Fat Loss – Body Transformation – Advanced Nutrition

Hey San Antonio,

I’m kind of annoyed with the state of personal training right now. It’s becoming kind of comical: the perpetuation of the same old, tired myths (“get that cardio in”, starvation diets, bullshit exercises, and limited results).

Whether you are considering me or one of my personal trainers as your trainer of choice, hopefully you’ll find this useful. Finding a quality fitness trainer can be tough. It’s important that you are comfortable with the individual and that you are able to communicate – that is why it is called “Personal” training. Here are a few other things that should make your search for the perfect trainer a little easier. Don’t be afraid to shop around – you should never feel pressured. Legitimate trainers expect you to shop around and investigate their offering. Don’t worry – the right deal for you will be available tomorrow as it is today.

What should you look for in a Personal Trainer?

A Personal Trainer should look like a fitness professional.
If they take pride in how they look, they’ll take pride in your results. I’d be concerned if my personal trainer was flabby, unhealthy thin, and smells like a Carl’s Jr Bacon Cheeseburger.

Before you exercise, you should meet with your trainer for a consultation.
Be on high alert for trainers that want to schedule a workout immediately. At first, they should be ready to sit down with you, get to know you and your goals, and allow you to get to know them and the way they like to do things.

A Personal Trainer should provide full diet and nutrition information to their clients as part of their training program.
Believe it or not, some trainers do not offer this information for free. If you’re looking to train, you have to be willing to eat a clean diet that minimizes junk food and unnecessary calories. Find a trainer that has a background in nutrition, and knows how to tailor diet plans for people as individuals. Everyone is different, and every diet is different.

A Personal Trainer should be easily accessible.
You should be able to contact your trainer at any time for any question you might have about your diet or program. That means that they should promptly return your messages and answer your emails in a timely fashion. Many trainers only deal with their clients while they’re in the gym. Make sure your trainer is always available to assist you. Your session doesn’t end when you leave the gym.

Find a trainer that can answer your questions.
A trainer should be able to answer most of your questions with minimal research. If a trainer volunteers to look something up, that’s fine, but don’t settle for a trainer that tells you that the answer is in a new supplement, hours of cardio, or crash diets. Don’t be afraid to check the answer your trainer gives you to ensure accuracy.

A quality Personal Trainer will tell you “Why”, not just “What” and “How”.
“Trust me, it works” isn’t an acceptable answer to why you are doing something. Many clients don’t care why, and that’s fine, but it is your right to ask and know why you are doing something. Don’t waste your time doing something if it isn’t going to help you just because the trainer “Said so.” Never be afraid to ask “Why are we doing this and how does this relate to my goals?”

A Personal Trainer should look like they workout.
Would you go to a dentist that had bad teeth? Probably not, so why go to a trainer that isn’t lean and in respectable shape? A trainer should look like they know what they are talking about. Don’t be confused, many bodybuilders feel that because they have competed, they should be trainers. Many will try to lead their clients to believe that knowledge, not genetics, hard work, illegal drugs, or many years of trial and error, got them to where they are.

A Personal Trainer should have several quality certifications and at least some health/fitness related educational background.
There are many organizations that provide organizations, but not so many of them are reputable. Look for individuals that are certified through ISSA, ACE, ACSM, and NASM, to name a few. Ask your trainer who they are certified through, and check out the organization. Understand that a certification only allows a personal trainer to train and does not qualify them as THE expert. A true professional will always look to further their fitness education through numerous classes, seminars, and other forms of continuing education.

A good Personal Trainer will have experience training others.
Ask your trainer about their body of work. Don’t settle for a trainer that can tell you the changes they’ve made in their own physique, but ask them about the results they have helped others achieve. Certifications and degrees are great, but can they apply what they know? Have they helped numerous competitors get on stage? May not be what you’re looking for, but it’s the ultimate in body transformation. Do they have references? Testimonials?

