How to Fail at Fitness

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How to Fail at Fitness 1

In case you hadn’t noticed, I spend a lot of time trying to help people get healthy.

It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to lose some weight, build some muscle, or just feel better about yourself; if you are willing to put in the effort I am willing to put in the time to help you achieve your goals.

That being said, when I survey my social media networks I can quickly point out people who despite the best of intentions are setting themselves up for failure by falling victim to trends and fallacies.

It drives me into a gamma radiation induced rage (Hulk SMASH!!!) every time, but I usually manage to remember Law #7 of the Jerd Herd and keep my mouth shut. I figure if they want help they will come ask.

That isn’t going to stop me from passive aggressively addressing their nonsense here though!

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Iron Rations: Mango Chia Seed Pudding

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Mango Chia Seed Pudding - Healthy Recipe 1

I realized the other day, that while we have tons of recipes available here on the site, we don’t have any healthy desserts!

So it’s time to fix that!

The problem with desserts is that we expect them to be super sweet, and as any loyal reader of this site knows, sugar is the enemy!

So what can we put in our face-holes that will satisfy the craving for a sugary treat, but won’t sabotage your diet?

The simple answer to that question – fruit.

Even though fruits have natural sugar, they also are packed with vitamins and fiber. That’s why they are a major part of our clean-eating plan!

Sometimes you might want to be fancier than just plain fruit though. Maybe you have a child you want to trick, maybe you’re having company and you don’t want to just throw and apple at their head after dinner, or maybe you just want to mix things up a little.

Whatever the case, this homemade “pudding” will hit the spot while giving you a nice dose of vitamin A, C and fiber!

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Product Review: Nike+ Sportwatch GPS

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Nike Sportwatch Review 1

I’ve been running with the Nike+ SportWatch GPS for the past six months, using it regularly during my runs.

While this product review is about the Nike+ SportWatch, there are takeaways to be had for any Jerd reader interested in GPS-enabled running watches.

So What Is It?

The SportWatch is a GPS-enabled device that tracks your distance and speed as you run!

It collects, and stores data, about your workout that you can later upload to the Nike+ website, where you can see the route you ran on a map, your pace, as well as elevation and calories burned.

We all know how much we geeks love data!

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Superhero Fitness is Here!!!

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Heroes Transformation bundle

The geekiest (and most comprehensive) program you will ever see for helping to get you in shape and feeling better about yourself is now available!

Find out how I can help you shed fat, build muscle and feel better about yourself RIGHT NOW!

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The Walking Dead Escape 2014… aka Nerds vs Zombies!

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Nerds vs Zombies - The Walking Dead Escape - San Diego Comic-Con 2014 1

I think that by now it is clear that nerds shall inherit the earth.

But if that is true we might be in trouble because, in a lot of survival situations, I am pretty sure zombies > than most nerds!

The Dilemma

We geeks are often faced with an unfortunate dilemma when attempting to go from geek to real-life superhero.

Our hobbies are numerous, but rarely conducive to building a body fit for heroic adventures. We spend our time:

  • Reading comics
  • Playing video and role-playing games
  • Programming
  • Watching movies
  • Trolling the Internet

Then we have the social commitment associated with those hobbies as well:

  • Arguing about the latest issue of our favorite comics
  • Guild raiding
  • Project deadlines
  • Midnight showings
  • All those people on the Internet that need to be trolled

So even though we might know, deep in our hearts, that eating right and exercising is something we should be doing, we are often fearful of not only adding a new time commitment to our schedule, but also the simple fact that it these things are foreign and unknown.

I have said multiple times before (and I will keep saying it I’m sure) that you don’t have to leave your geeky hobbies and interests behind to get healthy and in-shape!

There are so many ways to merge fitness into your geeky lifestyle… and today we are going to talk about The Walking Dead Escape as just one of those ways you can get out and do something physical without being bored in a gym

So load your crossbow; we are about to open the door to a fun, alternative fitness opportunity!

Nerds vs Zombies - The Walking Dead Escape - San Diego Comic-Con 2014 2

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How Chris Used the Riddle of Steel to Get Fit!

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Editors Note: Since I am still recovering from San Diego Comic Con, and not entirely capable of writing more than a few coherent sentences, I thought it might be helpful to have a one of my geeky compatriots share some thoughts about health and fitness. So today, 1/3rd of the Geeked Out Fitness gang decided to share the first leg of his personal journey…

The Road to Getting Fit and Healthy - Conan

There comes a time in every nerd’s life when you stop, look around at the wasteland of empty soda cans, crumpled chip bags, and crushed pizza boxes and think…

“IS THIS WHAT IS BEST IN LIFE?!?”

I had an epiphany one day as I stood before my feast of Hamburger Helper and realized that the only green colored sustenance I had consumed in weeks was Mountain Dew. Not a vegetable in sight for miles…

The worst part of all?

I was in the military at the time. I was supposed to be in the best shape of my life but I couldn’t run a mile without wanting to hack up a lung. The reality of the situation was that I had gained a bunch of weight, it certainly wasn’t the good kind, and I had a really unhealthy diet.

