LBC Competitor Testimonial

June 22nd, 2009

I recently had the opportunity to work with Erik Ledin and what an incredible experience!

I have been working out for years and actually am one of those people who look forward to my workouts. I have always been in awe of women who compete in figure and fitness competitions. I have always thought I’d love to compete, but at 39 years old, two kids and owning my own business, how would I have time to fit in all the training and cardio.

After years of thinking about it, I finally decided to sign up for a show. I was working with a trainer and the workouts were challenging and I was following the diet plan, but I wasn’t seeing any changes in my body after 6 weeks. I decided to do some research on line and that’s when I found Erik. I was very skeptical at first of training with someone that I had found on-line (this is coming from a person who rarely buys anything on line, let alone hires a trainer who I found on-line). I had so many questions and Erik answered all of them and got back to me quickly on everything.

I had less than 6 weeks to prepare for the show with Erik. I was amazed at how I felt after just two weeks. The eating plan was easy to follow and he incorporated all the foods I liked. The training was challenging but didn’t include the crazy hours of cardio that most trainers require. I have learned so much from Erik and am amazed with the changes in my body.

I was so happy with the results and did my first figure competition placing 3rd in my class. I plan to do another one in September and will be working with Erik again to prepare. He is a wonderful coach and a wealth of knowledge on training and nutrition. It has been an incredible experience and I would recommend Erik to anyone!

- Kim Pheiffer, Lewis Center, Ohio

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LBC Testimonial - From Twins to the Stage

June 5th, 2009

I just received a testimonial from a longtime client of mine, Amanda Landrum …

I have worked with Erik before a few years back after my first child when I wanted to take my body to the next level. I ended up competing in two local shows looking the best I ever had in my life, and meet a lot of great people and had a lot of fun. A few months after the shows I found out I was pregnant and one month after that found out it was twins! I was told right away that with the higher risk of twins I should try and gain weight earlier in the pregnancy so if they came early they would be bigger. I took this to heart and dived right into steak and ice cream. Then at 24 weeks I did have a preterm scare and was taken out of work and no more working out. I ended up delivering at 36.5 weeks and they were two very healthy beautiful boys. However, I had gained just over 60lbs and had set the goal of getting back on stage so 3 months after having the twins I emailed Erik and told him I was ready to work! At this point I was staying home with all 3 kids (4yr old and two 3m olds. ) Erik’s plans were able to fit into my schedule and a lot of my meals were so easy to make that I had no trouble at all fitting it all in. My first goal was to be a size 4 when I went back to work at 9 months postpartum. I was able to do this but I just did not feel ready to get on stage that fall like I wanted to do. We decided to switch gears and try and add some muscle. I was a little scared because I had just lost all the weight and really did not want to put any back on. With Erik’s guidance and plans I was able to increase my weights and just felt really strong the whole time and was excited about the changes I saw. I even competed in a local 10k race for the first time that fall. Once the holidays were over we switched back to dieting for a April show and I felt great my whole prep and never felt like I was taking time away from my family. I even think I came into the show looking better then before the twins. The things I have learned from Erik are priceless. I am able to look the way I want after 3 kids and I feel strong and full of energy most days. His workouts kickbutt but take less time and they get the job done. I am now working with him to maintain my muscle and size 2 pants while I train for a sprint triathlon in the spring and half marathon in the fall. So far so good.

- Amanda Landrum, Roseville, MI

Check out Amanda’s before-and-after pictures. She dropped over 50lbs of body fat and is now wearing size 2 jeans!!!

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Awesome job Amanda!!!

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Posted in Contest Prep , Testimonials | 13 Comments »

2009 NPC Junior USA Recap

May 27th, 2009

Well, the 2009 NPC Junior USAs has now come and gone, and what a great trip it was. This year LBC had two clients competing in this contest. First, Will Hamilton (Jennie’s husband) doing his first national show; the goal here was to ‘arrive’ and get noticed. Second was fitness competitor Sandi Stuart.

