Fat Loss – Body Transformation – Advanced Nutrition

One of my clients told me that this was one of their favorite writings on my blog, so I’ve decided to to

I could write about some of these things until my hands fall asleep. I could take over every news network in the world and rant about fitness myths and things people are doing incorrectly when it comes to attempting to change the body, and it’d go in one ear and out the other. Few people ever make drastic changes, yet most people think they know what they need to do.

A big part of my service is that I ask for people to give me full control, at least temporarily. I mean, if you’re coming to me for drastic changes and to become leaner and more defined than you have ever been, then it’s important that I eliminate as many x-factors as possible and help you reach those goals in as little time as possible.

I write a lot about fitness. I have numerous websites, I belong to numerous communities across the internet, and I am self-admittedly addicted to social media, like to search for people asking fitness questions and offer them my advice. Fat loss and body transformation are my passions. I’m obsessed with performance nutrition, training and the human body.

But I digress… No matter how much I type, how many questions I answer or how much effort I put into spreading fitness truth, there will always be that group that thinks their body is completely different than the other 6 billion bodies on earth and that they require some outstanding, miserable approach.

Here are a few of the misconceptions about changing the body that I wish would go away forever.

Cardio is not the best weapon against fast loss.
The best weapon against fat loss is increasing the resting metabolic rate. The best way to do that is to increase lean body mass. Unfortunately, this has a negative stigma from a large demographic, as they think it will lead to “big and bulky”. That’s absolutely false. Getting big and bulky is actually quite difficult (much more so than becoming lean and defined, actually).

Cardio alone leads to a reduction in lean body mass. So many people believe that the key is to burn more calories than they consume, so they reduce the amount they eat and start tearing the cardio up. This is not an effective way to determine which weight your losing (muscle versus fat). This leads to weight loss which will simply lead to a smaller version of what you are now, not a transformed version. Making yourself smaller does not mean that you have made the fat go away…

Running is not the best cardio exercise available.
Do you know how many people believe that running is the best fat loss tool? I’ve always said the best cardio is a type of cardio that you can do intensely, consistently, and stay injury free. Running leads to more overuse injuries (IT Band, Plantar Fasciitis, ligament, lower back, and the list goes on, and on, and on) than any other activity. Most people don’t listen to their bodies well enough to realize that it’s time to scale back training and choose a less impactive form of cardio. I’m all for doing something you love. But they key to long term progress is consistency. They key to consistency is staying healthy. If you like running and haven’t suffered any pain, than great, keep it up. But if you hate it, it hurts you and you don’t want to do it, there are many other effective alternatives.

Ab workouts do not change the appearance of the mid-section.
I have this conversation way more than I like. People routinely tell me that they are just doing abs at night to stay thin. How on earth does that even make sense? You train abs for functionality – not to change the way they look. They aren’t all of a sudden going to push fat aside or bust through them. If you want to see the muscle group, you must reduce fat.

Knowing what to do is not enough.
I am willing to write about absolutely any fitness related topic that someone asks me about. I routinely have question and answer sessions, tweet “Ask me any fitness, fat loss or training question” and browse the web communities looking to help individuals. I have absolutely no problem with sharing knowledge. The information is out there (as contradicting as most of it may be). But here’s the thing: it takes a little more than knowing. It takes a little more than willpower. What do I mean?

I am a compassionate person. But if you are having trouble getting started? I’ll call a spade a spade: I’ll tell you to get off of your ass and do it. How bad do you want it?

If your problem is emotional eating? Deal with it. Just stay away from the bad stuff. If you think that food tastes better than reaching your goals, then hell, eat all you want. I can guarantee you that no food has ever tasted that good.

Like going to happy hour? Getting to a certain level of conditioning is hard and requires sacrifice. Once you get there, you can loosen the reins, but if you aren’t there? How bad do you want to be there?

There are people that will tell you what you want to hear. I’d rather just tell you the truth.

Sometimes, the truth hurts.

I’m not losing weight and don’t get it. I’m eating tons of fruit.
Many fruits spike insulin. Insulin is the hormone that yells “STORE!” That’s pretty easy to understand. I’m not debating the mineral value of fruit. You DO need the vitamins. But it’s a cost benefit thing. If cigarettes had vitamin C would you ignore the other health risks to obtain it that way?

Same thing with wine. I am aware of the antioxidants. Alcohol makes you fat. Period. I don’t care if it’s wine, vodka and water, rum and diet, whatever. It makes you fat.

