Mat Lock
Max Cathcart. Welcome to The Unleashing Potential Podcast. It’s a pleasure to have you here. Whereabouts in the world. are you right now?
Max Cathcart
I am in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, it is starting to get very cold.
Mat Lock
Yeah, we’re sort of polar opposites out like when we chatted last week it was we’re starting to warm up here as you’re definitely not going in the wrong direction yet.
Max Cathcart
Yeah, we’re switching switch on with you guys. So
Mat Lock
and has had everything going from a COVID situation where you were?
Max Cathcart
It’s, it’s up and down. I mean, it’s, you get little weeks where it’s everyone kind of freaks out in cases might go a little higher. And then it seems to tighten down a bit and and then it’ll kind of peter out and get more relaxed, I guess you’d say and less people were in mass and, and stuff like that. But it’s doing pretty good restaurants are are pretty well open. And yeah, like capacity wise, I think they’re letting more people in. But same with the gym situation, obviously, I pay a lot of attention to the ads. And I’m glad those are opened. And they’re not really well, where I am. They’re not really seeing how many people come in and out. They’re kind of just letting it flow, which is really nice, too. And there’s no mat like you don’t have to wear any masks or anything like that. So that’s your last touch. But
Mat Lock
Sure, sure. Very good. Now, you mentioned the gym. So well, that’s quite a nice segue into tell us a little bit about yourself. What’s your Who are you? And what’s your backstory?
Max Cathcart
Yeah, so we’ll start with the backstory I guess I am. So I’m a nutritionist right now. I help high level entrepreneurs balance their health and with their business, just to get better results in their daily life and also in their business, just mental clarity, bring up their performance. And then obviously, their secondary goal, which would be building or losing, obviously there. But so how I got started into it. I was introduced into supplements very early, early age, and through coaches and everything like that, when I was playing hockey would have been about 15 years old there. And that’s when I got my first job in a supplement store as well. And so I really started learning about supplements and and what they do, and how do they bring you value if they do and then really, that’s when I started transitioning into the nutrition side. So I really wanted to figure out how much nutrition played a role in changing your body as well and your performance. mainly just because I heard through whoever it was that like, hey, like this is what you want to focus on, you don’t really want to focus on the other things right now, or we would call accessories. So that’s kind of how I got introduced into it. I was playing a lot of hockey too. So it was it was something that I wanted to see what what I could do to bring up my performance as well and my recovery along with it. As you get a little bit older and you start playing at higher levels, too. It’s like you got two games a week plus two practices. And then you have like a dry line session in there. So your body’s getting pretty rundown. But that’s where I first started that was kind of like the focus on soon as I turned into 18 that’s kind of when the focus shifted from hockey and performance into just all around lifestyle and kind of I wanted to build a body that I wanted. I was a really skinny guy. So I was this was like my straight just really driven at like hey, I want to build a lot of muscle and really go from there. And that’s pretty much been from there. That’s that’s what it’s been. Yeah, sure.
Mat Lock
Absolutely. Now you if I’m correct you your first job would it be was at Popeye’s supplements.
Max Cathcart
Yeah, it’s called pop by supplements. It’s a Canadian supplement brand. Pretty yet just selling all sorts of supplements, you know, your proteins and your pre workouts and having all the goodies there. But yeah, that was the first job I started out at like 15 or 16 family friends, I think with the owner, and so he let me let me come down and try it out. And obviously I was super interested in it cuz I was already really into fitness anyway. So it was a pretty smooth transition. And it was easy to do and learn.
Mat Lock
Yeah, sure. Look, I mean, not only in Canada, but around the world. It’s just I don’t know the numbers but it’s obviously a massive industry and growing rapidly. But I know that said there are some schools of thought that not all supplements are equal and or even necessary at all. So I mean, you obviously talk us through what what a racket, you know, when you first got into it and you were experimenting and, and sort of hardcore into what what did that look like? I mean,
Max Cathcart
yeah, no, it was definitely It was super interesting thank God that I worked there, though I didn’t have to really, I could either pay cost of the product or it was samples directly from whichever company it was like they would send you a ton of samples. So we would tend to use those as it was okay for me, for the average guy. I mean, if you’re taking as much like as much as like an athlete, or someone just in that realm, I mean, you’re going to be racking up quite a bit for every month, but so experimenting with that, yeah, it was definitely interesting. Um, it’s, the more I studied it, the more I kind of figured, uh, not necessarily, it didn’t work. I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying that it didn’t have an impact on what I was trying to do as much as I thought it would do. So I was taking, as I mentioned before, a little bit skinnier. So I was taking like a mass gainer thing. I was taking creatine, there was pre workouts funneling through there. Of course, I wasn’t taking any vitamins or anything like that, because I was like, that’s a waste, even though that should be fun. Um, yeah, that like, definitely a few different types of proteins for different activities or timings throughout the day. bcaas like, there’s, there was a list and i think i racked up probably like, I was probably taken at least 10 different things a day. And that was that that only ran for like, two years before I started like weeding it out. And realizing that like, hey, once I started noticing that nutrition playing like a huge role. And the difference just from that after canceling out so many different supplements. There it was, yeah, it just kind of it faded away to from where I am now. I mean, there’s very few that I take. It’s like probiotics, multivitamins, and then protein powder if I’m running behind on meals, or whatever, but for me it food is king. And it always will be for sure.
