Personal Trainer in San Antonio

8 Week Program: Supplements

Hey San Antonio (and beyond),

I promised the supps I’d recommend, and here they are. I’m starting simple here and will add things as we go. This is the same list I posted in December, but these are definitely the necessities.

I’m also accepting 8 Week questions for a Q and A section, so let’em rip.

GO COLTS!

Thermogenic
-Fat burners are the most common asked about supplements on the personal trainer in San Antonio blog. Too many people think they can pop these “magic pills” and eat a little sloppier or get away with a lax diet. That isn’t the case, and the best results will only be obtained with a strict, disciplined approach to nutrition.

http://personaltrainerinsanantonio.com/blog1/wp-admin/post-new.php?unfoldmenu=1

With that being said, I like to combine my thermogenic and pre-workout drink. Right now, I prefer “Endorush” by BSN (it is a drink, not a pill). I like the jolt it gives, I don’t crash, and it curbs the appetite. I usually drink a bottle in the morning (pre and into my workout) and one in the early afternoon to avoid the post-workout, afternoon crash.

BCAA’s
If there’s a supplement you cannot live without (for both fat loss and muscle gain) it is BCAAs. Check out my articles by using the search feature. My favorite is Scivation Xtend. The Lemonade is phenomenal. Read my BCAA articles for recommendations on dosage.

Protein Powder
I prefer a blend that provides sustained delivery of amino acids. I don’t like proteins loaded with carbs or fats, as I’d prefer to add my own sources (a side of oatmeal, etc). The best protein product on the market right now is “ProComplete 40″. It’s loaded with digestive enzymes to aid absorption and just a minimal amount of healthy fats. By the way, every flavor I have tried has been quite tasty. I use it as a snack between meals, as part of a meal for added protein and every night as a pre-bedtime snack to keep me full of muscle repairing amino acids.

Secret Weapon Fat Loss Supplement
Sesamin is the do it all supplement. You don’t “feel it” when you take it, but it has the ability to spare muscle during dieting, burn fat, store amino acids, and also has antioxidant properties. I take a sesamin capsule with 3-5 meals per day, and I’ve sworn by it for years.

My favorite brand is Scivation’s Sesamin.

Essential Fatty Acids
My favorite blend of Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids is LaBrada’s EFA Gold. It’s the perfect blend, it’s high quality and relatively inexpensive. I take a serving in the morning with breakfast and a serving in the evening.

Nutritional supplementation can become quite expensive, and I don’t think that everyone needs to take everything at all times. These are my essentials that I’d recommend for anyone, no matter their goals before I’d recommend anything else (cell volumizers, creatines, etc). Supplementation is just that – it is only effective when it is a part of a whole exercise and nutritional regimen, and is NOT designed to replace proper nutritional habits or skipping workouts.

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

Supplement Wish List for 2010

Hey San Antonio,

While I am not a huge “supplement” guy, I will say that some do have their purpose and are almost essential. I’ve explained my reasoning behind many of the supplements I use, but here is a list of what I’d recommend as you begin your body transformation in 2010.

Thermogenic
-Fat burners are the most common asked about supplements on the personal trainer in San Antonio blog. Too many people think they can pop these “magic pills” and eat a little sloppier or get away with a lax diet. That isn’t the case, and the best results will only be obtained with a strict, disciplined approach to nutrition.

With that being said, I like to combine my thermogenic and pre-workout drink. Right now, I prefer “Endorush” by BSN (it is a drink, not a pill). I like the jolt it gives, I don’t crash, and it curbs the appetite. I usually drink a bottle in the morning (pre and into my workout) and one in the early afternoon to avoid the post-workout, afternoon crash.

BCAA’s
If there’s a supplement you cannot live without (for both fat loss and muscle gain) it is BCAAs. Check out my articles by using the search feature. My favorite is Scivation Xtend. The Lemonade is phenomenal. Read my BCAA articles for recommendations on dosage.

Protein Powder
I prefer a blend that provides sustained delivery of amino acids. I don’t like proteins loaded with carbs or fats, as I’d prefer to add my own sources (a side of oatmeal, etc). The best protein product on the market right now is “ProComplete 40″. It’s loaded with digestive enzymes to aid absorption and just a minimal amount of healthy fats. By the way, every flavor I have tried has been quite tasty. I use it as a snack between meals, as part of a meal for added protein and every night as a pre-bedtime snack to keep me full of muscle repairing amino acids.

Secret Weapon Fat Loss Supplement
Sesamin is the do it all supplement. You don’t “feel it” when you take it, but it has the ability to spare muscle during dieting, burn fat, store amino acids, and also has antioxidant properties. I take a sesamin capsule with 3-5 meals per day, and I’ve sworn by it for years.

My favorite brand is Scivation’s Sesamin.

Essential Fatty Acids
My favorite blend of Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids is LaBrada’s EFA Gold. It’s the perfect blend, it’s high quality and relatively inexpensive. I take a serving in the morning with breakfast and a serving in the evening.

