Catnip: Sow a Little Magic

Posted: May 27, 2017September 30, 2017

“And where does magic come from? I think that magic’s in the learning.” – Dar Williams

Last year a weed popped up just outside of our back door. By some kind of luck no one ever got around to pulling it. We noticed Leroy payed it special attention, and I suspected then that it might be catnip. I did some research after rolling a leaf between my fingers released a sweet, feral, minty aroma; it was indeed catnip. What luck! I informed the household that it was Leroy’s plant, and to let it flourish where it had sprung up – from underneath landscape cloth and between a crack in the rocks. This year we waited and waited for its return to life. But it never came back, and when Leroy went missing and was surely dead, I found it darkly poetic. After many stormy days I accepted his death, and in his honor I went down into the ditch where the plant is abundant, hacked a few out of the ground and planted them in an old barrel on the side of the house. I pressed the roots into the soil, all the while whispering onto the wind to him to come back to me someday; in another body or another time. Two days later that battle hardened, badass cat showed up again. You can chalk that up to coincidence, but catnip is a pretty magical plant anyways.

Magical, yes. I believe that magic is just science, and math, and nature. I don’t believe anything is any less amazing because it can be explained – in fact, I think that’s the most magical part. I believe that magic is how our brains perceive chance, and luck, and fortune, and love. Magic is the way that an ecosystem can balance itself. The way that bees make the world go round, and produce honey all throughout. Magic is instinct and intuition; an intrinsic part of us and all animals, and plants, and life. It is intent and knowledge; hope and hard work.

It is the way that certain plants passively provide certain benefits to an incredible array of recipients – all because of a seed, the sun, water, and nutrients in the soil.

Catnip (and really most members of the mint family) is straight up magical in this sense. Your cat loves it, but it can be incredibly beneficial to you as well!

What Is Catnip?

Catnip is scientifically known as Nepeta Cataria. It is one of the many members of the mint family. An incredibly hardy herb, it is a perennial in most areas (USDA zones 3-9.) It requires very little water, and can handle an incredible range of conditions, from very little sun to full sun, all day. This plant is incredibly tenacious. Like most mints, it will spread wherever the hell it wants to if you don’t cut off the flower heads before they go to seed. I highly recommend adding it to your herb garden, and not just for your cat.

Why do Cats Love Catnip?

Most cats love catnip, even some big cats, but to be very certain not all cats are affected by the plant. Nepetalactone is the tarpenoid that is responsible for the reaction most feline’s have. Sensitivity to nepetalactone seems to be an inherited trait that an estimated 50-80% of cats have, and doesn’t typically develop before six months of age. Effects last approximately ten minutes before they will go ‘nose-blind’ to it for approximately thirty minutes. The effect is thought to be stimulating when inhaled, and sedating when ingested. The scent is essentially interpreted by the cat’s brain as a feline pheromone. Ingesting the plant results in the absorption of its other nutrients and components, resulting in a separate reaction. Catnip is neither dangerous nor addictive to your cat, so don’t worry about being an enabler.
It is part of your responsibility as a pet parent to provide them with entertainment and excercise, the way I see it, this is just another trick up your sleeve.

What Can Catnip do for Me?

Catnip has long been used by humans for a variety of reasons. It can be eaten, smoked, or processed into others forms like salves, essential oils, juices, etc. Most commonly used as a dry herb in tea, it makes for a pleasant cup with a whole lot of perks. I personally am not going to smoke catnip, nor am I likely to go out of my way to make a tincture or extract. I wouldn’t mind a bottle of its essential oil, and I could easily be convinced to try to make a salve or poultice with it, but tea is where it’s at.

Catnip is well known as a stress reliever, and is often used by those with chronic anxiety. Its sedative nature is responsible for this, and is also why it is very commonly used as a nighttime tea. Like many mints, it is very effective against headaches and migraines. It is also thought to rev up the healing process by inducing sweating. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it is also widely used to treat digestive upset. Mixing catnip and pine needles to make tea is a great idea for settling in to sleep if you’re sick, or feel like you’re getting there.

Catnip tea is also one of the few natural allies for women in fighting menstrual symptoms. It is known to soothe cramps and calm frazzled nerves. Give it a try!

It is not recommended that pregnant women or those with liver or kidney disorders consume catnip.

Catnip is antibacterial, and can be made into a poultice to soothe skin irritations such as bug bites, and minor scrapes and burns.

What Can Catnip do for My Garden?

You mean other than attracting all of the neighborhood cats in to scare off rodents that are prone to eating your vegetables?

Plenty! Catnip repels pesky bugs and biting insects in its general vicinity as well as, if not better than, DEET!

Its lovely scent is very pleasing when the sun filters through its serrated, heart shaped leaves. The flower spikes usually come up a pale purple, and provide an ample amount of entertainment for pollinators.

How Do I Grow Catnip?

Very simply. The challenge is not in growing catnip, it is in keeping it in check.

Like I mentioned earlier, it is a very hardy herb, and very likely to thrive wherever you are. Seeds germinate easily, but it is easiest to plant an established plant or to root cuttings.

If a friend has a plant, you can ask them for a cutting. Strip the leaves off of the bottom few inches and place in a glass of water out of direct sunlight until roots form, simple!

Plant in just about any soil, water thoroughly as your roots are taking hold, but do not drown your plant.

Catnip does not require fertilization, but you may if you wish.

Allow flower heads to grow and bloom for the use of pollinators, but snip them off before they go to seed if you do not wish more plants to pop up next year. You can snip stalks and harvest leaves throughout the season, resulting in a bushier, denser plant.

Foraging for Catnip

Catnip grows like a weed in many areas. It is no surprise it popped up in our backyard; after identifying the plant I noticed it everywhere in the lower elevation side and ditch area within the open space that we back up to. It often cozies up to another plant or bush in a symbiotic relationship.

Catnip can often vary in appearance, depending on where it is growing. For example, these pictures show the differences between plants that live relatively close to each other in the same ravine; one grows in near constant direct sunlight, the other in mostly shade and indirect light. The plant that lives in the open is shorter, denser, has darker stalks, with paler leaves that are thicker but overall much smaller. The plant that lives under a canopy of trees is statuesque; tall, pale stalked and lithe with great broad, soft, dark leaves

What remains true between the two is the heart shaped leaves with soft, rounded serrations. Tiny, soft fuzzy white hairs cover the plant. There is often purple on the stem and underside of the leaves, particularly in fresher growth and plants under harsh sun light. Pairs of leaves alternate upwards on a dense, squared stem. Flowers are small and appear on a bud; they may be white, pink, purple, and any variation in between, often with speckles.

Rolling a leaf between your fingers will reveal a minty aroma, but it will not be as potent as peppermint or as sweet as spearmint.

Drying, Storage, and Use

If you have a dehydrator, absolutely use that. If I had a freeze drier I’d be cranking out preserved herbs and food left and right, and you bet your ass I’d be jazzed about it; and you would be annoyed with how often I talked about it. But for now, I dry my herbs the old fashioned way – in a dark, dry area with decent ventilation.

You can snip individual leaves and then dry them, but you’ll make it easier for yourself if you dry entire stalks at a time, and remove and store the leaves once they are brittle and curled.

Store in an airtight container in a dark place, preferably with a moisture control packet.

Pull out individual leaves as needed and make your tea as strong as you like it! Use a tea ball or a strainer, and steep in water that has just come down from a boil. Mix with various herbs and teas for whatever suitable need! Enjoy the simple but powerful benefits, and how they connect you to the earth; and always be grateful for your bounty.

If you’re ever around, stop on by and we’ll dig you up a wild plant of your own!

Do you have any experience with catnip?

What do you think of it? What does your cat think of it? I’d love to hear from you, let me know in the comments below, or connect with us on any of the following social media platforms!

Now, for the disclaimer – I am not an adventure guide, personal trainer, doctor, nutritionist, or medical authority, this is meant to be only a source of information and inspiration, implementing these techniques into your daily life is something you do of your own free will and at your own risk.

Join us for the journey!

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On Loss and Love: Mourning a Friend

by Danielle

Posted: May 20, 2017September 30, 2017

The following post was written before something truly amazing happened. Though the loss that prompted it’s writing is no longer applicable, I have decided to go on and post it anyways. The lessons remain the same, and the pain was still real.

My boy had gone missing for quite a while. He was an indoor/outdoor cat in this area for six years before he went missing for nine days. The odds were VERY high that he had died, and I mourned his loss as such. About two days after writing this post, my big guy showed up; home to say ,”Happy Mother’s Day!”

He was dirty, very dehydrated, and has a notable amount of weight loss, but other than that he is alive and well. I could not be more elated!

That being said, I think it is important to touch on the subjects I have here. Properly mourning and moving on in life after emotional trauma and loss is extremely important for mental health and progress. I can now appreciate my blessings all the more for having processed my grief. I cannot believe the immense blessing and luck it is to say my boy is home safe.

I want to thank everyone who was there with words of solace and understanding.

Original Post

“In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! We are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien

My Leroy is gone. I do not know where to begin. I do not know how to write this. I know it will be of no great benefit to anyone reading except for maybe myself. But this may be the only closure I am ever afforded. I may never know what happened to my boy. But my grief is choking me, and I have to write about him, to me, to you. I have to communicate what great love and life and joy he brought to me. I have to honor him. I have to commit to never let the pain of loss allow fear to take over me and sway my decisions. Overcoming grief and mourning means so much more than putting aside the feeling of emptiness. It means loving, and growing, and learning. It means moving on with honor and intent. Whether you are grieving an animal or a human, this remains true.

You may be saying, “This is just a cat. Are you really writing about a cat?” To that I say, no.

No I’m not writing about some cat. I’m writing about my friend. My ally. My boy. I’m writing about a life I stewarded with great love. I’m writing about the first life I was a Momma to. I’m writing about a valuable presence and an unconditional love that touched my soul and changed my life.

I’m writing about honoring a life well lived. I’m writing about overcoming pain and grief. I’m writing about living fully. I’m writing about never letting the fear of what could be hold you back.

You do not have to relate.

How it all began

One night, my senior year of high school I got drunk and stole a cat. On accident.

That is a story for another time, just rest assured that that cat was returned safely after a short thirty minutes or so. But that friendly little bugger lit a fire. I had always been a dog person, but suddenly, I needed a kitten to love and raise. After some sly work I cracked open my parent’s resolve and convinced them that it would be a good idea. They told me, “Alright. You can get a female cat, but she’s living outside.” I have to laugh at that every time I think about it. Less than a week later I was being chauffeured by my sister through a barren, scattered community halfway between Colorado Springs and Pueblo. A woman there had the last two of a litter from a stray female. We arrived and stepped into the house.

She placed this tiny kitten in my hands and my heart swelled. “I think he’s going to be a big boy,” she said, and I laughed at the prospect. He fit in one palm. (She predicted correctly, by the way.)

This tiny little mewling boy is what I brought home. I ran through an endless list of names, every single one was rejected until I got fed up and stuck with the last one I had said. Leroy. A strange name for a cat, they said. But as everyone with animals experiences, they never have one name. The list grew continuously; Choy, Choy Boy, Bok Choy, Mister Choy, Kitten love, Satan, Monster, Felinicus Rex, Shithead, Asshole….My beautiful kitten. I love him so much.

A Life Well Lived

He grew quickly, an incredible source of entertainment and mischief. He taught me so many things. It came time for him to learn how to safely navigate the outside world, and I took great care to teach him. He was harnessed and placed on a line several times a day for weeks before I let him free roam. I wanted him to become familiar with the smells and sounds. I wanted him to be set up for success. I wanted him to lead a free life with the greatest possible preparation. Our house backs up to an open space that accommodates a great variety of wild fauna, and I knew he would always be at risk. A heavy price for the best possible life.

He swiftly became an incredible hunter. Started with moths, I can still remember his joy the first time he caught one. This gangly little kitten had pulled its wings off and played hockey with its body for a straight hour before eating it. He graduated to mice, then to larger varmint. He began to bring home birds and young bunnies.

The larger he grew, the larger his prey grew. It was not uncommon for him to bring home full grown cottontails. We have watched this monstrous house cat stalk deer. He has chased humans off of the property. He has cornered 70+lb dogs. He single handedly changed the rodent situation in at least three neighborhoods including our own. His territory was vast.

At a svelte, very fit 17 lbs. he was a force to be reckoned with. My monster. So smart, so wiley. For six years he roamed the same space as coyotes, fox, bobcats, raccoons, great horned owls and red tailed hawks. He knew the dangers of cars. He knew the dangers of dogs and of humans. He knew his home, and where his easiest meals where. He knew where his Momma was, and where he could find his brother and sister for easy fun and sparring matches. He always came home. But he hasn’t been seen for many, many days, and the reality is that he will likely never be seen again.

I took little brother Charlie and little sister Morgan out to look for him, several times now. We have scoured this open space and his known territory, searching for body, or pieces, or hair, or any clue. We have found nothing. It may sound awful, but I’d rather find remains than not know. It leaves so much open. It makes grieving so much more difficult. Without that absolute certainty, this is a wound that will never fully close. But I have other lives to nourish, and must accept the loss.

The Little Things Hit the Hardest

I will never again see his paw prints on my windshield. The way they elongated when he began to slide down. I will never be startled by him moving in unexpected places. He won’t be waiting at the side of the house to dart into the garage when I come home from work. He won’t be at the back door waiting to come in when I let the dogs out in the morning. I won’t see him curled up on top of the china cabinet. My first steps out of the doors won’t have to be carefully placed to avoid pieces of his prey. I’ll never come downstairs in the morning to cabinets and drawers open after a long boring night of being locked inside.

My five softest blankets have been under my bed for a very long time, carefully arranged into a cat nest of solitude. Someday I will have to pull them out and re-purpose them. His (absolutely destroyed) scratching post that sits in front of the fireplace will have to be removed. His food bowl stored away, his litter box sanitized and used to hold his other belongings in a closet somewhere. I’ll give his food over to a friend with a cat to feed. I’ll cry with every one of these chores, I’m sure.

What I Won’t Let Loss Do

I will not let bitterness take hold. In the future, when I have moved on well enough I will raise another cat. And many more throughout my lifetime, I’m sure. When I can afford the time and have all of the proper resources again, I will foster another adventuresome life.

I will not let losing him change any of my philosophies. I believe cats deserve a life of freedom. To come and go as they please. To have their claws, and use them. To hunt, or sleep, or play, or explore at their behest. To have a home to come home to, food in a bowl, and people that love them; but also to have a place to roam, and learn, and earn their raw meals. I will not allow the fear of losing another beloved kitten hinder their quality of life.

Leroy would not have had it any other way, and neither would I. Of course my greatest hope is that someday he’ll come sauntering up to the back door, loudly requesting food and telling me all about his great adventure. Or that someone from far away will call and tell me how my big handsome guy has been found after traveling some incredible distance.

But the odds are not there. It is likely that he fell into the circle of life and became sustenance for another predator in this area. I greatly prefer to think that that is what happened in place of the possibility that he came to death at the hands of a human.

Leroy was my first cat. He greatly enriched my life. I will honor that.

Honor Life, and Adopt

I want to take this time to encourage anybody that has the means, please adopt a cat or kitten and give them a happy life. Keep them healthy, feed them well, play with them. Enjoy their company and the little lessons they will teach you. Love them deeply. These lives are fleeting, but more than worthy.

Approximately 3.2 million cats are held in animal shelters every year in the United States. An estimated 860,000 cats are euthanized, while 1.6 million are adopted.

Do your part; adopt, spay, and neuter.

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Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl: Pine Nuts and Balsamic Bliss

by Danielle

Posted: May 13, 2017September 30, 2017

I’ve been craving Mediterranean food like crazy lately. There is just something about the fresh medley of tomatoes and vinegars and herbs that is simultaneously comforting and refreshing, just what the fickle weather of springtime seems to call for! Something filling to stave off the cold, wet wind; something zingy and fresh to compliment all of that young energy and new life springing back into the world. . . I’ve been playing around with this recipe for a short time, finding the balance between light and hearty is something I thankfully seem to do pretty well. This nutrient dense meal is incredibly tasty, and incredibly satisfying. Bliss isn’t an exaggeration, this meal is delightful and I am constantly in the mood for it now.

