Fat Loss – Body Transformation – Advanced Nutrition

Hey everyone,

As I wrote that post yesterday about my time with my son, I thought about how, even when I was in the IT world, I’ve always been able to separate my day at work from my day at home.

In my life now, nearly everything I do is somehow related to my business. I know that I’m my biggest marketing tool. Every meal I consume directly affects how my body looks. My own weight lifting and training determines how I will be presented to potential customers. My thoughts that I transcribe daily on this blog represent how clients will view me before they ever call me or walk through my studio doors. Whether I’m at the lake on my boat, at the beach or hanging out by my pool, when people see how I appear, they’re automatically making a judgement on the type of professional personal trainer I am – in short, I have no choice but to walk the walk.

While I train many different individuals for many different goals, I am not a hypocrite – I cannot ask a client to do anything that I wouldn’t be able to do from myself. When I’m dieting down for a bodybuilding show, my diet goes 100% Paleo – meaning if I caveman didn’t eat it, I don’t eat it. I typically diet for 16-20 weeks consecutively – meaning not even one cheat meal during that entire time. While most of my clients are competitors, me being able to not put even one spoon of processed or fried food in my mouth for 4-5 months gives me a little bit more credibility when I ask a client to do exactly what I ask for the first 2 weeks of their time with me. I don’t expect someone to come in my gym and be ready to lift a house – we have to build you up for that, but I will push you to your potential, but only because I’m always testing my own:

When people say it’s a lifestyle, I totally get that. For me, it’s LIFE, period. I guess that’s why I have no problem letting the world get a sneak peak like I did yesterday! I am my business are one in the same, but unlike some 20 year old personal trainer that has nothing else to think about in this world, I can relate to the need for balance in life – I have a family and hobbies. From a business standpoint? I’m not just a personal trainer: I’m my accountant, marketer, CEO, webmaster, and janitor. I get what you mean by “I have a life”!

But I do like to delegate: it is my job to make every single client I work with, online and in my training studio here in San Antonio, my own personal billboard. In short, I want everyone that you come in contact with to ask you what your secret is!

This is YOUR week – take control of YOU and let’s see how far you can take yourself in every aspect of your life!

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

Another great weekend is coming to an end. This weekend, I was able to spend some amazing Father/Son time with my 6 year old, Peyton. Yesterday, we spent about an hour working on martial arts. I am actually a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. While TKD isn’t as glorious as some other arts made popular by Mixed Martial Arts, I think it’s an excellent activity to get kids involved in. While my son is not yet the most graceful individual in the world, what little boy doesn’t have fun learning how to kick and punch? Of course, the kicking and punching are just the fun parts. The reinforced discipline and self-esteem improvements that children often receive as a nice side effect of martial arts training is a huge bonus. And, of course, it gives him a chance to burn off a lot of that energy that 6 year old are capable of building up!

Of course, his gnat like attention span quickly transferred from side kicks and back fists to “I want to do like they do on UFC, Daddy”. So, I decided to work on his “ground game” and teach him a few simple chokes arm bars. Here is a video of him making me “tap out” :)

In reality, yesterday’s “Karate Practice” (as Peyton calls it) had nothing to do with kicks, chokes, punches, jumps, rolls, take downs, self defense or anything else. It was all about me not being a personal trainer, but being daddy, and spending quality time with that amazing little boy that is the reason I do absolutely everything I do in this world.

Make time for those kiddos – there’s nothing in the world quite like them!

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,

As I pursue my ultimate goal of the raw world bench press record of 715lbs, I find myself answering a lot of questions about the bench press and what guys can do to help themselves increase their bench. As of Wednesday, my last bench session, I was able to do 7 sets of 615lbs for one rep. My goal for mid-March is a one rep bench press in the mid-600s. I’ve wanted to take the time to write an article on bench pressing, and now, I’ve done just that.

While I do train a few females that enjoy trying to improve their bench, I’ll admit that this post is mostly for the guys. I haven’t written directly to my fellow males in a while, so let’s do this for the weekend, guys.

