ATL Fitness Club Featured Fitness Guru: Stephanie Yackley, Founder of SporTots

Yes, our little ones need fitness too! It's never too soon to teach them active lifestyle behaviors, right?

Enter Stephanie Yackley, founder and main coach of SporTots ... an organization promoting sports activities for young children!

Here's a closer look at Stephanie's background and passion for sports, kids, and optimal health at a young age!

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U.S. Senator David Vittor said it best when recently discussing the topic of children: “I continue to believe that if children are given the necessary tools to succeed, they will succeed beyond their wildest dreams!" 

Stephanie Yackley, Founder and Activities Coordinator for SporTots, one of Atlanta’s recreational organizations for young children, lives by this same philosophy.

“I’ve always loved children,” Yackley expresses, “and being able to teach kids the importance and fun of sports at such a young age is definitely my passion.”

Yackley formed SporTots in March of 2011 and has been growing her organization at a rapid rate throughout Metro Atlanta. SporTots not only provides summer camps and organized sports activities for youth as young as two, the organization also provides after-school programs and weekend activities.

Yackley’s athletic background (she played soccer at the club, varsity, and recreational levels growing up) and enlistment in the military can be credited for her determination to stay fit and teach others about maintaining an active lifestyle.

Yackley’s experience in working with children started several years ago, when she began teaching preschool gymnastics and Sports & Movement classes locally. Now, with the evolution of SporTots, Stephanie is able to take her love for youngsters to a whole new level.

SporTots continues to spread its wings across the Metro Atlanta area, with a multitude of programs in Sandy Springs and south Atlanta.

For more information on SporTots or to enroll your child in a program today, please visit their web site at: SporTots.com .

ATL Fitness club Promotes FREE Testosterone Testing at InShapeMD

If you're in the Atlanta metro area, you may want to take advantage of this promotion: FREE testosterone testing throughout the month of October at InShapeMD in Alpharetta!

Not only are optimal testosterone levels essential for getting and staying lean, men & women BOTH need testosterone for: 

--increased libido

--increased energy

--improved sense of well-being

--better weight loss results

Here's a look at the latest deal our friends at InShapeMD are promoting this month...

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InShapeMD® in Alpharetta, GA promotes testosterone therapy ( BHRT ) for both men and women 35 and older with free testosterone testing.

Franchise of comprehensive wellness clinics rolls out hormone restoration to InShapeMD®  locations nationwide.

In an effort to expand its evolving menu of wellness products and services, InShapeMD® in Alpharetta, GA is proudly offering a free testosterone test for men and women via blood (serum) testing throughout the month of October. InShapeMD® is specifically targeting those who are at least 35 years old and feel they may be living with or suffering from a hormone imbalance. This recent promotion for free testosterone testing is being rolled out to the Atlanta metro area in attempts to raise more awareness about testosterone deficiency, its causes, symptoms, and best of all, the methods of treatment available at InShapeMD®.

The free testosterone testing simply requires  those interested to schedule an appointment and come into the Alpharetta location (there are currently 5 other InShapeMD®  locations in the Atlanta metro area) to complete the appropriate paperwork. Upon completion of all forms prospective patients will spend some time with a wellness consultant to review current symptoms and medical history. Based on the consultation, blood work can be done the same day and results will be available within one week. From each person’s lab results, an InShapeMD® physician or prescriber can help determine which type of treatment would be best for each individual.

Rich Starkey, operations manager of InShapeMD® in Alpharetta, GA, explains that, “We want men and women to understand that they don’t have to feel run down or unhappy about their appearance because of difficulty losing weight. They don’t have to feel like a decreased libido is a sensitive subject to discuss, either. With the different types of treatment InShapeMD® now offers, men and women can go back to feeling like themselves again, and that’s the best part about bio-identical hormone therapy.”

“We introduced BHRT to our franchises in late 2011, but we are ramping up our efforts more than ever to ensure that every adult who thinks they are going through menopause or andropause… doesn’t actually have to feel anxious or apprehensive about seeking treatment for their symptoms,” said Mark Potts, COO of InShapeMD®.