To be completely transparent, I’ve never cooked by the book, so to speak. I’m not good at following recipes; I’m good at following my nose. For that reason, I’ve had a lot of trouble figuring out how to write a recipe that others can follow. There is so much left up to preference, and I never record amounts, I simply cook and adjust, cook and adjust. I often make an incredible amount of food (especially soup) at a time, and end up freezing meals for later dates. I can’t say it’s a bad way to live, this kind of bad volume judgment actually serves future me very well.

I’ve done my best here to make a fairly easy to follow procedure, but I want to encourage individualism and growth in skill, so I’m going to leave a lot of measurements at “to taste” and let you be the judge of you!

There’s nothing better than having ingredients ready to throw meals together. Pre-prepared ingredients are a lifesaver for people with busy, hectic lives (read – most everybody.) They can be the difference between extremely poor choices and healthy, gourmet meals… The two main ingredients (by volume) in this are quinoa and ground turkey (mixture). I like to have an amount of cooked quinoa ready in the fridge, and cooked ground meat in portioned bags in the freezer – that kind of preparation takes this from fairly time consuming to simple and quick. But you may not have these items pre-prepared, so that is where we will start.

Cooked Quinoa

Quinoa is a nutrient bad ass, packed full of vitamins and minerals like zinc, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese and phosphorous. It is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is a seed heavy in low glycemic, slow digesting carbohydrates with a good amount of fiber.

Quinoa is cooked as one part grain/two parts water. Measure one cup dry quinoa, pour into a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly, until suds no longer form. Drain and place in pan. Cover with two cups water, and bring to rolling boil. Turn your heat down to low and place a tightly fitting lid over pot – allow to simmer for fifteen minutes – do not remove the lid. After fifteen minutes, turn off stove or remove from heat, and allow to sit covered for five minutes. After that, your quinoa should be ready to fluff, very lightly salt, and good to go!

Cooked Ground Meat

Feel free to leave the meat out of this recipe if you don’t partake, but meat is full of nutrition in forms that are much more bioavailable to us than in plant sources. We are omnivores!

Any ground meat works great in this recipe. For a more hearty taste, go with ground beef, bison, venison, or lamb.

I chose ground turkey for this recipe because I think the light flavor compliments the season very well – we are, after all, celebrating warmer weather. Ground chicken is also a good option.

Dice red onion and garlic, I usually use one small/medium sized onion to every pound of uncooked meat. And an assload of garlic. Please adjust this to your preference.

Mix diced onions, garlic, and ground meat in pan, season with fresh ground pepper, rosemary, and a pinch of salt. Hash around in pan and cook until browned.

Next, we are going to marinate some tomatoes! This is also fairly time consuming depending on how long you choose to marinate them. I say a minimum of thirty minutes, but anywhere from that to overnight is great!

Mediterranean Balsamic Marinated Tomatoes

Fresh, ripe tomatoes are so good for you! Tomatoes contain plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants; they are an incredible source of lycopene, and a good source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, beta carotene, vitamin K, chlorogenic acid, and more. Eating tomatoes is known to reduce the risk of certain cancers, like prostate, lung and stomach. Tomatoes are particularly heart healthy, and may also improve skin health!

This is where we start to delve into that lovely Mediterranean flavor! Dice tomatoes into cubes. Lightly pepper your tomatoes, then pour balsamic dressing over and stir around a bit. You can use your favorite balsamic dressing, or make your own!

When I make my own balsamic dressing, I use: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, fresh pressed garlic, brown mustard, fresh ground black pepper, rosemary and a touch of honey and sea salt.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms may seem unassuming, but they are actually antioxidant powers houses. They are beneficial to the immune system, help support brain and heart health, and decrease inflammation, among many other benefits.

Set mushroom caps out in the sun for 20 minutes. I previously mentioned how mushrooms can soak up sunlight and convert it into vitamin D just like we can. This process also helps to dry them a bit, making it easier to brush off dirt.

While you are waiting for your mushrooms to soak up some sunlight, skip ahead to the next step and begin prepping your pine nuts! Once you get them in the pan, grab your mushrooms and return to this point –

Chop mushrooms into desired size. After your pine nuts are browned, pull them out of the pan and set them aside. Turn up the heat and throw your mushrooms into that same hot pan with some olive oil. We are going to caramelize/brown them. Once they have shrunk to about half their original size, sprinkle them with salt and fresh ground black pepper, then continue to sauté until uniformly browned.

Pine Nuts

Pine nuts are one of the many incredible nutritious gifts of coniferous trees. They are high in healthy fats, protein, and a plethora of necessary nutrients. They contain notable amounts of; manganese, iron, vitamin E, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, copper, thiamine, and choline. I call pine nuts piñon, but in Italy they are called Pignoli!

Place freshly rolled or ground dried herbs (see suggested list below!) and diced (fresh) garlic in a pan, and cover in olive oil.

It is easiest to use pine nuts that are pre-shelled from the store, honestly. If you have pine nuts in shell, place as many as you would like in a Ziploc, and seal it. Roll over with rolling pin several times to crack and open shells. Sift through and separate flesh from shells. Compost shells.

Roughly chop pine nuts, or leave whole if desired. Heat marinated oil until garlic begins to sizzle. Add pine nuts and sauté until they, and the garlic are browned, but not burnt.

Seasonings

Rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, sage, and parsley is a great mix of Mediterranean style herbs to use for this recipe. If you want you can sub in an ‘Herbs de Provence’ mix, or even an Italian herbs mix.

You’re done cooking!

Ready to assemble? It’s up to you to decide how you want to throw this all together. If you’re cooking for multiple people, you can let them scoop each ingredient into their own bowl, or you can pre-mix, do whatever!

Finish it off per bowl with a bit of lemon juice, cheese, and some basil!

Lemon juice

Fresh squeezed is always best, but feel free to use pre-bottled. For even more lemon zing, you can grate some rind right over the top!

Cheese

Most people have shake-parmesan in their house, but for a real indulgence try fresh grated parmesan, Romano, Asiago, or Manchego cheese!

Basil

Lay basil leaves uniformly on top of each other, and roll into a cigarillo form, slice into ribbons. This is called chiffonade. Cut in half again if you like, and sprinkle over to taste!

There you have an amazing, powerful Mediterranean meal! Enjoy!

What are your thoughts?

This is my first recipe! Please let me know how I can structure this in a way that may be more helpful to you! Let me know what you think of it, what you might add or change, and how you liked it! Comment below, or connect with me on any of the following social media platforms!

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Now, for the disclaimer – I am not an adventure guide, personal trainer, doctor, nutritionist, or medical authority, this is meant to be only a source of information and inspiration, implementing these techniques into your daily life is something you do of your own free will and at your own risk.

Join us for the journey!

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Achievement Unlocked: Lose 122 Pounds

by Danielle

Posted: May 6, 2017September 30, 2017

“Little by little, one travels far”

― J.R.R. Tolkien

It is with great joy that I have finally met my lifelong goal of meeting the clinical definition of healthy. My life is decidedly separate from what it once was. I don’t know who I was anymore; I simply know that that girl was not actually me. Like a close friend that slowly fades from contact, and becomes a presence that once was, I see her in my past and marvel that we are the same. Simultaneously, I understand that I am still not yet who I will be; I wonder when I will be who I am? As I have said before, I do not feel like I have changed who I am so much as I have fought to become who I have always been. I have always been confident in myself, what I stand for, what I want; but I wonder if we are ever really ourselves, so rapidly do we evolve with every decision and experience. It is strange, to feel both so solid and so fluid. But I have this to say to you – don’t ever let the confusion of a process muddle the clarity of your goals. I made it. I will continue to make it. You can too, no matter what you are setting out to do.

Elaboration

Let me sum up the very basics of this goal that I have achieved, and why I set this goal. At my highest (known) weight, I saw 272 lbs. on the scale. I am now at the goal weight I had set for myself, 150 lbs. I have lost 122 lbs., through trial and error, over the past three-ish years. I set the goal of 150 because, for my height of 5’4” (ish…), 149-150 lbs. puts me at the very top threshold of the “healthy” range in the BMI scale. I have also always believed that 150lbs would be a pretty good weight for me, as I have always been of more than solid muscular structure.

Now let me elaborate. I go into a bit more detail of my back story here, but essentially I have always been overweight. From age 7 or so I graduated from overweight into the obese class, and finally into the morbidly obese class by the eighth grade, where I scaled in at 220lbs. I was more or less there for many years, until my second year of college when I ballooned up to 272.

Stat Comparison

At not quite 5’5” my BMI at 272 lbs. was about 47. Unfortunately I never fully recorded stats at this weight, probably because they were too hard for me to think about. If I recall correctly, I believe my body fat percentage was around 42%.

Now, at 149.7 lbs., my BMI is 26. Though this is still just in the “overweight” range, my body fat percentage is currently around 22%, well within the range of 21-24% that is considered “Fitness” level.

I’ve effectively shed 44.85% of my bodyweight.

What I would have done differently

I want to say that I wish I had never had the 30 lb. setback. I want to say that I wish I would’ve been more of a stickler. I want to say that I should have pushed myself harder to work out more consistently. But I simply cannot discount all of my mistakes, for they have been more instrumental to my strength, progress, and solidity in a better way of life than any other thing I can think of. I believe that without them, I would not be so stable now in my mind; truly the most important part. I am, however, really very happy that I didn’t have more than one period of time where I set back like that. No matter how important of a part it played in my mental journey, it is still an incredibly frustrating topic.

The one thing I really, truly wish I had done differently is keep a more detailed track of my progress. I sincerely wish that every time I hit a new ‘ten’ level (270, 260, 250, etc.) I would have measured and recorded detailed stats. If I could go back, I would have included in these notes; Weight, body fat percentage, blood pressure, resting heart rate, and taped measurements of calves, thighs, hips, waist, bust, neck, and wrists. I wish I could look back at those stats now to have a comprehensive picture of how drastically my health has improved. I also believe they would have been incredibly beneficial to motivation when the going got hard.

Current Struggles

There is no good thing without its struggles, but there is no bad thing without even more. I struggle now with understanding what I look like, what size I am, especially in relation to other things. My brain is simply taking time to catch up. I believe this issue will, for the most part, resolve with time; but I do intend to write more in-depth about it in the next month.

I am endlessly frustrated that I will never see my bare body as it could have been, as it would be if I had always been healthy. I am sad, very sad, that I never have. But maybe it is better that way now. . . I grieve this half formed concept that has never fully existed; it sits like a deformed ghost in my mind as I contemplate the extensive systems of stretch marks that cover the vast majority of my body. I tremble with anger, and blame, and guilt when I think about loose skin that would otherwise cling tightly to muscular definition that I have earned, but may never experience in its true form.

I am at peace in total with stretch marks, save that they contribute to loose skin. I understood their permanent reality long ago; my first recollection of them appearing, pink, angry, puckered things before I was a teenager. They tell me where I have been, I appreciate them. But, especially as someone in their early twenties, it is incredibly difficult for me to cope with not having a taut canvas. I understand that I lost over 80 lbs. in about a year, that my skin should have trouble keeping up with that rate. I know it will continue to tighten up over the next few years, but the reality is that it will never be great. Depending on the state of things as I progress in age, I may require surgery to remove excess. Only time will tell. Until then, I work every day on finding peace with it, but it will always feel like an injustice.

Future struggles

Going forward into the busiest year of my life thus far, working towards and creating new health goals is going to be a struggle in and of itself. Between both jobs and my new endeavors in school, I must constantly remind myself that my health must come first; without it there is no reason for anything else.

I want to remind myself, and anyone fighting this fight; no matter what else you are dealing with in life, you cannot give anything your all if you do not give yourself your all.

New goals

Accomplishing one goal means striving for the next. Be progressive!

Now that I’m here, I can easily visualize what my next steps will be. I will not set another weight goal at this point. Instead, I’m going to set goals for certain capabilities and achievements. I’m excited to see where it takes my body.

By the end of 2017 I am aiming for several new physical capabilities. This is what I’m looking ahead to:

Plank: I want to achieve a five-minute weighted plank. The goal is to maintain proper plank form with a 25 lb. weight plate laid over my mid back for the duration of five minutes.

Pull ups: I want to be able to do pull ups, period. At this point, I can maintain a proper activated hang and have a decently controlled let down. I aim to be able to complete a minimum of five consecutive pull ups.

Dips: I want to be able to perform dips with correct form in intervals of ten.

Handstand: I want to be able to perform an unassisted handstand! I don’t even care about holding it for any duration at this point; I just want to be able to do one again!

You may have noticed these goals span a whole lot of upper body. Like I said here my strength lies mostly in my lower body, and I’d really like to even that out a bit. I’ll be upping my pushup game, for sure.

This is not a comprehensive list, to be sure. Every day I see something and make it a new goal. I train every day for greater strength and flexibility, I’m aiming to really hit a lot of new Pilates and yoga poses, and I’ll be upping my carrying capacity during hikes as the year progresses. The point is, now that I’ve hit my main goal, I’m going to play around with getting stronger, more fit, more capable, just more.

Being able to do things that you never could have previously is an incredible feeling.

Notable Benefits

We all know it’s beneficial to lose weight if you’re overweight. But sometimes these benefits need to be repeated again and again, to help motivate us. Obviously I have drastically cut my risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancers, etc., but let me tell you some of the very noticeable things that getting healthy has done for me.

I fall asleep faster, and wake at a normal time. It used to take me hours, long, torturous hours to fall asleep. When I finally did, I slept for ten or so hours and woke groggy and tired. My body is more efficient in many ways now, but in sleep especially. I fall asleep within an hour, usually, and sleep for 7-8 hours. Waking up is not even half as difficult.

I’m less grumpy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a dark, cynical, realist at my core – but I have far less to be aggravated about. Physical discomfort really decreases the quality of your mood.

I have a much more positive outlook. Things seem more achievable to me now. I don’t feel so completely entrenched by setbacks and bad luck – something that is abundant in my life, and those surrounding me. Things are always a struggle, but I feel more equipped to deal with them.

I no longer have exercise induced asthma, or other exercise induced complications and discomforts! I used to get pounding pulsing in my eyes if I ran a quarter mile; I could literally see blood vessels swelling and blurring my vision. Thirty or so minutes afterwards, I’d be coughing and hacking, to the point of panic trying to catch my breath and escape the pain in my ribs.

Being alive is easier and more enjoyable in literally every way. I can’t convey enough how my life is better in literally every single way. Even the things that are still the same are better – because I view them from a more peaceful perspective. There is nothing that being healthier hasn’t touched with a gilded hand.

If you need anyone to tell you that you can do this, that you have all of the power in the world to change your life, that you can make yourself happy and proud, let it be me.

I’m not going to tell you this is easy. It’s hard. You will stumble and fall on your face so many times. Take those scars and wear them proudly as you soldier on. Don’t take short cuts, don’t take the easy route – it will not last. It takes time to forge a new person, to build a new brain. It takes time to do things the right way. Invest in yourself. Invest in your future.

You can meet goals that seem impossible.

You can crush goals that seem impossible.

So set them high and keep climbing. Shoulder that burden; you will be all the stronger for it.

Seek motivation everywhere. One day, you will become the motivation.

Life is an uphill battle. Make no mistake; I will always be fighting it. But I want to hear about your goals, and your accomplishments. Comment below what you’ve done to change and build your identity into what it is today, and where you are taking yourself in the future!

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Conifers: the Constant Companions

by Danielle

Posted: April 29, 2017September 30, 2017

“Some of my kin look just like trees now, and need something great to rouse them; and they speak only in whispers. But some of my trees are limb-lithe, and many can talk to me.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien

Spring is in full swing now. Every day I find myself acknowledging the returned life of a different plant, greeting them warmly as old friends do. I smile at the frills of Yarrow foliage, call out to the bright orange of the paintbrush blooms, I jump and squeal in delight at the appearance of new raspberry leaves. These plants are my friends; I am not half so delighted with humans. Unfortunately, they are so very seasonal. I watch them now as they wax with the season, they bring a giddy joy, a sense of anticipation – all under the watchful, steady eyes of my most patient allies; Conifers. These evergreens are incredible, efficacious and reliable; they are always there for you and me; the great providers of the ages.

As we go forward into the seasons that are so abundant in life and growth I’ll be writing about many plants and their various uses and benefits. But first, I want to pay tribute to what is perhaps the greatest of them all; the great coniferous evergreens we all tend to generalize as Pines.