The primary focus of the general public today is fat loss, as well it should be – as a whole, we are the most obese society in the history of the world. There’s a huge focus on self-image in today’s society, and the paradigm has shifted for most gym-goers today – in the 80s, guys wanted to be strong, big and muscular like Arnold, Rocky and Hulk Hogan. Now, many guys would prefer to slide into the skinny jeans and stand in front of Abercrombie with no shirt on invite people in.

Somewhere along the line, people really believe that there is a different way to train when it comes down to being lean and defined versus “being big”. Truth be told, you either gain muscle or lose it, and nobody in the world is able to get insanely large over night, totally out of control without being able to stop it. The best way to look more defined and toned and ripped and (insert whatever term you like), increase lean body mass. I’ve always said: “You can’t ‘rip’ skinny”.

When someone finds out that you train with weights, they will always have one question for you: “So, how much do you bench?” For most, it isn’t a concern or something they even know the exact number to. Most guys lie about it. Others go in the gym, do a partial rep or bounce the bar off of their chest and claim they can bench a weight that they really can’t. And many, many people? They became frustrated with it years ago because it never seemed to increase outside of their first few months of training. Or even worse, they injured themselves doing it. 99% of these instances were simply due to form and training mistakes.

I hear a lot of guys say things like “I’m just not built for bench pressing”. This is absolute bullshit, period. If you increase the density in your back and chest, you’ll have a much less distance to make the weight travel. I’m NOT what you’d think of when you think of one of the world’s best benchers. My arms aren’t insanely huge (they’re bigger than average at almost 19″ around, but most guys with my bench press are in the 20s), and they’re long. I’m not shaped like a barrel with legs – I actually focus on staying somewhat lean, and my abdominal circumference does not go over 34″ (at the belly button). In fact, I look more like a bodybuilder than a world class power lifter (I do compete in both). So throw stereotypes out the window!

Also, don’t hide behind genetics. I was, by no means, born a great bench presser. I was about as “lanky” and awkward as one could be in my late teen years. I do intend on writing a post about what I’ve done very soon, but understand, this is something I have worked very hard on. In fact, bench pressing was actually a weakness for me as little as 5 years ago. Not anymore. My point? If you want to be have an impressive bench? Do not give up – it has required much more work for me than it probably would someone who was born looking like an NFL linebacker, but the fact that I’m now one of the best bench pressers on the planet makes it so much more worth it. Anything is possible with hard work, discipline, consistency and effort.

So, how do you increase your bench press?

First and foremost, learn the proper form. Most people think there is a difference between how “a power lifter benches” and how “a bodybuilder benches”. This myth was probably developed by some bullshit magazine or full of shit pro bodybuilder that has no idea how he became insanely large, but really believes it has something to do with his ability to “isolate” a certain muscle group and “feel the pump”.

-Feet on the ground! I see guys with their feet up on the bench all of the time. EVERY major lift starts in the feet. Aside from looking like an idiot and risk moving left to right and killing yourself, you’re taking away a lot of your ability to push through the ground and move serious weight. Remember, proper form is always first. Handling the most weight you can handle with proper form is the signal for muscle growth. What’s more, they should not be relaxed on the ground – get the feet up under you to where your body is in a “coil”. The glutes and shoulders must be on the bench with a slight curve in the lower back.

-Elbows tucked. Remember what I said about a power lifter bench versus a bodybuilder bench? This is where they typically deviate. There is not a PL vs BB method: there’s a right way to bench and a wrong way to bench. The “BB” method is the way you tear your pectoralis major. When you see a lot of people bench, there arms at 90 degrees out from their sides. The elbows should be to the side, and in most cases, the pinkie or ring finger (or maybe the middle finger for longer arm guys) should be on the lines of the bar. If you are too close, most of the leverage comes from the shoulders and delts. Too wide and you put most of the pressure on the pecs. The key is to utilize all of the muscles in their most advantageous position. When you pull the arms in, the shoulder blades should be “pinched together” – shoulders back, chest forward.