A male personal trainer doesn’t understand a female’s body.
This isn’t so much an article about personal training, but I was browsing fitness sites today and I read on a female personal trainer’s website that bolded statement above. I guess if the personal trainer has a month’s experience and their education is from reading bodybuilding magazines, than she may be correct. But that individual lost a ton of credibility with me by having that information on her site, as it is bogus. I take a great deal of pride understanding the different nutritional needs of a male and a female. I have spent hundreds of hours studying the contrasting hormonal effects of nutrition and training on males and females. I’m also well-known for helping females get ready for fitness and figure competitions, magazine shoots, auditions, weddings, and other drastic transformations. With that being said, I recognize that as nonsensical marketing, and while I’m thinking that someone will fall prey to it, it’s inaccurate. I totally understand that many people are more comfortable with a trainer of one gender or another, and that’s fine. But I know some great female personal trainers that are quite capable of training men and vice versa.

High reps do not tone your muscles.
“I DON’T WANT TO GET BIG!” Go check out my videos and see Julie dead lifting (just click on the “Videos” link on the side) 70 more pounds than her bodyweight for 1-2 reps. She has lost over 25lbs as she has prepared for her wedding, and not one time has she questioned my training techniques. All rep ranges are required, from 1 to 50 to, in some cases, 100. Intensity is key. You should not be looking as if you are moving your body through air while you are lifting. It should burn, you should be sweating and breathing hard.

Muscle has two states: it grows or it goes. Hypertrophy or atrophy. There is no state of toning or hardening.

At no point should you be starving.

Most people attempt to induce starvation to lose weight. This is the biggest mistake that one can possibly make, as it slams the metabolism shut. The body is a smart machine, and it can quickly determine when it is being starved – in defense, it will begin to preserve itself. Since fat is an infinitely denser source of calories than muscle, the body will sacrifice muscle and save fat. SO, the side effects from starvation are two-fold: an immediate halt in the metabolism and a reduction of lean body mass, slowing the metabolism long term. Besides, the starving, refugee look is not desirable.

The science behind changing the body is complex, but fortunately, you don’t have to be a biochemist or an endocrinologist to transform the way you look. With that being said, you cannot ignore some very simple things. For whatever reason, most people throw logic out the window and pay attention to the same, tired old myths that simply do not lead to progress. These traps may lead to a few pounds lost in the beginning, but they do not yield long term results.

Remember: if you do the same old thing, you’ll get the same old results. When something isn’t working, it won’t mysteriously start yielding results. Patience is one thing, but being naive is another. Discipline is paramount, but it also requires education.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

So you want to drastically change the way you look? Well, time to stop the excuses and get started. It’s a never ending progress and drastic changes do NOT happen overnight. But the first step is the hardest one, and if you’re going to walk 1000 miles, you have to take that first step. This advice may be general in nature, but if you’re wondering how to get started or what to do to change your body, lose fat and start feeling better RIGHT AWAY, this is a start.

Are you ready to take that first step? Here’s what you need to do:
-Follow these nutritional guidelines to the “T” for two weeks without deviating, skipping a meal or cheating.

-Train intensely with weights three times per week focusing mainly on compound exercises that train multiple muscle groups (bench press and variations, squats and variations, rowing variations, lunges, stiff leg dead lifts, leg press, pull ups, pull downs, dips, push ups, presses, etc). I don’t care if you train a few muscle groups or the entire body each day, but train with intensity and break out of your comfort zone. Add weights, do a crazy 50 rep set here and there – whatever. Just mix it up, do things you don’t normally do, and train with a purpose. I have numerous sample workouts here on the blog, so check out the little search button on the side.

-Intense cardio three times per week, 25-30 minutes each session. Sweat. You should not be able to read a magazine or chat. Be focused and push it.

-Shoot for between .8g – 1.2g of protein per pound of bodyweight from protein sources that I have listed in my food list.

-No refined carbs, sugars, processed or fast food for the entire two weeks

-With the exception of protein drinks (sparingly, not the centerpiece of your diet), drink nothing but water for two weeks. No soda, no juice. And absolutely, NO ALCOHOL. Spread your water consumption evenly throughout the day, but strive for an ounce per pound of bodyweight. Coffee drinkers, I can allow you a little coffee, but keep it raw – no creamer or sugar.

-Eat a source of veggies in at least 4 meals.

-The most important thing? Stop delaying – get off of your ass and put the plan in motion.

There you go, simple and sweet – this obviously will not turn you into an underwear model overnight, but within 2 days you’ll start feeling more energetic and you’ll begin flushing the body of toxins and excess waste. After two weeks, this behavior will almost be habit, and you’ll be in a position to really start making progress.

