Fabulously Fit

The Difference is a 12-week fitness challenge and lifestyle overhaul masterminded by celebrity trainer Roland Semprie. At his private personal training studio in Rosedale, Roland provides the motivation and education for countless enthused clients. Thanks to fab's encouraging Style Columnist Max MacDonald, fab associate editor Matt Thomas has become a human guinea pig as he undertakes the program and documents his progress, successes and challenges on the fab website and in future editions of fab's Style column. Stay tuned for workout factoids, diet tips, skin and beauty advice and more tidbits designed to help you get healthy, get fit and be ready to hit the town when winter turns to spring fever.

Making the difference work! Week 4, 5 and 6

It has been more than 40 days since I’ve had a drop of alcohol and I’m having fever dreams about the taste of Jack Daniels. No matter how much I remind trainer Roland Semprie that alcohol is a key social lubricant for the gay community, there is no getting around his booze ban. Semprie is quick to point out that booze is the root of weight gain and weight retention for many of his clients.  Laying down the facts when it comes to booze Semprie notes that a single shot of most hard liquor clocks in at 50 calories. To that you have to add around 150 calories for mix like Coke or Sprite, making each drink worth 200 calories. With a beer or glass of wine you’ll run about the same or more so if on a night out you drink between 5-6 drinks that clocks in at half of your recommended daily calorie intake right there not to mention any late-night booze inspired hunger fixes. This is dangerous because these are nutrition and vitamin free calories that are basically good for nothing.

Even so, halfway through Semprie's “The Difference I have begun planning to usher out my sobriety with much alcohol.  Despite the fact I’m counting down the days I’m curious about what the key to responsible drinking is in regards to health and fitness. Semprie says with drinking it’s about moderation and working it off later. Club soda and a shot of liquor runs at only 50 calories cutting the average drink’s calorie count by 75 percent. If you limit yourself to drinking only once a week and make sure and balance nights of drinking with days of physical activity then Semprie assures me that you’re in the clear. 

Over the last six weeks I’ve been doing my best to follow (in spirit) the meal plan designed by Semprie. I’d like to follow it to the letter and it’s not that  I don’t enjoy cooking but most days I don’t have the patience or the time. If this is the case for you, Semprie suggests sticking to limited portions of chicken and fish, whole grain rice, loads of vegetables, fruit and limited or no diary products.  As a part of the program we’ve also started taking Semprie’s patented Weight Release pills. Designed by Semprie himself, these pills boost your immune system, increase your metabolism and act as a cleanser for your digestive system.  Translation: prepare to poo.

There is a whole line of supplements available at Semprie’s Rosedale gym and he’s always eager to discuss of the merits of every single one of them with the health curious. Semprie recommends a good detox cleanse before starting or while engaging in any fitness regime as it helps clear your body of toxins and other gross garbage in your digestive system. It’s this build-up that prevents you from getting the maximum effect out of the nutrients you’re putting into your body and getting rid of it helps you burn off that unwanted weight.

So far I’ve avoided actually jumping on a scale simply because I can’t find one but the fact that I can now wear jeans two sizes smaller has to be a sign of progress.  I’m starting to see new lines and definitions as new bumps replace older more unsightly bumps.  I still have a mid–section and some flab I could do without but Semprie is quick to remind me that that’s where men loose weight from last. He is also quick to underline that abs are made in the kitchen and not in the gym. You’ll only see abs when you’ve gotten your body fat percentage down to around 10 to 12 percent so diet is the magic word. 

Not as magical as “tequila sounds to me right now but my body will thank me later. It better.

- Matt Thomas

For more info on Roland Semprie and The Difference visit www.rolandsemprie.com

Week 1,2 and 3 - Starting to see a difference

Walking in to Roland Semprie's gym I felt like a fish out of water as I've frequented gyms on a very negligent basis. Talk of nutrition, weight training, protein shakes and calorie counting just left me confused and feeling stupid. Enrolling in The Difference is helping me to understand and to actually see results. Despite a rocky first session (I threw up because I didn't eat anything before the workout), I'm on Week three and feel more energized than I have in years. And I'm already starting to be in better shape.

Each workout consists of 90 minutes of non-stop physical activity. First there's a 1.5 mile run followed by a quick abs routine. Then alternating between free weights, squats and sprints on the treadmill. Roland's routine stands out as there are little to no breaks between exercises to catch your breath or shoot the breeze. This is key, according to Roland, as it keeps your heart rate up for the entire workout and maximizes your results. It left me dripping sweat and gasping for air but it feels worth it as we're taking full advantage of every second . My favourite part of each session has been the last 30 minutes of Thai Boxing. It's a tangible sport and I get to hit things which is fun.

My session mates are three or four ladies from mainstream media outlets which helps take the unavoidable masculine competitiveness out of the equation and allows me to relax without feeling threatened. But that doesn't mean the ladies in the class aren't adorable ass kickers. When working out this hard there is no such thing as shame and so far it's been a natural, supportive environment. And yes I occasionally have Charlie's Angles fantasies where I play Charlie...

Roland’s theories about nutrition and weight management are probably the most important thing to keep in mind. I do not eat enough good food often enough. I had been dieting for the last month and I don't normally have a very big appetite. Eating out, eating impulse snacks, improper portions of unhealthy food and forgetting to eat have been my biggest nutritional mistakes. Roland insists my five pounds of spare tire comes from not eating enough because my body stores food as fat when it's not getting enough calories. I should be eating about 2100 calories a day but since I was trying to lose weight I was consuming 45 percent less than that. On days where I work out I have to eat tons to make up for lost calories, this means eating five to eight small healthy meals anywhere from 200-400 calories a pop every two to three hours. I've started carrying around packages of almonds, oatmeal and fruit juice. I've also started taking protein and calories in shake form sometimes as I don't think my stomach can handle all that food. With the addition of protein shakes to my diet I officially feel like a gym dude. I actually found myself interested while strolling through a supplements store.