While celebrities like Suzanne Somers continue to create a buzz about hormone replacement therapy, pharmaceutical companies have also begun a major push for HRT with their “ Low T ” campaigns.

Now InShapeMD®, which is one of the nation’s fastest-growing anti-aging franchises, is also working to expand Americans’ knowledge of bio-identical hormone restoration.

Prospective patients who would like to receive their free testosterone blood test are urged to contact our InShapeMD® location in Alpharetta to schedule an appointment before the end of October. The facility’s hours are 10am-6pm Monday through Friday and 9am-2pm on Saturdays. For more information please visit InShapeMD.com.

 About InShapeMD®

Founded in 2009, InShapeMD® is a franchise of comprehensive wellness clinics specializing in medical weight loss, testosterone therapy (Bio-Identical Hormone Restoration), and nutraceuticals. Each location is physician-supervised and staffed with a medical & nutritional team to provide support to each patient every step of the way. With more than 50 locations around the U.S., InShapeMD®  offers a variety of affordable programs to consumers and businesses including prescription weight loss, anti-aging, pharmaceutical-grade supplements, food allergy testing, and many more products/services. To learn more about InShapeMD® visit InShapeMD.com .

InShapeMD® Franchising Opportunities

InShapeMD® invites you to visit our website at www.InShapeMDfranchise.com to explore our franchise opportunities. To learn more about all available anti-aging, medical weight loss and prescription HCG services, contact one of the many InShapeMD® locations near you. For a list of locations and additional information visit our website: www.InShapeMD.com .

ATL Fitness Club Featured Blogger Jasmine Parr Says, "Treat Your Body Like a Temple, Not a Dumpster!"

Momma always said life was like a box of brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and salad! Didn’t she? Does that not sound appealing? I wish momma had started me out on more vegetables, instead every second of the day I yearn for something sweet. I am a self-admitted sugar ADDICT! I say that last sentence with the utmost serious tone. Mount Everest… sure. CrossFit “Angie”… sure. Marathon…sure. No sugar…. Houston we have a problem! My horrible eating habits as a kid continue to sabotage me from seeing the results I really want! Its like I take 2 steps forward and 3 back. I know I’m not the only one with this problem! So how does this happen and what can we try and do about it?!

Dr. Robert H. Lustig has done extensive research on this topic and by his theories we were born this way. Think about before agriculture; back then our only source of sugar came from fruit. Now a days sugar and high fructose corn syrup are cheap to refine and are found in everything!! Could you eat 10 oranges at a time? The answer is probably no. This is because it has natural fiber that slows our consumption down, but I bet I could eat several candy bars or pints of Ben and Jerry’s. Thus this leads to another researched area of sugar addiction. Dr. Eric Stice has used functional MRI scanners to learn how our brain reacts to sugar. He says, “sugar reacts to our brain in a special way that is reminiscent to drugs like cocaine”. It hits the same reward regions in our brain and a chemical called dopamine is released, just like in drugs or alcohol. The worse thing is that with continued use we need more of it to create the same effect and stimulation for our brain. Eyyy yiii yii!!!

What have we gotten ourselves into! The only resolution for me is to now resist everything that has refined sugar and is processed. This way I know there are no hidden sugars in it! Also when you feel a craving coming on do some burpees! It sounds funny and a little ridiculous but I promise it will help control your food intake and cravings. Lastly, be mindful of what you are putting into your body! We need to start treating our bodies like a temple, not a dumpster!! Let’s do this!!

Here's to Achieving the Look,

--Jaz

References: “Is Sugar Toxic?” CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2012.

Junk n' Stupor: ATL Fitness Clubs 7 Foods to Avoid

The hardest part about eating clean is educating yourself about the foods that are truly "healthful" choices, and the ones that are just, well... garbage.

So ATL Fitness Club (with the help of our friends at Shape Magazine) is sharing with you this list of what NOT to buy during your next trip to the grocery store. Here's what Shape calls the 7 Foods a Nutritionist Would Never Eat:

1) Rice cakes. These may only have a few calories and give you that "crunch" you're craving, but they'll also send your blood sugars on a roller coaster ride.

