Fat Loss – Body Transformation – Advanced Nutrition

What works? Want the HONEST truth? You can make gains on absolutely any training program if you stick with it and are consistent. There is no single “correct” program – but there are ways to train optimally for specific goals. If you are reading this blog, I’d guess it is safe to assume that body transformation, fat loss and physique enhancement is what your goals are based upon.

The purpose of ANY exercise program is simply to coax your body into adapting to a new stress. The stress must be severe enough to stimulate adaption, but not so severe that you get injured or end up over-trained. You improve fitness by making a series of small adaptions (more weight, high volume, more intensity, etc).

Planning an effective exercise training program is as much art as science. Before you go any further, simply LEARN THE TRUTH. Don’t buy into old nonsense such as “tone with higher reps and grow with lower reps”, “lose fat by doing more cardio and eating less” and other similar bullshit.

When designing your program, apply these principles:

-Train Specfically. For fat loss, this applies to nutrition and the appropriate training. It isn’t simply doing more calisthenics and cardio. Don’t fall into that trap.

-Establish Realistic Goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, goals. If they aren’t all of the above, they aren’t going to be reached.

-Have a PLAN. Gyms are often packed, yet, few people are actually in shape or make drastic changes over time. If you have a plan and goals, then you will regularly make progress.

-Condtion Your Body Gradually. While most people do too much too fast, there are people that start out reading a magazine on a bike, and if they went any slower, they’d be doing backwards. Find that happy medium, but increase the stimulus regularly (and quickly).

-Train consistently. 2 times per week isn’t consistent enough. If you miss 2-3 workouts per month, you’re missing 24-36 workouts each year. I guarantee you’d look better if you did not miss those workouts!

-Train first for volume and then for intensity. Get the body ready and then train to kick ass!

-Do not over-train. MORE is not better. I know people that brag about going to the gym 15-20 times per week. IF you can go that many times, you aren’t training hard enough. More is less.

-Do not UNDER-train. Yep, this is as much as a problem. It IS called WORK-out. IT has to be WORK.

-Listen to your body. If it is your mind telling you to be lazy, ignore it. But pain and fatigue are very real. Pay attention to what your body is saying and rest when needed.

-Cycle the volume and intensity of your workouts. No two workouts should ever be the same. The body responds to variety!

-Work on your weaknesses. This is how you become great at ANYTHING. Don’t only do the things that you are good at or that come easy.

-Nutrition is home plate and everything else revolves around it. You cannot out-train a bad diet.

-Train your mind. Learn what you are doing and why you are doing it and apply your knowledge to your gym time!

-Have fun!

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 know, I know – this is YOUR training time and you’re going to do what you came to do and you could give a little less than a damn with whomever you are annoying. But trust me, if you are doing these things, the rest of the gym congregation thinks you are a douchebag.

1. Curling in the squat rack. Maybe I’m the dumbass for squatting in the “curl rack” but there are literally 50 stations in any gym where you can perform bicep curls. The squat rack is for squatting. Not stretching, not curling. Take that stuff somewhere else and let people who are serious about fitness use the squat rack for the purpose of which it was intended.

2. Occupying every piece of equipment at once for your “circuit”. Sorry, but if you are in the cables, on the pulldown, using 3 benches, the leg press and the squat rack, you need to put a little more effort into fewer exercises, or not be upset when someone else uses one of your 16 stations. Be considerate…

3. Taking pics of your abs or biceps in the mirror makes you a tool.

4. Telling everyone on Facebook and Twitter about how hard your working out? You aren’t working out hard enough.

5. Towels are essential even in the locker room. Nobody wants to see you naked, especially shaving in the mirror or “hanging” around in the sauna.

6. You’re working hard and sweating. We don’t want to share that, so clean up after yourself.

7. There’s a such thing as too much cologne/perfume. We’re trying to breathe here…

8. Having a full conversation DURING a set? You’re not training hard enough, and you’re talking too much.

9. No, she does not need your help, want your advice or need a spot.

10. Allowing cables to “clang” hard doesn’t mean you’re working out harder, it just means you are being unnecessarily noisy and damaging the equipment.

11. Having a workout partner is a great motivator. Having a workout entourage is annoying to everyone else in the gym trying to move around you.

12. I’ve never been in a gym bright enough to wear sunglasses (nor a bar).

13. You probably aren’t a pro MMA fighter, so don’t shadowbox and such in the mirror.

14. You aren’t a pro rapper either, so stop dancing and singing between sets.

15. 1970 running shorts aren’t cool. Put that thing away.

16. Spinning class doesn’t require aerodynamics – your cool cycling gear isn’t cool.

17. There is no way that every day is biceps day.

18. Personal Trainers: people are looking at you. QUIT if you are fat (unless you are prego) and your clients should be the ones doing things properly… Usually, not the case in most gyms.

19. Deodorant is your friend. Always.

20. Guys, be a little more non-chalant about gawking into the aerobics room.

21. If you cannot use a full range of motion, you are using too much weight.

22. That shirt will not disintegrate if you wash it every once in a while.

23. You are at the gym, driving around the parking lot looking for a spot for 45 minutes makes no sense.

24. Grunting while curling 10lbs does not make your muscles grow.

25. If you don’t look like you’ve ever worked out, there’s a good chance nobody wants your unsolicited advice.

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,

No matter what gym you may venture into anywhere in the world, you could easily mistake any given day as National Arm Day, World Bench Press Day, International Ab Day, or something similar. No matter how often you frequent the gym, no matter how much you run or whatever else you do: if you do not squat, then you do not workout…

Many of you may be thinking you don’t want bigger legs or you are just trying to lose weight – this article is for you too – squatting is essential for fat loss!

