How To Take Care of Yourself

This was originally going to be a “review” of my recent trip to High Five Hand Therapy, but let’s talk about something much more important. I think we’re all really bad, or out of touch, when it comes to recognizing our physical and mental/emotional well-being. There are so many people who try to talk themselves into their condition being worse than it is and there are others who try to convince themselves that something serious isn’t so bad. As a result of our extremism in this realm, we often end up ignoring our issues and failing to deal with them properly. At the end of the day, that lack of awareness turns into negligence and eventually makes our problems worse, often creating even more problems.

As a professional in this field, this is always on my mind, but it can be hard to communicate with clients since so many people can take it the wrong way. Instead of being reasonable and level-headed, in an effort to create a sound plan to reach a goal, most people take offense to any kind of feedback and in the end, they end up suffering more. We’re all victims of it, to a certain degree, myself included. This was made aware to me, or more aware, during and after my trip to this therapy spot in Garden Grove, CA, which is really far from where we live. Still, since health is an important investment, I decided to take the time and money to go, and I’m glad I did.

Dec072017

Join US for a Tough Mudder in LA!

You’re going to find out how tough a Tough Mudder is. Well, if you’re in LA on March 4th, you can. Not only can you find out how hard a Tough Mudder really is, you can have support from both Hungry & Fit during the race. We both just signed up the Half Mudder (~5 miles) on the 4th of March, 2017, in the Los Angeles area. (It isn’t in Downtown LA!) Now, we want you to sign up, train with us and even race with us.

Back in 2009, Warrior Dash (basically) started the Mud Run movement in the United States. At that time, terms such as Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) and what not weren’t being thrown around since not many people knew about it. Hungry jumped into his first Warrior Dash in 2010 and the rest is history. Since then, not only have Hungry & Fit competed in everything from the Men’s Health Urbanathlon to the Bubble Run, we’ve also helped others tackle these challenges.

Dec052017

Effective Female Body Fat Recomposition

Please enjoy a friendly post from Gary at https://garagegymplanner.com/.

Body fat recomposition: a topic that garners very mixed reviews from people. While some think it’s a myth and cannot be done, there are others who claimed to have found the secret formula and seen some very promising results too. Both men and women have tried their hand at this process but, mind you, it’s not a very easy one. The whole process involves first understanding how the body’s fat storage works and then breaking it down using exercise and most importantly, diet.

Sep272017

The Next Big Thing: Stair Climbs

We remember back in 2008 when we were on our way to our first Warrior Dash. We really had no idea what to expect since obstacle course racing wasn’t really a thing in the US at that point. We weren’t sure how to explain it our family and friends. Fortunately, it was only $35 or so, so you wouldn’t feel too bad telling people who you were paying to run through mud and fire.

Fast forward nearly a decade and everyone is on the lookout for new competition. Everything that involves competition, with either yourself or others, is becoming increasingly more popular, especially in the world of fitness and athletics. Obstacle course racing is a hundred-million dollar per year industry. CrossFit has a national level competition to bring their top athletes into a professional sports stadium for their apex event. Even triathlon is becoming more mainstream as far from elite athletes are willing to shell out ten-thousand dollars on a top bike to compete at their highest level. Still, our attention span can be lacking and as everyone gets bored with the same old thrill, the question is… what is the next big thing?

Now, I’m not going to be so bold to claim that Stair Climbs are going to be anywhere near that level, but they’ll certainly become more popular than they are now. The Los Angeles YMCA has hosted their annual Stair Climb in the US Bank Tower, which is the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, for the past seven years or so. We’ve been fortunate enough to compete in it the last three years, but we really only went for it this year. What do we mean by that?

Sep152017

Small Change, Big Gain

In health and wellness, small changes can make a huge impact. It’s all about baby steps and those baby steps eventually turn into significant changes to your health for the better. Changing soda for sparkling water. Reducing fast food. Going for a walk after work instead of plopping in front of the television. It’s these baby steps that turn into substantive lifestyle change. It develops your new lifestyle into one that’s sustainable and healthy. People often think they need a head-over-heels shake-up of their life to become healthy. That’s not it. That’s not sustainable. The important part is turning it into a lifestyle: not a diet or a brief workout plan. Slow integration is the way to do it.

We were featured in a really neat infographic from Elysium Health which is all about the small changes you can make. Elysium, themselves, are committed to this idea with their own daily NAD+ supplement leading to a big gain in the long term. It just takes a small difference to better your health and, thus, your life!

Sep042017

Hotel Room Workout

Whether you’re travelling for work or fun, sometimes you are stuck in a hotel with no gym. You’re in a town that you’re unfamiliar with and aren’t subscribed to a gym nearby. You may even be short for time before your morning meeting or adventure, but you still want to get some movement and exercise down. What do you do?! What you certainly will not do is let this turn into a way for you to squirm your way out of a workout. No more excuses! I’ve designed a hotel room workout for you that you can do anytime anywhere. Let’s get to it.

Sep012017

Posture in the Workplace

We invited Wayfair to share their graphic and article about how to keep good posture in the workplace. We hope you enjoy it!

If you’ve ever had to sit at a desk for several hours at a time, you know what it’s like to constantly shift in your seat in search of the most comfortable position. Fortunately, there are all kinds of methods you can use to help improve your posture at your desk. That’s why Wayfair asked the experts to put together a helpful guide on ergonomic seating. It talks about everything from posture to ergonomic accessories to exercises you can use to help improve your comfort throughout your day!

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.

Jul252017

4 Tips to Using a Rowing Machine

With the latest innovations and breakthroughs technology has enjoyed over the decades, the fitness industry has benefited a lot since then. In the past, fitness machines were limited and even hard to use, and one would need the assistance of a gym instructor which can cost some money and of course time in queuing for the turn to ask for assistance. Furthermore, fitness machines back then were very user-unfriendly and one would need to adjust to the machine in order to get to the right position. However, today, the story has definitely turned around. Fitness machines are very user-friendly, to the point that anyone can use it easily without asking for assistance. They are now very self-explanatory and simple. Fitness machines today have truly come a long way, that is why it is a lot of people have begun relying on them.

One of the most famous fitness machines known for its versatility and easy functionality is the rowing machine. Rowing machines allow the user to experience the feeling of rowing a boat. And we all know that rowing a boat is not easy: it requires a lot of arm and leg strength, not to mention the control and rhythm that you need to maintain in order to move the boat properly. With that being said, a simulated boat rowing is a good workout. Not only does it develop the leg muscles and arm strength, it also promotes proper posture and core development. If you are just starting to get interested in rowing machines or is already looking to use them in your routines, then here are 4 tips on how to use them from our expert friends at Body Gear Guide.

Jul042017

July 4th Workout

As you’re thinking of your afternoon barbecue, you mull over maybe getting a workout in before you stuff yourself like there’s no tomorrow. However, most gyms are closed today as it is a national holiday. But that never stopped you, right? No gym? No problem. No equipment? No problem. We have created a 7/4 (or July 4th) workout for you to do wherever–at home, at the park, at the beach, at the patio before you eat that burger, etc. In the spirit of 7/4, it’s:

7 exercises

30 seconds each

4 rounds