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A Beginner Guide to Strength Training

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So you want to get big and strong like the Hulk... Beginner Strength Training Guide

So you want to unleash your inner Hulk (rage optional) and get big and strong?

Does the thought of stepping into a gym and hitting the weights intimidate you? Do you wish you could pack muscle onto your skinny frame but don’t know where to start? Are you a bigger guy who’d rather have your chest and shoulders be broader than your waist? Are you a woman who’s tired of being “skinny fat” and wants to get that “toned” look? Maybe you just want to be stronger and faster?

No matter where you are starting from, I’m here to help with this beginner strength training guide!

The Basics

Strength training can be a vast, and scary, topic to try to come to grips with; so I want you to take a deep breath and let this guide take you through the process step-by-step.

“DON’T PANIC.” – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

If you’re looking to start building muscle and becoming stronger, it takes three distinct things:

At the most basic level, that’s really all you need.

Of course, readers of The Jerd know we are all about training smarter, not harder (law #6 of the Jerd Herd!) so I’ve tried to assemble a simple, yet well thought out, guide to beginner’s strength training for you. Inside you will find our Total Body 3×5 Workout Plan, how to deal with plateaus, and the major keys to success!

This is strength training boiled down to the absolute basics.

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Heroes’ Transformations: How Amanda Dropped 7 Dress Sizes

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Meet Amanda, a consultant and Whovian with a FANTASTIC success story.

Amanda’s transformation started like so many others:

  • Heroes Transformation - How Amanda Lost 7 Dress Sizes - Before 1Amanda realized one day that she was unhappy with the way she looked and felt.
  • She didn’t focus on the quality of the food she was eating.
  • After work, Amanda would find herself napping on the couch instead of doing something productive.
  • Amanda had self-image issues and needed to find a way out of the rut she was in.

Last year this all changed though.

She woke up one day and realized the person looking back at her in the mirror wasn’t someone she was happy with anymore.

Amanda then made a few habit and outlook changes that added up to an INCREDIBLE transformation.

So what happened?

Amanda is Unhappy

So last October Amanda faced a challenge all women seem to struggle with – finding a dress for a wedding.

“… I was shopping in Macy’s for a dress to wear to my friend’s wedding, and the only thing that even remotely fit me was a size 14. I had never been that big, and I was heart-broken.”

This is something that happens to so many people… the changes in their bodies are so subtle that it takes awhile to notice how far they have slipped. This is when Amanda reached out to me, downloaded the Top 7 Fitness Obstacles Newbies Face and started making positive changes in her life!

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Clean Eating 101

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Clean Eating 101 - How to Eat Clean and Healthy

I use the term “clean eating” a lot.

An argument could even be made that I overuse it.

But that’s because it is the single most important thing you can do if you want to get fit and healthy!

There is a good reason that the second Law of the Jerd-Herd is “We Eat Clean & Exercise Regularly“!

“We know that more than half the battle we have with ourselves is over what we cram into our faces on a daily basis. We know that unless we are fueling our bodies correctly, no amount of gym time will get us where we want to be.”

But you know what there isn’t good reason for? Me, not explaining what that really means. That has been an epic fail on my part, and today I rectify it!

What is “Clean Eating”?

Clean eating, in its simplest form can be boiled down to this:

Eat things that look like they did when they grew out of the ground, or eat things that eat the things that grew out of the ground.

It really can’t get much simpler than that!

Your regular diet should consist of:

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Iron Rations: Healthy Pancakes

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Healthy Pancake Recipe - Booster GoldI saw this recipe for “healthy pancakes” a couple of months back and I thought I would give them a shot!

If you want an exact substitute for the yummy goodness a stack of pancakes brings to your mouth, you might be a little disappointed. I won’t lie to you my loyal Jerdlings, I love pancakes and these are pancakes only in shape and in the fact you cook them in a pan.

But they are ridiculously easy to make (seriously, even a total kitchen n00b can whip these up no problem!) and they will definitely break up any breakfast-time monotony you might be feeling if you are trying to eat healthy.

Even better than that? This inexpensive and tasty, healthy pancake recipe provides you with a near perfect blend of nutrients to start your day off!

Healthy Banana & Egg Pancakes

So this recipe hits the trifecta for what I want in a recipe:

  • Easy to prepare
  • Full of Nutrients
  • Delicious!

It clocks in at about 255 calories and provides approx 13 grams of protein/3 grams of fiber/28 grams of carbs.

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The Avengers Workout

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Avengers Workout

Captain America: The Winter Soldier opened this past weekend to great (and well-deserved) fanfare!

And each time a new Marvel movie is released, legions of geeks return to the proverbial well to re-watch all the cinematic superhero goodness that has come before.

Undeniably, the crown jewel of the “phase 1” Marvel Cinematic Universe is The Avengers. An incredible movie, and one that cemented the fact that high quality, epic superhero films are not only possible… but also financially lucrative beasts that are here to stay!

So why is slipping into the warm embrace of a fan favorite movie you have seen so many times so gosh-darned fantastic?

