Health

Mar202015

How to Decide on a Gym

In this day and age, it’s tough to find which gym you should join. From YMCAs to 24 Hour Fitnesses to Crossfit Boxes, there are a plethora of choices out there. And how do you know which one is the right pick for you? From high-class clubs like Equinox to $20/mo Planet Fitness, it’s hard to decide on a gym. More so, it’s hard to choose what will really benefit you (and your family) in the long run. Before you expect me to tell you what exactly you should be looking for, I will tell you that’s impossible. There are so many gyms out there, that I couldn’t give you the proper choice. Sure, I could go through a list of gym chains, but what if you have an incredibly awesome local gym like Ironhouse Gym in Mason City, Iowa? Instead, I’m going to give you a list of questions to ask yourself, look for the answers for these online, and ask the fitness facilities. Make sure they meet your criteria, otherwise, move on. You may not get every little thing you want, but make your list in priority order. Maybe the question, “Is this family-friendly?” is most important to you as you would like to exercise but also either have your kid in daycare or start swim lessons. This is about you! Here’s the list:

Mar182015

Busting Pilates Myths

With all the new and upcoming fitness trends, it’s hard to discern what’s right and what’s just fluff. Is that oil really going to help me? Is that move really going to firm up my butt? Should I really drink all this beet juice? It’s hard to know the real truth, but that’s when friendly smart experts with super awesome infographics come into play. A big player in the fitness game nowadays is Pilates. Most people aren’t really sure of what it is. Is it yoga with more core? Is it harder yoga? What is it? Annabel Fitzsimmons lays it down for us in her article, “Busting Pilates Myths“ on Health Perch.

Mar042015

American Heart Month… is NEVER Over!

February was American Heart Month and March has begun, but that doesn’t mean that American Heart Month is over. I purposefully delayed this post to show you that while associating a month with this important issue is important, it’s equally important to be mindful all the time. You should be thinking of your heart every day of the month, every month of the year. Most people don’t know what the heart actually does, but it is the most important organ in your body. Your brain and lungs are also key components to the facilitation of your body systems operating, but without the heart we lack the ability to provide oxygen to the brain and the lungs.

Having been through multiple emergency response courses from ARC to AHA to React Right and more, we learn that as soon as you see an individual in need, it’s best to be safer than sorry. Call 911 and have someone get an AED immediately. The ratios of chest compressions to rescue breaths has changed over the years to favor more compressions since it is imperative to get the heart working as soon as possible. CPR stands for cardio pulmonary resuscitation, in other words, creating an artificial flow of blood that carries oxygen through the body, so that brain function stays intact and body systems do not suffer long-term damage, or the worst short-term result of total body system failure, or death.

Feb282015

One-Protein-Fits-All: Sunwarrior

I have a friend at work who struggles to get enough protein as a kind-of-vegan (she just doesn’t eat cheese and milk by itself) and who also can’t eat soy. I can suggest all the protein powders in the world, but they usually end up having either milk proteins or soy in them! It’s been a tough case to try to find one that would work for her. As fitness professionals, we run across a lot of people who are soy or dairy limited, so it can be a struggle to provide enough options for good protein. Here at Hungry and Fit we finally found a one-fits-all product! Enter Sunwarrior (epic name, right?).

Feb132015

The FitExpo Los Angeles

The FitExpo LA has come and gone. March brings exciting new events in the fitness industry including the Arnold Classic, IHRSA, and SCW Mania. While we won’t make it to the Arnold due to a crazy schedule in the next two months, we will be going to the other two. (They are geared heavily toward facility managers, operators, and professional instructors. The Arnold is focused on competitions.) Still, let’s take a minute to recognize some of Hungry & Fit’s standout moments from this year’s FitExpo, in no particular order.

Feb122015

The Trip: IMMERSIVE FITNESS by Les Mills

The newest, most innovative, and most motivational form of burning calories is here. Hungry & Fit enjoy working out… most of the time. It’s not a challenge for us to stay healthy because the highlight of our day is pushing ourselves to the limit. Whether it’s in the gym, on the field, in the forest, on the court, in the ocean, or anywhere else you can imagine, we feed off the energy around us and create an environment for success in our physical fitness.

Well, I know what you’re thinking. I can’t do that. I workout because my doctor told me to. I workout because I have a wedding coming up in a few months. I workout but I don’t want to workout! It’s frustrating and it only makes your life harder. Imagine if that wasn’t the case. Imagine if burning calories on the treadmill, bike, elliptical, or whatever piece of equipment you use was more enjoyable. Imagine if you were transported into a world where your success was guaranteed. Imagine IMMERSIVE FITNESS.

