Fat Loss – Body Transformation – Advanced Nutrition

Hey San Antonio and beyond!

While reading my Twitter timeline this morning before crawling out of bed, I noticed a few people that I follow talking about “feeling tired” and frustrated with their fitness progress.

I understand it: training and eating right can be quite daunting, and the sweat, sacrifices, time and effort sometimes doesn’t feel comensurate with results. In a society where gratifcation is everything, we sometimes expect our reward up front before the work is done.

But before you quit, remember how hard you have worked. Remember your WHY. Remember what it was that made you say “I’m going to get there, no matter what”.

Do NOT give up – you don’t have “I can’t” in you!

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

-Friedrich Nietsche

I am sure a majority of you have heard or read this quote, and it’s completely true.

Whether it’s tough times that we are going through emotionally, mentally, or physically, we come out on the other end of it stronger.

But please understand: doing nothing, being complacent, eating terribly – those things are all killing you. Focusing on changing your body and losing fat will make your stronger and improve your life in absolutely every way.

Make the decision to start living or, simply put, start dying!

Hey everyone,

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I’m not going to say as much as I normally do. This is my client Angel:

A couple of things to note about this change:
-The “before” pics were taken right after she had run the Las Vegas marathon. Re-read that… For those of you that think cardio is the holy grail of fat loss, understand that her before pic is after training for a cardio-based event.

-This was a period of less than 4 months.

-Angel’s training consisted mostly of weight training with no distance/endurance/heart rate training cardio. In fact, her “cardio” consisted of running 10-12 sprints 2-3 times per week.

-No fad dieting. She simply followed the macronutrient numbers that I gave her to a “T” and we made adjustments every 7-10 days based on her body’s response. No paleo. No fasting. No starvation. No ketosis.

-No crazy miracle supplement. In fact, she consumed minimal stimulants at this time. I’m not anti-stimulant, she just didn’t use any of the so-called “fat burners” on the market.

-She is a nurse that works a crazy schedule.

-She is also a student working on her Master’s Degree.

-During this period, she trained before 7am, in the middle of the day, as late as 8pm, and every time in between. Meaning she didn’t use “I don’t have enough time” as an excuse. She made time. Sometimes it meant getting up early, staying up a bit later, or working out when she absolutely did not feel like it.

-Absolutely, positively, no “performance enhancing” drug usage. No thyroid, clenbuterol, anavar, hcg, growth hormone, or anything else people use to lose fat.

-She resisted the urge to punch me numerous times during the process :)

I know people each and everyday that can come up with a myriad of excuses as to why they can’t make a change. I’m telling you, if anyone had an excuse to throw their hands in the air and give up because they were overwhelmed, it was Angel.

I’m telling the whole world this: it is not easy. It’s called “working” out for a reason. Sacrifices have to be made. There will be doubts, ups and downs and there will be “reasons” where you think you need to give up. The difference in those who have awesome transformation pics like this one and who only have pics fully clothed at good angles are the ones that make the change didn’t quit when things got tough.

I’m extremely proud of Angel’s transformation, and I’m looking forward to see her take her body to the next level!

15 Things To Give Up

1. Doubting yourself.

2. Negative thinking.

3. Fear of failure.

4. Destructive relationships.

5. Gossiping.

6. Criticizing yourself and others.

7. Anger.

8. Comfort Eating.

9. Laziness.

10. Negative self talk.

11. Procrastination.

12. Fear of success.

13. Anything in excess.

14. People pleasing.

15. Putting the needs of others before your own.

This isn’t necessarily a fitness topic, but a life topic.

You must believe!

It is definitely competition season. Not just figure, bikini and bodybuilding either – I have athletes getting ready for marathons, football, basketball, triathalons, and more. I do not only train athletes, but this is the busiest time of year for competition based clients.

But those individuals aren’t the target of this post.

