Robert Sandman is the author of the “Health Blueprint Guide to Easy Natural Weight Loss”, a new weight loss program.
I decided to ask Robert a few questions about his course, and about approaches to weight loss in general.?? So, without further ado, let me introduce you to Robert Sandman:
Parth: So, Robert. What is Easy Natural Weight Loss?
Robert: Easy Natural Weight Loss is really a blueprint for losing weight, as it says – easier and more natural than most conventional diet programs, because almost all of them have one thing in common – extremely low calories. The problem with very low calorie diets is that they don’t work for very long, because it’s almost impossible to permanently lose weight by starving yourself. That’s because when you drop your calorie intake too much, your metabolism slows down and your body goes into “starvation mode”. And at that point, you’re also losing muscle along with the fat, which slows your metabolism even more.
So the program begins by helping people to understand how the body really works, which helps them understand why they may have tried other diets and not gotten the results they want, and why many of those diets almost guarantee failure. Once they really understand that, the program helps them develop their own safe and healthy weight loss plan that they know they can stick to.
There’s a lot of information out there on weight loss, and some of it is conflicting, so I think it’s important for people to understand what will work for them, without making it too complex or restrictive. And once they learn how simple the process of weight loss is, they won’t need a weight loss guru anymore, because they’ll know as much as the guru, and more about their own body and how it really works than anyone else could possibly know.
The real solution to weight loss is actually very simple: you have to burn more calories than you’re taking in every day. And the best way to do that is with the right combination of diet and exercise that’s individualized for your goals and body type.
Parth: I agree. But with almost a new fad diet coming out every other week, people seem to be confused as to where to really start. As you stated, people get excited because they get instant results, but then they don’t know what to do after the results end. Sp, what’s the one basic tip? you’d give someone trying to lose fat?
Robert: Well, it would probably be to avoid those new fad diets, or any diet that’s too restrictive. Most of them will cause an initial weight loss, but you ultimately gain all the weight back when you go off the plan. Even worse, some not only result in rebound weight gain, but are generally unhealthy.
Crash diets dehydrate you, low calorie diets put your body in starvation mode and slow your metabolism, and high protein diets can clog your arteries and stress your kidneys. But we try them, hoping that we’ll finally find our way to the thinner person we know is within us. And then sometimes we beat ourselves up for failing to achieve that goal. Well, we aren’t failures – we’re just human. Our bodies are designed for survival and that doesn’t always make it easy to be a lot thinner if that’s not the weight that our body thinks is right.
Parth: True. Trust me, it’s happened to me lots of time before I figured it out. And like most people, I’ve read a few diet guides and tried some extreme diets before I learned my lessons. But, I subjected to the same pretentious marketing that’s getting worse these days. There are even more weight loss guides out there now. What makes yours so? different?
Robert: Well, as I said, there’s a lot of conflicting information out there. So my goal in the program was to clear up some of the confusion and make the process as simple as possible, because the simpler the strategies are, the easier they are to apply, and the more results you’ll get.
The other difference is that a lot of weight loss programs don’t seem to take into consideration the fact that everyone’s body is different. There are certain nutrition principles that apply to everyone, but as far as weight loss is concerned, what works for one person can be completely ineffective for the next. No two people are exactly alike, therefore no single diet will work for everyone. We may have similar body types, but each of us has a combination of body type, metabolism, digestion, and muscle and fat distribution that’s as unique as their fingerprint. That’s why any generic, one-size-fits–all diet or exercise plan isn’t necessarily going to work, and in a lot of cases fails for very simple reasons.
And it’s also why there is no single best diet or training method. Although I said a minute ago that you have to burn more calories than you’re taking in, if it were that simple, how do you explain why some people who are overweight eat less than people who are skinny, yet they can’t seem to lose an ounce.
They’ve got to think in terms of their own uniqueness and individuality. But while I’m saying that there are few absolutes in developing a better body, there are some fundamentals that apply to everyone. But once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, you need to make adjustments for your individual goals and body. You have to learn how to adjust your diet and exercise to fit your unique needs, and realize that all the stuff people are trying to sell you aren’t going to help if you don’t learn the real basics of weight loss.
Part of that involves exercise, which doesn’t have to be extreme, and part of it is simply healthy eating, but the most important part is having the information you need to develop your own safe, healthy, natural weight loss plan.
Now, the course was also designed with the hope of inspiring people to take the action necessary to develop the body they’ve always wanted. And the last part of the course deals with the fact that despite our environment or genetics, we’re still products of our own thinking and beliefs. And without getting too “new age” about it, I believe we create the life we have as a result of our thoughts and our actions.
So success in having the body you want is about choosing to become the best that YOU can be, even if you weren’t blessed with great genetics. Those differences force you to learn more, or adopt a healthier lifestyle, or become more persistent, and are really a blessing in disguise. The point is that success isn’t about being better than someone else. It’s about giving your best effort to become the best that you’re capable of being, that in the end makes you unique. I like to think, and hope, that the course has a lot to do with that as well.
