Fat Loss – Body Transformation – Advanced Nutrition

Hey San Antonio,

I have been so overwhelmed with support as I prepare to get ready for my bodybuilding show. I mean, I am by no means OUT OF SHAPE. Here’s a fairly recent “self-portrait”, not in competition prep diet mode (Facebook style, of course):

But I’m working toward being SUB 2% body fat on November 21. I’m already quite a bit leaner than the pic above (at a higher weight), but sub 2% is extreme (I WILL GET THERE).

My drastic change will be so much more than physical. I am human, and there are so many things in life I would like to improve upon. I am fortunate in so many ways: I make a very nice income doing something that I love and I have a great relationship with my son and the rest of my family. I have been told that I am innovative and have a great business mind. I realize that a lot of people look to me as a motivator and as sort of a role model, and I love being in that position. When a client recommends me to a family member or a friend, I take it as the ultimate compliment.

But there are things personally I want to improve on. I want to slow down and enjoy life a day at a time. I want to smile and laugh more. These things seem small and simple, but I honestly crave them. I consider myself a happy person and a very positive person, and I am going to take the time to enjoy these seemingly small things in life.

I figure while I’m focused on my goals, I might as well go the entire way. I don’t shed too much on me as a person on this blog – it’s usually as a personal trainer. But I’ve always said that making your goals known to people is a great way to put positive pressure on one’s self. And now I have a way to be held accountable!

Lift, Sweat, Laugh and Smile MORE! You will be happier!

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,

Just a quick video describing my cardio. It varies depending on the day (duration, intensity) but I usually prefer moderate high to high intensity: in short, breathing hard, heart pumping, breaking a sweat… I’ve written numerous times about the “death of monitoring heart rate” and substrate of energy being mostly irrelevant during exercise.

NOTE: THIS VIDEO IS THE EXERCISE ROOM IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND IS ONLY WHERE I DO MY CARDIO, IT IS NOT MY PERSONAL TRAINING STUDIO!

Anyway, the machine I typically use is a Precor 524i Elliptical. Most of my workouts are done at a 15 incline and 9-12 resistance for 30-45 minutes (depending on how close I am to my show and what my goals are for the day). I typically enjoy watching the news, ESPN or listening to Pandora Radio on my iPhone to make the time pass.

The key is to ENJOY what you do. Of course, I’m doing more cardio during preparation for my contest, which is at 5-6 days per week. I’m closely monitoring body composition to ensure that I’m ONLY losing fat and maintaining all of my muscle mass, which is the absolute goal of body recomposition. I’m doing much more than I’d typically recommend for a client.

Before cardio, I sip on an ABB Speed Stack for a little jolt (and of course, water before, during and after). During cardio, it’s BCAAs (Scivation XTend) to protect muscle from catabolization.

Questions and comments will be welcomed! I’m finishing up a post about the different exercises that I use for each body part, and will post it sometime today.

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,

In addition to the article I wrote yesterday about Workout Programs, I have decided to list the exercises that I do most often while I am preparing for my bodybuilding show. Understand that I don’t do every exercise every workout, but these are the cornerstone exercises that I do use, and I use them prepping for my bodybuilding show or just during my regular workouts. Also understand that the way I train me has NOTHING to do with the way I train clients. The workouts for my clients depends on their goals, their condition and abilities.

I mix a lot of different variables: number of sets, number of reps, rest periods, exercise order, etc. I’m always changing things to offer my body progressive resistance and continuous change, while catering to specific goals I may have at one time or another (oh, and higher reps with lighter weight DOES NOT TONE muscles…)

I’ve broken the exercises down by bodypart, in no specific order. This list is NOT all inclusive, but these are the exercises that I use most often.

