Be Careful with Taking Pharmaceutical Supplements from Personal Trainers & Coaches

 

Pills my newest client asked me if they were fat-burners that she got from her last personal trainer.

First, no one should be taking pharmaceutical products from anyone who is not a pharmacist or Dr. most of these people have not done enough or any research on what they are giving you and how it will affect your body. It is ALSO ILLEGAL for anyone other than a Dr. or pharmacist to prescribe any of these medications for you. 

Oxarox Pill Form Steroid for Weight Gain & Bone Pain

I got this new client a little over a month ago from a very well-known personal trainer in my local area and yesterday, she asked me about some "fat-burners" the past trainer had given her. Right away I was suspicious because this female trainer is known for being on sports performance pharmaceutical drugs. I was not familiar with this brand name and asked my pharmacist friend. He confirmed it was a STEROID for weight gain and for bone pain. He also gave me the run-down of the side effects. I will never understand why anyone would take any of this stuff just to gain muscle when you can't keep it without repeatedly being on a cycle and destroying your organs, voice, enlarging your genitalia and facial features. What amazes the most is how you keep the deep voice, huge face and enlarged female genitalia, but not the MUSCLE when you quit juicing. 

Pharmacist Will Casey & Oxarox Side Effects

To me it is not worth it. I personally stayed completely natural because BODYBUILDING saved me from a life of drug-abuse, alcoholism, depression, anger issues and an eating disorder that I suffered from since I was 12 years old. It hurts my heart when I hear people tell me how bodybuilding did the complete opposite for them and ruined their lives. A lot of this starts with trainers, coaches and supplement stores illegally selling pharmaceutical drugs and persuading individuals that the ONLY WAY they can GAIN MUSCLE and LOSE FAT is with these drugs. This is FAR FROM THE TRUTH! The body is a machine! It can lose fat and gain muscle completely on its own NO MATTER THE AGE. Granted, depending on age determines how strong your hormones are, but it DOES NOT MEAN you CAN'T GAIN MUSCLE!!!

Huge Acne Scars Side Effect of Deca-Durobolin Steroids on a NPC Bikini Competitor

 

In addition, let people DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES whether they want to take pharmaceutical drugs to assist in their fitness goals. One of the worst situations that I have been in repeatedly is telling a potential competitor that they cannot compete naturally because they took illegal substances without knowing it. Some of the strictest shows that I competed in with the WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) require an athlete to take a lie detector test prior to being accepted to compete in the show. If they place in the top 3 or 5, they are immediately tested after they leave the stage. Athletes who have taken steroids or any type of other pharmaceutical drugs cannot compete in this federation and many others for more than 2 to 7 years depending on how long they actively took the drugs. 

2019 WNBF World Championships 7th Place Pro Fit Body

So, make sure that when you are making the decision to play with illegal substances that you will not be able to go and compete in strict natural bodybuilding shows with the NGA, INBF, NFF, OCB and other natural federations that require a lie detector test. Also make sure you talk to a professional with a medical background to monitor your vitals. Most of these people giving you all these medications are not monitoring their clients' vitals and it seems like they are just throwing as much as they can on a wall to see what sticks. They never consider their client's health and well-being. 

2018 Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden

IFBB Pro Alena Hatvani

Ever since I got into competing back in 2011 with the INBF (International Natural Bodybuilding Federation), it was common knowledge that an average of 10 - 15 athletes with the NPC/IFBB were dying each year because of substance abuse. It has only gotten public scrutiny lately because of the deaths of some high-ranking competitors like, 2018 Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden, IFBB Pro Cedric McMillan, IFBB Pro Alena Hatvani and many others in 2019 - 2022. Before, they would just lie and tell everyone that people like this died of eating bad foods to fast or too soon. Never would they admit it was substance abuse until recently. IFBB Pro athletes like Mr. Olympia Classic Physique Chris Bumstead are finally publicly admitting they take sports performance drugs. Before, they would lie to the public and say it was genetics. There are many who still say they are natural, but the public is starting to realize that there is no way for many of these athletes to gain so much weight, muscle and get so dry naturally. In addition, a well-known IFBB Pro Coach, Shelby Starnes, has been linked to many deaths and permanently medical damaged female bodybuilders. There were a few ladies in my local area of the Rio Grande Valley coached by this guy and one of them ended up in the hospital after her prep. Check out this wild YouTube podcast that goes into the depth of how dangerous his coaching is to athletes. 

 

IFBB Pro & Coach Shelby Starnes

 In conclusion, this blog post is just to inform people of the risks of not being aware of what your trainer, coach or friend might suggest for you to take to enhance your fitness goals. Make sure you investigate everything you take prior. Even legal supplements can have disastrous side effects on people who have heart issues, high blood pressure and diabetes.

 

Keep safe out there, keep active and train smart!

Candace Foxx

Sources:

• Heartwise.com
  
• Leo and Longevity Podcast
  

 

 

Keep Those Unwanted Pounds Off All the Way to Christmas

Tis the Season to not become a weight gain statistic. What do I mean by this? Well according to the "experts", the average person only gains a pound during the holiday season. On the other hand, overweight and obese individuals gain about 5 lbs. However, I find this information to be false because of the years I have spent taking meticulous records of my clients' progress during training people for the last 12 years as a personal trainer and 8 years as a competition prep coach. 

I used to weigh my clients every 4 weeks, but I found that this wouldn't really help them. Most of them didn't get serious until I gave them a heads up that their weigh-in was in a week. So, I decided to weigh them every Monday or every week. I have found that in my gym the average weight gain for clients during the holidays that are average and active is about 10 lbs. Overweight and obese clients usually gain about 15 - 25 pounds. I have had both fit, overweight and obese clients gain 5 - 7 lbs. in one week. So now imagine when we multiply that by 8 weeks (4 weeks of November and 4 from December). This equals to about 40 - 56 lbs of potential weight gain if you are not careful with your level of activity and food intake. In addition, this is when MOST of my clients stop training to save up for Christmas and traveling. 

I assume that when people read the "experts" statistics and it gives them to "go ahead" and "enjoy yourself" during the holidays, drink like fish and quit working out because they believe they will only gain 1 - 5 pounds. However, this behavior will only help you gain a whole bunch of fat that will take 10 times as hard to loose. Just because it is the holidays should not be a reason to throw away all the effort you have put into working out and getting healthy. If you have not even started a workout regime this year, then you are only making it harder for yourself once you get into the "New Year New Me" season. Gaining fat is easy but losing fat is super hard. It takes 3500 calories to lose 1 POUND of FAT!!! It is even harder if you are a woman. So why put yourself through this? It will only get you depressed after the parties, socials, and festivals end. 

After you read this post make the right decision for your health. You can save the unhealthy food for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas with your immediate family. There is no reason to pig out at every Thanksgiving and Christmas party. You can have an enjoyable time without eating a whole bunch of crap that will make you feel depressed later. I teach my clients how to eat a healthy meal before they  go to a holiday parties. Try this next time, it will help you stay full and only be able to try out some of the hor d'oeurvres. Keep on working out and do not let excuses get in the way. 

Think smart, eat smart and train smart!

Candace