First we are going to touch on some scientific distinctions and facts to make sure we are all on the same page. After that I’m going to introduce (or, depending on who you are, elaborate) you to some of the incredible bounty of these trees and their practical (ahem, edible) applications.

What are the Facts?

Conifers are also known as Coniferophyta, Coniferae, or Pinophyta; they are plants of a single class known as Pinosida. Conifer is a Latin word, the compound of Conus (meaning cone) and Ferre (meaning to bear) literally, “The one that bears cones.” Pretty straight forward. The female cones contain seeds; their primary methods of dispersion are via wind or through the assistance of various birds. Interestingly, some trees are fire-adapted; their cones may remain sealed for 60-80 years, releasing seeds when fire dispatches the parent tree

Conifers are predominantly trees, and include but are not limited to; Cedars, Firs, Junipers, Larches, Pines, Hemlocks, Redwoods, Spruces and Yews. Conifers are ancient, with an approximate 300 million year old fossil record. They are most prolific in the northern hemisphere, and dominate the plant population of the Taiga, the world’s largest land biome and most extensive coniferous forest. They can pull moisture out of the air through their needles!

With around 629 living species, their mature sizes range drastically. This Earth’s tallest and oldest living trees are all conifers. The tallest are the Coastal Redwoods, notably the tree Hyperion, who looms an immense 379.7 ft. into the air The oldest are the Great Basin Bristlecone Pines; most wizen among them is the tree Methuselah who has stood for nearly 5,000 years. If that doesn’t blow your mind, you simply don’t have a great enough understanding of these measurements.

What are they good for?

We all know how useful conifers are to us as a means of survival when it comes to creating fire. Dry needles may be used as tinder, cones as kindling. Pitchwood (wood heavily innervated with resin) and dry wood to spread the flames higher. To keep us warm, to cook our food. They are often felled for paper product, lumber, and craft supplies. These trees are an integral part of our daily lives, they have allowed our society to expand to the bloated mess we are today. We utilize their remains at an industrial pace and they continue to provide. What a forgiving plant.

But how can we use a living tree – and leave it that way, in a manner that still greatly benefits us as individuals? That is where we are going here….

Foraging Fun

Many parts of Conifers are actually edible. The inner bark (cambium) that lies beneath the bark and in front of the woody core is edible in a pinch, though most won’t choose to ingest this for fun. The sap is also edible, though I can’t say I favor it. The primary parts you’ll want to eat or use in a recipe are the seeds, pollen, and needles. The seeds are often known of as pine nuts, and only few species bear ‘nuts’ large enough to be worth the trouble. The pollen is a little known nutrient dense treasure that anyone can collect at the right time of year. The needles, however, are always around for immune boosting power.

Pine ‘Nuts’

Pine nuts around here are usually collected from Piñon Pines of two varieties; the single leaf piñon (Pinus monophylla), and Pinus Edulis, or Colorado piñon. Fall is harvest time; there is an entire community of folks around here that celebrate this harvest like a holiday, and for good reason. Pine nuts are incredibly expensive to purchase in store, and are often imported from Asiatic countries where society is more familiar with edible pine products and their benefits. Harvesting and preparing piñon is also pretty labor intensive, driving cost. The seeds must first be extracted from the cones via drying and heating or, less effectively, brute force. The hard, nearly seamless shells must then carefully be cracked away from the flesh. Nuts are often roasted after.

Pine nuts are crazy tasty. They are buttery and sweet and fresh and earthy and….I could go on. I f*ckin love piñon. Pine nuts are most often used as the primary ingredient in pesto, but go well in many recipes. Eating them straight is perfect. Like most nuts/seeds, Pine nuts are nutrient dense; high calorie, but very high in healthy fat, protein, and an ample amount of necessary nutrients. Notably, they contain a healthy amount of; manganese, iron, vitamin E, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, copper, thiamine, and choline.

Pollen

To be honest, I never knew much about pine pollen, other than the notable yellow dusting come spring time in the forest. I was recently informed, however, that pine pollen is incredibly nutrient and antioxidant dense – it is a well-known supplement in many Asiatic countries. It is starting to gain popularity here for a good many reasons.

Pine Pollen is released from male cones (catkins) come springtime. The pollen is an androgenic substance, and notably contains testosterone; it is known to help balance testosterone and estrogen. Both men and women are generally pretty safe to consume pine pollen, though it is mostly used as a male supplement.

Pine pollen is something of a stimulant, promoting dopamine and better moods as well as increasing libido. Pine pollen is a complete protein! According to this in depth, incredibly interesting article, “Pine pollen contains folic acid and other B vitamins, beta-carotene, Vit. E, selenium, calcium, iron, magnesium, nucleic acids, living enzymes, MSM, polysaccharides, essential fatty acids”…the list goes on. If you have time, click through that link and read about it!

You can harvest pine pollen yourself, snipping off the catkins when they are in full production and placing them in a bag, close the bag shut and shake vigorously, then remove and compost the empty cones. Simple!

Needles

Needles aren’t necessarily edible as they are right off the tree. You won’t die if you crunch on some but it sure as shit is not what most would call pleasant. Usually if you’re going to actually eat the foliage of a conifer tree, it’ll be the very young new shoots that are soft and easy to chew. These are often pretty damn piney and citrusy, and take an acquired taste. Most choose to consume the abundant nutrient action found in the needles by form of tea.

Known commonly as pine needle tea, this is the panacea of all cold remedies, if you ask me. Steeping coniferous needles in hot water has ensured the survival of many a population. The vitamin C content in pine needles is absolutely through the roof – over 400 mg to a roughly chopped cup. The needles are also high in vitamin A, and act as an expectorant to thin and loosen mucus. There are claims that pine needle tea is a cure-all for just about everything. Obviously I can’t confirm this, but research continues to reveal more and more benefits.

I personally always make pine needle tea if I feel like hell. I drink it when I feel like I’m getting sick, I drink it when I am sick, I drink it when I’m getting over being sick. I make it if I know I’ll soon be in a situation that will expose me to a bunch of nasty viruses and germs, or even if I just feel like it. Alone it has a pleasant mild flavor that makes me feel incredibly peaceful and grounded. I often mix it with other herbs or green tea for different benefits and flavor profiles. If there is one thing I use conifers for, it is their needles to make tea.

It is generally advised that pregnant women avoid drinking pine needle tea for fear that it may cause an abortion. This is unlikely, and is based on cattle abortions following consumption of Ponderosa Pine needles. I would not, however, think that it would be worth the risk. If you are pregnant, it should be simple to avoid drinking this tea and finding your vitamin C elsewhere.

Before I lay out some simple instructions on how to brew, I’m going to touch on what trees to avoid sourcing from.

Danger!

There are three Conifers to avoid when making pine needle tea. Yew, and Norfolk Island Pine (Australian pine) are pretty toxic. The Ponderosa Pine is generally avoided as a precaution, though has not caused any recorded human abortion or poisoning.

YEW

Yew is a type of conifer that is definitely poisonous. Consume enough and you will die. Do not make tea out of this sucker. Seriously.

Yew plant and berries

Norfolk Island Pine, or Australian Pine.

These ugly little shitheads are usually those tiny little potted “Christmas trees” you see around that season. They are toxic to you and your animals. Don’t make tea out of them; don’t even buy them for that matter.

Norfolk Island Pine (Australian Pine)

Ponderosa Pine.

Ponderosa Pines are incredibly prolific in my area, and sometimes difficult to distinguish. They are a bit more free-form than many pines, less of a christmas tree shape and more of a, “I do what I want,” shape. They have two-three needles per bundle at 5-10 inches in length. Their cones are 3-5 inches long and squat, with ready barbs. I’ll leave a link at the bottom of this article to a pdf I personally use to help me identify them when I’m rusty.

Ponderosa Pine is avoided as a precaution

Making Pine Needle Tea

After those considerations, play around with needles from different species! White pine is beloved for this use. Some folks really love to use Junipers for their unique flavor. Some even use the Juniper berry (actually a modified cone) in their tea. I would caution to use juniper sparingly, as it can be aggravating to the kidneys in greater quantities.

To Make Pine Needle Tea

First collect your needles. It is preferred to use young needles, but not required. You’ll have to play around with the quantity to use for your personal tastes. I like tea in big ass cups, technically soup mugs….For this I tend to use about ¼ cup worth of needles after chopping

Set your water to boil

Remove the brown papery husks and discard them. Roll your needles firmly between your palms to help release their oils, then chop them into about 1 inch sections.

Toss your needles in your cup, and once your water is boiling, pour it directly over.

Your needles will float. Allow the needles to steep until they dull in color and sink to the bottom of your cup. Strain and enjoy!

If you wait until the tea is no longer scorching hot, you can stir in some raw unfiltered honey and enjoy its immune boosting enzymes.

Do you love Conifers?

What about their products like pine nuts and tea? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, or connect with us on any of the following social platforms!

Identifying Pines: http://ucanr.edu/sites/Tuolumne_County_Master_Gardeners/files/175794.pdf

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The Manitou Incline: A Chronicle of Triumph

by Danielle

Posted: April 22, 2017September 30, 2017

I did the thing! I finally hiked The Incline and I didn’t kill myself doing it. Solid! It was fun, it was tough, and I finally achieved this goal. When I first decided I was going to do this, I was about 220 lbs. Back then I decided the best way to train for it was to take to the two flights of stairs I have access to, and stomp up and down them until one day I could complete the total amount of steps that are on the Incline. I would’ve had to go up (and down) my stairs about 106 times to reach that goal. How time consuming! How ignorant! I stuck to it for a while though. If I recall correctly, I got to the point that I hit about 50 or so reps there before abandoning the goal. That was long ago. That was before I managed to really change my brain for the better, before I figured out how to lose a copious amount of weight and completely change my life. I’ve lost over 120 lbs. from my top weight. I’m fit (mostly…) and I finally kicked ass up that monstrous stairway to heaven.

History of The Incline

The Incline was originally a railway, built for access to a hydroelectric plant and its respective facilities. The railway quickly became a tourist attraction, citizens could pay to ride the little ‘train’ to the top where sat a summit house. This remained in operation under the Pikes Peak Cog Railway until the tracks were washed out in a rock slide in 1990. Rail ties were left, and shortly thereafter the remaining scar became known to locals as a hiking challenge. There has long been controversy over the legality of hiking the trail, but now it is solidly open to the public.

Trail Overview

At the foot of the incline, altitude reads at about 6,600 ft. In less than one mile (approximately .88 mi) the Incline climbs over 2,000 ft. The average grade is around 43%. The first major marker on the trail is about two-thirds of the way up, and is called the bailout point. This is where the Barr trail first connects to the Incline. After this point, the grade quickly becomes a harsh 68% until reaching the false summit. After the false summit, there are around 300 steps left to reach the true summit.

The fastest verified completion time is 17 minutes and 45 seconds. From the top, you may take one of two routes down on Barr Trail. The standard route down tacks on a meandering 3 (ish) miles, making your round trip just short of 4 miles. The extended route continues to climb another 200 feet or so in elevation, ending with a round trip total of about 4.5 miles.

Preparation

In preparation several weeks before, I designed and worked out the kinks of this leg day routine. It was tough to push through at first; as I’ve mentioned before I’m not big on cardio, and doubt that I ever will be. The night before, I loaded up my pack with what I needed or might need. My standard first aid and emergency supplies, filled my three liter water bladder and packed in several hundred calories of raw almonds and dried cherries and blueberries. I packed in my camera and phone, for a total pack weight of 13.9 lbs. At about 6:00 am I ate what I figured would be an appropriate breakfast – About a half cup of cooked quinoa with a teaspoon of peanut butter, several dried cherries and blueberries, a teaspoon of ground flax and chia seeds, cinnamon, realsalt, and just enough almond milk to partially re-hydrate the fruit and bind everything together. I drank my standard morning coffee with almond milk and a teaspoon of honey. I stretched my legs for about 15 minutes just prior to leaving.

The Stairway to Heaven

It’s about 8:40 am; we have paid the ten dollars to park in the Incline parking lot for up to four hours. It’s a quick trip to the bathroom and sun-screening exposed tattoos before my friend and I begin our ascent. The view up is cause for excitement, and anxiety. I can clearly see where the degree becomes sharper, there is a concentration of hikers there marked by their bright athletic apparel. I look to the false summit, knowing to view at it as a marker of encouragement. There is the silent voice of an obese girl that I know well, and she is protesting in the back of my mind, “Don’t, you’re going to embarrass yourself.” I quiet my past mind, and we begin.

The sun is beating heavily on our backs already and I hear behind me, “Damn I’m already tired! It’s been two minutes! It’s only been two minutes!?!” I laugh, and agree, but within the next few minutes my increased heart rate levels out and I begin to power up the railroad ties, stopping only for occasional pictures. I feel good, I feel strong, I feel confident. I know I am capable, but that I still must pace myself.

Down here on the lower half there are few people. We encounter the first of a handful of folks who have decided they will come back down the incline instead of taking Barr trail, something that at first is impressive, but slowly becomes more and more frustrating as you climb. There is an old man just ahead of us, he steps with a clear familiar method, denoted with intentional full-mouthed breathing. We yoyo with him for quite a while

Halfway There

At around the halfway point, the pressure behind my steam drops. My friend and I swap places at this point, and from then on she remains ahead of me for the most part. The difference between a cardio lover and a weight training lover becomes more and more clear as we go. I begin to feel the weight of a nearly 14 pound pack. We take the first of several off-trail breaks on the steep sides, to catch our breath and cool ourselves behind trees. After two or so minutes, we hop back on.

I can see in much finer detail now the various increases in grade ahead of us. I can spot the bailout point, and smirk. Bail out. Ha! As if. We push on, but at this point the old man has taken his practiced approach far ahead of us. As we approach the 2/3s marker, I can see him just off trail, talking and laughing on the phone. This is routine. He is taunting us. He departs again upwards as we approach. We never manage to overcome him. This is the first of many humbling moments to come.

The Two Thirds Marker

We push past the bailout point. It has taken us around 33 minutes to get here. Here, where the pace slows significantly. Again, the increase of angle becomes much more defined as I look upwards. “How the f*ck do people run up this!?!” I exclaim, a phrase I go on to repeat several times. It is very steep. I’m taking more and more time to take steps up. It is becoming difficult to inhale what feels like an adequate amount of oxygen. My heart rate takes longer to steady. We are up high now; the altitude begins to drag on my body.

Halfway between the bailout and the false summit, we step off trail again. For a moment, I desire to sit, but I cannot – getting up would be far too difficult. Wordlessly, I prop myself on my knees and try to filter enough oxygen to my muscles. I look up, back onto the trail as a group passes. To my awe, I see a very fit woman, no less than six months pregnant, powering up past us with her group. I remain speechless, and lift my finger to point her out to my friend. I am amazed. She is amazed. I manage to squeak out to this powerful woman, “Holy shit, good for you! You are my hero!” She smiles and waves at me before disappearing up the hillside.

It is another minute before we fully collect ourselves. For the first time, my legs protest – though only for a minute. We had stalled too long for them, apparently. Things are steep here. I begin to use my hands on the occasion to lean forward and balance as I push up the next step. This occurs more and more frequently as we continue.

The crowds are thicker now, stop and go traffic as others struggle with their bodies and their minds to take the next step. It is less common now to be heavily outpaced. Everybody seems to feel the struggle at this point. The false summit is very close. We are almost to the top. But increasingly, the closer we get, the farther it now seems.

The False Summit

We hit the false summit, and smile. It is much cooler up here; I can fool my mind into believing that the sun is not actually more intense at this altitude. I can feel it scorching my shoulders and shake my head as I think back to my decision to skip sun screen there. We step into a precious bit of shade for a moment and recharge with the cool alpine breeze. The trail is significantly less steep for a short amount of time before it angles sharply once more to the top. Not much longer now. But my heart rate doesn’t want to slow and my thoughts are not as clear as they had been. My friend hits a wind and powers up.

I hit a wall. I realize that my blood sugar has suddenly dived. It hurts to try to breathe; I can feel swelling in the viscera around my lungs as they fight to pull in copious volumes of thin, thin air. My heart pounds painfully, struggling to keep up with the demand. I feel a faint pulsing in my eyes, a thin blur until I can manage to take a sufficient breath. Things slow down elsewhere, I stop every seven steps or so to reclaim my momentum.