Be Aware – If you train at a commercial gym, the trainer will try to sell you things.
There are many quality trainers at commercial clubs all over the country. However, the clubs usually require them to sell you a bigger training package, a longer gym membership, or items from the club’s supplement and apparrel line, and they get paid to do so. A professional should be able to draw the line and give you an objective answer about without a conflict of interest or doing what is best for “the club”.

A Personal Trainer should have liability insurance and a current CPR certification.
Accidents and injuries happen. Don’t wait until it’s too late to find out that your trainer isn’t covered or can’t help you in an emergency situation.

Cheaper isn’t always better!
So many trainers just want to have a huge number of clients that they drop their prices extremely low and look to make money off of volume. Remember, you get what you pay for. Many of those trainers are just looking to make a buck, and they don’t value your goals as an individual. Find a trainer that is flexible and is willing to do whatever it takes to help you get into shape, even if it means long talks on the phone at night or answering several emails a day from their clients.

There are many things to look for when you’re searching for a personal trainer. These are a few of the common traits that a good trainer should have. Don’t be afraid to shop around, and never feel pressured with your trainer.

Until next time!

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.

Most personal trainers only understand the most basic of client needs and the most basic of concepts: help the client move more, control what they eat and get some form of results. Ironically, this formula only fits a small piece of the population that actually seek a personal trainer. If you’re going to pay good money, slight results aren’t what you’re looking for.

Unlike most personal trainers, I have a long list of testimonials and references that I offer any client that may be interested in acquiring my services.

My client list includes:

Medical Professionals

I currently work closely with many different doctors and other types of medical professionals to ensure that my clients are getting the most of their programs in many different types of capacities: medical weight loss, rehabilitation, pre and post-natal, chiropractic and other special populations.

I am also the personal trainer to several of the top surgeons in the San Antonio area, including several that I have worked with for more than 2 years.

These doctors, nurses and other medical professionals are more than happy to provide a reference to any potential client.

Figure, Bikini, and Bodybuilding Competitors

I train many different competitors from all of the major competitive organizations around the world (NPC/IFBB, WBFF, IFPA, etc)

Without a doubt, subjective sports where one is judged against other competitors based on symmetry, muscle definition, conditioning and other aesthetic points-of-view are the absolute test of, not only the client’s discipline, but the trainer’s knowledge and experience. My track record of having clients looking their absolute best on show day is unparalleled, but it’s more than simple appearance. It is often said that, while these contests are the epitome of an athletic appearance, the athletes are actually as far away from that on stage as humanly possible.

That is not the approach that I take. I do not use any senseless voodoo that risks my clients health. Everything I have a client do, from the first day of competition prep until they are completely recovered from their show is based on science and my years of experience. No near death dehydration, no “thin the skin by eating this fish and asparagus” (really, THIN THE SKIN?), no 2 hours of cardio per day and starvation.

Nothing I do is “cookie cutter”. You will not get a one size fits all diet and workout from me. Any direction that I give is based on your condition and what it will take to get your body from where it is to where it needs to be to get you in the best physical condition and aesthetic shape possible. I take every factor into consideration: genetics, metabolic conditions, strengths and weaknesses, visible needs and other conditions.

My approach differs from 99.9% of prep coaches for many reasons. First, my clients are never starving. They aren’t doing hours of cardio at any point. I’ve written numerous articles on why cardio is NOT effective for fat loss, and I use my competitors as evidence, as my clients are always complimented for their conditioning and leanness. Competition prep is about working with the body’s natural balance: not ridiculous and unhealthy extremes. Many trainers talk about “tricking the body” and other nonsense. The human body has a few thousand years of a head start, so rest assured, you aren’t going to trick it. Every action performed by the body or on the body has a very predictable reaction. While other trainers may experiment with hocus pocus, I prefer to use a scientific approach to allow the body to respond predictably.

I have several competitors from all classes, experience levels and age groups that are available as references at the client’s request.