-Don’t bounce it, period. The descent is slow and very controlled, with a pause at the bottom.

-Use a full range of motion. I don’t know why I see guys moving the bar an inch. And I don’t know why a lot of guys don’t touch their chest. THAT is how you tear your shoulders and elbows up. Touch the bar, every rep.

-Most guys touch too high on their chest. You should actually be touching the lower part of the chest, near the upper abdomen. THIS is where you’re keeping the pecs at the most advantageous position and will be able to generate the most force for the concentric portion of the lift.

-As you are lowering the bar, focus on breathing into the stomach – learn to exhale using your diaphragm.

-Don’t overdo it. I see guys that want to bench 3-4 times per week. That’s simply too much. Why I do have several different strategies I like to use to focus specifically on improving my bench, none of those strategies has me performing the bench more than 2 times per week, period. Remember, the body changes at rest, not during training.

-Considering the previous bullet, understand that to become a better runner, you must run. To become a better swimmer, you must swim. To be a better bench presser, you need to perform the bench. There’s no “Well, if I can db bench press this much, I should be able to bench ___”. Sorry, it’s not like that whatsoever. Train specifically for your goals.

-Perform the different variations of the bench (decline, dumbbell, etc), but always remember that the flat bb bench press should be the basis of your bench workout.

-Put the same effort in heavy exercises such as dead lifts, squats, and rows. There are a few reasons for this.

First, by lifting heavy, you make the body acclimate to, well, heavy weight. I do believe there is a transfer over from deads, squats and rows to bench press. You’ve trained the central nervous system on heavy weight response. By no means am I saying that anyone who can squat 750lbs can bench press 600. There are many huge squatters in the world but very few 600+ pound benchers. Really, there aren’t that many 500lb bench pressers. But if you train heavy, your entire body will respond positively.

Also, remember that the body is symmetrical (top to bottom, left to right, front to back). I really believe that training the muscles in the posterior of the body (lats, rhomboids, etc) play just as much a role in being a great bench presser as having a powerful chest, shoulders and tris. It goes without saying that strengthening the triceps and shoulders will improve the bench press, but don’t discount the importance of having a wider, thicker back for having a big bench press. Bent rows and db rows are key, because both are performed on nearly the same plane as the bench press (chest/back parallel to the ground).

-No exercise progress is as dependent on a spot as is the bench press. I cannot tell you how important having a training partner that I trust is for helping me bench press. I don’t need a partner for any other lift. I have no problem performing heavy squats or dead lifts by myself. However, being able to train at maximum capacity on bench press demands a good spotter.

Just any spotter won’t work. If I have 500 or 600 or more on the bar, there’s no way I’m just hitting just any guy in the gym up for a “lift off” or to “keep an eye on me”. When you’re at maximum capacity, the stakes are high, and when I’m benching the kind of weight that I need to train with, the slightest mistake can result in serious injury or worse. I’m leaving nothing to chance. I know that most people have a lot of trouble finding a serious workout partner to work with, but it is absolutely essential if having a big bench is one of your goals. Trust is key!

Communicate with your spotter. It’s important that your partner understands exactly when it is time to let go of the bar, grab it, assist, etc.

-Train all parts of the movement, but only when it is time. If you’re benching your bodyweight, there’s no reason to start doing board presses, floor presses, bands, chains, etc. There is quite a lot of progress you can make by simply learning how to bench and taking the time to actually progress before you begin focusing on the different parts of the movement.

When it IS time to start using partials, pay attention to where/why you’re having issues with increasing your weight. Is it a form issue? Is it due to stability in a certain part of the lift? Are you lacking explosion? Identify issues and correct them (another great reason for an experienced partner). I use video for this purpose. Once I see a video of myself, I know exactly what to work on and improve.