I arrived early Thursday morning and was staying at the Perez’ house. Thursday was a pretty chill day and towards the evening we headed over to take a look at how Will was coming along and then later how Sandi was looking. I had depleted Will all week and he hit a low of 206 and was getting a bit worried he’d not have time to fill back out. I of course, wasn’t worried since it was all a part of the plan. As of Thursday night, both Will and Sandi were looking right where they should be.

Friday night we all hit the Outback for dinner and I was reaquainted with my beloved cheese fries. If you don’t know, the Outback pulled out of Canada a few months ago, much to my disappointment. We had a great group there Friday night.

Saturday morning, it was up and to the venue nice and early. I was very happy with how both Will and Sandi looked. Will said that he ended up stepping on stage at 212-215 if I remember correctly.

Here’s a few shots of him after prejudging:

Will actually made the first call out in the Heavyweight class. He ended up placing 4th in a good class, although I would have placed him no lower than 3rd. Given it was his first time at Nationals, it’s definitely a placing to be proud of.

Here’s a few shots of Sandi on stage …

Sandi was on in all aspects of the word - posing, physique and especially routine which was awesome. In the end, she ended up taking both the Tall class and the Overall, becoming the IFBB’s newest Fitness Pro - Sandi Stuart, IFBB Pro.

Here’s a few pictures to finish off.

All in all a very successful weekend at the Junior USAs.

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Posted in Contest Prep , Testimonials | 10 Comments »

NPC Junior USA Preview - Will Hamilton

May 15th, 2009

I mentioned in a recent newsletter that I was going to throw up a few preview pictures of LBC client Will Hamilton (Jen’s husband) and here they are.

These were taken under two weeks out, the morning after a cheat no less. The changes from here until show day with the final week prep madness will be awesome.

Not bad for his first national show eh?

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Posted in Contest Prep , Testimonials | 19 Comments »

The Power of the Dieting Mindset

May 12th, 2009

Today’s blog comes from long time LBC client and national NPC competitor Jennie Hamilton, who incidentally has a new blog on her Road to the 2009 North Americans.

http://leanbodiesconsulting.com/jenh

The Power of the Dieting Mindset

Dieting. Think about it for a moment. What comes to mind? Did hunger, struggles, cravings, etc. come to mind? It’s those very negative responses to dieting that are the root of painful dieting journeys. Dieting is not just about food, or a lack of it. Dieting is journey you embark upon as an individual. Unfortunately, many people focus too much on the wrong things and wonder why difficult days become the norm.

Do you believe you have control over your mind? You alone can change dieting from being a painful thought, to that of a positive, rewarding one. Just as a sponge absorbs whatever is around it, so does your mind. From a negative attitude to unsuccessful past experiences, each contributes to how you think. And what you think, you become. Literally. You have the ability to create your own mindset. Whether your attitude is positive or negative is up to you; not your friend, family or coach.

You must look at dieting objectively. You can find solutions to struggles, turn negative situations into positive learning experiences and create your own positive mindset. Or you can simply struggle. Your dieting success is dependent on your mental focus. Ask yourself why you are dieting. No one is making you diet. It is all you. Each day you wake up and make the decision to carry on. Nothing in this world has the power to bring you down or cause you to fail unless you let it. Remember that.

You must have self-belief and confidence. If you don’t believe in yourself and believe in your dreams, then who will? Your goals and passions are uniquely yours. If you believe you will fail at dieting, then you will. If you believe you will reach your goals, you will. It sounds simple, and really it is. Lack of self-belief is one of the top reasons people fail with most things they pursue in life, not just dieting. Even if you have the greatest intentions, not believing in yourself will cause you to struggle. Intentions are not actions. Your mind controls your actions. This is the formula for success, you have to take action.