Professional Athletes

When the body and it’s performance is an individual’s primary source of income, you can bet that athletes are very selective on whom they entrust their bodies to. Over the last several years, I have worked with several top level athletes in the NBA, NFL and MLB, as well as NCAA All Americans in football, wrestling, baseball, basketball, volleyball, golf and track.

The specific needs of each sport, from a training, nutrition, and supplementation standpoint, are foreign to most personal trainers. Athletes must train in a way that will not only directly improve their performance in their sport, but also experience improved recovery between training and competition to ensure they are regularly able to frequently perform at the highest levels possible.

And Most Importantly…
Everyday, I train regular professionals of all types, students, mothers, and others like 99% of the people that are reading this blog. I have trained individuals from all walks of life – I’ve trained over 2500 people in the last 15 years. Each of my clients has their own stories about their own paths of how they conquered their personal goals, and I wouldn’t hesitate to offer any past client as a reference.

If you’re thinking about hiring a trainer for the new year, give me a call. My track record is unparalleled, and you don’t just have to take my word for it, I’ll provide you with as many references as you may need to help make your decision easy.

Happy Monday, San Antonio!

Give the gift of health, fitness, and fat loss for the holidays!

We offer gift certificates for all budgets and fitness needs. Of course, all programs consist of complete nutrition and fitness program design and guidance. Whether an individual needs a starter for the new year or is looking for a complete body transformation, my personal trainers and I will help you reach whatever goals you may have!

Slots are limited (January obviously gets busy – first come/first serve). For more information, email me at boyd@the-personal-trainer.com or call/text me at 210.391.1454

No gift is as precious as health!

Happy Holidays,

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

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to make a quick post about this week’s events:

Chiropractic
Thursday, our in-house chiropractor, Dr. Johnny Miller will be taking patients here at the studio (16613 Huebner Road) starting at 4pm. We have had a good turnout thus far, so RSVP your slot in advance! Dr. Miller performs joint/spinal manipulation, along with a soft-tissue dysfunction correction through the Graston Technique. Whether you’re a serious athlete or a weekend warrior that is interested in pain relief, Dr. Miller can help you. Cost is $50 per patient, and he will give you a receipt if you’d like to file it with your insurance company.

Figure Posing Clinic
Saturday at 10am is our weekly figure posing clinic. For information on what our posing clinics entail, check out this post about last weeks’s clinic!

Summer Program Discounts
I’ve extended our “two train for one” special through July! If you’re interested in training with a friend or family member, you can sign up together for the price of one client (must train at the same time).

Check Out the Updated Page!
I’ve made a few changes to my main personal training page, so check it out and click the LIKE button at the top! Also, check out our social media pages!

Make your week AMAZING!

Figure Competitors in the San Antonio Area:

I will be hosting my weekly figure posing clinic at my studio (16613 Huebner Road) at 10am on Saturday, June 30, 2012.

During our posing clinics, we cover:
-Basics of posing

-Quarter turns

-T-walks

-Simulate Pre-judging while making posing adjustments on each competitor

-Pictures/Vids to go over with each competitor and make any needed adjustments

-Full Q&A following the session

The price for non-clients is $40, and each competitor should preferably wear heels (to simulate the actual competition experience). My clients that are getting closer to competition will be wearing sports bras or their posing suit tops, but dress however you feel comfortable.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 210.391.1454.

San Antonio,

If you’re looking for pain relief, one of the services I’ve recently set up at my studio is through my friend, Chiropractor (and competitive bodybuilder) Dr. Johnny Miller. Dr. Miller uses several different types of therapy with his patients: spinal alignment, myofascial release, active release therapy, and Dr. Miller is one of the only chiropractors in San Antonio that uses the Graston Method for any type of soft tissue pain.

Dr. Miller will be using my personal training studio (16613 Huebner Road) as a satellite clinic starting Thursday, June 28 between the hours of 4pm and 6:30pm. Slots are limited, so contact me if you are interested in setting up an appointment. Payment will be on a by-visit basis, with discounts for multiple sessions.