If you’d like an experienced bench presser’s opinion, feel free to send me a link to your video and I’ll gladly critique it.

-Remember, Training Specificity. If your goal is to increase your one rep bench press, you need to train near that rep threshold. Laying out a specific bench press routine is beyond the scope of this article, because the reasons that people are limited in bench varies greatly from one person to another. I do believe that the greatest benefit comes from volume. Understand that you cannot max out each and every week and expect to make progress, intensity must be cycled. A typical bench session for me consists of warming up and acclimating to a certain weight range, and then performing 7-12 work sets at a particular rep range. While most progress will be made in the 1-3 rep range, the 4-5 rep range (at lower weight, obviously) has it’s place as well. I work with slightly different hand placements in each workout as well.

Rest between sets is important too. For some reason, people feel the need to rush when their in the gym. When you are focusing on becoming extremely strong and you’re training at or near maximum capacity, it’s important to have complete rest between sets. You aren’t going to go from a 185 bencher to a 405 bencher overnight, especially if you’re resting 1-2 minutes between sets. If you are training at 3 rep max capacity, you’ll need as much as 4-5 minutes rest between sets. Stop thinking that more is better and that you need to do as much as possible. You’re working to introduce your body to a new form of overload: HEAVY.

-Until you’re near your maximum capacity, you have no business working with a bench press shirt. I had to include this, because I see guys that can’t bench 365 raw working with a bench shirt. While raw benching is my focus, I totally understand shirt training, but 99% of the people in the gym that are breaking out their bench shirts have absolutely no business in doing so.

Bench pressing is a science, and to be honest, this is just the tip of the iceberg on what to focus on to become an elite, or even a very good bench presser. It takes a lot of effort and a lot of focus, but is completely doable, no matter what your current bench press is right now.

In the future, I intend on writing much more on this topic, and have toyed with writing an eBook designed to help individuals improve their bench press.

Until then, don’t hesitate to ask any other questions you may have on how to improve your bench press!

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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I am, by all accounts, considered “hardcore”. I hear daily:

That I should’ve been a “drill sergeant” (For the record: I did put my application in when I was in the Air Force).

That I’m intimidating (my exterior is gruff, I’m a huge kid at heart).

I’m regularly asked if I’m a professional wrestler (NO), a cage fighter (black belt in Tae Kwon Do yes, a cage fighter? No, getting hit hurts), a professional football player (no), or a bodybuilder (well, yeah ;).

My 6 year old son thinks I’m the strongest man in the world and that only the Incredible Hulk has a chance against me.

Okay, I have a very loud voice with a strong “twang” and on occasion, and I’ve been known to do a little bit of weightlifting. I’m a carnivore and I have a wagon-full of food that I transport around with me just in case I need to eat… The shaved head probably doesn’t make me look any more friendly (but it is hard to hide the smile that I typically feel stretching across my big head :). I’m hyper, high strung and quite possibly, one of the most intense people on earth. And initially? I think a lot of my clients think I may throw them through the window if they don’t do what I ask ;)

As a personal trainer I have a great track record. My current client list consists of numerous models, professional and amateur athletes, professional figure and fitness competitors, power lifters, dancers, and just about every other type of person. My results are unparalleled. If you work with me, you’ll make changes.

One of the things that I’m a stickler for is accountability. You come to see me for a reason: to look and/or perform your absolute very best. I take that seriously – if you’re not transforming, I’m not doing my job. My reputation means the world to me. I’ve worked hard to build it over the last 15 years, and I realize that every client that walks through that door influences that reputation greatly. For every 100 clients that I please, if one client is disappointed, that is the one that I’ll think about the most. I demand the absolute best from myself.

I also have high expectations from my clients. I want them to remember exactly how they felt when they first contacted me – how much those goals meant to them, and how badly they wanted to reach them. I do all I can to keep them motivated and to find whatever it is that keeps them moving toward those goals and beyond.