I know: doing legs sucks, and squatting sucks more than anything else. But put temporary anguish aside and consider these things:

-The largest muscles in the body are below the waist. When you do a proper leg workout, those large muscles do the work – when large muscles work, more calories are burned.

-Large muscle groups grow the fastest. More lean body mass = a higher resting metabolic rate

-Training large muscle groups forces the body into a desirable hormonal state – In Layman’s terms, training legs causes an increase in overall muscle building and fat burning hormones.

Your legs move the weight, your lower back stabilizes the body, your arms squeeze the bar: squatting is not JUST a leg exercise – it’s a full body exercise (as is the dead lift).

Proper squatting provides even more benefits:
-Gaining strength will lead to increased lean body mass
-Squatting increases flexibility
-Regardless of what the misinformed think, proper squatting actually strengthens the knees

Now, I would guess that less than 1/4 of the people in a typical gym perform squats. Of that number, I would then say that less than 5% actually do them properly, which leads me to: “How do you squat perfectly?”

I know what a lot of personal trainers and doctors believe (I’ve heard it at least 100 times): squatting less than full range of motion is ok and will lessen the likelihood of injury. This information is completely false. While these partial squats may very well stimulate the quads, the lack of full ROM doesn’t properly activate the glutes and hamstrings, leading to muscular imbalances that greatly increase the chances of a knee injury.

First, let’s discuss unracking the bar.
-I personally like to set the bar in the power rack at about upper chest level, so that I am slightly squatting to get under the bar. I do not want to lift the bar off by going to my tip-toes or bending at my lower back.

-Position your feet directly under the bar.

-Place the bar on your upper back/mid-trapezius. Do not try to put it on the top of the shoulders or on your neck. Sounds crazy, but a lot of people hold the bar entirely too high.

-Tighten everything and lift the bar from the rack

-One step back with each leg and then you’re in position to begin.

Before you begin:
-Chest up.

-Eyes forward – do NOT look at your feet.

-Again, bar on the muscles, NOT the spine.

-Straight wrists – your back should be supporting the weight, NOT your wrists.

-Elbows back.

-Feet at proper stance (depending on the style, I prefer at least shoulder width).

-Toes OUT.

Descension:
-Knees out. If your hip flexors/groins are weak, you may have a tendency to buckle the knees. Don’t let this happen – keep them out.

-Focus on sitting. Do not let your knees go past your toes.

-Get DEEP. Your hips should drop below your knee. I know it may FEEL like it is, but have someone judge it, or better yet, video yourself. Stopping before this is basically using the knee as your “brakes” – use the muscles and the natural range of motion.

Going UP!
-Torso angle should be like this: /

-Hips and chest go up together – this is a squat, not a good morning raise

-Keep your feet flat and “Grab” the floor with your feet to activate the glutes. Do NOT shift the weight to your toes!

-Keep those knees OUT! IF you are injured, you cannot train!

I always prefer the squat/power rack and free weight squatting. Locked machines and fixed routes are not optimal for developing the full and natural ROM, and will lead to the same imbalances and injury risks listed above.

Practice makes perfect. If you cannot keep perfect form and use a full ROM, swallow your pride and lower the weight. Performing lighter, proper sets will lead to better gains than heavy, improper squats and will keep your risk of injury lower.

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

IF you are looking for a shortcut

IF you are looking for a magic pill

IF you are looking for a hardcore diet secret

IF you think there is an EASY way

IF you believe that you really don’t have time

IF you do not believe in yourself

IF you think that you really do have a valid EXCUSE

IF you aren’t willing to make sacrifice

IF you think you can make up for bad eating by simply skipping meals

IF you think the HCG diet is a good idea and you want to check out an HCG clinic

IF you think working late, not getting enough sleep last night, a birthday party, happy hour or anything close is a valid reason to miss your workout

THEN

Look elsewhere. Give up now. Look DEEPER inside yourself. Find someone who will coddle you and tell you it’s okay and you’re still going to reach your goals.

Excuses are crutches for the weak.

And, if it were easy, a) it wouldn’t be called workout and b) everyone would look amazing.

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,

If you ask anyone what the three most important movements for any workout program are, more than likely, the squat will make nearly everyone’s list, as well it should: few exercises recruit so many muscle fibers and place emphasis on so many areas of the body (including the core).

Sadly, you can walk into most any gym across America and it seems that there are fewer and fewer people doing the squat. One reason is that most people are simply intimidated by it. Of course, much of that comes from not understanding proper form.

The key to perfecting the form is to perform the lift. And by squatting, I mean freeweight, barbell squats: NOT FIXED SMITH MACHINE SQUATS.

How do you perform a perfect squat?

-At the bottom, the back slightly arched (NOT ROUNDED) bend at the hips slightly forward (NEVER at the back)

-bend at the hips slightly forward (NEVER at the back).

-chest forward, (should not be concave) – keep the shoulders back

-head up, your spine will follow your eyes, so pick a spot and keep your eyes locked on it

-Foot/stance width varies (shoulder width or a bit wider).

-Hips, knees, and ankles stay aligned, and try to keep the knees from going pass the toes (obviously, leg length varies). Toes slightly turned outward, with the feet at approximately a 30 degree angle

-Keep your butt down, buried, but focusing on keeping the back straight.

There are few body structures that have great difficulty squatting. I would not recommend abandoning all forms of the squat altogether. Practice with different stances (much wider or narrower), and using different variations of the squat (hack squat, zercher squat, front squat and dumbbell squat).

There is a reason that the squat is called the king of all exercises, and is extremely important to overall body development.

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

My friend Chris sent me this article on Twitter:

Is Sitting a Lethal Activity?