Don’t waste time wishing. No more excuses. You must make time and you must put forth the effort. It takes consistency and effort, and everyone has to start somewhere.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

“I’ll just do more cardio to make up for the enchiladas I had for lunch.”

Ever heard something like this? Better yet, ever thought this?

In theory? Sounds great. I can eat a bunch of food that I know I shouldn’t and yet negate it by banging out an extra 30 on the elliptical or treadmill. Or “I workout SO I can eat whatever the hell I want…”

Unfortunately, we ARE what we eat. Also, the body WANTS to preserve itself by storing fat, and that means at the expense of lean body mass (which keeps the metabolism running at a high level).

Burning 750 calories is a task. That means you invested a little time and effort. Sad thing? No matter how hard you work to follow the heart rate charts for fuel burned during exercise, your body is going to do everything it can to burn things you don’t want it to burn before it burns adipose tissue (fat). The body does not automatically tap into the “stuff” we want it to burn during exercise. However, if you feed the body with junk? It will gladly store it. It’s not very hard to throw down a ton of calories over a short amount of time.

Food is a huge source of enjoyment for many people. Of course, more utility is gained when we “reward” ourselves less often. Properly fueling our bodies for exercise and recovery will lead to rewards that are much greater than a simple bite of food.

If you’re going to put in the effort, do it right and reap the benefits. Obtaining a lean body is not impossible, but it does require consistency, discipline and effort.

So today at lunch or tonight at dinner, don’t think you can just undo “overdoing” it by some extra cardio. Practice moderation – build in times to allow yourself to get over cravings, but stick to your plan and be rewarded by a leaner, healthier body!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Without a doubt, few exercise and fitness programs have come along in the last several years with the hype that has been generated by P90X. Since I wrote my Why P90X Sucks article, most people assume that I hate the program. I received so many hate emails and comments because of that article, and many of the messages that disagreed with my assessment of P90X regurgitated exactly what I wrote in the opening of that post, mainly: anything that gets people off of their asses isn’t a bad thing. I would guess it would be safe to operate under the assumption that most of those people didn’t take the time to read my article, saw the title and decided that they should fire off a message to me to defend P90X, even though my article, aside from the title, wasn’t an assault on the P90X lifestyle and program.

It isn’t P90X in itself that I dislike at all. It definitely isn’t the people that do P90X that I dislike. Doing absolutely ANYTHING is better than doing nothing. I don’t care HOW people workout, but life is too short to live it inactive. With that being said, I am actually objective, yet very direct in my assessment. I understand the immense popularity of P90X and most people look at my assessment as saying “he just hates it” and that’s not the case.

I’ve never said that P90X is “easy” or yields “no results”. When I speak out against it, that seems to be the retorts I get. There are simply much smarter ways to reach what so many feel is an unreachable goal.

Please understand what my chief complaint about P90X is: Tony Horton and his crew of Beach Body Coaches have perpetuated every popular myth about fitness and weight training to market their product. I am not saying P90X has NO USE nor am I saying that P90X is a scam. It does have use (albeit not as it is advertised) and I do not feel that is a scam.

And by the way, don’t fall under the hypnosis and believe that every model in that video has only exercised using the P90X system AND/OR ONLY uses P90X as their sole workout program. If you believe that, I have a very nice beach house in Arizona I’d give you one hell of a deal on.

The purpose of this post is to take the myths they are perpetuating, identify the fiction they’re using as support of their program, and evaluate the entire P90X program as a quality form of overall training based on the Laws of Training.

The Miracle of Muscle Confusion…
Hardly a miracle at all and most definitely not created nor discovered by Tony Horton or the Beach Body crew. It’s simply referring to periodization and the SAID Principle. Mixing workouts up is a no-brainer, and I can honestly say that I personally do not know anyone that knows anything about fitness that does the same workouts over and over. A note: muscles do not become “confused”. A muscle responds to a new stimulus – the reaction is known as hypertrophy (or growth). In short, progressively increase the resistance and your muscles will grow. Stimulate and strengthen weak links by using multiple movements and you will see progress with any weight training program, but the key is progressive resistance.

Ab Ripper – Sculpt the Abs of Your Dreams!!!???!!!???
Can you sculpt your abs? Does ab work remove fat from the mid-section and give you that elusive 6 pack? NO, IT DOES NOT. Ab work is done for functionality and strengthening purposes, not for aesthetic purposes. Doing more ab work does not “bring out your abs”. Simply put, the “Ab Ripper” suggests that spot removal of fat is possible by exercising a certain area, and this is not the case. You cannot “sculpt” any area by targeting it – this does not remove fat! Loss of body fat is a product of proper nutrition and training, and one cannot control WHERE their body fat is lost.