Of course, there are other personal trainers that don’t understand the average person. That training is a relatively small part of an entire day for them. That they really do have to make time to scarf down a meal and that they are making a sacrifice to make time to get to the gym. That there are birthday parties, lunches, client dinners and such. Unfortunately, many personal trainers have ONLY been personal trainers in their lives. They’ve never been in another type of business. And many of them? They’re battling their own psychological demons – they get downright upset at a client for not doing exactly what they do. No encouragement – they completely pout and get pissed off and try to break a client down for stepping out of line. The subsequent session is nothing more than a brutal attack on a client that pushes them to the edge of consciousness, vomiting or death.

While I believe in pushing a client and helping them test their job, the job of a personal trainer is never to punish a client with “extra work”, “more cardio” or “starvation”. That’s dime store psychology and it is pathetic that many personal trainers do this.

This is business to me. I stay in constant contact with clients because I want to make sure they know that I’m there to answer any question they may have along their way. I’ll help with any decision they may have that involves their body transformation or performance goals. We do measurements every 2-3 weeks. If they aren’t making appreciable progress (and again, my expectations are high), we’ll tighten things up and get them back on progress. If they keep making insane progress and actually “get” what it is I want them to do when they aren’t here? I’m not going to pout or “shame” them because they had a glass of wine with dinner. I’ll totally explain what it is that alcohol actually does to the body on a hormonal level, as I have a thousand times on this blog (and many of my clients do read this blog) and I’ll remind them of their goals and ask that they understand that some things are NOT getting them there, but ultimately, the decision is their’s and I have to respect that.

Again, understand that I push hard: very hard. I explain that to clients from the very start. I want them to be prepared for what they’re about to go through. But it isn’t in a way to show them how bad I can be or how much pain I can cause them – it’s to help them get the most out of their time with me. But I understand how far is too far, and when to pull it back a little bit. Training should be somewhat enjoyable – sure, it’s going to be a challenge at first, and there are going to be higher intensity days that remind you of when you first started, but a true professional personal trainer knows that the purpose of training is not to push a client to the brink of death. If a trainer is training themselves that way each and every time they workout? Then question their knowledge, because they body must have periods of lower intensity/volume to progress. If they’re expecting you to be at their level from day 1? Question their experience. I’ve been blessed with the skill and the health to be one of the top bench pressers and dead lifters on the planet. My own training sessions sometimes approach the three hour mark, but I’d never expect a client to be able to do what I do unless they were a professional power lifter. And to be honest? While I train with a vicious intensity, I don’t push myself to blacking out – and trust me, I’m always pushing myself a little further.

Good fitness trainers come in many forms. It’s important to know the thought process behind a trainer. If they can only talk about how they eat or how they train, chances are, they’re only replicating their own regimen with you. They don’t understand the law of individual differences and that each body has different training and nutritional needs. Typically, these clients train everyone the same and has everyone on the same “diet”. Nothing is personal – it’s all cookie cutter.

A great trainer can be a motivator and demand accountability without being an asshole. You should never fear exercise or fear repercussions for a misstep. Of course, you should be doing absolutely anything in your power to ensure that you’re staying on the right path, and hopefully you trust your trainer enough to stick with their recommendations for your fitness and nutrition program. If not, find another one. If you find yourself having missteps every day or several times per week? It’s time to reevaluate what it is you’re wanting to achieve and how important those goals are to you.

But under no circumstances should a trainer be an asshole – I’ve heard tons of horror stories, and it is unfortunate that they question their own skills to behave in that manner. But then again, that’s another reason why most personal trainers don’t last very long doing this job. A trainer’s job is to keep the client focused and constantly moving forward toward their goals. Not to be a child that is going to pout when they are let down.

For the trainers that are reading this and getting their feelings hurt? I’m telling you right now that none of you are as hardcore as I am. And there IS a way to be that way without being a jerk!