Well… first off, because the movie is ridiculously good. More importantly though is the fact that not only can you repeat the lines, but you already know what is going to happen; therefore you can multi-task during a viewing and not feel cheated! So why not turn this fan indulgence into an opportunity to further your own superhero physique with The Avengers Workout?!?

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How To Measure Your Body Fat Percentage

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How To Measure Body Fat Percentage 1If figuring out your optimal weight is difficult, then trying to understand body fat percentages can be downright impossible!

It’s tough to calculate, tougher to track, and often misunderstood.

So I am going to do my best to answer some pretty common questions:

  • What the %@$# is body fat percentage?
  • How much body fat should I have?
  • When is it important to calculate it?

This is a bit of a dry topic, so I am going to do my best to not ramble on and on like normal be concise as possible, and if you make it through to the end I have a prize for you. So let’s get going!

What Is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

How To Measure Body Fat Percentage - BMI

Even though I feel that the Body Mass Index (BMI) is outdated (and basically a waste of time), I wanted to start with this as it is still a common measurement taken in the healthcare industry here in the United States.

If you go to a doctor for a check-up, they will probably calculate your BMI.

Body Mass Index uses something called the Quetelet Index to determine whether you are underweight, normal, overweight, or obese by calculating the ratio of your height to weight.

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Nerd-Core Fitness 102 – Basic Workout (Day 3)

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Basic Workout for Geeks and Nerds to do at Home!

Here we are folks, the top floor of the Nerd-Core Fitness 102 Basic Workout Program!

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve laid out two at-home, body weight workouts (Basic Workout Day 1 & Basic Workout Day 2) for all you loyal Jerdlings which I’m sure you’ve added to your weekly routine… (you have started banging these out, right?!?)

Well it’s time to finish it out, so here is the final entry into the basic workout program!

Are you just starting out? Then give the Nerd-Core Fitness 101 beginner workouts (Upper Body, Lower Body, Total Body & Ab Workout) a shot first!

The 102 basic program is designed to help get you moving along your Heroes Transformation journey, get you used to the rigors of regular exercise and help to get your body into real-life superhero shape!

After 5-6 weeks of these workouts you should be feeling substantially more fit (assuming you are eating reasonably well; if you need some tips you can start here: The Basics of Healthy Eating)!

Now, are these workouts going to get you ripped like Batman? No, of course not… but remember that the caped crusader didn’t start off fighting the Joker on his first night of fighting crime, he built himself up slowly and methodically. It’s going to take a little while before you are punching evil in the face, but this is a great start.

All you need is a desire to improve yourself and the commitment of a little time and discipline.

Now let’s get to it, shall we?

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Nerd-Core Fitness 102 – Basic Workout (Day 2)

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Basic Workout for Geeks and Nerds to do at Home!Time to keep climbing the Heroes’ Transformation stairs and leveling up your fitness!

Last week we introduced the first workout in the new series of at-home, body weight exercises (Nerd-Core Fitness 102 – Basic Workout Day 1), and now it’s time to add another upgrade to your at-home workout routine!

Just starting out? Then be sure to give the Nerd-Core Fitness 101 beginner workouts (Upper Body, Lower Body, Total Body & Ab Workout) a shot first!

Assuming you’re eating right (if you need help with that, start here: Clean Eating 101), the 102 series of workouts will get you another step towards transforming yourself into a real-life superhero!

All you need is a desire to improve yourself and the commitment of a little time and discipline.

Now let’s get to it, shall we?

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Nerd-Core Fitness 102 – Basic Workout (Day 1)

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Basic Workout Routine for Geeks and Nerds to do at Home

It is time to level up your “Heroes Transformation” my loyal Jerdlings!

Already conquered the Nerd-Core Fitness 101 beginner workouts (Upper Body, Lower Body, Total Body & Ab Workout)? After 3-4 weeks you should be cruising through them with relative ease, and be ready to change things up.

This new series of exercises will keep you on your way to being a real life super-hero! (Let’s be honest; right now you are in fledgling sidekick territory, but you have to start somewhere! And no Robin, please put away the green underoos…)

If you dedicate a little time and couple the program with clean and healthy eating, desire, and some superheroic willpower and you will have the recipe for a Strengthening Solution worthy of Hogwart’s Alchemy class!

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How To Track Your Fitness Progress

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How To Track Your Fitness Progress - Write Things Down

There’s one important activity that separates those that succeed at something, from those that don’t.

Whether it’s people who have lost tremendous amounts of body fat, gained serious levels of muscle, developed high levels of athletic prowess, or built successful business and lifestyles for themselves… the specific goal doesn’t really matter.

No matter what they are pursuing there is one important thing that they all seem to do…

They write everything down.

I know that since you are reading TheJerd.com that you are smart, incredibly good looking and all-around awesome but I am going to assume that you’re also serious about making changes to your life to become even more awesomer (Shoosh! It’s my website, I can make that a word if I want to.)

If that’s the case then I truly cannot stress enough the importance of this! This doesn’t mean just watching the scale either, I’m talking about following and keeping track of a plan that helps keep you on the path to success! It’s not easy, but I am here to show you how to track fitness progress.

Let’s get started RIGHT NOW!

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