About Nick and the books

Nick Roberts is a behaviour change specialist, advanced clinical weight loss specialist, and sports nutrition advisor, with a background in sport and exercise science and a master’s degree in psychology. He’s worked with thousands of people over 25 years and can officially confirm that being in a “can’t be @rsed” mood from time to time is entirely normal.

He has also spent 30 years teaching physical activity, from climbing instruction to mountain leadership, and has finished multiple Ironman races. These days he does triathlons for fun and tries not to take them too seriously.

Here’s the important bit: he’s also been injured. A lot. More than 40 fractures at the last count, including both wrists at once, which is how he learned that it’s really hard to put knickers and socks on with a litter picker. Those injuries meant months confined to beds and settees, so he knows exactly what it’s like to stop, to dread starting again, and to wonder what the point is.

That’s why neither of his books is written for the top 1%. They’re written for people with real lives and real energy levels, who quite often just want to sit on the settee. Which is fine, honestly.

The idea behind both books

Most advice assumes you’re short on discipline. Nick’s starting point is that you’re short on energy, time and patience, like everybody else, and that your brain is wired to choose the easy option.

So instead of telling you to try harder, both books make the good option easier:

• Lower the bar until you can step over it without a run-up
• Remove the decisions, because thinking is effort
• Start tiny, because small things you repeat beat big things you avoid
• No guilt, because a slip is information, not failure

The books draw on behaviour change research, public health practice and real-world experience, translated into something human, compassionate and usable. Everything is referenced at the back, if you can be @rsed.

Cooking for the can’t be @rsed

This is NOT a normal cookbook. It’s for people who are tired, busy, fed up, lazy (no shame), budget-conscious, seriously hangry, and those who just can’t be @rsed.

Every recipe is rated on effort, not skill, and the book splits into two camps: Can’t Be @rsed recipes for the lazy legends, and Can Be Slightly @rsed recipes for when you’ve scraped together some motivation. Each one comes with a stuff list, the absolute minimum of steps, a shortcut, an ultra-lazy version and a nutrition rundown.

More about the cooking one

Get Fit for the can’t be @rsed

This is NOT a list of workouts. It’s a guide to why your brain would rather you didn’t, and how to get moving anyway, starting with five minutes while the kettle boils.

It covers the psychology of motivation and habits, sneaky movement for home and work, a 30-day challenge that’s impossible to fail, and proper running, walking, swimming and gym progressions for when you find yourself slightly @rsed. The aim is that by the end you won’t need anyone telling you what to do. You’ll be your own personal trainer.

More about the fitness one