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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There’s a difference between being a member of a health club or a gym and actually going to the gym. I cannot workout in my personal training studio. It is my office. It’s where I work. It is where my computer is, my phone is, my clients are, my employees are, where prospects come to ask me about training, and where I make my money. I personally need separation! So I workout at a fairly well known health club here in San Antonio. A club that has a lot of members, but also a club where few people actually GO to the gym.

Clubs like Planet Fitness (which is NOT where I workout at) are designed to have as many people sign up as possible. They want to have MANY members (at $12 per month, their goal is a ton of people). But these gyms are very small, don’t allow any noise at all, don’t like you to sweat, have VERY small weights, have a pizza party every month and have chocolates at the front desk. These clubs do NOT want people to actually show up to workout – they are 100% against that! Weights are going to “clang” against each other. Some people are overly obnoxious, but weight training is performed in a gym, not a library. Hence, there’s nobody actually going to these gyms that is serious about working out nor making progress. Tank tops are banned. Really?

However, I can’t say that it is any better at Lifetime, Gold’s or Spectrum. There are people that come and spend most of their time naked in the locker room (no kidding). There are a lot of people that “show up”, but few of them are actually productively working out. They’re reading magazines while they train, drinking Starbucks, and enjoying the social aspect of the club. Of course, there are the Abercrombie wannabes that are doing a few sets of curls and crunches, then staring in the mirror for an hour at a time between sets.

Instead of actually pulling up in the parking lot and being seen at the gym, GO to the gym. Go to get your business done. It isn’t a night club. It isn’t a social gathering. It’s a place to go in and make yourself physically and mentally stronger. It’s a place to push your body to new limits and to learn about the satisfaction of reaching goals, realizing that the body is a resilient machine that can achieve whatever the mind tells it to, and that when you put forth the effort to focus on intensity, while combining that effort with discipline when you’re not in the gym, you can make yourself look pretty amazing.

Working out should not be easy. Conversely, you should not be in there to destroy your body. Push hard, focus on your plan, and go home. Stimulate – not annihilate. But remember the task at hand: it’s a fitness club, not a country club. Most of your time should be focused on physical exertion, not flapping your gums.

Change starts within – make it happen!

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

Hello World!

Want to take a second to give my client Chuck F a shout out for a job WELL DONE – down from 20.4% body fat to 16.4% in TWO WEEKS (and I RAKE when I pinch and am extremely consistent, for the record)! Had a 14mm drop in skinfold measurements on a three point pinch – that’s what a nearly perfect two first two weeks can do!

The great part? I fully expect him to be getting near the 10% threshold within the next month. Everyone that has ever consistently measured body fat loss understands that as you get lower, the rate of loss slows down dramatically. It’s my job to make sure he keeps his fat loss at an optimal level.

His metabolism is just getting started. His body is just starting to react. He has some very lofty goals that he has set for himself, but I have no doubt that he’s going to reach them in a much less amount of time than he initially may have believed it would take.

I don’t even need to say “keep up the good work” because there is no question about his motivation. I just can’t wait until he shatters that first glass ceiling and realizes that the sky is the limit for what he can obtain.

KILL IT!

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

Hi everyone!

A lot of great feedback on yesterday’s post on Repairing Metabolic Damage. Actually, it set the record for the number of times an article was ever viewed in one day, and is almost as popular as my anti-CrossFit articles! Thanks for sharing it and I’ll get to approving the comments as soon as I can comb through them.

Had a request from a reader to post a good chili recipe – this is one of my favorites!

Beef and Black Bean Chili Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tsp canola oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 jalapeno chile pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
3/4 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 15-ounce can low sodium black beans, drained
2 cups frozen sweet corn

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven on medium heat. Add onion, red pepper, jalapeno pepper and carrot. Saute for 5 minutes, until onion has softened. Sprinkle chili powder and cumin over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Crumble in ground beef; cook on medium-high until no longer pink. Add canned tomatoes and black beans. Turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add sweet corn and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of fat free sour cream or a light sprinkling (1-2 tbsp) of reduced fat Jack cheese.