Whether you’re a hardcore athlete or just someone experiencing mild pain or serious joint, spine, knee, hip, or other pain, Dr. Miller can get you back to full speed quickly.

Hey everyone,

Today, I heard a couple of guys talking about personal training certifications and which ones they wanted to get next. That got me thinking about my first personal training certification over 15 years ago, and the 20+ I have taken in the last 15 years, along with the numerous seminars, college classes and other fitness, health, and nutrition related education I have received.

Funny thing? A lot of the stuff that was popular belief, even in the scientific community, has changed drastically over the last 15 years. Of course, many fitness “experts” are stuck in the stone age and don’t do much to keep up with the times, and most fall into two distinct groups: those who pretend to be the absolute fitness geniuses of society who look as if they’ve never lifted a weight and can quote any number of studies and the people that may look amazing but haven’t as much read a fitness article that conflicts with their set opinions.

I prefer to be a little bit of both: I’m definitely a fitness nerd and keep a close eye on the fitness-nutrition-science relationships, yet I take a lot of pride in being an accomplished powerlifter and a competitive bodybuilder. I spend a lot of time writing about nutrition and fitness on this blog, and I also walk the walk!

In fact, the landscape of personal training is changing quickly. Gone are the days of the independent trainer who focuses on one on one fitness (as I do). The big box commercial gyms hire many “salespeople” who double as trainers and they pay them next to nothing to funnel volume through their gyms to simply increase their bottom line. I don’t think many people are confusing Gold’s Gym Personal Trainers as fitness experts (rep counters and bullshitters are more appropriate titles). A majority of those who do prefer to go above and beyond working at the big box gyms have seemingly gravitated toward group training to focus on, you guessed it, volume.

I’m very simple in this: I do not like training large groups. I much prefer one on one training, and my track record speaks for itself. I have dedicated my entire adult life to learning as much about the body as possible and have trained hundreds of individuals over the last decade and a half (and I’m only 36 :).

When looking for a personal trainer, check into that person. Don’t follow the hype and the social media crazes. Do your research, check references, and interview that individual, but beware of BS. In most cases, you get what you pay for. The big box gym trainers have a stigma that I touched on above, and there’s a big reason for that (those stereotypes are real).

Few people are as passionate about what they do as I am, and I feel very fortunate to be in a position to do what I absolutely love. My only wish is that others cared as much about the credibility of the profession and worked as hard at their craft as they do perpetuating nonsense!

Be informed – education and experience are key!

Hey everyone,

I’ve said it over and over: you cannot train if you are injured. If you cannot train, you cannot make physical progress.

If you’ve followed this blog for any amount of time, you’ve heard me comment about getting massages, chiropractic adjustments, active release therapy and a few other types of therapy.

One of the services I’ve recently set up at my studio is through my friend, Chiropractor (and competitive bodybuilder) Dr. Johnny Miller. Dr. Miller uses several different types of therapy with his patients, including myofascial release, active release therapy, and Dr. Miller is one of the only chiropractors in San Antonio that uses the Graston Method for pain relief (click on the link for more information).

Dr. Miller will now be using my personal training studio (16613 Huebner Road) as a satellite clinic, and will be available for adjustments and light therapy a couple of times each week at my studio, starting next Thursday, June 28 between the hours of 4pm and 6:30pm. Slots are limited, so contact me if you are interested in this new service. Whether you’re a hardcore athlete or just someone experiencing mild pain or serious joint, spine, hip, or other pain, Dr. Miller can get you back to full speed quickly.

I’ll be updating my main personal training website over the next few days to include this service and types of care Dr. Miller will be providing.

Check out my Personal Trainer site (and give it a LIKE in the Facebook box at the top of the page: from competition prep consulting, personal training, full lab/bloodwork analysis and now chiropractic services; my studio is the top spot in San Antonio for elite fitness and wellness services!

