Advice To New Trainers
If I just got my personal training certification today, here's a list of things I would do to find the correct path. Before I can tell you what the "correct path" is, I first need you to understand that direction is much more important than speed. I had little success during the first year at two gyms and felt I didn't belong in this industry. I went the traditional route starting out training people one-on-one in person on the gym floor. How did I get people to train with me in the beginning?
I walked the gym floor, picking weights, engaging with people about their workouts, and offering advice to anyone who cared enough to listen. I’m not a “seller”; I’m a talker. There's a wrong way and a fitting way to approach people working out, and my first tip is if someone's wearing headphones, give them a nod if their form is good and keep walking if it's not. No one wants to be told they're doing something wrong in the gym, especially men, so approach cautiously. Become friendly with the front desk people and your manager because you want to be the first person they think of when they have a potential client who needs a trainer.
Second, read and watch everything. You can learn from trainers who are at the top of your industry, and you can learn from your peers who make mistakes or lack enthusiasm. I've overheard trainers talking about themselves or complaining about their boss. Your client is paying you money to help them reach their goals, not to be your therapist. Be someone other than the trainer who builds your business on their personality or marketing. You'll get more business through referrals if you're good at what you do and treat your people well. Every day for the first few years, I learned something from trainers online, especially on YouTube. One reason this helped out is I could hear how to explain complicated concepts in a simplified way. I want you to know that knowing your audience will take you further in communication than showing your knowledge, like reading from a textbook.
This leads to my third point; who you know matters more than what you know. I was in a fortunate position to meet someone who changed my trajectory. I used to watch the breakfast club interviews, and one day, I saw one with Gary V (I can’t find that video, sorry). He mentioned his trainer leaving him, and my first thought was, "why would you leave this cash cow?" So I looked up Mike Vacanti and consumed EVERYthing he put out. One day while meeting with my manager at NYSC, I saw Mike walk in. A little starstruck, I told my manager I needed a moment. I approached him and introduced myself, telling him how I found him and how much his content changed my life. Every time he came in, we spoke, and the conversations grew longer until, one day, he asked if there was anything he could do to help me out. That led to me meeting my current boss, Kevin. Through the years of working for Kevin and knowing Mike, I've come to meet a few fitness coaches that I respect.
My fourth point is to try everything you can and experiment. I thought the only way you could be a trainer was to do one-on-one sessions with clients in person. Then I came to Structure Personal Fitness and learned a new model, semi-private training. With semi-private training, I train anywhere from 1-6 people at a time. What I love most about it is the community aspect. SPF had two locations, and I trained an older population who needed modifications at one location. At the other location, I trained a younger population who needed to slow things down and unlearn what they saw on social media. Over the years, I learned how to teach fitness classes with large groups of people, CrossFit, online fitness coaching, nutrition coaching, and last but not least, virtual training when the pandemic happened. Because of the semi-private training model, I learned faster than I did and as much. It saved my career and life all because I was in the right place at the right time, put myself out there, took chances, and said yes to everything.,
My fifth point is to use social media to your advantage. I copied what I saw others doing and made it my own. You can reach more people with a single post, and what will separate you from everyone else is your energy and point of view. You have to think long-term because if you focus on the day-to-day, you'll get frustrated because things aren't moving quickly. Think about how often you've had someone ask you, "how long will it take to see results?" It depends. How consistent are you? Are you making the right choices? Everything takes time. The bigger the dream, the longer it'll take. Everything that glitters isn’t gold, so don’t make the mistake of trying to achieve what someone else has and calling that your dream.
Here’s a list of who and what has helped me thus far:
Practical Programming for Strength Training
Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body
Reduce Shoulder Pain with 10 Exercises: Resistance-Band Edition
Here’s a perfect shoulder routine to reduce pain significantly.
Shoulder pain sucks, you know it because you’re on this page hoping to find a solution and to that, I want to say CONGRATULATIONS!
The only piece of equipment you’ll need for these is a resistance band.
Before we get into the exercises, the majority of people I come across who suffer from shoulder pain have similar tendencies. They include:
Shoulders being internally rotated for long periods of the day, think being hunched over a desk.
A lot of pressing versus pulling, think push ups instead of rows or pull ups/downs.
Using bad form with pressing movements. For example: push ups, bench press, shoulder press, and lateral raises.
