Why I'd Ignore 90% of Fitness Advice If I Started Over in 2026

If I had to get back in shape today, I'd ignore almost everything you're about to see flood your feed this January.

Not because it's wrong.

Because it's designed to fail you.

Most fitness content is optimized for engagement, not execution. It's built for the algorithm, not for the overworked tech professional who barely has time to eat lunch, let alone meal prep six Tupperware containers on Sunday.

I know this because I was that person. And I failed spectacularly—for years—following "good advice" in the worst possible way.

The 120kg Disaster: How I Did Everything Right (and Got Nowhere)

Ten years ago, I was a 120kg lead full-stack developer drowning in 60-hour work weeks and convinced I could hack my way to fitness the same way I debugged code: throw everything at the problem until something works.

Here's what I tried—all at once:

Intermittent fasting (16/8): Zero kilograms lost. Just constant brain fog during morning standups.

Running 10km every day: Zero kilograms lost. Plus ravenous hunger that made me eat back every calorie I'd burned—immediately.

100 push-ups per day: Zero kilograms lost. (Though ironically, this was the only thing that actually improved my strength and mental clarity—I just couldn't feel it under the chaos.)

Randomly cutting carbs, then fat, then carbs again: Zero kilograms lost. Just more hunger and confusion about what I was even allowed to eat anymore.

Quitting alcohol and smoking: Massive life wins. Genuinely transformative for my health and relationships. But from a weight-loss perspective? Still zero kilograms lost—because the chronic stress from everything else I was doing kept cortisol spiked and my body in survival mode.

I wasn't lazy. I wasn't uncommitted. I was doing things that work—just all at once, with no measurements, no plan, and no understanding of what was actually moving the needle.

Every approach I tried came from credible sources: research papers, books, Men's Health articles. Each one would work beautifully—in isolation, for the right person, in the right context.

But I was making fitness vinaigrette: combining ingredients that are individually healthy into a chaotic, incoherent mess that nobody wants to eat.

Why Smart People Fail at Fitness (and Why January Makes It Worse)

Here's the brutal truth: the smarter you are, the more likely you are to overcomplicate this.

Engineers, developers, knowledge workers—we love systems. We love optimization. We love the idea that if we just gather enough data and apply the right framework, we can shortcut the process.

So we do what we do best: we research.

We read the studies on intermittent fasting and metabolic flexibility. We watch YouTube breakdowns of progressive overload. We listen to podcasts about sleep optimization and HRV tracking. We download the apps, buy the books, join the Reddit communities.

And then we try to implement all of it at once.

Why? Because we're impatient. Because we're used to deploying code that works immediately. Because we've been conditioned to believe that more information equals better results.

But fitness doesn't work like code. Your body isn't a deterministic system where input A always produces output B. It's a complex, adaptive organism that responds to cumulative stress, consistency over time, and signal clarity.

When you stack intermittent fasting + daily 10km runs + random macro cuts + new workout programs on top of 60-hour work weeks and mediocre sleep, you're not creating a powerful synergy.

You're creating noise.

Your body can't tell what's working because the signal is buried under contradictory inputs. You can't tell what's working because you're not measuring anything except the scale—which is the wrong metric anyway.

Research shows that decision fatigue significantly impairs self-control and cognitive performance.¹ Every new protocol you add is another decision point, another thing to track, another opportunity to fail. And in January, when the entire internet is screaming conflicting advice at you, that cognitive load becomes unbearable.

This is why most people quit by February. Not because they're weak—because the system they're trying to follow is fundamentally unexecutable.

The Cargo Ship Problem: You're Sailing Blind

Imagine you're the captain of a cargo ship.

You have no GPS. No compass. No starting coordinates. No destination port programmed in. No instruments to measure distance traveled or direction.

You just… adjust the sails and hope you're going the right way.

That's what most people do with fitness.

They pick a workout program (adjusting the sails) without defining what success looks like (destination port), without measuring where they actually are right now (starting coordinates), and without any way to track whether they're moving in the right direction (navigation instruments).

Then they get frustrated three weeks later when they can't see the shore.

Here's what changed everything for me: I stopped trying to sail and started building the navigation system first.

What I'd Actually Do If I Started Over Today

After losing 46kg and becoming a Certified International Personal Trainer—not for a career change, but to finally understand what the hell I was doing wrong—here's the setup I'd follow.

It's not sexy. It won't trend on Instagram. But it works.

The 70/30 Rule

70% of your success comes from setup. Only 30% comes from execution.

Most people spend 100% of their energy on execution (workouts, meal prep, willpower) and 0% on setup. Then they wonder why they can't stay consistent.

Here's the setup I'd build before I touch a single dumbbell:

1. Define the Destination (One SMART Goal)

Not "get in shape." Not "lose weight."

Something like: "Lose 10kg of body fat while maintaining or building lean mass over the next 12 weeks, measured by weekly weigh-ins and monthly progress photos."

Specific. Measurable. Time-bound. One goal at a time.

Why one? Because every additional goal dilutes your focus and adds cognitive load. Master one transformation, then layer the next.

