Home Workout Thursday: Push Muscle Group

Sometimes we neither have the time nor drive to get ourselves to the gym. That’s when you do a home workout. No matter what, you can always get a workout in! This workout will focus on our push muscle group: shoulders, chest, and triceps. For best results, do 3 sets. But hey, one is better than nothing! So if that’s all you have time for, that’s fine. Cardio exercises are 1 minute each. Strength exercises are until failure. NO REST IN BETWEEN EXERCISES.

Equipment Needed: Dumbbells, a floor (…)

Ready, set, go!

Jumping jacks – 1 minute
Chest press – Until failure

Triceps extension – Until failure

Mountain climbers – 1 minute

Arnold press – Until failure

Side triceps extension – Until failure

Boxing (with weight) – 1 minute
Pec flies – Until failure

Again–NO REST IN BETWEEN EXERCISES. You can, however, rest after each set. Let’s shoot for 3 sets. Use the heaviest dumbbells you can manage, really get your muscles tired and worked out. Let us know if you have any questions in the comment section below! You can always get a workout in, even if you don’t have a gym! And remember…stay hungry and fit!

Apr172013

Timed Abs: You Have 3 Minutes to Spare

I don’t want to hear that you don’t have 3 minutes to spare for a little exercise. Because you do. So let’s sit down and get it over with. “Timed abs” is one of my favorite abs routine. It’s different every time, but the technique is the same–no resting between the exercises. I first picked it up during high school track and saw its effectiveness. So, I brought to my own workouts as I grew up and also to my clients as I train them.

. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How many exercises and/or how many sets you do is up to how much time you can spare for your health. Here’s an example routine that you can try out. Either do 30 reps or 30 seconds of each:

Crunches
Toe touches (lift your legs up and reach for them over and over)
Slow bicycles (the slower you do them, the harder they are)
In n outs (I call them rows)
Side crunches
Reverse crunches

And that’s it! It would be even better if you could do more than one set, but one set will definitely set your core on fire if you do it right. If you have the time, go for three sets. If not, do as much as you can. Put your 100% effort and work into it. The best way to show dedication is hard work into yourself.

Abdomen (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By doing this set of exercises, you are hitting each part of your abdominal muscles. Here’s a list of more exercises for each abdominal section. Let us know if you have any questions. Cheers! And stay hungry and fit!

Apr092013

MMA Circuit Training: New Workout!

Hey everyone, so this might be a first on the blog site. I am going to provide you with one of my personal workouts for you perform. This one can be adjusted to fit your current level of conditioning. It also has a great progress tracking system. It’s essentially a full body workout that is meant to get your heart rate way up into the cardio-building and even fat burning range. If you haven’t subscribed to our YouTube channel make sure you do. As I am getting in better shape, I will be posting free workout videos! It’s like I’m personally training you, but it’s not quite personal… and it’s FREE!

You perform five exercises. Each for a set number of reps. You do not rest between exercises. Rest 30 seconds after each round. Then repeat until you are exhausted and cannot complete a round. That is when you stop. This one can be done at home or in the gym or a park. It requires no equipment but some can be used to make it more challenging. It’s very simple but very effective. Here it is:

1. Roundhouse kicks – 20 total

2. Split jumps – 10 total

3. Mountain climbers – 15 total

4. Elbow strikes – 20 total

5. Burpees – 10 total

I recently did this one at the end of a very long muscle workout and stopped only in Round 4 so I’ll be taking a rematch very soon! I haven’t done cardio in a VERY long time so once I start it up again I’ll have better luck.

Feel free to add some wrist weights, ankle weights, a weight vest, or use a standing or hanging bag in order to challenge yourself further. Use ALL OF THEM if you are a beast and want to stay hungry and fit!

Apr022013

Hungry’s Monster Shake

So this is one of my “protein shake” recipes. I have a solid amount of go-to recipes for shakes and they change depending on what fitness goal I am trying to reach. I might add some more protein and calories if I am bulking. I might avoid checking carbs and fats if I am trying to gain weight. If I am cutting I will probably mix some isolated whey with water to minimize carb intake and calories. Right now, I am in a bulking phase, trying to put some quality muscle mass on and increase my strength. Thus, I have a relatively calorically rich, fatty, and protein abundant shake.

