Building Muscle, Fitness & Business w/ Bryan Parady

Key Takeaways

  • Being an example to others can be a life-changing motivator
  • “Dirty bulking” is not effective for building muscle. Stick to real food
  • To get the most out of training and recovery, focus on proper form and listen to your body
  • Consistency is the best recipe for success
  • Be a lifelong learner. Take advice from someone who has walked the journey and don’t wait to start on your own

As discussed in Episode 19 of the Wise Eats Podcast:

Back in 2009, I was 270lbs and decided to improve my health.

Over the course of the next year, I lost 90lbs and changed my life forever.

The only thing was, now I was just skinny with disordered eating patterns and problem drinking.

Took many years to get here but I did it! And you can do it too!

I was lighter and somewhat healthier, but sick all the time and feeling miserable.

It wasn’t until I improved my nutrition and developed a consistent weight training program that I began to optimize my health and finally get the athletic body I wanted.

Today, not only do I maintain a healthy weight, but I’m in great physical shape also.

So, what I’m trying to get at here is that I went from being big and fat, to sick and skinny, to athletic and fit.

I suppose you could say that I went from skin and bones….to….bulk.

Our guest in Episode 19 was Bryan Parady, creator of BonesToBulk.com. He has an incredible story of going from “skin and bones” to muscular and fit, just like I did. We dish up exactly what inspired him to take control of his health and eventually launch Bones to Bulk along with plenty of other diet/fitness tips!

How Bryan Became Passionate About Health & Fitness

Bryan: “I was about 21 years old and not into fitness or health at all. I weighed 118 pounds. I was a tiny dude and somebody recommended I watch the Rocky movies. I’d never seen them and so I watched and absolutely loved them. I think I binged them all in one week. By the time I was done watching I was like I want to be buff. I want to look like Sylvester Stallone. So, the very next day, I went out to a sporting goods store, bought a bench and some weights and set it up in my house and just went at it!”

“I did every single thing wrong you can imagine from lifting to nutrition to everything. I just had no clue what I was doing. It was probably about six months in where I had been consecutively lifting four or five days a week and saw just absolutely no progress. That’s when it kind of came to a head. I was like okay I can either stop and figure out what in the world I’m doing or I can give up and so I was like let’s go all in let’s try to figure this out. That’s when I really started researching and getting into the nutrition side and how to properly lift and it was from that point that I began to start seeing change over the long term”.

Personal Training Experience

Bryan has been personal training for about 4 years and initially got into it because it’s something he loves and wanted to get credentials behind his name. He’s coached around 50 clients one-on-one and countless more through group settings. He offers personalized coaching and regimens on his website, BonestoBulk.com.

Check out the Bones to Bulk podcast! Highly recommended!

Biggest Mistake Among Fitness Clients?

Nutrition is by far the biggest mistake, especially when you’re trying to gain muscle. There’s a lot of misinformation in the weight loss realm, as well, but especially in muscle building. Most people think you just need to start drinking more protein shakes and get in the gym and that’s simply not enough.

Advice for Aspiring Personal Trainers?

Bryan: “Go into it open-minded and ready to learn everything you can. Usually, the agencies provide really good study material as far as getting certified and passing the exam. From there, it’s really a matter of taking what you know personally and applying it. It’s not so much having a lot of the head knowledge as having that personal touch. You know what you’ve been through and that’s really gonna draw people to you. You can google just about anything out there but having someone who’s actually lived the journey and walked through what you’re trying to teach others that adds so much. So, really dive into that aspect of it and offer yourself because people are gonna be drawn to your story and your personality and what you have to offer”.

Advice for Muscle-Building Beginners?

A common misconception I see is that to build muscle you just need to eat as many calories as possible regardless of the source. I used to have a bad sweet tooth and would just eat sleeves of Oreos at a time. Trying to break the mindset of “dirty bulking” is what I find most often with beginners. It’s not about just how much you eat but you’ve got to be eating the right things along with the right quantities.

Advice for Intermediate/Advanced?

Once you’ve lifted for a while your muscle building progress begins to slow a bit. Similar with weight loss. Learning how to figure out those fine tweaks to continue making progress is what I do most often with intermediate to advanced weight lifters. It ends up being small things like adding extra healthy snacks, focusing more on form, and slowing down on repetitions to increase time under tension.

One way to accomplish this is known as the squeeze method. This is where you squeeze the weights as hard as possible to increase blood flow and increase the muscle stretch. As we get more advanced, we focus too much on numbers and hitting a new personal record. Sometimes it’s better to lower the weight and pump out 10 really good, slow form reps.

