The best newsletters from the past year 🙌 | Nerd Fitness

There’s so much noise in the fitness industry.

So many “Don’t do that” or “You’re doing it wrong if…” So much fear-mongering and finger-pointing. And honestly, it frustrates the heck out of me.

It’s overhyped, overblown, and not all that helpful. Especially for those of us who just want the strength, energy, and health to pour into everything else we’ve got going on.

One year ago today, I took over writing this newsletter from Steve with one goal: bring you practical, real-world lessons from my 15+ years of coaching that you can actually use.

I wanted to show you how fitness can be a part of your life without taking over your life. AND that we can have fun with it, too. 😊

I’m so grateful for the response. For every note and reply telling me about your goals, your struggles, and what resonated most.

So to celebrate one year, here’s a list of my best newsletters. These are the ones worth a refresher or a second look if you missed them the first time around.

💙 The Ones That Hit Home

​Turns Out, I Needed My Own Advice Last Week (Twice!) Sometimes we need to hear the same advice we give to others. As I often say: “Even coaches need coaches!” If you’ve been holding yourself to an impossible standard, start here.

“Thank you for helping to subtly kick me into gear. Not going to put pressure on myself, just allow myself to take each day as it is and do the best I can. And thank you for being vulnerable. I am learning that vulnerability like this is something beautiful. It is more impactful than any advice because it is real and raw.” -W

​NAWs: The Art of Getting Back on Track If you’re mid-disruption right now – illness, travel, life – this one’s for you.

“This mail came at the perfect timing! For march, I’ve had an entire fitness structure planned out and couldn’t stick to it for medical reasons…Over the past week, I attempted to show up regardless. No PRs, no new exercises. The only win was showing up and trusting the process. Ending the night with this read was such a comfort. Thank you!” -L

​Feeling Drained? Try This. For when your tank is on empty and the answer isn’t “push harder.” Sometimes the most important training decision you make is the one that protects your energy.

“This was truly helpful, a pick-me-up at a difficult time.” -J

​Start Where You Are. Use What You Have. Do What You Can. The post that prompted more “I felt like you were talking directly about me” replies than anything else I wrote. Thanks again to Charlie for sitting down to record this live coaching session with me.

“Matt, you are speaking to my soul with this email today! This is exactly what I need to hear to remind myself that I’m not alone, I haven’t completely failed and there’s still hope! Thank you!” -S

🔧 The Practical Playbook

​How to Get Stronger if You’re Feeling Stuck Another live session with a reader, Rosanne and I unpacked exactly what to do when your progress stalls. If you’ve plateaued, this one’s for you.

“I’m seeing a LOT more progress. I actually think I will need to buy some heavier weights soon to have at home as in a few movements I’m maxing out what I have, which is a great problem to have!” -R

​What Does “Enough” Fitness Look Like?(plus the 5-minute mobility routine) Answering one of the most common questions I get: “How do I know I’m doing enough?” This pair of posts gives you a real answer and a concrete example you can do today.
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​The Beginner Dumbbell Workout The most-clicked workout of the year – and an awesome partner to our Beginner Bodyweight Workout.

🏆 Most-Read of the Year

​3 Lessons from Coaching Thousands of Nerds The foundational frameworks I come back to over and over. Worth a re-read anytime you feel off track, just to check in: am I doing these 3 things?

​What if I Fail Again? One of the hardest mental hurdles I see people face. If you’ve struggled to stick with fitness habits before, it can feel almost impossible to believe you’ll succeed this time. You’re not alone in that. This post is the first step I walk people through to break that cycle.

Phew, we covered a lot of ground this past year!
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Once again, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for the questions. The kind words. The “hey Matt, this one hit different” replies. If you’ve ever written back, you know I read every single one. It genuinely makes my day to hear from you, problem-solve together, and cheer you on from afar.

That’s what this whole thing is about.

Here’s to another year of cutting through the noise together. 🥂

– Matt