Really? Really… Really???

Okay, I think the good people at the Mayo Clinic are not seeing the forest for the trees.

The amount that someone squirms while sitting is keeping some people leaner than others?

I’d think that they’d look at a couple other factors at first, mainly: HORMONES and OTHER METABOLIC FACTORS.

Of course, it’s easier to break things down to how many calories you eat in a day versus how many you burn (but they really have NO clue how many you burn in a day). Ignoring where calories burned comes from in the body, what activities cause the body to need different nutrient ratios at different times.

Oh yeah, they mentioned “light aerobic activity” being enough to control weight… I’d like to direct them to my post from yesterday.

Sorry readers: it isn’t as easy as squirming in your seat more. The body is quite a bit more complex than that, and now the paradigm is shifting from weight loss to fat loss/body transformation.

If the good doctor would like for me to give him a rundown on how one body can burn more calories than another body, I’d be glad to go over it with him (I just can’t help but think that my tax dollars are somehow funding this bogus study).

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’ve been getting a lot of cardio based questions lately. I totally get why: it’s warm here in Texas, and no matter how much I type, no one wants to believe that cardio is NOT the holy grail of fat loss. People want to know “HOW MUCH, WHAT TYPE, WHAT INTENSITY???”

Top training mistake? The myth that cardio is the epicenter of fat loss and that more, slow go cardio will get you lean. No, it will make you FAT by reducing your lean body mass, actually increasing your overall body fat percentage.

I’ve written a lot about cardio (see my “Getting Started” Articles). Actually, read this to get a complete understanding of why Cardio Is Not The Answer For Fat Loss.

Cardio is a very small part of fat loss. If I had to rank the factors for fat loss, I’d probably rank them in this order:

1. Proper Nutrition (increasing the metabolism, not starving)
2. Resistance Training
3. Sleep (this is key to improve the hormones that dictate fat storage)
4. Cardio (but make no mistake: NOT slow go marathon style, low intensity cardio)

You read a lot about me talking about HIIT training. There’s no one style HIIT, as it varies based on the condition of the individual doing it. HIIT stands for high intensity interval training. In short, it’s training at a varying resistance for varying amounts of time, and compared to “staying in the fat burning range heart rate”? It is superior in absolutely every way for fat loss.

Intervals With Intensity!
“All out” or even “high intensity” varies from person to person. One of my favorite styles of interval cardio is going as intense as I can for 20-30 seconds, recovering for 45-60 seconds and then going again. Now, this isn’t an all out sprint for 20-30 seconds, no matter what people want you to believe, unless you’re already in Olympic condition, you aren’t going at 100% for 30 seconds (though it may feel like it). I personally prefer the 20-30 second threshold (and I like keeping the overall duration sub 30 minutes).

In many cases, I may do 8-10 second sprints, recover in the 30 second threshold, and then repeat. Obviously, if I’m running at an 8-10 second rate, that means I’m close to my max capacity for that time – that is pretty close to an absolute top speed sprint. Since it is a bit more intense, I prefer to keep the duration of this higher intensity in the 15-20 minute range.

The key? Vary it – vary intensity, vary intervals, vary duration of overall. Stop being obsessed with the bullshit hysteria that is calories in versus calories out, I’ve debunked those theories for years. Varying the intensity in a single session forces the body to adapt by using different pathways of energy and forcing the cardiovascular system to adapt to varying resistance just as you ask the other parts of the body to adapt to weight training. Varying the duration on different days keeps the body guessing and unable to adapt to the style of training you’re doing (remember, variety is the key to body transformation and the body is very capable of adapting to nearly anything, so you have to work to confuse it).

One nice side effect of high intensity cardio? It transfers perfectly in to the weight room, allowing you to recover quicker between sets, as the training intensity is much closer related to weight training than slowly riding an elliptical machine for an hour.

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

When it comes to eating right, the biggest reason that individuals fail is that they simply aren’t prepared. Here are a few tips to keep you on top of it!

1. Get rid of junk food. If you can’t eat it, you don’t need it in your house.

2. Load up on the “good stuff”. Have easy to assemble meals/snacks ready to go so you can eat healthy even when you’re in a hurry. If nothing else, you’re always safe with packets of tuna or chicken breast!

3. Gladware containers, sandwich bags, a small lunch box and several “shake” bottles – these are things that you NEED!

4. Make enough food one or two days per week to last you all week and use the items in #3 to make sure you always have enough food with you. In fact, I take it a step further: if I know I’m going to be away from home for 2 meals, I carry enough for 4 meals. IF I have a flat tire, a last second meeting, etc there’s no excuse: I’m never scrambling.

5. The lunch box? There are things I always keep in there: a packet meal replacement, ostrich jerkey, almonds, Crystal Light packets, plastic forks/knives, Mrs Dash Seasoning, etc. This is my survival pack – NEVER risk it!

6. If I must eat on the run, there are much better choices in a grocery store (fresh fruit, veggies, meat, etc) than there are at a convenience store or fast food restaurant. Don’t be lazy and use “in a hurry” as an excuse!

I’ve always said that the only way I can be sure I’m getting the right nutrients and that my food is prepared properly is if I prepare it. I don’t like putting my body in the hands of someone else and hoping that there’ll be something healthy to eat wherever I may be. Sure, I know HOW to make proper choices when eating out, but I attempt to control whatever I can to leave nothing to chance.

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,

This is one of my must read articles – check those out on the right tab under the “Getting Started” articles!

People who are serious about their bodies understand the importance of free weight exercises and using machines minimally. Stabilization is important and isolation exercises and machine work doesn’t recruit the muscles required to stabilize. I see personal trainers everywhere having clients do leg extensions, tricep kickbacks, endless ab work, leg curls, and other isolation lifts. Sure, they burn, but they don’t recruit enough muscle fibers to force the body to change.

