Gary Williams – Male Fitness Model Statistics
- Name: Gary Williams
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 193 pounds
- Date of Birth: 3/14/1987
- Hair Color: Black
- Eye Color: Brown
- Location: East London, United Kingdom
- Contact: gwilliams_87@hotmail.co.uk
Gary Williams – Male Fitness Model Interview
How did you get started in the fitness field?
It all started when I was 15 years old. A good friend of mine in secondary school got me to train with him in his gym. I started off going once a week and slowly I could see the results appearing on my body. It was just a matter of time until I became addicted to the weights and started going more regularly. Being very young at the time, I couldn’t afford to pay him so I used to clean up his gym as a way of returning the favor. I owe it to my friends Naj and Anj from Pure Muscles Gym in East London, otherwise I wouldn’t be in the shape that I’m currently in. My gains in the gym were becoming more noticeable and people started complimenting me which is a great feeling.
What is the #1 thing you like best about being into fitness?
I like the self-discipline that comes with fitness. It keeps me in a regular routine and out of trouble. I could have easily gone down the wrong road with drugs being available all around me, but I chose to respect myself. I think there are far too many people who take their life for granted when others are suffering. I know life is too short, but that doesn’t mean we have to live life on the edge.
What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness field?
I don’t know if you would call it an accomplishment in fitness, but I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life. I’ve always remained true to myself and that’s something I’m very proud of.
What is the best way to get started in the fitness modeling industry? Should I just contact the photographers directly or should I use an agency?
I would personally go with the agencies as they’ve got the expertise about the fitness modeling industry. They also have the right contacts and if you’re lucky, they might be able to put you through to the right person.
Please describe a typical day for you. What is your daily routine like?
I get up in the morning and make breakfast then go straight to work. Afterwards, I go to the gym and train certain muscle or two, followed by some jogging at the end of my workout.
I don’t have that much time during the day to workout, so I really want to burn major calories in a short amount of time. What is the #1 “bang for the buck” cardio exercise I should do to burn serious calories?
I would do circuit training because it’s very intense and it shocks the body in a different way. For instance, if I’m pressed for time I’ll do a 45 minute session and instead of doing 4 sets on a machine, I’ll cut it down to one set but I’ll run from one machine to another with minimal rest. In a circuit, I’ll probably hit 4 exercises and by the time I’ve hit everything, that’s one set. I’ll do 3 sets in total. A good tip is to not walk to the next machine and try to jog if you can in order to increase the intensity. By the time you’ve done 3 sets on a circuit you will feel exhausted and it’s an excellent way for burning calories fast.
How much weight (pounds) should I focus on losing every week? What is a safe amount to make sure I keep it off?
I would say 1 to 2 pounds per week is safe. I don’t think it’s good to lose weight too drastically. Be patient since it will take a while, but the end result is always worth it.
What type of food or supplements should I take before and after my workouts to help me see results in gaining lean muscle and losing fat?
A good pre-workout supplement is BSN NoXplode. It’s personally one of my favorite supplements as it’s packed with lots of caffeine. This is great for giving you a surge of energy, especially if you are feeling tired. After your workout it’s important to have some protein whether your goal is to gain muscle or lose fat. For someone looking to bulk up and gain weight, their post-workout supplement should contain 100-150 grams of carbohydrates. However, if you’re looking to lose weight and burn fat then I would choose a supplement with fewer carbohydrates. My goal is to add lean muscle so my favorite supplement is Gold Standard Whey Protein by Optimum Nutrition. It keeps me lean and doesn’t add too much thickness to my waist. Try to take amino acids also since this will help you recover from intense workouts.
How do you deal with cravings for junk foods, sweets and salty food? I can stay on a diet for maybe a few weeks but I eventually get really bad cravings and binge on snacks and fast foods.
I think if you are somebody who really binges then the best thing to do is have a cheat day where you can eat anything you want. If I eat something that’s not healthy then I’ll eat it in moderation. I won’t pig out on something because it’s not in my nature. My younger brother, on the other hand, can easily eat a large pizza! I can satisfy myself with just 2 slices. I eat until I’m full, but my younger brother eats until he is bloated which only stretches your waistline.
I’m trying to create a healthy shopping list to stick with. What are some of the main foods I should include to maintain a lean and muscular physique?
Nuts, like almonds and walnuts, are a great source of protein and have plenty of essential fats. I would snack on these as an alternative to sweets. You can also replace sweets with fruit and get some vitamin C in your diet from blueberries, tangerines and grapefruits. I have half a grapefruit every day to keep my metabolism going and it actually works. Switch everything to whole wheat grains such as brown pasta and rice because it digests better and your body is able to deal with it more efficiently. Increase your vegetable intake and focus on broccoli, carrots and lettuce. Try replacing coffee with green tea. I admit, it’s hard to make these changes in the beginning, but you will get used to it.
I’m about 35 pounds overweight. I have never started an exercise program and really don’t know where to start. What tips can you give me to get started on the right track?
I recommend increasing your cardio workouts with circuit training or jogging and do this 3 to 4 times a week. A low carbohydrate diet is great and your body will use the fat as a source of energy which will make you lose weight.
