The “Not-So-Secret” Secret to Getting Fit

Stop Buying the Hype: The “Notes App” Strategy for Real Results

Forget the $80-an-hour “expert” and the glitchy $30 subscriptions; the fitness industry is built on a cycle of expensive confusion, but the real secret to transformation is as free as the phone in your pocket and as simple as beating “Yesterday You” by a single rep.

Let’s get one thing straight: Working out isn’t actually that hard. You don’t need a guru, a $30/month app subscription, or the latest “bio-hacking” fad. Success boils down to two things: showing up consistently and doing slightly more than you did last time. In the industry, we call that Progressive Overload. In the real world, we call it “not wasting your time.”

The Trainer Trap

There’s a stat floating around that says solo lifters have a 5% success rate, while those with trainers hit 85%. Sounds convincing, right? Well, as someone who’s been in the trenches (and currently observes from the cycling instructor bike), I can tell you: Most trainers are, quite frankly, shit.

I’ve seen it all:

• The “Cookie-Cutter” Special: You get the same “Free Consultation” workout as the 80-year-old grandma before you and the college athlete after you.
• The Safety Hazard: I once watched a trainer ignore a client’s physical limitations and prescribe moves that were basically a fast track to the ER.
• The “Robot” Mode: No notebook, no tracking, no plan. They just wander around the gym looking for whatever machine is empty.

If you aren’t tracking your data, you aren’t training—you’re just exercising. And you don’t need to pay $80 an hour for someone to watch you move a weight without a plan.

Apps and “Influencer” Tax

Most fitness apps are just digital vacuum siphoning money out of your wallet. Unless you’re at home (where your dog will inevitably interrupt you—trust me, I’ve been there), following a video workout in a crowded public gym is a nightmare.

I use the Gymshark app because it’s free and lets me customize programs, but honestly? Even that has flaws. You can’t easily compare today’s sets to what you did three weeks ago. Without that data, Progressive Overload is just guesswork.

The Magazine Carousel

Back in the day, I’d buy Men’s Health or Muscle & Fitness. One month it’s “How to Build Arnold Arms,” and six months later it’s “Why Arnold Was Wrong.” They don’t want you to get fit; they want you to buy the next issue. It’s a cycle of confusion designed to keep you spending.

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How to Actually Succeed: The “Notes App” Method

The most powerful tool in your gym bag is already in your pocket: The Notes App.

Forget the fancy interfaces. Before I start a workout, I copy and paste my previous session’s stats. My only goal? Beat “Yesterday Me.” * One more rep? Win. * Five more pounds? Win. It’s a game of inches. $100$ lb this week, $105$ lb next week. That is the only math that matters.

PULL DAY EXAMPLE WORKOUT:

Cable Lat Pulldown (22”) at xxx lbs at 98.65% 1RM / PR x Reps 5 / 4 / 4 / 4 / 4

2 min rest between sets (w/ Wrist Straps)

(1xxx PR/1RM)

(Last Time xxx x 6 / 5 / 5 / 5 / 5)

(Prior Time xxx x 6 / 4 / 5 / 4 / 4)

(Prior Time xxx x 5 / 5 / 4 / 4 / 4)

(Prior Time xxx x 4 / 4 / 4 / 3 / 3)

(Prior Time xxx x 5 / 5 / 5 / 5 / 5)

Curlbar Bicep Curl w/ Arm Blaster

1.5 each side at 84.61% of 1RM / PR x Reps 4 / 4 / 5 / 4

2 min rest in between sets (PR 65 lbs)

(Last Time1 lbs each side X 8 / 7 / 7 / 7)

(Prior Time1 lbs each side x 8 / 7 / 7 / 6)

(Prior Time 1 lbs each side X 7 / 7 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time1 lbs each side x 6 / 6 / 6 / 5)

(Prior Time1 lbs each side x 5 / 5 / 5 / 4)

Curlbar Underhand Rows 1.5 each side x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

2 min rest in between sets

(Last Time 1 each side x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

Standing Cable Hanmer Bicep Curl at 10 lbs at 100% of 1RM / PR x Reps 7 / 7 / 6 / 6 / 5

(Last Time 9 x 7 / 7 / 7 / 6 / 6

(Prior Time 9 x 5 / 5 / 6 / 5 / 5)

(Prior Time 8 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time 7 x 5 / 6 / 6 / 5 / 5)

PUSH DAY EXAMPLE WORKOUT:

BB Flat Bench Press (xxx lbs 1RM / PR)

8 x EB

3 x 5 (2.5 each side) at 94.44% of 1RM / PR

3 x 5 (2.5 each side) at 94.44% of 1RM / PR

3 x 5 (2.5 each side) at 94.44% of 1RM / PR

2 x 5 (2.5 each side) at 94.44% of 1RM / PR

1 x 5 (2.5 each side) at 94.44% of 1RM / PR

3 min Rest in between

(Last Time 5 x 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 2)

(Prior Time 5 x 3 / 3 / 3 / 2 / 2)

(Prior Time 5 x 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 2)

(Prior Time 5 x 3 / 3 / 3 / 2 / 2)

Flat Bench DB Close-Grip Press (10 lbs each side 1RM / PR) 10 lbs Each Side at 100% of 1RM / PR x Reps 6 / 6 / 6 / 5

(Last Time 10 x 6 / 5 / 5 / 5)

(Prior Time 10 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 5 x 5 / 5 / 5 / 4)

(Prior Time 5 x 4 / 5 / 4 / 4)

(Prior Time 2 x 6 / 6 / 7 / 6)

2 min Rest between sets

Tricep Rope Pushdown at 10 lbs at 88% of 1RM / PR x Reps 8 / 8 / 8 / 7

2 mins Rest between sets

(1RM / PR 125 lbs)

(Last Time 10 x 5 / 6 / 6 / 4)

(Prior Time 5 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Taper 5 x 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Taper 5 x 8 / 8 / 8)

The Golden Rule: Do What You Actually Like

Consistency is the only “supplement” that actually works. If you hate your workout, you’re eventually going to find an excuse to skip it—and then you’re back at square one.

The fitness industry loves to argue about which method is “optimal,” but here’s the reality:

• Love OrangeTheory? Keep chasing those splat points.
• Obsessed with CrossFit? Keep crushing those kipping pull-ups.
• Live for Zumba? Keep dancing like no one’s watching.

Find your “Fitness Why.” Once you have a reason that matters to you, showing up becomes a habit rather than a chore. Whether you’re training for a specific goal or just trying to stay mobile and strong, the “secret sauce” is simply not quitting.

Don’t let some “expert” talk you into a routine you despise. Find your thing, stay consistent, and the results will follow.

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The No-Nonsense Guide to Fitness: Stop Wasting Your Time