2) Fat-Free Salad Dressings. Yes, they are fat-free, but they can be LOADED with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and all kinds of synthetic ingredients that make the nutrition label look like a page from your chemistry textbook!

3) Seitan. Okay many of us may not even eat this (or know what it is) but we're just putting it out there. Seitan is a meat substitute which is made entirely of wheat gluten. Eating too much of this could cause you to develop a sensitivity (or even an intolerance) to gluten.

4) Shark. Sure, we know that eating fish (certain kinds) will give us a healthy dose of Omega-3 fats, but this type of seafood in particular should be avoided. Why? Because shark meat has extremely high levels of mercury.

5) Refined and Re-fortified grains. This includes most cereals, pastas, and rice products...and you should steer clear of them not only because of the extremely high carb content, but also because the naturally-occurring fiber, vitamins, and minerals are usually removed and replaced with synthetic versions. Gross, who wants to eat lab-manufactured mac & cheese?!

6) Sugar-Sweetened Drinks. Yes, we're talking about soda, fruit juice, sweet teas, and lots of energy drinks! Cutting these out of your diet will SIGNIFICANTLY reduce your sugar intake for the day, not to mention disrupt your body's inflammatory balance (which is totally necessary for efficient recovery from your workouts).

7) Grits. Sorry, Southern Belles and Cowboys...this one is on the DO NOT EAT list! Grits is just another word for "processed corn leftovers." Not many of us enjoy the idea of leftovers in the first place, let alone the remnants of genetically modified products like those yellow cobs o' corn. Furthermore, grits dishes tend to be jam-packed with cream, butter, cheese, and all kinds of other unhealthful stuff we could definitely do without when trying to Achieve The Look .

So there you have it. 7 foods to remove from your vocabulary, your grocery list, your pantry, and most of all, your belly!

As some anonymous person once said, "Your stomach shouldn't be a wastebasket."

--The ATL Fitness Club

ATL Fitness Club Says, "Abs-olutely NOT" (to the Ab Machines at Your Local Gym)!

One of the oddest-sounding lines we spit out at friends and ATL Fitness Club gurus the most is that, "Abs are made in the kitchen."

We swear by this philosophy, and we will continue to say it until we can convince everyone to avoid the ab machines at your local gym (like the Plague).

Truth is, you can do all the crunches and sit-ups and Ab Lounge and Ab Roller exercises you want...especially if your sole purpose is to strengthen your core .

But if you're on a mission to shrink your waistline or wake up tomorrow with a 6-pack, ab exercises are definitely NOT the answer.

So here's what we mean by "Abs are made in the kitchen" ... It means that your diet, IN CONJUNCTION with your workout routine, is truly what will give you that marvelous mid-section.Our friends at Fit-Geek say the same thing ( http://fit-geek.com/2012/02/reader-qa-to-crunch-or-not-to-crunch/ ). We're not saying you shouldn't work on your abdominal muscles ever, we're just saying that until you lose the fat on top of your abs first, the results from all your bicycle sit-ups and medicine ball crunches will never become visible in the mirror.

Moral of the story? If you want to have a rockin' body with a flat stomach , you must first CHANGE THE WAY YOU EAT. Not only will you improve the way you feel, your body will start to show you the rewards of eating clean (and training mean, of course).

So what are you waiting for? Remove that fast food and processed stuff from your diet, start doing more cardio, and you will be well on your way towards Achieving The Look.

--The ATL Fitness Club

ATL Fitness Club New Products & Merchandise NOW AVAILABLE!

ATL Fitness Club now has 8 products / merchandise available for purchase!

Here's a look at our new stuff...

And to place your order go to our web site: ATLfitnessclub.com .

Here's to Achieving The Look!

--The ATL Fitness Club

Green Coffee Bean Extract Supplements from ATL Fitness Club Coming Soon!

Doctor Oz was raving about them, and so is ATL Fitness Club!

We're talking about Green Coffee Bean Extract supplements ... and they will soon be available for you to purchase from your fitness friends at ATL Fitness Club .

