BEFORE AND AFTER OF ONE OF MY CLIENTS

I hardly ever write about specific clients or show photos of them or do that typical trainer thing. But I thought this story was special and worth sharing because it's inspirational and an interesting experiment in training and the power of the mind over the body:

I currently have a client. Her name is Miko. She's from a mixed decent: half Japanese and half black. Though she was given a Japanese name, she tells me she identifies more with her black heritage. She's from Pontiac, Michigan. Why do I mention her race and the state she's from? Because Michigan is one of the top 10 fattest states, and black women have the highest rate of obesity as compared to other groups in the US. Those are just the statistics though, and do not offer a complete story.

Somewhere in her life she also decided to become vegetarian. Not for any moral reasons, she told me she just fell into it. And stuck with it because thought it was the healthier way to live. That's kind of a common story I hear a lot as well. All her siblings are also on the big and heavy side. Much bigger than she is. Only her mom stays the typical small Japanese women, still eating and living a very Japanese lifestyle in the US.

Miko works in the tech field and works from home. So she sits all day, snacks, and finishes off her day with a cocktail. To balance all these things out though, she does Jazzercise and line dancing. She's never had a personal trainer. And then she came to see me. I had to factor in all these variables that made her who she is/was.

I asked her, why she was here, when she had live her whole life without a trainer before. Two reasons: first she never felt completely comfortable with her body, she never felt toned or fit and she's never been under a 150lbs as an adult. Secondly, she was going to have surgery soon. Very soon. Actually two weeks from our first meeting. She was having a myomectamy. It wasn't dangerous, but required a long recovery time. She was afraid she would gain a lot of weight, and never be able to lose it. So she decided to plan ahead.

I've never had someone prior to surgery (a lot of post surgery clients though) sign up for training, with surgery being the main factor. Sounded like a great experiment. What will happen  when she starts training prior to surgery?

Age: 44

Height: 5' 7

Weight: 153

Body fat: 33%

Waist: 35.5 in.

Hips: 42 in.

Arms: 12 in. 

Thighs: 22.5 in.

Shoulders: 39 in.

Hip to Waist Ratio: 85% (ideal is to have your waist be 70% of your hips for a woman)

So I had 2 weeks. Only a handful of sessions to work with her. What could I do? I could try to give her a head start and try to get her to lose some weight fast, which is what most trainers would do...but I'm not most trainers. I spent all my time trying to make her more resistant to injury, make her body more supple and flexible, teach her movements she could do at home that were not stressful or load bearing, and I talked a lot about mental focus with her. A lot of sports psychology, of staying motivated, staying hungry, increasing desire, being patient, giving yourself tasks, making yourself a success.

The reason being, so that she would rebound from her surgery faster and not have it take as big of a toll. Secondly to have the surgery not take as much of a mental toll as well.

When she out of surgery, I constantly gave her homework. I gave her books to read to keep her mind right. When she was in bed ridden, I had her work on those shoulder mobility and range of motion drills I showed her. A focus was to minimize range of motion loss. I sent her videos to watch. It was a long recovery over 6 weeks before she cold start walking again for exercise. Then she walked, did all the stretches, read all the books, and took all the dietary advice I gave her. Even with all this, it was impossible not to gain weight. She could barely move, and she had to mainly eat mush and popping pills. This was why mental toughness was a huge part of the plan, because we couldn't stop this, only minimize the damage.

This was her right before she came back to training. She was now able to walk, move around, see friends. She gained around 9-10lbs.

Weight at time of photo: 162

She's trying her best though to cover up her size with a jacket in the middle of a sunny California day.

Now that she was back. I put her right back onto the program. We started off very slow even though she did well on her own. She read everything I sent her and did the best she could with the dietary changes I gave her.

We met twice a week. Each week a new phase in the program. 7 phases, each consisting of new dietary changes. One of those being, eating meat again...she was not resistant and open to it, but she did it very slowly.

All my clients are great, but they follow my exercise and eating and lifestyle guidelines to varying degrees. I can't make them, I'm not gonna pretend I'm a cop or a drill sergeant or any other job field that I'm not a part of. If they come in and tell me they want to eat this way or live that way, or only want to do these exercises or tell me how they want to train that day, I will do whatever they want, it's their body and I am just their guide. But we will no longer be within the controlled variables of my program and they are really staging their own program/experiment. And their results are their results and I have no idea what they will be and neither will they. I have to be true to what a trainer is and when they pay for me, they aren't really paying for me, they are paying for my program so they have to believe in it and follow it. The ones who follow everything I say to the letter, have had very positive results. Miko was one of these people. 

I think it's a lot due to the mental prep work we did prior to the surgery. I am definitely convinced it is better to start before and not after any major life event. Not after a surgery but before, not after you had the baby but before, not after the wedding but before, not after the move but before, not after the new job but before, etc.

We started off slowly with just fish, then turkey, chicken. She still doesn't eat red meat but getting her off of grain substitute protein and onto real protein was a big step. 

Now after the 7 week program:

Age: 44

Height: 5' 7

Weight: 153 to 162 to 132

Body fat: 33% to 23%

Waist: 35.5 in. to 29 in.