Serves 6-8

Per Serving: Calories 279, Calories from Fat 53, Total Fat 5.7g (sat 1.8g), Cholesterol 35mg, Sodium 304mg, Carbohydrate 37mg, Fiber 9.3g, Protein 19.4g

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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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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Of course, most of my questions are fat loss and body transformation related, but occasionally, I get a question on athletic performance, which is what I have here. Great question left in the comment section from a Division 1 College Football Player about squats. Too good not to share on the main page of the blog!

Hey Boyd – love the blog man. I’m a sophomore football player at Nebraska and realize the importance of training optimally. I have to say that your blog is one of the best fitness resources that I’ve come across and I thank you for your time and effort on producing such a high quality product. Trust me, me and several of our guys read it on a regular basis.

D

Thanks for the write in! Comments like that always make me more motivated to keep working hard on this blog. This thing is definitely my baby, and I’m always happy when someone finds it useful.

Let me explain something that I often delve into when someone asks me about one exercise versus another exercise – view each exercise as a specific tool. You can use many tools to get a job done, so there’s no reason to ever throw away a tool that has use. Hack squats, split squats, front squats, back squats: they are all phenomenal tools.

In this case, both squats are great tools for developing explosive power and strength when done in the proper rep range (sub 6 reps). Reason is that other supporting muscle groups are more apt to tire out then the major leg muscles, and that obviously puts the trainee at a higher injury risk.

In the case of football, I believe that the front squat is a bit more “transferable” to the gridiron, form is paramount, and the lower extremities bare the load more so than the lower back does, allowing for better recruitment in the quads and hamstrings.

The key to getting max benefit out of any squat? Depth. I see some people doing them to 90 degrees or higher. If you can’t bury it, as I say, “ass to the grass”, you’re doing too much weight. Drop the poundage, and take your butt to the floor.

Again – utilize all the tools you have available, but for developing strength, speed and explosiveness, make front squats (deep) one of your primary training tools.

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 everyone,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Breakfast + Pre-workout drink…
I’m I’m working out after breakfast, it is time for the highest caloric intake of the day, but I don’t want just any calories. I want sustained energy from carbs and sustained amino acid release from protein.
2 scoops of vanilla BSN Syntha6 Protein Powder
1 cup of oatmeal (not cooked – and remember, I’m over 240lbs)
1/2 banana
ice
water
blend until smooth

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

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

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

Make it happen – think amazing, do amazing, become amazing! It starts within, and the decision is yours. Let nothing hold you back!

Let’s all take our fitness and our lives to another level this week – make those old goals your new starting points as we all work toward our own AMAZING.

Be YOUR best!

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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I know that I spend a great deal of money on my personal fitness goals. Between weekly massages, chiropractic adjustments, accupuncture, gym membership, supplements and the lifting gear and other equipment that I use as a competitive power lifter, my monthly tab starts to run up quickly. Throw in eating purely organic and the amount of meat I eat over any given week, and my weekly “healthy lifestyle” tab is nothing to sneeze at.

Of course, I understand that the cost of a good personal trainer is a serious investment for many as well. Sure, you can get a low rate, $10 hour guy that’s just starting out or that’s packing you into a group training class, but there’s nothing personal about that, and as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for.

For most of us, to live this lifestyle requires us to prioritize different aspects of our lives and make certain sacrifices. I’m often asked “Is it worth it?” I don’t hesitate to say that it is.

But more so than it being “worth it”, I prefer to answer that question with a question of my own: Are You Worth It? You have one body in this world. We live in an age where people honestly believe they can just take a pill to fix this or have a quick procedure to fix that – we are the quick fix generation. However, that way of thinking is completely flawed and will not lead to the long term health and enjoyment that living a healthy lifestyle provides.

I never view my choices as “missing out”. In fact, I view it as the complete opposite: I’m living an extremely rewarding life, and the successes that I experience in my fitness lifestyle transfer perfectly to whatever professional and other personal endeavors I attempt to embark on. I know that few things in this life are as challenging as controlling one’s own body and physical condition, and the ability to master that makes me realize that the possibilities are endless in my life.