First, I place my two scoops of Cytosport Monster Milk in the bottom of the blender. You can use your protein supplement of choice. You can use a mass gainer if you’re really trying to bulk up. It’s up to you. Then I add two cups of milk; I’ve been using 1% lately because that’s what Fit likes to drink. Next comes one (or two) scoops of Breyer’s Natural Vanilla Ice Cream. Finally I throw a banana in there. Blend it until it’s the consistency of your choice and chug, or sip.

It’s not my best tasting recipe by any means but it’s refreshing enough and gets the job done. The reason why I drink protein shakes is that I need to often hit a certain protein intake that reflects my goals. If I’ve only consumed 160 grams of protein in a day and my goal is 225 grams, this shake can reach that deficit. You don’t need to have these shakes to get leaner or bigger and stronger, but they are a convenient and fast nutritional source. It takes me a lot longer to make some ground turkey or beef.

There is a lot of confusion as to when you need to consume protein after a workout. The truth is that you have a rather large window that it is still effective, and I mean a rather large window. Trust me, you’re not going to miss that window. I have my shakes typically after my workouts because I workout on a near empty stomach so I am starving by the end of my workouts and can consume a full dinner and a shake. Again, that’s all up to you.

The master product

If you have any questions relating to this post, please ask so you can stay hungry and fit!

Mar252013

The Easiest Healthiest Dessert Recipe Ever: Sweet Baked Pears

I really need to cut down on these title lengths. Anyways, to the recipe. I discovered this recipe through a program I work with at the YMCA, called MEND. It’s a free program to fight childhood obesity and change the lifestyle to a healthy one at home. It’s been very successful! During each session, the participants get a MEND “cookbook”–a compilation of MEND-friendly (aka HEALTHY) recipes. This is from there. This is a guilt-free recipe. It’s basically fruit, cheese, and cinnamon. ENJOY!

Finished product

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients [serves 6-8 people]

6 pears (if you’re less-hungry people, you can use less)
1 1/3 cup ricotta
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp agave nectar (or honey)
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Wash the pears and cut them into halves

Scoop out the seeds and most of the middle

Put the pears on a baking sheet (no oil required) and put in the oven for 20 minutes
Let’s now turn our focus to the mixture. Put all the other ingredients (ricotta, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and agave/honey) into a small-medium bowl and mix! Feel free to taste

Put the mixture into the fridge to chill until you serve.
Take out the pears from the oven after 20 minutes
When ready to serve, put dollops of mixture in the hollowed part of the pears!

And that’s IT! Seriously amazing, delicious, and you don’t feel bad eating it because there isn’t any crap in it. This is a recipe I will be frequenting. I whipped it up very quickly after a gym session before we went to a friend’s house for dinner–it’s amazingly simple for how delicious it is. Enjoy!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Someone’s sleepy…

Mar232013

High Intensity Training [Or: For Cardio Haters]: Treadmill Interval Training

Odd title, perhaps. I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily a cardio hater, but I certainly do not usually enjoy running. Sprinting, sure, but sustained running, no. I’m not sure what it is, whether it bores me, I have poor endurance, or I don’t run properly (definitely a combination of the three). So if you’re like me, or if you just want a new great fat-blasting workout, listen up.

56/365 morning run (Photo credit: kharied)

Instead of trying to improve my mile time or extend the amount of mileage in a go, lately I’ve been doing interval training instead. This is perfect for someone like me who is eager for a tough intense workout, but isn’t a huge fan of running for cardio. Using a treadmill for this makes everything a lot easier because you can easily control your speed and monitor it as well.

Treadmill Desk (Photo credit: {platinum})

So go ahead–don’t be scared–jump on that treadmill and get ready for this workout:

25 minutes total

Start with a 5 minute walking warm up, but make it brisk–3 or 3.5 mph
Now we begin our interval training. Bump up the speed to 5 mph, a light jog
After 1 minute, change the speed to 8 mph or something akin to your speed of a sprint
Sprint for 1 minute at this pace then slow it down back to 5 mph (or slower if you’re really struggling–but never below 3 mph)
Go off and on like this (switching every minute) until your treadmill reads 25 minutes

This interval training is excellent for burning fat. And more importantly–for me–I don’t get bored, because I’m constantly switching speeds and pushing myself hard. It may seem like a long time for such intensity, but it goes by quickly and you will know the hard work you’ve done after. Your body will ache for nutrients.