So what is GREEN COFFEE BEAN EXTRACT , exactly? Well Dr. Oz refers to them as a " fat burner in a bottle ."

In his TV segment featuring this supplement, Doctor Oz discusses a recent study from (what he refers to as) "the world's largest scientific society." This study observed test subjects who took GREEN COFFEE BEAN EXTRACT with a 2,400 calorie diet (each day).

The test subjects lost more than 10% of their body weight and 16% of their total body fat while taking the green coffee bean supplements for just 12 weeks... That's an average of 17 lbs. per participant, with ZERO side effects!

Okay so how does GREEN COFFEE BEAN EXTRACT work?

Dr. Lindsey Duncan (a Naturopath Doctor) explains this in 3 ways on Doctor Oz 's show :

1) Green coffee bean extract causes the body to burn glucose and sugar.

2) Green coffee bean extract slows the release of sugar into your bloodstream, which keeps fat from building up in the body.

3) Green coffee bean extract has a synergistic effect on the body, which helps burn AND block fat, without any side effects.

If you don't believe us, then you can check out Doctor Oz 's video here: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/miracle-pill-burn-fat-pt-1

And when you're ready to purchase your own bottle, simply go to our site and reserve your own for just $24.99 by clicking here: ATLfitnessclub.com .

It's about that time...for you to burn the fat and Achieve The Look!

--The ATL Fitness Club

gH Boost : ATL Fitness Club 's Newest Supplement Now Available!

They're here! ATL Fitness Club 's newest supplement, gH Boost is NOW IN STOCK!

Wanna know more about it? Here are the details...

DESCRIPTION:

gH Boost capsules contain 700 mg of pure, crystalline L-Arginine.

FUNCTIONS:

L-arginine is a conditionally essential dibasic amino acid. The body is usually capable of producing sufficient amounts of arginine, but in conditions of physical stress (e.g., trauma or illness) endogenous synthesis is often inadequate to meet the increased demands.

L-arginine can either be used for glucose synthesis or catabolized to produce energy via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. It is needed for tissue protein synthesis and ammonia detoxification via the urea acid cycle.

L-arginine is required for the synthesis of creatine phosphate. Similar to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), creatine phosphate functions as a carrier of readily available energy for contractile work in muscles. Adequate reservoirs of creatine phosphate are necessary in muscle as an energy reserve foranaerobic activity.

L-arginine is also a precursor of polyamines, including putrescine, spermine and spermidine. Spermine and spermidine interact with DNA, act as

physiological growth regulators of cell proliferation, and are involved in the stabilization of cell membranes and cell organelles.

L-arginine is a potent stimulator of insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone release, and functions as a representative signal to the endocrine system that

dietary protein ingestion has taken place.

SUGGESTED USE:

One to four capsules, an hour and a half before exercise or before bedtime.

SIDE EFFECTS:

No adverse side effects have been reported.

To order your own bottle of ATL Fitness Club 's gH Boost click here: http://www.atlfitnessclub.com/shop/gh-boost/

Here's to better pumps during your weight workout, and a natural boost in your growth hormone levels!

--The ATL Fitness Club

References: Douglas Labs.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

"Flabs of Steel:" ATL Fitness Club 's 5 Things NOT to Do in the Gym (if you're trying to lose weight)!

Let's be honest. When we're in the gym there are always those certain members working out beside you (on the treadmill or in the weight area) who desire to lose weight , but are simply going about it the wrong way during their exercise regimen. So here's a list from ATL Fitness Club of the 5 Things You Shouldn't Do in the Gym when you're trying to lose a considerable amount of weight:

1. Abs.

Abs, first of all, are made in the kitchen. By this we mean, you will never truly be able to see your abs until you correct your diet. When you start eating healthfully and begin losing weight in your mid-section, only then will you be able to identify that 6-pack you've been searching for all this time.

2. Training Heavy.

In order to lean out, you initially want to completely exhaust your muscles, and rebuild the fibers within your body parts. Repetition is key, so you want to work your muscles using light weights and lots of repetitions (as in 15 to 20 reps per set), instead of using heavy weights (and only going 6-10 reps per set). Training heavy will only cause you to bulk up, which will definitely NOT result in weight loss.

