Elijah Thurston - Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach

07/08/2022

Do fat burners really work?

Yes and no. The only way to reduce body fat without surgery is to burn more calories than you take in. That sounds simple but it’s actually quite nuanced. We’ll keep it simple though for the sake of this discussion.

With that being the case, fat burners should do one or both of the following:

Increase calorie burn
Decrease appetite (without adding to caloric intake)

The problem here is that there are very few ingredients out there in the wild that have been scientifically proven to do those things. In fact, the overwhelming evidence supports just one single ingredient: caffeine.

Caffeine increases the calories you burn by increasing your heart rate and causing you to move more. It also has appetite-suppressing effects.

When you think of caffeine, do you think of overpriced fat burners, or do you think of coffee, tea, and pop? That’s a no-brainer. So, imagine your surprise when you look at the label of nearly every fat burner on the market and discover caffeine is the active ingredient.

The magic must be in all the other ingredients then, right?

Most likely not. From what little research we have, the only ingredients other than caffeine that are capable of increasing calorie burn and decreasing appetite are those that behave similarly to caffeine. In other words, stimulants. And there are only two (legal+OTC) stimulants that can create an effect anywhere near the magnitude of caffeine. Those are yohimbine and synephrine.

Other decent ingredients to look out for are BCAAs, HMB, or Green Tea Extract.

Have you used fat burners? Let me know in the comments!

07/06/2022

What are BCAAs? Should I use them?

“BCAAs” stands for branched-chain amino acids, components of protein touted as muscle-builders. Different proteins contain different amino acids and are not always high in BCAAs. The mainstream idea behind BCAA supplementation is to make up for proteins low in BCAAs and to improve the rate of muscle protein synthesis (muscle repair/growth).

Do they really work?

Yes, but not for their advertised purpose. Even on a vegan diet, eating a variety of proteins in the right amounts will have a vastly larger impact on your ability to build and repair muscle tissue. You shouldn’t supplement with BCAAs for that purpose.

Then why and when should you use them?

BCAAs can be useful in one very specific circumstance. And even then, they aren’t the best choice.

Most people do resistance training to build or maintain muscle and strength. By the same token, most people fast to decrease body fat. However, if you combine the two and do your resistance training while fasted you risk losing muscle. Resistance training breaks down muscle, and if you have no fuel or protein to feed the muscle as it’s being broken down, you will put your body in a total catabolic state in which you lose a significant amount of muscle tissue.

By activating a process called MTOR, BCAAs can effectively slow the breakdown of muscle tissue, allowing you to do resistance training while fasted. Even then, there are better options. EAAs (or essential amino acids) are available at the same pricepoint as BCAAs while offering a more complete profile and boosting MTOR more effectively. Furthermore, HMB, relatively new to the spotlight, puts both EAAs and BCAAs to shame (albeit, it costs more).

In summary, BCAAs are nearly useless. If you happen to find them at a serious bargain, it might be worth your while to pick them up, provided you train fasted.

Have you tried BCAAs? Let me know in the comments!

07/04/2022

Happy 4th! This Independence Day I’m celebrating with a supplement shopping spree. Independence Day is like Black Friday for fitness lovers! Here’s a quick cheat sheet if you’d like to get in on the action:

Skip out on the weird pills and potions! You're getting scammed if the label claims you’ll see magical results. There are very few supplements I recommend to my clients. Rest assured, the ones I do recommend really work! Also: always check with your physician before starting a supplement.

Protein powder is the BEST purchase you can make! I recommend both whey and casein for most of my clients. Whey is perfect for before/after your workout. Casein should be taken at night.

Creatine is the second-best supplement. Creatine has been researched extensively and is well-known as the safest and most effective non-food supplement for boosting strength and fat loss. New research is even showing benefits for brain health!

I won’t lie… I’m a bit of a caffeine addict. Pre-workout is the third and final bang-for-your-buck supplement worth checking out. I’d check off all the previous boxes before looking at it, as you can garner most of it’s benefits from coffee or tea, but it does have something to add. Most pre-workouts come with a slew of ingredients like beta-alanine, citrulline malate, and carnitine, which work together to increase your performance in the gym. Just be mindful of the caffeine content! That can range anywhere from 100mg-350mg per scoop. I’d recommend sticking to the low end unless you have a very high caffeine tolerance.