Never Plateau!!!
Mixing things up does assist in avoid running into a plateau. However, as you read below and understand the Principle of Overload below, you’ll be able to understand why a plateau is unavoidable. Continuously making fat loss progress while maintaining lean body mass to achieve a defined, toned or ripped physique (you choose your favorite term) is not easy and requires a very specific approach. As I’ve stated numerous times: any guy can get to sub 10% body fat and any female can get into her lean (yet still safe) range, but to become even more defined and to achieve that “Hollywood” or “fitness model” look (read: visible, defined abs) requires a more specified program for 99% of individuals than P90X’s general approach.

Three Phase Nutrition Program
This is what I call “throwing shit on the wall to see if it sticks”. Advanced concepts such as nutrient timing and rotational carbohydrates are completely ignored. Everyone responds differently to not only different forms of exercise, but also to different nutritional techniques. The one-size fits all approach of P90X may help you lose weight, but it does not help you find the optimal nutritional approach for your current condition, body type and other genetic factors.

Not Getting Enough From Your Gym Workouts?
I watch a lot of people go into the gym and just go through the motions. You must workout with a purpose. It’s not just about moving weights and breaking a sweat. Every exercise must have a purpose and everything you do should go toward your goals. If you aren’t getting enough out of your gym workouts, educate yourself on what you need to do and do it with some intensity. Progressive resistance is key: you must push yourself each and every single time.

You Don’t Need a Ton of Weights and Machines!!!

I agree with this part, actually. I keep my training approach very simple. But the bottom line is that you do need more than a few pairs of dumbbells, rubber bands and chin up bars. More than anything, Beach Body is playing off of the fear that most females have of lifting heavy weights. I list the videos below – this is a simple myth that I’ve busted numerous times. The “I just want to get ripped” nonsense? The best way to do that is by performing compound exercises – and a few sets of db’s at a high rep pace and short rest period is simply for muscular endurance. What am I saying? The “high reps builds definition” concept is another myth.

This Program is For Those Who Want To Get Ripped, Not Big and Bulky…
“Big and Bulky” is a product of nutrition and genetics. Actually, there are few people with huge muscles. VERY few. Lots of fat people. I’ve decimated this “cardio first for fat loss” and of course, I’ve explained that muscle has two states: it grows or it goes. It does not firm, harden, or tighten. Growth is a slow process and it isn’t going to just “pop up” overnight. Once you get outside a certain training threshold, you’re in the oxidative threshold (cardio) and that is where 90% of P90X is performed. Why is this important? Because weight training (brief duration, high intensity, progressive resistance and staying out of the cardio thresholod) is by far and away the best way to burn fat and transform the body.

Shakeology!
From a supplement standpoint, I don’t think this is a “bad” product at all. It is both sugar and gluten free, which I’m all for. I’m still totally fine with buying a high quality protein blend and self-manipulating fat and carbohydrate content (oils, oatmeal, etc).

The self-administered studies pretty much say what every supplement company does (you’ll lose weight, feel better, etc) so I’m not going to throw them to the wolves over that. I more often than not suggest a quality protein/meal replacement supplement, so I have no problem with their product as long as individuals understand that supplementation is a small part of training and that any nutritional program must center around proper food selection and timing of nutrients. No program, training nor nutrition, should be centered around supplement use, and the use of Shakeology (or any other nutritional supplement for that matter) will not make up for otherwise poor nutritional habits.

The two things to weigh in most relatively “close” nutritional supplement products are cost and taste. If you’re satisfied with those two things, then the choice is yours. At roughly $4 per serving, there are many superior products out there, but again, you can also do much worse.

How Complete is the P90X Workout?
Take a second to re-read my article on the Principles of Training. Every program I create considers and obeys these principles, as any well-rounded program should. These laws are essential for maximum progress in your fat loss and body transformation goals, male or female, novice or expert physical trainer.

Here is a quick breakdown of how well P90X obeys each of the Seven Principles of Training:

Does P90X Obey:
Principle of Individual Differences.
No. P90X is a one size fits all program. I am a big believer in every aspect of a fitness program being custom made for the user from scratch, and this is one of, if not the most important principle, and it is completely ignored by P90X.

Principle of Overcompensation.
Possible, especially initially. In P90X’s case, this goes hand in hand with the “Use/Disuse” Principle. Like other programs, this program will benefit you most in the beginning (regardless of their “Muscle Confusion” claims). The limitations of constant, forced progression are evident in P90X, and overload (discussed below) is restricted greatly when bodyweight is the most used form of resistance.

