Monthly Archives: May 2017

Our 3 Favorite Breathing Techniques

If you’re a regular reader, you probably know we are fans of meditation. We may not be perfect at it, but we try every day to deepen, or at least continue, our practice. It helps us find focus, grounding, and perspective. When the world threatens to put everything on your shoulders, it helps to sit down and take a breather. It puts everything in perspective and reveals that all is not lost, that there’s still hope. It gives you some space from all the stresses and anguish that may be coming down on you. It also helps you realize that this is just a current mental state and that it is and always will be fluid.

To get into a meditation practice, it’s always a good idea to start with breathing. This helps calm the mind down and pushes it to focus on one thing: your breath. Below are our three favorite breathing techniques to clear the mind:

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How to Deal with Your Snoring Problem

Snoring is something that a lot of people struggle with. It’s uncomfortable for those that sleep next to us or near us and it can also disrupt our own sleep. If you are struggling with snoring yourself then you are probably looking for a way to treat your snoring problem. There are different types of snoring and there are different things that cause it in the first place. It’s pretty hard to just tell what your snoring problem originates from because of it, and more people feel frustrated because of that. But let’s take a look at some ways in which you can deal with this problem and make sleep time better not just for yourself but also for the people around you who are struggling with your problem just as much as you.

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5 Healthy Snacks to Have at Home

Here at the Hungry & Fit household, we know that what you put in your pantry is what you will put in your stomach. That’s why we typically don’t stock junk in the house. However, we are HUNGRY and Fit, and let me tell you, I get hungry very often. So, instead of yelling hangrily at Hungry, we always have a healthy stock of snacks at home. We go through lots of different snacks, but here are some of our favorites:

Snacks for the whole family!

Snacks for the whole family!

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Top 10 Movie Braintrust & Honorable Mentions

We’ve made it to the (kind of) beginning of our great list–our top 10 movies of ALL time! Remember, for some of us, it’s our favorite movies, for others, it’s what they consider to be the best of the best. That’s what makes it fun–we basically didn’t set any rules and let the creators go wild. We collected a fun bunch of people for you to enjoy. Some you’ve seen before in our last Top Whatever list, but there will be new faces this time around! To start of this exciting Top 10 Movie series, we are going to introduce everyone (or have them introduce themselves) and have them state any honorable mention(s) they may have. Can’t wait to see the whole list!

Kai

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(guy on the right)

I’m Kai, Alana’s brother. I’m partially responsible for all the nerdy movies on Alana’s list due to all the Star Wars RPG and computer games we played as kids. I love imaginative cinematography, clever twists, and futuristic/sci-fi movies.

Honorable mention: Fight Club
I didn’t see Fight Club when it came out, but instead watched it at a friend’s house in high school.  The movie has beautiful, almost cartoon-y cinematography and wonderful pacing as it accelerates inevitably towards its fantastic twist ending.  It challenges the boring corporatism of the 90s with a dark, gritty world and anti-conformist message.  Is there a 90s teenager who didn’t love this movie? The movie’s prescription feels a little silly now, but the values it propagates still resonate.  It commands the audience to wake up and listen the small voice that wonders “is this it?”.

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FriYAY Workout

We made it to Friday! I know some of us don’t have typical M-F jobs, but there’s still something about Friday that gets the happy dance going. We’re scooting through work with weekend plans on our mind and rejuvenation in our hearts. Maybe we have something scheduled for tonight–a party, a barbecue, an outing of some sort. We are looking forward to getting done with the day so we can embrace the weekend! But wait! What about a workout? A workout on a Friday?! Don’t roll your eyes at me. You don’t even need to go to the gym for this one. Just set aside twenty minutes (max) and do this before you get ready for your fun weekend. Get it done–at least one round, but why not three! 

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The Top 3 Vegan Food Trends in 2017

2017 has been an exciting year for vegan food. Here are some of this year’s hottest vegan food trends.