3. Cardio for Long Periods of Time at a Mediocre Pace.

In order to burn the maximum number of calories, it's important to get your heart rate up. So if you're walking at a moderate pace for one hour, you won't benefit from cardio training as well as you would by doing 30 minutes of interval training (as in, 30 seconds of running and 2 minutes of walking, alternated for an entire half hour, followed by a 5-minute cool down).

4. Using Unnecessary Machinery.

Using weight machines/devices such as the flat bench, leg press, squat rack, etc. are NOT essential for losing weight. These machines are generally designed for athletes aiming to put on size. If weight loss is your primary goal, then focus on exercises that will burn the maximum amount of calories per set, such as leg extensions, lunges, step-ups, etc. Try to execute high reps of exercises that will keep your heart rate up throughout the duration of your workout.

5. Doing Long and Slow-Paced Workouts.

We can't stress enough that your entire time in the gym (or outdoors) working out should be spent increasing your heart rate. So if you're talking on the phone while walking on the treadmill or reading a book while you're pedaling on the stationary bike, you may not be doing enough to burn the maximum amount of calories during your workout. It's not about the amount of time you spend in the gym (because some people like to brag about spending 2 hours in the gym a day)...it's about what you actually accomplish while you're working out--especially if you're trying to lose weight.

So remember: Just because you go to the gym to work out does NOT mean you have to lift heavy, use machines you're unfamiliar with, or that you need to hang out for hours at a time. What you do in a short amount of time to get your heart rate up is the most crucial part of the visit to your local workout facility. In just 30 minutes to an hour, you can get a quality workout in if you're spending your time wisely. And by doing the right exercises in that amount of time, you'll be able to reach your weight loss goals, and ultimately...Achieve The Look.

For more information about fitness , nutrition , cardio , or strength training , visit our web site (and become a member for FREE) at: ATLfitnessclub.com .

Here's to the burn, burn, burn!

-The ATL Fitness Club

ATL Fitness Club 's Featured Trainer: Jerrad Batten

If you're in need of someone to give you a good kick in the rear so you can get back into shape, why not invest in a personal trainer?

ATL Fitness Club 's featured trainer of the month, Jerrad Batten, is from Douglasville, Georgia.

Jerrad is becoming well-known in the Atlanta-metro area not only for his reputable personal training skills, but also for his quickly-evolving talent as a mixed martial artist who trains at KnuckleUp 's Douglasville location.

When he's not beating the daylights out of a punching bag with his nasty kicks or swinging fists at his fight coaches, Jerrad is busy doing what he loves most: helping his clients get into the best shape of their lives.

If you're interested in setting up a personal training session with Jerrad, contact him directly today.

Isn't it about time for you to Achieve The Look?

--The ATL Fitness Club

It's Time to Get GAC'd Up with ATL Fitness Club !

If you're wondering what it is and how you can get it, here are all the details about ATL Fitness Club 's new GAC'd Up supplements!

GAC’d Up is a pharmaceutical-grade (no fillers) formula of pre-workout supplements containing:

•500 mg of pure, crystalline L-Glutamine

•1,400 mg of pure, crystalline L-Arginine

•250 mg of pure, natural L-Carnitine

FUNCTIONS OF GLUTAMINE

The amino acid glutamine plays a key role in the metabolism, structure, and function of the entire gastro-intestinal tract and its extensive immune system. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in blood, and is a vehicle for nitrogen transport. Many clinical studies support the fact that dietary and endogenous glutamine is crucial in maintaining normal function of the entire gastrointestinal tract, including the liver and pancreas. Glutamine helps maintain normal intestinal permeability, mucosal cell regeneration and structure, especially during periods of physiological stress or exercise.

Glutamine may also block sugar and alcohol cravings. This amino acid is a glycogenic amino acid which means it can convert sugar for energy production. This may cause blood sugar stabilization, which in part, may decrease alcohol and sugar cravings.

