3 things we’ve learned in 8 years of coaching

Introduction to Common Pitfalls in Fitness Journeys

Over the past 8 years, we’ve had thousands of conversations with clients, Rebels, and community members at Nerd Fitness. Through these conversations, polls, and replies, we’ve identified three common statements that people struggle with: “Just tell me what to do,” “I need to see signs of progress,” and “I can’t seem to stay motivated.” These statements reveal underlying pitfalls that people fall into, and we want to help you avoid making the same mistakes.

It’s essential to recognize these pitfalls to create a successful fitness plan. By understanding the needs and challenges associated with each statement, you can develop a more effective approach to achieving your fitness goals.

Understanding the Pitfalls

The first pitfall is associated with the statement “Just tell me what to do.” This often leads to overly restrictive plans that leave people burned out. The need here is for clarity that fits your life, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. People feel overwhelmed and overloaded with work, family, and other responsibilities, so it’s no wonder there’s a strong desire for someone to simplify things.

However, this can backfire when it leads to plans that aren’t a good fit for your life. Exercises that aren’t the right level, restrictive meal plans, and schedules that assume you have all the time and energy in the world can leave you burned out and back at square one. We’ve learned to emphasize fit and flexibility first, so you get clarity on next steps while also making sure there’s enough flexibility to make it a good fit for you.

Tracking Progress and Staying Motivated

The second pitfall is associated with the statement “I need to see signs of progress.” This often leads to jumping from one program to the next. The need here is for multiple levels of feedback loops. Change is hard, and it’s even harder if it feels like you’re spinning your wheels and not getting anywhere. We’ve all started a new workout or nutrition program, only to step on the scale or look in the mirror and feel deflated and like nothing is happening.

This can lead to program hopping – jumping from one thing to another so quickly it’s hard to evaluate their effectiveness. Fitness is like investing: the biggest returns take time. So, we tackle that by tracking both effort and results. We track workouts completed, habits practiced, consistency, strength gains, body composition, moving through your day more easily, sleep quality, energy levels, etc.

Wins in consistency are an early form of progress, and wins in results come later. Some tools we love to accomplish each of these include a “Jar of Awesome” for effort and “Zoom Out sessions” for results. Having feedback loops in each of these areas makes it easier to stay confident and patient.

• Jar of Awesome (effort): every time you make a choice you’re proud of, add a marble (or note) to the jar. Watch the wins stack up.
• Zoom Out sessions (results): set a rhythm (we recommend every 2-6 weeks) to evaluate your progress. This prevents you from adjusting things too quickly while also giving you clear check-in points to make changes.

Avoiding All-or-Nothing Thinking

The third pitfall is associated with the statement “I can’t seem to stay motivated.” This often leads to all-or-nothing thinking. The need here is for systems that support consistency. Life gets messy, people get sick, work runs late, chaos happens. It’s easy to get knocked off course and blame ourselves and our lack of motivation for being unable to see things through.

This leads to a lot of all-or-nothing thinking. Either we are all in (and things are going great!), or we get knocked off course and struggle to get back on track. To avoid this pitfall, we need to implement systems that support consistency. The more you practice implementing these systems, the easier it will be to maintain momentum.

Quick Checklist for Success

When you look at your own plan, ask yourself:

1. Does it give me clarity that actually fits my life?

2. Do I have feedback loops to track effort and results?

3. Do I have systems to help me stick with it when life gets messy?

If yes…AWESOME! You’re set up for success. If not…no worries. Start with whichever one feels weakest, and shore it up first.

And if you’d like help implementing these strategies, now is a great time to join Nerd Fitness Coaching! For the first time in 8 years, we’ll be raising prices for new Nerd Fitness Coaching clients after October 31, 2025. Current clients are not affected. Starting November 1, the base monthly rate will increase from $197 to $297.

The change reflects 8 years of improvements we’ve made as a program, continued investment in our custom app, and our commitment to hiring and retaining the best coaches in the galaxy. If you’ve been thinking about joining, you can still lock in the $197/month rate if you sign up by Friday, October 31, 2025. Our team would love to chat with you to see if coaching is the right fit!

Learn more about avoiding these common pitfalls and achieving your fitness goals Here

Image Credit: www.nerdfitness.com