Principle of Overload.
Possible. As I wrote in the “Why P90X Sucks” article, as long as bodyweight is the limiting factor, progress is possible. After a while, all of the bodyweight exercises in the world will stop stimulating muscle growth (about the time the exercises cross into the “muscular endurance” rep scheme. I know, I know “you don’t want to get big”. Understand that muscle growth is a very slow process and is how you become defined. You must stimulate growth to maintain muscle to obtain the lean, “ripped” (or “toned”) appearance. Rubber bands and light db’s will quickly become “not quite enough” and the practicality of more equipment doesn’t appeal to most. Also, nothing stimulates overload like relatively heavy compound exercises. There’s no bodyweight/light dumbbell exercise that will substitute for classic squatting and dead lifting.

SAID Principle.
This program benefits from the initial “newbie gains” like any other program would (initially overcoming disuse) but considering it trains toward many different objectives, maximum progress is loss due to lack of specificity and regular periodization of different goals and priorities.

Use/Disuse Principle.
Possible. Use it or lose it – in this case, once you are unable to adequately stimulate a muscle group (for example, push ups yield great results early in a workout program for upper body development, but when they become much less challenging, MORE stimulation is required (traditional bench press, progressively more resistance). Considering this example, if those muscle fibers that were once stimulated by push ups are not continuously stimulated, they will atrophy.

The Specificity Principle.
No. As the program progresses, it does not become more specific. Much of this is due to the first principle being violated, as it is for the masses.

GAS Principle.
No. As a whole, different parts of the body and their required recovery times based on their training intensity and volume aren’t considered over a long period of time

Working out is not easy. It is not supposed to be. Is this program completely worthless? Absolutely NOT. Anything is better than nothing. I do, however, believe that there are many better, more effective alternatives for working out and training. A good workout is more than getting the heart pumping and sweating. You must train with a purpose and toward an objective – this is the reason why most people you see in the gym don’t even look as if they workout at all. Time is too precious not to optimize your training experience. Your training should evolve as YOUR BODY changes.

Regardless of what the masses believe, I do not think P90X is effective as a training system beyond being an intense cardio workout. I’ve mentioned many times the benefits of intense weight training as resistance versus cardio for fat loss and body transformation for both males and females. P90X plays on the fear that many women have that training intensely with weights or working hard in the gym doing something other than bouncing around will make them big and bulky, and my many instances of women lifting heavy weights (and here) have far proven that idea bogus and a myth. The results achieved are simply through consistency and overcome disuse, and breaking the monotony of just going through the motions.

Train with a purpose!

Boyd Myers
San Antonio Fat Loss and Body Transformation Expert
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

I’m a huge shrimp eater (especially in the early portions of contest prep), so thank you to reader Donna for sending me this great recipe! Enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

Ingredients:

12-15 medium to large shrimp or prawns, butterflied (shells can be removed or left on, as desired)
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce (I used Golden Dragon Brand)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (available in tall bottles at Asian stores)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
5-7 cloves minced garlic (to taste)
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil for stir-frying
1 fresh red chili, minced, OR 1/2 tsp. dried crushed chili (to taste)
GARNISH:
lime or lemon wedges
handful of fresh coriander
Optional: more fresh chili, OR dried crushed chili

Preparation:
Make the marinade/sauce by combining in a mixing bowl: oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, lime juice, and chili. Stir well.

Place shrimp in the marinade and stir well to coat.

Heat some oil in a wok or frying pan. When hot, add the shrimp along with the marinade.

Stir-fry 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp are plump and pink. They will also be lightly browned from the sauce. (Avoid overcooking, or shrimp will turn rubbery.)

This dish can be served 2 ways: For a Dinner or Lunch Entree: Simply slide onto a serving platter and sprinkle with coriander, plus additional fresh chili (if using). Add lemon or lime wedges to the side, and serve with whole grain rice. A nice rice dish that pairs well is Thai Sticky Rice .

Enjoy!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

I read and hear so many discussions about the latest fitness crazes and more times than not, people are worried about things that in the grand scheme will have very little to do with overall progress.

I’ve been writing very comprehensive fitness and body transformation blogs for a little over 5 years now. Of course, the first San Antonio Personal Trainer blog crashed and burned a couple of years ago (gotta love computers) and that led to me starting the Fat Loss – Body Transformation blog that you’re reading right now. Since this blog started, I’ve laid it out, and I’ve made it pretty simple. Changing your body isn’t about getting huge or toning or firming. It’s simply about removing body fat, increasing the metabolism, maintaining or gaining lean body mass (and ladies, you are not capable of becoming big and bulky).

