The Choose Your Own Adventure Kit

One of my goals lately has been to embrace adventure. When I was younger, I never wanted to be any one profession. Instead, when asked what I wanted to be "when I grow up," I answered FULL-TIME ADVENTURER. I have since come to realize that this has less to do with just taking trips (although those are pretty great too) and was really about embracing adventure as a lifestyle.

It's too easy to forget adventure. To be too busy. To become overwhelmed with responsibilities. But while we may not be able to jump on a plane on any given day...or leave work early to skinny dip, there are places to fit in a little spontaneity if you look for them and are prepared. So, without further adieu, I present the newest addition to the trunk of my car:

The Choose Your Own Adventure Kit

(I now have 2 small rubbermaid containers in my trunk. 1 for car emergencies and 1 for adventure emergencies)

* State map or atlas - good for finding new, unexplored places

* A headlamp or flashlight

* An extra pair of socks and underwear - you often won't mind wearing the same clothes again but may balk at the idea of doubling up on undie usage.

* Socks and an old pair of tennis shoes - socks for warmth, tennis shoes will allow you to go on a last minute run, hike or just be more comfortable cruising a last minute museum trip

* A jacket - mine is an old rain jacket to serve as double duty

* Snacks - non-perishable food items. I keep one or two dehydrated meals and a few fruit leathers. Also great to have in the event of a road emergency.

* A water bottle - we ALL have a million of these lying around. This time of year, I also keep a gallon of water in the car (obviously not a great idea for winter) which I've pulled out on more than one occasion.

* My yoga mat - think about it, unless you do a LOT of yoga at home, you probably shlep it to a gym or studio anyway so why not just keep it there? A yoga mat can be used for an after work session in the park but also as something to sit on or as a sleeping pad even.

* A fleece blanket - again, good for emergencies but can double as a summer sleeping bag

* The 10 Essentials Kit (as discussed in a previous post) - mine has been pared down to fit into one small travel bag that I can transfer from pack to car etc.

So, with these items you can create adventure where you might otherwise find an excuse.

"I can't go for a run, because I don't have my shoes"

"I can't stay at the campfire because I'll get cold"

"I could never go camping after work on a Friday"

So, what else would you add? I added some extra dog food and a water bowl for the mutt. After all, he LOVES camping!

Perhaps a tarp? An extra set of clothing for the kiddos?

Book Review: The Happiness Project

My friend, Gabe, has been embarking on a journey of self-discovery. He has been a reading machine and I am thankful that he and I have similar interests so I can pick his brain for recommendations. A week and a half ago, he emailed out of the blue and advised that I pick up a title called The Happiness Project.

Trusting his intuition, I ordered it online, received it last Friday and had FINISHED it by Sunday. What a GREAT book!

I've never really been one to enjoy "self help" books. They all seem too cliche and I've never been one who likes being told what I should and shouldn't do...go figure. While I wouldn't dub this book a self-helper per se, it does offer a lot of great insight into how best to look at the world through those rose-colored glasses.

I like how this author doesn't expect change from anyone in her life, except herself.

I like that she admits that she's already happy in her life, she just wonders if she can be happier.

I respect her methods of goal setting and her honesty in achieving those goals.

I really like the reality check that we are EACH RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN HAPPINESS!

It's a pretty quick read but I found it to be pretty inspiring. So much so, in fact, that chapters 1 and 2 inspired me to set out on an adventure this weekend and accomplish a few goals of my own...but that's another blog.

So, find it online, in a library, from a friend but check out The Happiness Project. I think you'll like it.

The third step is helping others that have the same compulsions...

To be honest, this is how the Real Chicks got started. After climbing Kilimanjaro and feeling invincible, I wanted to make every woman feel the same way in the outdoors. Losing the group that was created out of that idea has left a gaping hole in my spirit. It has become obvious that I NEED to have like-minded women in my life. Guiding a monthly hike strengthened my desire to be better at it. It forced me to get up, even if once a month, and enjoy nature in a new way.

