Fitness & Nutrition Programming for Beginners
This is a fitness and nutrition guide written to help beginners increase strength, build muscle, lose fat, and improve cardiovascular conditioning through research-based training methods. Each chapter explores the why and how behind important programming topics and provides clear solutions to frequently asked questions. This comprehensive starting guide also contains complete, multi-week workout programs to help put theory into practice. After reading, you’ll be able to confidently build your own programs, overcome new challenges, and explore unfamiliar exercise spaces.
Use this guide and the recommendations in it to point you in the right direction, but know there are many different ways to accomplish any exercise goal.
Experiment by manipulating different variables. Find what works best for you. Share what you discover. Have fun.
A Look Inside
8 Chapters
Strength & Hypertrophy: Training Fundamentals
Nutrition: Fueling for Fitness
How nutrition habits affect exercise performance and research-based dietary strategies to help maximize muscle growth, efficiently lose fat, and get the most out of your workouts.
Cardio: Fat Loss & Work Capacity
How to lose weight through cardiovascular exercise and an easy to follow, research-based guide for fat loss programming.
Warm Up: Heat & Movement
The exercise performance benefits of warming up and how to build your own effective routine.
Cool Down: Stretching & SMR
Building an effective cool down routine and the fitness benefits of self-myofascial release and static stretching.
Hydration & Exercise Performance
The side effects of dehydration on different training styles and how to estimate your daily required water intake.
Gym Selection, Etiquette, & Expectations
A beginner’s guide to facility selection, exercise etiquette, equipment use, and what to expect on your first day at the gym.
Finding the Best Personal Trainer
How to choose the best personal trainer for your individual needs and assess trainer competency during a consultation.
10 Workout Programs
3 Step Start
A simple program designed to help beginners build a sustainable and realistic fitness foundation. This intro program is free. Check it out here.
Beginner
A 2-3 day/wk, full body weight training program designed to introduce barbell exercises and basic movement patterns to novice lifters while improving strength and hypertrophy. Supplemental fat loss cardio is included. This program is also free. Check it out here.
Full Body
A 2-3 day/wk, full body weight training program designed to improve strength and hypertrophy. Both the 2x/wk and 3x/wk versions are 10 weeks in length and include progressive overloading. Supplemental fat loss cardio is included.
Upper Lower*
A 4x/wk, 10+ week weight training program designed to target strength and hypertrophy through an upper body/lower body split. All major movement patterns are hit twice a week. Both the strength and hypertrophy versions are 10 weeks in length. Supplemental fat loss cardio is included.
LPPLU*
A 5 day/wk, 10+ week weight training program designed to target strength and hypertrophy through a blended legs/push/pull/lower/upper routine. Both the strength and hypertrophy versions are 10 weeks in length. Supplemental fat loss cardio is included.
Legs Push Pull
A 6 day/wk, 15+ week weight training program designed to primarily target hypertrophy through an alternating legs/push/pull setup. Supplemental fat loss cardio is included.
*Include different Strength and Hypertrophy versions. 20 weeks total.