Nutritional supplementation can become quite expensive, and I don’t think that everyone needs to take everything at all times. These are my essentials that I’d recommend for anyone, no matter their goals before I’d recommend anything else (cell volumizers, creatines, etc). Supplementation is just that – it is only effective when it is a part of a whole exercise and nutritional regimen, and is NOT designed to replace proper nutritional habits or skipping workouts.

Make 2010 your best year yet, and get ready to work hard and obtain your best body yet – it’s NOT just going through the motions. You have to do things that others will not. Hard work, proper choices, and discipline are the only way to obtain the results you desire.

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

Nutritional Supplement Article – Coming Up!

Hey San Antonio,

Wow, what a day. Trained 12 hours, squeezed an intense workout in, and hit 50 minutes of cardio, scarfing down lean meals between clients.

Today, the protein synthesis/bcaa article took precedence, but tomorrow or Friday I plan on writing my supplement article. As long as the nutritional program you’re following is in check and you realize that supplements are to SUPPLEMENT proper nutrient intake (instead of to make up for a bad habit), you’ll greatly benefit from it. I’ll tell you what assists fat loss, recovery, sleep, pre and post-workout, and just about everything else I can think of.

So be patient and keep checking back! I’ll list today and tomorrow’s food intake as well as I prep for the 29th Annual Lackland Bodybuilding Classic which is now only 30 days away (from Thursday).

Sleep tight and remember that abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym!

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

Nutritional Supplements: What You Need, What Works, and What You Are Wasting Money On…

Hey San Antonio,

Interested? I’m writing it right now and want to post it tomorrow. I know that nutritional supplements are huge business and everyone is searching for that edge. Not to ruin the article, but here are a few things I will be pointing out:

-Creatine is trash
-Whey Protein by itself is a waste
-Your multivitamin is doing nothing for you whatsoever except creating expensive urine

Intrigued? Well, I have nothing to sell – just telling you the truth and being objective. I’ll tell you things the guys at GNC aren’t going to share. No agenda, no marketing ploy, just the honest to God truth from experience and research.

Don’t worry, I will be telling you what does have a purpose and what you can use for specific goals and what you should be using no matter what your goals are.

Keep your eyes on the SATX Personal Trainer Blog. I’m going to go against everything that everyone believes and piss a lot of people off who spend a lot of money each week/month on the same old things for a placebo effect (usually no physical change).

Get ready!

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

WOW! Body Solutions is BACK, San Antonio!

Ok San Antonio,

There is a lot of sarcasm in the title of this post. Yes, the fad is back in business, which leads me to one thought: SO?

I am now 10 weeks into my dieting for the Lackland Bodybuilding Classic. I believe in a lifestyle approach and fixing the PROBLEMS instead of an instant fix that doesn’t force someone to change habits. Of course, a diet for a bodybuilding show is very temporary and isn’t a lifestyle change, but it leads to the question: why would someone that is an experience personal trainer, who was in the single digits of body fat to begin with schedule 16 total weeks to prepare for a bodybuilding show? You’re talking about 16 weeks of no alcohol, no bread, no refined carbs, no sauces, nothing – not ONE cheat meal. Why?

The answer is simple: there is no quick fix. There’s no secret. It’s hard work, and it’s staying the course and making smart choices. The normal body transformation doesn’t require the degree of insanity that bodybuilding prep does, but there’s still small room for cheating and slacking.

WOAI news was, well, for the lack of a better word, whoring Body Solutions today. I’m guessing Body Solutions paid them $3-5k (which they’ve asked me to donate to become their “expert” – yes, the ask the expert program is paid advertising) for the plug on the news.

Bottom line is to save your money – it’s a crap product. NO, there is no such thing as a magic pill or potion. It will not help you gain lean body mass while burning fat. And until the FDA evaluates it, there’s a high risk that it contains dangerous ingredients.

Anything worth achieving requires effort. Those people that spend time looking for shortcuts rarely achieve anything of value – don’t believe the hype.

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

Supplementation

Hey San Antonio,

Daily, I receive emails or questions by random people at line in HEB (no kidding) about what supplements I would recommend or what supplements do I use. As you know, I tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. I have no motivation to sell or make a profit from supplements, so I can be honest.

I totally understand the desire to make the body change as easily as possible. I WISH there was an easy way, but sadly, there isn’t. I’m guessing that half of my readers will be gone after that sentence. Nah, my readers already know this and are much more dedicated than that!

As my nutritional strategy for my show becomes more and more specific, more dialed in and, well, more prolonged, I am adding more things. Of course, the word supplement, as mentioned numerous times here, means “In addition to a whole part.” You SUPPLEMENT your income with extra money – the way you supplement doesn’t become the centerpiece of how you provide for your family. Your supplement program should be centered around your nutritional and training program, not vice versa.