Legs
Squats and variations (BB Squats, front squats, hack squats, etc)
Stiff-Leg Dead Lift
Good Morning Raises
Leg Press
Glute-Ham Raises
Lunges
Pull-Thrus

Back
Bent Rows and variations (BB Row, DB Row, Cable Rows, Inverted Rows)
Dead Lifts
Pull Ups (and Pull Downs)
Face Pulls
Straight Arm Pressdowns

Chest
Bench Press and Variations (So many: bb flat, db flat, incline, decline with both db and bb)
Flyes (most variations)
Variations of push ups

Shoulders
(I bench OFTEN, so I often avoid shoulder pressing – my shoulders are one of my advanced bodyparts, and any exercise you do includes the shoulders to a degree. I’m proud to say that I’ve never had a serious shoulder injury nor pain.)
lateral raises
Upright wide grip rows
(if needed, I’ll throw in some front or real delt movements).

Biceps
Several different variations of curls. Remember, the biceps get a lot of work during back work.

Triceps
While they get quite a bit of work with bench pressing, these are my favorites:
reverse grip bench press
weighted bench dips
close grip bench press
skull crushers
overhead tricep extension
very high rep tricep pressdowns (just an exercise that I feel works best with high reps).
dips

Even during a depletion period as I am on now, I still prefer compound exercises with very little isolation work. The more muscles recruited in an exercise, the better.

Of course, in addition to the elliptical machine, I also enjoy Olympic style lifts, sprinting, plyometrics, stadium stairs and mountain biking for variety.

These are NOT the only exercises I do, just my favorites and the ones I rely on most. While on my diet, my list is bland and I prefer to eat fewer foods, for me, training variety = staying motivated. My clients know that NO two workouts are the same, and that’s one thing that I definitely share in my workouts.

Remember:
-Progressive resistance
-Intensity, intensity, intensity
-Fix any lagging parts or weaknesses
-Always practice safety
-Control

Let me add one thing: I have people ask me all the time what exercise they need to do to get rid of fat on the chest, triceps, backs of the legs, etc. Fat is NOT removed by weight training. You cannot turn FAT INTO MUSCLE. They are two different substances. Fat is removed via diet and cardio!!! Ab work doesn’t reduce stomach fat, tricep work doesn’t reduce tricep fat, etc!!!

Ok, on another note, I just watched the replay of Usain Bolt running a 9.58 100 meter dash – that was motivating. The most amazing sprinter on earth. I just wonder if he’s from this planet!

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,

Just wanted to provide a little update on preparation for my contest, which is now under 13 weeks away. As I have mentioned, I will be competing in the Lackland Bodybuilding Classic on November 21, 2009.

First, I’ve had a few friends and clients say they’re going to go through prep WITH me, meaning they’re going to essentially follow a contest prep diet for the next 12+ weeks. Let me say that I haven’t asked ANYONE to go through that, and I won’t hold it against them if they don’t, but the thought was extremely touching and the support is insanely motivating.

I’ve had a lot of people ask me about my training split, which is currently:
Monday: Pull exercises (back, biceps, traps, rear delts)
Wednesday: Push Exercises (chest, front/medial delts, triceps)
Friday: Legs (quads, hams, calves)
Saturday: Arms (biceps, triceps, forearms)

I’m doing a little extra arm work because in my opinion, they are the weakest part of my physique. I told a guy that this weekend and he said “Man, I wish I had what you’re calling a weakness”. But I’ve always felt that my chest, shoulders, and back were large for my arms, so I’m going to bring them up. Later on, I’ll probably switch to upper and lower body workouts, two times each per week.

I do some form of core work every workout, but not to an extreme. My cardio varies day to day, and I recently scaled it back a little to preserve more muscle. Right now, I do 30 minutes on training days and 40 minutes on non-training days of varying intensity (usually moderate to high intensity). I’ve discussed the heart rate and substrate of energy issue in other posts – it’s extinct and is completely over-emphasized.

I weighed in at 229 this morning. I want to lose roughly 12 more pounds of fat (which won’t be difficult in over 12 weeks) and gain roughly 5 more lbs of muscle. The muscle is a complete bonus, but I think my strategy will help me get there.

I’ve listed a few sample days of my diet over the last few days. My protein intake doesn’t vary too much (nor do sources), but my carb cut-off fluctuates day to day based on training time and how I feel. I’ve been cutting carbs for the most part around 3pm for the day, and replacing them with healthy fats.