The remedy for this problem is going to explained below. I want you to learn why these exercises should reduce shoulder pain for you. The reason being most people only work the muscles they can see. If you’re not giving love to the muscles you can’t see, they become weak, jealous, and vindictive. These exercises are going to focus on opening you up, rotating your shoulders out and back. The stronger your upper back and rear delts become, the less pain you’ll have in the front of your shoulders. The better posture you’ll have, the more confident you will be and appear to people.
Banded External Rotation
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You want to feel this in the side of your shoulder.
Don’t let your elbow extend further away from your body as you pull the band with your hand away from the attached point.
Banded Lateral Raises
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in the side of your shoulder if done right, not in your traps where some people feel this movement.
Raise your arms up to shoulder height with your palms facing down, arms slightly bent at about 45 degrees in front of you.
The magic here is controlling the descent, the slower and controlled this movement is coming back to your body, the more you’re going to feel this exercise.
Banded Pass Throughs
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
Face away from the attached point.
Palms facing in front of you.
Elbows at shoulder height.
Hands above shoulders.
Walk out to a distance where the band feels tight.
Rotate your hands forward till they’re parallel with the floor stopping at shoulder height then return back to starting position with your hands above your shoulders.
Main thing here is to not let your elbows dip as your rotate your hands forward and back.
Banded Pull Aparts (T’s)
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in the back of your shoulders, upper back, traps, and lats.
Arms extended in front of you, palms facing down, bring your shoulder blades down to the floor and behind you to feel a squeeze beneath your armpits.
Keep your arms extended and bring them to your sides forming a T shape.
Banded Scarecrows
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in the top/back part of your shoulder.
Set the band at or below shoulder height.
Keep your elbows at shoulder height.
Main thing here is to not let elbows dip.
Banded Straight Arm Lat Pulldown
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in your upper back, shoulders, lats, and triceps.
Grip the bands with thumbs facing up, hips shooting back, arms extended and aligned with your upper body.
As you bring your arms towards you hips, keep your shoulder blades pressed down and back squeezing the bottom of your arm pits.
Banded Y-Raise
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
The Y to the MCA. You want to feel this in the top/back part of your shoulder, upper back and traps.
Keep your elbows slightly bent.
Your arms should finish slightly behind your body.
Be careful not to let your neck jerk forward and control your traps from shrugging.
Standing Banded High Row
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this not only in the back of your shoulders but also your upper back and traps.
Think about opening up your chest as you pull back with your elbows as well as your shoulders.
If you don’t pull back with your shoulders, you’re going to feel this only in your arms and make the pain in the front of your shoulders worse.
Standing Banded Row
(1-3 Sets. 10-20 Reps)
You’re going to feel this in the back of your shoulder, upper back, and lats.
Palms facing each other, soft knees, pull your elbows and shoulder blades back till you feel a squeeze.
If you don’t pull back with your shoulders, you’re going to feel this only in your arms and make the pain in the front of your shoulders worse.
Standing Snow Angels
(1-3 Sets. 3-5 Reps)
You’re going to feel this throughout your whole shoulder, upper back and traps.
Standing in a T position, arms extended, palms facing in front of you.
Begin with a reverse fly, raise your arms above your head, then back down to your sides in a controlled manner
Avoid speeding up the movement and raising your traps.
If at any point, you feel pain when performing these exercises, skip it or record yourself doing it and send me a video here: abel.y.mezemer@gmail.com. I’ll be able to look at your form and make any adjustments.
2019: Year Of Offense
I was 24 years old.
I just had a second operation on my chest. I was “diagnosed” with gynecomastia. Some people call them "large male breasts", others call them "Bitch Tits", either way, it was something I struggled with my entire childhood & was going to take over my adult life…
I had this same operation a year prior. Long story short, we decided to take a risk and have a no-scar-surgery that would eliminate this problem that became a part of my identity. It didn’t work and I suffered another year of insecurity because every time I looked in the mirror, I saw two reasons why I wasn’t a man, I wasn’t attractive, I wasn’t good enough…
The first tattoo I got was to cover my scars…
Two years of diet & training. The first time I looked in the mirror shocked at what I saw…
I was 25 years old.
What started out as another night out with my best friend, ended up being the night I met the girl of my dreams, or so I thought. We got into an argument because I took the side of the girl that he was dating at the time. I was always a third wheel, something I've grown accustomed to being, again, I was getting closer to the body that I wanted but still miles away from the confidence I needed. My best friend left me to go do a DJ gig, my phone was on 3%, if felt like my world was coming to an end. I relied on Austin for my social life. I’m an introvert & a homebody by nature. I was also broke as shit so I told myself I was the lucky one that he even wanted to be friends with me & take me places. The only thing that was on my mind was getting to him so I could apologize. Despite having a few drinks in my system, I was able to locate him and we immediately had a conversation. Next thing I know, I get a tap on my shoulder followed by the question: "are you QuoteAbel?”. It was from the girl that I was in love with through Instagram.