Hips: 42 in. to 38 in.

Arms: 12 in. to 11 in.

Thighs: 22.5 in. 20 in.

Shoulders: 39 in. to 37 in.

Hip to Waist Ratio: 85% to 76%

(Let me just add, we just weighed her after she came back from a Vegas trip. That's some dedication!)

She told me that one of her biggest surprises was that, she lost weight after eating meat again. She always thought the reverse was true. It flipped her understanding of healthy diet upside down.

Now she's finally below 150. Well below. Her focus now is to get stronger, gain more endurance, change whatever physical limits her body has had before. She still wants to get to a 70% hip to waist ratio. She wants a stronger core...you know...it's the usual stuff clients always want. Getting toned, being fit, etc. etc. It's all the same to me. None of that is what's important. Her biggest change isn't that her core got stronger, it's that her mind got stronger. She came in a timid woman. Now she has the heart of a lion.

You can't expect to solve your problems with the same mindset that created them. And she has changed her mindset.

The goal for everyone is the same, you just don't know it. It's my goal, your goal, the only goal. To be as injury proof as possible, strong as possible, lean as possible, and tough as possible. Everyone's optimum level is different, but it's all about the journey of self cultivation and she is taking the journey with all out effort.

UPDATE -

Miko a month and a half later is now 122. And this is after Thanksgiving! She is done trying to lose weight and is finally happy where she is!

About the Author:

Coach Sam Y. is a Master Personal Trainer, Coach, Certified Nutritionist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Enhancement Specialist, Pilates and Yoga instructor, and holds multiple certifications. He is also an avid Martial Artist, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA. He is also the author of the popular fitness blog All Out Effort as well as the popular martial arts blog Inner BJJ. You can find him in the Los Angeles area personal training his clients, or at home annoying his wife, or on Facebook and Pinterests.

The Truth About Dental Insurance

So is getting dental insurance really worth it? My dentist told me it's not worth it. Is she just trying to make more money off of me? I doubt it. Being a personal trainer, I get it. Whether I come in or not she will still work the same amount of hours every week. So why did she tell me this? Is dental insurance really worth it?

Article About Diet

Are We Supposed To Be Vegan, Vegetarian, Carnivore, Omnivore, Herbivore, Or Paleo?

It's something my personal training clients often wonder and discuss with me during training. As a nutritionist as well as a personal trainer, I thought I would write an editorial on the subject matter. Read more here: The Best Diet For Human Beings.

Genetically Modified Foods

After reading about President Obama appointing the former VP of Monsato as the senior advisor for the FDA and how some Monsato campuses have removed GMO foods from their cafeterias, the battle over GMO foods and our right to either be aware of it or ban it has become widespread. 

Some of the pro arguments:

• Cheaper food
• Food resistant to pests
• Ability to make edible pharmaceuticals

Cons:

• Unintended harm to organisms (like organisms that transfer pollen)
• Gene transfer to non-target species
• Deadly food allergies
• Unknown effects on human health.

If nothing else, we the consumer should be given a choice to be aware of what kind of products we are purchasing. One site I found that does just that is Non GMO Project. 

Because of my own views of living and eating in a way more akin to our ancestors, I avoid anything modified or processed.

About the Author:

Sam Y. is a Personal Trainer, Coach, Performane Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Enhancement Specialist, Pilates and Yoga instructor, and holds multiple certifications. He is also an avid Martial Artist, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA. He is also the author of the popular fitness blog All Out Effort as well as the popular martial arts blog Inner BJJ. You can find him in the Los Angeles area personal training his clients, or at home annoying his wife, or on Facebook at his personal fitness page.

One Life

Training Miss California Contestant Jona Xiao

I was very proud to train Miss California Contestant Jona Xiao. Out of over 5,000 girls, her just being selected was a major milestone. She looked great and though she didn't win she made everyone who supported her along the way proud.

The thing that was best about working with Jona was, it was so easy! She did everything I asked, never whined, showed up, and trained like a mad woman! I thought being a beauty pageant contestant, she would be hard to work with and a bit of a diva. No way. I don't think she missed even one day of training. I told her what to do, and she just did it. If everyone trained like her, well my job would be easier, and they would get this kind of result. She was all business!

Jona has a bright future ahead of her.

Read about her experiences in her own words here:

When I was selected as an official representative for the Miss California USA pageant (My title was Miss Melrose 2012), I furiously looked around for THE best personal trainer so I could confidently wear a bikini for the millions of viewers that would be watching.  I am so fortunate to have found Sam Y, as I achieved this goal, and so much more.

Knowledge.  Inspiration. Unparalleled trainer of both the body and mind.  And I've worked with several personal trainers, most of whom use a one size fits all approach.  When I would inquire about kettlebells, tabatas, greasing the groove, or other exercise programs, most of the trainers I interviewed would either give me blank stares or mumble that they weren't as familiar with these fitness concepts.  Sam's immense fitness and nutrition knowledge is so expansive that it feels like he can field any array of questions pertaining to these subjects to a degree that instills so much confidence in him as a trainer and the regiment he puts you on.  He answers the WHY that gave me confidence in what I was doing.