Since the March Real Chicks trip, I have been approached by several staff members at the Y about starting a hiking group here. At first thought, I adore the idea. Upon further reflection, it scares the crap out of me. In Omaha, I knew the trails, I knew the drives to trail heads, the mileage, the duration and the people. I trusted those I was with and they trusted me to guide them in their Saturday adventure. My competency in guiding is something I take very seriously.
Have you ever been on a hike with a less than prepared hike master? Everyone senses the stress, the pressure. As a hiker, you worry that if you fall, this person won't have the skill to help. I've been on hikes where I genuinely felt our leader had no idea where they were taking us. I worry that here in Colorado, I would be this person. There are SO many trails to learn! And most people who live here are really skilled, making me feel like I have to step up even more to be a good hike leader. It's not so much that I feel the need to be perfect. I will just have to humble myself...probably often. Perhaps be more of a hike organizer, than a leader. As a side note, skill development is a major reason I moved here. I felt I had exhausted many of my resources back home and needed a place where I could be the student more often.

So, I'm thinking of organizing a women's hike. In Colorado. Just as in Omaha, there may only be 5 of us on the first one but I am hopeful that in starting it, I can help foster healthy living for myself, as well as to other women in the valley.

Wish me luck.

The second step is finding a greater power to gives strength...

For me the next step in my process is heavily reliant on others.

I have lamented in the past about how I just don't have the network of supportive people in Colorado that I was blessed by in Omaha. It takes a while to develop community but I've had a particularly difficult time here. My community is transient, with ski and bike bums coming and going all year. People move here for a while but it's not often you find someone who's from here.
I spend a LOT of time missing my athletic friends and RCs in Omaha.

Then, last week I met with a colleague. We work together indirectly, had spoken on the phone several times but had never met. In arranging a conference call, she asked if she could come to my office and sit in on the call together. Our call went from about 3:15-4:00. By 5:00, we were still talking. She is a Real Chick to be sure and a chick with an incredible story. After a while in the conversation, she asked if I was a runner. Without thinking, I responded "yes." Almost immediately, I realized that I am a runner...in my mind. I used to be a runner. Out here, I've run a handful of times, mostly to make sure I still can. With my eager response to running, she asked if I'd like to join her in a trail run this week. Still feeling too big for my britches I again responded "yes."

What have I gotten myself into. I immediately make the "oh crap" call to my boyfriend who lovingly reminded me that this is exactly what I had been asking, nay praying for. Someone to keep my physically accountable to my goals. This is something I've been needing for so long! Dang...busted!

So by the time you read this, RC Paula and I will have gone running. She and I are of a similar spiritual mindset and neither of us see it as a mistake that we met. It was truly one of those moments where you can tell a great friend in a 5 minute conversation. I see this as a direct answer to a prayer! I took a step in admitting my problem, actually started to find way to remedy it and almost immediately, I have been given a friend for support. She had already become one of the most encouraging people I have met here.

And if you never hear from me again...check the trails around the Y.
I may have fallen and can't get up.

The first step is admitting you have a problem...

So, I have a problem. I grew up in a home of foragers. We didn't eat meals, we snacked. We'd make ourselves PB&Js for lunch and cheese and crackers for dinner. What I feel this did, was connect food and eating to almost every activity I did. You eat while you watch tv, while on the phone, when hanging out with friends. As I got older it turned into eating during a lecture at school and while sitting at my desk. During these times I'd be eating convenience foods, which, for the most part, are crap! There was never the lesson of hungry=eat something, rather eat something to stay entertained regardless of hunger.

I really feel this has become a norm in our society overall. As we all became too busy to sit down with our families, we have become on-the-go, processed-food eaters. Having food at a social event is not only normal, it's expected! I can even think of countless hikes/runs with friends that were immediately followed by some sort of eating activity. In Chicago, my roommate and I would reward ourselves for a long run, with a big, fat pancake breakfast at Walker Bros!

As I've begun to recognize this as a habit of mine, I have attempted to shift my thinking about food. Any woman out there knows this isn't an easy thing to do especially when eating is tied to emotion on top of everything else. So, where am I going with all of this?

Two weeks ago, I had to swallow my pride. I joined Weight Watchers Online. I never thought I'd be one of those people. Weight watchers was something my mom did. I didn't sign up, however, with any specific weight loss goal. Rather, I was interested in tracking what I ate, how good/bad it was for me, how much physical activity I was getting etc. This has become a GREAT thing for me, mostly because, sitting at my desk all day, I can get online often to monitor and plan!