Eight months later, on and off dating, the main thing that I feared from day one finally happened. So afraid to lose something I work so hard at making last, I was blind sided with "we need to talk”. It wasn’t the closure conversation that saves you years of frustration & suicidal-depression, it was the type of conversation that fuels insecurity & kills any type of dignity you had. It was the second & last time I gave everything I had to one woman. Despite my valiant efforts, I wasn’t assertive, I wasn’t a man, I wasn’t good enough…
Hollywood Millz
Angela
I was 28 years old.
I was two years into my corporate job, I was making good money for the first time in my life, I was also a soulless zombie. My prior years of creativity were dead. I didn’t care about music, I didn’t care about poetry, I didn’t care about anything besides working, working out & making more money. 6 months prior, I finally decided to study for my personal training certification. I couldn’t last one more second at that job but wasn’t assertive or man enough to leave. The people around me were negative, the commute was always crowded, the gym was always packed, I was living for the weekends.
August 2016, after 6 months of spending all my free time studying, I passed the NASM CPT test. FUCKING ECSTATIC! I spent the next month training a few friends for cheap just to get experience & money in. September 2016, I spent my birthday in Dominican Republic. I could get used to this. Work 9-5 & train people afterwards until I had enough clients/money to leave that soul-sucking job. It’s funny whenever you think you have a plan of how things will go, the universe likes to throw a wrench in there to show you who’s the real boss. I came back from DR & we had a meeting (something that never happens unless it’s bad news). Long story short, no one in that department had a job anymore & we had two months to figure out what to do next. I stayed on for the transition period & after two months, I was offered another position in the company or, take my severance & look for something else. I just turned 28 years old. I didn’t have any real responsibilities. I didn’t have a girlfriend or a child. This was it for me. This was my chance to see what I was made of. It was my time to see if the life I wanted to live was possible. No one was going to baby me anymore. How great do you want to be? How bad do you want it? Are you good enough?
Collateral Analyst. After hours
Puerto Plata, DR
I’m 30 years old.
I’m at my 3rd personal training job.
It took me almost two years to feel comfortable in this profession.
Two years of failing, doubting myself, & grinding.
What I’ve learned is the harder you work, the faster the results come.
What’s overwhelming at the beginning, becomes routine after a few months.
If you do right by people, help out as many people as you can for free, experience & character grows exponentially.
When you focus on becoming a better version of yourself daily, instead of comparing yourself to others, that momentum lands you new opportunities.
If you live in your truth, no one can own you.
OVER DELIVER EVERY TIME!
Consistency > Perfection
Discipline > Motivation
Waiting for closure is like holding your breath, it feels like you’re dying the longer time passes.
If you give up, you’ll never reach your goals.
Which brings us to the title of this blog, Offense. It took me 30 years to realize why I’m not where I want to be yet. I was waiting for someone to save me. I was waiting for things to happen. I was waiting for permission, to be told it’s okay for you to try a little harder now, you’re ready for what’s next. The truth is, you’ll never be ready for what’s next until you start now. I thought surgery was going to fix my body image issues, I thought Angela was going to be the last girl I was ever with, I thought that 9-5 was going to be the last job I ever had… There’s a few things I’m certain of, if you don’t like your body, do something about it. If you don’t like your job, do something about it. If you don’t like feeling hopeless, do something about it!
The road to becoming is a long journey that will test your faith, resiliency & strength.
Every “no” is a speed bump, not a dead end.
& If you’re good enough, NO ONE is stopping you... You’re more than capable.
If you want to lose weight, google is your best friend, or hire a coach.
If you want to get further in business, read a shit load of “how to’s”, or hire a mentor.
You have a gift & a story that needs to be shared, to save someone else’s life, to remind them that things they wish for, dream about, cry about is possible with faith & work. Sacrifice something now for something better in the future.
Here’s to a productive & offensive 2019.
Structure Personal Fitness
Heavy Is The Head Who Wears The Crown
There’s people in this world who honestly have no friends or family left… then there’s people like me.
I have a Mom, Brother & Niece. I have plenty of friends that I can call or text everyday w/o any limitations.