Most athletes find major benefits in supplementing with l-glutamine to increase lean muscle mass, minimize body fat, and aid in recovery.

FUNCTIONS OF ARGININE:

L-arginine is required for the synthesis of creatine phosphate. Similar to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), creatine phosphate functions as a carrier of readily available energy for contractile work in muscles. Adequate reservoirs of creatine phosphate are necessary in muscle as an energy reserve for anaerobic activity. L-arginine is a potent stimulator of insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone release, and functions as a representative signal to the endocrine system that dietary protein ingestion has taken place. is converted in the body into a chemical called nitric oxide which relaxes blood vessels, allowing them to expand and increase the amount of blood flow that reaches muscles during exercise. This increased blood flow allows additional oxygen to reach the working muscles, enhancing performance and stimulating growth. Arginine may also strengthen the immune system, boost energy and increase lean muscle mass.

FUNCTIONS OF CARNITINE:

L-carnitine is necessary for fatty acid metabolism and energy production in cardiac and skeletal muscle. It is involved in fatty acid oxidation as part of the carnitine shuttle. L-carnitine shuttles fatty acids from the cytosol (the cell fluid) into the mitochondria (the

cell’s powerhouses) for oxidation and energy production. L-carnitine is necessary in muscle

whenever fat is utilized as an energy source. Heart muscle always uses fat for its continuous energy demands. Skeletal muscle begins using fat only after its glycogen reserves are exhausted. This happens after about one hour of continuous, strenuous exercise, e.g., long-distance running, bicycling, swimming, or mountain climbing.

Buy your 30-day supply of GAC'd Up today for our promotional price of just $39.99 from ATL Fitness Club.

Here's to Achieving The Look!

--The ATL Fitness Club

REFERENCES:

Douglas Labs

Livestrong.com

HIIT it and Quit It! The ATL Fitness Club "Quickie" Cardio Workout

Cardi-O-M-G...Do we really HAVE to do it to stay in shape?!

We found a recent status update on Facebook the other day that read, " Cardio is like a stepchild. You don't like it, but you still have to deal with it!" And yes, that may be a bit of a mean (and funny...It's a joke, don't get offended) analogy, it can have some truth to it... Most of us (you know who you are) absolutely hate doing cardio. After coming across several exercise articles on the internet, we stumbled across some very helpful info from our fitness friends at nerdfitness.com. Here's what they had to say about the importance of doing cardio to get/stay fit:

Cardio is the most basic thing you can do when it comes to burning calories. Let’s talk science: if you burn more calories than you consume in a day, you will lose weight. Step on a treadmill, run three miles, and you’ll burn around 300 calories. You don’t need any special weights, have extensive knowledge of any difficult exercises, just a pair of shoes (ATL Fitness Club loves ASICS !) and your legs. This is why the majority of people who start exercising do so by just running a treadmill or elliptical for hours: it’s tough to mess up, and it’s pretty mindless.

Now, here’s my problem with cardio: it can be really boring (although running outside is a different story). Secondly, in terms of getting in shape, it’s definitely NOT the most efficient form of exercise. Lastly, although it trains your heart to be in shape by remaining at a higher level of operation while exercising, it doesn’t train your heart to prepare for moments of extreme stress because it never really has to deal with rapid changes (which is explained in the next section).

So why isn’t cardio efficient when it comes to burning calories? There’s very little Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) with cardio, which means you only burn calories WHILE you are running... but not much happens afterwards.

What IS good about cardio? The thing about cardio that makes it better for almost everybody, other than it’s an easy learning curve, is that it’s very low impact – your body can go for hours and hours, day after day, and not get worn out. If you have the desire and willpower (which we have yet to meet anyone who does this but please tell them to email us if you know one/them), you can burn calories all day long. But if you REALLY wanna burn a ton of calories in a short amount of time, why not " HIIT it and quit it?" And by that phrase, friends, we mean...