And don’t think for one second that isolating “sculpts” or “tones” a muscle – it doesn’t work that way. There’s no such thing as sculpting and toning. Fibers either grow or don’t. Use isolation work to fix weaknesses, not to sculpt. Isolation lifts should be less than 25% of your overall lifting routine.

Women, don’t discount this article as a man’s article – it’s directed at you as well. Whether you’re looking to become “sculpted”, lose fat or gain muscle, these are the exercises you must be doing.

Also, concentrate on form. Exercises like this require focus and not just doing movements. You should feel these in the assigned groups. If not, consult a pro on how to do them correctly – someone that really knows what they’re doing. Just because the kid has a “STAFF” shirt on at Gold’s or Lifetime doesn’t mean they’re qualified. Sad, but true. These exercises don’t give you room for bad form – they must be mastered and taught correctly.

1. Free weight squats. If you want nice legs, squat. These force stability in the hips and recruit the glutes (the butt), hamstrings and quads. The lower back must also be strong to do the exercise properly. Oh, and a squat goes ALL the way down, not that 90 degree nonsense. THAT is bad on the knees. Variations: front squats, hack squats, and Zercher squats.

2. Dead lifts. This is the simplest exercise in theory – the weight is on the ground, you pick it up. WHEN I see personal trainers allowing their clients to do this, they’re doing it wrong. Each rep is like it’s own set – the weight comes to a rest, and then it is lifted. Chest forward, back straight, but down, head up, weight as close to the legs as possible, LIFT. It’s that easy. Dead lifts recruit more than 70% of the muscle fibers in the body. Too important NOT to do, as they hit EVERYTHING.

3. Bench press. I like all variations of the bench press – dumbbells, inclines, declines, etc. Use them all, but really focus on the flat barbell bench press, as it is the king of upper body exercise and development. Range of motion is important – the weight MUST touch the chest.

4. Stiff-leg dead lifts. I see a lot of people doing this, but they’re doing it wrong. When you’re in the downward position, your back must be flat as a board. These lifts require concentration and not just simple movement. NOTHING will develop the hamstrings and glutes like SLDL.

5. Row, Row, Row. Pulldowns are easy and cables make us feel strong, but free weight rowing is where it is at for upper back development. Guys, nothing will make you look bigger than a broad back. Ladies, a woman with a developed back looks incredible in a back-revealing dress or a shirt, a tank top or a bikini. Again, like MOST exercises – keep the chest forward and shoulders back.

6. Glute-Ham Raises. This exercise is a beast, period. It takes a level of conditioning to do, but once it’s doable, then, well, DO IT. Another amazing posterior core exercise.

7. Dips. Another one that not every one can do, but something to work toward. Go ALL the way down, full ROM. When you can add weight to a weighted belt, add it.

8. Pull-ups. Few people do these right – body stabilized, chest forward, shoulders back. No swinging. An excellent overall developer of the upper back and biceps.

9. Overhead push press. All pressing movements have their place, and this one is no exception. Again, simple in concept, but if you have a weakness anywhere in your body, you will feel it. Most people over-exert here and decimate their rotator cuffs. Be smart and learn proper form and mechanics.

10. Olympic lifts. These lifts (clean, jerk, snatch, etc) require more skill and experience than any of the other lifts, hence why they’re at number 10. If you’re looking for a change of pace, to bust through a plateau, a proven way to develop power and exercise that hit absolutely everything in the body, learn these lifts. Most personal trainers are simply not qualified, as these lifts are so technical that formal education is almost required to teach them.

There are other great exercises, as these aren’t the only 10 exercises that I would recommend (although if these were the only 10 you did, you’d be doing way better than 90% of people that are training today). Don’t forget exercises like pull-downs, lunges, leg press and there’s plenty of room for basics like sprinting and push-ups.

These are the ten exercises that your workout routine MUST be centered around regardless of your goal. If they aren’t the centerpiece of your workout, it may be time to reconsider why you aren’t making the progress you want to make.

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
16613 Huebner Road
210.391.1454

If there is one question that I can call a Frequently Asked Questions, it is these:

Which type of cardio should I perform? Should I perform cardio in a fed state or on an empty stomach? I’ve heard that on an empty stomach the body is more apt to burn fat – is this true?

First and foremost, you determine which type of cardio you need to be doing based on your goals. If your goal is to run a marathon, than you need to be pacing yourself for distance and training specifically for running.

With this being said, 95% of the people I work with on a daily basis are training for fat loss and body transformation. In this case, let me make a few points:

First, never do cardio fasted. Keeping up with “how much fat you burn during a workout” is like trying to determine how much muscle you have built during a training session. It doesn’t happen immediately, and we are more concerned with the cumulative effect of training and nutrition. With this being said, being fueled will allow you to train with more intensity and will delay the body’s production of hormones that break lean body mass down for fuel. Remember, the biggest benefit from resistance training and intense cardio is the Afterburn Effect – the body’s increased ability to burn calories at an accelerated rate after the training session has ended.

The type of cardio that is most effective for fat loss is, without a doubt, high intensity interval cardio (where you go as hard as possible for a period of time, recover, repeat). I’ve written about high intensity cardio versus slow-go cardio here (as I have addressed many of the questions in this article).

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
Text BOYD to the number 90210 for my mobile business card!

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Thanks to professional fitness model Isabelle Rochon (follow her on Twitter @fitizzy) for suggesting this blog topic. If you’d like to suggest a topic for a future blog, post it in the comments section on the Ask the Personal Trainer Page or shoot me a tweet @boydmyers!)