It seems that no matter what an individual is preparing for, they have naysayers somewhere: critiquing them, judging them, asking them “why” and maybe even degrading them for making the decision to “put themselves out there”. Hell, my client Nick Novak trained two times per day for a couple of years trying to get back into the NFL, long after most people would’ve given up. Most people thought he was crazy. Then, he started getting calls – long story short, he is going into his third year as the kicker for the San Diego Chargers, all because HE didn’t give up, no matter how many people told him it was time to “move on”.

I get it: if individuals don’t have that passion about something, whether it be a figure competition, marathon or whatever, they just can’t understand how you CAN feel a certain way about seeing a goal through.

They’ll be the first to doubt you – because they doubt themselves.

They’ll let you know they have too much going on: like you don’t have a family, job, school, etc.

All of these things, while sometimes feel like a fist to the face, aren’t really about you at all – while they hurt, that probably isn’t why they are spoken.

In fact, it isn’t because they doubt you: it is because they doubt themselves.

Misery loves company – and negative people would prefer bring you down to build themselves up. The biggest mistake of all? Letting those things influence you or determine whether you’re going to keep the fight alive.

Don’t let it slow you down, let it FUEL you.

For everyone that I train that is getting ready for that first show, next show, first/next race, first/next fight, next tryout, next meet, next game, or just next trip to the ocean or lake – you’ve learned a lot about yourself. While it’s pretty damn cool to look back at the journey and realize all you have learned about yourself and what you have accomplished, it’s even more cool to realize that sometimes you need to just savor the journey and the end result is just the culmination of the hard work and overcoming obstacles: those we cannot control, those that we have imposed upon ourselves by fear and insecurities, and those that others impose on themselves and subconsciously, on us.

I’ve lived in this world for a long time. I have people critiquing me on Youtube, Facebook and Twitter – whether I’m lifting world class weight in powerlifting and having some 16 year old judging form, or comparing me to another lifter, to having people that have never as much been to a bodybuilding show telling me that I should work more on my arms or whatever.

Funny, because if you take all of the people who have simply judged others while never competing in anything themselves? They have ZERO wins. No trophies.

Remember: they are judging you by your actions and results, while judging themselves on their intentions and skewed self-perceptions.

Keep it up: I promise you that you are inspiring many – and in a lot of cases, you may never know who those people are. But they will be eternally grateful.

In my opinion, nothing in this world should be more positive and inspiring than someone dedicating themselves to make a change for the better, whether it’s physical, spiritual, mental, etc. However, all too often, I hear stories about people facing a negative response when they begin their fitness journey.

Heck, I’ve personally faced it myself. The first time was around 1998 when I just decided I wanted more than anything to look like someone that worked out. I entered one of the very first EAS Body For Life contests and dedicated 15 weeks to constant working out and very clean eating. I had worked out for sports and my own recreation, but this was the first time I was doing it with a real purpose in mind.

I went full blast with it: took the pics, the recommended supplements, and wrote the essay. Each week, I prepared all of my meals in advance and labeled them for consumption. While many people let me know how much they respected what I was doing, others, that I considered my friends, constantly nagged me and taunted me with things like “don’t you wish you could eat this pizza” or “I bet a beer would be great right now, eh?” To be honest: I did want that pizza and a beer would’ve been really good. But I stuck to my guns and drastically changed my body from a “guy who works out” to someone who actually looked like they worked out. There were several days where my co-workers would be knocking down cupcakes, pizza, burgers, going to happy hours and the like, but I stood my grounds. While many made my comments about what I was giving up, all I could think about was what I was gaining, and the trade was well worth it.

One other time that I remember really being “confronted” about it was the last time I competed in bodybuilding a few years ago. Most people simply cannot understand the desire to get on stage and be judged against other people. I’m not a pro: so any time I’m up there, it is simply for pride and dedication – and maybe a trophy. Regardless, it was important to me (and is important to me, as I’m getting on stage again in August). Nonetheless, “friends” and others didn’t “get” it and more times than not, were more into sabotaging me than supporting me.