HIIT ( High-Intensity Interval Training )

When it comes to efficiency in burning calories, high-intensity training is leaps and bounds ahead of cardio. Why is that? Essentially, when you do high-intensity interval training ( HIIT ), your body and metabolism function at a higher rate of burned calories for hours and hours afterwards. What does that mean? It means you’re burning calories while sitting on the couch watching River Monsters during Animal Planet's "Monster Week" (we don't do this...we're just giving you a realistic example!).

So, how does HIIT work exactly?

HIIT constantly forces your heart to adjust to changing conditions: sprints, jogging, sprints, jogging, up hills, down hills, etc. Your heart learns to operate outside of its norm, and your body learns to adapt to these changes. All of this changing and sprinting kicks your metabolism into high gear for hours after you finish exercising. Don't believe us? Keep reading.

A recent study from the University of New South Wales followed the fitness and body composition changes in 45 overweight women in a 15-week period. The women were divided into two groups and assigned interval or continuous cycling routines. The interval “sprint” cycling group performed twenty minutes of exercise, which repeated eight seconds of “all out” cycling and then twelve seconds of light exercise. The continuous group exercised for 40 minutes at a consistent rate. At the end of the study, the women in the interval group had lost three times the body fat as the women in the continuous exercise group. (An interesting note: the interval group’s loss in body fat came mostly from the legs and buttocks area.)

Sooo...yeah. Three times the amount of fat loss and half of the exercise time? Sounds good to us! If you sift through the rest of that article (which can be found on marksdailyapple.com), you’ll find reference after reference discussing the benefits of varying your speed and intensity over straight normal cardio.

Now, the bad thing about HIIT ? It takes your body quite a bit of time to recover, and you can really only do it for 20-30 minutes at a time before you get too exhausted to continue. The other bad thing about HIIT ? Your body will hate you after just 20 minutes. But if it makes you leaner in the long run, your body (okay maybe your mind) will learn to forgive you. Who says quickies can't have their benefits? Well when it comes to getting or staying in shape, we say it's totally worth the half hour...and the results you will see in the mirror.

What are you waiting for...put on your running shoes and get out there!

--The ATL Fitness Club

For more information on fitness , strength , cardio , or nutrition check out our new web site (and register as a member for FREE!): atlfitnessclub.com .

ATL Fitness Club "Pillow Talk" -- Why Sleeping is Essential for Staying Lean

Did you know that people who get fewer than 7 hours of sleep in a night tend to have a higher BMI ( Body Mass Index ) than those who get enough zzzzzs?

According to Fitness magazine, it's possible to shed some of that excess weight simply by snoozing more each night.

How is this possible, you ask? Well first of all when you're short on sleep, your body produces more cortisol (the stress hormone that causes you to carry weight in your midsection). The higher your cortisol levels are, the more fat your body "hangs onto for survival."

Secondly, when you don't get enough rest at night, your brain is obviously exhausted the next day...between trying to balance the stresses of work and the difficulty of trying to function at your best for even the smallest of tasks. When you're this tired, you are less likely to make smart lifestyle choices about what you eat, or even whether to hit the gym after work.

Lots of sleep-deprived people may even notice their cravings for carbohydrates (or fattening foods) increases dramatically, because your brain and your body are desperate for fuel...to give you the energy you could have received from a good night's rest! Health experts at Fitness magazine say if you hit the pillow earlier at night and get more sleep, "you'll have fewer cravings for rich, fatty foods."

So here's the plan of action... Turn off your TV one hour earlier, put your phone on silent, and leave the Facebook news feed alone. When you "hit the sack," allow your brain to unwind, and lull you into 'Dreamland." Not only will you feel way more refreshed when that annoying alarm goes off in the AM, you may also find yourself shedding some weight in a matter of weeks.

No, this isn't a dream...Try it and see if it works for you!

--The ATL Fitness Club

For more helpful information about fitness , strength , cardio , or nutrition ...or to register as a member for FREE check out our web site: atlfitnessclub.com .

ATL Fitness Club : You Can Run , But You Can't Hide (From Oxidative Stress & Inflammation)!

If doing cardio outside is part of your daily routine (like it is for some of us in the ATL Fitness Club ), then there are a couple of vitamin-rich foods you may want to incorporate into your daily routine... 

