Core exercises: Beyond your average abs routine

from the Mayo Clinic
"A well-balanced core exercise routine focuses on more than your abs. Did you know that your core is where all movement in your body originates? Core exercises are an important part of overall fitness training that, except for the occasional sit-up or crunch, are often neglected. Core strengthening requires the regular and proper exercise of your body's 29 core muscles. Body position and alignment are crucial when performing core exercises. When you get started it is a good idea to have a fitness trainer or physical therapist help you perfect your techinique. For the full story click here.

Tips to Stay Fit During the Holidays from ACE

The Average Thanksgiving Meal has 3,000 Calories and 229 Grams of Fat. The American Council on Exercise Recommends:

You can make up for a feast of rich, higher- fat foods with lighter, lower-fat meals for the next couple of days. Plan for the big meal that day with a low-calorie, low-fat breakfast and lunch. Never skip meals, just limit them.
Look back and assess your diet over the past few days by recording your caloric intake with a food diary. Have you been over-indulging at recent party feasts? Are there additional celebrations looming? Try eating sensibly in order to afford the extra calories come meal time.
Don’t panic or feel guilty if your diet seems to have gotten out of hand. When you balance your intake over several days, you have ample time to regain control.
Make physical activity a regular habit. Beyond burning calories, exercise is essential for good health, stress management (oftentimes a challenge during the busy holiday season) and overall well-being. Working out consistently will help jump-start your metabolism allowing you to burn more of those calories from your holiday binge.
Have a salad, light soup or some fruit and veggies before leaving home or prior to your meal. This way you will feel fuller and less likely to overeat.
Select only your favorite foods at a holiday buffet and let other guests enjoy traditional fare like nuts, rolls and sweet potatoes.
Practice portion control. A smaller serving of the real thing can be very satisfying and calorie-trimming.
For the full story click here

Fit Facts are reprinted from ACE FitnessMatters® magazine permission granted.

BREAKFAST, WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

A growing body of evidence indicates breakfast is good for your health. "Studies show that people who eat breakfast —
especially a healthy breakfast — are more likely to:
- Consume more vitamins & minerals and less fat & cholesterol during the day:
- Have more strength and endurance;
- Have better concentration and be more productive throughout the morning;
- Control their weight;
- Have lower cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease;
Click here to read about breakfast and healthy suggestions from the Mayo Clinic.

For those interested in a body-builder's perspective on the importance of breakfast, read Danielle Nagel's article and protein fortified fruit pancake recipe at Bodybuilding.com.

BUSTING THE FAT BURNING ZONE MYTH

The more total calories you burn the more fat you lose

"It's true that the body burns a higher percentage of calories from fat during more mellow exercise like walking and easy cycling. But, when you pick up the pace for a higher-intensity cardio workout, you burn a greater number of overall calories (which should be your focus for weight loss) and subsequently just as much total fat. What's more, high-intensity exercise kicks your metabolism into high gear even after you're done working out." Accoding to Prevention Magazine Fitness Director Michele Stanton. Read all about it here.

What are you doing better?

From some of my clients . . .
Last month, NYSC employees were given _________better Tshirts to help launch the clubs new ad campaign. To fill in the blank, I asked my clients what they can do better since we have been working together. Thanks for your kind input.
sleep
everything
play with my kids
live
love
smile
swim/bike/marathon
work
check out myself in store windows
looking forward to seeing each day
Barbados
honeymoon

$190 RAISED TO HELP HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS: A dollar donation for every training session in September

Thanks to my Clients for helping to make this nice contribution! Click here to make your own donation on the Red Cross website.

TIPS FOR LATE NIGHT SNACKERS

"While a couple of snacks are a good thing during the day -- they give your metabolism a little boost so you burn calories, they give you an energy lift, and they help you spread out your calories so you don’t overeat at any one meal -- late-night snacking is one of the worst habits you can get into. Read the full story and some solutions by clicking here.

THE BEST AND WORST ABDOMINAL EXERCISES

Researchers from the American Council on Exercise recruited 30 men and women of different fitness levels and tested the effectiveness of many different abdominal exercises and machines, using electromyography equipment to measure muscle activity .
The three best:
- Bicycles
- Captain’s Chair (Knee Raises)
- Crunches on a Stability Ball
Although crunches on a ball generated less activity in the obliques and rectus abdominus (6 pack muscle) than the top two exercises, the exercise also generated significantly less activity in the rectus femoris (a quadricep/hip flexor) – making it, arguably, the best overall exercise of the lot, the report says. The Ab Roller was proven to be virtually no more effective than the traditional crunch while the AB Rocker was shown to be up to 80 percent less effective. To read the whole report, click here.

SNACKING: WHICH FOODS ARE HEALTHY, WHICH ARE NOT

The Truth About Rice Cakes, Bagels & Snack Bars . . .
Many of the snacks we believe are good for us contain ingredients that are actually unhealthy, experts caution. Marketing is often to blame, explains Rick Hall, who teaches nutrition at Arizona State University. “They’re packaged to look healthy, sometimes almost in a devious way, but it comes down to the consumer’s lack of knowledge, too,” Hall says. To help raise your awareness, this article reveals nine snacks we often misconstrue, along with some truly healthy alternatives, click here to read it.

TOOLS FOR A HEALTHIER DIET

Here are some planning resources from the US Government

STEP 1 - Click here to Determine Your Daily Caloric Needs To take off one pound per week, you'll need to reduce calories by 500 per day. (One pound of body fat equals about 3,500 calories.) Try eating 250 calories less per day and exercising enough to burn 250 calories— like walking about 2.5 miles each day. The easiest way to cut back on calories is to watch your portion sizes.
STEP 2 - Click here to see a sample menu that provides 2000 calories a day . It gives one example of how all of the recommendations for food group and nutrient intake can be integrated into a weekly menu.