The key to any body transformation goal is to have the highest metabolic rate possible so that the body is burning more calories during any activity. While many people may understand this in theory, the drastic nature of humans leads us to do things that bring the metabolism to a screeching halt: years of yo-yo or starvation dieting, excessive cardio, minimal weight training, overly rapid fat loss, hard living, drinking, lack of sleep or even rebounding from a long term contest or competition prep. And although change doesn’t happen immediately, the good news is that the metabolism is repairable and can be re-stimulated and optimized.

First, let’s understand what “metabolism” is - by definition, metabolism is the sum total of all the physiological, energy-expending processes that take place in every cell of your body. As mentioned above: for fat loss and body transformation, the goal is to have this rate accelerated, so that no matter our activity (including rest), our bodies are expending more energy (calories).

Often, people will boast about their weight loss accomplishments. When someone tells me they’ve lost a ton of weight in a relatively short amount of time, the first thing that comes to my mind is “at what cost?” – the metabolism is quite adaptive, and rapid fat loss leads to a “shock” in the metabolism. Same response when someone tells me “I don’t eat a lot, maybe one or two meals per day”: this induces what is known as the “starvation” reflex, and before you know it, the body, in defense of being starved to death, starts grasping every calorie it is fed – instead of burning calories at an accelerated rate, the body holds on to everything fearing that it’s next feeding won’t be until after a prolonged period. Also, it is important to understand that fat is a more dense source of calories for the body than muscle or glucose. In an attempt to preserve itself in an emergency situation, the body will metabolize lean body mass for energy, saving the stored fat for the “inevitable emergency situation” that it senses. From a body transformation standpoint, this is obviously undesirable.

There are other signs of metabolic damage. Reached a weight loss plateau? This is another common sign.

The common approach to fixing a slowed metabolism is to just do more and consume less. Unfortunately, this further pushes the metabolism into peril. In many of my past writings, I’ve stated that ‘calories in versus calories out’ is extinct with the dinosaurs. This method pays absolutely no attention to where the body stores nutrients or where it “borrows from” when it needs fuel. It is simply only effective for WEIGHT LOSS. No matter what you believe, in 99.9% of instances, FAT LOSS is the desired result, not necessarily weight loss. Of course, there are instances where weight must be reduced (cardiac health, joint issues, etc) but there are healthier ways to lose weight than to just burn more calories than you consume.

For the metabolism to run optimally, the body has to be in perfect hormonal harmony. When we overeat, the body over-secretes many hormones that would otherwise enhance the metabolism, but due to the overeating period, the body becomes desensitized to the hormones (or ceases to produce the hormone altogether). On the other end of the spectrum, when we under-eat or fast, the body produces less of the hormones we need to keep the metabolism running optimally. Also, during periods of reduced caloric intake (and enhanced physical activity), our body produces many stress hormones, and not of least importance is cortisol – during high levels of stress (physical, emotional or psychological), over secretion of cortisol is a certain way to slam the metabolism to an absolute stop. Want all of these things compounded? Alcohol is the absolute enemy in fat loss and body transformation, as it compounds each and everyone of these issues (over-secretion of catabolic and fat storage hormones, de-sensitivity to anabolic hormones, reduced protein synthesis, unstable blood sugar levels, etc).

So now we understand WHY our metabolism slows down. Let’s examine the many different ways to improve our metabolism and how to repair metabolic damage. It is important to understand that some damage is easily repaired and happens quickly, while other, more severe damage may take more than several weeks to bring back to optimum levels.

Here are a few major points to focus on to increase metabolic rate.

Increase Meal Frequency. This is common sense, but regular feedings remind the body that it doesn’t have to hold on to everything it receives, stabilizes blood sugar, insulin production and energy levels, and reduces the likelihood of binge eating due to controlled hunger. Skipping meals, even occasionally, is a sure-fire way to induce the body’s natural “starvation reflex” (the body’s response to lesser food by stopping the metabolism in it’s tracks).

Food Selection. My motto is simple: eat things that grow from the ground, or eat things that eat things that grow from the ground. And the closer you get to it’s original state, the better you are. Refined and processed foods and created ingredients (hydrogenated oils, HFCS) are hormone killers. These are foreign substances to the body, and they do a number on insulin. Also, think organic. Many foods are pumped full of hormones that also throw the body for a loop.

Cycle Carbohydrate Intake on Different Days. I know a lot of people eat the same amount of food each and every day. This is NOT a nutritional strategy, it is a diet and will offer limited returns in progress. One of the hormones that gets little attention, yet it’s secretion and the body’s sensitivity to it completely dictates the body’s ability burn fat and increase lean body mass is Leptin. You must employ a strategy that optimizes insulin’s benefits (suppresses cortisol, anabolic) and increases sensitivity to Leptin and insulin. This is where carbohydrate cycling comes in. Refeed days are days of higher carbohydrate intake to re-stimulate Leptin production. These are not cheat days, just days of higher intake of quality carbohydates (low GI grains) are optimal for refeeds.

On the other end of the spectrum, zero carb days also serve a purpose. The key is to not overuse these days, as the goal is not ketosis – it is simply to ensure the body stays sensitive to hormones that are increased by carbohydrate intake. Timing refeed and zero carb days, in addition to normal consumption days will keep the metabolism running optimally and unable to adapt and slow.

Nutrient Timing. What you eat during a given day means very little compared to when you eat it. First and foremost, every feeding must be centered around a source of lean protein. For optimal metabolism, carbohydrates must be consumed for both fuel and replenishment, and also to suppress catabolic hormones (after the fasting of sleep and post-training). Macro breakdown for a specific day must be broken down further and focus on carbohydrate timing: carbs must be consumed first thing in the morning, pre and post-training to maximize metabolism. Also, times when carbohydrates aren’t needed for one of these purposes, they must be reduced. I suggest replacing carb sources for healthy fat selections during these feedings.