Hey San Antonio,

Summer is here, and it is never too late to get in shape – Make it the month you begin getting into the best shape of your life with a friend or loved one, as I have expanded my Two For One Personal Training special.

Whether your goals or fitness levels are similar or entirely different, my personal trainers and I are able to simultaneously able to train both of you accordingly to help you reach your goals in as little time as possible – we have experience in simultaneously training individuals in completely different conditions with completely contrasting goals.

Not only is it motivating and fun, but it’s also less expensive per person/per session to do so. As always, all personal training packages include complete nutritional guidance, 24/7 access to your trainer and complete guidance on what to do when you’re not in the gym with your trainer. Whether your goal is fat loss, body transformation, or athletic performance, our training and nutrition programs will help you reach your goals in the shortest amount of time possible.

For more information, check out our webpage: Personal Fitness Revolution – San Antonio Personal Training

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 everyone,

Hope that you had a great weekend! I’m thinking about scheduling our next figure posing clinic for Saturday June 23 at 9am at my studio, 16613 Huebner Road. The cost for non-clients is $40 and we thoroughly go over the how-to, do a pre-judginig walk-through, practice the T-Walk, and make adjustments to each competitor to help them optimally present their physique. The past two weeks have ran between 60 and 90 minutes or so. We have competitors from all the main organizations at different levels of prep, so there’s something for everyone.

I’ll confirm later in the week, so keep an eye on here and the Facebook Pages (Boyd Myers Fitness Training and Elite Fitness Consultants, go give each of them a LIKE if you don’t follow them yet :). If you have any questions or would like more details, feel free to give me a call, text or email me!

Make your week great!

Hey Figure Competitors in and around the San Antonio area,

I will be holding a figure posing and coaching clinic tomorrow morning, June 16 at 10am at my studio on 16613 Huebner Road here in San Antonio. We will go over the basics of posing and presentation, stage presence, simulate pre-judging and practice all of the posing with personal adjustments to each competitor. We will conclude the session with a Q&A to answer any questions you may have about competing. Competitors of all stages of prep and competition experience will be there, so there will be something for everyone.

The cost is $40 for non-clients. Most ladies will be wearing their suit tops, a regular bikini top, or a sports bra along with shorts. If you want to partake in the practice posing (where we will be adjusting you to help you optimally present your physique), let me suggest that you wear posing shoes!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me (call or text) at 210.391.1454 or email me at boyd@the-personal-trainer.com. Please RSVP so I can know how many to expect!

Hey everyone,

Big thank you to all of the competitors that joined us last Saturday for posing practice. Huge turnout, and it was really great to have all the ladies in different stages of training working together. The feedback I received was amazing, as everyone found it motivational, inspiring and educational. I’m very proud of my team of competitors: as it stands, I’m currently training 9 females for shows (along with 2 male bodybuilders) and I’ll be attending 6 shows with clients in July and August. It doesn’t slow down until nearly Thanksgiving!

I will be announcing our next figure posing clinic in the next day or so – if you’re a figure competitor in San Antonio and want to be at your very best when you get on stage and really present the fruits of your labor, you definitely don’t want to miss it. We go through the basic poses for judging, stage present and other tips to help you look your very best (including simulating pre-judging).

I’m in the midst of working on my main personal training website. I am going to seperate it and make it more of an “overview” site that covers all of my services: personal training in my studio here in San Antonio, fitness consulting for those who aren’t in San Antonio or who may have enough experience to train without my assistance and of course, a link to this blog (hey, I’ve put way too much effort into this thing). Anyway, I tend to forget how much I do not miss my work as an IT professional until I start programming!

Just wanted to stop in and update. I’ve found some amazing information in the training and nutrition journals I regularly visit, and I can’t wait to pass on the latest scientific news on to the readers, and I’ll start putting some of those up in the next day or so.

Keep KILLING IT, daily!