I tend to eat out most of the time and really don’t know what healthy foods to order from the menu. What tips do you recommend for eating out at restaurants to make sure my diet will not suffer?
Be reasonable and compromise. Make sure your diet is on-point and make the sacrifices that are needed to help you achieve your goals. For example, when I go to a restaurant, I’ve got a choice to have some chicken with chips and a fizzy drink, but I ditch the chips for corn on the cob and change the fizzy drink for a glass of water. I’ll enjoy my meal without feeling bloated and gassy and that’s what you’ve got to bear in mind.
What exercises do you recommend for getting a bigger, rounder and fuller butt?
It’s got to be squats along with some lunges. These exercises definitely hit the booty very well!
What is the most challenging thing you deal with about consistently staying in top shape?
The most challenging thing for me would be time management. Everyone’s daily routine revolves around work which affects your diet and mental state.
Please describe your normal diet. What do you eat in a typical day to stay in shape?
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with 2 eggs and two slices of whole wheat bread.
- Mid-Morning Snack: Banana with a protein shake.
- Lunch: Whole wheat pasta with tuna and melted cheese.
- Mid-Afternoon Snack: A handful of almonds and a protein shake.
- Dinner: Brown rice with chicken and olive oil along with some lettuce on the side with tomatoes.
What type of exercises do you include in your routine to stay in shape?
- Strength Training Exercises: Plyometric workouts which are explosive (clean and jerks).
- Cardio Exercises: Jogging outside is far more enjoyable than running on a treadmill inside as you get to enjoy your natural surroundings.
- Additional Training: I love to play table tennis as it keeps me on my toes and it’s great for the core as you generate power from your hips when smashing the ball across the table.
What are the top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for developing toned and defined arms?
1. Chin-ups are a great exercise that makes your arms bigger.
2. Preacher curls are great for getting the peak on the biceps.
3. Concentration curls help you get that roundness.
4. Cable workouts for biceps also create constant stress on the muscle which is something that I love.
5. 21’s with barbell curls are a killer (7 reps half way down, 7 reps half way up and 7 full reps).
What are your top 5 tips for losing unwanted body fat?
1. Dieting is key! If you can’t do that then there’s really no point in trying to lose weight.
2. Do cardio! Start out with 20 minutes of jogging outside.
3. Circuit training will crank up your metabolism.
4. Stay motivated at all times. Success won’t happen overnight. It takes time.
5. Be observant in the gym and look at what others are doing to stay in shape. I’ve learned most of my intense workouts from experienced people in the gym.
What are your top 5 tips for gaining lean muscle mass?
1. Include compound exercise like bench press, squats and deadlifts.
2. Stick with a rep range between 6-12 reps per set.
3. Time your meals so that your body remains in an anabolic state.
4. Throw in a few days of cardio, just to have an aesthetic look.
5. Make sure you get plenty of rest since you are effectively growing when resting.
What are the top 5 tips you recommend for staying motivated on a fitness plan and truly making a healthy lifestyle change?
1. Set the benchmark where you want to be and how you’re going to get there.
2. Get a training partner if they have the same goals as you. You will be able to push each other to great lengths.
3. Mix up your training and don’t do the same thing week in and week out. Keep your workouts unpredictable, exciting and challenging.
4. Train in different gyms. It’s nice to experience different gym environments.
5. Listen to music. Studies have shown that it enhances your performance in the gym.
What is your training routine like? (Please include a few details – training split, sets/reps, exercises, types of cardio, etc.)
Monday: Circuit training day. I perform one set on each exercise which equals one total set. I’ll do 3 sets in totals consisting of:
- Tire flipping.
- Press ups.
- Battle rope.
- Box jumps.
- 20 minutes of cardio (jogging) at the end.
Tuesday: Day off
Wednesday: Legs and Arms
- 3 sets of squats.
- 3 sets of leg press.
- 3 sets of hamstring curls.
- 3 sets of leg extensions.
- 3 sets of calf raises.
- 10 exercises for arms with 1 set of each exercise.
- Note: For example, I’ll do skull crushes for triceps then straight after I’ll do bicep curls with the same bar. Make sure you do a bicep exercise followed by a tricep exercise without a break in between. This takes me 25 minutes to get through these exercises which is very difficult.
Thursday: Day off
Friday: Chest, shoulder and back day. This involves one exercise after another for each body part. For example, I start off with Incline dumbbell press then military shoulder press and then dumbbell rows. That makes one set going around all the exercises once, but I repeat this three times. Afterwards, I may do the same thing but with different exercises such as cables flyes, shrugs and lat pulldowns.
Saturday: Day off
Sunday: Day off
What are the top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for losing fat around the stomach and developing a toned and defined midsection?
1. Dieting! This is 80% of the results you will achieve with your physique.
2. Plenty of cardio to keep the fat off.
3. Mind-muscle connection. Focus on the muscles that you’re training.
4. Plenty of core workouts which involve hanging leg raises, crunches and sit ups.
5. Grapefruit really does make you lose fat off your mid-section. Eat a half of a grapefruit every day.
What are the top 5 tips (specific exercises, diet advice, etc) you recommend for toning the thighs, hips and butt?
1. Dieting.
2. Barbell squats.
3. Lunges.
4. Hack squats.
5. Poliquin squats.