Here’s a sample of meal breakdowns for a day:

Breakfast, Pre and Post-workout:
Carbohydrates + protein

Meals that do not fall into these three categories:
Essential Fats + protein

Vegetables are welcomed at any point, but focus on green and white veggies for their antioxidant fiber levels. Veggies are not good sources of carbs for catabolic hormone suppression and energy – focus on veggies for fiber, not as carb sources.

Ensure a complete nutrient profile. Definitely one of the most overlooked aspects of nutrition. It is important to understand that different individual bodies metabolize different nutrients (minerals, vitamins, aminos) at different rates. If you’re deficient in one mineral or one amino acid, your metabolism cannot work optimally. In Layman’s Terms: the body is robbing Peter to pay Paul, and the nutrients in the body cannot be used for their intended purposes.

Train With Weights. A lot of individuals, especially women, think that weight training equates to weight gain and that cardio is the way to go for fat loss. This is obviously bogus. Weight training stimulates an increase in lean body mass, which is the basis for an increased resting metabolic rate.

Forego “Slow-Go” For Intensity. As I mention often here on the blog, intense cardio has a much better “afterburn” effect than slower cardio. Thinking in terms of “leanness”, compare a marathon runner or distance cyclist (skinny fat) to an Olympic sprinter (lean, defined). Of course, these are extreme cases, but a lesson is to be learned from this example. High intensity training may focus on glucose during the session, but quickly switches to fat burning post-training. Slower cardio, however, is the opposite: you burn a little fat during, but the body quickly switches to glucose and amino acids post-slow cardio.

Sleep. People make more excuses about not sleeping than they do about not training. Lack of sleep increases fat storage and secretion of metabolism slowing hormones. In fact, a 3 hour sleep deficit (which is quite easy to accumulate), has the same metabolic effect of overeating by up to 600 calories per day.

Focus on Recovery. Overtraining is real. It is also known as “cumulative microtrauma”. It has nothing to do with being sore. If you’re always doing intervals and loads of cardio? You’re on the fast track to overtraining. Timed rest is important, and taking time off before you feel like you need it is key. Every 10-12 weeks, it is important to take a few days off or lower the intensity greatly for a week or two. Working out everyday? This is not a badge of honor or something to be proud of- it’s a way to accumulate the hormones that destroy the metabolism. Training is the stimulus for change. The body actually changes at rest, not during training.

Stop Drinking. When I discuss alcohol with clients, I am quick to let them know that caloric intake from drinking is very secondary to the hormonal effect that alcohol has on the metabolism. Simply put, it doesn’t take much alcohol to shut your metabolism down, and stop all fat burning and muscle building progress for up to 72 hours.

Have Blood Work Done. Thyroid issues, low testosterone, high estrogen, insulin sensitivity: these things are very real. However, doing many of the things that I have listed already will correct many or these conditions (the lowered metabolism is typically due to having rates outside of optimal levels). Of course, with age, stress and hard living, some of these hormones can be completely damaged and may require doctor administered assistance in the form of hormones.

When someone tells me they have hit a plateau or that they’re having trouble getting their fat loss started, these are the things I focus on to help get them moving in the right direction. There are other minor issues, but in most cases, focusing on the aforementioned will not only repair your metabolism, but will also ensure that it is running at optimum levels. It is also important to understand that as your body composition changes, you must re-adjust intake based on your new body composition.

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

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Hey all,

Here are a few of the most misunderstood aspects of fitness and nutrition when it comes to transforming the body, becoming defined, losing fat, or simply just improving one’s physique. This is for females just as much as it is for males – it has nothing to do with getting “big and bulky” or becoming a “bodybuilder” – it’s NOT THAT EASY, ladies!

Muscle has two states: hypertrophy (growth) and atrophy (shrinkage). There are no states of firming, toning, defining, hardening, making more dense, maintaining, etc. It is a simple case of addition versus subtraction, period. For those who think they are doing a certain rep range to avoid from ‘getting big’ are missing the point. Muscle growth is a VERY slow process, and an increase in lean body mass is desirable for the appearance of being more defined and an increase metabolic rate.

The body will fight you tooth and nail to be in balance. There are a few instances here that I think are very important:
1. If you are retaining water, consume more water and your body will retain less.
2. Your body will try to preserve itself. IF you are burning fat during cardio, your body will quickly stop that process as soon as the heart rate threshold has ceased and will tap into muscle tissue for glucose to maintain balance. Of course, this is undesirable. However, glucose burning activities (sprinting, weight lifting) force the body to tap into body fat to maintain that “same balance” when the activity has been terminated.

Gaining lean body mass (muscle) is infinitely harder than burning fat. For muscle to be added, the hormonal harmony of the body must be perfect and the body must have the proper amounts of minerals, while every amino acid has to be present. It’s much easier and less complicated to force the body to burn body fat.

The primary goal of weight training is the stimulation of lean body mass growth. This goes with the first tidbit, but too many people honestly believe that they can mix in their cardio with their weight training or that higher reps define better or (fill in the blank with any other nonsensical excuse not to perform relatively heavy compound lifts).

Calories In Versus Calories Out is as extinct as the dinosaur. The body does not automatically tap into body fat for fuel when you are at a caloric deficit. Nutrient timing (when you eat what) and types of activities performed are the greatest way to determine what your body uses for fuel and that it is in a state of hypertrophy.

