Hiking! Mountains! Happy!
I am a hiker. There is perhaps nothing I love more right now than tackling a tough trail or a tall mountain and being out in the beautiful God-given outdoors/wilderness! I love the adrenaline rush, the challenge, the smells, and the sights and sounds of natural beauty all around me. I love the challenge of pushing myself faster, harder, steeper. And, the combination of all of the above — well, it makes me happy..and fit!
That said, two years ago, I could not have dreamed this. Walking to the end of the block was difficult. And I didn’t do it. Today, I can’t imagine my life without it. So if you are someone who hates to exercise? Doesn’t know where to begin, or isn’t sure what type of movement or exercise motivates you. I give you this.
Try just walking to the end of your block. One day. One time. See what happens. Note how you feel both inside and out. Do you feel a sense of accomplishment? Better than you would have had you stayed in the office chair or on the couch. Can you go a little farther tomorrow?
I told everyone I hated to exercise and I had every reason (aka excuse) in the book not to. Some excuses were quite creative. In fact, pure embellishment was not out of the question. My friend Jimbo would encourage me just to try to walk to the end of the block, and one day I did. Then I attended boot camp and pushed myself past what I thought were my physical limits only to learn, I can do just about anything. And, look at me now — I am climbing mountains all the time…for fun!
Tell me your story. I want to hear what kind of exercise/movement inspires you? I KNOW you can do it. Look and these photos from my latest climb on MY mountain – Oberg Mountain in Lutsen, MN, and tell me you are not inspired!
🙂
Lori
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- Oberg – Fall 2012
I, too, enjoy hiking, and have done some of it this summer in NE MN, as well as the Black Hills. But in the spirit of rejuvenation that Lori has been helping create, I offer a bit about my own effort to improve my health and get the health equation right in my life.
I have been a long-distance runner for a good chunk of my life. What I have not been a good chunk of my life is a good foods consumer. In fact, my patterns have made me increasingly chunky and challenged my ability to participate in endurance events.
Just this week, I think I have made a change I believe I can stick with, help me lose the necessary weight and food patterns to not only help me retain my favorite exercise activities, but also better my health in a myriad of ways.
Monday I joined Slimgenics, and after three days, the weight is peeling off a good rate. Instead of plodding down the street, I am running again. Better yet, I am beginning to transform the contents of my kitchen from loads of bread, pasta, cookies and deli meat to a set of food items that are easier on the vital systems AND the waistline.
Unlike previous efforts I’ve made to trim a few pounds, the new plan has me looking optimistically to the next set of pounds to drop, instead of desperately clinging to a couple of foods that helped me get 10 pounds removed in just 3 days.
With continued plan execution, I hope to be able to welcome many more athletic challenges and outdoor experiences into my life in the days and years ahead.
Thanks, Lori, for showing how this could be done! I think your example played a part in me finally getting a strategy for improving my health !
I too love hiking, and as much as I complain about summer coming to an end, fall really is a beautiful time of year to hike. And I do have some pretty adorable hiking boots, if I do say so myself. (nothing better to get you moving than some great shoes!!!) Besides that, I LOVE horseback riding. And for those people who say horseback riding isn’t exercise, I’d like to introduce you to my horse Cody….I’m pretty sure I do more work than him on some rides, and I’m SORE afterwards–it’s actually a great core workout….and brushing and combing him and scraping his hooves takes a lot of effort! Winter is coming soon, which means I’ll be getting out my cross country skis and heading up north to my aunts’ house to do some snowshoeing too…..so fun!