However, This was me on Thanksgiving Day 2018.
I just checked my photos app from a year ago & also… no picture of food, family or friends.
I like to rely on the descriptions “introvert” & “homebody” as my reasons aka excuses for wanting to be alone a majority of the time & excluding myself from get togethers.
What this technique has brought me is distance vs the things in life we enjoy but can’t buy, love.
If you’re feeling sorry for me at this point, don’t.
I believe every adult is more than capable of choosing his/her fate.
You can’t have your cake & eat it too.
You can’t have the space for quiet as well as the presence of love.
You can't be selfish with other people's time when it's convenient for you.
A day that's created for busy people to connect with the people that they love, I chose to spend it doing the "important thing" that I value.
How did I get here?
I chose myself again and again to the point where I didn't make time for others.
You can't tell someone that you miss them, you have to show them.
You can't tell someone they're important to you, you have to show them.
November 30, 2016, I made a decision that being in an office all day wasn't the best thing for me.
I jumped in without thinking. I took a leap of faith.
I refused to be surrounded with people who were draining me of my energy.
I'm not someone that likes to complain when I know I can control the outcome.
Being 30 years old, I don't feel that much different than when I was 21.
What makes me feel physically good is the decision that I made over a decade ago to start working out and six years ago to change my nutrition.
My mom couldn't cook for me anymore because I refused to eat her food.
I couldn't hang out with my brother as much because I was too picky to eats chips and burgers every day.
I couldn't hang out with my friends because I didn't have the money to afford drinks or eat out multiple times a week.
I didn't want to let family or culture dictate the way did I lived.
When you choose to live life on your terms, it's going to come with a lot of lonely days, it's going to come with a lot of frustration, it's going to come with the days that test your will.
Why would any sane person choose to diet and workout when most of their friends & family will not participate.
Why would you want to put so much stress on your plate, when most of the people that love you will let you down?
Heavy Is The Head Who Wears The Crown
Leave a comment below on how you handle this?
Defining 30...
I’ve been thinking about “30” for a long time now… I thought I would feel old & useless, instead, I feel rejuvenated. I found a path in life that allows me to put forth my best qualities on display to have a positive impact on others. “Influencer”, not the ones you see on social media that make you question the definition or your own worth, but a real-life influencer is what I’ve been told I am. I wanted to spend this birthday on a beach somewhere away from everyone & everything just to decompress or maybe just flex on the ‘gram. A recent conversation with a good friend reminded me that wasn’t necessary & here’s why:
The word “Grind” was something I only saw my Mom do for years.
I didn’t understand it because I couldn’t feel it.
She never complained about her workload to me.
She allowed me for years to follow my passion for words & try to become an Artist.
Years…
We had our arguments here & there but she wanted me to be happy, that’s the most important thing a parent cares about.
When that didn’t pan out how I planned, I went back to the corporate world & she was proud.
But it didn’t take long for that happiness to fade.
I had income but I wasn’t producing or creating anything to be proud of…
What I did for fun/therapy was workout. That’s pretty much the only thing that consumed my thoughts during my 9-5.
I finally decided if there was ANYTHING in this world I would pour my everything into… it would be this lifestyle.
I left my secure job two years ago, to the dismay of my mom, & ventured into the world of personal training.
What’s funny about that situation is that the “secure” job I had folded because the department was sold to another bank.
Nothing on Earth is secure. You wake up everyday & try to make sense of the chaos in this world.
A few months into training, I saw Gary V on the breakfast club & instantly became a fan.
After watching countless #DailyVee episodes, I found out he had a personal PERSONAL trainer. Mike Vacanti. Not the usual “see me x times/week”. He was full on Gary’s trainer EVERYday EVERYwhere. I was blown away.
Now I had a new idol/person to aspire to be.
I watched Mike’s daily vlogs, read his articles on his website, download his app & started tracking my macros.
Nothing happens by chance/coincidence. You’re meant to be exactly where you are.
Exactly one year ago in early September, I finally met this legend & it changed my life forever.
He got me an opportunity at my current training job @structurepf with another great mentor @coachkevindineen.
A year later, we talk regularly, hangout when our schedules lineup & I made two appearances on his vlog.
"This is just a taste of what the life could be”
I don’t know exactly how to describe this.
I graduated from Bucknell University in 2010.
I thought I was going to take my Economics/Sociology degree & do something in finance for the rest of my life.
That was my plan.