I am an expert in the arena of body transformation, drastic fat loss and performance nutrition. You don’t read about the latest fads here. I don’t “diet chase” or get squarely behind one type of training (aka Beach Body Coaches and their glorified cardio routines). My approach is based on science and experience. I don’t believe in making up a catchy term that embodies common sense and pretend it is new and revolutionary (shake weight, P90X, Nutrisystems, etc, etc, etc).

Here are the things you need to be concerned about when it comes to drastically changing the body:

-Intensity, intensity, always intensity. I’m stealing this concept from General Patton, and replacing the word “Audacity” with “Intensity”. It isn’t about quantity of exercise, but about quality. Get in, do work, and get out. Don’t bullshit around.

-From a nutrition standpoint, worry about 1) What you eat, 2) When you eat it and 3) How much you eat. Everyone has different foods that work well for them. How do you find out? Try them. I have posted a few very complete food lists here on the blog and have explained nutrient timing in-depth numerous times. That little search function on the side is your friend.

-Your training should be centered around compound exercises with supplementary isolation exercises, NO MATTER YOUR GOAL.

-Long, boring cardio done daily should only be your concern if you are an endurance athlete. Regardless of what many personal trainers believe, long, excessive cardio is not the basis of body transformation nor fat loss.

-While excessive cardio is poison to your progress, you should develop a moderate to excellent cardiovascular base and should never be limited on your ability to train with intensity because you struggle to recover between sets. Brief, intense cardio (under 40 minutes and in most cases, 30 min max) will lead to a more desirable change in your physique and not that “Kenyan Marathon – Somalian Refugee” look I often refer to.

-Understand that the body works in systems and one system always takes priority. For those that believe you can get your “cardio in with your weight training” and put a ton of focus on heart rate during weight training don’t understand the Kreb’s Cycle. Weight training is to stimulate the growth of lean body mass. Lean body mass has two states – it is growing or it is shrinking. There’s no middle ground here – toning is the addition of lean body mass and the subtraction of body fat. Training at a high heart rate takes the focus away from maximizing lean body mass growth stimulation (the glycolytic and CP/ATP pathways) and puts more focus on the oxidative systems. Thing I’m wrong, P90Xers? IF high heart rate training stimulated muscle growth, then how come marathon runners have very skinny legs, while sprinters have defined, desirable limbs? Again, max heart rate training is important, as the heart IS the most important part of the body. But you will get the most out of your training by specifically focusing on cardio and resistance training at separate times.

-”Now let’s talk about supplements” is a common phrase I hear. No, let’s not. Keep it simple – in MOST cases, all that most people should be buying are healthy fats (EFA, Sesamin), BCAA’s (Scivation Xtend) and a protein blend (Syntha6, ProComplete40) and in some cases, a pre-workout jolt (I like Arginine and Caffeine). Of course, many people need to have nutrient deficiencies corrected, and that is a specialty of mine. I often recommend different supplements such as 5HTP, Melatonin, GABA, Arginine/Orthinine/Lysine, and many other specific antioxidants and minerals – but understand that most of that depends on specific cases, goals and other factors. Most people spend WAY too much money on supplements that they do not need. Nothing gives you amazing results – if it did, it would be scheduled and controlled, and the purchase of those items could lead to agents kicking your door off it’s hinges and seizing your assets! My point is that in no way, shape, nor form should supplements be considered the cornerstone of your training program.

-Most of the things that most personal trainers have their clients doing are designed to look fun, not help them in absolutely any way. “Wow, I want to try that” – that trainer is banking on 3 or 4 people saying that. I don’t get why most personal trainers have their clients doing a lot of silly exercises that will not yield results. I learned a LONG time ago that as a personal trainer, your success only depends on your the success of your clients. When they’re making progress, marketing takes care of itself. I am proud to say that I have not paid for one form of advertising in over 5 years!

Want to read more? Check out the search function on the side, and look for these topics:
-Nutrient Timing
-”Big and Bulky” (debunking myths about women and weights)
-compound exercises
-exercises you should do
-supplement recommendations
-food list

Of course, my clients get much more specific guidance on their programs and needs, but I guarantee that no blog anywhere will tell you more about what you need to make progress right now and help you evaluate your program as a whole.

I totally understand that most people do not want to think that they’ve been wasting time, but I’m amazed at some of the simple adjustments so many people could make that would make a world of difference.

