Eat to Lose Pounds

Fit back into your jeans faster: Trainer Jay Cardillo created this seven day eating plan to help his celeb clients achieve their lean Hollywood looks. The idea is to switch up your carb intake throughout the week - alternating low carb days with moderate days - to keep your metabolism humming and lose weight fast. Plus, you'll always feel full and have energy to spare.

Days 1 and 2

Breakfast

Omlet with 4 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 1/4 c minced broccoli or asparagus, 1 tsp shredded low-fat cheese

1 c plain coffee or green tea

12 oz water

Snack

1/4 c plain nonfat yogurt and 6 cherries OR 12 oz protein shake with 1 scoop protein powder (low carb, low sugar, less than 115 calories)

20 oz water

Lunch

6 oz grilled chicken breast

3 c lettuce with 2 Tbsp light or low-fat dressing

1/2 c steamed broccoli, asparagus, green beans, peas, or carrots

20 oz water

Snack

8 almonds OR 12 oz protein shake OR apple OR banana with 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter

20 oz water

Dinner

8 oz grilled chicken, beef, turkey, OR Boca burger (no bread/bun)

1/2 c steamed broccoli or asparagus

3 c plain lettuce with 2 Tbsp fat-free dressing, lemon juice, or basalmic vinegar

20 oz water

Snack

1/4 c cottage cheese with 1/2 c mixed berries OR 6 cherries

Days 3-7

Breakfast

Omlet with 4 egg whites and minced asparagus and 1 slice plain whole wheat toast OR 12 oz protein shake and 1 apple with 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter

1 c green tea

12 oz water

Snack

1/4 c plain non-fat yogurt with 1/2 c mixed berries OR 6 cherries OR 8 almonds

20 oz water

Lunch

Pick One: Small sweet potato OR small baked potato OR 1/4 c brown rice OR 1 slice whole wheat pita or bread WITH

Pick One: 6 oz tuna in water, grilled chicken, tuna or turkey; turkey or Boca burger (no bread or bun) OR 2 c plain lettuce with 2 Tbsp lemon juice or low-fat balsamic vinaigrette OR 1 c broccoli with 2 Tbsp honey mustard

20 oz water

Snack

8 almonds OR 6 cherries OR apple with 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter

20 oz water

Dinner

Pick One: 6 oz sirloin steak, beef burger, grilled chicked or turkey OR 8 oz tuna, slamon or fresh water fish WITH

1/4 c steamed brown rice OR 3 c lettuce with 2 Tbsp fat-free dressing OR 1/2 c mixed vegetables OR 2 Tbsp honey mustard

20 ox water

Snack

1/4 c plain nonfat yogurt w 1/2 c berries OR 14 c cottage cheese with 1/2 c berries

Your Core Curriculum

For a Whittled Middle, Commit These Four Rules to Memory:

1. Your spine is already flexed, don't make it worse.
If your day is spent hunched over a computer or a steering wheel, your spine is in a constantly flexed position (you're straightening up right now, aren't you?), leading to poor posture and a weak core. So why would you worsen the problem with spine-flexing exercises like crunches? The moves in this program help prevent or correct misaligned posture.

2. The terms core and abs are not interchangeable.
Crunches work your abs, but for the highest benefits, you need to work your entire core, which is made up of the four layers of the abs (rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques, and transverse abdominis), hip flexors, spine extensors, hip adductors (inner thigh muscles), hip abductors (including gluteus medius), and multifidus.

3. Move more and often.
Consider this stat: Each 10 percent rise in sedentary time is associated with a 3.1 centimeter larger waist circumference. (Ahh!) Researchers found that, of the waist measurements of people who got up most often were more thatn two inches smaller than those of people who got up the least.

4. It's not just about gym time.
A study found that while a group's average weight loss after a 12-week fitness program was about eight pounds, individual results ranged from a loss of 32 pounds to gains of almost four pounds. So although exercise is the key for shedding belly flab, weight control still comes down to calories. To drop weight, you simply have to burn off more of them than you take in.

Adapted from The New Rules of Lifting for Abs: A Myth-Busting Fitness Plan for Men and Women Who Want s Strong Core and a Pain-Free Back, by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove (Avery)

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/ab-workout-women

Mayo Clinic promotes Strength Training for Kids

The very prominent and well respected Mayo Clinic addressed the question of whether or not it is appropriate for children to engage in strength training. They begin their article with:

"Strength training for kids? You bet! Done properly, strength training offers many bonuses to young athletes. Strength training is even a good idea for kids who simply want to look and feel better. In fact, strength training can put your child on a lifetime path to better health and fitness."

At Advanced Fitness we focus on Functional Training every client based on the internationally known Functional Movement Screen where we can focus on rehabilitating the client while training them as safely as possible. Our Youth Athlete strength training will focus on body weight and core stability training. Here's what Mayo Clinic recommended youth training shoulder involve:

"For kids, light resistance and controlled movements are best — with a special emphasis on proper technique and safety. Your child can do many strength training exercises with his or her own body weight or inexpensive resistance tubing."
It seems the Mayo Clinic has been keeping a close watch on what's going on at Advanced Fitness. We recommend starting Youth Sport Training at 12 years of age. We do believe there is a place for fitness training for ages 8-11. It's just where we want to start. At twelve, children are usually capable of working in a small group better and can follow verbal cues for proper training. I have read a few really strange articles recently about starting kids as early as 4 months of age. There are facilities where you can sign you 6 month old up for fitness / sport training. Check out this N.Y. Times article for a quick laugh.

The Big Mistake...

So many people feel that they are qualified to train children or even themselves for that matter. Nothing makes me cringe more than hearing a parent talk about how he/she is putting their child through their workout. Would these same parents act as their child's pediatrician if the child were sick? A recent article in the Wall Street Journal Online documented that there is a significant rise in youth fitness training in the U.S. today. They also addressed the fact that youth fitness training should not be considered something that any parent can do.

""I'm not a fan of strength training at home unless Mom or Dad has a background in PE and understands pediatric strength-training guidelines," says Avery Faigenbaum, a supporter of youth strength-training, a professor of exercise science at the College of New Jersey and lead author of the NSCA position paper."(The NSCA is a leading organization in Sports Training. At Advanced Fitness, we have 2 NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and a NSCA Certified Personal Trainer)

At Advanced Fitness we are offering an opportunity to experience Youth Sports Training. We will be providing a complimentary Youth Sports Camp every Sunday from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Each Youth Athlete will require an Initial Assessment and Functional Movement Screen to determine if they can participate. Send us an email at info@fit224.com if you are interested in determining if your child can participate.

Advanced Fitness is a Functional Movement Screen Certified Center, check out our listing on the Functional Movement Screen website. We are listed under Dr. John Wilkins, CSCS - Advanced Fitness of Kennett Square. Click here to find out a little more about the FMS.

Youth Sports Training, Everybody's Doing It!

Childhood obesity is skyrocketing and kids are spending too much time with mind-numbing, brain-melting video games.

Keep your kids healthy and ensure their success on the playing field by getting them the professional sports training coaching they deserve. For a limited time, experience what Youth Sports Training is all about.

We are offering a FREE camp on Sundays from 4:00-5:30pm. Each youth athlete must pass an initial assessment and Functional Movement Screen to be eligible. The first 10 athletes that are interested will receive their initial assessment and Functional Movement Screen at no cost to them (regular fee $49.00)

Stay tuned for more information!