Dr. & Coach Alessandro Vismara Personal Trainer

04/12/2025

A lot of people blame themselves for struggling with weight, when in reality their genetics may be doing half the work behind the scenes.

The FTO gene is one of the biggest genetic contributors to appetite, fat storage, and how your body burns calories. Certain variants of this gene can make you feel hungrier, prefer calorie-dense foods, and store fat more easily.

But you’re not stuck with that outcome. Research shows that physical activity, high-protein diets, good sleep, and proper stress management can noticeably reduce the effects of FTO risk variants. Lifestyle matters.

When you actually understand your FTO status, you can stop guessing and start using strategies that work with your biology instead of fighting it blindly. That’s where personalized testing and coaching really shine.

Learn how the FTO gene affects obesity, metabolism, and weight loss.

03/12/2025

Plant-based foods get criticized because of antinutrients, and most of it is blown out of proportion.

Phytates, lectins, oxalates, and tannins can reduce nutrient absorption, but only if the foods are eaten raw or not prepared correctly. Cooking, soaking, sprouting, and fermenting all reduce antinutrients to levels that aren’t a problem for the average person.

Also many of these same compounds have benefits, like antioxidant effects, gut support, potential cancer protection and might provide better cholesterol management.

Plant based foods aren’t bad for you. They’re some of the most reliable, nutrient-dense foods we have. A little preparation is all it takes to get the best out of them.

Learn what antinutrients are, their effects on health, and practical tips for reducing their impact. Optimize your nutrition today!

01/12/2025

Folic acid deficiency affects far more than energy levels. Vitamin B9 is essential for DNA synthesis, methylation reactions, red blood cell formation, and neural development.
Individuals with MTHFR polymorphisms (especially homozygous C677T) have significantly reduced ability to convert folic acid into its active form, L-methylfolate.

This can lead to elevated homocysteine, impaired detoxification pathways, neurocognitive symptoms, mood disorders, and increased pregnancy complications.

If you experience chronic fatigue, cognitive issues, pallor, or shortness of breath, it’s worth assessing both nutritional status and MTHFR genotype.

Genetic testing helps you take informed intervention.

Discover how the MTHFR gene influences folic acid levels, the risks of folic acid deficiency, and how genetic testing can optimize your health.

29/11/2025

Sleep is still the most underrated part of health. Everyone wants the fancy supplement stack, the perfect program, the stupid biohacks… but they skip the one thing that would instantly upgrade everything: quality sleep.
When you sleep well, your stress hormones balance, recovery skyrockets, fat loss gets easier, cravings drop, and your brain actually works the way it’s supposed to.
If you don't do something about it you will have slower progress, worse workouts, bad mood and lower productivity.

Expert-backed strategies to drastically improve your sleep quality. Enhance your health with Empowerise's top sleep optimization tips.

27/11/2025

BCAAs are one of the most overhyped supplements in the game.
If you’re already eating enough protein, BCAAs add nothing except a hole in your wallet.
The real use cases for BCAAs are incredibly limited.
Do they help with soreness? Barely. Fat loss? Nope. Endurance? Only in niche cases.

There are rare situations where BCAAs make sense (fasted training, low-protein diets, certain medical needs), but for most people they’re just expensive flavoured water.

If you want real results:
• Eat real protein rich foods
• Sleep properly
• Follow a smart program

Find out why BCAAs may not be the performance or muscle-building miracle you're told they are.

26/11/2025

People love arguing about fat loss in a polarized way:
Team “Calorie Deficit or Nothing” vs Team “Carbs & Insulin Are the Real Enemy.”

BOTH MATTER.

Yes, you must be in a calorie deficit to lose fat. You can't escape the laws of thermodynamics.
But food quality determines your hunger, energy, cravings, and whether you can actually maintain that deficit without feeling like a zombie.

Whole foods keep insulin stable, help with satiety, and make the process sustainable.
Track your intake or follow a professionally made diet, choose nutrient-dense foods, train hard, sleep enough, handle stress.
Simple doesn’t mean easy, but it works every time.

Uncover the science behind fat loss with Empowerise. Learn how calorie deficit and insulin impact fat loss.

14/06/2025

Carrying the FTO risk variant can add ~3kg to your weight by increasing hunger, lowering satiety, and shifting how your body stores fat. Genetics shape your starting point. Lifestyle still matters, but the playing field isn’t level for everyone.

Learn how the FTO gene affects obesity, metabolism, and weight loss.

12/06/2025

Most people don’t need nitric oxide supplements. But if you're serious about endurance or recovery, L-citrulline and dietary nitrates (like beetroot) can boost blood flow and efficiency. No hype. They are not going to substitute serious aerobical work.

Learn if Nitric Oxide Supplements are effective for training and how Empowerise coaching can help optimize your results.

08/06/2025

Antinutrients aren’t villains. They’re misunderstood compounds that can block nutrients, but also fight cancer, lower cholesterol, and more. They can actually be especially beneficial for certain genotypes. The key lies in preparation, balance, and knowledge of your genetics.

Learn what antinutrients are, their effects on health, and practical tips for reducing their impact. Optimize your nutrition today!

08/06/2025

Discover how the MTHFR gene influences folic acid levels, the risks of folic acid deficiency, and how genetic testing can optimize your health.

20/05/2025

Still tired even after 8 hours of sleep?

Here’s the truth no one likes to hear — sleep isn't just about clocking hours, it's about quality. You can “sleep” 8 hours and still wake up drained if your sleep sucks.

Fix it today. Here’s how 🧠💤

🔗 empowerise.me/blog/sleep-quality-guide

Expert-backed strategies to drastically improve your sleep quality. Enhance your health with Empowerise's top sleep optimization tips.

13/05/2025

Most people taking BCAAs are just paying for fancy flavored water.

If you're already eating enough high-quality protein, they don’t do much.
They don’t build more muscle. They don’t burn fat.
They’re hyped, not helpful.

Spend that money on steak or a nap.

Find out why BCAAs may not be the performance or muscle-building miracle you're told they are.