Mat Lock
It’s interesting, isn’t it? As you say that as you did, you didn’t really pay attention to the nutrition side of it so much. It was just about, I guess chasing the promise that each of these different supplements offer. Did that have interests? The 10 different supplements a day? Did you feel any differently when you came off with them?
Max Cathcart
No, you tend to? No, not at all. You would just when you’re actually taking that money to you just feel like you don’t feel good. You’re always like, bloated with whatever, you’re just always pumping, whatever it is pills down. Right? There’s lots of different things. But yeah, like even like there’s, there’s like all the fat burners and stuff like that, that will make you feel really weird and, and jittery depending on like, the caffeine amount in them. And like, those are thermogenics. And then you have Yeah, there’s just like a lot of natural stuff too. But it’s just you kind of got to if you want to take supplements, you just got to figure out which ones you really need. And then kind of start from there and see if you notice a difference. But the main thing I would say is don’t take that many at once. Or just try focus on one for X amount of time and see if it played a difference in your life. See, if you feel different, you feel better. If you’re taking three or four, you don’t know which ones actually making you feel better or perform better. You You just don’t know. So it’s better if you take them to take them one by one for X amount, I would probably say a month or two and then see how that goes from there. Either either worked or did something or didn’t
Mat Lock
have and absolutely, yeah, sure. I mean trial and error. It’s Yeah. And then we Yeah, we’re all individual and what may or some sort of benefit for you, maybe for me and vice versa. So there’s no trying it as long as it’s a product in the first place. Or if it is if it’s being sold legitimately in any of the Western countries. So now you said that these days, you’re much more on a whole food diet.
Max Cathcart
Yes, yeah. So it’s been it’s been like that for quite a while. I would probably say since 18 1819. No, probably, yeah, 18 years old, is when it was that’s when I just hit that switch. And I was like, This is what needs to be done. This is kind of what’s going to either, like bring you up, or you’re going to stay the same kind of deal. So a lot of study and a lot of research into that. A lot of trial and error stuff on myself as well. Just trying seeing what foods work best with me. amounts wise as well as seeing how much I should be eating or how much I can eat. At that point it was seen how much I could eat. Cuz we all know when you’re trying to gain that, like just mass in general and you have a fast metabolism. You’re younger, you’re playing this much hockey already. I mean, there’s a lot of food that you need to eat. So it was it was all I was always eating. That’s that’s definitely what I remember. But no, it was it was good. But yeah, it was funny because my coaches thought like, Oh, he’s taking this like, like this hockey thing, like, pretty serious. And, I mean, I was, but like, my focus was completely somewhere else, because they would see how hard I trained and like, I would be training on dry land, but then I would also with the team, but then I would also be training after that as well like, by myself in the weights. And but yeah, it’s just my vision was was elsewhere. So the whole food diet definitely was was what made the difference for sure. Just feeling better.
Mat Lock
With results. A bit of a bit of a side sidestep. momentarily, but then when we talk about hockey, disco, everyone’s clear we’re talking about ice hockey, because you’re in Canada, right? Yeah. Yes. So I thought about when did you fit in your boxing training to help you with your hockey? Man, when did they do that? Well, ice hockey is not just about ice hockey, right?
Max Cathcart
Oh, yeah. It’s funny you say that though? Because we used to go to a place I think I’ve I don’t remember what it was called. But for our drylands. Like once a month, we would go to boxing gym, then they would teach us. plus, plus, they would do like, like the intense cardio, just crazy hit work as well. And, and we were doing that pretty young as well. But yeah, it was it was good stuff.
Mat Lock
Yeah, absolutely. Good skills. Yeah. So we’re fast forward to where we are today. So you’ve referenced to the turning point of view was around 1819. And you’re what 26 at the moment? I am. And you’re certainly very, very busy running a number of businesses.
Max Cathcart
Yeah, I got I got my one nutrition. And then I have this one called Oh, club manufacturer with my brother as well. So we both run this one together.
Mat Lock
Sure. So you’re a busy guy. No question. Yeah, sure. And so what is what is training look like for you at the moment, I guess, for you know, a lot of our audience are everyday athletes. You know, we all we all go to work. We all have home commitments, life commitments, and so on yet are for sure trying to while making time to train and to take care of ourselves and be healthy and happy. So I’m keen to hear how you balanced everything. I mean, I certainly the photographs on your website that know how recent they are, but I mean, you certainly you’ve obviously got an awesome physique. And you look incredibly strong, and how you maintain that whilst running businesses and everything else came to understand.