The sources of nutrients I use:
Protein
99% lean turkey
chicken breast
lean beef
Pro Complete 40 (powder)
lean ham
fish

Carbs
Oatmeal (this is the primary)
Whole grains
Cous Cous

(I’m really not a carb freak, fortunately :)

Healthy Fats
Peanuts
All natural peanut butter
olive oil
macadamian oil
fish oils
flax oil

Several meals each day have high fiber veggies, such as broccoli, spinach and others.

I try to keep meals as simple as possible. IMO, variety leads me to wanting more, and thus far, I haven’t had any cravings. I simply don’t think about it. I haven’t as much had a bite of cheat food in the last 18 days, so now it is just habit. I recognize that food is fuel and each time I have an “authorized” meal, I win a small battle. Win enough small battles, you will win the war.

My training is still very intense. I mostly use compound exercises and haven’t lost any strength (although I’ve lost 13-14lbs). Look, much of the weight was in the first week and was a lot of water weight. Now, I’m totally content with losing no more than 1-1.5lbs per week. Losing any more than that would definitely lead to a loss of muscle mass which has a detrimental effect – shutting the metabolism down, becoming smaller (which isn’t a good thing). The goal is fat loss and muscle gain – together, these goals are extremely difficult.

I think the biggest key to my positive attitude and energy is that I’m really focusing on SLEEP, REST, and RECOVERY. I take 6mg of melatonin every night just before bed. I go to bed at almost the exact same time every night and I’m trying to wake up around the same time if I have to or not. The body grows and changes at rest, NOT during training, and the 8 1/2 to 9 hours of sleep I’m getting per night are keeping me refreshed and my gains positive. Remember, a small sleep deficit can have the same hormonal effect of overeating by up to 500 calories. Sleep will make you lean!

Someone asked me about my multivitamin, and to answer his question, yes, I do take the Pharmanex Lifepak Nano. Is it worth it? I guess that’s a relative question. Their science is the most solid I’ve ever seen in a supplement company, and the absorption can easily be proven. I have blood work done to make sure that everything is working optimally, and my nutrient/vitamin/mineral levels have been optimum since I’ve been on Lifepak. But the high price tag does scare a lot of people off, and I totally understand that. This is the reason why I don’t often recommend this to clients and friends and why I didn’t include it in my supplement video last night.

I’m about to wrap up and go to bed. My house is nice, cool, dark and quiet: the perfect sleep environment. Oh, and thank God for my Select Comfort Sleep Number bed – and for those who have wondered, it is worth every single penny. I mean, is there another place you spend 6-10 hours per day aside from your bed?

Make tomorrow great – the body will follow the mind!

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,

Just wanted to post a few current pictures and a video of my personal training studio, Personal Fitness Revolution. It is set up with one thing in mind: helping you achieve your fitness goals and body transformation. We have a wide selection of free weights, cables, machines, cardio equipment (with LCD televisions attached) and other items to ensure you receive the best training experience possible.

We are a completely private personal training studio, which means everyone that trains is by appointment only. People aren’t walking in off of the street to workout and hang out – it’s a completely, non-intimidating environment.

The client controls everything (from the temperature to the music) – it’s the perfect environment to ensure that will reach your fitness goals in as little time as possible.

If you’re ready to begin your fat loss and body transformation, give me a call at 210.391.1454 or email me at boyd@the-personal-trainer.com.

Video Tour:

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,

I love providing fitness information, and over time, I’m going to try to transcribe everything from my brain onto video and post them on my sites. With that being said, people often ask me to post workouts on the blog…

There is a reason why I rarely do this. Sure, I could post what I do. I could write up a basic workout that whoever could follow and they’d definitely make SOME progress off of it. But I don’t like “SOME” progress. I like lots of it. I’m not a cookie-cutter guy, I’m totally custom.