I didn’t get the job I wanted for another 5 years. In that time, I went from whatever job to job just to have something to do.
I explored a path in the music industry that revealed I didn’t really have the passion for it.
My mom watched her son struggle everyday trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life.
If my dad was around & healthy, I'm sure I would received the tough love I needed to get my shit together.
But he wasn’t around & my mom had too much on her plate. I was selfish.
I was able bodied to do more than her but weak minded.
In that time also, I changed my body drastically & lost 55 lbs in 3 years.
I wanted to be a fitness model because I thought that’s just what happens when your body looks good & you’re strong.
I was told to be a trainer but I told people I wasn’t certified or good enough for that (ha)
I fell in love & got my heart broken twice in that timespan…
I say all that to say this, I learned to be kind & caring from my dad. I learned to work hard & focus from my mom.
This life & lifestyle would have never happened without her.
If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here (literally) or the man I am today.
On my 30th year of life, this feeling I don’t know how to describe is…. I’m Happy.
I’m not lost anymore.
I found something I’m good at & I enjoy doing everyday.
I found a way to connect with other & help people everyday.
I found my way & myself through depression & rejection.
Forever Grateful & Thankful
Love you all.
How To Track Your Macros
The goal after reading this blog post is that you understand the following:
What are macros?
What my macros "should" be
Foods with a nutrition label vs foods without
How to track macros: Measuring and Weighing
Macronutrients vs Calories
For the 60 second reader, here is the app I used that helped me lose 30 lbs in 2017 over the course of 7 months with strength training 3-4x/week supplementing cardio & ab work MAYBE once every other week. Download the (FREE) Macros App by Mike Vacanti. Macros, short for macronutrients, are comprised of protein, carbohydrates, & dietary fats that make up the calories (energy) you consume in a given day. There’s three options you can choose from, fat loss, maintenance or muscle gain.
Fat loss is achieved through being in a calorie deficit over an extended period of time; maintenance is achieved through eating enough calories to stay at the same weight; and muscle gain is achieved through being in a calorie surplus for an extended period of time.
For the rest of you who want to understand WHY this option might be best for you, keep reading ;)
What are macros?
Macros, short for macronutrients, are comprised of three (technically four if count alcohol) components: Protein, Carbohydrates & Fat. They are the foods & drinks we consume that contains calories. Your favorite bacon, egg, & cheese breakfast sandwich, salads doused in dressing for lunch & fast-food chain takeouts for dinner are all made up of macros (in different ratios), some “good", some "bad”.
Protein: 1 gram = 4 calories
Think building muscle & appetite control
Its primary function is to build & repair body tissues & structures. It is also necessary for the production and protection of antibodies that prevent us from illness and infections. Additionally, protein can be used for energy if calories or carbohydrates are insufficient in the diet (gluconeogenesis).
Protein can be obtained from meat, dairy products, eggs, fish, nuts, legumes, vegetables, grains, & protein powder. A highly-advertised “good source of protein” that you should be careful with is nuts as they are a great source of fats, not protein. For example, 1 serving of almonds has 6 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbs, & 14… FOURTEEN grams of fat! A high-protein diet during your fat loss journey will help you maintain as much lean mass as possible and can even help build muscle. But, consuming too much protein can lead to harmful effects such as kidney dysfunction, constipation, dehydration & even weight gain.
How much protein should you consume? Good question. It depends where you’re currently at, where do you want to go, & what method (diet style) do you want to choose. Sorry it’s not a simple question/answer. To make this simple, say you are 200 lbs with 25% body fat. You can go as low as 0.5-1.5 g/lb of lean body mass/day. Lean body mass is your total weight minus your weight in fat. For example: 200 - (200 x 0.25) = 150 lbs. So if you weigh 200 lbs & have 150 lbs of lean body mass, 0.5 x 150 = 75 grams of protein.
My go-to sources of protein are skinless chicken breast, lean ground turkey/beef, sometimes fish (wild caught salmon), a meal replacement shake & post workout shake from 1st Phorm.
Carbohydrate: 1 gram = 4 calories
Think performance & recovery
If you want to enjoy working out & want to recover at a normal rate, you need to consume carbs. Carbs are compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and are generally classified as sugars (simple), starches (complex), and fiber.