2. Establish Your Navigation Instruments (Progress Tracking)

Before you change anything, decide what you'll measure:

• Body weight: Weekly, same day/time, same scale
• Progress photos: Every 2 weeks, same lighting/angle
• Energy levels: Daily 1-10 rating
• Sleep quality: Hours + subjective quality
• Workout completion: Did you train? Yes/no.

Notice what's not on this list: daily weigh-ins, body fat calipers, macros down to the gram, heart rate variability unless you're already tracking it.

You need enough data to see trends. Not so much that tracking becomes a second job.

3. Measure Your Starting Coordinates (Baseline Assessment)

This is the step I skipped for five years—and it cost me everything.

You can't improve what you don't measure. Before you change your training, your nutrition, or anything else, you need an honest snapshot of where you are right now:

• Current body composition and measurements
• Baseline strength (can you do 10 push-ups? Hold a plank for 60 seconds?)
• Daily energy patterns (when do you crash? when do you feel sharpest?)
• Sleep consistency and quality
• Current eating patterns and protein intake
• Movement capacity (can you sit on the floor and stand up without using your hands?)

I spent years guessing. Adjusting variables randomly. Hoping the scale would move.

This is where most people should start—with a proper assessment. Not a workout program. Not a diet. An audit.

Want to know exactly where you stand? Take the free Performance Audit here (3-5 minutes). It's the same baseline assessment I use with all my clients—completely free, no strings attached. You'll get an honest snapshot across strength, mobility, cardiovascular fitness, lifestyle habits, and mindset.

The 90% I'd Ignore (and Why)

Once your navigation system is in place, here's the truth bomb:

90% of fitness advice will actively hurt you.

Not because it's wrong—because it's right for someone else's journey, not yours.

Here's what I'd skip entirely:

1. Complicated Tracking Systems

Notice I said "systems," not tracking itself.

You should track—but use MyFitnessPal, scan barcodes, log meals. Done. That's it.

What I'd ignore: weighing every almond, building Excel macros to calculate your thermic effect of food, obsessing over whether you hit 184g or 187g of protein today.

Simple tracking builds awareness. Complicated tracking builds neurosis.

2. Unsustainable Training Intensity

I advocate training daily if you can. But here's the key: 15-30 minute sessions that energize you, not 2-hour gym grinds that leave you destroyed.

What I'd ignore: Starting with 10km runs when you haven't run in years. Training 6 days a week for 90 minutes per session when you work 50+ hours. Any program that requires you to be sore, exhausted, or dreading the next workout.

High frequency works. Unsustainable intensity doesn't.

The research is clear: adherence beats intensity.² The best program is the one you'll actually do consistently for months, not the one that's "optimal" on paper.

3. Programs That Require Heroic Willpower

If your system depends on motivation, it's designed to fail.

Motivation is a terrible long-term strategy because it's a depleting resource. Willpower is finite.³ By 6 p.m. after a day of meetings, code reviews, and decision-making, you have nothing left.

What I'd ignore: Anything that requires you to "just push through." Meal prep systems that demand two hours every Sunday. Workouts that require driving 20 minutes to a gym.

Friction kills consistency. The best workout is the one you can do in your living room in your boxers before your first coffee.

4. Extreme Protocols Done Wrong

Intermittent fasting can work. Keto can work. Low-fat can work.

But not if you don't understand why they work, who they work for, and how to implement them without creating a cascade of unintended consequences.

What I'd ignore: Jumping into 16/8 fasting because it "worked for that guy on Twitter" without considering that you're already running 10km daily and cutting calories. Trying keto because "carbs are bad" without understanding that you need carbs to fuel high-intensity training and brain work.

Extreme protocols are tools. Used correctly, they're powerful. Used as magic bullets by sleep-deprived, overstressed tech workers, they're gasoline on a fire.

5. The "All or Nothing" Mentality

This is the killer.

"I missed Monday's workout, so the week is ruined." "I ate pizza at the team lunch, might as well write off the whole day." "I can't train for an hour, so I won't train at all."

What I'd ignore: Perfectionism. The belief that 100% compliance is required.

The truth? 80% consistency over 12 months will transform you. 100% intensity for 3 weeks will burn you out.

6. Supplements Before Basics

I like creatine. I take fish oil. Vitamin D is non-negotiable for most people.

But you know what works better than any supplement stack? Sleeping 8 hours. Eating 1.6g of protein per kg of body weight. Training 3-5x per week.

What I'd ignore: Spending $200/month on fat burners, pre-workouts, BCAAs, and exotic adaptogens before you've locked in the basics.

Fix sleep, protein, and movement first. Then we can talk about supplements.

7. Training Like You Don't Have a Real Job

Influencer programs are designed for people whose full-time job is fitness.

You have meetings. Deadlines. A team depending on you. A family. A life.

What I'd ignore: Any program that assumes you have 90 minutes a day, perfect sleep, zero stress, and the recovery capacity of a 22-year-old whose only responsibility is looking good on Instagram.

Train for your life, not someone else's.

The 20% That Delivers 80% of Results (For Tech Professionals)

Okay, so what's left?

If we strip away all the noise, all the optimization theater, all the stuff that sounds good but doesn't move the needle—what actually matters?

