll through your neighborhood a few times a week) Moderately Active (If we called the gym on a weeknight looking for you, they'd find you) Very Active (You are constantly moving throughout your day job and you're on the company softball team)

For "Activity Level," veer toward the side of less active. Studies consistently show that people are not as active as they self-assess.

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

Your TDEE is an estimate of the total calories burned during a single day, when exercise is factored in.

 

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

Does that make all this hopeless?

Not even remotely.

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

Tips for Sustainable Weight Loss (Next Steps)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Right.

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

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

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

This will naturally raises your “calories out.”

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

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

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

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

Here are some options for a healthy new habit:

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

The most important thing you can do now: start!

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

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

Boom!

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

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

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

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

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

Interested?

Try your free trial right here:

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

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

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

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

Now, your turn:

What are your thoughts on The CICO Diet?

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

Think I’ve got it all totally wrong? 

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

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

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

###

GIF Source: Millhouse, Barney Thumbs Up, Joker, A Beautiful Mind, Leo “duh,”

Photo Source: A Surprise Performance Appraisal, Against the Current, There is always a bigger fish, Dim Sum Trike, miam miam, 

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

1. You can read this study, or this study, or this study, or this study, or this study, or…ok fine, you get the point.
2. Read, “Biological Control of Appetite: A Daunting Complexity.” Source, PubMed.
3. Read, “Energetic consequences of thermal and nonthermal food processing.” Source, PubMed.
4. Read, “Gut microbes help the body extract more calories from food.” Source, Science Direct.
5. Hardvard Health takes an interesting look at stress and appetite here. Here’s a study on PCOS and metabolism.
6. Read, “The Role of Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis in Human Obesity.” Source, PubMed.
7. Precision Nutrition has a great article exploring this topic, if you’re curious.
8. Read, “Revisiting the role of protein-induced satiation and satiety.” Source, Science Direct.
9. Read, “Dietary Protein and Muscle Mass: Translating Science to Application and Health Benefit.” Source, PubMed.
10. Read, “Increasing muscle mass to improve metabolism.” Source, PubMed.
11. Read, “Calorie Estimation in Adults Differing in Body Weight Class and Weight Loss Status.” Source, PubMed.
12. Read, “Energy intake and energy expenditure: a controlled study comparing dietitians and non-dietitians.” Source, PubMed.
13. Read it straight from the FDA right here.
14. Read, “Food Label Accuracy of Common Snack Foods.” Source, PubMed.
15. Read, “Individuals Underestimate Moderate and Vigorous Intensity Physical Activity.” Source, PLOS. This study and this study came up with similar results.
16. Read, “Accuracy in Wrist-Worn, Sensor-Based Measurements of Heart Rate and Energy Expenditure in a Diverse Cohort.” Source, PubMed.

The post What is the CICO (Calories In, Calories Out) Diet? How to Count Calories for Weight Loss first appeared on Nerd Fitness.

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2021 Father’s Day Gift Guide

2021 Father’s Day Gift Guide

  June 02, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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If you’re not sure what to get dad for Father’s Day, I’ve got you covered with tons of ideas. It can be a little tricky to shop for dads and husbands! I’d love to hear any gift ideas you’re planning, too.

Hellooooooo. Anyone else feel like Father’s Day is sneaking up on us this year? This past year has flown by in a second and an eternity at the same time. I wanted to share some gift ideas if you’re planing ahead! We have a few weeks but I figured I should get started now. If you have any awesome gift ideas, please shout them out in the comments!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8

For the fit dad:

If he loves to golf, check out this lulu polo and these shorts. The Pilot wears these polos and shorts almost every time he’s not in uniform.

An insulated golf bag.

New Bose Free Wireless headphones. We have these and LOVE them.

The perfect crosstraining tee.

New cross training sneaks.

A massage gift card at his favorite spot.

A foam roller.

A HigherDOSE sauna blanket! If your guy is into fitness, this is an amazing recovery tool.

An Oura ring. I love this thing SO much for detailed sleep tracking and that it tests my readiness levels based on previous day’s activity, body temp, sleep quality, etc. If your guy likes to geek out on fitness stats, this would be a great gift.

For the chef:

An Ooni pizza oven. I totally want one of these for the backyard 🙂

Flavored wood chips for the BBQ.

This BBQ sauce gift set.

BBQ tool set.

These cedar grilling wraps are amazing.

“On the rocks” set.

A bluetooth speaker to listen to while he’s outside grilling.

Whiskey sampler.

An air fryer for healthy yet still delicious, twist on traditional fried foods. We got this one and I’m obsessed.

Wood wine caddy.

For the sports fanatic:

A man crate.

Important golf socks.

Baseball bottle openers + stand.

Baseball park map glasses.

For the beer lover:

Pressurized growler for craft beer.

Craft beer tasting kit.

A shirt from his favorite brewery.

A beer cap map to showcase his faves from the US.

Beeropoly.

Clothes, gear, and random:

A car wash membership. This is a practical gift that is always appreciated.

New Dopp kit.

Low-top sneakers. (The Pilot has these in grey and wears them all the time.)

Couch bowl! Perfect for late-night cereal eating.

New sunnies. Love these classic Ray-bans.

Nap robe. Everyone needs a nap robe, really.

A beautiful take on a family “tree.”

Counterman collection. The Pilot uses this collection and loves it. It’s very gentle on skin and smells amazing. I maybe steal the shaving cream and body wash every now and again. 😉

A classy jewelry stand for dudes.

A new watch. 

A bottle breacher. I feel like I recommend these on every guys’ gift guide, but they’re a really awesome unique gift.

A funny shirt just for the occasion. I got this one for the Pilot for a Disney shirt and it’s been a huge hit.

What do you usually do for Father’s Day? Any amazing gift ideas to share?

xo

Gina

The post 2021 Father’s Day Gift Guide appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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Summer Shape Up is here! + workout #1

Summer Shape Up is here! + workout #1

  June 01, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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Hi friends! How’s the week going? I hope you’re having a great one so far. This morning, the kiddos are at camp and I’m looking forward to Taco Tuesday with the fam tonight.

Summer Shape Up starts TODAY and I’m so pumped to do this challenge with you! (I have to modify a bit with my broken pinky, but it’s feeling so much better. I can ditch the splint on Sunday and I.can’t.wait.)

(Tested out all of the workouts and they passed the quick, challenging, fun and sweaty test)

I look forward to these Shape Up challenges each year because it gives me a better chance to connect with you all and the community atmosphere is amazing. Summer is usually when our routine is upheaved a bit with vacations, kids home, etc., but after this past year, I feel like we could all use a little routine reset. So many of us were just taking life day by day, for so long, without the opportunity to ever find a true routine. Now is the perfect chance! These Shape Up challenges are the perfect opportunity to shake up your routine, join a group of inspiring women from all over the world cheering for each other, and stack up some fitness wins as we head into the summer months.

If you’d like to join, it’s not too late! Sign up at this link and you’ll have the entire 14-day plan emailed to you. It has workouts (with video workout tutorials and modifications), meal ideas, weekly planners you can fill out according to your personal schedule, and details on how to win the prizes. The grand prize winner is getting three days of Sakara meals (SO GOOD), a fitness consult with me, and a year Fit Team access.

If you want to see what this is all about, here’s what today’s workout looks like!!

Check out the video tutorial here.

Are you joining in the challenge?

How has your fitness routine changed over the past year? What’s one goal you’re working forward right now?

xo

Gina

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