Who cares about simple, complex carbs & fiber, right? Your stomach & body does, duh! What you need to know about the difference between these two is how they’re digested & absorbed. Simple sugars (glucose, fructose, galactose) are best for quick energy because of how fast they are absorbed by the body. Be careful with ingesting a lot of simple carbs because they have little nutritional value (no fiber) so people who are trying to lose weight, should limit their simple carb intake. Complex carbs (polysaccharides) are best for energy that lasts and because they are longer in chain than simple sugars, they take a longer time for the body to breakdown. They come in the form of rice, bread, potatoes, cake, candy, & countless other enjoyable/less enjoyable sources.
Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate. There’s two types: soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber is dissolved by water and forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract. Soluble fiber has many benefits, including moderating blood glucose levels and lowering cholesterol.
Insoluble fiber does not absorb or dissolve in water. It passes through the digestive tract close to its original form. Insoluble fiber offers many benefits to intestinal health, including a reduction in the risk and occurrence of colorectal cancer, hemorrhoids, and constipation
The more refined a carb is, the less nutritious & filling it will be. That’s not to say that there are good & bad carbs, that’s just to say that depending on where you are in your body goal journey, certain carbs at certain times of the day will help you or hurt your progress.
How much carbs should you consume? You technically don’t need any or that much (keto) but then again, I don’t promote or suggest cutting anything out of your diet because the internet said so. I do carb-cycling meaning on the days where I train, I consume “a lot” of carbs, & the days I don’t workout, I consume about half that amount. In the interest of simplicity & consistency, aim for 0.5-2 g/lb of lean body mass.
My go-to sources of carbs include cinnamon raisin bagels, sour patch kids, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, brown rice, bananas, blueberries, cinnamon toast crunch, strawberry cheesecake flavored yogurt, & Halo Top.
Fat (Lipids): 1 gram = 9 calories
Think hormone production & regulation, vitamin absorption, energy, brain function & maintaining body core temperature
Fats are a key component to your diet as they are the basic building blocks of your cell membranes. Every cell in your body is surrounded by a fatty membrane that allows the balance of hormones to enter. Cholesterol, aka fat, is responsible for the production of testosterone & estrogen (hormones) so avoiding fats altogether, will result in hormonal imbalances that will affect metabolism, fertility & life expectancy.
Some types of vitamins rely on fat for absorption & storage such as Vitamin A, D, E & K. These fat-soluble vitamins cannot function without adequate daily fat intake. Fat is also your back up source of energy when carbs are depleted, keep this in mind especially when you’re working out. Your brain is made up of nearly 60% fat so at times if you’ve experienced “brain fog”, you’re not getting enough high-quality fats. Where can you get high-quality fats from? Nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut/olive oil & fatty meats.
How much fats should you consume? Aim for 0.25-1 g/lb of lean body mass.
My go-to sources of fat are eggs, beef bacon, vegan cheese, almond butter, coconut/olive oil & fish oil supplements.
Foods with Nutrition Labels vs Foods Without
Every nutrition label will give you:
Serving size
Servings per container
Calories
Total Fat
Cholesterol
Sodium
Total Carbohydrate
Protein
Micronutrient %s
For the purpose of macros, we’re only going to focus on protein, carbs & fats.
1 gram of protein & carb = 4 calories each.
1 gram of fat = 9 calories.
These three macronutrients make up calories. From the example to our right, we find that:
Protein: 14 x 4 = 56 calories
Carbohydrate: 77 x 4 = 308 calories
Fat: 2.5 x 9 = 22.5 calories
So… 56 + 308 + 22.5 = 386.5 calories.
I thought about finding a different label but I’m not going to because there’s two valuable lessons to learn here:
Just because a nutrition label says how many calories there are, mistakes happen in counting.
Due diligence will be rewarded.
The more you practice this, the less time it will take & the less confused/anxious you will be. Also, note that micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) do not contain calories so we don’t have to do any calculations there.
Now, for the foods that do not contain nutrition facts, I use:
last & certainly least, myfitnesspal.com
I think it’s also important to mention that most fast-food chain restaurants have on their website a nutritional database. The more fancy or less popular a restaurant is, the less likely you’ll be able to know exactly how many macros you’re consuming. These are three places I often go to:
Here’s an honorary member to the nutrition calculator (just found this while searching for these restaurants)
How to Track Macros: Measuring and Weighing
The easiest way for you to understand portion size in my opinion is to cook your food using a food scale, measuring cups & spoons. You can order one online from amazon or go to target & pick one up (or order online as well). I measure foods/liquids in grams or ounces keeping it simple, stupid (KISS). The main objection I get from people is that it is tedious & annoying to do. Okay... I don’t disagree with them but… BUT BUT BUT(T), if it took you less than a month to acquire a skill that will benefit you for the REST of your life, would you say no? You don’t need to spell the alphabet out anymore to form sentences; once you get accustomed to your job, you don’t need a to do list to remind you of the basics.