Comment below: What are your favorite supplements?

07/02/2022

07/02/2022

FLASH SALE

From now through July 5th, take advantage of 50% off your first month of online fitness coaching!

All packages include one-on-one coaching sessions, a custom-tailored training program, and nutrition guides/meal plans! All of this is managed through your own companion app. It's never been easier to build the body you deserve!

Get started for as little as $40. DM me "JULY" to get started!

07/01/2022

Cardio vs. Resistance Training:

Cardio is a waste of time!

Okay, let me reiterate. Focusing your efforts PRIMARILY on cardio is a poor use of time.

I’m not in the business of denying science. In fact, I base all of my practices on peer-reviewed research. Undoubtedly, cardio has numerous benefits for heart health and overall well-being. But unless you’re looking to run a marathon, you can garner those benefits in as little as 10 minutes a day.

If your goal is to look better, feel better, be stronger, build bone density, fix poor posture, build confidence, or reduce anxiety, resistance training will get you to those results quickly and with lower effort than cardio-based exercise.

Interested in getting started? Send me a PM and I’ll set you up.

06/29/2022

What kind of protein is best?

I always preach that protein is the single most important macronutrient to focus on. Even so, not all protein is created equal. There are some good options, some great options, and some straight-up, downright awful options.

A “good” source of protein comes with a complete amino-acid profile, a necessity for muscle protein synthesis. A “great” source of protein has a complete profile AND is digested and utilized efficiently. An “awful” protein source is both incomplete and inefficiently utilized.

The good: meat, poultry, fish, rice/lentil protein blends

The great: casein, whey, milk isolate, most other dairy products (no, not ice cream), egg whites

The awful: lentils, grains, seeds, other vegetables, and cheap, low-quality supplements

WHOA WHOA WHOA! You meat-eating animal killer! I’m a vegan and I get PLENTY of protein!

You might be right. But I DID put rice/lentil blends in the “good” category! However, on their own, there isn’t a single non-animal product that contains the complete amino-acid profile. Additionally, the human body is horribly inefficient at processing plant proteins. That’s not to say you can’t combine different plant products to get results. They just won’t ever be as good.

Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments below!

06/26/2022

Savory Sunday

Plant-based "meat" ...

Maybe not so Savory?

Many people have now embraced the plant-based meat movement. Plants high in protein, such as soybeans, are common ingredients, but it's been unclear how much of the nutrient makes it into human cells. In ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers report that proteins in a model pla...

06/24/2022

Protein doesn't have to suck!!!

Check out this protein from ProJym that has ACTUAL MARSHMALLOWS and cookie chunks!

https://www.gnc.com/protein-blends/ProJym.html =Rocky%2Broad&lang=default&start=1

06/23/2022

Check out my Forge fat burner review:

Forge is a pre-workout fat burner from Legion Athletics. The primary ingredient is yohimbine. Yohimbine has been shown in studies to aid in the reduction of ...

06/21/2022

Peep the lamas 👀

Those lamas are my biggest supporters. Every time I weigh in they're right behind me, smiling as if to say "you're doing great!"

Real talk though: if you don't have anyone in your corner, cheering you on as you push through your diet and workouts, it can get rough. Not impossible though!

For those of you not blessed with a strong support network, you've got to step up to the plate and support yourself. Here's how:

1.) Pin sticky notes with your goals to your bathroom mirror and read them everyday.

2.) Build a habit of reading, and start with books that open your eyes to your own potential. I recommend "12 Rules for Life" by Jordan Peterson.

3.) Join Facebook groups and post often. My favorite group is Fitness Addicts. Tons of supportive people!

4.) Take care of yourself! Build strong self-care routines.

5.) Invest in some lamas.

06/18/2022

This is your daily reminder to take care of your mental health.

Physical fitness isn't everything.

If work is negative, take some time for yourself.

If your home life is negative, take some time for yourself.

If YOU are negative, take a break from yourself.

All of this can be accomplished by going outside, taking a breath of fresh air, and admitting that although life is not perfect, it is beautiful.