My determination tapers quickly after every new push forward. This is punishing now. I need calories. I know that I need calories, desperately. I have dried fruit and nuts in my bag, I keep thinking, but shoot down the idea every time I think about trying to breathe around chewing. There is no way. I simply must reach the top and eat there. I drink instead.

Every time I look up I think, “Damn, I really thought I had covered more distance than this,” I put my head down and trudge on. I encounter a loose railroad tie, and pull myself up over it. I curse it for causing me to have to expend so much energy to safely get over it. Now it’s every five steps that I must pause and regain my breath. The summit is so, so close. Thirty steps now. I struggle slowly, silently. Finally I look up to see the final twelve ties. My need to increase my blood sugar propels me quickly up these last few. Between the false summit and the top, it has taken me approximately 25 minutes.

The True Summit

“One hour, twenty-two minutes, twenty seconds,” She recites to me as I stumble over the last step. I have no desire to stop and look around yet. My brain is scrambled. I immediately find a spot to lean against and sling my pack off, yanking out the baggy of nuts and fruit. I pull out a palm full of fruit and force it onto my friend before chewing on my own palm-full. I swish water around with it in my mouth, knowing the sugary liquid will absorb quickly into my bloodstream there. I feel an immediate boost, and snack on a few more before returning to the mouth of the summit to overlook the city below.

I choke down some almonds, but I have already recovered. I look down; I can’t understand why anyone would choose to descend the stairs. I just know I would trip or slip and take a handful of hikers out with me.

Barr Trail

We exit the crowd and descend on Barr Trail. It’s beautiful. We are elated. We run and jog sections on and off, greeting hikers as we pass them. My stomach lining is cramping trying to deal with the small amount of nuts and fruit, but other than that, I am on cloud nine. My friend slips on the gravel and tears the skin on her knee. We laugh and continue. The endorphins carry us at a fair clip, prancing down the trail for quite some time before they shift down into a more peaceful pace.

We slow down and take in the views, stepping aside for runners as they approached. We talk and laugh about many subjects. We squeak and giggle nervously every time the gravel gives way under our feet and we nearly lose our upright state. We hit a parking lot and stretch our legs using a boulder at the foot of the trail. We’re both confused once we realize this is not the same lot we parked in.

Upon returning to our vehicle, we eat what we can manage to choke down from our small snack supply, and drool over the mention of burrito bowls or chicken nuggets. As we drove back through Manitou, we made a spur of the moment pit stop to fill a bottle with the local spring mineral water to help replenish our electrolytes, and sputtered through drinking it.

At home, I spent thirty minutes deep stretching myself in every which way I could contort before a shower. I was incredibly zenned out, calm and proud. I was so, so satisfied.

Learning From Experience

There are definitely some things I’m going to differently next time I head to the incline. First of all, I’m going to eat a little closer to beginning of the hike. There was about two and a half hours between consuming anything and my start time, and I believe this really impacted me heavily towards the top. I will not, however, eat anything within an hour and a half or so of my start time.

I’m going to put on more sunscreen. Simple.

I will pack with me a small liquid source of calories. My drop in blood sugar coupled with my extreme aversion to the thought of trying to breathe while chewing taught me that I should bring a fruit puree or something in that vein for a boost, should I need it. I can’t tell you how many times in those last few hundred feet I thought about the implications of passing out headlong onto a vertical piece of rebar. I simply don’t want to worry about that again.

Looking Back

I’m pretty happy with myself, all in all. As I write this, it has now been two days since completion. I don’t have sore legs, only some mild tightness in my calves. My thoracic cavity was definitely pretty sore for about 17 hours or so following completion – trying for oxygen in that atmosphere was tough. It really reminded me of the exercise induced asthma I used to suffer through after gym in high school, though without the incredible amount of coughing and hacking I used to experience. Seriously, being so incredibly unhealthy was just shit all around, all the time.

I had a lot of favorite parts of this trail, despite how rough it was in many spots. I can’t really name what I would say the best part is, other than the summit. My least favorite parts, however, are the two (maybe three…) sections where the stairs are so narrow in width that they barely accommodate the front half of my foot. I have wee feet. This must be an incredible annoyance to anyone with regular (or large) sized peddlers.

I still can’t believe people run up this trail. I can only figure that these folks are both addicted to the endorphins, and entirely insane. Good for ya’ll I suppose. Even if I was fit enough to do that, I would surely slip and break my teeth on something at some point.

I want to include a special thank you to my ‘close acquaintance’, without whom many of my adventures and accomplishments could not have been reached, or at the very least would have been very greatly delayed.

Have you done the incline?

Tell me all about it in the comments below, or connect with me on any of the following social platforms!

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Leg Day: Preparation for the Manitou Incline

by Danielle

Posted: April 15, 2017September 30, 2017

Its leg day! Dreaded for many, leg day is actually my favorite day. In fact, I rarely routine at this point except for a leg day. Maybe it’s because I’m comparatively so weak everywhere else. I’ve got tree trunks for legs, and the basal fortitude of an Ent – it only makes sense. This is a special leg day, however. This leg day is in preparation for the Manitou Incline! I am in reasonable driving distance of this famous Colorado attraction, so it may come as a surprise that I have never done it. It usually provokes a cringe or two when I recite this fact to local friends. But now, it is time. I no longer have any reason; I’m at least decently fit, and extremely close to my weight goal. The Incline had always been an intimidating prospect to me as someone who was morbidly obese for most of their life. But now that rigid scar in the mountainside is tempting me, taunting and calling out it’s contest. The challenge is nigh!

What is the Manitou Incline?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Manitou Incline, simply known to most as the Incline, it is one of the most famous hikes in the Colorado Springs area. The incline is located just northwest of the popular (though small) town of Manitou. It rises on the mountainside, a proud and prominent feature. It is a beloved fitness challenge in this active state, and has undergone many overhauls since it’s original identity as a railway in conjunction with a hydroelectric plant on the mountain. I will go over the history and features of this trail in broader depth and detail in next week’s post, as I review how the hike itself went.

So let’s get into this week’s activity; Preparation. I’ve designed a workout to help prepare you and I to tackle the main objective, The Incline. In preparing for a main objective, you are not only setting yourself up for success, you are also making sure you get in necessary physical activity on a regular basis. So join me! Towards the end of the post I’ll discuss how to modify this workout if you cannot yet complete it as it is meant to be. We will talk about how to make progress towards completion, but I want to make it clear that you don’t need to beat yourself if something is (initially) too difficult. If you’re actively striving for progress, you’re fighting the good fight. Keep it up!

Overview of workout

We will begin with a stretch sequence to loosen up and become more mindful about the muscles we will be activating. After that, the action starts with the humble Calf Lift. This will be followed by, in order ; Leg Lifts, Step Ups, Plank, Squats, Toe Pull Backs, Bridge, and Jumping Jacks. The intent will be to repeat from Calf Lifts through Jumping jacks four times, and ending with the same(ish) stretch sequence from the beginning. Because The Incline is a heavy combination of lower body and cardio exercise, I recommend keeping a steady pace and utilizing body-weight resistance in favor of bar weight. Ready?

The Workout

Stretch sequence

There is absolutely going to be some variation in this sequence per person. I’m going to list some stretches I highly recommend doing, but after that I want you to feel your own body out and stretch what you feel needs to be stretched, ok? Start with a simple calf stretch: Stand with the ball of your feet on an elevated surface, like a stair, and push your weight down into your heels. Alternate by shifting to majority of your weight from one side to the other. Step down with one foot and lean forward with a slightly bent knee, maintain a downward heel press, and you should feel a much deeper stretch – this is your Soleus muscle! Switch sides.

Sit on the ground , both legs straight out in front of you, and lean forward to grab the outsides of your feet. Next, maintain this position but point your toes up and hold them for a hamstring and calf stretch. After that, point your toes down and lean forward – try to push them down with your fingers if you can reach! Repeat these motions with one leg bent in, bottom of foot touching the inner thigh of the opposite leg. Switch sides.

Bring the bottoms of your feet together and lean forward, aiming to drop your forehead into the ‘bowl’ your arches create. Now, one side followed by the other, lean your forehead towards your still bent knee. This should have revealed some spots that are tighter than others. If you feel the need, continue to stretch these muscles out. Otherwise, it’s time to get going!

Calf Lifts

We are going to do Calf Lifts from three positions, 30 reps each. Start with your toes facing forward in your standard Calf Lift position. Second, point your toes in the exact opposite directions. Third, Point your toes towards each other.

Leg Lifts

Stand tall. These leg lifts are also going to be from three positions, one side at a time. Preform 25 lifts from each position, on each side. Forward first, lift your leg directly in front of you as high as you can. Second, to the side, again as high as you can. Third, back kick, as far back and as high as you can (remember to focus on engaging your glutes) and don’t forget, for each position, to maintain control as your leg returns to it’s starting position.

Step Ups

You will need a stair, box, or some type of elevated surface for this. Look for something between 12-18 inches off the floor , depending on your ability. Step up, focusing on engaging your glutes and maintaining a proper upright form. Step up 15 times per leg.

Plank

Plannnnnk. This is a great exercise, one of my favorites. On your forearms, shoulder width apart, heels back, no angle at your hips. Hold for one minute. If you can hold for more than that, please go for it. If you cannot, perform several planks until they equate one minute or more. You may also do an upright plank (push up position) or alternate between the two forms as you progress through the routine

Squats

Body-weight squats are so lovely. Widen that stance! We are looking for shoulder width as a minimum width, preferably wider. Maintain an activated, upright core. Lift your chin, you should not be looking down, or up, but straight ahead – as if you are gazing at a far horizon. Toes slightly out ( approximately 45 degrees) Always maintain a stable, static spine, with a slight arch in your lower back. Push your hips back, rotating with the ball of your femur inside of your hip socket, not with your spine. Push down to parallel, or lower if you can manage, and focus heavily on activating your glutes and hamstrings to push you back to upright. Never let your knees bend in. Focus on keeping them directly in line with your feet, if not very slightly pushed out. Repeat 25 times

Toe pull backs

This is just the opposite of a calf lift. With a straight leg, pull your toes upwards. Very simple. Repeat 25 times per leg. Do this standing with your performing leg kicked slightly forwards, balancing on your weight-bearing leg.

Bridge

The Bridge is in the same family as the plank. Lay on your back, arms extended out to your sides, palms facing up. Shimmy your feet back, heels as close to your butt as you can and lift with your glutes. Push up past parallel, lifting your chest up, arms turning slightly and shoulders relaxing to open this up. Maintain this position as long as you possibly can, with heels and toes facing forward, not out (something I still am working on) Breathe through this and relax up into it. We are aiming for one minute, or more.

Jumping Jacks

We all know jumping jacks, right? 50 jumping jacks to pump the heart rate back up before heading back to the beginning with calf lifts.

Repeat for a total of four rounds! Take water and intermediate stretch breaks as needed! You’re going to feel this tomorrow…

Repeat your stretch sequence, and add what you feel you need! You’re probably going to want to stretch your calves periodically throughout the day, as a forewarning.

Modifications

Feel free to modify this to your fitness level and needs. If you can only do one round? Great! Two? Even better. If you need to cut the listed reps by percentages, do so. Gradually build up your fitness level, you can’t be expected to out-perform your physical limitations. But always press your mind further.

Wrap up

Well, how did it go? Let me know in the comments below! This workout isn’t super simple, but neither is the Incline. I can’t really prepare for the elevation gain, but I feel pretty confident in myself.

My favorite parts of this workout are the Calf Lifts and Bridge, what about you? The third round is where I start to get a little resentful, but that’s ok because I know there is only one more to go – was there a part that kicked your ass?

Charlie and Morgan think working out inside is silly

Have you done the Incline?

Have you ever done prep work for it? What is your best time, or best story from your experience there? I’d love to hear from you! Let me know in the comments, or on any of the following social media platforms! I’ll see you next week with a write-up on how it went!

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Nutritive Kitchen Staples: Ensuring You to Thrive and Flourish

by Danielle

Posted: April 8, 2017September 30, 2017

I understand the whole “If you want it bad enough you’ll develop self-control,” argument towards getting healthy. But damn, can you really have a bag of chips sitting in front of you every time you open your cupboard and not eat them? Not I. No, I am too weak for that. Yes I’ve developed self-control far above what I once had. Yes, I no longer crave certain foods, and favor healthier options instead. But not always. There needs to be a good balance between power over your decisions when offered poor choices, and simply not allowing the presence of those poor choices. The easiest way to eat healthy is to make eating healthy the easiest option. Make sense? Buy good food, eat good food. Can’t fall for the temptation to eat a whole bag of chips if you don’t have access to them! We are going to talk about stocking a kitchen with nutritious staples for health, to set yourself up for success.

Maybe you’re saying, “I already know what to do here, buy rice cakes instead of crackers, no brainer,” well you’re wrong. We aren’t going to replace processed bullshit with more processed bullshit. Don’t fall for what general society sees as healthy. I’ll say this a million times before I die. Do. Your. Research. Fill your house with real, whole, unprocessed food and learn how to cook. Of course there will be convenience buys that are still good choices. But on the whole, buy whole.

Related: How I’ve Lost over 110 pounds

So let’s get started. We are going to go over these staples category by category. This run down is going to cover an ideal stocked kitchen. Of course I don’t always have everything I’m going to list here; I’m a human on a reallllllly tight budget. But I’m trying. I’m learning. I’m improving. Someday, with enough work, I’ll have most of my ducks in a row.

PANTRY STAPLES

Your pantry staples are to include dry goods, canned goods, spices, drink materials, oils, vinegars, and all things stable at room temperature.

Dry goods – Keep an ample amount of dry legumes/pulses stocked in your pantry. Skip buying canned varieties, they are usually loaded with salt and unnecessary additives. Dried varieties are extraordinarily cost-effective. Dried beans and the like can be cooked up in so many ways, they can even be sprouted for improved nutrient absorption and ease of digestion. This food group is high in fiber and plant-based protein, as well as complex carbohydrates. If you experience gas from eating beans, you are not alone. Legumes have; Saponins that prevent proper protein digestion, phytic acid that prevents nutrient and mineral uptake, and some even contain oligosaccharides, a complex sugar that humans cannot break down – we cannot produce the necessary enzyme for the job. Proper preparation and cooking pretty much negates all of these points, and though many folks (hello paleo) demonize legumes, we’ve evolved past Homo Erectus (literally) and can have these things in our diet.

There are a lot of tips out there for cooking beans the right way, but I’ll pass along the most relevant; Soak for at least 48 hours, replace the water several times during this period, after reaching a boil cook them at a simmer for an extended amount of time, and sprout them if you can. Regular consumption also aids in ease of their digestion.

Keep beluga (black) lentils, split or whole peas (whole have their hulls still and contain more fiber), French lentils, red lentils, and whatever lentils you like most. Black beans, kidney beans, mung beans (great for sprouts), red beans (also known as Mexican red beans). Chickpeas, and, if you want you can go with the familiar pinto bean, but let me introduce you to the pinto bean’s better looking, better tasting, easier to digest sister – the Anasazi bean.

Holy crickey these suckers are tasty. I was first introduced to these cute little buggers circa age 10 on a family trip to Dove Creek, Colorado. These are considered an heirloom bean, and were known to have been consumed by, you guessed it, the Anasazi. Cool little bit of history in your lunch. These guys are almost exclusively grown in the four corners area – find some to buy and you are very likely supporting a family farm. Good for you.

Nuts and seeds – Nuts and seeds are some of the hardest working foods out there. They are extremely nutrient dense, full of healthy heart and brain loving fats, protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Treat your mind, heart, and body right by eating a wide variety of nuts and seeds. Find them raw (un-roasted and unsalted) for the most bang for your buck. If you just have to have them roasted and salted, do it yourself without added oil and at a low temperature, with a mineral dense salt. Most roasted varieties you can buy are just absolutely wrecked – blasted at very high temperatures in unnecessary oils and worthless table salt. You’re cheating yourself out of good nutrition with these options. Don’t forget these are not low-calorie…

Almonds. First and foremost in the hierarchy, almonds. Raw almonds are, in my opinion, far more delicious than roasted anyways. They are sweet and soft and delicious. Pistachios are lower in fat than most nuts and contain a wild amount of antioxidants. Walnuts, pecans, cashews (yummmmmm) Brazil nuts (in moderation even more so than others…) Peanuts (yes they are a legume, but this is akin to the whole tomato is a fruit thing…)

Pumpkin (and other winter squash seeds) are incredibly tasty powerhouses. Shell on for squash seeds! Sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds (black for more antioxidant power!) are all awesome options. Seeds can also be sprouted! So many ways to eat things….I’m hungry.