You have the desire, the motivation and are willing to put forth the effort – why on earth would you settle for marginal results? Progress is ALL that matters.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

One of the most common questions I get about nutrition is “What on earth do I eat?” While I try to be as flexible as possible with clients, giving them a simple food list isn’t always the best way to go if they aren’t experienced with creating healthy meals in the kitchen. So I’ve decided to share some of my favorite meals/snacks that I’ve eaten for years gathered from friends, books (Eating For Life by Bill Phillips is loaded with great recipes), and just trial and error.

Remember, when I say 5-7 meals per day, that includes snacks. To me, a meal is whatever you eat. I gave up breakfast, lunch and dinner many years ago. To me, it’s meal 1, meal 2, so on and so forth. I don’t mind eating eggs at 8pm or lean steak and a sweet potato at 6am. Variety is the key!

Gladware + sandwich bags + a small cooler lunch box is your best friend when you’re eating healthy! LOL – I’m a social person and I love spending time with friends. I don’t let “my lifestyle” get in the way of that. If they’re going somewhere that I can’t eat, I’ll bake 2 chicken breasts and put them in a sandwich bag and carry them with me. I’m not joking! Most people don’t have to be that hardcore, but hey, where there’s a will, there’s a set of 6 pack abs.

Breakfast Taco (no kidding)
Whole Grain tortillas
4 egg whites and 1 egg yolk, beaten, mixed with
a splash of skim milk or water and a
dash of McCormick “Santa Fe” Spice Blend
2 Tbsp diced red and/or green bell peppers
1/4 cup, scant sliced scallions
1/4 cup diced lean ham
1/4 cup sliced baby mushrooms, white or Portabella
2-3 grape tomatoes, halved
cilantro, fresh or dried, to taste
2 Tbsp Fat Free “Tomato’n Basil” Feta Cheese
Hot Salsa for topping

Cheesecake Snack (WHAAAAAT?)
1 tub of fat free cottage cheese
10 strawberries (or an equivalent amount of blueberries)
8-10 packets of Splenda
Blend to puree, refrigerate for 1-2 hours
Eat… Have a sweet tooth? Perfect for you…

Pita Snack
I found this one on the web a while ago, and while I swear I’m not a big cottage cheese fan, I love this because cottage cheese is an amazing source of amino acids. If you’re on the run, keep the pita seperate until you’re ready to eat it.
Mix one serving of cottage cheese with a small portion of garbanzo beans. Add red wine vinegar to taste. Serve inside a whole wheat pita and garnish with fresh spinach leaves and sprouts. Now you have a quick, delicious, complete meal.

Pumped Up Chicken Salad
I think this one came from Eating For Life – but it is one of my staples… 4 servings!
3 cups diced cooked chicken (4 portion sized breasts)
1 cup chopped celery
1 small apple, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon skim milk
1 handful red seedless grapes, quartered
pepper

Mix chicken, celery, apple, grapes, and onion in large mixing bowl. In a blender mix cottage cheese and skim milk. Blend for 2 minutes on the “whip” speed. Add to chicken mixture. Pepper to taste. Serve on lettuce or in a whole wheat sandwich.
makes 4 servings

Tasty Chicken Recipe
(This one was listed on a message board that I visit regularly. Excellent recipe.)
Cut up 1 chicken breast into strips. In a bowl put 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika, dash of salt (if desired) and 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix the chicken with the other ingredients in a bowl until the chicken is coated. Cook the chicken in your wok (or skillet) until it turns golden brown. Spray a little olive oil on your wok to keep the chicken from sticking. Stir it some, but mostly let it sit and cook until the skin turns brown. Eat in salad, by itself, or mix with vegetable/wheat pasta. Dont forget your 2 glasses of water! Enjoy!

Patty Melts
Ahhhh, one of my faves.
I simply soak the leanest ground hamburger (or ostrich, or turkey) meat I can find in worcestire (spelling?) sauce, cook on the Foreman with grilled onions, add fat free sharp cheddar, whole grain toast and I can’t even tell the difference in this and the ones my mother made us…

My Breakfast + Pre-workout drink…
I’m I’m working out after breakfast, it is time for the highest caloric intake of the day, but I don’t want just any calories. I want sustained energy from carbs and sustained amino acid release from protein.
2 scoops of vanilla (or banana) High 5 Protein Powder
1/2 cup of oatmeal (not cooked)
1/2 banana
ice
water
blend until smooth

Note: I also have a very similar breakfast on non-workout days. My mornings are usually rushed and this is easy to blend, put in a drink bottle and go. Of course, I typically weigh between 235 and 255, so you may not require this amount, so adjust accordingly!

