The New Protein Superfood: #FeelAmazingEveryDay (Giveaway)

Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to present to you a product that does everything in one perfect scoop. You get your 7 alkalizing greens (wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa, spirulina, chlorella, broccoli, and spinach), your plant-based protein, and a healthy serving of your fruits and vegetables. It seems like a lot. And it is! But we aren’t pulling your leg. Amazing Grass dug deep and produced this great product for the public. It’s your daily nutrition all-in-one package. At Hungry and Fit, we try new products all the time. Some are hits and most are misses. I was a little nervous about this one. All this stuff in just one scoop? Won’t it be gross? Spoiler alert: it’s not!

Apr212016

A True Lifestyle Supplement: ON Amino Energy

The supplement industry can be a huge, intimidating monster for many. Think along the lines of that dark and scary maze at the end of the Triwizard tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Yes, it can be that bad for millions of people who are overwhelmed by the flashy labels, crazy names, and exhaustive ingredient lists of thousands of brands. Thousands of powders, hundreds of flavors, and yet, they only aim to accomplish a few things. Mostly, they help you get ready for your workout, assist you in getting through your workout, or benefit you in recovering after your workout. Some companies like to put them in separate products that you buy and combine while some combine them into one proprietary blend for you, but what if you’re perfectly content working out without supplements?

Apr122016

Grip Strength Workout

Whether you’re having a hard time opening a jar of pickles or can’t lockout that 600+ lb deadlift, your grip is an essential component to your overall strength. Instead of buying a pair of straps or the most technologically advanced chalk, the best practice is to develop a grip that can crush apples and tear phone books. These exercises will help you develop stronger hands and have a direct practical application to competitions such as powerlifting and strongman since you’re simulating the same technique. Even if you’re a martial artist who grapples or throws, being able to hold onto a gi is key and no matter what your goal, this routine will push your mind (and forearms) to the limit every set.

It’s important to note that in between every set, I will stretch the muscles that are being contracted for such a long amount of time. For example, I might use a thick rubber band (like the one from broccoli at the grocery) to expand my hands so they and my forearms are not in a state of constant flexion. I train many lab workers, nurses, and bakers who have developed the equivalent of a shin splint in their forearms because they’ve created such an extreme muscular imbalance. We want to avoid that in our effort to strengthen our grip. We don’t want to cause injury when trying to squeeze that level 3 Captain of Crush.

(I will mention that you’ll notice Captain of Crush work is not included in this workout. I generally superset every exercise in my bodybuilding upper day with my CoC so I avoid using them in this workout.)

Apr062016

The Steady Rise of Diabetes and What We Can Do About It

I’m willing to bet that most people know someone or have someone in their lives that has diabetes. There’s Diabetes Type I and Type II, but I’m focusing on Type II today. It affects so many people and their lives, even those who don’t have it, but have a close relative who does. BBC just came out with this article this morning:

The world is facing an “unrelenting march” of diabetes which now affects nearly one in 11 adults, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

In a major report it warned cases had nearly quadrupled to 422 million in 2014 from 108 million in 1980.

High blood sugar levels are a major killer – linked to 3.7 million deaths around the world each year, it says.

How diabetes has taken its toll

422 million

adults were living with diabetes in 2014 – that’s

314 million

more than there were in 1980

8.5% of adults worldwide has diabetes

1.5 million people died as a result of diabetes in 2012

2.2 million additional deaths were caused by higher-than-optimal blood glucose

43% of these 3.7m people died before they were 70 years old

Source: WHO

Powerful stuff, huh? Okay, so that’s a scary report. This isn’t just something that changes the chemistry of your blood, this can turn into a life or death situation. I have a lot of close people to me that have diabetes. It’s important to me that the world gets healthier and more aware.