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Feb112015

The Largest Digital Health and Fitness Community?

I recently received word that MyFitnessPal and Under Armour were joining forces to create a group of over 120 million members. Now, to be honest, I don’t really like Under Armour THAT much. I have nothing against it but when I was a competitive athlete (a while ago), I found Adidas, Nike, and Puma created training apparel that was more comfortable and effective to boost my training. For the high prices of their Cold and Heat gear, their sizing was awkward for certain athletic (and non-athletic) builds and I didn’t find them to benefit thermo-regulation. (The process of the body trying to maintain its proper temperature despite extreme temps on the outside that could lead to hyper or hypo-thermia.)

On the other hand, I recommend MyFitnessPal to nearly all of my clients, athletes, members, etc that are focused on lifestyle changes and losing, gaining, or maintaining weight. I have it myself although I don’t use it, but Fit does. (My closet is all Adidas, Nike, and Puma, but no UA. If you’re curious, all my socks and underwear are Puma, all my shoes are Nike, all my clothing is Adidas.) It’s a great, free tool that has really improved since it was first introduced. I find that being able to watch my clients gives them more accountability and helps them avoid bad choices. The new(er) bar-code feature is great, too.

Now, with this partnership, they are boasting three apps. Under Armour RECORD, “a complete 24/7 fitness dashboard” that I have never heard of before now; Endomondo, “the most social and advanced personal training app in the world” of which I have also never heard or seen; and MapMyFitness, “the industry leading GPS based fitness tracker” which I know of and think of as one of the best. It’s great that MyFitnessPal’s CEO Mike Lee is stating that nothing about the MyFitnessPal experience will change because it has provided such a great service.

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Feb042015

Los Liones Hike (Palisades, CA)

Yes! Another hiking adventure! One of my most favorite forms of fitness: the outdoors and exercise. It’s important to enjoy nature either by yourself, your loved one, or good friends. We have been doing a hike about every other weekend to improve our fitness and soothe our minds. If you haven’t checked out last time’s hike, look here. This time, Jamie, Dani, and I headed for the Pacific Palisades in thirst for a challenging hike. We certainly found what we were looking for. It was a workout. Probably the toughest hike I’ve done in a bit. We found our way to Los Liones Canyon and we trudged upwards.

Jan302015

Lung Leavin’ Day 2015 (Mesothelioma Awareness)

September 26th, 2014 was Mesothelioma Awareness Day and we published one of our favorite articles of the year just two days before. You can read it here. To sum it up, Mesothelioma is a form of cancer cause by exposure to asbestos. It is extremely difficult to know if you have been exposed and those who are diagnosed typically are told they have 1-2 years left to live.

A friends of ours, Heather, has a tremendous survival story that will make even the toughest individuals feel vulnerable. At the same time, it is equally empowering and it shows you that all you can do is stand up to your fears… and CRUSH them!

February 2nd, 2015 is Lung Leavin’ Day. It marks the anniversary of when Heather had her lung removed to survive her battle with cancer. It is her tradition with those who are close to her to write their fears on plates and smash them into a fire under the night sky. We welcome you to join that initiative to stand strong, face your fears, and continue to raise awareness for not only cancer but specific forms such as Mesothelioma.

If you can’t afford to break plates or are concerned for the environment, please click on the following link and participate through this amazingly designed page. (It’s so awesome I can’t get over it.) Type your fears onto a plate and break the plate in the fire. This is a great way to face your fears in 2015 and become the strongest you have ever been. Share this page on Facebook, Twitter, email your friends… it costs nothing and is a great activity for an even greater cause.

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Jan282015

Red Rock Canyon Hike (Topanga, CA)

I am lucky to have friends who are still with me since kindergarten and middle school. I am more lucky still that they have an enthusiasm for food, fitness, and the outdoors as I have too! Pretty awesome, right? So about every other Saturday, Dani California Cooks and Jamie (she guest blogs here on Hungry and Fit from time to time), and I like to go for a hike. Whether that be Will Rogers, Temescal, or Eagle Rock, we are always up for good sights and a tough trail. I also love it that Noke usually gets to come along too! As we’ve said in many posts before, hiking is one of the best forms of exercise, training, and fitness. I will take hiking over nearly every exercise–it just brings a sense of peace PLUS works my entire body. A few weekends ago, one of us (Jamie, I think?) suggested the Red Rock Canyon hike in Topanga. I had never done it before so I was game!