All of my workouts, diet programs, etc are custom for the individual that I’m training. I consider everything: your current condition, your age, any obstacles, your goals, your exercise history and several other aspects. If I just write up a workout for the masses, than I’ve gotten away from what I’ve set out to do.

When I train a client, I find exactly what it is that is holding them back and keeping them from getting where they want to be. It may be muscle related, it may be discipline or consistency, and it may be emotionally (think people aren’t emotionally attached to food???). If it’s a bad habit, I have to help you replace that with better lifestyle choices. Some people need encouragement, others need a serious push. Bottom line is there is NO one size fits all.

Physically, no two people are alike. We all have different conditions, wants and desires, and physical make ups. I don’t mind simple recommendations, but I don’t want to post a few workouts and people look at that and think that it’s too hard or too simple, and that’s the only way I train people.

As my clients know, no two sessions are the same. They also know that the only easy session is the last one… Change is inspired by progressive resistance…

Don’t look for the latest fad workout. And cookie cutter workouts don’t serve much use, since it wasn’t created for you. Unfortunately, most personal trainers train every client the same way (which is typically how they train themselves). If the program isn’t designed specifically for you based on your needs and goals, you’re wasting time that could be used making serious progress.

Time is WAY too valuable!

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,

Today I was browsing one of the fitness message boards I am a member of and someone asked if hiring a personal trainer was a good idea for his wife who wants to lose 30lbs. He also asked which would be better, a male or a female personal trainer.

It really is unfortunate how LITTLE advice there is for normal people. I mean, it seems to be one extreme or the polar opposite. I think I do a good job here on the blog targetting people like YOU!

To answer the latter first, IF the trainer is qualified and give you strict diet recommendations and support, male or female comes down to WHO you are most comfortable with.

The first part of the question is a little trickier. SO many people have this misconception that ANY trainer will do and that you will make progress JUST by hiring a personal trainer. THIS is why I think personal training isn’t always considered a professional career.

First things first, you want a personal trainer that will hold you accountable on ALL facets of fitness. I wrote the “How To Keep Score” article last week and I’m holding each and every client to that level. I will force them to make progress and reach their goals. Simply just showing up a few times of week is NOT enough to help you reach your goals (and believe me, I push a lot harder than any personal trainer you will find). But the fact is that YOU are on the hook as well – the training doesn’t stop when you leave the gym.

Bottom line is this: there’s not a lot of guidance out there for normal people who just want to look better. No matter your goals or current condition, I will get you where you want. You deserve to expect that.

Thank you all for the comments about my recent flood of posts – I’m going to be adding even more videos and discussions in the very near future, as I plan on recording a few today.

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,

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

Hey San Antonio!

Staying occupied today, I thought I’d write about a few things here on my blog. Enjoy!

“But I Want To Live My Life and Have a Good Time…”
I hear this one quite often. I hear people talk about how they want to live and enjoy life, join their friends at happy hour, party, drink and have a good time. As always, moderation is the key. Drinking 2-3 or more days per week is not conducive to making the most progress possible, obviousoly.

But there’s something else: which is more rewarding? Having all of your friends tell you that you look great and want to know your secret, or have your friends tell you how amazing of a partier you are and you can drink an awesome amount? Which is better? Waking up invigorated and ready to take on the day, hit some cardio or waking up dehydrated with a headache from a hang over?

I had someone tell me the other day “I thought weekends were free?” First and foremost, NO, they aren’t. Why bust your tail all week to completely undo any progress in 2 days? This stuff isn’t easy – it takes a different type of person to totally change the way they look, feel and live. If you’re going to put forth the effort, why not do it all the way? A night out with friends is ok, but meeting for a drink or two very often will not help you get the results you want. I’m not preaching and I’m not being holier than thou, but I’m telling you the truth. Remember: it isn’t my job to tell YOU what you want to hear, but to tell you what you need to hear and hold you to my directions.

“Boyd, You are Expensive… At ______ They Charge Much Less…”
If you know someone I have trained, than this NEVER comes out of your mouth because you know that I changed the way they looked. I was professional enough to put down the bacon and hold the cheese and stop making excuses and just get it done. I am NOT one of the less expensive personal trainers in San Antonio and I know that. But I have a track record of being worth much more than I’m paid by clients.

