Over the weekend I hiked the 8.4 miles to Alamere Falls to get in some cardio, enjoy nature and yes – take an Instagram photo. While the trail itself wasn’t hard, I underestimated what 8.4 miles felt like and the view was underwhelming. Nevertheless, it was a good challenge and what I valued more than the quintessential “Look at me, I’m so active I hiked to a waterfall!” photo was my HEALTH.
There were a few times during the nearly four hour trek that I gave gratitude to the free Empower classes my work graciously offers, the gym in my apartment complex, and my commitment to being healthy. I felt lucky to be able to confidently climb up and down cliffs and last the entire hike without struggling. I’m not that strong, I’m definitely not fast and my stamina sucks, but my biggest muscle is my brain and it’s too stubborn to quit (I’m sure the gym helps a lot too lol).
I’m well aware that everyone’s bodies are different. Some people were born with medical issues that prohibit them from partaking in certain activities. It’s not something they can help. Some people have created entire human beings with their bodies, and are never quite the same afterwards. We all move different. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and it’s a beautiful thing. I was reminded of this during a text conversation with my girls the other morning. #gallery-23270-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-23270-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 25%; } #gallery-23270-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-23270-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
I loved reading about the different ways my friends took care of themselves, how they inspired each other, and the little changes they were making to better their lives. Living a “healthy lifestyle” can sound like such a buzzkill, and with social media it can seem intimidating. When really, it’s all about doing what works best for YOU. While my girl loves Soul Cycle, it hurts my vagina and while I love bikram, my other girl rather run a half marathon (WHYYYY?).
I wanted to share the conversation I had with my girlfriends, so that you could see the many ways one can be healthy. You don’t need a fancy gym or expensive membership to some trendy class just to keep up with the Jones’s. You don’t have to be like @alexia_clark or @massy.arias or wear waist trainers or drink special teas (unless you want to of course). Being healthy is a choice, and how you choose to be healthy is entirely up to you. It’s not about the number on the scale, as long as you’re healthy. So cheers to longevity, whether you’re taking a wheatgrass shot or shot of Hennessy.
And if you want to see my “meh” health routine, click after the jump!
Bro. I can’t believe you clicked after the jump. My shit is boring LOL. Activity: Bootcamp style class Tues and Thurs Gym Sat. morning Bikram Mon & Wed & Sun (I haven’t gone in a while, but this is what I used to do and what I want to get back to) If I miss a class I sub with something else, and try to do something outside once in a while e.g. hike I get an average of 8 hours of sleep a day. I know you’re jealous, sorry for bragging but I trained myself to do this. Still, I’m very grateful to have this luxury.
Diet: No meal plans, nothing specific No rice or pasta at home (I CRY EVERYDAY) Limited alcohol (currently, I haven’t had beer in over a month and am not drinking all of May) Not vegetarian/vegan but eat a lot of vegetarian/vegan foods and very little red meat WATER ALL DAY! I drink a minimum of 102 ounces at work alone (I only know this bc my water bottle is 17 ounces and I refill it at least 6 times while at work)