Your Current Training Regimen?

Bryan: “I’m currently doing a push-pull leg split. So, I do six days a week push-pull-legs push-pull-legs and I vary my exercises from the first half of the week to the last half. Some exercises stay the same and some I switch up. I found it to be really good overall and it’s hitting all your muscle groups twice a week which makes a huge difference. It’s early on but so far I’ve really likes the results I’ve gotten from it”.

Your Current Fitness Goals?

2019 was rough. I suffered a pulled bicep tendon and then got really sick toward the end of the year. This year, I want to focus more on my overall health, avoid injury, and re-build my strength. I think listening to my body will make a huge difference. Being really in tune with each workout and how my body feels and responds.

What is Your WHY for Bones to Bulk?

I want to be a good example to my audience and represent what I preach. I also want to be a good example to my two daughters (seven and three years old). I have a home gym that I work out in and sometimes they’ll come out there to lift dumbbells and I’ll show them some things. My older daughter is already very conscious of what she eats, so, I want to be a good example to them and try not to force anything because it’s important for them to make their own decisions at this age. Also, I always say that I want to be one of those 80 year old guys who’s still crushing it in the gym.

Balancing Work, Family & Passion for Fitness

Balancing Work, Family, Passion

Strict time management and team work with my wife are crucial! We both work full-time and take care of the kids. Physical health is important to both of us which is critical to be able to handle the load. Each week, we have a meeting where we discuss everything we have going on for the week and plan it out. Then, usually on Saturday nights, we put the kids to bed and go to town working on our businesses. We find that time to be more rewarding than going out or watching Netflix.

Daily Routine?

Bryan and his wife

My day usually starts at 4am. We’re not always perfect with that! My wife goes to the gym while I spend some time reading and working on personal development. If that’s not done first thing in the morning it’s not going to happen. As soon as she gets home, I leave for work. I come home from work then hit the gym with the kids. Home from gym, have dinner, family time, work on our businesses, then go to bed pretty early.

A Normal Diet Day for You?

Who does that?

It’s a little different right now because I decided to go vegan for the month of January! But here is a typical day:

Breakfast: Oatmeal or granola with some fruit like a banana. Mid-morning I’ll have some berries and tree nuts.

Lunch: Pasta, chicken, homemade tomato sauce made with olive oil. Lunches are usually pretty calorie heavy. One of my favorite pastas is made out of soy beans which adds extra protein.

Snack: This varies quite a bit. Sometimes a protein bar or sometimes dates with peanut butter spread on them.

Post-Workout: Protein Shake.

Dinner: Lots of variety here. We do lots of stir fries. Chicken and veggies over rice or quinoa. We love to do turkey chili. Also tacos with beans, corn, chicken, or turkey with whole wheat tortillas and lots of veggies.

Snack: Toast with peanut butter and banana slices or a protein shake.

Quick Bites!

Biggest Factor Holding You Back from Getting Healthy?: My mindset. Lots of self-doubt and self-esteem issues.

Favorite Exercise Routine or Program?: Push-Pull Split and Chest/Triceps Day.

Favorite Specific Lift?: Bench Press or Standing Overhead Press

Favorite Healthy Recipe?: A chicken-pasta-hummus recipe:

  • Cook spaghetti and chicken separately. Have those ready to go.
  • In a big frying pan, mix some pasta sauce with a cup of hummus
  • Dice grape tomatoes, spinach, garlic, mushrooms and add to pan
  • Mix in pasta and chicken
  • Sounds kind of weird with the hummus but it’s delicious!

Favorite Un-Wise Choice?: Either pizza or soft baked chocolate chip cookies.

Favorite Recipe for Success?: Consistency. Breaking a habit for just one or two days can easily turn into weeks or months. So, whatever your goal is, just stay consistent with it.

One Item in Your Kitchen You Can’t Live Without?: Food-wise it would be whole wheat pasta. Tool-wise it would be T-Fal pans. Nothing sticks to them and they’re not too expensive.

Favorite Source of Inspiration?: Gary Vaynerchuk. I also love audiobooks. I really enjoyed Bear Grylls’ book called “Mud, Sweat and Tears”.

Favorite Workout Music?: There’s so many. Imagine Dragons, Red, Skillet are a few.

One Song You Refuse to Take Off Your Playlist?: Spaz Out by Army of the Pharaohs.

Food You Recommend to Clients Most Often?: Quinoa. Very underrated health food. Great source of complex carbs and protein.

