The Biggest Fitness Lie You’ve Been Told

The Biggest Fitness Lie You’ve Been Told: Why Nutrition Alone Won’t Get You the Body You Want

A friend of mine reached out after hearing from a mutual friend—one of my clients—about the success he was having with my coaching. He wanted to learn more, but when we got on the call, he told me upfront that he wasn’t planning to work out regularly. His reasoning? He believed that 90% of fitness success came from nutrition alone and that activity wasn’t worth much effort.

Here’s the catch: he’s about 30 pounds overweight and frustrated with his lack of progress. While I respected his focus on nutrition, I knew I had to challenge his perspective. Nutrition is absolutely important, but it’s only part of the equation. Here’s the truth:

The 40-30-20-10 Formula for Fitness Success

I don’t believe fitness success is 90% about the spoon and 10% about activity. Instead, I use a holistic approach, where:

40% of success comes from nutrition (the spoon).
30% comes from physical activity (strength and cardio).
20% comes from rest and recovery.
10% comes from biohacking.

This balanced formula ensures long-term health and fitness success. Let me explain how it works:

40% Nutrition (The Spoon):

Nutrition is critical—it fuels your body, supports recovery, and sets the foundation for progress. Whole, nutrient-dense foods are key, but focusing solely on nutrition neglects the powerful benefits of physical activity, recovery, and optimization.

30% Physical Activity (Strength and Cardio):

Activity is where the magic happens. I told him he didn’t need to spend hours in the gym or do grueling workouts to see results. I said:

“Until you’re ready to lift even just three times a week, you’re not going to be able to get the results you want.”

I explained that workouts could be as short as 20 minutes and that they didn’t have to be complicated. Strength training three times a week would:

Optimize his hormones, like testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH).
Build muscle, which boosts metabolism and helps burn more fat—even at rest.
Make him look and feel better, increasing confidence and overall energy.

I even offered to design quick workouts he could do in his living room and suggested incorporating light cardio, like walking or hiking, to lower cortisol and improve cardiovascular health. Despite this simple and manageable plan, he still rejected the idea, convinced that 90% of success came from the spoon.

Why Strength Training Isn’t Just for Men

And by the way, this isn’t just men who need to lift weights. Women benefit equally from incorporating strength training into their fitness routines. Research shows that strength training:

Increases muscle mass and metabolic health.
Improves bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Enhances longevity.

One study analyzing over 400,000 participants between 1997 and 2019 found that strength training significantly contributed to longer life expectancy for women. Similarly, the National Institute on Aging highlights that regular strength training can combat age-related muscle loss and improve mobility in both men and women. It’s just as important for women to incorporate a well-rounded strength training program into their fitness routines for long-term health and vitality.

Why Workouts Are Non-Negotiable

Even after sharing my formula, my friend dismissed activity as unimportant. I told him he was missing out on more than just building muscle or burning calories—he was ignoring the scientific benefits of exercise on his hormones and brain chemistry.

Here’s the reality: How your body utilizes calories depends on your hormonal environment.

When cortisol levels are consistently elevated, your body is more likely to store calories as fat, especially around your midsection.
When testosterone and HGH levels are optimized through resistance training, your body is more likely to channel those calories toward building muscle and improving recovery.

This hormonal optimization can’t be achieved through diet alone—it requires strength training, light cardio to manage stress, and proper recovery to keep cortisol in check. By rejecting workouts, he was essentially choosing to leave his results to chance instead of harnessing the power of his body’s natural processes.

Hormones and Endorphins Released During Exercise

I explained that exercise triggers the release of these key hormones and endorphins that optimize both body and mind:

Endorphins: Natural painkillers and mood elevators released during aerobic activities like running or cycling.
Dopamine: The neurotransmitter of reward and motivation, elevated during strength training and goal-setting.
Serotonin: Improves mood and reduces anxiety, released during aerobic exercises like jogging.
Norepinephrine: Boosts focus, alertness, and energy during high-intensity workouts like interval training.
Cortisol: Regulates energy during exercise but needs proper recovery to stay balanced—too much cortisol leads to fat storage.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH): Released during high-intensity resistance training, supporting muscle growth and fat metabolism.
Testosterone: Boosted by compound lifts like squats and deadlifts, crucial for muscle building and recovery—ensuring calories go toward lean mass.
Adrenaline: Provides energy surges and fat-burning potential during high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
Irisin: The “exercise hormone,” which converts white fat to brown fat and improves brain function.
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1): Supports muscle repair and growth during resistance training.

I told him that exercise isn’t just about burning calories. It optimizes your hormones, boosts your mood, and enhances mental clarity in ways that no meal plan can replicate. Still, he insisted that 90% of his success would come from the spoon.

Giving Him Time to Realize the Truth

At this point, I told him, “Until you’re ready to lift even just three times a week, you’re not going to get the results you want.”

I’m giving him time to come to his own realization that optimal health isn’t 90% diet. He needs to understand that real success comes from balancing all the elements—what you eat, how you move, how you rest, and how you optimize.

The Key to Long-Term Success

To anyone reading this who thinks working out isn’t worth it, here’s the reality:

Nutrition sets the foundation.
Strength and cardio create synergy, boosting your metabolism and hormones.
Recovery keeps your body and mind balanced.
Biohacking offers that extra edge when done correctly.

The path to success isn’t about trends or shortcuts. It’s about finding balance, trusting science, and building habits that create lasting results.