Remember the last time you accomplished a goal you set for yourself. That feeling, that strong self-worth and ability is in each of us. If I can do it, if your friend can do it, you can do it. Believe that. Nothing holds you back except for you. Never lose sight of what you believe in. Focus on your goals, desire that burns within you, common sense approach, commitment to yourself and positive motivation will get you through each situation. When you shift your focus from a negative one to a positive, you literally can transform any situation. You will develop an indomitable spirit within you, if you only allow it!

So go ahead. Create your enviroment. Rid yourself of negative thoughts. Dieting does not control you, you control it. Create a positive image in your mind of where you are going with your dieting jouney. Actively seek support from those around you who believe in you. When you believe in yourself, it shines into the world, spreading positive influences not only into the lives of others but back into yours. Tell yourself you are a fighter for your dreams. Hold that close in your mind, believe in it, believe in yourself. When hurdles confront you, you will happily embrace, endure and excute successful. YOU will be a SUCESS. Believe it.

Posted in Beware! Scale Rant , Contest Prep , FREE Fat-Loss Report, Motivation , Nutrition, Rants, Testimonials, Training , Training Journal | 7 Comments »

LBC Plug in June 2009 issue of Ironman

May 9th, 2009

Got a few nice plugs in the latest issue of Ironman Magazine from Canadian fitness competitor and LBC client, Allison Ethier, who incidentally also made this month’s cover.

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Posted in Testimonials | 2 Comments »

LBC Client Testimonial

May 8th, 2009

And another one …

I found Lean Bodies Consulting website while searching the internet for new workouts. After reading the testimonials I immediately contacted Erik. Deciding to train with him was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have learned so much from him. He explained everything so thoroughly and was always quick to respond to any questions or concerns. Before I started working out with Erik, I struggled to get any muscle definition. I did hours of cardio and weight training but never had the body that looked like I even worked out! Erik taught me how to workout smarter and how to balance my food intake. I am still a work in progress, but I feel that I now have a solid foundation from which to build upon thanks to Erik. His programs are straight forward and easy to follow. He has a very balanced approach to training. I recommend Erik to anyone who is ready to take their training to the next level.

Leanne Rosko Doty
Sun Valley, Idaho

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Q&A - Contest Prep & Cardio

April 15th, 2009

Question:

A lot of your clients have very little cardio in prep compared to a lot of competitors. How do you achieve this without calories getting to low?

For example my maintenance calories are about 2200 with fairly large cheat meal once a week. If i didn’t do a lot of cardio by the end of prep i would be at about 500 calories. With different approaches with food and cardio and trainers I have NEVER lost more than a pound a week during prep and most times i got up the the 2-hour cardio mark. Most weeks it was 1/2 lb or less even before the cardio got high.

Answer:

I have said this in much more blunt terms in the past, but I firmly believe that no one HAS to do the quantity of cardio so commonly seen in competitive circles. I’ve literally never had anyone do it. Nor will I ever do it. I’ve also taken people who believed this was the only way they could get in shape, asked them to trust me, and showed them another way. They won’t go back.

I feel if, and I don’t say this to step on anyone’s toes, someone feels they have to do this, that something is not optimized in the diet if that volume of cardio is all that gets results. That’s just my opinion.

For example, a top ranked pro fitness competitor doing 4 hours/day on 900 calories. Would one say that worked? I’d say it sure doesn’t seem like it. 28 hours and no food to drop how much fat per week? Given the calories in a single pound of fat, that doesn’t seem like it worked to me.

I also really don’t like the cardio because the majority of the huge cardio proponents suffer the worst rebounds post-contest. It’s like their bodies are programmed for fat storage once the calories become available again.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not against cardio - I am against what is commonly used in prep circles - hours upon hours and doubles after doubles.

As to the second part of the question, that almost seems like a contradiction if I’m interpreting that properly.

If you have a high maintenance, why would you have to drop calories extremely low if not for the high volume cardio?

As for the pound/week, I don’t like using scale weight as the sole barometer of progress since fat loss isn’t generally a linear phenomenon. And as you get closer and closer and bodyfat is lower and lower, dropping a pound a week can even be too much since fat loss gets progressively slower/harder the less you have remaining on your body.