  1. Protein-centric foods

As part of a wider food trend, much of the focus on healthy eating has been on high-protein foods. Proponents argue that high-protein foods keep you fuller for longer, meaning there is less chance of snacking on unhealthy foods between meals. Some of this year’s hottest vegan ingredients include:

  • Amaranth – Similar to quinoa, amaranth is a much smaller seed. However, this tiny seed is packed with nutrients including iron, B vitamins, and magnesium. Just one standard cup of cooked amaranth contains seven grams of protein.
  • Tempeh – Another trending ingredient in 2017 is tempeh which is a fermented form of soy. One standard cup of cooked tempeh contains up to twelve grams of protein, as well as being high in probiotics, making it a great alternative to yogurt.
  • Edamame – Edamame is full of protein, fiber and other nutrients. One standard cup of cooked edamame contains up to seventeen grams of protein! It can be eaten in its natural state or roasted to make a great alternative to chips!

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3 Interesting Health Facts about Living in Arizona

Arizona is one of the most underappreciated states in the United States. It is a modest state with a booming population and economy. It is not too crowded and has kept its touch with Mother Nature. It is well-known for the Grand Canyon and its hot deserts. Although people say that Arizona is hot, snow visits the state every now and then. There are many facts that people do not know about Arizona when it comes to living healthy. Unlike other states, Arizona is ranked 34th in the list of the most obese states although the state promotes athleticism and healthy living. Arizona may not be well-known unlike the other states in the US but they still keep their pride when it comes to health. Here are some interesting health facts about Arizona and the advantages of living there.

  1.    World Class Rehabilitation Centers

Arizona is home to many drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. They provide better services for people who want to change their old habits. They feature luxurious rehab centers and are very friendly to alcohol or drug dependent people. Thanks to their warm and welcoming climate it will surely help you detoxify your old habits. Overall, their rehab centers are top of the line, from the food and nutrition, to accommodations and the effectiveness of treatment. Many people have visited Arizona for the chance to change and the state never gave up on them. They value every life, even the ones who are lost and want to find their way back. If you have someone you love who wants to be sober, visit Arizonadrugrehab.com to find out more.

  1.    Healthy People

Arizona belongs to the bottom when it comes to health risk-related issues such as obesity, heart attack, and hypertension. In obesity, they ranked 34th in 51 states, in heart attack deaths, they ranked 47th from highest to lowest. They also have longer life spans compared to other states. They may not be the healthiest state but they maintain their health risk numbers to a minimum. 

  1.     Good Terrain for All Healthy Activities

Arizona has a series of flat lands, gorges, mountains and valleys. It is perfect for activities that will promote a fit and healthy lifestyle. It is perfect for an outgoing and willful personality. You can take advantage of the terrain for rock or mountain climbing. You can also do kayaking and rafting thanks to the Colorado River. All you have to do is take advantage of the terrain. Hiking and rock climbing are also perfect there. If you love nature and all the things it provides, then you can call Arizona your home.

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Top 10 Movie Countdown

The Brain Trust is back and bigger than ever, but this time we’re conquering movies! Every Sunday for the next 13 weeks, you’re going to find out what movies we love. We bring to you…Hungry & Fit’s Top 10 Movie Countdown! Next week, you can expect to see Honorable Mentions from everyone. You might think that will help you guess what’s coming next, but we have such a variety of personalities here, we’d be surprised if you could guess.

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High End in Venice? (Barrique Review)

When you’re going out to have a nice, romantic meal for your 1-Year Anniversary, we weren’t expecting to be Hungry & Fit… just Alana & Chris, but we all know it can’t be that easy. If you put food in front of us, we’re probably going to return the plates to you clean, but we’re always going to have a strong opinion about what we just ate. We can’t help it!

You’ll notice that this review is missing something that we normally try to flood you with…our own photos. There are two reasons for that. First, we didn’t bring the fancy camera we use for our reviews. Second, it was extremely dark and every picture that I took with my phone was just blurry, no matter how many filters we applied. We could have used the flash for better results, but that would have taken away from the dining experience of the other guests, and when you’re paying this much for food, you expect an amazing dining experience. Bright lights flashing in your face isn’t the nicest way to enjoy a meal.

When I originally wrote out quick Yelp review for Barrique, I started high… mainly because there was this sense of… it was our anniversary dinner and we were so happy to be together, etc. As I started to think of everything we ate, those feelings faded and that mysterious veil disappeared. All that was left was the service, atmosphere and… the food. So, as always, let’s look at those factors and see just how high-end Barrique really is.

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