Fat Loss – Body Transformation – Advanced Nutrition

Ok all,

As I have been mentioning, I am strongly considering returning to competition in the Fall of this year. I’m not settled on a show (or in what state I’ll compete for that matter). But the thought is in my mind, and if you read my comments from last year, you’ll know that it becomes the centerpiece of my life when I make that decision.

Here’s my workout for today. Questions, comments, criticisms welcome!

Flat BB Bench
Narrow Grip 4 sets x 365 x 5 reps
Mid Grip 4 sets x 365 x 5 reps
Wide Grip 3 sets x 365 x 5 reps

Decline Bench
5 sets x 365 x 8 reps

Rest periods were 2-3 minutes. Time to shorten the rest periods to sub 1 minute:

Cable Flyes
1 set x 60 x 30 reps
1 set x 50 x 30 reps
1 set x 50 x 25 reps

Pushups
50
Rest 60 seconds
25

Dips
4 sets x 15 reps (slow and controlled, light rest between)

Lateral DB Raises
4 sets x 45lbs x 15 reps

DB Skull Crushers (on an incline bench)
3 sets 40lb dbs x 15 reps

Rope Tricep Pressdown
Whole Stack x 40 reps
Whole Stack x 25 reps

DONE! Totally burned up, great intensity.

Later today, going to see exactly how many consecutive bodyweight lunges I can do!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Get Real Fitness Truth!
210.391.1454

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m going to start logging a few of my workouts here on the blog. Of course, weights are relative. My training and nutrition are both set up for both fat loss and increases in lean body mass. Over the last few weeks, I’ve explained how you don’t just get “big and bulky” and the importance of resistance training, so feel free to read back through those posts for more information.

One thing that I know a lot of people do is “cardio” before they lift, and this is a big mistake. Now, don’t confuse a 5-10 minute warm up with “doing cardio”. There’s a difference – the short warm up is to get the body ready to work by raising the body temperature a few degrees (don’t work cold muscles). However, remember that during weight training, glucose is the fuel for muscle contractions. I understand that people may believe that if they burn all of their glucose up that their body will use body fat for fuel during their weight workout, but this is not how it works. By doing cardio before you train with weights, you have effectively burned all of the fuel you need for weight training, and you’ll not be able to train with the same level of intensity. If you MUST do them at the same time, do your cardio after you train with weights (glucose has been burned during weight training, leaving the body more likely to tap into fat for fuel during cardio). Don’t go overboard here though, it’s important to quickly replenish the body after weight training to begin the recovery process.

As I mentioned yesterday, today’s workout is designed to train the muscles in the upper body responsible for pushing motions. Not only am I training for muscle development, but I also believe in training for functionality. Oh, and for the record, I train every client differently. I realize that some personal trainers train every client exactly the way they train themselves – this is not me! I figure out what works best for each client, and nothing I do is cookie cutter.
Today’s workout:
Listed as weight x reps x sets
Flat BB Bench Press
225x10x2
365x5x7

Decline Bench Press
315x12x4

Flat DB Bench Press
100s x 15 x 2

Glass DB Flyes
55x20x2

Lateral DB Raises
45x15x5

Reverse Grip Bench Press
225x15x4

Rope Tricep Pressdowns
Entire Stack (150lbs) x 30 reps

-Went a little higher volume than I normally would, but I felt really good and felt like pushing it. For progression, I usually stay in a particular weight range and focus on doing an extra set, more reps over a few sets or more weight. I periodize my training program to make sure that for a period of time, I focus on getting stronger and stronger, and then I’ll take a period of lower volume/intensity.

I’ll post some videos in upcoming workouts. For now on, I’m going to focus on one “Inspiration” set in every workout where I’ll do a set that requires complete focus and will push me to the limit (a 50 rep set, a heavier than normal set, etc).

Questions, comments?

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

I’ve decided to log some of my workouts here on the blog. Right now, I’m not focusing competing, more about just looking good for the summer, as I like to spend a lot of time around the water where very few clothes are required! As I have mentioned, my workouts mostly revolve around compound exercises. My nutritional program is designed with the focus on simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain.

Monday – Legs.

I was crunched for time, but was able to get a brief, yet very intense workout in. I am not including warm-up sets, just my “work” sets where I really push for intensity. I typically warm up for 5-10 minutes just to break sweat and to get the body ready to work.
Exercises are listed as weight x reps x sets.

1-2 minutes rest between most sets, 2-3 minutes between different exercises.