Macros vs Calories
Think about it like this. You wouldn’t work your job without know how much you’re earning an hour, so why eat foods if you don’t know their caloric DNA. You can lose weight just counting calories, but for the purpose of body composition, you’re going to have to increase your intake of protein & reduce your intake of carbohydrates & fats. If we don’t track our calories, it’s very easy to go over in carbs & fats & barely hit your protein goal because we like taste over discipline & (veggies lol).
But I promise you, learning how to track your macros will take the confusion out of life & give you more time to focus on important things like buying slimmer clothes because your old ones don’t fit or responding to tinder/bumble messages because appearance matters no matter how many times people say “it’s what’s on the inside that counts” (btw that’s still important, but it’s much more rewarding to look & feel like a Porsche)
In Conclusion
Tracking macros is not a forever thing. It's something you do for a while until it becomes second nature & you no longer have to think about it. This can be overwhelming if you're new to this so if that's the case, please send me an email at abel@aymhigher.com or drop a question in the comment section, I'll be more than happy to help you out. I am also accepting online coaching clients if you're in need of help with nutrition, don't know where to begin in the gym or you hit the wall & plateaued. You will receive 24/7 access to me & customized training programs.
How to Lose FAT with Intermittent Fasting
Intro
Intermittent Fasting is a meal-timing strategy that can help you lose body fat by a combination of fasting for a longer period of your day & feeding for a shorter period of your day. It’s not magic so don’t think that if you restrict the number of times you eat in a day, you’ll automatically lose weight & body fat. The number one factor in your success of losing weight is by being in a calorie deficit. This is how IF can help with your overall reduction in calories. In your 24 hours of the day, you can go 12:12 or 16:8 meaning 12 hours fasted & 12 hours eating or 16 hours fasted & 8 hours eating. I recommend for anyone starting out is with 12:12, then gradually make your way up to 16:8. You can do longer than 16 hours but personally, that’s when I start to get irritable & my first meal will not only be higher in calories but bad in terms of macros (high carbs, fat & low in protein). You don’t need to be strict with this meal-timing strategy because what’s more important than following “rules” is listening to how your body feels. Appetite suppressants such as coffee, low-cal/zero calorie energy drinks, & BCAAs help with blunting hunger and extending your fasting period.
Research:
The research I’ve done on the internet with IF presented me with 3 popular options people follow:
The "16/8 method” (By Martin Berkhan):
Also called the "Leangains” protocol, it involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, such as 12–8p. Then you fast for 16 hours until 12p the next day.
"Eat-Stop-Eat” (By Brad Pilon):
This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day.
The “5:2 diet” (By Dr. Michael Mosley):
With this method, you consume only 500–600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week, but eat normally the other 5 days.
TEF (Thermic Effect of Food)
This is a small component of TEE (Total Energy Expenditure) or TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure): The amount of energy (calories) spent, on average, in a typical day. It’s made up of 3 ingredients:
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): The amount of energy expended while at rest; represents the minimal amount of energy require to sustain vital bodily functions such as blood circulation, respiration, and temperature regulation. RMR typically accounts for 70% of TEE.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The amount of energy expended above RMR as a result of the processing of food (digestion) for storage and use. TEF typically accounts for approximately 6-10% of TEE.
Energy expended during physical activity: The amount of energy expended above RMR and TEF associated with physical activity. Physical activity accounts for approximately 20% of TEE.
Long story short, it doesn’t make a difference if you eat 2 or 6x/day, you still burn the same amount of calories from digestion. Total Calorie intake is what drives TEF.
The Physiological Benefits of IF include improved:
Cognitive Functions
Increases the brain hormone BDNF & may aid the growth of new nerve cells. It may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
Growth Hormone
Key role in growth, body composition, cell repair & metabolism.
Less body fat, higher GH levels.
Boosts muscle growth, strength & exercise performance while helping you recover from injury & disease.
Insulin Sensitivity
Lower insulin levels make stored body fat more accessible.
Life-Hack Benefits:
You get to spend less time thinking about what to eat, less time preparing meals & less time cleaning up. For example, if 12-8p is your eating window, you can drink coffee, an energy drink, & water with BCAAs up until 12p. From 12-8p is when you get to enjoy calories, then you’re back to fasting until 12p the next day. Two big meals & 2 shakes is what I typically consume on a day where I’m practicing IF.