One Last Piece of Advice?: Don’t feel like you need to have everything together before you start. When I start a project, I want everything figured out before I ever start it. That’s usually so detrimental because we’re never gonna have it all figured out before we start. We learn so much as we go, so take what you already know and get going. Once you do, you’ll be amazed at how things begin to snowball and you’ll begin to learn new things and it will also give you the confidence to just keep growing and learning.

Also, don’t ever think you’ve arrived or “made it”. There’s always more to learn, not only in fitness but in anything.

Your New Year’s Resolution?: I have lots of things I want to accomplish with my family and finances, but for fitness I want to be in the best shape of my life at the end of 2020.

You can follow Bryan Parady @BonestoBulk on Instagram or at BonestoBulk.com.

“No matter what obstacles are in your mind, what things are stressing you out or you feel like you just can’t overcome…you CAN accomplish ANY goal that you set your mind to. You’ve got this!” – Bryan Parady

Submit questions, comments, feedback to WiseEatsPodcast@gmail.com or to @weswisefitness on Instagram. Thanks for watching, listening, reviewing, liking, subscribing, and sharing. Be good to yourself, be good to others, and make wise choices!

How I Lost 90lbs – My Weight Loss Story – Video

If you’re tired of all the fitness and nutrition gimmicks and want to know how to lose weight for real, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome to Wise Eats.

Read my full 90lb weight loss story at Wise-Eats.com/MyStory

Subscribe to my free newsletter at WiseChoiceNation.com

Like this video by clicking the thumbs up and subscribe to my channel!

I’m Wes Wise from WesFitness.com. Back in 2009 I lost 90lbs and in this video I tell you exactly how I did it.

At that time, my lifestyle was the worst of the worst. I barely exercised. I ate junk food every single day. I drank soda with every meal, smoked a pack of cigarettes a day, and drank alcohol multiple times a week. I was on a one-way path to nowhere fast.
Finally, I woke up one day and realized it was time to WISE UP. I was 270lbs and ready to make a change. So, I set a goal to lose weight, and was determined not to fail. So, how did I do it?

Step 1 was starting a diet journal. I wrote down all of my meals and calories. I used a calorie calculator to figure out my daily needs and ate 2-500 calories below that number. This created a calorie deficit, which is essential for weight loss. To lose weight, you need to take in less calories than your body burns. Tracking your meals is a great way to accomplish this, and it can be tedious, but I promise you it works. I still do it to this day in order to accomplish my fitness goals more quickly.

Step 2 was exercise. I did a lot of running mixed with some weight training. Today, I lift weights 5-6 days per week and believe it’s the most effective form of exercise for burning body fat and achieving a lean physique.

Step 3 was changing my diet. Throughout the weight loss I was still having lots of processed diet foods, junk food, alcohol, and cheat meals several times a week. As long as I restricted calorie intake during the week, I allowed myself to fly off the rails on the weekend. Not a very healthy way to go about losing weight, but it worked. Overall, I was taking in less calories than my body needed, so I lost weight. Eventually, I started to prepare more meals at home and quit drinking pop, but still ate very poorly throughout the initial weight loss.

Through calorie counting I lost 1-2lbs per week. I would weigh myself at the same time every Monday and record my weight each week. Over time, the weight loss was consistent. I dropped from 270 to 180lbs over the course of 1 year. You can see many before and after pictures in the YouTube video.

There was no rocket science involved in my weight loss experience. Losing weight comes down to discipline, a little effort, and eating below your daily calorie requirements. Assuming you have no pre-existing health conditions, calories in vs calories out works. The more disciplined you are with your calorie intake, the faster you will see results.

If you think you need some magical diet fad, or a pill, or a bunch of expensive supplements, it’s time to WAKE UP. If weight loss is what you truly want, make it a goal and get after it!

I’m no nutritionist or fitness expert. I’m just a normal guy who decided it was time to get healthy and lost 90lbs. If I can do it, you can do it. It’s time to start caring about your health. If weight loss is your goal, I can say from experience that calorie restriction will get the job done. Now, if your goal is to build an athletic physique and achieve optimal levels of health, that’s a whole different story that goes far beyond calorie counting and weight loss. I will get more into that in future videos, so make sure you subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an opportunity to Wise Up.
For now, you can find more details of my 90lb weight loss along with recipes, exercise regimens, fat loss tips, and more over at WesFitness.com.

If you liked this video, please click the thumbs up also leave a comment or question on the YouTube page. You can also message me over at Wise-Eats.com or WesFitness.com (Both links get you to the same place). I’m eager to help and respond to all messages.

It is within you to take control of your health. Start today with one wise choice. Small changes now add up to major benefits in the future. Thanks for watching!

