Health

Oct302018

Fit’s Favorite Blogs

The blogging community is a wonderful, supportive community. We started six years ago (wow!) and boy has it changed since. Back then, there weren’t many “social media influencers” and Instagram was barely a thing. It was much easier for bloggers because the market wasn’t flooded with them. People blog as a full-time gig now and they have to work hard to stay on top of things like SEO, market changes, and outreach. But still, it’s mostly a great community where bloggers support one another. For better or for worse, Hungry & Fit is still around to throw food and workouts at you. We wanted to take a moment and share with you blogs that inspired us to blog and also ones we have recently followed. Some are food blogs, some are health blogs, some are somewhere in between like us.

Oct262018

Fit’s Go-To Healthy Lunch: Salad Kit + Tuna

If you see us on social media, you often see us going big when we eat. Sure, we definitely enjoy dining out and eating big, but most of our meals are pretty dang healthy. That’s how we can afford to eat whole pizzas or all-you-can-eat sushi! Fit works from home which means she typically has the pantry at her disposal. This can mean glory or disaster. Luckily, we keep a pretty clean pantry (ignore the sour candy that Fit stashed behind the electric beater), so there’s not many “bad” options to fall for. Still, she tries to decide what she’s going to eat for lunch at the beginning of the day, or better yet–at the beginning of the week.

On most days, you can find Fit in the kitchen (usually on a phone call or meeting), assembling her lunch. Yeah, I said assembling because she plays it smart. Fit’s go-to healthy lunch is half of a salad kit and a can of tuna. It takes under five minutes to whip up, even when she puts some flair into it! Salad kits are a blessing. Sure, they may not be quite as cost-effective as a huge tub of spinach and some carrots, but they have variety and make a healthy lunch delicious and easy. Making salads from scratch can be somewhat tedious with all the chopping. She usually waits until they’re on sale for like $2.99 and then buys a bunch for the week. And because she has a “baby belly,” she only needs half of one per lunch.

Oct202018

5 Tips to Overcoming Tobacco Addiction

Smoking still ranks as one of the leading causes of many health problems. The toxins found in a cigarette pose a serious health risk which is why it’s important to quit smoking as soon as possible.

Nicotine is a substance that causes addiction and it’s estimated that a single cigarette can contain an average of 12mg of nicotine. The addition caused by nicotine is one of the reasons why smoking is very hard to quit but this is no reason to stick to such an unhealthy habit.

We’ve come up with a list of top five tips to help you overcome your tobacco addiction and reduce the health risks caused by smoking.

Oct112018

5 Things You Should do to Start CrossFit

CrossFit is a popular fitness regimen that’s been all the rage with people of all ages over the past few years. It’s a workout routine that promotes fitness by doing functional movements at high intensity. It helps improve your overall health, as well as your posture, strength, flexibility, and balance.

If you want to start with your CrossFit journey, you’re in the right place. You can get tips from CrossFitSurvival.com about the basics. Furthermore, here’s an article about 5 things you should do to jump start your journey:

Find the right gym

Perhaps the first thing you need to do is find a local gym you can attend. Luckily, CrossFit is already very popular so you wouldn’t have a hard time looking for a good box to train in. When you’re looking for a gym, apart from the location consider also the size of the place, the availability of coaches, and of course the membership cost.

On your first visit, take note of who accommodates you and how they welcome you. First impressions are important as you’ll be spending a lot of your time there eventually. If you get to meet a coach, it’s nice to be able to discuss about your goals and how you can achieve them. Even without committing to a gym, a CrossFit box should have coaches that are approachable and concerned about its trainees.

Invest in proper apparel

In order for you to make the most out of your movements, wearing proper clothes is important. It helps you move around comfortably and supports you so that you don’t get injured. Wear sturdy training shoes because you’ll be doing a lot of short sprints and jumps. There are flat-footed crossFit shoes that are designed to support your feet as you rep out double-unders, rope climbs, and box jumps.

Your choice of tee also matters. Make sure it’s breathable, quick-dry, light, and comfortable to allow for maximum movement. You don’t want tight sleeves ruining your snatch. Case in point, you have to be very comfy in your clothes. For your bottoms, it’s advisable to wear compression pants or cycling shorts because they’re light and flexible. Avoid wide leg shorts that would ride down to your thighs when you do a handstand, or expose your undies when you lunge.

Make time for it

Just like any fitness journey, crossFit requires your time. Show up at the gym at least 3 times a week and see how your body improves. Discipline is key in making this work. No matter how much you prepare for it, if you’re not ready to put your mind into it, you will not see results. On your first few weeks in the gym, try to learn how to do the moves properly and get coaching on your body form. As you go along, you can do the WODs (workout of the day) with minimal supervision and come in at your own time.