In a mere 7 weeks of training with Sam, not only did I transform my body, but also my level of fitness in the areas of cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength and power.  When I first started with Sam, I would feel slightly tired jogging up a flight of stairs.  About a month into our training, I did a late night jog at Griffith Park with a former marathon runner, and barely felt tired during the uphill portion of the run.  I was shocked to find out I had been jogging over a mile uphill to start out.  Sam and I hadn't even been doing any treadmill or running work at that point, but it was the eclectic power, strength, and muscular endurance exercises that helped me get from "feeble to fit" (one of Sam's goals for clients).

I love Sam's take on building strength through MOVING weight rather than LIFTING weight, which is much better for the body, and you see incredible results.  When we first started training, I would complain that my body wasn't "feeling" certain exercises as much as other exercises.  I think we often are under the false pretense that an exercise is only effective if we are in severe physical discomfort.  Not so.  I built strength and endurance without feeling like I was about to pass out or my muscles were going to give out every second.  Makes the sessions much more enjoyable as well.

I had never actually looked FORWARD to going to the gym or working out with a trainer prior to Sam.  Nothing ever felt stale because we did a variety of workouts, ranging from kickboxing, to kettlebells, to weighted Indian bats, floor exercises, endurance drill competitions between clients, and much much more!  He was very available via phone and email, proactively checking on my progress, both physically and mentally.

At the very least, do the personal assessment with Sam.  His keen eye for detecting bad form and habits will provide you new information about your body and the way you use it. If certain habits aren't corrected (if you aren't aware of them, how can you begin to change them?), they could lead to very debilitating injuries in the near or distance future..." Read more.

Here's a testimonial she shot at the contest:




About the Author:

Sam Y. is a Personal Trainer, Coach, Performane Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Enhancement Specialist, and holds multiple certifications. He is also an avid Martial Artist, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA. He is also the author of the popular fitness blog All Out Effort as well as the popular martial arts blog Inner BJJ. You can find him in the Los Angeles area personal training his clients, or at home annoying his wife, or on Facebook at his personal fitness page.

What's Most Important

I had a client come in. Wanted to get fit, and also use my coaching to help her with her anxiety. She's tried everything. She performs classical music and the amount of stress and pressure of performing and auditioning and competing at a high level were wearing on her and she felt something physical would help her fight this, along with building confidence, and work out some stress.

She told me she felt she needed a hardcore teacher. A bad ass who was in her face screaming. That's what she needed. Tough love. I asked her why she felt this way? She said her teachers tell her that's what she needs, that's already what she's used to, and its the only way to get good performances out of her. I asked her who told her that? Her teachers. I saw where all this anxiety was now coming from. I told her that's not the type of coach I was, and that's not what she needed.

I handed her a stick. I told her to hold on to it. Then I tried to rip it out of her hand aggressively. Every time I did, she braced and clenched. Even when I pretended to grab it, and feinted, she still clenched. When I came at her slowly, more politely, more respectfully, she relaxed and allowed me to move her around with the stick. I told her when people come at her this hard way, that's her natural reaction. Freeze, clench, stress, and react also aggressively. When I came at her respectfully and controlled, she allowed me to move her, we created a mutual bond of trust. I told her then that people will come at her in life this way, but she is also coming at herself this way as well, she is coming at herself without respect, impolitely, aggressively. She needed to be easier on herself.

I asked her what's the most important thing she needs to learn from this? What's the first thing she needs to learn? What does she need to get out of today?

She gave me varied answers. From relaxation and breathing, to learning how to exercise on her own, to maybe some martial arts moves as well. She thought martial arts seemed like a good form of exercise, that it may help her.

I told her all those things were important, but to me the most important thing is learning how to get up.

I told her to lie on the ground, and asked her if she knew how to get up without having someone kick her in the face? She realized she had no idea. The simplest thing, the thing taken most for granted.

I then demonstrated a way to get up without taking any damage.

I asked if she knew what I just showed her? She said I showed her how to get up.

I said no, I showed you how to rise against duress. Duress of any kind. Physical or mental or situational.

I showed her the same move again, this time holding weight. There was only one way to get up against direct pressure.

Performance training to me is all about being able to get up, rise to the occasion, or keep picking yourself back up, against any stress, pressure, or attack. Whether it be mental, physical, emotional, financial, spiritual.

I told her she would perform as she trained. If I screamed at her, she would just be good at taking orders. And then out there, she would only be good as the orders I gave her. She would be the best example of a  cog on a ship. Not the captain of the ship. It's not about taking orders, its about mastering yourself. To master yourself, you need to learn to rise against any adversity.

Get up.



About the Author:

Sam Y. is a Personal Trainer, Coach, Performane Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Enhancement Specialist, and holds multiple certifications. He is also an avid Martial Artist, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Boxing, and MMA. He is also the author of the popular fitness blog All Out Effort as well as the popular martial arts blog Inner BJJ. You can find him in the Los Angeles area personal training his clients, or at home annoying his wife, or on Facebook at his personal fitness page.