Grains – I don’t keep a lot of grains hanging around, most of them just don’t work hard enough for me. I get plenty of carbs from legumes, fruits, and vegetables – but some do make the cut!

Quinoa is the head of this little list. But wait. Quinoa is actually a seed. Here we go again…it just fits more smoothly into our mental schema of grains. Though it is more expensive than rice, its nutrient content makes it much more cost-effective in my eyes. Quinoa, though still a carb from my point of view, is an incredible complete plant protein. This means it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce themselves, so must consume. Curious? The nine are the shadows of what once were great men, all given a ring of power by Saur…oh wait; nine essential amino acids…right…my bad. The nine aminos we must consume are phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, and valine. High in fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, this is the king of ‘grains’.

I’ve heard good things about Amaranth as a close second to quinoa, though I have no experience with it, I plan to purchase some for experimentation in the near future. Apparently you can pop it much like popcorn, something I try to stay away from due to the low nutritive worth of corn in my daily life….sounds exciting. Do you have any experience with Amaranth? Let me know in the comments below, I’d be interested to hear!

I also like to have wild rice around for occasional use. Not a wild rice blend. Straight up wild rice. It does not come cheap, however – another reason I use it so sparingly. Oats hang around on the shelf too, despite their high carb to everything else ratio. Opt for the least processed options for better nutrition – oat groats, steel cut, or stone ground. Skip rolled, quick, and instant oats. There is no need for all that processing.

“Pastas” – Ya’ll I really can’t manage without eating some type of noodle. Noodles are too damn good. I won’t eat traditional noodles though; I make sure to give myself that small advantage. I’m always on the lookout for noodles made from non-traditional flours, like quinoa and legume flours. These things exist and are sometimes, with greater and greater frequency, executed amazingly. This means nutrient dense pasta that is worth your time and effort. Yassss. Again, don’t forget to read nutrition labels. Many brands are adding minuscule amounts of these nutrient dense flours to an otherwise traditional pasta and labeling it in misleading ways.

Canned Goods – I really thought I kept more canned things around when I formatted this post. Really though, the only canned things I really like to buy are Pumpkin, tuna, sometimes canned chicken, and tomato products. I use pumpkin all the time. All. The. Time. I absolutely always want it around for so many reasons. First of all, it works great to ease digestion and upset dog and cat stomachs. It’s like ginger ale for us, this stuff is a lifesaver for your pets, keep it around for them. Other than that, I add it to everything. Seriously though, everything. It stretches out recipes with great amounts of fiber and vitamins, while lending only a touch of rustic flavor. Always a solid choice. Honestly, when I find a cost-effective freeze-dried brand of pumpkin puree, I’m skipping the cans. Freeze drying is the way. Same goes for tomato products; chopped, sauce paste, etc. All of it is convenient to have around, but I hope to go the freeze drying way in the future. It is far superior for preserving nutrients, and is shelf stable for an insane amount of time.

Oils and Vinegars: I’m known to drink certain vinegars like a fiend. There’s this German brand of vinegar our family has always used to make salad dressing with, and holy moley. That stuff is sippin quality. It’s called Salata, but as far as finding it, good luck if you don’t have a German store in town. Always keep a multitude of vinegars on hand for marinades and dressings. Apple cider vinegar is a must have staple; with a ridiculous amount of minerals and health benefits, it is probably the number one. White vinegar, red wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar are all great to have on hand.

Oils are necessary for cooking and dressing as well. A variety is a solid plan of action here, just like in any other case. Start with your standard extra virgin olive oil. Avocado oil, walnut, flax, grape seed and sesame oils all impart wonderful flavors and bring different nutritional quality to the table. I generally use coconut oil more for external applications than cooking due to its high saturated fat content, but it is also something I like to have on hand. Try to skip oils that are partially hydrogenated, or solid at room temperature.

To drink: Tea! Keep tea in your house. Loose leaf is something you should maybe try to learn how to brew… Keep a huge variety! Nothing like sun tea in the summer! Green and black tea are my favorite caffeinated teas, but to keep things interesting, herbal teas are a must. Mints, chamomile, various flowers like lavender, sages, herbs, you name it! Experiment with tea, you might be surprised by the things you enjoy.

Coffee is something I drink every morning, one cup with some unsweetened almond milk and a teaspoon of honey is what starts my day. My favorite way to make coffee is to mix cinnamon, cacao, and chile powder into the grounds before brewing. It is seriously lovely, and helps boost your metabolism up for the day. It sounds repellant to a lot of people, but give it a try, and let me know what you think! You’ve only got one pot of coffee to lose if you don’t like it. Remember that with both coffee and tea, a whole bunch of added creams and sugars negates any of the good effects of drinking these antioxidant laden refreshments.

Honey. Listen, seriously if you haven’t hopped on the whole ‘honey and bees are the best’ bandwagon, it is time to do so. Honey is one of the single most incredible foods on this earth. Bees are essential to our survival. Get it together people. All of the benefits of honey are for another post though, they just seem to never end. Find yourself a local honey that is raw and unfiltered, and consume a teaspoon once a day. Don’t destroy it in scorching hot drinks, if you mix it into something, make sure it isn’t too hot, otherwise you’ll be losing out on the nutritional benefits. Also, one teaspoon of honey is the LIFE work of 12 bees. Don’t be a d*ck and degrade that to nothing. On this matter, bee pollen is a cool thing to have too. . .

Greens and protein powders are also good to have on hand for quick green smoothies or after workout boosts. Opt for no sugar added varieties, and plant-based if you can! Spirulina powder is a beautiful blue-green algae that is a really solid choice to have around if you can find and splurge on it! (but keep it in the fridge if you don’t go through it quickly)

Also, Red wine is good for cooking, and indulgences 🙂

Spices! : Salt. Ok guys, I know salt has a bad rap, and of course should only be used in moderation, but the right kind of salt is absolutely essential for your bodies. Regular table salt has little to no quality for you. Find sea salt. But more importantly, find a sea salt with natural flecks of coloring. These little specks (usually brown and pink) are telltale signs of a plethora of necessary minerals for your bodies. Responsibly mined salt is so good for you. Himalayan pink salt is readily available almost everywhere now, and is a good choice. My favorite, however, is mined here in the US, in Utah, it’s called RealSalt and I’ve seen it perform miracles for horses, livestock, and notably, myself. Check them out if you’re adamant about US made products.

Spices, as I have said before, are the spice of life. By cooking with plenty of herbs, you’re introducing nutrients and flavors to yourself that, as far as I’m concerned, actually improve quality of life. Always have granulated garlic on hand. Onion powder is not a bad choice. Chile powder is a must. If you’ve never had smoked paprika, I’m sad for you, and urge you to purchase some immediately. Cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, sage, bay leaves, marjoram, rosemary, dill, chervil, chives, black and red pepper, basil, cumin, thyme, nutmeg, vanilla paste, lemon and orange peel, I could go on for an egregious amount of time. Build your spice cabinet. Become familiar with these things, the way they smell, the way they re-hydrate, the way they complement or overpower. You’ll be happy with the meals you come to make with a more fleshed out spice rack.

Produce : Produce that is stable at room temperature is great. Many things are going to be a pantry or fridge choice. Generally things last longer in the fridge, or should be moved there after ripening, but certain things like tomatoes strictly don’t belong there. Try your hand at growing your own tomatoes! Eating produce you’ve grown is extremely satisfying. Other pantry produce should/may include; sweet potatoes (purple and darker red varieties are the best) Garlic bulbs, apples, certain citrus, bananas, onions, mangoes, melons, peaches, pumpkin and other winter squash.

FRIDGE STAPLES

Refrigerator staples must be kept cold or chilled, and will be used within a reasonable amount of time

Eggs are at the top of my fridge. Literally. Eggs are one of the true superfoods. And they are cheeeeaaap, especially considering the nutrition they deliver. Don’t fall for the whole “vegetarian fed” craze, chickens naturally eat all kinds of insects, and even chase mice and the like. Opt for pasture raised chicken eggs.

Greek yogurt is another fridge staple of mine. Full fat really is the right option, believe it or not. Buy only plain yogurt and mix in fresh fruit for the smartest choice. It also makes for a great replacement for sour cream. Try to take it easy on the dairy, but cheese is kinda essential to my mental health, so I get it. Bovine dairy is much more difficult for us to digest, and lower in protein and healthy fats than that from goats and sheep. Try goat cheese and sheep cheese. It is so rich and delicious, one hundred percent worth it. That being said, I also don’t drink dairy milk. I keep unsweetened Almond milk instead. You can add a touch of vanilla if you like, or try cashew or coconut milk. All better choices than dairy milk.

Keep natural nut butters in your fridge as well. Look for peanut or other nut butters whose ingredient list is reallllly slim. If it isn’t JUST the nuts, a small amount of sea salt is also acceptable. No sugar, there is no reason. It also isn’t a bad idea to keep nuts in your fridge as opposed to your pantry, especially if you don’t go through your stock fairly quickly. If you have room to spare, go for it. You can also freeze nuts, sometimes that is even the best plan of action.

Meats that you will eat fairly quickly belong here, as we all know. Don’t be afraid of bacon, but try to buy a lower salt content brand that is free of nitrates and nitrites. Like I said in this article, I know that cured meats aren’t the absolute best choice, but sustainability in a healthy lifestyle means variety that is also cost-effective. Sliced deli meats like turkey and ham and the like are delicious. Go for it. Raw meat like steak, chicken, fish and such need to be cooked within a short time period or frozen.

Produce again! Keep so many greens around you have no choice but to eat them. Have you ever tried beet greens? They are really great (and more nutritious than their famous cousin, Kale) Spinach, chard, romaine, arugula, kale, cabbage, and the king of all greens (that I have yet to get the chance to try) Watercress, are all things to aim to have on hand. Beets, carrots, celery, sprouts, summer squash (think zucchini and yellow squash) berries, cherries, ripe stone fruit and the like all belong in the fridge. Apples are best in the fridge for direct consumption, lending greater snap and firmness when bitten into. Mushrooms also go in the fridge. Buy whole mushrooms, and let them sit in the sun for 15-20 before chopping and preparing. They can soak up sunlight and convert it to vitamin D just like we can! This process also makes brushing dirt from their surface simple.

FREEZER STAPLES

As we know, the freezer is mostly for long-term storage.

Prepared foods and meals(by you…) should be the majority of your fridge stock. What is convenient is almost always what you are going to choose to consume, especially when the day has been long, as so many of them are. Partially prepared ingredients are also really nifty to have on hand. Store all kinds of pre-cut vegetables, fruits and meats here to quickly throw together a meal anytime. Buy things in bulk on sale, set aside some time for prep work, freeze, and save yourself hundreds of headaches. I always have bags of peas, chopped peppers, sweet potatoes, portioned ground meat or patties, broccoli, homemade bone broth (real essential) and such ready for use.

We like to store nut flours and certain nuts (ahem, pine nuts) in the freezer as well. This greatly extends their shelf life. These things tend to be used infrequently, and are usually pretty pricey, so for them to go to waste would be a real pisser. Butter is kept here until such time as it is needed as well. Yes, butter is a pretty nutritious fat, though of course in moderation. Go with grass-fed, unsalted!

We all have to have some sweet frozen treat sometimes. I really try to skip ice cream. There are some great alternatives out there, but they are often pricey. Don’t be afraid to splurge occasionally, try cashew milk ice cream sometime, it’s awesome. Realistically though, these alternatives are too expensive to buy frequently and still contain more added sugar and ingredients than you should be partaking in that often anyways. I really like to freeze little single serving applesauce containers, they taste pretty awesome – basically just apple shaved ice, and almost always take care of that frozen treat craving. Try other fruit purees in the freezer! Play around and find what you like!

…That about covers it I do believe…Now we’ll be ready to dive into some recipes!

To Summarize

What you eat is your most important building block, it is absolutely what composes you. Keep good food around, and you will eat good food. Keep bad food around, and you will continue to eat bad food. Past you can really do you a solid by setting you up for good decisions down the road. Do yourself a favor and stock your house with real, whole, nutritious foods, and learn your way around them. Soon, you will crave good choices instead of bad ones. In no time, your good decisions will reflect upon you and your life. Take these steps for yourself and for your family, and make yourself proud!

Do you have any input?

Any tips or tricks? What are your most valued kitchen staples? Anything you love to have around that helps you live a more satisfying, healthy life? Let me know in the comments below, I’ll take all the input I can get!

Now, for the disclaimer – I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or medical authority, this is meant to be only a source of information and inspiration, implementing these techniques into your daily life is something you do of your own free will and at your own risk.

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An Update: Intellectual Adventures, Shared Experiences, and New Opportunities

by Danielle

Posted: April 2, 2017September 30, 2017

I have some really exciting news to share! This week, I’m starting a new life adventure! In just a few days, I’m going to embark on a new journey, though I won’t be leaving town. It will expand my mind and skill base, and I’m very excited to share what I will learn along the way with all of you. I’ll be getting a new degree, and I’ll be updating you with helpful new skills to foster improvement in several areas of your life and health along the way. Neuromuscular and Trigger point therapy, here we come!

I’ll be attending the Colorado Institute of Massage Therapy for a diploma in Advanced Neuromuscular and Trigger point therapy. This means that I’ll soon be a licensed medical massage therapist in the state of Colorado (and not a retail store grunt, yassss). I’m pretty excited for this new set of skills that will really complement my preventative-health approach to life.

What does that mean for you, my lovely reader?

Who doesn’t love a massage? I’ll be sharing insider tips, techniques, and knowledge to take your massage game to the next level. By adding these tidbits to your arsenal of skills, you’ll be able to boost your own health in a multitude of ways. You can also take these techniques to your loved ones to aid them and bring comfort and recovery from daily stressors.

What role does massage play in promoting health?

Massage can greatly help with physical recovery, particularly in relation to muscle recovery. Skilled palpation of tense, overused muscles brings relief to the site and increases blood flow. Stress, pain, anxiety, and depression can all be eased through massage. Nerve function may be improved as well as range of motion. Relaxation is notable in measurably healthier blood pressure and oxygen uptake. I just recently had my first professional massage after receiving a gift certificate for an hour-long session, and I felt like I had drifted off to dreamland. Click Here to learn more about massage

But why do I always feel so beat up after and intense massage?

There are several reasons you may have had discomfort and possibly even nausea after a massage. The concept that toxins are released from your muscles during massage is, while plausible, not what seems to be the actual cause. While you are rubbing out and distributing lactic acids and possibly other built up toxins in one form or another, the palpation of your muscles actually does some damage to them. Myoglobins are released by your tissues in response to (especially intense) manipulation. Your body’s way of dealing with this is standard; into the blood, through the kidneys. If you are not well hydrated, have mineral deficiencies, are not accustomed to massage, or had a particularly intense session; you are more likely to experience a mild Rhabdo effect, just like you would after any intense physical exertion.

Before engaging in a massage, especially deep tissue, make sure you are very well hydrated (and stay that way!) If you are mineral or vitamin deficient, make sure you re-up on these essential bits of fuel for your body. I like to make a clay masque (bentonite), cover myself in it head to toe and let it dry before taking a tea and mineral salt bath to help draw unwanted ‘toxic’ substances out of my body. I highly recommend this type of ritual method. It is extremely relaxing and rejuvenating! Play with different teas and find what you like best!

Alrighty then, how can I apply massage to benefit myself?

We already know how good massage feels. Releasing muscle tension, easing headaches, aiding muscle recovery, etc. are benefits you can reap from massage. But you can’t go out and have someone rub your muscles out every time you feel like it. Most people can’t afford a full-time personal masseuse that follows us around everywhere, no matter how much we desire that. Damnit. Learning how to work out your own aches and pains for a daily bit of tension release is the way to go. You’ll not only be helping your body, but your mind as well.