What can we do about it? Yes, we can fret and worry, and that’ll help our actions, but what can we actually do? We’re not all doctors or scientists. We can spread awareness about diabetes. We can talk to our loved ones who may be afflicted by it. We can lead healthy lifestyles of our own to be a model for others. We can encourage others to eat healthy and adopt a movement lifestyle, instead of cramming their sugars and not getting up enough. It’s about spreading awareness and leading healthy, moderated lifestyles. This doesn’t mean you have to be a non-sugar crazy person. Just try moderation. Don’t eat so many sweets and refined sugars. Make it a treat.

Staying healthy means steering away from diabetes and towards a lifestyle that’s hungry and fit!

Question of the Day: What do you think is the best way to fight against diabetes in the world?

Apr042016

Our Last Week or So in Pics

We continued to eat fairly healthy

Mar302016

Chia Seed Pudding

This is a recipe I’ve been wanting to try for a long time. I’m not sure why I held off so long, because it’s ridiculously easy to make. This is a pretty hot item in the fitness industry right now, so I finally bought myself a pack of chia seeds and tried a simple recipe. Praise the Chia gods! It turned out wonderful! It was an easy breakfast that I could go to when I was running out of time. It’s very nutritious, full of healthy fats, and it is so utterly simple. There are so many ways to tweak the recipe here and there to get the flavors that you want. This is an “overnight” recipe and will serve you well throughout the week. Here are the nutritional facts per serving (around 1/2 cup) of the one I made:

Calories: 158
Fat: 10g
Carbs: 6.3g
Protein: 7.2g

Mar292016

Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars

Since I’ve been eating clean and getting into better shape, I need foods around the house to support that. That’s why I’ve been trying out different recipes and seeing how I can protein out of every little thing while keeping it clean. Protein bars! Often times, the store bought ones have stuff in them that you don’t necessarily want. So, why not make your own? I found this recipe and wanted to make a play on it. It was incredibly easy: put all ingredients into a bowl, mix, then put into the oven. I used my cinnamon cracker protein powder, but you can use any type! Check out the nutrition facts below per each bar:

Calories: 86
Fat: 1.9g
Carbs: 11.9g
Protein: 6.3g

Mar242016

What is RPE or Rate of Perceived Exertion?

I remember my first “job” at a gym back in the early-mid 1990s. Although that facility no longer exists (it’s a doctor’s office now), there are a few images stuck in my mind from it. One of the clearest images is one that I see every day in the fitness facility that I manage in LA. It was one that I’ve looked at in the countless gyms that I’ve worked in and will continue to see for some time. It’s the side-by-side poster combination of target heart rate zones and rate of perceived exertion.

When I train aspiring fitness professionals to become everything from personal trainers to group exercise instructors, these two charts are a key component in the classroom. Why? Because there is a great chance that they’ll have them at their new job and will have to explain what they mean to their customers, clients, and members. Also, using the concepts behind these posters will help you explain some key components in a way that normal people will understand.

Mar222016

What Happened to the Weekend?

The typical work week is Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with a lunch break from 12:30-1:30 pm, right? Those seem to be standard business hours, but there isn’t anything standard about our society and the hours of operations for businesses that are struggling to keep their expenses as low as possible while maximizing revenue. Now, throw the insane cost of living in some places and all of a sudden, you need to work way more than 40 paid hours a week just to pay rent. Let’s not even bring up student loans.

If you have a salary job, there’s a 90% chance that you’re working way more than 40 hours a week and skipping lunch breaks to hit every deadline for the three jobs that you’re doing since they’re not replacing the other people who left because they’d had enough of being a “team player.” Even with that salaried job, you’re not making nearly enough to cover your expenses so you only have one choice. You have to get a second job.

Mar192016

Exercise Spotlight: Standing Plate-Loaded Shrugs

We are continuing our series of exercise spotlights with today’s version of a shrug! A lot of people shy away from shrugs because they think that their traps will flame up Hulk-style. In reality, building your traps gives you a strong-looking frame to compliment the rest of your shoulders, arms, and back. Remember, it’s important to continue to add different exercises to your knowledge base so that your body doesn’t get used to anything. Let’s learn about the standing plate-loaded shrug.