Max Cathcart
Yeah, yeah, no, it’s it kind of depends on on which way I’m going for look wise as well. So if it’s a cutting season, then there’s obviously a lot more that goes into it and I’m putting a lot more hours which I still, I still do pretty close to what I was doing for that. And I’ll probably carry on for quite a while into that as well like this year but let’s say it was offseason I was I want to do like an eight month bulk or something like that. That one is relatively simple, I would just I would just go for hour and a half in the morning or so. And I’m done for the day first thing in the morning you either be six or seven around there and then I’d be on the computer doing all the work stuff at nine, eight or nine and then I would be at four stop the computer stuff and then go to the shop or whatever else we need to do for the manufacturer and work till probably about usually about 10 o’clock and and that’s it but first thing in the morning for me is the best like it just if you feel good after it’s a My head feels a lot clearer as well. You get hydrated you get a lot more water in the morning to get your brain running. Ready to just tackle the day for sure. So I’m definitely morning guy. Late I just feel I’m I already just don’t want to go late. Like if I worked out at 10 I’ve done it before quite a few times. But that was probably because I was in a bind and I needed to get it in. So definitely not my first choice. But yeah, I mean, when it comes to fitting it all in your best friend is going to be your schedule. That is what it’s going to come down to especially entrepreneurs as well. Like they tend to have some flexibility within Office Hours I guess you would say and you can kind of leave when you want and and move stuff around like your work later or earlier. Whatever it is. So it’s you We just have to really break down your time and and look at where it’s going. And I’m sure you have the time there. I can promise that.
Mat Lock
Yeah, absolutely. And we’re gonna dive into, we’re gonna have another chat, we’re gonna dive into the whole topic of creating habits. Hell, yes. But in terms of your nutrition at the moment, I mean, do you? Do you do a big cook at once a week and a meal prep or habitat? Does that work for you?
Max Cathcart
Yeah, so I do, I do two times a week. I don’t want my food sitting there for six days or so. Right? You have to freeze maybe two days worth or something. And it just turns out, bro, so I usually do every Sunday and Wednesday are my prep days. The day before, that is when I get groceries as well. Just very routine with how I do it. And I’ve scheduled everything like that. I know how long it takes to make those meals, but I keep two of them at home. And I keep two on the road with me during the day. All very simple meals. I really like just keeping it simple. It’s not too complicated. It pretty much the same things every day. I like what I eat everyday as well. And yeah, like these foods that I’m eating still, right now I’ve probably had for the past three, four years, like straight. I mean, I’ll go out for dinners on weekends and, and whatnot. But for the most part, this is this is what I eat. I like it. And it works for me. And it definitely, it just brings down the confusion and trying to figure out tracking and trying to whatever you know. So like I know exactly how much to cook. I know what brings this much value. And I know I can stay within my calorie goals or my macro goals, whatever it is. And it’s really easy for me to do that. So that’s the way I do it. Not for everyone.
Mat Lock
That’s a key point is the fact that you’ve simplified, streamlined and Yeah. Which means it’s more attainable, more sustainable,
Max Cathcart
and sustainable. That’s the thing. You want to find out what really works for you and stick to it. I mean, if it’s tracking through My Fitness Pal, then all like all too. Yeah, I mean, I couldn’t do that. go nuts. But I’m
Mat Lock
doing it at the moment. Yeah, with a sports nutritionist Jen Ryan, just cuz I’m goals. I’d like to kick in them sort of making my Yeah, my habits. Yeah. physique, and strength gains and so on. And it’s interesting. I find it a pain in the bum tracking?
Max Cathcart
Yeah, yeah. So there’s a few different ways. Yeah, I was just gonna say there’s a few different ways to go about it we can get into later as well. But yeah, just making it as simple as you can. is going to be obviously the king to your progress. Yeah. And definitely, like just gaining that progress as well. So whatever it is, just try find what’s gonna work for you. And then how simple or how, how much more effective Can he do it? Or faster? Whatever it is. That’s what I would kind of look at. Yeah, especially if you’re so
Mat Lock
Maxim conscious of time. You’ve mentioned already that as a nutritionist is something that you offer, you offer that as an online service. Do you work with people overseas? And yeah, perfect country?
Max Cathcart
Yeah, so I have people from Sweden. There’s like it. There’s everywhere like that. All over the world. It’s online based. And yeah, it’s just you come to my page, you fill out applications, and then we kind of just take it from there.
Mat Lock
Yeah, sure. So what page would they go to? How would people get in touch with you?
Max Cathcart
Oh, yeah. So Instagram would be at max Cathcart. Or you can go to my website, and it’s just Max kaptara, calm. emails, just my last name first. name@gmail.com. And that’s pretty much it.
Mat Lock
Yeah. Again, keeping things super simple. I love it. We’ll make sure we put all of those links in the show notes, of course. And yeah. Looking forward to our next chat. Thank you. This one.
Max Cathcart
Yes. Thank you.
Mat Lock
Yeah. So next time.