Squats – 225x20x2, 315x20x3

SLDL – 365x10x2, 405x10x2

100 bodyweight lunges (consecutive, no break)

Leg Press 1 set – 700×50

Short, sweet and to the point! Wednesday’s workout will be focused on the muscles in the upper body that are used for pushing motions

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,

Had an hour time slot open today that I don’t usually have, so I tore up the squat rack ;)

Here’s a quick breakdown of today’s workout and projected eating.

Morning – English Muffin, egg whites, ham
Workout
squats
225x10x5 sets
405x10x5 sets

Pull thrus
Stack x 20 x 5 sets

GHR
20 reps x 5 sets

Post-workout
Protein blend + oats

I’ll have one more carb meal, cut carbs at noon, and all meals after that will be protein + healthy fats. My bodyfat has dropped quite a bit since my underwear show a few weeks ago, but my weight is up which is a good sign (gaining muscle mass).

I’ll also hit 45 minutes of cardio around 7. Blah.

Drastic results require drastic measures…

Make your day GREAT! Start your fat loss and body transformation goals 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,

Since business has been so absolutely crazy busy, I’m going to make it a priority to, at the very least, include a few fat loss and body transformation tips each and everyday. I am still working on my articles for natural hormone manipulation through training and nutrition, along with a few specific articles for both the ladies and the guys that read this site.

Fat Loss Tips For Thursday:
1. By just increasing your cardio and eating less will not transform your body. You must eat the right things at the right time and stimulate the muscles. Starvation will only make you go from a larger pear to a smaller pear.

2. The actual “calories” in alcohol are a very small part of the fat equation. I often hear people say they prefer diet and vodka or light beer due to the lower calorie content. The concern, however, isn’t the calories, it’s the alcohol itself and it’s effects on fat loss, protein synthesis and insulin secretion/absorption. Simply put, ALCOHOL itself is what makes you fat. A drink per night will wreck your fat loss plans.

3. Intensity is key. During an “intense” set, you should be focused and exerting, not laughing and chatting with someone else (a workout partner).

4. Ab machines, butt machines, hip machines, etc do not help you reduce fat in those specific areas. Fat is lost in the kitchen and the dinner table. You will not accelerate fat loss by specifically training those areas. A full body approach focusing on multi-joint, compound exercises will do infinitely more for body transformation than isolation exercises.

Use these, pass them on, and keep coming back! Tomorrow will be my client of the week – don’t forget to check it out!!!

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,

104.5, the local classic rock station here in San Antonio, gives “Three Things You Need To Know” every morning about current news in the US and in San Antonio. So, to basically rip them off, I’m going to do Three Fitness and Fat Loss Tips from a SA Personal Trainer today. Thanks guys, keep playing good music!

1. It’s WHAT you eat, WHEN you eat, and then HOW MUCH you eat.
-Don’t freak out over calories and obsess over carbs. Not all carbs are evil and they are needed for fuel and replenishment.

2. Weightlifting is the exercise of choice for body transformation.
-Cardio is important but is overused. Simply put, cardio alone will make you go from a big pear to a little pear. Weightlifting is essential for muscle growth, muscle preservation and increased metabolism. You have to TRAIN and EAT to become “big and bulky” – ladies, it isn’t going to happen to you.

3. You have to continually progress and confuse the body.
-Doing the same thing will not always get you the same results. Everything works for a little bit, but as soon as your body adapts, it will not make progress. Progress is the name of the game – don’t work out to “just maintain”. Work hard, change things up, do the things you “aren’t good at” and measure your progress. It’s called WORKING out for a reason. You should continue to lose fat and continue to look better. Don’t hide behind genetics and believe that you could never look better.

It’s up to you – if you want to look great and determine that nothing can stop you, then it won’t.

WORK! Nothing can deny you.

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,

Since we are in Military Town USA and in the home of the Air Force’s Basic Military Training (Lackland AFB), I thought this would be fitting!

Warm up – 400m very light jog
Run (for time) – 2400 meters (and for you non-metric types, that’s 1.5 miles)

Rest 5 minutes
Pushups – all out effort

Rest 5 minutes

Situps – all out effort

Wondering how you scored? Check out this site: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/a/affitness.htm

If you’re really motivated, measure your abdominal circumference (the site tells you where) and calculate your score. Where do you stand in your age group?

To all branches of the US Armed Forces – thank you for everything you do!

San Antonio – don’t let anything stand in the way of changing your body. MAKE time to exercise and eat right. My nutrition section on the right side of the page is loaded with tips to KEEP you burning fat!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

I realize that many people are buying sets of dumbbells for home gym workouts – it’s efficient (time and no gym fees) and convenient. Here’s a sample db only workout.

