STEP 4: Build an Exercise Habit

HABIT > INTENSITY

By Chad | Updated 9/2/2025

Habits Make the Man

We’ve all seen weight-loss documentaries where contestants sprint on treadmills until they throw up, while coaches yell insults at them. The underlying message is that you have to punish yourself with brutal workouts to lose weight.

That’s just not reality.

Weight loss is primarily driven by diet. If you consistently consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. It really is that simple.

But exercise still matters—and not just for burning calories. Exercise helps you look better, feel better, and stay healthier for the long haul.

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise offers more than just calorie burn. Some of the biggest benefits include:

1. Build a Physique – Avoid looking “skinny fat” and develop a lean, muscular shape.
2. Increase Your Calorie Deficit – You can only cut calories so much. Exercise lets you increase your deficit safely.
3. Boost Energy – Regular movement improves stamina and daily energy.
4. Maintain Muscle Mass – Protect muscle while losing fat, especially if you strength train.
5. Improve Mood – Exercise releases endorphins, natural mood lifters that help combat stress.

And that’s just the start. Exercise should be enjoyable—not “throw-up-in-your-face” misery (unless that’s your thing… I don’t judge, ya sick freak 😉).

Start Where You Are

Don’t let this step in the pyramid overwhelm you. The goal is to build a habit, not to overhaul your life overnight.

• • If you’re doing nothing right now, simply start by walking more.
  • If you already love basketball, commit to a 2-3 games each week.
  • If you’re consistent in the gym 6 days a week, keep that up.

👉 Non-negotiable baseline: Aim for 7,000–10,000 steps per day. Even if you do no formal workouts, getting your steps in every day will significantly impact your health and weight loss.

If you want to follow my plan exactly, here are the steps:

The Two Pillars: Cardio and Strength Training

There are two main types of exercise, and both play crucial roles in your fitness journey:

1. Cardio (Aerobic Exercise)

Cardio exercises elevate your heart rate and help you burn calories. Examples include:

• • Walking
  • Running
  • Cycling
  • Swimming
  • Jump rope
  • Playing Basketball
  • Dancing
  • Rowing
  • Hiking
  • High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Etc. The goal of cardio is to burn calories during your workout. The number of calories burned depends on your weight, intensity, and duration. For example, a 155-pound person burns approximately:

• • 288 calories in 30 minutes of running at 5 mph
  • 133 calories in 30 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph
  • 288 calories in 30 minutes of cycling at 12-13.9 mph

(Source: Harvard Health Publishing)

2. Strength Training (Resistance Exercise)

Strength training reshapes your body, builds strength, and makes you look leaner and more toned. It also helps maintain muscle during weight loss—ensuring the weight you lose comes from fat, not muscle.

Common types of strength training include:

• • Weight lifting
  • Bodyweight exercises (push-ups, squats, lunges)
  • Resistance band workouts
  • Pilates
  • Yoga

In short, strength training is about looking great, feeling strong, and improving overall health—making it an essential part of your fitness routine.

⚠️Caution⚠️ – Give Your Muscles Time to Recover

Give your muscles time to recover. Strength training creates tiny tears in your muscles—recovery is when repair and growth happen. If you train biceps on Wednesday, wait at least until Friday before working them again. Always have 1 day in between the same muscle group.

Recommended Weekly Exercise Plan

There’s always debate about which is better: weights or cardio. But the truth is, both work. What matters most is that you exercise consistently.

• • If you love basketball and can play three times a week, do that.
    
  • If cycling or hiking excites you, go for it.
    
  • If you enjoy lifting weights, prioritize that.

👉 The best plan is the one you’ll stick to.

Can I Eat More When I Exercise?

A common mistake when trying to lose weight is thinking: “I worked out today, so I can eat more.”

In reality, if your goal is weight loss, you should not “eat back” the calories you burned—at least not routinely. Even though exercise increases your calorie burn, adding extra food cancels out that benefit and can stall your progress.

Another reason to be cautious: fitness trackers and calorie calculators almost always overestimate how many calories you burn. Studies have found that many popular fitness watches and apps can overestimate exercise calories by 20–50% or more (Source). So, if you rely on those numbers to justify eating more, you could accidentally wipe out your calorie deficit for the day.

Unless you’re training for something highly demanding (like a marathon), it’s best to stick to your planned calorie intake—whether you exercised or not. If you genuinely feel you need a little more fuel (for example, before or after a very intense workout), keep it to an extra 100–200 calories, and pay attention to how your body responds.

The takeaway: Exercise is how you increase your calorie deficit—not an excuse to eat more. Stick to your calorie target, trust the process, and let exercise help accelerate your results.

Leveraging Online Resources for Strength Training

If you’re new to strength training, the internet is a treasure trove of resources. Consider the following:

• YouTube tutorials: Channels like FitnessBlender, Athlean-X, and HASfit offer beginner-friendly strength training workouts. This video on Instagram is from a creator I trust, comment “split” on it and he’ll send you a whole plan.
• Fitness apps: Apps like Nike Training Club, Fitbod, and JEFIT provide structured workout plans.
• Virtual classes: Platforms like Peloton and Beachbody On Demand offer live and on-demand strength training classes.

These tools can guide you with proper form, progression, and structured routines.

Final Tip

If exercise feels intimidating right now, start with your diet and daily steps. Don’t worry about lifting weights or running yet. Focus on consistently hitting 7,000–10,000 steps a day.

As you build confidence, layer in workouts you enjoy. Ideally, yes, you’ll lift weights several times a week, add cardio, and hit 10,000 steps daily. But if you’re busy or just starting out, steps plus diet alone will still move the needle.

Remember: habit is the goal. Do something active consistently, and you’ll build momentum.

📌Notes to Keep From This Lesson 📌

• • The exercise I enjoy most that I can make a habit of today: _____________
  • Weekly exercise schedule:
    • Monday _______________ (ex. Cardio)
    • Tuesday _______________ (ex. Strength Training)
    • Wednesday _______________ (ex. Cardio+Strength Training)
    • Thursday _______________ (ex. Rest)
    • Friday _______________ (ex. Cardio+Strength Training)
    • Saturday _______________ (ex. Cardio+Strength Training)
    • Sunday  _______________ (ex. Rest)

Calculators to Estimate Calorie Burn of Different Workouts

As a reminder: exercise isn’t permission to eat more. Unless you’re training for a marathon, iron man, ore equivalent, don’t “add back” these calories. These are estimates only, may not be fully accurate, and further: eating back your calories will just slow your weight loss. But these calculators are the best estimates available.