I am not being cocky nor arrogant when I say that I am an expert at what I do. If you go to a doctor and you are sick you should have a realistic expectation that they are going to make you better. That’s the way I view what I do. I have to train you the way YOU need to be trained as an individual, not the way I’d train myself. I have to find what works best for you. I have to tell you exactly what to eat and when to eat it. I have to make sure that you are remaining accountable to yourself. My job isn’t just count reps for you and point you around the gym. I have to push you. I have to TEACH you. I have to help you replace bad habits with healthy lifestyle choices.

Personal trainers are NOT like cars. You can buy a Corvette or you can buy a Kia. Both will get the job done and will get you from Point A to Point B. If you waste money on the wrong personal trainer, you’ll be where you are or worse, NOT where you want to be. You can burn all the time and money you want and feel ok with not makiing progress. I get along great with all of my clients, but I’m also very tough, period. I HAVE to be – each client I train is an advertisement and directly represents what my business is all about. Simply put, it’s about educating you about what you need to do and getting you results. I walk into gyms and I see trainers walking around with clipboards and it makes me sick. The client NEVER changes. 99% of them don’t tell clients what to eat and when to eat it and how much to eat. They just walk them through a workout for $35 an hour or so. In reality, you’re better off working out yourself.

I simply make people look and feel the way they want. I have a list of clients a mile long that will back up what I say. I am in a position now where I can only train people that I KNOW are willing to put forth the effort that I’m going to put into training them. No excuses, no showing up late, no slacking on the nutritional guidance. I’m serious about what I do, and I expect those who are coming to train with me to be nothing less. It has to be an all out commitment on the client’s part or I will simply recommend they spend their money elsewhere.

Not to mention, bad habits are expensive, both short term and long term. I was thinking about the cost of supplements and food for prepping for my bodybuilding show, but in reality, since I’m not acting crazy, eating garbage out (I’m prepping every meal with VERY few exceptions), not to mention the amount of motivation I feel because I feel so good, I am SAVING money. People spend thousands on bogus supplements (I keep seeing the Lypodrene or whatever commercial that says “and you don’t even have to change your day to day habits. That’s the dang problem), gadgets and shortcuts. Let me say this: those things are TRASH and you will only be disappointed. This lifestyle doesn’t have to be a roller coaster – just make the right decisions and don’t look for short cuts. There is NOTHING in this life that is worth anything that is EASY to obtain and achieve. NOTHING at all… Body transformation is tough, but when you look and feel the way you want, few things can compare. It doesn’t have to be a “wish” or a “dream”.

Recognition!
I want to take a second and recognize a few of my clients that are making me look good (and I hope they think I’m doing the same for them :D). You want to talk to REAL people, that are busy, and have responsibilities just like you? Here you go – they simply made the decision that they were ready to do what it takes to look amazing:
-Andy: this man is on crutches after a biking accident, but he comes 3 times per week and puts forth 100% effort each and every session. This guy inspires ME to keep pushing, even when I don’t feel like it. Sure, he requires everyone to help him get around, but he’s not that bad (I had to take a jab at him…)

-Chade: Seems to get stronger and leaner each and every session. I don’t even have to ask if he’s following my guidelines, because it’s obvious.

-Myrna: A breath of fresh air – she knows my nutritional guidelines are unconventional, and at 62 years old she looks like she’s in her 30s. She works hard and the inches keep coming off – and she goes as hard as anyone else I train. Nonstop for an hour, 3x per week, and does exactly what I ask her to do when she isn’t with me.

-Claudia: Looking absolutely amazing in 6 weeks!!! I’m REALLY proud of this tranformation in attitude and body. Again: AMAZING WORK – other clients have asked me “What is she doing?” She should take that as the ultimate compliment.

-Courtney: I’ve bragged on her 100 times on this blog, but she deserves it. Motivated and inspiring. The results keep getting better and I’m insanely proud of her.