Comments, questions, ideas, recipes, etc – feel free to let me know!

Boyd Myers
Hungry Personal Trainer in San Antonio
210.391.1454

Great Nutrition Question from a reader of the personal trainer in San Antonio blog:

Hey Boyd,

I am not bullshi**ing you when I tell you that by simply following your basic nutritional guidelines that you have posted on the blog I’ve made more progress in the last month then I have ever made following any nutritional program or diet in my life. Your food list is very broad and I like that you give many options, but I happen to be a person that prefers limited options. What are your favorite sources of foods from each header?

Samantha, Hollywood Park

Hey Samantha,

I’m very much a creature of habit as well. During contest prep, I like to think as little as possible, and to lower the risk of deviating from my regimen, I limit myself to very few foods. I still choose foods that give me the full spectrum of amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

I do want to throw out a few caveats: first and foremost, I do not enjoy eating vegetables. With that being said, they are ESSENTIAL for vitamin and mineral content and digestive health, so I make it a priority to eat them. Also, I despise chicken breast, so you will not see it on my list. I’m just not a chicken eater. Considering that, I will say that a chicken breast is typically a good serving size and it’s simple. I totally recommend it, I just personally don’t like chicken!

Sources of Protein:
-extremely high grade lean beef
-yellowfin tuna (seared ahi)
-egg whites
-Protein powder blend (I like Syntha6 by BSN)

Sources of carbohydrates:
-oatmeal
-whole grain rice
-sweet potatoes

Sources of healthy fat:
-almond butter
-avocado
-salmon
I like to get my fats in oil form for ease of measurement, so I also use flax, fish oil, and Sesamin oil.

Veggies:
If it’s green or white, I suggest you eat it.

Bonus – supplements that I recommend no matter your goal:
-Scivation Xtend (BCAA Supplement
-Scivation Sesamin
-Probiotics
-Digestive Enzymes
-Protein Blend

Sesamin has nutrient partitioning capabilities. What does this mean? It stores the protein and carbs where they need to be stored, helps you burn what you want to burn (adipose), and also has antioxidant properties.

Do a blog search on BCAA on the right side here – I cover them extensively, and recommend them to anyone who is serious about changing their bodies.

Digestive enzymes and probiotics are key for digestion. It doesn’t matter what you put into your body if you are unable to absorb it, and your body is only as healthy as your digestive system!

Thanks for the reader questions – even when I don’t mention it, typically, it is a simple reader question that gives me an idea for a specific post, so keep them coming.

Oh, quick video of me doing Stiff-Leg Dead Lifts :)

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

A few months ago, I posted a quick 2 week jump start program and it seemed to help a lot of people get started, as a ton of people on Twitter have asked me about it and have used it to get them up and running on a fat loss program. I’m going to do something very similar over the next couple of days, but this time, make it a 50 day program, including sample workouts, cardio schedule and eating strategy. I also plan to make this eating schedule very in-depth, including carb out days, refeed days and full nutrient timing guidelines…

So, stay tuned!!! This won’t be some P90X Bullshit Program!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454

I think there’s a new so-called “Super Food” that comes out every single day. I do my best to teach clients that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Often, things are touted as a miracle cure for potential disease or sickness or an amazing fat loss aid. Of course, micro-nutrient content (vitamins, minerals, etc) make people overlook macro-nutrient content (protein, fat, carbs) and then when their fat loss progress hits a wall, they’re stuck wondering what on earth happened.

For example: many wines are loaded with antioxidants. I’ve mentioned alcohol’s negative effects on fat loss numerous times: calories mean very little due to the hormonal impact of alcohol. Yet, I’ll tell three people over the next day that “NO, if losing fat is your goal, wine is off-limits”. Same type of issue with many juices and fruits: yes, they have beneficial “pluses” but the “minuses” negate any benefit.

What if cigarettes were loaded with Vitamin C – would the risk be worth the reward?

Obviously, we must find a bit of balance. When I set up a diet, I do so with every aspect in mind: micronutrient nourishment along with macronutrient partitioning to ensure that maximum fat loss is achieved while antioxidant levels stay high and optimal health is maintained. Unfortunately, many people take things to the extreme when they focus on one goal or another, and one of those aspects suffers.

I’m a firm believer in maximizing whole food consumption and minimizing dependency on supplements. Too many people feel that they must sacrifice optimal health for fat loss or vice versa, and that’s simply not the case. While many nutritional supplements do have their place in some situations, they should remain SUPPLEMENTS and should never be the cornerstone of one’s nutritional program.

Eat to live, don’t live to eat!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454