Parth: Wow, inspiring. In a way that’s why the industry is so big. There are all these people searching for that “perfect” product, but it doesn’t exist. The key is to just use what you learn from each coach and author and really apply it to your own unique lifestyle. That’s a good thought. Well, I’m interested to know, Robert. What is your approach to exercise?
Robert: In general, it’s to use exercise to burn more calories than you’re taking in, rather than using diets to starve yourself. From a weight loss standpoint, a combination of aerobic exercise and weight training will burn calories and fat, without slowing down your metabolism, rather than eating too little and triggering a starvation response. So the diet and exercise need to work together, really as a combination of weight training, cardio, diet and motivational techniques.
Other than that, my approach to exercise is the same as weight loss. Everyone’s body is different, so in general I don’t think you have to accept or reject any particular approach completely. I personally take what I feel is relevant to me and my goals and body type and test it. And I guess what I’m about to say works for success in life as well: do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. Then put all the useful pieces together to develop your own training system.
Parth: Wow, you just summed up my life philosophy right there. Haha, ok so it seems as though it takes women longer than men to lose fat. Why do? you think this is the case?
Robert: Well, I think the basic reason is that, in general, men have more muscle mass, as a result of higher levels of testosterone. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle you have in relation to body fat, the higher your resting metabolism. And with higher metabolism comes more rapid weight loss.
There are some people who think men don’t diet as often as women, which can generally slow metabolism. In general, however, I think the differences in terms of total weight loss between men and women aren’t as great as it seems. Both can be very successful in achieving and sustaining weight loss with a good program.
Parth: This brings me to my next question – You also include a muscle building guide. Why is this the case?
Robert: Although the focal point of the course is nutrition, when you go on a calorie restricted diet and don’t do any weight training, you will almost always lose lean body mass. So weight training is the way to keep your muscle while you’re dieting for fat loss. I think a lot of people only associate weight training with building muscle and increasing strength, and may not realize the impact weight training has on fat loss. And the reason is that weight training increases your lean body mass. Increasing your lean body mass speeds up your metabolic rate so you burn more calories at rest.
In addition, I included it for those who were seriously interested in building muscle, in addition to losing weight.
Parth: In your muscle building guide, you suggest a split training program.? I’ve always been a proponent of full body workouts. What’s your take?? Split training or Full Body? Does it even make a difference?
Robert: The biggest reason I generally recommend split training is that if you work the same muscles intensely and allow insufficient rest between workouts, your muscles can’t repair the microscopic fiber damage. Your muscles don’t really grow during the workouts, they grow after your workouts – when you allow them enough time to recover.
Now, having said that, training your entire body in one session is fine when you’re starting off, but the longer and harder you train, I think the less efficient the full body workouts become. A full body routine performed 3 days a week is probably the best way to start weight training, but within a few months, some people start to add exercises to work each muscle group more completely. So a split routine allows them to perform multiple exercises on each body part without their workouts becoming too long.
But I think the real advantage of split training is the recuperation each muscle receives between sessions. As a beginner, people can recuperate very quickly because their workouts aren’t as intense. So they can easily hit the same muscle group every 2 to 3 days. But if they start hitting each muscle with a lot greater intensity, breaking down more muscle fiber in the process, it can require more time to recuperate.
But again, I don’t think that you have to accept or reject any one approach completely. What I really recommend is to take what you feel is relevant to you and your unique goals and body type and test it. Then record your progress and fine tune your program as you go, based on your results. Put all the pieces that work for you together, and ultimately you’ll develop your own training system.
Parth: You know what, I’ve been noticing that for a while. I might just try split training. So what’s your background? Where did you learn about weight loss?
Robert: I learned a lot about getting in shape, as well as weight loss and weight training both from sports and in the military. Sports ranged from wrestling, where you starved yourself to compete in a lower weight class, to football, where you worked out to gain both muscle and speed. The military involved everything from survival schools to hand to hand combat. So a lot of what I learned came from coaches or by trial and error, as well as getting back in shape after either an injury or surgery. So my background isn’t as a fitness “guru”, as much as it is applying knowledge that I gained through personal experience. And as I kept learning, I also saw, and even tried, programs that didn’t work or were simply unhealthy. There are a lot of people out there who want to get healthier, or even have a better looking body, and I did the course because I hate to see people who are really trying to do that getting the wrong information and subjecting themselves to diets that ultimately won’t work, or that may have unhealthy results.
Parth: Well, that’s all the questions I have for you today Robert. Thanks so much for talking to me.
Robert: Anytime, Parth.
If you’ve been struggling with the nutritional aspect of your weight loss journey, I strongly recommend you check out Robert Sandman’s Health Blueprint Guide to Easy Natural Weight Loss. Click here to check it out.
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