How Did I Build Muscle in High School?

The short answer to that “how did I build muscle in high school?” is… I didn’t, but allow me to expand on that. As an athlete who played almost exclusively team sports, I was used to focusing most of my time working with my team. Whether it was tennis, baseball, basketball or soccer, you were constantly practicing with your teammates, and even though you can work on skills independently, there are only so many hours in the day. Before the age of social media, you had far fewer influencers in your life (for better or for worse) so you were heavily dependent on your coaches and parents.

Fortunately for me, I was lifting weights at an extremely early age with my mother. She would take me to the gym and we would perform aerobics at home, but I’d never touch anything heavy or load up barbells with plates. I wouldn’t use selectorized strength equipment either, not until my high school soccer coach brought us into the school’s modest weight room to use the leg press machine. My father, who was a very competitive athlete himself, focused more on spending time “on the court.” That could mean hundreds of lay-ups and free-throws every day, lots of batting practice and volleying on the tennis court.

Hungry on the far right

Nov082017

Why You Aren’t Getting a Six Pack!

Recently, someone in the gym asked us about an exercise we were performing, specifically inquiring if it was targeting our abs and then questioning how it differs from the abdominal crunch machine he was using. We explained that this particular variation of the abdominal crunch would activate more muscles in his core, since the weight could force his body left or right as well.

When he showed obvious frustration and explained how he’d been using the machine for years with no progress, we asked how he was using the machine, specifically referring to how many reps and sets he was doing. When he told us that he performed 30-40 reps per set, we asked him if he was happy with his upper arms. When he said that he was indeed happy with that body part, we asked him how he trained his arms, specifically referring to how many reps and sets he was doing. When he told us that he performed 8-12 reps per set, we presented the question: why are you training your abs differently?

Aug302017

3-Exercise Workout You Can Do Anywhere

Alright, no excuses on this one, guys! We’ve been moving around a lot and traveling lately, so that means we don’t always have a steady gym or equipment to rely on. Instead of giving up or making an excuse about not having the right stuff, let’s adapt! That’s what humans are so good at, after all–we face adversity and adapt to overcome the challenge. Now, not having equipment may not be an extreme adversity, but it’s a challenge to overcome!

This workout is so simple you can do it anywhere: a hotel room, a park, a bedroom, or any place at all! All you need is a piece of ground long enough to fit your body and preferably a cushion of some sort like a mat, a blanket, and a towel. That’s it. Otherwise, it can be ANYWHERE. It’s going to be an epic muscle endurance workout. Ready? Here we go.

Jun212017

Easy Protein Ball Recipe

Yesss! Another easy, delicious protein recipe! These are some of my favorite snacks. I snagged this protein ball recipe from Carrots n Cake, one of my favorite fitness bloggers. I love this protein ball recipe because it’s customizable. You can use any protein powder you want, you can add any spice you desire, you can add hemp seeds, or almond butter, or whatever! Then, you just keep them in the fridge and they’re a great quick pop-in-the-mouth snack. This helps keep you away from the unhealthy snacks. People usually eat unhealthy snacks because they tend to be a lot easier. Sometimes, healthy snacks take a while to make, or you really have to think about it, or it’s inconvenient. Having this in the fridge can be a lifesaver!

Jun162017

TGIF Workout

Thank goodness it’s Friday! Another week has passed and I hope you have some fun (or relaxing) things planned this weekend. Get jazzed up! But you know what will make this weekend even better? A TGIF workout. Yep, you knew it was coming. No, it’s not just because we’re fitness freaks. Getting some exercise in before a weekend can make you feel so much better. We tend to get a little lax when it comes to eating over the weekend, so doing a workout beforehand can remove some guilt that may creep up. This one is for anywhere, you just need to find some type of hill! If you are using a treadmill, just put that incline up!

May262017

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!

Apr262017

Jump Rope Workout

Sometimes, you don’t have time to go to the gym. Maybe you don’t even subscribe to a gym. Heck, maybe you don’t even have your own equipment to work out with at home. That’s okay! You don’t need a ton of equipment to get a workout in. All you need is a jump rope, a can-do attitude, and enough room to jump around in. So, for those days, I created an at-home circuit for you to do whenever, wherever (sing it, Shakira).

Apr012017

Hungry & Fit Purchased By Media Giant

It’s with heavy hearts and loaded pockets that we are announcing some major news. Last night, we finally closed a deal with a European Union Media Mogul in his acquisition of the Hungry & Fit blog. Now, in full transparency, the agreement did not include the Hungry & Fit LLC company that we created and registered both federally and through the state of Colorado. It simply included the domain name (for this website) and all of the contents/publications on the site.

Mar252017

Personal Trainer Showcase

Anabolic Co reached out to us and wanted to feature Hungry in their Personal Trainer Showcase. They decided on a fun and fitting title for the piece, “Hear and Feel the Thunder When You Train with Chris Tucci.” If you’ve been one of my clients in the past, you know that sounds just right. There might be a little lightning too. They’re a fun company because they like to target trainers from all over the world, not just the United States. Therefore, if you check out some of their other trainer showcases, you might be able to find more sources for information and motivation.