-Cris: We have set a new goal for her, and I expect 4 1/2″ off her midsection in the next 6 weeks. Ok, that’s the minimum – I want ANOTHER 6″ from what you’ve already lost. She WILL do it, no doubt…

-Liza: Although I threaten to beat her often ;), she is motivated. I was happy to see her text this morning “I just ran 4 miles!” I have BIG plans for her, and I expect her to be seeing her abs in the near future. Re-read that, Liza… You are my neighbor – If I have to go through your fridge everyday, I will do it (and she knows it).

Getting ready for a bodybuilding show isn’t going to be hard for me – I have 8-12 clients per day that are giving me 200%, and THEY keep ME inspired. Maybe they have no clue, but every client I train right now does something that gives me a little extra motivation to get on that treadmill, or to choose salmon over steak, or chicken breast over a burger. When it’s “just not there” I think about something that these normal people have done, and I am able to do “one more rep” or go “5 more minutes” on the elliptical.

I said you guys represent me well, but on November 21, I feel as if I’m representing YOU.

Oh, and congrats to long time client and friend Kimberly Castle after her 6th place finish in the Canadian Bodybuilding Federation Bikini Championships last weekend!

Kim is the 4th from the left in the pink

Great work EVERYONE!

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

Hey San Antonio,

Just wanted to drop a line and acknowledge that I’m now UNDER 13 weeks until my show. I’ve been treating the last 3 weeks like it was three weeks until, but I’m going to take the next 12 to another level.

I’m on my way to hit some intense cardio. Thank God for ESPN News and the Pandora application on my iPhone. I need the cardio because I blasted my legs yesterday and want to get some fresh blood ciruclating through them. I like doing SOMETHING every day, because an idle mind 9and body) is the devil’s playground, and when I’m idle, I’m more likely to get myself into mischief. haha

I’m going to do a video this afternoon about the different nutritional supplements I am or will be using during my prep, and will hopefully get that posted. REMEMBER, I place nutrition, training and recovery WAY above supplementation, but there are a few things that will give you a little boost and if everything else is in line, can make a decent difference over a time period (such as 12-16 weeks).

It’s SUNDAY, and instead of laying out, I’m thinking of my next protein + veggie meal and cardio… Dang…

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,

Thirteen weeks may seem like a long time, but I’m sure it’ll fly by. This week, I was down exactly 1.5 pounds, and that is EXACTLY what I wanted to lose. Of course, I lost a ton of water weight in the first week, but from now until the show, I want to lose NO MORE than 1 to 1.5lbs per week.

The key to prep is simply winning one day at a time. Of course I’ll crave. Of course I’ll want to go hang out with my friends. There will be times when I won’t feel like getting on the elliptical machine. But I HAVE to. It’s not about “not living for 13 weeks” to me. Quite the opposite – it’s about doing the absolute best I can for the next 13 weeks and looking as defined as possible with as much muscle mass as possible, while remaining symmetrical. It’s no piece of cake (damn, I could’ve done without thinking about cake :D). But I’ll be following the “Keeping Score” article I wrote earlier today, and it’s my goal to win every single week with 7s… If I do that, the reward will be nice.

In the meantime, I’ll be posting a ton of vids about training, fat loss, nutrition, food preparation, supplementation, and just about everything else I can come up with that is fitness related. I think videos seem to click for most people a lot better than written words.

I’ve been asking around a lot lately, but if there’s a video you would like to see, let me know. Name it – sky is the limit. I’m not guaranteeing I’ll do it, but if it is something that I think will benefit a lot of people, I’ll do it.

Thanks for all of the positive emails about the posts over the last few days. It definitely makes me feel as if the effort is worth it!

Enjoy your weekend – tomorrow is LEG day for me!

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,

Here’s a very simple, quick recipe for my favorite smoothie. I often have this for breakfast. Use the amount necessary for your dietary needs. In this video, I use 1/2c of raw uncooked oats + 2 1/2 scoops of vanilla powder.

