Introduction: AI Meets Fitness
Artificial intelligence has been making waves in nearly every industry—including health and fitness. Tools like ChatGPT can now generate workout programs, meal plans, and even shopping lists in seconds. But does that mean coaches should be worried about being replaced? Should fitness enthusiasts ditch their coaches and opt for free programs instead of paying for personal training, group classes, or remote coaching?
In this week’s Fitness Edda, Coach Erik Castiglione from Viking Athletics dives into the benefits and limitations of AI in fitness, showing real examples of how ChatGPT performs—and why the role of a coach remains essential. Don’t want to watch the video? Read the blog post below it!
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: AI and Fitness
00:23 – Should coaches be worried about AI?
00:44 – Live example: ChatGPT writes a strength program
02:17 – Day 1 workout breakdown & critique
03:54 – Day 2 workout breakdown & critique
05:30 – Adding fat loss focus & RPE scale
07:14 – ChatGPT for nutrition: meal plan + shopping list
09:45 – Batch prep & shopping efficiency
10:16 – What AI can and can’t do in fitness
11:33 – Why accountability matters
12:58 – Coaching vs AI: the human factor
15:08 – Should trainers be worried?
17:21 – Final thoughts: AI as a tool, not a replacement
18:33 – Outro & call to action
What ChatGPT Can Do for Fitness
1. Workout Programming
With just a simple prompt, ChatGPT can produce a 3x per week full-body strength program. It balances compound lifts, accessory work, and progressive overload. With more specific instructions—like adding RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) or focusing on fat loss—it can adjust the program accordingly. The more detailed the prompt, the more specific the generated program will be. Add some tweaks and you’ll get what you’re looking for.
Example:
- Squat, bench, row, Bulgarian split squat, and core work
- Adjusted with higher reps, RPE guidelines, and optional finishers for fat loss
2. Nutrition Planning
ChatGPT is also surprisingly effective at generating meal plans and shopping lists. For example, it created a seven-day plan for a 230-lb individual aiming to cut to 200 lbs. It even suggested batching prep sessions, portion guides, and calorie breakdowns.
3. Time-Saving Deliverables
AI can format results into PDFs, Excel sheets, and more—making it a powerful assistant for organization, tracking, and convenience.
What ChatGPT Can’t Do
Despite its usefulness, ChatGPT can’t replace a coach. Here’s why:
- Accountability: Real human connection and follow-up can’t be replicated by software.
- Movement Coaching: Diagnosing form deficiencies and making live corrections requires expertise and presence.
- Contextual Adjustments: Coaches factor in stress, travel, time limitations, and personal goals.
- Education & Motivation: AI summarizes information—it doesn’t teach, motivate, or gamify fitness the way a coach does.
Should Coaches Be Worried?
The short answer: No.
AI is a fantastic tool for generating generalized programs and saving time, but it cannot replace the human side of coaching. People who want accountability, expertise, and guidance will always seek coaches.
Instead of fearing AI, coaches can use it to:
- Save time on repetitive tasks.
- Customize resources for clients faster.
- Enhance client education with supporting materials.
As Coach Erik says:
“AI won’t replace coaches. It might replace generic online programs—but coaching is about people, and AI can’t do that.”
Final Thoughts
AI in fitness is here to stay, and it’s worth exploring how it can make your fitness journey easier. Whether you’re using it for meal planning, quick programming, or idea generation, remember: tools support the process, but people drive results.
If you found this valuable, subscribe to Fitness Edda and drop your thoughts in the comments. What do you think—can AI be your workout partner, or is it just a tool in the toolbox?