Continue to send over great questions! Today I will answer questions about..
☑️Is it calories in? out?
☑️High reps or low reps?
☑️Why do I need a 5 minute call and/or quick consultation before starting up?
If you want to read past blog posts, check them out here => https://
▶️Q- Is it just calories in? Out?
A- You will not lose body fat if you’re not in a caloric deficit. Yes, it’s more than that. But for some people, this is the main factor.
We see a lot of people eat “healthy” and put on weight. Especially if they don’t divide good fats and watch portion sizes. We have seen people lose weight on fast food diets. Caloric deficit is key.
Should you count calories?– I don’t like to give blanket advice. For those who have a decent amount of weight to lose, track overall food choices first. In most cases, changing one or 2 habits is all you have to do to get the ball rolling.
If you’ve reached a plateau, then it’s a good idea to track calories a bit closer. Make sure it isn’t because you slipped back into old habits, such as eating things that you know don’t work for you.
If your goal is to go from lean to very lean, then track every single thing close. You will also need to realize that losing the last few pounds will be harder than losing first few pounds.
Should I track calories burned during exercise? – You can, but the chance of it being accurate is slim to none. There is a VERY good chance your machine, monitor, formula, whatever… is off, by A LOT! Please do not become the person talking about your AFTER BURN! Trust me, those places exaggerated the science by A LOT! Do not justify downing a pint of ice cream because you had a great workout!
Weight watchers type plans?– Yeah, tracking points is basically tracking calories. They might make it easier to track, but tracking every single thing is a pain! I usually have people do it in phases to see what we have to change, but not tracking for life. Some of these plans want to make you dependent on them. They make more money that way. If you don’t understand the why, you will become a diet hopper. Losing weight, putting it back on, for life.
I focus on quality of food first. By increasing protein, fiber, water, and nutrient-dense foods, most people fall into their range. They start losing weight. Before that, however, we dive a deeper into your relationship with food. We try to understand your needs.
Any coach can say “eat grilled chicken and broccoli.” It takes a good coach to understand what foods you like and don’t like. An even better one to analyze your schedule and find the right meal frequency. We offer that and like 90 million other things with our Precision Nutrition Program => https://procoach.app/detric-
▶️Q- Should I do high reps or low reps?
A- Every person is different, but I spend the majority of time in the 8-12 rep range. This gives you a nice blend of strength and building muscle, while being time efficient. Time efficient as in most people have time to get in about 2-4 sets per exercise. For most people, that’s all they need per muscle group if they are doing strength training 2-4 days per week. For clarity, I’m not talking about the extremes like bodybuilders or powerlifters, etc.
It is a good idea to switch up the rep ranges. a few other things to consider….
I typically don’t do higher reps on exercises where the low back can become involved. Deadlifts is an example. Fatigue usually results in poor technique. It only takes one rep to do damage. I also do not do higher reps or volume on jump training/plyometrics.. I CAN NOT STAND PLACES WHO ARE BEATING UP THEIR MEMBERS WITH TONS OF POORLY PLANNED PLYOMETRICS AND JUMPS!!! In the moment, they think they are doing something. Adrenaline is flowing and people are tired, sweaty, and sore. That group atmosphere might be cool. But they are not prioritizing the safety of their members. They feel like they accomplished something. Tired, sweaty, and sore does not equal progress.
Higher reps about 12, 15-20, can help a lot! I spend a lot of time here for muscle groups like:
- biceps
- triceps
- abs
- calves
- some shoulder exercises
- and most isolation exercises
For compound multi-joint exercises, I typically vary the range or stick to the sweet spot.
With some of my personal training and semi-private members, I drop them to the 5-8 rep range. Longer rest periods, more sets. It can go a long way for improving strength. It can also help improve technique with lots of sets done in a fresh state.
Get stronger in the 5-8 rep range, it carries over to the other rep ranges. The sad part is, people only know what they feel. So many people only want a beat down session, and results yesterday.
It’s a good idea to switch things up. It’s a good idea to get a professional to plan things out over time.
▶️Q- Why do you require a 5 minute call and/or 20-30 min. consultation before the free trial week?
A- Most people have never experienced a coaching program, or REAL Group Personal Training. A coaching program requires effort on both sides. We are not like the big box gyms. We hold our members accountable. We educate our members. We take the time to know you – your goals, exercise history, injuries, schedule, budget, everything. Based off this information we can recommend a free trial or one time session for the program that is the best fit. This also allows us to be up front with the prices for the program that is the best fit for you! Some of you are one on one people. Some of you are semi private (one trainer for 3-5 people). Some of you do well with groups. I have no idea if I don’t know you. I will not take your money if you are not a good fit for RPT.