DB Front Squats
4 sets x 15 (one minute rest between sets)

DB Stiff Leg Dead Lifts
4 sets x 15 (one minute rest between sets)

DB Bench Press Supersetted with DB Flyes
Bench: 4 sets x 8-12
Flyes: 4 sets x 12-15

DB Shoulder Press Supersetted with DB Lateral Raises
Press: 2 sets x 8-10 reps
Raises: 2 sets x 12-15 reps

Overhead DB Extensions Supersetted with Bench Dips
Extensions: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
Dips: 3 sets x 12-15 reps

1 Arm DB Rows
4 sets x 10-15 reps

Standing DB Curls
3 sets x 15-20 reps

Full body, under 45 minutes, never leaving the house – force yourself to get stronger every workout and change your body!

Abs are made in the kitchen!!!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio – Top PT Blog in The World
Owner, Personal Fitness Revolution
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

Try this Full Body workout when you want a little variety and to really feel a burn. Run through each group of exercises consecutively with no rest between each, and then rest for 2 minutes before going to the next set.

The rep recommendations are made to simply give you an idea of the weight you would need to fall a rep or two SHORT of the target number. Don’t make this easy. If I say 20 reps, that really means 18-19.

Group 1
Squats x 20 reps
DB Bench press x 12 reps
Lateral DB Raises x 15 reps
Bench Dips x 20
Pulldowns x 15
EZ Bar Curls x 20

Rest 2 minutes

Group 2
Leg Presses x 20 reps
Stiff Leg Dead Lifts x 15 reps
Pushups x failure
Front DB Raises x 15
Bent BB Rows x 10
Standing DB Curls x 15
DB Skull Crushers x 15

Rest 2 minutes

Group 3
DB Squats x 25
Lunges x 10 each leg
Incline DB Bench Press x 15
Seated DB Overhead Press x 12
Cable Rope Tricep Pressdown x 25
Upright Cable Rows x 15
Standing Rope Cable Curls x 25

Rest 3 minutes and repeat one more time.

Total body wipeout – burn the muscles and the lungs!

Boyd Myers
San Antonio Personal Trainer
16613 Huebner Road
210.391.1454

Hey SATX,

Greetings from the carwash on my iPhone!

This one is short and sweet and intense, no personal trainer or gym needed. Warm up first, then…

40 yard sprints x 20 reps Rest 1 minute between sprints

Your legs will be on fire, and you will be on your way to being ripped.

Boyd Myers
San Antonio Personal Trainer
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

Just a fun little way to mix up your workout with a high intensity arms day! Be careful, it’s going to burn and you may not be able to brush your hair the next day.

Try supersetting each group of exercises with each other. Do the first exercise and with no rest, do the second exercise. This is a set. Rest one minute and then repeat as many times as prescribed. Rest 2 minutes between groups, and then start the next group. Enjoy!

Group 1 x 4 sets each
1A – Close Grip Bench Press x 10 reps
1B – Standing BB Curls x 15 reps

Group 2 x 3 sets each
2A – DB Skull Crushers x 12
2B – Seated Incline DB Curls x 15

Group 3 x 2 sets each
3A – Cable Rope Pushdown x 25-50 reps (light enough to go extremely high rep until you can’t do another)
3B – Standing Cable Curls x 25-50 reps (same)

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, Personal Fitness Revolution – San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Road
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

Looking for an incredible weapon to add to your fat loss arsenal? Well, I’ve mentioned High Intensity Interval Training in other articles, and today, the workout of the day is HIIT on a treadmill.

Why HIIT?
-Less time on cardio
-Muscle preservation
-Body burns more fat for longer when you’re finished
-It is intense!

I do believe that HIIT is an amazing weapon for ANY body transformation!

To start, I warm up for 3-5 minutes at a light to moderate speed.

I then alternate 45 seconds of very high intensity (whether it is increasing to speed to 10-12mph or the incline to 15% or maybe a combination, such as 8mph on a 10% grade – it doesn’t matter, just make it hard). I then go back to my lower intensity, warmup speed for 45 seconds. I alternate this for about a total of 10-15 minutes. At first, you may only be able to do 3-4 minutes, and that’s fine, just work on building it up each and every week. 2-3 sessions per week will make a huge difference in not only fat burning, but in recovery ability between sets while weight training, as the style of the exercise is totally transferable to other parts of your training regimen.

Give it a try and let me hear about it!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, Personal Fitness Revolution
16613 Huebner Road
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio!

Here’s a quick upper body workout. Rest roughly one minute between sets and 2 minutes between exercises. Ranges of reps will indicate roughly how much weight to use. Make your weight light enough to hit the bottom number but heavy enough to where you can only go maybe 1 rep past the higher number. Superset means as soon as you’re done with the last set of the first exercise, go to the superset exercise with no rest and perform it.

