What we do...

Health Advantage is in the business of educating and empowering. We do that through the following...

1. Professional fitness training
2. Nutrition counseling
3. Fitness consulting
4. Program design

Our focus is to provide goal oriented training with a functional focus. We are experts in every aspect of wellness from strength, toning, fat loss, sport specific conditioning to cardiovascular and respiratory fitness.

Our mission statement is as follows:

We exist to serve...To create an atmosphere that enables people to feel like they belong and are an important part of our facility. We will maintain our equipment and keep an exceptionally clean facility, but that is not nearly enough...each person must know that they are not just a member, but are valued and cared for. It is not about the money!

The Squat

Exercise of the week...the SQUAT. We all need thigh, hip, hamstring, abductor and adductor, low back and abdominal strength and the squat works them all. In fact studies show that just squatting will increase overall body strength. Vary the distance your feet are apart. The squat is the most functional exercise there is.

The Man Maker...video

The Man Maker...You have got to try this exercise!!

GOALS

There are those who constantly fly by the seat of their pants and there are people who plan everything. While both types of personalities can have great progress in the gym, I know from experience that the best way to avoid wasting time and energy is to set realistic goals and then map out a plan of action. Look around the gym and you will see folks day after day performing the same exercises with the same weight. They may be appear to b working really hard but you see little or no change. There is a plethora of information available on the web that will guarantee progress. Everyday experts post goal specific routines, exercises, videos and diet tips. Most are free of charge! If you are one who is flying by the seat of your pants, then take a deep breath and critically look at your habits. A little research and planning will catapult you to new levels of progress and progress yields greater motivation. Take advantage of this blog...ask questions. Learn 1 new fitness or nutrition fact every day. START TODAY!

Burn baby BURN!

Want to burn a ton of calories, while building great cardio and lung capacity? Find the biggest hill you can and sprint to the top. Walk down, catch your breath and repeat. The big glute, thigh and hip muscles burn a boat load of calories with much less joint stress than running distance. It is really difficult but If you want amazing progress in terms of fat loss, heart and lung condition then your exercise routine MUST be uncomfortable. You have to push yourself through the heart pounding and lung burning! That's where the progress comes from.

Weight, cardio combination

Strength training is essential for muscle, bone, connective tissue & increasing metabolism. Cardio builds lung & heart capacity. Try putting them together. For example, 2 minutes on the elliptical followed by a set of squats, 1 minute jump rope followed by a set of dumbell bench press, 2 minutes walking up hill on the treadmill followed by set of straight leg dead lifts. Repeat for 30 minutes. Share your ideas.

Life is about BALANCE!

Many of us, in an effort to meet or maintain our goals cut out things we enjoy.  Well let me tell you something. STOP IT! life should be about balance and not deprivation.  Ok, you like Oreo cookies...who doesn't so on occasion eat a few. Enjoy your favorite guilty pleasure food and libation.  I'm not saying a whole bottle of your favorite wine or a pint of Ben & Jerry's, but an occasional glass, or a cup of ice cream will not only put a smile on your face, it will also help you stay on track.  Research has proven that this type of splurge actually helps prevent bingeing. 

Here is my best advice on splurging... 

1. Plan your treat and DO NOT cut our calories that day to "make room" for it.

2. Plan your treat after exercise when you have more glycogen storage and your metabolism is boosted.

3. PORTION CONTROL...again it is about balance.

Our goals should lead us to our permanent lifestyle that is healthy, positive, and reproducible on a daily basis. 

Life...Be in it! 

Cutting out sugar...here is a plan.

Are you ready to be sugar free! Here is a pretty simple 2 step approach. 1 Eliminate anything containing sugar, high fructose corn syrup or added fructose. 2 Replace all white starches with brown. The darker starches (brown rice, sweet potatoes, rye or pumpernickel bread etc) are lower on the glycemic index and therefore are absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly preventing an insulin spike and the potential conversion of glycogen to triglycerides.

2 of the basics

Everyone should be performing the following exercises on a regular basis. 1. Standard deadlifts 2. Squats These two exercises develop and maintain functional strength. They are absolutely the two most compound and most beneficial exercises known. I urge everyone to properly learn and master them. You will be amazed how they improve your overall strength and help prevent injuries.

COME GET SOME!

Try this workout and post your comments. ENJOY!

Just do it!

So on vacation we met a lovely couple Jeff and Peggy. The end of our dinner conversation was wellness. Here are some folks who a year ago decided to prioritize their health. They educated themselves, changed their eating habits, started exercising, have added life to their years and years to their life. Peggy...80 plus pounds lost, and you should have seen Jeff playing beach volleyball! Mad props to you both! Keep it up!!!

Same old, same results.

I know you have seen them, the people who come to the gym regularly get on the treadmill, hit the nautilus machines and go home. Then there are the ones who bench press, do a few pull downs, maybe some curls and bye bye. Instead of high stepping down the sideline towards the end zone, they're holding a ball for the place kicker. Now don't get me wrong, some exercise is better than none, but unless you move beyond the norm you will never break through your plateaus. Add a difficult new exercise, increase the incline and speed on the treadmill, change the order of your exercises by working the synergists first...change is good! Watch the people training around you and take note of the most fit people because they're probably working the hardest. Pick their brains and you'll likely find a plethora of fitness knowledge just waiting to be shared. Let me say this one more time...change is good!

Progress over 50.

I was recently asked if it was really possible to continue to make progress after 50. Here is the truth...you can make progress at any age. If you have muscle, then you burn calories. You have to work harder, smarter and eat better but progress is certainly going to continue. Don't give up, settle or let anyone tell you differently. Need some help, then just ask.