Let’s talk about another huge benefit of self-massage though; greater personal awareness. Getting intimate with your own anatomy is so important! This is in the same vein as doing the usual self-cancer checks. The more familiar you are with your bodies’ norm, the more aware you are of something being out of place. Keeping a mental track of trends and patterns will help you be more conscious and responsive to your own needs. Love your body! It, and your brain, will love you back. Stay tuned, and I’ll keep giving you better and better tips how!

I’m down! How is it going to benefit my loved ones?

Well, again, they’ll get all the usual healing and relaxing benefits of a good rub down. But what more? Bond strengthening to the Nth degree. For your partner, your children, your animals, your healing touch is going to bring with it assloads of serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. Becoming familiar with their aches and pains, preferences, and helping them through stressors deepens a sense of reliability and trust. For your partner it will also bring with it a deeper sense of intimacy, and a new or greater form of communication. A loving touch is sometimes the most efficient shared form of communication between a couple. Building a more advanced complexity within this language is always beneficial.

Where will I be finding this helpful information?

Going into the future, it is most likely that I’ll be posting about these tips and tricks in the PHYSICAL section of the site, though you may catch the occasional article here, under LIFE ECLECTIC.

I’m very excited to learn and grow in this new field of life. I’ll be able to exit the retail game soon, and upon completing this diploma will build on it in many directions. The possibilities are endless! Life really opens up when you chase it, friends! I encourage you to seek knowledge and education all throughout your life, be it in a trade degree, a workshop, a doctorate, whatever. Always seek opportunity! Stagnation will kill you. I can’t wait to share these skills with you, hang around and we’ll build knowledge together!

Importantly, I want to touch on this before I wrap up. Though I will be a licensed therapist in the state of Colorado, this does not mean I will be your therapist, and I will not be held responsible for any actions taken. Reading my advice does not create a client/professional relationship or contract. If you choose to implement these techniques, you do so as an informed individual making your own decisions at your own risk. Thank you for using your sense and doing what is right for you!

Do you have a story to tell?

Share your experiences with massage and massage therapy with us in the comments below, or connect with us on any of the following social platforms, we would LOVE to hear from you!

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Responsibility for Your Dependents is Your Most Reliable Source of Accountability

by Danielle

Posted: March 25, 2017September 30, 2017

I’m going to touch on the subject of responsibility, obligation and accountability as a source to drive you to lead a healthier life. If you have any living thing that you are responsible for, be it children or pets, you are obligated to provide for them a healthy, active, and engaging life. End of story. You have the choice to bring these entities into your life. They depend on you. If you don’t do everything in your power to keep them healthy, you are expressly and unambiguously failing at one of your most important jobs. No arguments.

this article may include affiliate links. Learn more about my policies here.

Because I do not currently have human children, I’ll be focusing this article on the dependents that I do have – my animals. Make no mistake; the following points apply even more heavily to all of your homo-sapien monsters!

Got it? Moving on…

First of all, those of you who are saying, “This crap doesn’t apply to me, I have no dependents,” well damnit, get you some! That is, if you are in a spot where you can afford both adequate time and the financial load of properly raising and caring for an animal, please for the love of all that is important in this world, adopt an animal! Obviously, never make a commitment to another life if you aren’t willing and prepared to see it through to the bitter end. But oh man! What a blessing they are! Animals will improve your quality of life in a way that nothing else really will. What quirks, what entertainment, what love they contribute! The benefits just don’t seem to end.

Animals boost your health in many ways

Having dogs and cats in your household is known to boost your immune system, and make you less prone to allergies. They lower your anxiety levels and mitigate stress hormones. Depression, both normal and clinical, can be eased or chased away entirely. Having animals around lowers your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as lower levels of bad cholesterol. By boosting your serotonin and dopamine levels, your animals keep you in a better place mentally and physically! There really are few reasons not to add one (or two…or three….or more…) to your family! Check out this site for more details! https://petpartners.org/learn/benefits-human-animal-bond/

Now it’s your turn

Your little loves help you out on so many levels. What can you do for them? Keep them healthy. Keep them active. Keep them engaged. What does this all spell out to? I’ll break it down.

Feed them well: I distinctly do not mean feed them a lot. I mean feed them well. Your animals are part of your family. You are obligated to treat them as such. Just like human kids, they need the appropriate nutrition in appropriate quantities, at appropriate times. Your dog does not need all of your leftovers. They do not need a million treats. Processed ass bread is not some shit that your dog needs to be consuming. Have you ever seen wild dogs hunting a wheat field? No. Much like you, your dog needs quality sources of proteins, carbs, fats, minerals, vitamins, probiotics, etc. Your cat needs more protein than your dog. You need more fiber… See where I am going with this? Being different creatures, we have different needs. Do an ass load of research and find a quality food that is appropriate for your respective animals, and give it to them in appropriate amounts. Feed only healthy treats; and what? You guessed it; in appropriate amounts.

Keep them physically active: Again, just like you your little friends need to exercise on a daily basis to maintain peak health. Again, it is your responsibility to make sure they are getting an appropriate (if not the bare minimum) amount of daily activity. Always keep in mind what is appropriate for the individual. Hard strenuous activity isn’t right for young ones whose growth plates haven’t sealed; a quarter-mile slow-paced walk isn’t enough for a three year old working breed dog. We’ve all seen stories about (great) pet owners taking their elderly animals to water for some mild exercise that eases arthritic pain. Be that guy! Be proactive, and adjust to their needs as they grow and change. This is kind of the main point of this article – you get out and take them for jaunts, you’re all getting some exercise. Your bond will tighten as your body does. Whoot!

Keep them mentally stimulated: Mental health is a huge part of overall health! Never forget this. It applies to every creature. Bored horses weave in their stalls. Bored cats push expensive things off of heights. Bored kids draw on walls and dump sacks of flour on your carpet. Bored dogs chew your furniture. Displacement behavior is punished, but all in all, there should have been some other outlet available for this energy. It’s not their fault. It’s yours. Deal with it. You need to adapt to the situation that you have decided to be in. Puzzle toys, chew toys, anything that they respond to needs to be subbed in to keep your dependents stimulated (and your stuff intact). You wouldn’t be ok without mental stimulation either. Play is the answer!

And if you don’t?

Let me tell you a story. This is a true story, it could happen to you. It likely will if you let your babies get into poor health. This is a horror story. One of heartbreak, of pain, of bitterness. This is a story of good intentions that ended with an early death and one of the most difficult lessons I’ve ever learned. This is a story about one of my best friends.

Jack, photo by John and Jodi Galliard

Oh my buddy Jack. My riding buddy, my ranch pal. Jack came into the family as a spur of the moment decision one day when I was fairly young. He was some sort of adorable terrier mix. We called him white lightning when he was young; the little shit was so fast you couldn’t make out anything but a blur of pale fur streaking by when he ran past. His favorite thing was to round up all of the big dogs at the dog park and make them chase him.

Jackson had some coat problems as he grew, and our family was introduced to the idea that mainstream dog food is usually damn poor quality. A corn allergy was causing hot spots, he would chew away the fur and rough at his skin until it bled on his back and legs. We became fairly conscious of his regular diet, and the issue was remedied. But little attention was paid to the extras he got. In a family of fairly inactive people, he got little exercise as he aged. He ate everyone’s leftovers. Several times the curly devil became a footstool, until efforts were made to cut down on his weight. He fluctuated like this for quite some time.

I came home from my internship and realized he was in incredibly poor health, and had ballooned to an uncomfortable weight. It is so hard to break out of the thought that to feed is to love. This is not so. Drastic restrictions were made to his diet. No extras. Ever. He started to lose some weight, but it was too late. His health had been irreparably compromised, and diabetes had irreversibly set in.

His health careened downhill over a very short time period. He would cry and howl in the night out of desperation to empty his painfully full bladder. His eye’s clouded over and he became entirely blind in less than two weeks. His coat became wispy and brittle. His weight dropped until he was a frail, grumpy old man before his time. I remember every day in this time period coming home from work, he would want to greet me at the door as the other dogs did, but he couldn’t find his way in his new dark world. I’d knock on the floor so he could find his way to me, and I’d sit on the floor with him in my lap while I made sure everyone got their attention.

Oh my heart. My guilt, my grief. I watched my friend deteriorate, I watched him suffer terribly and needlessly for our mistakes. I would hold him and weep, bitterly, just as I do now while I recall this. We laid him to rest the day after my 22^nd birthday, and buried him in the yard on one of the hardest days I’ve yet experienced. I loved my Jack dearly. I love him still, and always will. I sincerely believe he would be alive today had he been in good health, as he should have been, throughout his life. He would be old now, and his time would certainly be soon. But it would be the right time.

There will never be another unhealthy animal under my care. There will never be any ambiguity; I will never accept anything else. I have become a hardened steward, strict to the point of anger and condemnation towards any who disobey the rules I have laid out for my dependents. I will NEVER be even partly responsible for the negative effects of poor health again. Not for my animals. Not for any children I may have. Nothing. This is your responsibility as well. Do not make these mistakes, learn from my pain. Obese animals are not cute, it is as clear a sign of abuse as bruises on your face. To feed is not to love. To nourish is to love. Cement the difference in your brain.

Moving Forward

Now we have Charlie, Morgan and Leroy. They are very active (especially Mo, the little psycho) and have a closely monitored diet. They get extras as are appropriate in relation to their activity level for the day. For example, Leroy eats whatever he wants to from whatever he hunts and kills. He comes and goes as he pleases, and lives the ideal cat life. Really, I adjust his regular food to his weight in response to the season instead of the other way around. He gets fat during the winter from inactivity and goes on a diet. Sometimes he gets fat in the spring from an abundance of rodents. Either way, I’m sure to be very observant and responsive to whatever story his physical condition tells me.

Charlie and Morgan get the occasional egg, olive oil, pumpkin, plain greek yogurt, water from a tuna can, etc. Morgan sometimes needs higher calorie additives to keep up with her killer metabolism and low desire to stop fricken running around to eat the proper volume of food. Antlers and the occasional sow’s ear or hoof don’t usually get counted into their calorie intake.

How my animals have helped push me onto greater health

Aside from all of the usual great effects of having animals around, my dogs have helped to save my life. My responsibility towards them has pushed me to get outside and keep them and myself active on days when I haven’t felt like doing anything. Without this impetus I truly believe I wouldn’t be so near my goal. Charlie and Morgan have actively helped spur me on to lose almost 122 lbs. Jack’s memory picks up in my mind and gives it the sharp boost it needs to stay pointing in the right direction. Failing them is bad enough, but in failing them I would also fail myself.

My life would be of significantly lower quality without them. I am endlessly and forevermore grateful for their indispensable presence. I choose to love and care for them now, and forever. Past their progression into old age. Past the unparalleled bitterness of their deaths. Through all of it. I choose to honor them always by moving forward and caring for another in their stead. Caring for dependents, nourishing their growth and positive progress is possibly my greatest driving force.

To sum things up

Get outside and play with your little ones! Keep them healthy and happy, and replicate these behaviors for yourself. It is your job!

ADOPT an animal! Dedicate your time and your money towards giving them what they deserve. If you can’t make that commitment, then don’t. Seriously. Same goes for having kids.

Spay and neuter your pets! There are more in the world than we can handle. You’ll also be greatly reducing their risk for cancers, infections, and diseases related to their reproductive organs that they really don’t need to be using anyways. . .

For more information about pet obesity, I highly recommend a visit to this site – http://petobesityprevention.org/

TELL ME ABOUT YOURS!

Share your stories. SHARE YOU PICTURES! Tell me about how your little loves’ have improved your life! Let me know in the comments below, or connect with me on any of the following social platforms. Seriously, and especially about this topic, I would loooove to hear about it!

Now, for the disclaimer – I am not a veterinarian, adventure guide, personal trainer, doctor, nutritionist, or medical authority, this is meant to be only a source of information and inspiration, implementing these techniques into your daily life is something you do of your own free will and at your own risk.

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How Training for a ‘Focus Goal’ Pushes you to Achieve Bigger Goals

by Danielle

Posted: March 17, 2017September 30, 2017

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Everyone has big dreams.

People who live to see their dreams become reality usually achieve these things by changing the word ‘dream’ in their mind to ‘goal’, and get crankin. I dreamed my whole life of being healthy. I dreamed and I dreamed and I got nowhere, until suddenly it clicked (or maybe the gravity of being 272 lbs was enough to push it into place) and I set real goals and commit myself to them. My big goal has, for a very long time, been to reach 150 lbs. I’m about five lbs away now. By the time I hit that goal I will have dropped 122 lbs. That’s a whole human! (UPDATE: Achievement Unlocked!) I could not have gotten here if I hadn’t set multiple subdivided goals along the way. But most importantly, I could not have gotten here if I hadn’t set another large goal, unrelated but dependent, to push me along and keep my mind in the game. What is that large goal? How can it be both unrelated and dependent concerning my ‘main’ goal? How has it been a driving factor towards my success? Why and how can this apply to you? Read on, young padawan.

So what have I been training for?

Well. I want to hike five hundred miles with upwards of 25 lbs on my back at altitudes ranging between 5,500-13,300 ft, in about a month and a half.

Excuse me, are you crazy?

Maybe. I prefer the term Tenacious (ahhh see what I did there?) To clarify, I intend to through-hike The Colorado Trail.

What is The Colorado Trail?

The Colorado Trail is a recreational trail running from Waterton Canyon (my young stomping grounds!) near Denver, Colorado to its terminus in Durango, Colorado. It runs for 486 miles through the mountainous center of Colorado, with an average elevation of over 10,300 feet (Low point: 5,520 ft, High point: 13,271 ft) It parallels for quite some time with the Continental Divide Trail. The average through hiker spends 4-6 weeks on the trail. Learn more details at ColoradoTrail.org

Photo courtesy of David Fanning of RawahRanger.com

Why?

What do you mean why? Why not is more like it! I literally cannot begin to fathom the personal growth this trip will spur me towards. Over a month of (mostly) solitary time testing my body and mind in the wild, mountainous regions of my gorgeous home state? If I could go now, I would. I’ve never done anything like this, it’s an incredibly motivating goal for me, and I believe it will be a suitable challenge

Photo courtesy of David Fanning of RawahRanger.com

How did this goal come to be, and how has it evolved?

I learned about the Colorado Trail in the late part of 2015. After reading up about it, I quickly set my mind to it. At that point I had gained thirty pounds back after losing an initial 70. I knew I could not start this endeavor so very overweight. I set my sights on starting the trail no more than 170 lbs. This goal completely revamped my motivation to get healthy. It may have been the biggest push to finally put me into the correct mindset. Knowing that I could not lose that amount of weight (60 lbs),or afford the trip for that matter, by the time the trail season came around that summer, I set my sights on departing for the journey in June of 2017.

Photo courtesy of David Fanning of RawahRanger.com

Late in 2016 I blew by 170 lbs and changed my goal to start at 160. 2017 rolled around and I have worked myself down to 155, so now I intend to start the trail at my goal weight of 150. . . Should be simple at this point, I only have five pounds to go. Recently, however, I’ve had to shift my plans to hiking the trail this summer to hiking it the summer of 2018. This is due to an exciting new prospect that I cannot take time away from this year.

Hiking the Colorado trail will be an amazing adventure for Charlie and I, a once in a lifetime for him…My plan is to take Charlie with me, though he is a special case and we will both have to train a little differently than most would. I’ll go over Charlie’s hindrance in detail with you all soon, but to sum things up; he has a mild growth deformity in his front legs that may (or may not!) pose an issue to his completing the entire length and duration of the trail. He certainly has the heart for it!

Charlie on the Colorado trail 2016

What have I done to train for this goal,and how has this helped me achieve my main goal?

Let’s step back a moment and rephrase – again my main goal has not yet been realized. But I’m something like 96.7% of the way there, and a huge portion of that has to do with training for the Colorado Trail.
As soon as I made the decision to hike the trail, I knew I had to begin training for it. What did that mean? Accumulating gear, getting used it, and adjusting to carrying it on my back. I researched what I would need for the journey and have slowly been picking quality gear up for cheap at clearance events and the like.