Obviously, I work with a lot of competitors: figure, bikini, physique, bodybuilding, etc. I also work with several individuals that just want to change their bodies to look better and feel better about the way they look. Unfortunately, the people that should be supporting them the most: family, friends, co-workers, etc are typically the people that are doing the most damage.

My biggest advice is to remember your WHY. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone whatsoever but you. Sometimes our roads don’t end up with a fortune, a pro-card, a magazine cover, or adoring fans screaming our names. Sometimes, we just wake up in the morning with a simple smile and a feeling of accomplishment that no trophy or amount of money can replace: the ability to tell one’s self three simple words: “I DID IT.”

Ha, you clicked!

No really, I had my subject for today’s blog and a client just told me that Women’s Health posted a link titled something along the lines of “You Can Have an Orgasm While Working Out…” Uhhhhhhhh, okay…

Rest assured, that is not what I’m writing about. I’m writing about another “dirty” topic. It’s a topic that scares the crap out of most people today. It goes against everything we are about now as a society. We believe in quickie everything, nobody ever wants to wait.

The bad word I’m referring to is “COMMITMENT”.

Hate to break it to you: you aren’t going from fat to fabulous in 6 weeks.

You aren’t going to drop 20lbs of fat in a week.

You aren’t going to drop 3 dress sizes in 3 days.

You aren’t going to drastically change your body by working out 20 minutes per day.

This “lifestyle” has to be such. No “I eat good MOST of the time” or I try to get to the gym a couple of times per week.

It’s not about what you’re giving up: it’s about what you’ll gain.

It takes time. It takes the proper game plan. And it takes effort. Don’t misunderstand me: drastic things can happen in a relative short amount of time, but one must remain realistic. The bottom line is the journey starts with that first step.

Stop looking for miracles – you will get out what you put into it!

I know that we are now a bit more than a month into 2013, and a lot of people are about to quit going to the gym. In their minds, they feel like they’ve put forth the work and that they aren’t getting where they hoped they’d be. Hope this inspires you!

First – nobody gets out of shape in one day or even one month, so a drastic, total overhaul in one month’s time is difficult. Sure, with a very well laid out plan and perfect execution you can make nice progress: I expect a client to lose 3-5 inches off of their waist in their first month of training (within reason, obviously, if you have a 26″ waist, that will be a bit less).

But more importantly, I know what it feels like to know that you’re working hard, yet, seemingly standing still. This is not fitness specific. Simply remember:

The earth spends 65,000 miles per hour and roughly travels 1.5 million miles through space each and everyday. You are not standing still – you have traveled 1.5 million miles in the last 24 hours. I know, you’re thinking that’s silly, but when you see really what is possible in this life, it makes something like body transformation pale in comparison.

You CAN make that change, and it DOES NOT happen overnight. But I promise that you are better than you were yesterday and tomorrow you’ll be better than today. One step at a time, one day at a time…

If you aren’t sure what you’re doing, ask an expert: my personal training studio offers services from simple consulting (where we’ll look over what you’re doing and make improvements where needed) to long term training programs that will get you to where you want to be in the quickest amount of time possible.

Don’t give up – February is the month of LOVE. Let’s make it the month that LOVE HANDLES disappear!

Hey San Antonio,

I’m going to give a little personal insight. I don’t often do that, because most often, I’m posting from my professional side as a personal trainer, as most of my posts are about nutrition, fat loss, training and the related. But really, who AM I (I’m asking myself that question)?

I’ve mentioned before that at one point in my life, I was a computer programmer. An experienced, degreed programmer with a security clearance. After a 10 year military career, I took a contract job in Baghdad and spent a significant amount of time there. Upon my return to the states, I was being courted by numerous corporations who wanted to obtain my services as a computer engineer – I knew that I could have one of several high paying, secure jobs that would’ve made for an easy path.

Instead, I followed my own road. A couple of years before I opened my personal training studio, I had become a new father. Of course, as a father, it’s your responsibility to take care of your family. My son was my world and was my new focus. When I told people that I had planned on walking away from the computer industry, they told me I was crazy. Hell, even my own family told me to stick it out with a big government job and let them “take care of me” and I could’ve easily done so – but I wanted to take care of myself.