For those who don't know the system: in order to maintain my weight, I am given a certain number of points per day...21. All foods are assigned a point value and I can eat whatever I want, so long as I say at 21 total points for the day. In addition, I am given 35 free points for the week. I normally use these for dinners with friends and wine consumption ( a non-negotiable). I can also earn extra points by being active, with activities being worth point values as well.

It has been SO interesting to see what I eat and what it amounts to. I always thought I was a pretty good eater but I am completely reevaluating now that I've seen the data.

Examples:
Carrots 0 Points
Peach 1 Point
Venti Americano .5 Points...add milk .5 Points YES!!
Boulder Canyon Chips Individual Pack 3 Points
1 Bottle of Stout Beer 4 Points (dang)
1 1/2 cups of Rice Pilaf 8 Points
3 Slices of Cheddar Cheese 9 Points (double dang)
1 1/2 cups of mint choc chip ice cream 17 Points (aaaakkkk!!!)

Sure, there aren't really surprises here. Of course dairy and dairy+sugar are going to be bad for you, right? But the ice cream amounted to almost ALL of my caloric intake for the day! That's really bad.

What I like about the system is that no one is telling me what to eat. I can eat what I want, when I want it. I just make more educated decisions about my diet now. Knowing that I splurged at lunch, makes me reign it in for dinner. Knowing that I'm going out to pizza on Saturday, makes me more cautious on Tuesday. Knowing I've used up all my extra points forces me to relate eating the snacks to the amount of physical activity I'm getting in.

Last, let me tell you, there was a day, when I thought I ate pretty well. Healthy breakfast, went to Music in the Park and packed healthy snacks for lunch (save for one beer-it doesn't help that I like the dark ones) and then went over to a friends house for dinner. Turns out, that day, I had eaten 65 Points worth of food! The major culprits were walnuts, cheese, rice pilaf....and the ice cream. This was the day that this system really hit home for me.

I have thus far found it to be a great mechanism of accountability for maintaining my dietary goals.

Accountability

So, this blog has only been going a few months and I'm already getting behind in my posts!

This past week and a half or so, I came to a conclusion. You may remember when I posted a few weeks back about the difficulty I was/am having in finding a fitness routine. Well, over the last few days, it has really struck home for me that one thing I am missing out here...is accountability.

Living in Omaha, working in an outdoor store and surrounded by like-minded individuals, it was easy to stay on track. Friends would ask if I had done anything active that week. They'd ask how my run/hike/bike/walk went and when I was going again. It was almost an expectation that they had for me and it caused me to set goals. It didn't take long for this encouragement to morph into a consistent physical challenge: Can I log more miles on my legs this week than I did last week? Most weeks, I did. I would have weeks of logging 40 miles! Between running, stair climbing ( i LOVE the stair climber) and walking the 6+ miles round trip to work, it was easy to put more miles on my body than on my car (!) each week.

I also had accountability when it came to diet. If I would have ever walked into the shop with "junk" food, I would've never heard the end of it! Granted, we were never perfect eaters at the shop but it seemed our calories were saved for a glass of beer or wine rather than a package of M&M's. We would bring homemade breads and fruit to share, not cakes or cookies (with the exception of the day Rachel brought wedding cake samples, and I ate my body weight in pink champagne cake).

Last, I had accountability within my job itself. My job that required me to be on my feet, walking around the store, lifting boxes, moving merchandise, creating displays. My job in retail was a physical one which helped in not allowing time for that boredom snacking that sneaks up on so many of us.

So, here I am...at a desk job, with processed dining hall food provided (extra calories and all), living too far to walk to work, surrounded by great people...who could really care less what I eat. For as often as I love my independent nature, I am realizing that I'm at an accountability crossroads. I either need to become more disciplined...or find ways to create accountability.

This week I will be writing a few posts on how I am finding this accountability. I'd be curious to know what keeps you motivated. Do you have suggestions for how to motivate me?

To be continued...

The Road Beneath Us

Okay, so I have been fortunate to immerse myself into an outdoor lifestyle. This inevitably brings other outdoorsy folk onto my radar. Recently RC Anne sent me a link to this blog:

The Road Beneath Us

Read the profiles on these women! I love when I read about people completely changing their lives and using the outdoors or an adventure as a catalyst for this change. I have never met these Ohio natives but dang! I'm inspired...and I'm not even a cyclist.

Incidentally, I have a few new, great ideas for quirky trips around Colorado thanks to reading about their quest.