I have been a personal trainer for most of my adult life. Initially, as a hobby that I did in my spare time, and eventually to my career that led to me walking away from a lucrative IT based career. I’ve seen so many clients take control of their bodies, and then, almost as expected, it transfer across the board in other aspects of their lives. Things simply fall into place. And when adversity hits? They’re ready to handle any obstacle that they are confronted with. Once you’ve battled yourself and won, few things stand a chance.

From another point of view, if you think that training and proper nutrition are expensive now, take a look into the future: health care, medicine, lost time from work – you can’t afford NOT to be in the best shape you can be in for as long as you can be in it. It isn’t about living longer, it’s about living better while you are alive.

So for me, it’s definitely worth any price I pay to be in the best health I can be in, because I know that I’m worth the effort. Maybe that’s just the engineer in me, my ability to look at things from a reverse standpoint – but ask yourself: are YOU worth it?

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

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Here’s a recipe I like to use for tuna quesadillas – tasty, easy to make, and body transformation friendly!

Ingredients
1 pouch StarKist Chunk Light or Albacore Tuna
2, 6-7-inch whole grain tortillas
½ cup shredded fat free taco flavored cheese
(optional: black olives/salsa/fat free sour cream)

Directions
Place tortilla in a small non-stick skillet, heated.
Spread tuna and cheese evenly over tortilla. Top with a second tortilla.
Heat until tortilla is golden brown, turn and brown the second side.
Remove and cut into 4 quarters.

Quick high protein, lean snack – eat immediately or package for later!

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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There’s something about those Men’s Wearhouse ads – where the owner confidently tells you, the customer that “you’re going to like the way you look, I guarantee it.” His confidence and directness always make me want to go buy a suit, whether I’ll be going anywhere to wear the suit or not is irrelevant – he regularly convinces me that a) I need a new one, and b) I’m going to look damn good in it.

Well, I’m no suit expert whatsoever. My fashion sense is probably lacking quite a bit as well. Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein I am not. However, I can speak from experience on how you’ll feel about your appearance after you not only exercise and eat a certain way after a few weeks, but exercise and eat the RIGHT way. You see, there are many options out there. There are cardio heavy programs, starvation diets, all protein diets, zero carb diets, cross training, kettle bell gyms, MMA studios,etc. All of these things will do SOMETHING for you, but I like thinking in extremes: there’s a difference in improving and maximizing improvement. I focus on the latter.

Each and every one of us has different body compositions (different ratios of muscle fiber types, types of fat, etc). We all have different experiences, weaknesses, and limitations. I am not going to train you and have you eat in a way that I know for a fact works best for ME – while that may provide you with some benefit, it isn’t maximizing what would work best for YOU.

You and I are different. Just like you are different from each of my other clients. You have different tolerances to carbohydrates. Different cravings. Different schedule restrictions. Different responses to different types of exercise. Some people can get lean looking at a treadmill, others have to slave at it. Hey, we are not all created completely equal.

Most people think it’s unfortunate that there is no one size fits all program. I’m glad there isn’t, because this job would be completely boring. The fact that everyone has these differences has allowed me to become one of the very best in the world in finding what works best for each individual.

I watch most personal trainers train everyone of their clients exactly the same way week after week. Never mind modifying their programs as their bodies and abilities change – they don’t even change their strategy from one client to another, no matter how different their conditions are or how different their goals are. And I’d venture to say, they train themselves in a very similar way. May not be the same volume and intensity, but the premise would be almost identical. It takes a bit more than that.

I cannot speak to how you may look by just buying a new suit or a new dress. I can, however, guarantee that after spending a few weeks with me, those clothes would fit you a hell of a lot better, and you’d feel a whole lot better about wearing them.

Attack this week aggressively wreckless, and make something special happen.

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