After Baghdad, I walked away from IT forever and opened my new place. I had always been a personal trainer and had already created a local client base here in San Antonio and a nice following as an online fitness writer (and personality), but I wanted to explode. I wanted to be one of the go-to individuals in the fitness industry for anything: competition, rapid fat loss and physique transformation, sports performance at any level and performance nutrition.

In the next month, I’m expanding my business to double the size of my current gym and that’s while most personal trainers are lucky to even have a job (in a down economy). I’ve been published, featured on national talk shows, and train numerous professional athletes and high end competitors. My personal training business has exploded and is now also a fitness/nutrition consulting business with clients in 36 countries. I’m often working from the time I wake up until I go to bed.

But, you know, it never feels like work, because this was my DREAM.

I know that so many people dream of getting into amazing shape. Why on earth would it be the most common new year resolution, or one of the biggest industries (fat loss) in America? Yet, so many people shy away from it and stay in their comfort zones, strolling along, convinced they’re living.

I want to tell you right now: if you aren’t living for your dreams, you are dying. It’s time to take that step and chase YOUR dreams. Sure, you’ll be ridiculed, laughed at, doubted, and you will become discouraged.

But where you go from here is UP TO YOU. All YOU have to do is take that first step – and we all know that an object in motion will STAY in motion.

I’m proud to say that I’m where I knew I could be. But now, I want more. It’s time for Boyd V2.0. I’m upgrading absolutely everything in my life: my relationships, my business, my faith and anything else that I know I can make better. Why? Because I can. And SO can you, once you decide that there’s no way that anything can ever stand in your way.

I have hundreds of clients who have taken that first step and done amazing things: mothers who became figure competitors, athletes who advanced from high school to college onto their respective professional levels, and everyday people who gained confidence and courage to tackle whatever it is they needed to tackle.

Believe in yourself: I most definitely believe in each and every reader of this blog because we all have it in us.

The New Year symbolizes a new beginning: taking the first steps toward a new you. The holidays have come and gone and now it’s time to get started on all of those promises you’ve been wanting to make yourself.

You CAN lose the weight. You CAN get in the best shape of your life. Hell, last year, I have 8 clients compete in their FIRST figure shows. Moms over 40 with kids seeing their abs. Look through the blog, it’s loaded with examples, pictures and testimonials.

There is never a time like the present – take this new month and new year as your chance at a fresh start and crush it!

I do consider myself an incredibly lucky person:

I have a very healthy and bright child. I get to do what I love to do for a living. I have a very successful business that has grown even during a recession. I’m strong and in shape.

Wait, what?

Yesterday for my workout, I was doing one of my typical power style workouts and was alternating sets between bench press and dead lifts. After I was warm, I was doing bench sets with 495lbs x 3 reps and then dead lifting 635×2 reps and performed 7-10 rounds of this. I’ve been lifting for a long time, and I don’t see a lot of people who train with the weights that I workout with. Every workout partner I’ve ever had has always pointed out that I know one weight: heavy.

During my workout, a guy, whom I had noticed staring, walked over to comment on the weights that I was using. After complimenting me, he then, unknowingly to him, kind of insulted me by saying “You’re lucky you’re that strong, some of us have to kill ourselves for every slight gain.”

Hold on, for real?

I didn’t wake up able to bench press in the 600s. I distinctly remember struggling with 225lbs. Same on the dead lift. I remember thinking that I had conquered the world as I climbed closer and closer to 400 (less than half of what my best 1 rep max is).

While I’m lucky to be alive, upright, and to have lived a nice life without serious infliction or condition, I know that luck has very little to do with my training and the way my body has responded. Everything I do is thought out, planned and meticulously executed.