My 90lb Weight Loss Video

Wise Eats Approved Foods / Grocery List

Here is a complete list of Wise Eats approved nutrition. It is broken into categories based on the three dietary macronutrients: Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrate. Any items outside this list should be consumed with discretion. There are other healthy foods that are not mentioned, but these are the ones we use on a regular basis and consider to be ideal for a healthy, varied diet. If it’s on this list, it’s definitely a wise choice! Constructing your diet based on these real foods will help you lose weight, build muscle, increase energy, fight depression, prevent disease, and feel amazing.

If there is a food you believe should be added or removed from this page, we’d love to know why! Please contact us.

Carbohydrates (40-50% of Daily Calories) – Complex, Slower Digesting – Ideal for Normal Meals & Workout Fuel

  • Grains – Oat Bran, Steel Cut Oats, Buckwheat, Quinoa, Amaranth, Millet, Barley, Spelt
  • Beans – Garbanzo, Black, Kidney, Pinto, Red, Fava, Lima, Hummus
  • Sweet Potato
  • Brown Rice, White Jasmine Rice, Wild Rice
  • Pasta Variations – Quinoa Flour Pasta, Red Lentil Pasta, Other Gluten-Free Pastas
  • Ezekiel Bread, Dave’s Bread
  • Green Vegetables – Spinach, Kale, Asparagus, Broccoli, Zucchini, Brussel Sprouts, Celery, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Wheat Grass, Barley Grass, Green Beans, Parsley, Snow Peas, Peas
  • Other Veggies – Bell Peppers, Tomato, Onion, Beets, Carrots, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Olives, Radishes, Water Chestnuts, Artichokes, Squash, Pumpkin, Cabbage (Sauerkraut), Heart Palms, Salsa
  • Sea Vegetables – Dulse, Kelp
  • Flour – Tapioca Flour, Coconut Flour, Almond Flour, Pamela’s Baking Mix

Carbohydrates – Fast Digesting – Ideal with Protein for Pre/Post Workout

  • Coconut Water
  • Rice Milk
  • Fruit – Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Acai, Goji, Cherries, Lemon, Lime, Pears, Apples, Oranges, Mangoes, Bananas, Pineapple, Melon, Grapes, Kiwi, Peaches
  • Dried Fruit – Goji, Mulberries, Raisins, Cranberries, Dates, Apricots

Protein (30-40% of Daily Calories)

  • Greek Yogurt, Goat’s Milk Yogurt
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Eggs (Organic, Pasture-Raised), Egg Whites
  • Chicken Breast
  • Ground Turkey
  • Grass Fed/Organic Beef
  • Venison or Other Wild Game
  • Fish (Wild Caught) – Tuna, Sardines, Salmon, Cod, Flounder, Tilapia
  • Protein Powder (Hormone/Antibiotic-Free, Organic, Grass Fed, Naturally Sweetened) – Whey Isolate, Casein, Hemp Protein, Egg Protein
  • Bone Broth – Beef, Turkey, Chicken

Fat (20-25% of Daily Calories)

  • Cooking Oils – Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Grass Fed Butter, Ghee, Olive Oil, Peanut Oil
  • Non-Cooking Oils (Salads, Smoothies) – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Hemp Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Walnut Oil
  • Avocado, Guacamole
  • Nuts (Raw) – Almond, Cashew, Walnut, Pistachios, Pumpkin Seeds, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Macadamia, Brazil Nuts, Pine Nuts, Unsweetened Coconut
  • Nut Butter – Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Cashew Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter
  • Hemp Seed, Chia Seed, Flax Seed
  • Cheese (Organic and/or Grass Fed) – Feta Cheese, Goat Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Ricotta, Pecorino Romano, Vegan Cheese

Drinks

  • Purified Water (Reverse Osmosis, Spring Water, Berkey Filtered)
  • Natural Sparkling Water – No Carbonation Added (Pellegrino)
  • Lemon Water
  • Coconut Water
  • Green Tea
  • Herbal Teas (Unsweetened, Organic)
  • Raw Vegetable Juice
  • Organic Black Coffee
  • Kefir
  • Kombucha
  • Milk Alternatives – Almond Milk, Rice Milk, Coconut Milk, Cashew Milk, Goat Milk

Flavor Enhancers, Electrolytes, Other Nutrients & Minerals

  • Sea Salt
  • Liquid Aminos, Coconut Aminos
  • Mustard
  • Hot Sauce
  • Balsamic Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Mixed Seasonings & Spices (Basil, Thyme, Parsley, Cumin, Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric, etc)          
  • Natural Sweeteners – Monk Fruit, Stevia, Xylitol, Erythritol (if it’s non-GMO)
  • Sugar Sweeteners – Raw Hone, Maple Syrup
  • Vanilla Extract, Almond Extract, Peppermint Extract
  • Peanut Butter Powder