Eat a balanced diet

As they say, your workout is only as good as your next meal. Eating a balanced diet ensures that you are ready for your next physical activity. A balanced meal typically involves 2000 to 2500 calories per day. Plan your meals and make sure you’re getting proper nourishment. Half of your plate should be filled with fruits and green leafy vegetables, ¼ for protein, and the other ¼ for grains.

Document your journey

There’s nothing wrong with snapping pictures to show your progress. It’s not bragging as long as your intentions are clear. Progress photos are inspiring. And yours is another inspiring tale waiting to be told. Track your progress by means of a fitness calendar or an app on your phone. Record you original weight, your goal weight, the food you eat, and the number of times you go to the gym. Carry a fitness journal with you to help you track your progress.

Oct102018

How Psychology Can Help You Learn to Love Exercise

Whether you’re a student, parent or a busy professional – you can benefit from exercise. For those who have trouble getting motivated, you need to change the way that you think about the activity.

For some, exercising comes effortlessly. While most people realize that working out is healthy for your mind and body, for many, exercise is not a part of their daily life. For this class of fitness hopefuls, tricking the mind into new behavior may prove beneficial. By adjusting your attitude toward exercise you can overcome challenges and experience remarkable breakthroughs.

Intuitively, most people view exercising as a chore. This mindset makes it very easy to bypass a productive workout session. The trick, report researchers, is to make your mind think of exercise as a reward rather than a chore.

Oct092018

5 Self-Defense Tactics That Everyone Should Learn

Please enjoy a guest post from Albert Guardado Jr. from Combat Brands. We believe self-defense is vital for each and every person.

No one likes to think about the idea of being attacked, but the reality is that, according to the FBI, a violent crime is committed every 26.3 seconds in America, with one aggravated assault every 41.3 seconds. These numbers aren’t intended to scare you — though they are indeed alarming — but should instead help you understand why preparation and vigilance are vital in our sometimes threatening world.

One of the simplest ways to conquer a frightening situation is to learn some key self-defense tactics that you can file away in your mental rolodex if a situation should arise.

Oct062018

3 Supplements That Can Help With Nerve Damage

The nervous system sends signals to your brain from the rest of the body and vice-versa. These signals determine what your body does and how it feels. For example, moving from one place to another or sensing something on your skin is impossible without this system. Sadly, damage to these nerves is possible. This damage may occur because of several factors including diseases such as cancer, HIV, shingles, and diabetes. Physical injuries can also cause it when a particular incident leads to compressed, crushed, or severed nerves. In most cases, damaged nerves lead to an excruciating level of neuropathic pain. Eliminating this pain as soon as possible in addition to improving the condition of your lungs is an excellent idea. Here are 3 supplements that can help with nerve damage.

Sep222018

Hungry & Fit’s Go-To Healthy Snacks

Here at Hungry & Fit we eat…a lot. We have different styles, but there is always a lot of food involved. Hungry is more of the wolf-type; he will eat an inane amount of food and then be good for a while. Fit is more deer-like, grazing across the day. She eats small snacks and meals…every hour or so. So yes, a lot of food is consumed in the Hungry & Fit household. That means we have to be stacked when it comes to food options. Fit will usually gravitate toward smaller meals or snacks. It’s very important for us to have healthy snack options available at all times so we don’t go down a bad road.

Sep202018

Why Casein Protein Deserves More Love

Casein is one of the main types of protein supplements available on the market, however, one could argue that it’s actually underrated.

Many of us are so infatuated with the quick gains and short-term muscle building potential of whey protein that sometimes we just don’t give casein the love it deserves, and the fact that casein is also a bit more costly doesn’t help, but it’s certainly worth those few extra dollars.

Sep192018

The Top 4 Benefits of Cutting Back On Your Drinking Habits

Alcohol is no doubt one of the most popular substances used for recreational purposes. As a matter of fact, it is one of the oldest drugs to be discovered by man. Most people use it for the excitement and the apparently temporary calming effect it has on their nerves. As a matter of fact, alcoholic beverages such as beer, vodka, and wine, each have a certain set of benefits in the human body when taken in moderation. Some religions (such as Christianity) and cultures actually embrace the use of alcohol in minimal to moderate amounts. But just like other soft and hard drugs, alcohol doesn’t come without its fair share of risks, side effects, and repercussions, both physically and mentally, as well as emotionally. With addiction and dependence being the most conspicuous problems, the list of disadvantages of alcohol may be too long to fit the scope and volume of this article. But there is good in reducing your alcohol intake or minimizing exposure. This being the case, here are the top 4 benefits to cutting back on your drinking habits.