But even more so than that, I train like a Spartan. Maybe half lunatic and even a bit angry. And I do it day in and day out, week in and week out, month in and month out, etc. There is no off-season. The things I do with a bar loaded with plates have been years in the making and is still a work in progress.

I’ll close with two of my favorite sayings:

Some people view the glass as half empty, others as half full. I’m just glad to have a glass.

Luck: the point at which opportunity meets hard work.

I’m definitely “lucky” to have a glass. But I’m very lucky to absolutely be willing to work my ass off to get whatever on earth I want.

While most of you are looking at that and think that I’m talking about a quality personal trainer (the first two may be accurate), I’m not. I’m talking about liposuction and laser fat removal and other procedures that focus on the end problem (removing fat) without addressing what gets the individual in that condition in the first place.

Those commercials often address those that have “tried everything” – If what you’re doing is not working, you are not doing the right thing. Put down the bullshit workout magazines, stop doing the latest fad workout and looking for some crazy shortcut.

Repetition, consistency, motivation and hard work. The programs I have clients follow are simple to understand, but they aren’t easy. It’s about changing bad habits and making the decision that, no matter what, you’re not going to fail.

I see people at the gym that never change. Then I see my clients who have an insanely high level of success. It’s not just simple enough to just go to the gym. It takes the proper plan of execution.

Ignore those ridiculous commercials – if you want real, sustainable results, you know my number.

This morning, I received a text that made me smile that I wanted to share (from my friend/client Renae, the 40 year old that won her first show a couple of months ago):

2 Pullups! Never say never, only took me 40 years.

By pullups, she means perfect form, no momentum, full hang, full extension, full contraction (not those convulsion style pullups that Crossfitters do). May not sound like a big deal, but I think it is. An obstacle is an obstacle, and I remember not too long ago, doing one pullup seemed insurmountable for her. I have a feeling that very early next year, she’ll be doing sets of 8.

The first step is always the hardest – never give up!

Hey everyone,

This was a video I took on Tuesday of this week, just me having a little bit of fun in the gym.

That’s 455lbs. Of course, I can do much more than that using two hands :)

The body will respond in amazing ways if you force it to. Anything you can imagine is doable if you’re willing to put in the work. Don’t listen to those who doubt you and tell you that you’re unable to reach any goal (strength, aesthetics or otherwise).

Some people say things like “It’s 80% diet and 20% training” or “50% training and 50% diet” and I think both of those are way off the mark: It is 100% dedication to the proper training and nutritional program for your goals!

Own this day – you are all champions!

Hey everyone, Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much for the email telling me that my main Personal Training website, http://the-personal-trainer.com, was down. My webhosting provider performed server maintenance and, in short, changed the server that my site was on without notifying me. All is well in my cyber world now and a crisis has been averted. For those competing in this weekend’s NPC Lackland Classic, good luck! With our national shows, I don’t have anyone competing in the Lackland, but I’ve personally competed in it in years past and it’s always a fun show. I’m really excited to have my client Chelsey competing at the National Level in NPC Figure Saturday. She’ll be in a massive show, over 1000 competitors in Atlanta, GA on Saturday. Chelsey just competed in her first show earlier this year, where she took overall in the NPC Optimum Fitness Championships in Shreveport, LA. Of course, she started our year off with a bang, and since then, every one of my figure, bikini, and bodybuilding clients have, at the very least, won trophies this year (with several of those being class and overall champions). She definitely set the tone for a successful year. Of course, competition is not all I do. I like to brag on my more typical clients as well: after 3 weeks, my client Sarah dropped 6% of overall bodyfat. Actually, she’s not the only one, as my client Katherine also dropped just under 6% in the last 3 weeks. I’m proud of every client, but I also have very high expectations for anyone who uses my services. Another day closer to the end of the week and I hope everyone has had a great one. It is already November, and there is not a better time to get a jump on the New Year. With over 7 weeks left in 2012, you could make a drastic change BEFORE January 1, even with the holidays. Let me show you how! Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer San Antonio, Figure Contest Prep Coach
Owner, San Antonio's Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454