{Coming Soon – a working gear list for this, and other through-hikes. I’m working as an affiliate with REI and other great companies I believe in to bring you trust-worthy, quality gear for your adventures, at no extra cost to you! Read more about my policies here. In the meantime, I really recommend considering a , or browse and }

I grabbed an inexpensive day pack with a water bladder at Costco and started hiking small bits every day that I could. Then I picked up a Costco multi-day pack. It’s what I hike with now, I cannot say it’s great (and I definitely will have to upgrade soon) but it has done me a real solid as far as training goes. I started out carrying something like 8 pounds, then 13, I currently carry 19 on a daily basis. There isn’t much more room in this 45 liter pack, but I think with some creative mods I’ll be able to up it to around 25 lbs before I graduate to a more advanced system to continue upping my carrying capacity. This past summer a close friend and I took a camping trip up to Clear Creek Reservoir for the chance to hop on a small section of the Colorado Trail. We ascended from camp for a small day hike from the north side of Clear Creek, southbound. At that point I had luckily picked up a clearance Osprey pack, and passed my Costco pack to her. I had dropped down to about 200 lbs by that time, but I learned very quickly, that was a lot of weight to drag up that mountainside, even with very little weight strapped to my back. This isn’t even a notably difficult section of trail.

I was very happy I had already picked up trekking poles, and divided between the two of us, they were of notable help assisting our inexperienced asses up (and back down!) that small section of trail. That little sobering experience taught me several things, but most importantly this; Very few things in my life have ever felt quite so right as being on that trail, and I had a massive learning and training curve ahead of me.

On the CT June 2016

I’m slowly attaining experience with the ins and outs of serious hiking and backpacking. I’m gaining confidence in my carrying abilities. Daily forays into nature with a purpose have kept my mind (mostly) clear through what has been a very trying and emotional year. My focus on this goal is perhaps the biggest reason I have been able to stay so on track with major weight loss. I have so much to learn, but I really credit finding this thing that I am so passionately geared towards for changing my life in an incredibly significant way.

My recommendation to you is this;

Make a big goal. Look through your dreams, or search around through your interests and focus on something that really interests you. Find out how it can challenge you, mentally, physically, emotionally – everything. The whole nine yards. Find that dream and change it from a dream to a goal. Maybe you want to complete marathons. Perhaps you want to summit mountains. Maybe you want to bike through your home state. It’s possible that you want to summit Everest. Whatever. Find a big dream, and make it a goal. That’s the first step.

Do your research!

Read about others who have undertaken this, or similar things. Read about their experiences. Find out how they prepared. Figure out what you need, when you need it, and why you need it. Decide where you as a person need to be before you make your official start. Set a game plan – how are you going to train for this? How are you going to set yourself up for success?

Photo courtesy of David Fanning of RawahRanger.com

Get the ball rolling!

Now that you’ve figured out the what, the why, and the how, you must do! Make progress everyday! Continue to research to keep yourself up to date and motivated. Get out there, meet your goals and turn your dreams into your reality. You literally have all the power to do this. Things don’t just happen to people. Work your ass for it. Make yourself proud. Create and build your life into something you can be proud of. Make it so that when you are a rambling old fool, people want to sit and listen to your tales. Make. It. So.

What do I do once that time has come and gone?

Do you mean what do you do once you’ve accomplished your goals like a hard-living badass? You set another goal, that’s what. Keep them coming! Don’t let your life pass you by, because it absolutely will. Time will pass, and it waits for no man (or woman)

Final thoughts

Dreams are just dreams until you make them happen. I hope you’ve taken away from this that you are in control of your story. I hope you understand that once you’ve really grasped this and take the lead, that amazing things will happen for you, as they have for me. That through trial and tribulation, if you just put your head down and drive yourself on through the torrent, you will push through to the other side. Dare to set your sights high, and just make that shit happen. Be Tenacious guys.

Charlie in Clear Creek

So what are your big goals?

What dreams are you aiming for? What do you think you’ll go forward and do? When are you planning to accomplish this? Furthermore, what have you already done? Be proud of your accomplishments, and be proud of your drive to reach them! Start a conversation with me and others below! We’d love to hear about it!

I want to say a special thank you to David Fanning at RawahRanger.com for allowing me to use some of his pictures from the Colorado trail! David and his website are an excellent source of information and experience on the CT. Check out his new book, Voices of the Colorado Trail!

Check out these articles, they shed more light on the various things I’ve done to change my life!

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Tried and True Methods of Physical Activity I’ve used to Lose Over 115 lbs.

by Danielle

Posted: March 12, 2017September 30, 2017

I’ve said it before. I’ll keep saying it. What you eat is by far the most important factor in weight loss. But. You really do need to be physically active. There is no way to have a well-rounded, healthy life without both. Being active and implementing exercise into your daily life is EXTREMELY beneficial. Today we are going to discuss the methods and exercises I have seen to be most beneficial towards my major weight loss, and what I believe will improve anyone’s overall fitness and health. Why should you listen to me? My top weight was 272 lbs, today I weigh 155. These things really work.

If you aren’t working your muscles in some way on a daily basis, you are doing yourself a huge disservice – end of story. Exercise benefits you in virtually every area of life. Lessen your risk of heart disease! Greatly improve your energy and brain function! Ramp up your mood! All for the price of….nothing. Exercise is free ya’ll. I’ve lost over 110 lbs. (and counting) without ever stepping foot in a gym or paying a membership fee. Yes, really! That is not to say that I won’t ever join a gym, or that I think they’re worthless. I simply haven’t needed to utilize that tool (yet?). Don’t feed me the excuse that you can’t afford a gym membership. You don’t need one. Of course it’s beneficial if you use it! Go to the gym if that’s your thing! But most people just waste their money and rarely, if ever, go.

So let’s delve in.

What kind of physical activity did I implement to lose so damn much fat? All kinds. I tried a million things (that may be an exaggeration…I’ve never really ever tried to commit to running) Do I recommend trying a million things? Yessssssssssss. First of all, you need to find what is going to work best for you. Second of all, all that variation breaks up the monotony – making it less likely that you’ll stop exercising. Third, it will keep your body guessing, an effective tool against plateaus.

I did all kinds of fitness challenges (Pinterest is a great resource for this) these kinds of things are great for a daily ‘bare minimum’. Do the challenge for the day, then do something else you know you need to work on. That way, if you don’t feel like continuing on and doing more, at least you completed your challenge for the day!

That’s awfully vague!

Yes. You need to do the work for yourself to find what works best to keep you motivated. I can’t provide that answer for you – you are an individual. You are variable. You are not me, and I am not you. I ferkin HATE running. Won’t ever be into it – maybe trail running but that’s kind of more like adventure jogging…. Point is this, you may love running! You may love swimming. You may love weight training (YASSSSS) you need to find a cornerstone exercise that you love and do it every day (80/20 rule guys, don’t beat yourself up if you miss the occasional day)

My cornerstone is hiking. Being outside, paying attention to varied terrain, carrying weight, talking to birds, observing plants, watching my dog’s LOVE life on the trail – THAT is my shit. What is yours? You can even have more than one! I encourage it! I also do my own form of Pilates on a daily basis – I believe strength and flexibility training are very important. Biking is something I can’t wait to get back into, once I can afford the required equipment. I’m looking into getting back into martial arts. Don’t stop at one. Get good at many. Hobbies are the spice of life! (Spices are also the spice of life….there are a lot of things that are the spice of life…. Get spicy!)

Alright, so what else?

Other than your cornerstone(s) you should get into a set routine of exercises, you know, like; Leg day, arm day, core day, chest and back day…etc. Let me input here – weight training is SO MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE than cardio for weight loss, and for general health. Building muscle not only tones your body, but it burns more fat around the clock! So LIFT! Lift yourself! Body weight is definitely effective, you don’t need to add separate weight until you are no longer seeing progress, and you most certainly don’t need to add separate weight until your form is solid. It would be my humble opinion that a strong core and lower body are the most important things to focus on. Maybe because I love squats and hate flys, but hey, whatever….

FOCUS ON COMPOUND EXERCISES.

What? Compound exercises utilize multiple muscle groups, as opposed to isolated exercises which focus on one muscle set. This falls into a concept I incessantly push in all areas of life – efficiency. Compound exercises provide a whole lot of bang for your buck, and apply more broadly to daily activities. Think dead lift, squat, pull-ups, dips, bench press, etc. Compound exercises are the best way to go.

So, what are my favorites?

I focus on five main exercises that I have seen play huge roles in amping up my fitness level. I love them because there are so many variants for each that I can use to break monotony and shift through plateaus with ease.

1. The Plank: Planking it one of the most passive ways to gain strength and stability from head to toe. Obviously it’s a great core exercise, but it also works your arms, shoulders, back, and legs. I started with a thirty second plank, and by building on that every day (80/20 again….) I recently have hit a four minute plank. My current goal is 5 minutes, at which point I’ll start adding weight to my back and will build to five minutes again. Wash , rinse, repeat. The plank is incredible; this should be part of everyone’s routine. Start with an upright plank, the easiest one to hold. Build your hold time, shift between that and a standard plank as you work towards your goal. Variations include side planks, side planks, reverse, with upright and standard, as well as lifted leg in each.

2. The Squat: In the very beginning I could only do ten body weight squats at a time, and my form may have been questionable… Build it! Pay serious attention to your form here and slowly add reps. Vary your foot placement, and pursue a deeper sit back. You’ll have ass kickin powerful legs in no time. Add weight after your form is unshakable, and slowly build. This compound exercise is just fricken awesome.

3. The Dead lift: The dead lift is quickly becoming my favorite weighted exercise. You’ll probably be able to get your form down pretty quickly, so start with a bar or hand weights and build. There is argument back and forth about who ‘the king of lower body’ is; Squat or Dead lift. I think they make great partners, but overall, I think the dead lift takes the cake because it’s a little more joint friendly. Dead lift variations include, but are not limited to; stiff-legged, Romanian, sumo, etc.

4. Calf Lift: Really? Yeah. I love calf lifts. They’ve always been an anxious habit of mine. Because of this, I have always had rockin solid calves, which is great because I really like serious looking calves – and it applies to hiking steep and varied terrain. Again, I have a focus on lower body over upper, and there is something about working my calves to the point of utter failure that releases a ton of tension in my mind. You can do calf lifts anywhere. Huge benefit to the exercise. I tend to do them in cyclical rounds of three forms; toe forward, toes out (pointing in exact opposite directions) and toes in.

5. Carrying weight: This one requires clarification. I make a point never to go hiking/walking/jogging without weight on my back. I started with 2 liters of water, and I recommend everyone do this. Why? Having water on you encourages you to stay hydrated. DRINK MORE WATER. Second of all, you’re carrying weight. Automatically a greater workout than if you were not. This is probably my one biggest tip for people looking to start towards losing a large amount of weight. Carry at least two liters and basic survival supplies when you go out, even if you’re walking on sidewalk. It’s a good habit to be familiar with carrying loads, especially basic survival gear. You never know what’s going to happen. Build the amount you carry over time, trust me on this one, it has just been hugely beneficial to me.

So. Those are my big five. Focusing on those means I still have a fairly comprehensive workout plan if I don’t do any other type of exercise. I’m not saying these are the only things you should do; sincerely, do not take it that way.

These methods will help significantly increase your level of fitness. Each breakthrough or new ‘level’ you feel you reach should be accompanied by setting a new goal.

Setting new, progressive goals is crucial to continued improvement

Great, so you achieved your goal of 10 push ups with great form. Now what? You can revel for a while in that feeling, but you can’t just leave it at ten push ups. Now is the time for more, or, different. Your new goal is 20 push ups, OR, ten dips. See? Set goals that build on previous ones. Just like you had to learn the alphabet to learn how to create words, to learn how to create sentences, to learn how to piece together paragraphs, so on and so forth. Changing goals keeps you motivated. Reaching goals keeps you motivated! There are so few things cooler than gaining capabilities you never previously had. Leveling up is awesome!

Setting varied goals helps to break plateaus

Don’t focus on one area to build. First of all, you’ll be unbalanced. Second of all, you’ll more easily fall into a rut. Accomplished a lower body goal like 25 squats in a set? Think about how you can improve your shoulder strength now, then how you can build your lower abs, then your mid back, etc. Keep the ball rolling by setting these diverse physical goals. This also keeps your mind fresh. By focusing on a more detailed goal like, “I want to be able to do chin ups,” you won’t be as hard fixated on large, difficult goals like, “I want to lose 50 lbs.,” but you will still see progress towards that main objective. Plateaus are physical AND mental. Don’t forget that.

What should I take away from all this?

Physical activity is decidedly necessary to your everyday life. The benefits are undeniable. Motivation is often a bitch, especially if you aren’t the type to want to bust your literal ass all the time. Trying new things is a must. Doing predetermined challenges can be very helpful. Varied challenges and goals are essential. Compound exercises are your best friend – building muscle is better than cardio. Find something you love to do! And always remember, what you eat will make you or break you faster than anything else.

You! Yes, you, what are your thoughts on the subject?
What are your best tips for physical activity? Your favorite exercises? What do you struggle with the most? Start a conversation! Leave a comment below!
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The nutrition guidelines I followed for major weight loss

by Danielle

Posted: March 7, 2017September 30, 2017

The first thing you must understand about leading a healthy life is also the first things you must understand about weight loss. What you ingest is absolutely the most important building block for your body, and the most efficient tool to help you reach your goals. Most people can’t out work their fork.

Of course there are folks out there with freakishly awesome metabolisms that can eat like hell every day and still win marathons, build awesome muscle, or otherwise maintain a competitive edge. Must be great. But I guarantee you those people would still benefit greatly from a healthier diet. This brings me to point number two. We need to change the way we perceive the word ‘diet’. When I say diet, I do not mean what most of you are thinking – this is not a temporary strict change, by diet I mean your daily eating habits; the ones that you perpetuate every day and carry forward through life.

Understanding and accepting that changing my ‘diet’ meant changing my lifestyle has been instrumental towards success on this path. It was the key that unlocked the door, and stepping through it has allowed me to depart from the person I no longer want to be. I believe that having this mindset is the only way to sustainably maintain (and continue to make) progress in health. Below, I’ll lay out and explain the nutritive guidelines I have set in place for myself that have allowed me to lose over 110 pounds, (UPDATE: Goal met, -122lbs) and describe how the have evolved along the way, and how you can use (and tweak) them to work for you.

First, we’ll talk about food, what you drink will come later. Most diet structures revolve around where you source your protein, fat, and carbs from, and the way you proportion these sources in relation to each other as well as how you dole out your general proportions. For all rights and purposes, vegetables like leafy greens and others with a low glycemic impact should be the basis on which all long-term diets are placed. Though they are generally going to be comprised mostly of carbs, they are usually very low in carbs, and I consider them in a category of their own. It is generally accepted that for weight loss, you want to order these as protein first, fat second, carbs last. If you’re a marathon runner, you would want to bring carbs higher up in ranking. If you’re climbing Mount Everest, you need much more fat than the average human. You must always be adjusting and tailoring what you eat, in amount and ratio, for what you are working towards.

Because my goal has been (and continues to be) fat loss, I place a very heavy emphasis on Protein as my main dietary component (again, after low glycemic vegetables), followed by a ‘moderate’ amount of healthy fats. I consume as few carbs as I can get away with in a healthy manner, remember I have an amount of stored carbs in the form of unnecessary body fat to use up. I make a point to choose only hard-working sources of carbohydrates, this is an important factor, and we will touch more on this later. This structure is proven, both by myself and many others. For a more comprehensive look into why this approach is so effective, I generally point people towards this easy to follow, evidence driven article.

Let’s get a little more in-depth.

PROTEIN

When people ask me what my favorite kind of food is, I almost always respond with, “Meat.” I love meat. It’s just the best. There are so many kinds, to be prepared in so many ways. It’s just great. I will never be a vegetarian, and will especially never be a vegan. I just love meat too much. It should be noted that I do not in any way approve of treating animals with anything but the utmost and absolute humanity and respect, I think more highly of all other animals than I do of humans. But I believe that we have evolved to utilize the resources on this earth, to include animals themselves. We are Omnivores. I respect your personal choices, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, more power to ya, just be sure you are feeding yourself well and meeting your bodies’ nutritional requirements! As for me, I run very well on animal protein. I try to vary my protein sources as widely and as often as possible. Yes I eat red meat. Yes I eat bacon (I’m eating bacon right now, yes really) I try to eat lean protein sources like chicken and fish more often than heavier meats, but it is often not the case.

