Our path in health and fitness has not been without mistakes. If we could go back and start over, knowing what we do now, we’d do things differently—more efficiently. In this article, we’re going to save you time and frustration by sharing the five things we would do if we had to start from scratch today.

For over a decade, we’ve been helping hard-working people get strong, fit, and look like they work out without getting bored, hurt, or wondering what to do. Our clients are all over the world, and we coach them all online. Check out our Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

Since our coaching business is online, we live, work, and travel full-time in our Airstream.

Somewhere in TX, coaching our awesome clients online 😃

Let’s dive into the 5 things we would do if we were starting over today.

1. Start with Strength

Like a lot of beginners, we spent our early days bouncing between cardio workouts and bootcamps, thinking that burning more calories would lead to the body we wanted. Even when we got into CrossFit, while our conditioning improved, we didn’t get significantly stronger or look like we worked out.

Looking back, we also wouldn’t follow a program that only focused on strength at the expense of everything else (like Starting Strength, where the goal is just to get strong and gain weight). Instead, we’d structure our training around the main lifts—squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press—doing each one once per week with a simple linear progression. This would have given us a solid foundation of strength from the beginning.

Here’s Jonathan after gaining a bunch of unnecessary weight doing Strength Training the wrong way.

The second thing we would do differently is…

2. Become a Bodybuilder

We don’t mean stepping on stage in a Speedo, but if we could go back, we’d dedicate at least 50% of our workouts to pure muscle-building. Why? Because building muscle is what actually changes your physique.

Early on, we bought into the idea that high-rep, lightweight training was the key to toning. It wasn’t. CrossFit built endurance and work capacity, but traditional bodybuilding-style training was often dismissed. The result? We were skinny-fat despite years of training.

Check out, this killer “anti-skinny-fat” transformation by one of our clients.

If we could start over, we’d aim for 10–15 hard sets per muscle group per week, sticking to the 8–15 rep range and focusing on progressive overload—adding weight or reps over time.

Moving on to #3!

3. Understand Intensity

Change comes from challenge. We didn’t fully grasp this early on, but the biggest breakthroughs in our results came when we learned how to push ourselves.

CrossFit taught us intensity in conditioning, but the same principle applies to strength training. If your workouts feel comfortable, you’re not growing. Pushing yourself just beyond your comfort zone—whether in lifting or cardio—amplifies results.

Want to see real changes? Learn to embrace intensity.

Not sure what we mean by intensity? Check out THIS video.

4. Learn the Big Dogs of Nutrition: Quantity, Control, and Consistency

Our nutrition used to be a wreck—eating out constantly, downing full-sugar energy drinks, and grabbing candy without a second thought. Worse, we believed in the myth that some foods were “fattening” while others weren’t.

The turning point? Educating ourselves about energy balance, ingredient prep, protein intake, and consistency. Understanding that food isn’t “good” or “bad”—it’s about how much and how often you eat—made all the difference.

If you can master these three things—how much you eat (quantity), controlling portions, and being consistent—you’ll never have to diet-hop again.

If you struggle with what to eat, you’re in luck. Our free Grocery & Meal Prep Guide will help you build your healthy grocery list, and turn that food into delicious meals your whole family will love.

Free Grocery Guide

5. Become a Student

If you see fitness as just a temporary phase—a means to an end—you’ll always struggle with consistency. Instead, we’d make health and fitness part of our identity from day one.

Think about it: Harley riders don’t see their motorcycle as just a way to get to work. It’s a lifestyle. People proudly call themselves “wine people” or “handy people,” yet so many resist embracing a fitness identity.

You don’t have to be obsessed, but if you commit to learning, talking about, and consuming content related to fitness, it becomes part of who you are—and consistency gets a whole lot easier.

You should start by subscribing to our Podcast ;) - It’s on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

Final Thoughts

If we had to start over today, we wouldn’t waste time on ineffective workouts, gimmicky nutrition myths, or half-hearted efforts. We’d build strength, prioritize muscle, train with intensity, master nutrition, and fully commit to the journey.

You don’t have to make the same mistakes we did. Start strong, train smart, and embrace fitness as a lifelong pursuit.

Want a trusted guide to take away the mystery of getting in shape? That’s what we do! Check out our program options by hitting the button below.

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