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Interviewee: Dean Esser

 

Does working out make you gain weight?  It is a common myth that has been passed down in the weight loss industry for years – “Working out or Resistance Training does not make you gain weight or big & bulky, the way you eat makes you gain weight or if proper diet, lose weight” this is just an excuse many people make as to why their weight loss has slowed down, this just isn’t the case explains Dean Esser, President of Ewyn Studios, personal trainer and former OPA Body Building Competitor.

“Even on the strictest of heavy weight training regiments, the average gym goer would be lucky to achieve 5lbs of muscle per year,” says Dean.

Many people think cardio, a minimal amount of weight training and more cardio is the key.  Or maybe circuit training will burn more calories.  Well the truth is – although lots of cardio & circuit training are good for the heart & health, they are not a necessarily the key to achieving your weight loss goals and can even be a hindrance.

Increased muscle is achieved through dietary management. Eating more – more weight gain.  Eating less – more fat loss.  If you are working out and eating a cleaner diet but are still not losing weight, it may have something to do with:

  1. Not Eating the Right Diet for You
  2. Counter Productive Workout Program (over doing it)
  3. Stress Levels
  4. Inadequate Sleep
  5. Not Staying Positive

Diet is crucial when it comes to muscle management and weight loss. Your meal plan needs to be healthy and sustainable but if you are leaving your body in too much of a caloric deficit it will start holding onto your food to sustain energy throughout the day, thus halting your weight loss.  Having a calorie deficit means that you’re burning more calories than you are eating or drinking.

Another common misconception correlating with diet is protein or protein shakes. Utilizing a Meal Replacement can add to weight gain; however, proteins do not make you ‘bulky’.  This idea is most likely due to the fact that proteins have been traditionally marketed as a “muscle builders.” Protein alone will not make you “bulk up”, your overall diet and workout regime play a bigger role in the amount of muscle mass you build.

Which brings us to some alternative workout programs you can introduce into your weekly schedule if you are finding that your current workout routine is not registering results.

“I’d suggest giving fasted cardio a try. Fasted cardio is when you perform cardio within the first 30 minutes of waking,” says Esser, “You want to do something like a power walk, jog or an elliptical.”

Keeping with the “don’t over do it” conversation, try to plan your workouts for 3-4 times a week MAXIMUM. Workouts should last anywhere from 30-40 minutes with it being dedicated to either strength/resistance training, with an additional 20-30 minutes of cardio afterwards. Trying to combine everything at once in the same workout can be inefficient and set you on the wrong track.  Remember, cardio comes after the workout.  The average person takes 20 minutes to burn fat, so keeping the cardio after weight training puts you into an instant fat burning zone.

We know weight loss comes with a lot of information. It can seem overwhelming at times, but you need to remember to remain positive. This is a journey with MIND AND BODY, not just one.

“For me, the most positive people always lose weight the quickest,” Dean says, “Put your mind in the right spot to drive your body in the right direction.”

If you’re feeling stuck or at a loss with your results please don’t hesitate to reach out and speak to one of our Ewyn Personal Health Coaches or subscribe to our mailing list and reach out with any questions! Also be sure to check out the recipes on our website. They’re updated all the time and are Ewyn approved!