Who Should be practicing Intermittent Fasting?
In short, almost everyone can. Always consult with your doctor first to understand your personal risks if you have any pre-existing conditions that may negatively affect your health such as: diabetes, blood sugar regulation, low blood pressure, take medications, underweight, have a history with eating disorders, trying to conceive, history of amenorrhea (menstruation problems), or pregnant/breastfeeding.
IF is perfect for anyone who wants to lose weight but hasn’t seen the progress they’d like because their previous diets were too strict. You can also gain muscle/put on weight with IF but it’s much harder because of the small window you have to eat.
In Conclusion:
Can Intermittent Fasting work for you? Yes.
How will you know? Try it out.
What if it doesn’t work? Try being more loose with your eating/fasting window. You can also add FASTED CARDIO to your regimen.
IF is less about WHAT to eat or more about WHEN to eat. If you need further assistance, send me an email abel.y.mezemer@gmail.com or send me a message here
Fat Loss Hack: Fasted Cardio
How to lose fat, FAST w/Fasted Cardio
I included the video below for people that would prefer watching vs reading.
When it’s time for me to go into fat loss mode & I want the results QUICK, a strategy I like implementing into my routine is fasted cardio. There’s pros & cons to this so let’s start with the reason why it works & why I like it. Fasted cardio means performing a type of exercise, cardio, when you have no calories in your system. I personally like black coffee (or a preworkout supplement) followed by BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids) during my fasted cardio sessions.
The way I perform Fasted cardio is in the morning followed by a protein shake + breakfast (the longer I do fasted cardio, the hungrier I am afterwards). This is my first “workout” of the day. Later in the day when it’s time to workout again, this is when I’ll strength train. This combination, strength training & fasted cardio, helps me speed up the process of losing body fat. Why not just do cardio all the time then? Because there is no resistance to cardio, therefore the body is moving but the muscles are not being challenged. Strength training burns calories by building muscle & burning fat at the same time. Cardio burns calories by simply moving so you can burn fat but that process is much slower & less effective than strength training especially when supported with adequate protein intake.
Understand that for you to lose weight, at the end of the day, you have to be in a calorie deficit for an extended period of time. To lose body fat, not only do you have to be in a calorie deficit, but you also need to be a on a high protein diet because if you don’t closely track your macros (macronutrients), your muscle mass will decrease which will inversely increase body fat. The goal is to look better naked, don’t sabotage your progress by burning a sh*t load of calories & not replacing them with enough protein. A high protein diet is what will help you retain as much muscle as possible while weight is dropping.
My favorite forms of fasted cardio include:
1. Walking on a treadmill:
a. Incline 15%
b. Speed 3.0-3.5 mph
c. Duration: 30-60 mins
d. 30s on/30s off (meaning holding the bar for 30s then not holding it for 30s (I get bored fast))
2. Stairmaster:
a. Level 9 & 10 (Blink Fitness Gym)
b. 40s on/20s off
c. Duration 30-60 mins
3. Elliptical
a. Level 10-12 (Blink Fitness Gym)
b. duration 30-60 mins
Pros:
Low intensity cardio is good for active recovery.
Burns a lot of calories w/o stressing the body or risking injury.
I feel clear-headed afterwards.
Use this technique around cheat meals/days.
Cons
More time in the gym.
Boring (I’m usually on YouTube to pass the time by)
Can burn muscle if fasted cardio session is too long (going past your fasted state into hunger)
Advanced Level Fasted Cardio
If you made it this far, thank you. I’m also going to include something I do after my low intensity fasted cardio exercise: HIIT! After 30-60 mins of low intensity cardio & I still have some energy left in the tank, I like to do sprints to finish the job off. Why? Because I’m crazy most likely. I’m one of those people who like to see sweat to know that I had a good workout. This isn’t necessary to claim “good workout vs bad workout” but for cardio, I like to see the effort drip.
30s/60s (30 seconds sprinting/60 seconds resting)
Incline: 2-3%
Speed:
9.0 mph x 4
10.0 mph x 3
11.0 mph x 3
12.0 mph x failure (Energy still here is most likely a result of cheating the night prior)
Duration: 15 mins-ish.
If done properly, this is what you should look like afterwards (click here)
Enjoy. Try it out. Let me know what you think :)