1 scoop of ProComplete 40= 20g protein
1/2c scoop of Quaker Oats = 27g Carbs

Of course, there are many ways to adjust content and taste, such as adding or replacing the oats with fruit, berries, etc. In cases where natural fats are needed (instead of carbs – remember, I never combine fat sources with carb sources), I will replace the oats with a teaspoon of natural peanut butter, olive oil, or macadamian oil.

And I think I say “Protein is a low glycemic carb and high in fiber” – of course, I meant “oatmeal”. Sorry!

Enjoy!

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

Hey San Antonio,

Here’s a very simple, quick recipe for low fat ground turkey with pasta. Definitely body transformation friendly. Enjoy!

Easy to make, store, and eat on the run.
2oz of pasta = 41g carbs
4oz turkey = 27g protein
(pre-cooked)

Adjust accordingly to dietary needs.

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,

“So, how did you do on your diet the last couple of days?”

“I did ok. I had this on Tuesday. Oh, on Wednesday, I did this at breakfast. And at lunch, I did this…”

“Ok, did you do the cardio I asked you to do on Tuesday?”

“Well, I slept a little late and then had stay at work and go pick up my kids so I just didn’t have time…”

It’s amazing how some individuals convince themselves they’re doing what they need to make progress, yet, in reality, they’re only wasting a lot of time and effort. It doesn’t take a lot of work to convince ourselves that a piece of this here or a drink of that there “won’t hurt”.

I’m not a nutrition and fitness Nazi (ok, maybe slightly) and I definitely believe in setting aside a time for a little relief, but looking at the big picture, few people have the restraint to have just one cheat meal per week, or one cheat period per week. And God knows how many people start their cheat day the night before and run it to the day after. How about missing a workout here and there? Sounds harmless, but miss just 2-3 workouts per month. Hmmmm, no big deal? Do you mean to tell me that you wouldn’t be in better shape if you worked out 24-36 times in a year? That’s 2-3 MONTHS worth of workouts! I assure you that you’d look MUCH better.

I’ve given this a lot of thought, and have come up with a nutrition and training scoring system – a cut and dry system that allows you to keep score day to day and week to week. Follow the system, keep track of yourself and you will look the way you want over a given period of time.

This is an easy way to score yourself – some people want to track and need a way to keep score, so now I have given you a way.

Ok, how do I keep score?
-Day to day, either you win, lose, or tie and the score is kept day to day and week to week.
-A day that is a win is 1 point. A tie is zero points. A loss for a day is minus one point…
-To win a week, you need 6 points.
-A week of 5 points is considered a tie and less than 5 points is a loss.
-3 points in one week subtracts one point from the next week (for those who say after Tuesday “Well, this week is shot, might as well just start next week). When you do that, you set yourself even further back, but way too many people convince themselves that they’ll just stop the bleeding and pick right up where they left off on Monday… Yeah, right…
To stop you from just giving up? 2 or less points in one week is -2 points
-Each week you record your score as a win (1 point for the week), tie (0 points for the week) or loss (-1 point for the week). If you scored 3, give yourself -1 for the week and carry the minus one to the next week to begin the week with -1. If you scored 2 or less, take -2 to the next week with you.

Example:
Week 1
Monday: 1
Tuesday: 1
Wednesday: 1
Thursday: 0
Friday: 1
Saturday: 1
Sunday: 1
Total=6
Week is a win worth 1 point

Week 2
Monday: -1
Tuesday: 1
Wednesday: 1
Thursday: 1
Friday: -1
Saturday: 1
Sunday: 1
Total=3
Week is a LOSS worth -1 point, and since the total for the week was 3, start Week 3 with -1 points

Week 3
Start with -1
Monday: 1
Tuesday: 1
Wednesday: 1
Thursday: 1
Friday: 1
Saturday: 1
Sunday: 1

Even though they started with -1, they had a perfect week and finished with 6 points. This week is a win.

So weeks 1-3 look like this:
Week 1: 1
Week 2: 0
Week 3: 1

For a total of 2 points in 3 weeks.

SO, how do you actually win or lose a day?