The word supplement means “in addition to a whole part”. The whole part, in this case, is solid nutritional strategies along with proper training protocol. Your program should not be built around your supplement intake, yet, your supplement intake should be based upon nutritional deficiencies and increased demand by training. In the grand scheme of things, the benefit provided by most supplements is marginal.

Most people haven’t a clue what eating clean actually means. If I talk to 100 people that claim to eat clean, I’m amazed at the broad definition that “eating clean” has. Few people have gone a week, a month or 3 months without a cheat day. That’s fine – how clean you eat depends on your goals and greatly on genetics. But rest assured, there are always improvements that can be made.

Every feeding should be based around protein intake. Real, complete protein sources. A salad (with no meat) is not a meal. Meals have several purposes: stabilize energy levels, suppress some hormones while stimulating others, fueling the body for activity and assisting it in recovery. Protein plays at least a secondary role in each of those (for activity, it aids the body in preserving muscle).

A calorie is not a calorie. The body does not treat everything we consume the same. Also, based on intake and activity, we can determine where the calories we burn come from. With this being said, nutritionists and dieticians typically focus on making people smaller versions of themselves in a relatively safe way. But if a calorie is a calorie, think about this: what if one person simply ate 2500 calories of day of chicken breast, while one ate 2500 calories per day of potatoes and one person ate 2500 calories per day from bacon. Their changes would be markedly different, and fat storage and body composition would be completely different. Nutrient intake and mineral/vitamin profile aside, of course.

The body changes at recovery, not during training. The time to actually take extra time for recovery is before you think you need it. If you’re feeling rundown, unmotivated, achy, etc? It’s too late. It’s important to schedule downtime and cycle training intensity/volume on a regular basis. You simply cannot go all out each and every time you’re in the gym. Every once in a while, a step back is worth 5 more steps forward. I hear people say they haven’t missed a day of training in X months or years or whatever. I’m never impressed by that.

I am not anti-cardio! Some people think that I’m anti-cardio and that is not the case. I have found that most people do too much and don’t do it effectively. In short, it is not the end-all be all of fat loss. Fat loss is primarily a product of nutrition.

Ab training is for functional purposes, not aesthetics. The shape of the abs is the coveted “6 pack”. Doing more crunches does not improve the abs from a visual standpoint. Ab work is simply done to increase the strength of the abs. Being stronger does not translate to being more defined. Again, abs are made in the KITCHEN!

There are many things that are perpetuated by magazines, websites and uneducated gym rats. The truth and actual science is typically too difficult for most people to deal with, so they stick with the “tried and true” myths.

Fitness and nutrition information may seem daunting, but there are more efficient ways to make physical change than what is being attempted in gyms all across the world.

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

Great question from a reader in Vancouver, BC – big thanks to my international readers!

Hi Boyd,
Love the blog and your “Tell it how it is” mentality. I get that a lot of people may not be into the “no bullshit” approach, but it is refreshing to see that there are trainers like you out there that haven’t sold out!

Victor C

Thanks for the question and the compliments. I promise to keep things that way – The amount of nonsense that is out there blows my mind, and some of the things that personal trainers are perpetuating is absolutely mind blowing to me. I guess hype and fiction is easier than the boring science that goes behind most of this stuff ;)

Hmmm, do I have to limit it to just three??? :)

Honestly, there are about four or five regular mistakes that I see people making. Before I answer this question from a training standpoint, the biggest limiting factor for most anyone is nutrition. Most people haven’t a clue on how to eat to change their body. They don’t fuel their workout, promote recovery, keep their energy levels stable, suppress cravings, etc. They try a one-size fits all approach and that leads to no progress.

Ok, on to the actual QUESTION.

The most common mistakes that I see that limit people’s progress:

1. Lack of variety. Most people do the same thing, week in, week out – same exercises, same weight, same rest periods, same sequence, same rep scheme. The way to stimulate change in the body is to progressively increase resistance, no matter what that resistance may be (more sets, more weight, etc). Also, every rep range has a purpose (for women, too, not just high reps, LADIES!). There are plenty of reasons to train in the 1-5 rep range, 6-12 rep range and above the 15-100 rep range. Variety is the spice of life and the key to training. Learn WHY you should mix things up, then learn HOW. It’s not just going in and throwing a bunch of shit on the wall and see what sticks. Remember, there’s a method behind the madness, and EVERYTHING has a purpose.

2. Not performing free weight exercises, especially the squats. This goes mainly to females, but I see a lot of guys and gals spending way too much time on leg press, cables, smith machines and other machines. The squat is the king of all exercises period. Yes, it sucks. But it stimulates the entire body: this is the goal for change. Fat loss? Squat. Build muscle? Squat. Get defined? Squat. Toned? Squat.

And for the record, the squat is the best ab exercise one can do.

3. Individuals centering their routines around supplements. Training is the primary factor of all body transformation, period. It is what you base your nutrition on from a consumption and timing standpoint. Based on your nutrient intake and your training demands, you determine what supplements are needed. People stop me in the gym daily and ask me what supplements I take. Never mind that I train with the intensity of a rabid badger, think about my training, how to improve it and know exactly what I’m going to eat days in advance.

There is no magic pill. There is NO pill, drug or supplement worth centering your routine around. Even athletes that take large amounts of anabolic steroids don’t do this – the training and nutrition come first. Everything else is adjusted around that. I hate to break it to everyone, but if there was a pill that gave magical results with little effort, it would be scheduled and ILLEGAL. However, NOTHING (and that goes for the illegal stuff) gives you overnight, magic results. The effort and some level of discipline is required.