Workout room. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Say you can’t bump it up that high? Or perhaps 25 minutes is just too long for you. Be reasonable, listen to your body, if you need to modify it, do so. For beginners, or people who just want to start smart, extend the rest time (the slow jog or fast walk in between the sprints) to 2-4 minutes instead of just 1. This may be the time you need to help you get all the way to 25 minutes.

And for those who just don’t have the time, simply cut it down farther. But make sure you maintain that speed and don’t cheat. You only cheat yourself. Let us know if you have any questions. As always…stay hungry and fit!

Mar142013

3 Ways to Cut Bad Energy from Your Life

We all have times where we get down, stressed, or angry. It happens, it’s part of life. Bad energy is all around us and can consume us. But there is a way to control the bad energy that is around us. We do have control over our lives and mostly who surrounds us. Can you think of that one person or place that seems to simply drown you in that negative energy? Is it really necessary? Let’s look it over.

Maybe you’re someone who doesn’t want to be rude in cutting someone out of your life. Or you just think it’s all in your head. Believe yourself–it isn’t. The feeling of being overwhelmed with negative energy is awful and it sucks the life out of you. Why is that ever worth it? No matter what your situation–working, retired, in school–you don’t deserve to be plagued with that bad energy. The kind that drains you, makes you tired, gets you grumpy, makes you unproductive, and changes you into a person you dislike. It makes you feel choked, cramped, and tied down. It even drives the hope out of you.

energy (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

Look back at that list. That is not how you want to live your life, even if it’s only part of the time. If you can immediately picture that person who drains the life out of you and smothers you with bad energy, think about if you really need them in your life. This may sound selfish, but sometimes to be truly happy and feel free, we need to be selfish and take the time to re-examine all components of our life. I have done this a few times and there are different ways to cut these people out:

1. Slowly release them from your life. Maybe it’s that one friend who complains about everything and makes you want to tear your hair out. Or that co-worker that nitpicks your everyday activities. You know that they aren’t necessarily trying to drag you down and throw bad energy at you, but–bottom line–they are. And because you know they aren’t evil people, you don’t want to straight-up shut them out immediately. So let’s be diplomatic and slowly cut the line. Maybe start declining outings they ask you on, spend less time near their cubicle, or make yourself busy and not available to chat. Don’t do all this immediately, do it nice and slow and before you know it, that connection will be dusty and you will feel clean and renewed.

2. Approach them and talk to them about it. This is risky, but worthwhile for both of you if you still want this person in your life. Do not be aggressive or confrontational about it. Have a private setting, maybe a small coffee shop, a lunch date, or simply a walk in the park. Bring up the topic slowly, saying something like, “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, and I really feel dragged down when you do this, or when you say that [obviously interject your own things]. I want to find a way to make our relationship [whether it be family, friends, or lovers] work so that we can both be happy.” That is a good way to start the conversation. If you find yourself getting quick to anger, maybe it’s just not going to work out as the bad energy spreads.

3. Take yourself out of the situation. So, yes, you can cut people out of your life or you can talk to them and try to make them aware of it so they can change. But what about yourself? Give yourself a good think-over and run over any times where you exude bad energy and where or with whom. And maybe you need to take yourself out of the situation. Out of an apartment, a job, a location. I know those sound like big things, but this is about mental health. Take the time, take the step, take the move.

English: Good Energy logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Our mental health affects our physical health–nothing is by itself. If one is altered, then the other will be too. So never ignore your physical or mental health. Cut away the bad energy from your life and live free and happy!

Mar062013

Quick Home Workout (Starting at Just 10 Minutes!)

So you really don’t have a lot of time, but you want to get some kind of cardio and strength activity in. Maybe you’re running off to see Jack the Giant Slayer in 15 minutes, but you want to get some muscle work in (hmm, sounds familiar…). This one ended up being a great core blaster with great upper body work as well.

And that’s my delightful chicken scratch! Do as many sets as you have time for. You can do one set in 7-10 minutes, depending on how long you last until failure. The weight for curls, rows, and press is up to you! You should get a light sweat and feel it in the abs and upper body, at least I did. Do them right, no rushing! If you have any questions on the exercises, feel free to comment and ask!