Fact is, the more your training program and nutritional strategy are dialed in, the more you will be able to get from supplements. And while you are in a dieting phase such as that I am in now, your micronutrient needs may change due to a more restrictive selection from food.

When a supplement claims weight loss, it means absolutely nothing. Without the proper stimulus (nutritional and training-wise) nothing is going to force that weight to be from the proper source: BODY FAT. Plus, making the necessary changes ANYWAY will lead to MUCH better progress than any supplement that has ever been created.

I have had hundreds of people tell me “I’m eating perfectly and training hard and nothing has happened” and it’s usually a case of one or two things: either they haven’t given the new stimulus time to take effect (you don’t get out of shape in a week, changes aren’t going to happen overnight) or they have absolutely NO idea what they’re doing and their training/nutrition is in NO way supporting the goals they are wanting to achieve. The latter is often the case (we are impatient though), because if you search for “How To” on the internet, you are overwhelmed with conflicting information.

Everything I do and recommend is based on science, trial and error, and years of experience. It’s by no means one size fits all – everything is designed and adjusted based on the individual and their goals. Of course, my goal is to have no body fat come November 21, and my nutritional program is on the extreme end of the spectrum. However, most people aren’t looking at such extreme goals and such extreme measures aren’t necessary. Discipline is still required, regardless, and if you want to look amazing, your motivation is definitely a cut above the ladies at the office that are always talking about a new diet or losing a pound here or there (just to gain 5 on the weekend).

I’ve said it numerous times: there is no such thing as a magic pill. Once you get the nutrition and training to where they need to be to get you to where you want to be, then there are things you can do to improve your progress. But understand, results from supplementation is marginal, and varies from individual to individual.

If you aren’t taking care of the training, nutritrion and rest portions of the puzzle, throwing different pills and powders down your throat will only produce expensive urine…

To the TRUTH!

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

Supplement Review Video

Hey San Antonio,

Let me warn you, if you’re looking for a magic weight loss pill, go away now. These are just the 4 supplements that I use regularly, and even moreso while I diet down for my bodybuilding competition.
The 4 supplements I use are:
ProComplete 40 – this is my protein blend that I blend with either oats for carbs + protein or healthy fats. Blend of casein, whey protein isolate and egg protein for a very broad spectrum of amino acids.

Scivation’s Xtend – this is my BCAA product. As I mentioned in the BCAA article a few days ago, these are the aminos that the body tries to obtain from muscle during exercise for energy.

Body Effects – Excellent energy booster, fat burner, appetite suppressant and mood enhancer (no kidding, it does all of this).

Melatonin – naturally produced in the brain, melatonin regulates sleep patterns and helps us get into the deep sleep cycle more rapidly. Do not underestimate the importance of sleep, rest and recovery!!!

As I’ve written it in the past, but the word supplement means “In addition to a whole part”. Supplements WILL NOT MAKE OR BREAK YOU. If training, nutrition and recovery aren’t in check, you are wasting a lot of money. Once those things are as they need to be, then supplementation can definitely enhance the effects of each.

As I have also mentioned, I purchase my supplements at Alamo City Sports Nutrition (at the corner of Huebner and Stone Oak). Great staff, knowledgeable and professional. Nothing like the GNCs of the world, who are trying to push the highest profit margin item and make a buck.

In addition to what is seen in this video, I also use Speed Stack by American Bodybuilding as my “kick in the pants” supplement – 5 calories, 240mg of caffeine and 25mg of Synephrine. It’s intense, and if you have a low tolerance to stimulants, I’d recommend building up to it.

Hope you enjoy the video!

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

Supplement Review: Max Muscle’s High 5 Protein

Hey San Antonio,

I just wanted to take a second to review one of my favorite protein supplements, High 5 by Max Muscle. If this is your first visit to my blog, take the time to read my protein articles in the nutrition section.

High 5, as its name suggests, is a complex composed of five different proteins for a very complete amino acid profile and a varying rate of absorption. From the highest rate of absorption to the slowest, High 5 contains Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Isolate, Egg White Albumen, and Potassium Caseinate. What does this mean? Well, when you drink it you get an immediate dose of aminos, followed by a sustained release of others for up to four hours.

My take, it’s perfect for a snack, meal, enhanced recovery, fat loss and muscle gain. It mixes perfectly (I use a blender, but it does great in a shaker bottle). I’ve used vanilla, chocolate, banana and strawberry and have enjoyed each of them, but vanilla is my favorite. It also only has 1g of sugar per serving.

Each container has 43 servings, and costs approximately $55, so each serving is just over $1 (not bad or a meal).

It’s my favorite protein blend, and I typically drink it as a meal replacement (or supplement it with lower protein or lower quality protein meals) two to three times per day.

Check it out!

If there’s another supplement you’d like reviewed, please don’t hesitate to ask. If you’re the owner of a supplement company or a store and would like for me to try a product and review it, feel free to contact me via the tab above.

Boyd Myers
San Antonio Personal Trainer
North Central San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Road
210.391.1454