DB Flat Bench Press
4 sets x 8-10 reps – superset last set with 1 set of db flat flyes x 15-20 reps

Bent BB Rows
4 sets x 6-8 reps – superset last set with 1 set of pulldowns x 12-15 reps

Lateral DB Raises
3 sets x 12-15 reps – superset last set with 1 set of front db raises 12-15 reps

Bench Dips (legs elevated)
3 sets x 15-20 reps – superset last set with 1 set of rope tricep pressdowns 15-20 reps

EZ Bar Curls
3 sets x 15-20 reps – superset last set with 1 set of rope cable curls x 15-20 reps

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
16613 Huebner Road
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

I’ve decided to add another WOD post. These workouts are just sample workouts, not a “program”, per se. A “program” involves progression – regular increases in intensity along with adaptations to any weaknesses that arise during training. Progression is key to physique transformation! You have to continually introduce your body to new stimulus to force it to adapt. Doing the same thing over and over will yield very little results in the long term. Overload, overload, always overload. When you stop introducing new stress, you, simply put, stop changing. When it comes to my clients, it’s all about progression – it’s my job to find and fix their weaknesses and constantly forcing their bodies to adapt to new workloads. Plateaus ARE avoidable and not automatic, contrary to popular belief.

Whether you’re looking to lose fat or build muscle (or maybe a combination of both), squats are an important exercise to include in your workout program. Safety first, so learn how to do them. I’m going to assume that you already know how – if you don’t, consult someone that knows what they’re doing.

I’m not talking about a machine (or a Smith Machine), I’m talking about the real things, and I mean squatting deep.

Weight varies for the person involved, but it has to be intense. Don’t use a weight that you can gravy train with and not even sweat, but also be realistic. High rep squats are painful and require as much oxygen as sprinting 100+ meters. For those of you who think weightlifting isn’t aerobic, give this program a try. Obviously, I can’t include the weight to be used because I don’t know who you are. Again, these are only sample, basic workouts.

Squats
2 minutes rest between sets
5 sets x 20 reps
-As I mentioned, find a weight that you’re comfortable with, and squat deep!

Leg Press
1 set x 50 reps
-Again, this should be a weight that is damn near impossible for you to get 50 reps with – find something that you can comfortably get 25-30, and forces those last 20-25 out. That means, do 1-3, rest, do 1-3, rest, and so on and so forth. This is a challenge of will, heart and fortitude.

Stiff-leg dead lifts
I’ve recently began working out with a friend who isn’t an experienced lifter, and today I explained to her the importance of feeling an exercise. SLDLs are a hamstring exercise and are invaluable. Again, learn the exercise. Don’t just go through the motions, feel this exercise (and for that matter, any exercise) in the intended bodyparts.

4 sets x 15 reps

Walking DB Lunges
2 sets x 20 steps
-If you prefer standing in one place, that’s fine, just alternate legs. Hold the dumbbells in your hands and just let them hang.

Leg Press Calf Raises
I do calves a little different than 99% of people out there. I use a 100% full range of motion and I do them extremely slow – about 1-2 seconds on the upward part (going to the tiptoe) and a 5-10 second lowering until the foot is as far back as it can be. Oh, and don’t forget to hold it at the bottom for 5-10 seconds. This will be one of the most excruciating things you’ve ever done, but if you want to have nice calves, well, this is the trick.

3-4 sets x 10-15 reps

90 degree hyper-extensions
2 sets to failure
-I love 90 degree hypers. I do realize that many facilities don’t have the hyper-extension machine that goes to 90 degrees. Shame on them. This is an excellent posterior core exercise great for strengthening the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings – great compliment to SLDL.

Try it and comment here!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
16613 Huebner Road
210.391.1454

Hey San Antonio,

I like the idea of this – think I’ll start posting a workout of the day. Not saying I’m going to do it everyday, but I will try to do it several times per week and keep them archived.

Here’s the sprint workout I did today:

Rest 60-90 seconds between sprints

Warm up
6×40 yard sprints (roughly 60 seconds rest between sprints)
3×60 yard sprints
2×100 yard sprints

I also hit the stadium stairs (4 times up and down) and finished off with 2 laps. My laps aren’t normal laps though – I sprint the straight parts of the track and walk/jog the turns.

Guys, it goes without saying: warm up and cool down. Sprinting is NOT easy, and if you haven’t done it in a while, try it at a little less than full speed.

Time for lunch! Turkey sandwich, fresh spinach salad, and a huge bottle of Aquafina!

Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
16613 Huebner Road
210.391.1454