I know that many people will still continue to believe that they’ll find that elusive supplement that will make all of the difference, but I cover everything in this blog that is the least bit useful. Nothing is going to turn you into a fitness model or bodybuilder without proper nutrition and training. And while some things may give you a slight burst of energy, nothing you buy at GNC is going to help you get 12 weeks of results in 6 weeks. Sorry, it just is NOT happening.

4. Training with the intensity of a snail. This goes without saying. If it isn’t challenging, it isn’t going to do anything. That doesn’t mean that everything has to make you gasp for breath, but intensity is key to change. Remember, training is the mechanism that forces the body to adapt. If it isn’t an unknown stimulus, the body has no reason to adapt.

5. Being too “busy” during a workout. I blame the CrossFit idiots for this. They think more is better. So, just dead lift, run a lap, power clean, jump on a box and slam the ball 10 times without rest and see how quick you can do 5 rounds of that. Waste of energy and time. Hard does not mean effective. I see a lot of people thinking they need to be doing something between sets of one exercise. While this is okay if you’re training purely for endurance, remember that rest periods DO serve an important purpose: to get you ready to perform the next set optimally. This is actually a training parameter for increasing lean body mass. Doing “ab work” between sets of squats? You’re greatly diminishing how effectively you can do squats. Supersets and circuit training has a place, but it should NOT be the primary form of training. It is best used for an occasional change up and a way to increase endurance and oxidative capacity. It is not nearly as effective from a fat loss and body transformation standpoint that 99% of personal trainers and CrossFit coaches will lead you to believe.

There are many other things that people do that kill progress (inconsistency, lack discipline, etc) but on a day to day standpoint, these are the most common mistakes that people are making that are holding them back!

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

Tweet Yesterday, I overheard a lady at the gym say that she was going to have a salad post-workout. When her exercise partner suggested that she have a protein shake, she then stated that she did not want to “bulk up”. Unfortunately, this is more commonly believed than not. Of course, this is absolutely ridiculous and completely incorrect.

First off, ladies, protein is not going to “bulk you up”. It is essential for repair after exercise. Your body is breaking itself down after a workout. I know that may sound desirable at first glance, it’s actually the opposite of what you want to happen – it is breaking down your lean body mass, not simply attacking fat. Losing lean body mass leads to an increase in body fat, a lower resting metabolic rate, and undoing all of the work you’ve done exercising.

The “lean” and “defined” look that so many are after is achieved by reducing overall body fat and increasing lean body mass. The latter does not happen at an out of control rate, and you are not going to become manly overnight by having a few protein shakes or lifting a few heavy pounds. Trust me, there are plenty of guys in the gym that are dying to gain slabs of muscle, but realize quickly that it doesn’t happen that easy.

Post-workout, your body is in a craving mode, and you must feed it to begin the recovery process (by supplying the body amino acids from protein), replenish depleted glucose (via low glycemic carbohydrates), halt the strain of catabolic hormones such as cortisol (by increasing insulin via moderate GI carbohydrates), and stabilize energy and blood sugar levels immediately. Simply having “a salad” does very little and is actually counter-productive to a hard workout.

Sadly, most personal trainers do not understand this and are simply tied up with you eating as little as possible – they ignore the starvation reflex and the body’s ability to recover and stimulating the metabolism and explaining the importance of increasing lean body mass. They play on most females’ fears that they’re going to get big and bulky and allow them to deplete themselves and not adequately replenish post-workout.

Ladies, don’t skimp on your post-workout recovery meal. Drop the idea that consuming protein is going to make you explode into a manly slab of mass. You do not have the hormones in your body that are needed to put on large amounts of muscle mass at a fast rate (very few people on this earth do, especially without anabolic steroids). If you are not consuming the adequate nutrients post-workout, then you are completely wasting your hard work that you are putting forth.

Learn the Fitness 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

Hey San Antonio,

Received a question that I am asked fairly often about neck pain while training. Keep the questions coming – no matter how in-depth or far-fetched they may seem.

Hey Boyd: have been reading the blog since it was on your original site (Personal Trainer in San Antonio – Boyd Myers) and have followed you to your current home here :). Love the content! My question may seem a bit odd, but when I’m lifting heavy, I often get a lot of pain in the “muscles” in my neck (whether I’m squatting, curling, dead lifting, bench pressing, etc). The pain seems further intensified during ab work. I’ve mentioned this to several doctors and they all have varying answers that do not seem to make sense. Do you have any ideas what may be causing this?

This is MUCH more common than you may think, and it’s actually a simple fix. In short, relax your neck during training (don’t laugh). When most of us physically exert, we have a tendency to kind of “bite down” very hard and flex our necks. There are a few issues with this – first, it over-develops the muscles in the front of the neck, causing them to actually pull the neck forward, actually straightening the neck (the neck should be curved, of course). Also, you’re probably doing a ton of damage to your molars – I’ve seen people actually crack teeth during weight training. I don’t need to go into a long, drawn out explanation about why you don’t need to do this!

First, before any set, consciously concentrate on not flexing the neck and not biting down. That’ll alleviate a lot of it. Of course, this is another thing to think about, and most novice exercisers are already overwhelmed by form, breathing and proper posture.

As a power lifter, I’m very prone to do this, as many of my lifts are all out, maximum exertion. I actually wear a mouthpiece while training near maximum (the one to three rep maximum range). For most people, just focusing on keeping their head and neck relaxed will do the trick.

With ab work, it’s a bit difference. You’re either flexing too hard or letting the head bounce around like a basketball. One way to alleviate this pain is to simply tuck the chin against the chest during ab work. Another thing I sometimes have clients do is to push their tongue into the roof of their mouth. Sounds crazy, but doing this will absolutely put a stop to the biting down and flexing of the neck.

Try these things and see if it doesn’t reduce the pain!

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