Cheers! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

Feb282013

Getting Creative With Tofu

If you’re a vegetarian or you just like it, tofu is a big part of the diet. Usually, we just cube it and put it into the dish with whatever else we are making. But recently, a friend (from Bali) shared a new way of doing tofu. Well, the cooking method is typical for some, but the flavoring is different. Using nutritional yeast. Now, I had no idea what this was before the couple brought the dish over to us. And it is delicious. It literally had me thinking I was eating fried chicken, that’s what it tastes like. So, I was in heaven. And then, I realized I needed to know how to make this for myself. Luckily, our friend left us a little tub of this magic nutritional yeast, so I was good to go. I will be showing you how to make this tofu dish, but also sharing what we had with it (though you can have it alone too).

Ingredients

1 box tofu
knife
nutritional yeast flakes
oil
peppers [optional]
udon [optional]
teriyaki [optional]

Directions

Drain the tofu juice out of the box and place the tofu on cutting board. Cut long-ways first, into thin 1/2 inch pieces
Cut short-ways, making little squares
Have a pan hot with a very light amount of olive oil and carefully place tofu on the pan, letting each have enough room to cook. I put the temperature on a little less than high (medium-high)
Takes about 5-10 minutes to cook, I use a fork to turn them over. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn on the outside, but get cooked on the inside. Turn them over one by one when the first side is done.
After both sides are ready, pop them onto a plate. Sprinkle the nutritional yeast flakes on top of each piece

Tastes like fried chicken!

And if you want to continue with our dish…slice up your peppers (or whatever vegetable) into thin long slices.
Put some more olive oil in the pan and this time garlic too
Throw the peppers in there
After the peppers have been in there for a few minutes, throw in your udon to heat up. At the time you put the udon in, put a good amount of teriyaki in as well, flavoring the udon and peppers, as well as giving some moisture to it all.

Yum…

Once the udon noodles are heated and have absorbed the teriyaki and the peppers have cooked enough, plate them atop the already-cooked tofu!

Finished product

And voila! There you have it–an easy, nutritious, delicious meal full of protein and fiber. Feel free to add or subtract any vegetable or addition to the stir fry, but seriously go for this tofu. It is absolutely delicious.

Cheers! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

Nymeria is 98% back to normal!!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Feb272013

Listen to Your Body

Listen to your body. It is a simple rule that many many many of us tend to forget, including myself. Well, perhaps forget is a rather passive word, but instead ignore. And what do we do? Keep pushing our bodies even though it’s saying, “Um, hi! I’m done now, please stop!” Many of us will call this “wimping out” or just a complaint that can be pushed through. But that is where you need to acquire a skill.

This skill is understanding and knowing your own body. Picking up on the language that your body uses to communicate with your mind. Often, beginners to fitness are a little out of tune with this language. It’s taken one of my clients several months to come to the point where he can really tune into his body and understand when it is telling him to stop or push just that one rep farther.

Working it right

Take the time in your next workout to feel out what’s going on with your body. Try to learn the difference between muscle pain (good) and joint or tendon pain (bad). If your muscles are filling with lactic acid, you can feel that pressure, that burning pain, but you know you can just do one more rep to push your body to the proper place. And if you feel your elbow joint or rotator cuff hurting with a sharp pain as you continue to bench press or curl, you know to stop before pushing yourself to injury. You have to walk that tight rope of pain. You have to know which is which.

If you’re unsure, ask a trainer. Point out what’s bothering you and they can tell you if that’s A-OK (ripping muscle fibers to make them stronger!) or a big NO-NO (overly-stressing a joint or ligament). If they’re a good, quality trainer, they will want to help you. Don’t be afraid of asking. It could save you an injury or make a workout that much better.

Chris taking a rest day with the kittens

Don’t be (too) stubborn. Now here, I really need to take my own advice. Tonight we did a chest and triceps workout (here’s a sample). My (we think) rotator cuff has been a bit strained and stressed lately and can get pretty painful with certain exercises like push-ups, chest press, shoulder exercises, and other triceps exercises on the bench. I endured it pretty well tonight, but it kept me from completing as full sets as I would like. However, even though I wanted to push myself harder, I knew that it was worn out after a good number of supersets. I wanted to do another superset or so, but I held back. I didn’t want to seriously injure anything. Often, I can be way too stubborn for my own good, but here is a prime example of listening to your body.