Here's what I'd execute:

1. Sleep Architecture (Non-Negotiable)

Every performance metric deteriorates with poor sleep: fat loss, muscle growth, focus, decision-making, stress resilience, testosterone production.⁴

You can't out-train bad sleep. You can't out-diet bad sleep.

What I'd do:

• 8 hours in bed, non-negotiable
• Consistent sleep/wake times (yes, even weekends)
• No screens 60 minutes before bed
• Cool, dark room
• No caffeine after 2 p.m.

This isn't about being a monk. It's about recognizing that sleep is the foundation every other result is built on.

2. Protein-First Eating

Protein does three things better than any other macronutrient:

1. Preserves muscle during fat loss
2. Keeps you full longer (high satiety)
3. Burns more calories during digestion (thermic effect)

What I'd do:

• 1.6-2.2g per kg of body weight daily
• Protein at every meal (not just dinner)
• Track it in MyFitnessPal for 8-12 weeks until it becomes intuitive

For a 90kg person, that's 145-200g of protein daily. A chicken breast, Greek yogurt, protein shake, and some eggs will get you there.

This single change will do more for body composition than any supplement, any workout split, or any fancy diet protocol.

3. Minimum Viable Training Routine

You don't need a gym. You don't need equipment. You don't need 90 minutes.

You need a system that fits your life and builds both strength and conditioning.

What I'd do:

• 3-5x per week
• 15-30 minutes per session
• Hybrid training: strength + cardio in the same workout
• Full-body every session (Push, Pull, Squat, Hinge, Cardio)

Example: 10 rounds of 45 seconds work / 15 seconds rest, rotating through jump rope, push-ups, kettlebell swings, pull-ups, squats. That's 10 minutes. Done.

Can you do this in your living room before your first meeting? Yes. Will it work? Absolutely.

4. Environment Design

Google ran a famous experiment: they moved the candy jars from visible countertops to opaque containers in harder-to-reach places. Consumption dropped by 3 million calories in 7 weeks—with zero willpower required.⁵

What I'd do:

• Keep workout gear visible (kettlebell under desk, jump rope on counter)
• Remove junk food from the house (don't rely on willpower at 9 p.m.)
• Prep high-protein snacks in advance (hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, protein bars)
• Make the default choice the healthy choice

Your environment is stronger than your discipline. Design it accordingly.

5. Habit Stacking and Low-Friction Movement

The "Grease the Groove" method: practice movements frequently throughout the day at sub-maximal intensity.

What I'd do:

• Kettlebell swings before every coffee refill
• Push-ups every time I enter/exit a room
• Pull-ups on a doorway bar multiple times daily
• Walking meetings instead of sitting

This isn't "a workout." It's building movement into the fabric of your day so that fitness becomes automatic, not negotiated.

The First Step (That Almost Nobody Takes)

Here's what I'd actually do on Day 1 if I started over:

I wouldn't start with a workout.

I'd measure where I am.

Because everything I just described—the goal-setting, the tracking, the 80/20 focus—only works if you know your starting coordinates.

That's why I built a Performance Audit: a 3-5 minute assessment that gives you an honest baseline across strength, mobility, cardiovascular fitness, lifestyle habits, and mindset.

It's not a sales pitch. It's a diagnostic tool. And it's completely free.

Most people skip this step because it's not exciting. It doesn't feel like progress. But this is the progress—because once you know where you are, you can build a plan that actually fits your life instead of guessing and hoping.

And here's the thing: if you take the audit, I'll send you my entire system for free.

The book you just read excerpts from—6-Pack ABS Secrets for Keyboard Warriors—is my thank-you for taking the first serious step. It's everything I learned losing 46kg and becoming a trainer: the training protocols, the nutrition frameworks, the recovery strategies, the mindset shifts.

All tailored specifically for tech professionals who don't have time for BS.

The Brutal Truth About January

Most people reading this will do nothing.

They'll nod along, save the article, tell themselves they'll start Monday, and then get swept back into the chaos of work, life, and inertia.

A few will start—with too much intensity, too many changes at once, and no real plan. They'll burn out by February.

But a small percentage—maybe you—will do the boring, unglamorous work that actually leads to transformation:

You'll define one clear goal. You'll measure your baseline. You'll track progress honestly. You'll ignore 90% of the noise. You'll execute the 20% that matters. You'll do it consistently for months, not weeks.

That's the group that's still training in July. That's the group that loses 20kg and keeps it off. That's the group that looks back in December and barely recognizes who they were in January.

The difference isn't talent, genetics, or motivation.

It's setup.

Stop trying to sail blind. Build your navigation system first.

The cargo ship finally knows where it's going.

Take the audit. Get your baseline. Download the book. Start building your navigation system.

👉 Take the Free Performance Audit Here (3-5 minutes)

About the Author:

After spending two decades in tech and struggling for years to get in shape while working 60-hour weeks, I lost 46kg and became a Certified International Personal Trainer—not to change careers, but to finally understand what actually works for busy knowledge workers. Now I help tech professionals build sustainable fitness systems that enhance performance without requiring gym memberships or 2-hour workouts.

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