This is a way to take the emotion out of it. My scoring system doesn’t account for a bad day, heartache, or excuses. It’s simply did you follow the plan or not. There’s no in between. Almost followed the plan means you did NOT follow it. It’s all or nothing here. Get sick? Sorry. Missing workouts and/or meals? You lost.

It requires you to be honest to yourself.

The basics:
-Week to week, you need a plan laid out telling you exactly what days you are lifting weights and what days you are doing cardio. Week to week is fair because it gives you a chance to plan and check your schedule and make changes.
-Missing any planned workout or cardio session? That’s a loss for the day. No excuses. You workout or you don’t. If you don’t, you fail.
-One drink of alcohol on any day (no matter how perfect everything else was)? That day is a LOSS. No matter the drink, no matter the mixer, no matter the occassion.
-Eat an unauthorized meal/snack/food in a day? Skip a meal? Not have enough water? Have a soda? That day is a loss.

Wow, simple, eh? Yes it is, but following it isn’t easy…

Boyd, I know you allow a cheat meal. How does that fit in?
One day per week, you are authorized ONE 4 hour block of debauchery eating. That is ONE (1) FOUR HOUR block. Not an hour per day. Not 2 hours Tuesday and 2 hours Saturday. Not 2 hours in the morning on Saturday and 2 hours in the evening for dinner on Saturday. The 4 hours are consecutive and begin when you take your first bite of food. Don’t bs and don’t cheat. That 4 hour period will not be counted against you. My advice is to be sensible. Of course, alcohol is the biggest prohibitor of progress, so be smart. That 4 hour block doesn’t make it ok to skip cardio or training on that day (or the next).

I offer this 4 hour block for sanity. If you have a craving, it’s easy to say “I get my cheat period on Saturday” (or whatever day). My advice is to keep the period stable and don’t let it rotate.

Oh, and the 4 hour block is NOT available until after Week 2 (beginning in week 3). Two weeks is a small price to pay… Don’t whine.

So, what do the points mean?
If you completely follow my scoring system, you will change… How much? 12 weeks is enough time to make a change but isn’t so long that you’re scoring forever, so let’s use 12 weeks.
11-12 points
-Drastic change. Total body transformation. Buy a new wardrobe. You are now an inspiration to others.

9-10 points
-Very noticeable difference, evident that you were committed. Much lower body fat, lots of compliments received on how much effort you’ve put forth.

5-8 points
-Slight change, but more than likely a decent improvement and you are better than you were. With slight adjustments, you are just weeks away from spectacular – but if you don’t tighten it up, you could easily go in the other direction or just spin your wheels.

< or = 4 points
-You are staying exactly where you are at or going in reverse. Work to find what is holding you back and correct it – no magic pills, no short cuts. Evaluate your commitment and make the decision within yourself to change.

On more of a micro scale, think in terms of 4-8 weeks. If you’re nailing 4 points per 4 weeks or even 7 in 8 weeks, you’re making progress. An occassional 3 point 4 week period isn’t the end by any means, but why not strive to do your best?

Are you ready? Read and re-read. This isn’t anymore difficult – it’s just a serious way to chart your progress. NOT charting it doesn’t mean you’re doing any better. Most people just want to kid themselves into believing they are doing what it takes. This scoring system gives you an honest assessment if that is actually the case or not.

No more excuses. No more wondering why things aren’t working for you. If you are following your nutritional plan (and I give specific plans to all clients), doing your cardio and weight training and scoring points day in and day out, you’re going to make progress…

The weekly plans show you where you are going – this score sheet tells you exactly where you have been.

Download the scoresheet templates here: Program Scoresheet

The template is nonfunctional and is just a template to help you keep score.

Feel free to pass this on, but please give credit to me and this site.

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,

Here is my 4 year old son showing his “Big Arms” for “Big Paychecks” – I have no idea where he gets this stuff. ;)

Oh, and I love it when a 4 year old tells you how to be a “real man”.

I’ll definitely be adding more vids – I know these were short, but I wanted to share! TGIF!

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