Diet and Training Advice From a Male Model :

Most writing about models and diet tends to be negative - focusing on skinnyness, starvation diets, and eating disorders. I must also confess that the image-obsession and vanity that goes with celebrity culture leaves me cold - so I'm reluctant to devote too much space to how "celebrity-x got rid of her cellulite".

However - in the interests of fairness and balance - I recently sent a few questions to Nic Bezuska, a male model and personal trainer. Nic helped Mauricio Padilha of MaoPR lose over 180lbs. MaoPR is successful a NY public relations firm that has produced over 100 fashion shows.

As with other advice - take what you can and leave the rest.

Could you tell me more about this success story?
Mauricio and I met on a casting. He owns a company called MAO PR, which casts models for the designers they represent. MAO PR was having a casting, and while he was looking through my portfolio, he asked me what else I did besides modeling. I mentioned NIC B BODY. First I wrote him a diet plan, then we started walking together. Once he felt comfortable, we started going to the gym. I was also cooking all of his food for the first year.

What sort of exercise routine did you use?
We did a lot of walking and some stairs at the start, then progressed to light weights (ankle and wrist). I didn’t want it to be too tough, because I didn'’t want him to become overwhelmed or discouraged. Nobody wants to be killed by their trainer, especially when you haven’t worked out in 15 years...

What does Mauricio's diet look like?
I had Mauricio eating certain fruits and vegetables (raw), fish, chicken, steak, quinoa, eggs, almonds, apples (3 per day), NIC B whey, buckwheat pasta, red and black beans, and peppermint tea. We eliminated gluten, pre-packaged and foods containing preservatives.

I never had a limit on the amount he could eat, I told him to eat when he was hungry. I added to his diet two shots of apple cider vinegar a day, and added one tbsp. of ground flax seed meal to his oatmeal. I made sure he never combined fruit with anything, and always ate protein with a non-fibrous carb. He also was following a vitamin and supplement guide I wrote for him.

How is Mauricio faring now that he no longer has you working closely with him?
NIC B BODY is about teaching a lifestyle. I still train with him but Mauricio has learned to take control of his diet and I am at his disposal to answer any dietary questions he may have as I do with all my clients. To date he has lost close to 200 lbs. He is about 188 lbs. We started at 385!

We train about 2-3 times a week now, and when his body gets bored with it, I change it up. Mauricio is now in control and will continue to be successful with little support.

How did you motivate Mauricio?
I was with him every step of the way. I believe people need a workout partner and educator to empower them. I played Division 1 college soccer at Western Michigan University, and all of the coaches would practice with us... this made it a lot more fun, and it was something I enjoyed.

From personal experience, when a trainer just watches the client, it doesn’t work as well... the trainer should be well rested, and ready to go to battle with the client, it’'s 50-50!

How does this relate to the "Average Joe" who perhaps can't afford quality one-on-one training?
The most important thing is Diet. 80% is food, the rest is training, I believe this 110%. A good trainer can be used once a week to show the client new ideas for the entire week. This is a very cost effective method. Certain foods burn more calories in digestion, certain foods make you more hungry, and with the abundance of negative calorie foods, there is no reason these foods shouldn’t be the staple of your diet.

Training is, and will always be important, but somebody who needs a lot of help with weight issues should be focused on diet. Having somebody to consult at any given time has really made NIC B BODY a success. I offer 24/7 consulting, and this is why it works. Most people have a misconception of what a "healthy" diet consists of. This is mainly a result of advertising and marketing strategies of many food companies.

Lately I’ve been working with a lot of modeling agencies in an effort to teach models proper nutrition, and help them realize that you can eat! I’ve read a majority of the diet plans out now and I don’t believe in a lot of them. It is my passion to educate and empower people concerning their health and I hope to be known for it one day!

Congratulations Mauricio and Nic - a dramatic turnaround

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