Interview 8 - Eric Guilmette

Hello! What's your athletic background and what initially motivated you to transform your body?

Hi! I'm Eric (Taylor) Guilmette. I'm currently a WNBF Physique Pro and Online Fitness Coach. Prior to getting into fitness, I played a mix of hockey, football and baseball from a very young age up until my sophomore year of college. Around that time, I fell in love with training and pushing myself in the gym. I then shifted my competition internally and began building up my frame. After years of learning as much as I possibly could about my body, my nutrition and my mind, I cumulatively developed a manageable and effective style of training and eating that works for me and my goals.

What's your approach to diet and nutrition?

I figured out that the best way for me to learn is to learn from experience. To develop my knowledge as a fitness coach, I've tried nearly every diet out there so I can better instruct my clients. From carb cycling to keto and all the way to AIP, I've run a lot of different diets, which has also allowed me to figure out what works best for my body.

As a physique competitor, I am constantly cycling between bulking and cutting to build the best body I possibly can. Regardless of what my short-term goal is, I follow a form of flexible dieting — meaning I don't restrict myself to brown rice and chicken for every meal, but I've been there too.

Everything I eat is based on the number of macronutrients that I set for myself, tailored to my goals. That has led me to think of my daily nutrition like a financial budget. For example, let’s say I had 300g of carbs to eat in a day. If I ate a pint of ice cream, that budget would shrink really fast and leave me with next to no carbs for the rest of day. Instead (since I don't eat a pint of ice cream daily), I consume a lot denser, lower-calorie carb sources like vegetables, rice, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, buckwheat and so on. As long as I stay in my macronutrients for the day, then I'm on my path towards hitting my goals — and can incorporate a little ice cream here and there.

Do you supplement your nutrition with any sport supplements?

Like anything we buy, the supplement industry has its mix of good and bad products. A lot of supplements make false promises and very early on, I learned how to weed out the essentials from the imposters.

My supplementation has been pretty set in stone for the last 3 years. I take supplements in the AM, pre-workout and post-workout. In the AM, I go for a probiotic, omega-3's derived from fish oil, a basic men's multi and some glucosamine/chondroitin depending on any injuries I could be nursing. Pre-workout, I'll usually go with a strong pre-workout supplement that contains creatine, beta-alanine, l-citrulline and a blend of BCAAs. Post-workout, I'll have WPI or WPC mixed with a carb source like oats or cream of rice, and another dose of creatine.

What does your typical week of working out look like?

Again, this is completely dependent upon my short-term goal. As I'm currently bulking, I have a 5-6 day split with 1-3 cardio sessions mixed in every week.

My split is as follows:

Monday - Legs (Hams and Glutes Focus) plus Calves
Tuesday - Chest and Triceps
Wednesday - Back and Abs
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Legs (Quads) and Abs
Saturday - Shoulders and Triceps
Sunday - Calves and Abs or Rest

I should note that I currently have a bicep injury that I'm nursing and am not training biceps at the moment. Usually, I would work in biceps with back or shoulders, and sometimes give myself a full day to train arms.

My cardio is mostly LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) at the moment where I'll do 15-30 minutes of stairs or incline treadmill. However when I'm in contest preparation, I'll incorporate a lot of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) and Tabata.

What keeps you motivated to keep working towards your goals every day?

I have many forms of motivation in my life. I have a great support system around me that keeps me locked in on my goals. That starts with my beautiful girlfriend Delaney who has been unequivocally the most important facet of my progress. Having her to help me through difficult training sessions, cook me food, keep me mentally focused, bring me joy and happiness, and everything else she does — I can't thank her enough. I also have a community of incredible people who I work with towards their goals and are rooting for me to succeed in mine.

Additionally, I set huge goals for myself, listen to motivational speakers, follow my idols, and keep my eyes on whatever prize I am working towards. Finding what motivates you is so important and will ultimately make you successful.

Have you found anything to be especially helpful or advantageous?

I've learned A LOT of helpful tips along the way that are now staples in my health and fitness. One would be writing down goals for yourself. I am constantly setting new short-term and long-term goals for myself, which has set me up so I'm always making progress. I have all of my clients do the same because if you can set both little and huge goals for yourself, those little victories will all add up. I would have never won my pro card if I hadn't set every little goal for myself along the way.

What mistakes have you made along the way?

Lots. If I didn't make mistakes, then I wouldn't be as strong as I am today. I'll name a few so hopefully you can relate and see that no one is perfect.

Overly Strict Nutrition: When I first started, I was on the "rice, chicken and eggs diet". I was so extreme that I wouldn't even use spices or put sauce on my chicken. A lot of people can attest to the fact that I was a little nuts and thought I just had to eat the blandest of the bland foods to get shredded. Obviously, that has morphed over the years to a very manageable form of dieting where I incorporate a lot of variety. I'm a foodie at heart and I believe it took going through this extreme madness to get to where I am now. My advice would be that you don't have to eat terrible tasting foods and be miserable to get fit. Make mindful decisions and you'll end up both happy and healthy.

Not Listening To My Body: I've dealt with a lot of injuries along the way, and most of them stem from me pushing too hard when my body couldn't handle it. If your body is giving you obvious signs that you need some rest, don't be a meathead and listen to what your body is saying. Taking one day off can save you from years of dealing with nagging injuries.

What are some of the best tips you can offer for others trying to follow in your footsteps?

You won't be perfect! Too often, people start a workout program and a diet that are completely different from their normal routine. When they miss a few days in the gym or screw up on their diet, they either hit the panic button or feel they need to restart. The fact of the matter is we are always working on improving ourselves and bettering our workouts and nutrition. So if you are 70% on for the first few weeks, that is still better than being 0%. You'll work towards 100% with time and eventually live a healthier lifestyle, not just adhere to a program that has an end date. Improving your fitness takes time, consistency and patience, so do the best you can and don't beat yourself up if you're not perfect.

Where can we find out more about you?

ET Fitness Coaching: I work 1-on-1 with a wide range of awesome people from bodybuilders to those just looking to slim down a bit towards their fitness goals. For more information about my coaching, visit www.etfitnesscoach.com or email me at [email protected].

Instagram: @etfitnesscoach
YouTube: ET Fitness Coaching
Facebook: @etfitnesscoach

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The content on our website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to replace a relationship with a qualified healthcare professional. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, and make sure that there is no conflict between any prescription advice, procedure or medication and non-prescription substances or activities.