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Posted in Contest Prep | 5 Comments »

Newsflash - Adherence! It’s Important.

April 14th, 2009

Time for a repost of a blog post from May of 2007.

Newflash!

I just wanted to point something out about nutrition and training with the end goal of fat loss. (and I emphasize fat loss since that’s what we’re concerned primarily with; not just losing ‘weight’ for the sake of losing weight …. right? RIGHT?)

You know, the only way for nutritional strategy to work for you is if you actually follow it. Make sense? I sure hope it makes sense.

You can’t expect a diet, no matter how well designed it is, to work, if you don’t follow it - whether that means changing it in such a way that you’re eating too much, not eating enough/skipping meals, secretly cheating and eating off plan too much, adding things to your diet that aren’t even supposed to be a part of it, etc.

Same goes with exercise - if you have a plan you’re following, follow it. Don’t go adding 2 hours of extra cardio when it’s completely unnecessary. and arguably stupid.

And then when you do all that (the deviations that is), don’t stop and think your plan, whatever that may be, doesn’t work. It’s you that doesn’t work. :lol:

A plan is useless without execution. There’s a saying that says “plans don’t fail, people do” and while i think that, taken literally, isn’t quite accurate, the point in there should be obvious. A well designed program can only work if it’s allowed to work, or rather, given the opportunity to work and if you’re cheating too much, deviating too much, adding too much, skipping too much ..; you’re not giving it a chance to work. The program isn’t the cause of your lack of progress; your lack of adherence is.

Posted in Nutrition | 3 Comments »

Q&A - Meal Frequency

April 9th, 2009

Question:
Erik, currently many competitors eat 6-8 meals a day. Is so many meals optimal?

Answer:
Optimal for what?

This tends to be one of those long-held-to beliefs that says that the more often you eat, the more fired up your metabolism is. In that context, no, it’s not.

Metabolism is determined by the total energy intake, not by how many meals you get it in.

2000 in 4 meals vs 2000 in 8 meals is still 2000 calories and your body still has to spend the energy to process that same 2000 calories.

Myth! Myth! Myth! (and one with much research to show it - 24-hr indirect calorimetry, etc.) Some of the intermittent fasting guys, Brad Pilon and his Eat Stop Eat program for example have gone into more scientific detail explaining why meal frequency is doesn’t hold any magical fat-loss benefits.

The idea stems from something called the Thermic Effect of Food (one part of total metabolism), which is basically the energy cost to digest incoming energy (this differs for the various macronutrients). So the idea is that the more often you eat, the more TEF goes up and the more metabolism goes up. The problem with this is that it’s a bit of a misrepresentation as TEF is actually correlated with the amount of calories in the meal, and therefore total calories at the end of the day.

Rather, it seems that an inconsistent meal frequency is what has potential negative effects.

So from a direct fat-loss standpoint, there isn’t really an advantage to 8 meals vs say 4-5. There are however other advantages you could potentially argue for:

More stable blood sugar
Possible health benefits
Control of hunger
When calories are very high (easier to get them in with more feedings rather than less)

And subsequently, dietary compliance, which is the key to any diet.

There’s no disadvantage to a high meal frequency that I can think of, so if you prefer it, stick with it. If you find it hard, you can cut back on the meal number and just make your meals a bit bigger.

(Note - that doesn’t mean all your calories in one meal per day :lol: )

I still eat 6x/day and I use 5-6/day with clients as well. The only time I go lower is if they complain that they can’t eat that often. For me it’s just more convenient to eat frequently. I work from home and have access to food whenever I want, so it’s a no brainer for me. For others, who are very busy, and simply don’t have the same amount of available time, less meals is likely going to mean better dietary compliance.

Meal frequency should be assessed on an individual basis and meal number for the day should be decided based on what best fits into a person’s lifestyle.

Posted in Nutrition | 5 Comments »

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