“Super Foods” (Provide Balanced Nutrition, Vitamins, Energy)

  • Cacao Powder, Cacao Nibs, Maca, Carob
  • Moringa Powder
  • Green Superfood Powder (Spirulina, Chlorella, Wheat Grass, etc.)
  • Camu Powder

Supplements (For Optimization Only, Not Required in Diet)

  • Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate (Hormone Free, Naturally Sweetened)
  • Grass Fed Casein Protein (Hormone Free, Naturally Sweetened)
  • Hemp Protein Powder
  • BCAAs (Fasted workouts)
  • Fish Oil
  • Multivitamin
  • Creatine Monohydrate
  • Caffeine
  • MSM Powder
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin D
  • Probiotics
  • Green Superfood Powder with Spirulina, Chlorella, etc.
  • Collagen, Colostrum

Tips:

  • Watch your ingredient lists – Eat only real food!
  • Be careful of hidden sugars, artificial flavors, additives, and other harmful chemicals
  • Avoid added sugars and refined vegetable oils
  • Avoid processed foods, convenience foods, and fast foods
  • Buy organic, cage-free, grass-fed whenever possible
  • Get as close to the original source as possible (Farm, Butcher, Minimally Processed, Raw)
  • Supplements are only necessary in order to complement a diet rich in healthy foods or if you are deficient. Strive to get the majority of your nutrients from whole food sources (Fish oil from fish, protein from meat/vegetables, vitamins from vegetables, etc.). Supplements can also help take your fitness game to the next level. Choose wisely!

Where to Shop

  • Grocery Stores/Locally Sourced Markets
  • Farmer’s Markets
  • Amish Markets
  • Costco
  • Trader Joe’s
  • Amazon.com
  • ThriveMarket.com

Sample Meal Plan #1 (Recipes Available Here)

  1. Breakfast: Razor’s Edge Scramble and Energy Bowl
  2. Pre-Workout: Organic Black Coffee
  3. Post-Workout: Whey Isolate with Coconut Water
  4. Lunch: Sautéed Vegetables with Chicken, Quinoa, Spices
  5. Dinner: Chokeslam Chicken Salad
  6. Pre-Bed Snack: Blueberry Yogurt Bowl

Sample Meal Plan #2

  1. Breakfast: False Finish Fried Eggs, Filthy French Toast
  2. Pre-Workout: Organic Black Coffee
  3. Post-Workout: Whey Isolate with Blueberries & Rice Milk
  4. Lunch: Sauteed Vegetables with Salmon and Quinoa
  5. Dinner: Chokeslam Chicken Salad
  6. Pre-Bed Snack: Almond Butter & Apple

Sample Meal Plan #3

  1. Breakfast: Sidewalk Slam Smoothie
  2. Pre-Workout: Whey Isolate with Rice Milk
  3. Post-Workout: Whey Isolate with Banana & Rice Milk
  4. Lunch: Salmon with Veggies and Sweet Potato
  5. Dinner: Chicken Wise Rice
  6. Pre-Bed Snack: Casein Protein w/ Almond Milk

A Note on Calories & Macronutrients

Calorie and macronutrient requirements vary depending on the individual, body type, and activity level. In general, your daily calorie intake should be broken up into 40-50% Carb, 30-40% Protein, and 20-25% Fat. These numbers can be manipulated to your own specific needs based on your goals. For instance, the ketogenic diet utilizes a high fat, low carb approach. A normal diet focused on weight loss should include high quality protein with each meal (about 40% of total daily calorie intake). For someone who is working out vigorously on a regular basis, a higher carbohydrate intake is recommended. Identify your goals, determine your caloric needs, fulfill your dietary requirements, and you are destined for success.

To calculate your daily caloric and macronutrient requirements, visit:
https://www.muscleforlife.com/macronutrient-calculator  

A balanced diet rich in whole foods and low on heavily processed foods will promote healthy weight, muscle growth, high energy levels, strong immune system, and longevity. Take control of your life today by getting these high-quality nutrients in your life!

Wise Eats Approved Foods/Grocery List
http://www.wise-eats.com/approvedfoods

Complete List of Recipes
http://www.wise-eats.com/recipes

12 Lessons Learned from 90lb Weight Loss – Full Article
http://www.wise-eats.com/weightlosslessons

The Following Announcement Complete Episode Guide
http://www.tfashow.com

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