Related: Tuna and Kidney Bean Salad

You have to have a wide range to keep yourself interested

Nothing is sustainable if you get sick to death of it. Great protein sources that you should prioritize over others are going to include Fish and seafood; Tuna, Salmon, Cod, Halibut, Shrimp, etc. Chicken and other fowl, don’t forget eggs! Then comes red meat, beef is obvious and prolific but there are also wild, clean sources like Elk, Deer, Moose, and let’s not forget the love of my life, Bison. You can eat pork! Though you should prioritize the aforementioned sources before you go for cured meats, you can still eat lunch meats and brats and sausages. Try to find sulfate/sulfite free versions. ALWAYS try to make the smarter choice, but variety is the spice of life, and I believe essential to staying on a good track. Sometimes it is just not possible to make that better choice, and that’s ok. Why am I not including other great protein sources here like greek yogurt, or quinoa, or legumes? Because when building a plate, I think of these things in different categories. More on that coming up.

FATS

By now, we have all heard of healthy fats vs unhealthy fats. Growing up, we were all told fat was the enemy. But in truth, the right fats, in the right amounts are incredibly beneficial. Fats are often going to be what you prepare your food with, so choose the right ones. Olive oil is a better choice than Crisco. Flax seed oil is a better choice than vegetable shortening. Real butter is a better choice than imitation butter or like substitutes! Avocado and walnut oils are popular now, and for good reason! Everything in appropriate moderation. You want to aim to eat far less saturated fats. In general, if it is hard at room temperature, it is probably high in saturated fat (looking at you coconut oil) Now, that is not to say that these things are inherently bad, but they aren’t going to be the ideal choice. Look for mono and polyunsaturated fats, and avoid hydrogenated, saturated and trans fats. Vary your sources! Different oils come with different flavors, choose what you think will most complement what you are cooking.

Greek yogurt, nuts (to include peanuts, even though they are a legume) and seeds are great sources of protein, yes, but I normally choose to classify them as a fat because they are primarily a fat (usually). EAT MORE NUTS! Almonds are a powerful snack! Mix it up with cashews, walnuts, pecans, winter squash seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, the occasional brazil nut. You say, what about non-fat greek yogurt? I don’t usually eat non-fat yogurt. It’s been processed out for no real good reason, real yogurt has fat. Deal with it. I choose to eat food in the most natural form I can find it, I believe in this approach and will continue to stick by it. Avocados are great too! Eat good fats guys, don’t ever cut fat out of your diet, your body needs it. Appropriate fats like the ones I’ve listed above can help to promote better cholesterol, improve brain function, improve the composition of your muscular and skeletal system, improve the health and function of your skin, and help you lose fat! Don’t forget to do your research, play around with what suits YOU and your goals best.

CARBS

Listen, I’m not here to demonize carbs. They are also necessary for proper function and performance, but again, for the goal of weight loss, must be cut and limited drastically. I try to completely avoid wheat products, white and brown rice, white potatoes (to my lament) and other fast carb sources with little to no other nutritional benefits. Why? I simply don’t need them, and they are counterproductive to my goals. Why would I choose to consume these things when I can get incredible nutrition from Lentils, beans, pulses, quinoa, sweet potatoes (which are DISTINCTLY not yams, by the way) wild rice, and other slow carb, high nutrient and fiber sources? Many people want to classify some of these foods as proteins, and many of them are great protein sources, but again I am looking at what they primarily are, carbs, and classifying them as such. Pro tip – sprouting these things leads to even better, more absorbable nutrition, and I’ll be writing an article about that at a later date.

Related: Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

But I do still eat fast carbs, mostly in the form of fresh fruit. Bananas, apples, berries, oh boy! I love fruit. Fruit, and in particular fresh fruit, are great sources of a variety of vitamins and minerals to help every bit of your body run well. Eat whole sources – fruit juice doesn’t really count as a good choice. Canned peaches are not the way.

Don’t forget, on a daily basis to adjust the ratio of protein to fat to carbs to meet your specific needs

Further considerations

Have we all heard of the 80/20 rule? It applies all over the place! Here it is to mean that 80 percent of the time you should be making the right nutritive decisions, and that it’s ok to kinda slack off 20 percent of the time, and still make progress. It is in your best interest and an overall good policy to try to always make good decision, 100 percent of the time, but to be realistic, this is not always possible. You can, however, find better alternatives for your “cheat” meals. For example, craving chocolate milk? Mix ditched cocoa, almond milk, and honey instead of traditional milk and syrup. Always be looking for improvements!

Check out this article I posted about Nutritive Kitchen Staples!

For that matter, ALWAYS take into consideration what you are drinking. If it’s a prepackaged beverage, it’s a good bet that there is a better alternative. First of all. Drink more water. Seriously. Drink. More. Water. Thirsty? You need water, nothing else. Stop drinking soda. You don’t need it. I don’t care if you’re an Olympic athlete in the middle of your most intensive training, you don’t need it. You need caffeine? Drink coffee or tea (sans all that ridiculous added sugar and cream). Stop. Drinking. Soda. That shit is so bad for you. That includes energy drinks. Stop it. Most of us don’t need sports drinks either. Water is the answer. Water is your savior. Once more for those in the back, DRINK MORE WATER! Am I saying never ever drink these things? No. Remember that 80/20 rule. I drink wine guys, you can still imbibe, just make sure you’re factoring it all in.

Let me sum up what I try to always avoid.

Wheat products – yes even whole wheat. Most grains in fact. Soda (gross, I cannot stand how sweet soda is) Regular processed sugar. Yoooooooo, honey is the way to go! Chips, sadly. Anything that is clearly super over processed and unrecognizable as being real food. Do I always succeed at keeping these things out of my mouth? No absolutely not. Chips, and really all potato products are just too sinfully delicious. Except for soda, I am known to sometimes eat these things that I know I shouldn’t. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up on the occasion. It will happen. Just don’t let it be a habit!

Should you count calories?

Yes and no. You should absolutely familiarize yourself with the calorie count and basic composition of the foods you eat. It is good to be mindful and aware of what your input is so that you know what your output needs to be. But DO NOT OBSESS over it. You will drive yourself crazy. It isn’t a sustainable practice to fixate on the calorie count of every last thing you put into your body for the rest of your life. Do your research so that you can piece together solid, reliable estimates when you want to look back and figure out how much you’ve consumed for the day, and don’t stress over it after that.

Takeaway

This is the approach I have successfully taken to drastically improve my health. It is constantly evolving with new information, and changing needs. I will probably always maintain a diet with the same basic hierarchy of Vegetables, Protein, Fats, Carbs, it fits my lifestyle and the lifestyle I intend to have. This allows me to eat an ample, satisfying amount, while still making consistent progress towards my goals. I believe that most people can benefit from this model, but that everybody has a different set of needs, and as such should make sure to do their research and consult proper authorities when making a lifestyle change.

What has worked for you?

Let me know in the comments, start a conversation!

Don’t forget to check out these articles that go further into detail about how I turned my life around!

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How I’ve lost over 110 pounds

by Danielle

Posted: February 20, 2017September 30, 2017

Weight loss is a prolific topic in today’s society, and for good reason. According to the CDC in a 2016 article, 36.5% (more than 1/3!) of adults in the United States are obese – meaning they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) score of 30 or above. That doesn’t include statistics on those who are overweight or nearing the classification of obesity. Let me tell you how I have lost over 40% of my body weight the old-fashioned way; through trial and error, success, failure, education, and dogged determination – and how I plan to go about continuing down the road (or maybe up the hill…) to a continuously healthier way of life

This is young me! I was almost always barefoot, resistant to wear clothes of any kind, and was overall just a real shithead. I was active, biking with my dad, rollerblading with my sister, comparing cartwheels with my friends, or running around in the swamp behind our neighborhood. But I grew up during a time of terrible misinformation and half-truths when it came to what was “healthy”. Eating a bowl full of sugary, over processed, fast, empty carb cereal isn’t a healthy way to start your day, America. Sorry. But that is what we were told, and that is what we believed.

Our family moved away from my childhood home and my activity level dropped significantly. My weight problem made itself known in this time period, from age seven on I went steadily from overweight, to obese, to morbidly obese. In the eighth grade I weighed in at 220 lbs. I maintained that general weight range for six years, through my first year of college, never leaving the 210-225 mark.

A slew of factors finally changed that, but not for the better. In my second year of college, I stagnated mentally, I was in a relationship that wasn’t beneficial by any means. I was eating ramen, pop tarts, ice-cream, fries and other poor choices with great frequency. In the final semester my activity level dropped to almost nothing. I wore only yoga pants, and didn’t really notice that I was gaining weight at an incredible rate. One day I spotted new stretch marks. Then more. I ignored them.

I went home for a visit and needed to wear jeans. Knowing that I had put on some weight, I decided that I’d just wear an extra baggy pair I had reserved for barn work and painting. And I couldn’t pull them past mid-thigh. I didn’t understand. I was devastated. I went out and had myself weighed, and was absolutely flabbergasted to read the number 272 on the scale. I was so incredibly disappointed with myself, and crushed by thought of all the weight I knew I had to lose.

So I made the decision, in June of 2013. I would not drop back down to my ‘original’ weight of 220; I would go further than that. I wanted to be fit, I wanted to be capable. I wanted to lose 122 lbs. of fat and hit 150 (update: Achievement Unlocked!), and I wanted to do it in no more than a year. That was a lofty goal. I quickly came to realize that it would not happen that fast. I set about doing research. The internet is an amazing place full of great information if you have the time and wits about you to sift through all the false information.

I set my game plan. High protein. Mid fat. Low carb. Exercise. I immediately began to feel better. I was strict about cutting out unnecessary fast carbs like wheat products. By March of 2014,I had lost 50 pounds,and set off to finish my degree with an INCREDIBLE internship in Moab, UT. I was very active there, and my more or less paleo type diet was well supported by my employers, and their community. I was able to lose another 20 pounds by the time I came home that June for a total of 70 pounds the first year. I was so jazzed to be 200 lbs , a number I had never seen before seen in my memory.

When I came home I was lenient at first, indulging here and there. I never gained any weight, but I never lost any in that time period either. I took my first paid job, in a retail setting, to begin paying off my student loans, and though I was strict with my diet again my activity level decreased. The Holidays were encroaching, and I began to slip, eating every tasty new product for sample in the break room. Between October 2015 and 2016, I gained thirty pounds back. I recognized that I felt stuck and needed a change. At that time, I left my job for a different one, just a change of scenery really. I began working in a jewelry store, and though it wasn’t really a good fit (awful, awful, just really truly awful) I stopped the upward gaining trend and was eating well again.

In March of 2016 I made my escape and made a point to take a physically active job in the garden center of a big box retailer and finally had put myself back on the right track. Taking a physically active (and outdoor!!!) position was one of the single greatest things I’ve done. I love working outside, first of all, and I love manual labor. I began working out outside of work, and continued to improve and adjust my daily diet to support my progress. Since then I have lost over 70 pounds again, and as of the time of this writing weigh in at 159 lbs. I have achieved this by eating a nutrient dense, whole and natural foods focused diet. I make a point to avoid inefficient choices like traditional breads, when I can choose a superior carb source (like sweet potatoes!) I make sure to lead an active lifestyle, and importantly, choose to exercise in nature as often as possible.

My current goal is still to reach 150. (UPDATE: Goal Achieved!) Am I done then? Oh hellllll no. To make it very clear, major weight loss is not a single event. It is only possible with an entire change of life style that must be carried forward and fine-tuned over the course of a lifetime. That being said, I do not feel like I have changed who I am so much as I have fought to become who I have always been. I feel that I will always be fighting to become more and more like me – life is about constant growth and progress, and we as people are constantly evolving with our choices and experiences.

It is sincerely my belief that reaching 150 lbs will not be my final goal. I see this as my preliminary goal. I have to get there in order to asses a new goal. Maybe I’ll decide to gain muscle weight from there. Maybe I’ll decide I want to continue to reduce my body fat percentage and drop overall weight again. We shall see! Please, join me in this journey. I’ll be here to provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to live a healthy, inspired, natural life. I’m here to inspire you and help you reach your goals, big or small.

Read more about what I did, and continue to do, to lose so much weight and live a healthy, happy life!

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Prelude to FLORA and FAUNA

by Danielle

Posted: February 18, 2017September 30, 2017

Flora and Fauna

This category will include just what you think it will – content all about this world’s flora and fauna. Let me specify a bit!

We all love animals….well, at least most of us do. Domestic animals are often the best part of your day, improving our quality of life simply by existing with us. Did you know that petting your dog can lower your heart rate, or that the frequency at which a cat purrs (normally 20-50 hz) is known to help heal bone and even tissue injuries? Who doesn’t take inspiration from various wild animals? The fauna of the world are amazing, and I believe an integral part of health, especially mental.

I’ve recently become enthralled with the magic that is plant life. Learning about the different roles both wild and cultivated plants play is fascinating! Did you know that pine needles can be steeped like tea for a major vitamin C boost? Or that the leaves from Yarrow flower can be used as a styptic dressing to stop bleeding? Plants are amazing, in beauty and utility. Tending, caring for and raising them can be very soothing and clarifying. How beneficial for us, to be able to grow something beautiful that can also be used in practical applications.

Under this topic, I’ve merged the subjects because they go together so well. You’ll find a lot of useful, fun information here. I’ll be writing about flora and fauna, both wild and domestic. You’ll learn more about your animals with a heavy focus on your; dogs, cats, horses, and yes, even domestic stock like goats, sheep, chickens, etc. Let’s not forget spotlights on amazing, tenacious wildlife and the inspiration we can derive from their history, lives and habits.

I’ll write about a large spectrum of extraordinary plant life, their roles played in the wild and how you can cultivate and use them to your benefit. I’ll provide you with DIY projects and product reviews to promote the health of your loved four-leggeds, and skill development to encourage positive relationship development between you and the natural world. We will keep up to date on industry news and innovations, including resources for conservation efforts aiming to preserve and protect precious wildlife, and their delicate ecosystems.

Let’s learn together!

With such a broad and fascinating subject base, I’m sure there are plenty of you that have something to say. Communicate with me and others here about your knowledge and experiences, and always feel free to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to open a dialogue, I’ll make my best efforts to reply

In the spirit of transparency, I hope to write many product reviews, both compensated and without compensation. I will only ever promote products I truly believe in, use, and think will make a positive impact in your life – should you choose to give them a try. Any time I publish a post that I have been compensated in any way for, I will be sure to inform you in the introduction of said post, including my disclaimer (which you can find here) All opinions will be my own, nothing scripted, ever – that is my word.

Disclaimer time; I am not a nutritionist, doctor, or medical professional, any advice taken will be done so of your own accord at your own risk

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What Is Catnip?

Why do Cats Love Catnip?

What Can Catnip do for Me?

What Can Catnip do for My Garden?

How Do I Grow Catnip?

Foraging for Catnip

Drying, Storage, and Use

Do you have any experience with catnip?

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Original Post

How it all began

A Life Well Lived

The Little Things Hit the Hardest

What I Won’t Let Loss Do

Honor Life, and Adopt

Do your part; adopt, spay, and neuter.

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Cooked Quinoa

Cooked Ground Meat

Mediterranean Balsamic Marinated Tomatoes

Mushrooms

Pine Nuts

You’re done cooking!

Lemon juice

Cheese

Basil

What are your thoughts?

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Elaboration

Stat Comparison

What I would have done differently

Current Struggles

Future struggles

New goals

Notable Benefits

If you need anyone to tell you that you can do this, that you have all of the power in the world to change your life, that you can make yourself happy and proud, let it be me.

Life is an uphill battle. Make no mistake; I will always be fighting it. But I want to hear about your goals, and your accomplishments. Comment below what you’ve done to change and build your identity into what it is today, and where you are taking yourself in the future!

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What are the Facts?

What are they good for?

Foraging Fun

Pine ‘Nuts’

Pollen

Needles

Danger!

YEW

Norfolk Island Pine, or Australian Pine.

Ponderosa Pine.

Making Pine Needle Tea

To Make Pine Needle Tea

Do you love Conifers?

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History of The Incline

Trail Overview

Preparation

The Stairway to Heaven

Halfway There

The Two Thirds Marker

The False Summit

The True Summit

Barr Trail

Learning From Experience

Looking Back

Have you done the incline?

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What is the Manitou Incline?

Overview of workout

The Workout

Stretch sequence

Calf Lifts

Leg Lifts

Step Ups

Plank

Squats