We're talking about foods that contain lots of Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Why is this important? Because our bodies need the antioxidants during exercise!

Exercising in a polluted environment creates additional oxidative stress in the body, which can cause the body to churn out inflammation-causing compounds.

In a recent study, runners who had the highest antioxidant concentrations (from their diets) actually clocked the biggest time improvements when asked to do a timed trial run outdoors in the heat.

So what do antioxidants from our foods do for us? They can help reduce oxidative stress and decrease or even prevent airway inflammation (inflammation can injure the lungs and cause them to become less efficient during your runs.)

In summary, athletes who frequent the outdoors for a cardio workout should consume plenty of vitamin C and E from a healthy diet. Sources loaded with these vitamins include: broccoli, spinach, citrus fruits, tomatoes, kiwi, sweet potatoes, and mango.

The next time you head out to the grocery store, don't forget to add some of these fruits & veggies to your shopping cart. Not only will you be eating clean, you'll be preventing oxidative stress & inflammation from creeping up on your fine physique!

Here's to Achieving The Look , one stride at a time!

--The ATL Fitness Club

For more information on nutrition , cardio , strength , or fitness check out our web site (and become a member for FREE!): atlfitnessclub.com .

ATL Fitness Club : Want Bigger Muscles ? There You "Grow!"

It's a cliche everyone's heard...and one that most fit men say may to themselves while checking out their reflections first in the morning: "Size matters."

Well for those of you who do that (and we won't ask you to raise your hand if you do) ... Here's a question: Have you ever wondered what it REALLY takes in the gym to increase the size of your...physique?

Well as frequent ATL Fitness Club gym rats who are continually searching for better diet ideas and workout suggestions ...We've recently uncovered (with the help of bodybuilding.com ) a new type of training style for lifting weights to increase mass . It's called "High Reps to Hugeness."

Here's how it works...When you're doing weight training in the gym,

• Do 2 sets of 15 on everything except for the first exercise of a workout.
• Do 1-2 warm-ups before your working sets.
• Then do two sets (or sometimes just one if it kicks your butt, until you can get 15 reps).
• Still go heavy, and sometimes, if necessary, use rest-pauses to get that "magic 15."

If you can usually get 15 reps, that's awesome...But if you fail beforehand, just rest and knock out the reps you owe "rest-pause" style! This may help prevent injuries in the gym, and the muscle stimulation should be more than enough to get bigger, leaner, and have a harder body.

Need a sample training schedule? We train Tuesdays through Fridays with Sundays and Mondays off (to better coordinate with our work schedules), so any five-day split, whichever days you can make it, will work fine. Our split is as follows:

• Sunday: Off
• Monday: Off
• Tuesday: Back
• Wednesday: Chest
• Thursday: Legs
• Friday: Shoulders/Traps
• Saturday: Arms

What about legs and abs, you ask? Well we do calves and abs every day that we train.

Our calf exercises are usually one of these, at 2 sets of 25 reps:

-donkey calf raises,

-seated calf extensions

-leg press calf raises

We do abs most days at 3 sets of 15-20 reps.

MAJOR TIP FOR SUCCESS: If you reach failure (let's just hypothetically say "10") reps, you should rack the weight, take 5 deep breaths, and then knock your final 5 reps. This is called a rest-pause set. The goal of this program is to always get 15 reps, NO MATTER WHAT (even if you have to rest twice)!

You may end up doing maybe 9 reps, take 5 deep breaths, do 4 more reps, take 2-3 deep breaths, and then complete your final 2 reps. The most important thing to do is consistently add weight to the bar while completing your 15 reps. And when you can complete 15 reps, guess what happens next? Yes, you can increase your weight (and yes, look even more like a badass in the gym!).

So if you're one of those fitness fanatics who is trying to bulk up from your workouts, try this "High Reps to Hugeness" routine. In less than one month, you will be lookin' like one BIG, BAD WOLF in the gym. We dare you to try it!

--The ATL Fitness Club

For more tips on nutrition , fitness , cardio , or strength be sure to check out (and register as a member for FREE on) our web site: ATLfitnessclub.com .