Part of the nutrition requirements includes giving up alcohol for three months. This will be one of the biggest challenges for a gay scenester but I'm game. I went to the Village twice the first weekend, once for a pub crawl, and I only drank juice. Fortunately the scene was still exciting.

On the skin care front, the good folks at Clarins Men contributed a giant package direct from Paris, France. Although their products contain instructions in both English and French, the world of moisturizers and skin cream is all French to me. I tried the different facial cleansers, body toning and lifting creams, fatigue fighters and oil treatments in different sequences over the last few weeks. My skin does feel a lot smoother and the colour and tone of my skin. Shaving has become easier with less nicks and cuts — a really great practical result. I've even been asked if I’ve been tanning which leads me to believe that moisturized skin helps maintain and bring out natural colour - even, happily, enhancing the hue of tattoos.

I can't wait to pick the brain of my Clarins skin care consultant who can help me more understand the results and benefits. So far I feel like I'm glowing and that can't be a bad thing. Here's to sober living, sore muscles and slow and steady returns.

- Matt Thomas

Roland Semprie gets physical
Max MacDonald meets the man who can make you fashionably fit just in time for Pride.

Personal trainer Roland Semprie, a sixfoot- six, walking wall of dark-skinned muscle, is a picture of perfect physical health but he’s not just brawn. Semprie has brains as well, he’s a certified trainer and master practioner of Neural Linguistic Programming and he’s working on several MAs and PhDs tied to health and nutrition.

Blogs describe Semprie as “amazing,” “tough as hell,” and “best money I’ve ever spent.” Some even go so far as to describe him as “very fuckable.” Fans, including professional athletes and celebrities, say he has changed their lives completely. One of those fans is fab’s associate editor, Matt Thomas, who went from puff to buff in just 12 weeks with Semprie.

After seeing Thomas’ results and reading the endless accolades I grabbed a one-on-one with Semprie and Thomas to find out how it’s done.

Max MacDonald: How important is diet and nutrition to losing weight?
Roland Semprie: Extremely important. Nutrition is 60 percent of the results. You see guys who work hard at the gym yet have a gut. We call those ones chickens because they are all upper body but then you see a gut and spindly legs. It is their eating habits and bad workout techniques which turn them into that.

MM: What about protein shakes, do they work?
RS: They absolutely work. I suggest all my clients have one in that 30-minute window right after you work out. Though not all protein shakes are the same. You want one that will taste great but give you the maximum amount of protein without too much sugar or other poor ingredients.

MM: There are some fab readers who down Red Bull or coffee before working out, is this a good idea?
RS: No. There is too much sugar and calories in those drinks. They can fill you up and give you energy in the short term but expect a big crash in the long run, remember caffeine is a diuretic and can affect your restful sleep. I suggest oatmeal or fruit before working out.

MM: You suggest avoiding alcohol, which will not go over well with many fab readers.
RS: [Laughs] The biggest roadblock to anyone getting fit is alcohol. Here’s what I do with my clients: for every shot, bottle of bear and glass of wine you have to run one mile. If you drink five shots, that’s five miles. Matt cut alcohol altogether and got great results.

Thomas’ two cents:
I’ve become one of those fat and calorie counting weirdos but I’ve lost more than 20 pounds, so I don’t care. Roland insisted that my spare tire came from not eating enough because my body stored food as fat when it wasn’t getting enough calories spread out in the day. I should eat about 2,100 calories a day but because I was trying to lose weight, I was consuming 45 percent fewer than that (five meals between 200-300 calories each, every two-three hours). It was simple mathematics and Roland always reminded me that “abs are made in the kitchen not in the gym.”

MM: What do you put participants through in your 12-week program?
RS: I use a combination of interval training, weights, the treadmill, Muay Thai kickboxing, some dance and pilates routines, the kettlebell, stretching along with nutrition and supplementation.

MM: How many times a week should someone work out?
RS: At least three and with increasing intensity. You should always remember you are in a competition with yourself to do better every time.

MM: When should someone use a trainer?
RS: If you want consistent improvement or if someone needs motivation. For example, look at Madonna, she’s been working out for 30 years but over that time she needed help. That’s what a trainer is for.

Thomas’ two cents:
The biggest thing for me was challenging myself to push beyond my limits. Roland was always pointing out people love to be happily miserable and don’t often rise to the next level when they work out. I started running a mile and a half in 15 minutes and by the end of 12 weeks I could do it in eight. It’s good to increase your limits each workout, even if it means just one more rep, one more pound or one second faster each run. That’s the way to go for steady improvement over time.

Semprie is not cheap but even one good training session can prepare you to work out by yourself more effectively. A one-time session costs $800 and a three-session package costs $200 a session. Packages range anywhere from $1,800-$5,000.

Semprie picked two exercises he uses during his program that readers can do at home with little muss and fuss.

Core ball knees in motion plank
Place the tops of both ankles on top of a core ball. Put your arms in a plank position with your hands on the floor and your butt in the air. Pull your knees into your chest, then extend your legs back, rolling the ball back and forth with the tops of your ankles. Repeat 20-30 times.

Arm and leg extension with small ball
Assume a push-up position. Place a small weighted ball in your right hand while balancing on your left hand. Lift the ball straight forward as you lift the opposite left leg straight behind you. Keep your arm and leg parallel to the ground or you will lose balance. Bring both limbs down together by touching your elbow to

Info: rolandsemprie.com

Max MacDonald writes fab’s Style column and is a dark-skinned walking wall of fashion and attitude.