Follow below steps to push local repository to github
Step#1.
Create new empty repository on github https://github.com/new
Please make sure you do not select Initialize this repository with a README checkbox
Step#2.
If you want to create new local repository
echo "# any comment you want to add" >> README.md
git init
git add .
#git add README.md # this works as well
git commit -m "first commit"
git remote add origin https://github.com/XXX-your-username-XXX/XXX-your-repo-name-XXX.git
git push -u origin master
Last step will ask you for Github userid and password.
It will take some time to upload your changes to github depending on size of your changes. Once this is completed, go yo github and verify.