Well, HELLO there triceps! So good to know you again!

"Ayyyyyhhhhh!"

Mornings?  Lovely here in the Chihuahuan Desert.  The birds sing; soft breezes rustle the curtains.  But stand outside my window this morning, and you wonder, "what the heck is going ON in there?" 

Oh, that's just ME.  I'm working out.

"Grrrrrrmph."  (bicep curl)  "Pffffft."  (ab crunch)  "Ayyyhhhhhh!"   (tricep extension)
 
See, I'd let things slack.  While I'd added much more to my plate in the past couple of years--more adventure (cycling, trail running, mountain biking) and more responsibilities (new work duties and volunteer efforts)--I'd let something important slide.  For some reason, I stopped my regular workouts with weights.

I credit lifting with reshaping my body when I first got fit ten years ago, but more than that, it gave me power.  The weights made me step away from the weakling self-image I'd held since grade school sports jamborees, where it was a documented fact I never measured up.  No fancy equipment or gym was required for this change; I used hand weights to build muscle.  It wasn't long before I stood taller.  My running stride got stronger. My often-sore back stopped hurting.  I felt more confident all the way around.

I'm almost back to square one.  When I started ten years ago, I started light...just 2-and 3-lbs.  This time around, my starting point was 8-lbs.  Some of the old workout was a breeze right away, and I know I can easily double that weight in short order.  Some exercises  are hard, and I'm grunting my way through my workouts.

But, I'm having fun getting back into shape, grunts and groans notwithstanding.  I know the effort and the  soreness is getting me somewhere.  The burn I feel on those triceps are going to lead to toned, but more importantly, STRONGER arms.

Where I've hiked, but not yet been bouldering....Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site in Far West Texas, one of the best bouldering sites in the world.
This year, I'll get strong enough to go bouldering there!

See, I've got a goal beyond sleek triceps.  I've been in Far West Texas for seven years now, and it is about time I get my 54 year old body onto the rocks of Hueco Tanks and start bouldering.  Sure, I've been hiking there.  I've scrambled up rocks and explored pictographs on the overhangs and in the caves.  But now's the time to build upper body strength and try one of the best bouldering sites in the world.  Why wait?

So while all this exercise makes my tummy flatter and my behind a bit smaller, what really matters to me is the strength and the power.  I'm not very muscly even at my fittest.  Lifting, even lifting just hand weights ramps up the confidence level another notch.  I'll be facing a fear of heights (although you don't go THAT high in bouldering) and conquering some epic rock!

That gentle burn in the triceps?  That's the signal I'm looking for: validation that I'm working hard enough to get a little closer to my goal.  So while I freely admit I like to look good, what I can DO is much more important.  I'm going to get out and climb that rock!

Three Ways to Feel Like a Kid Again

Take a drink out of the hose.
Kneel down in the grass and slurp!

Take a bike ride after dinner.

Reward yourself, and acknowledge your motivation by putting a sticker
on the calendar when you get out and exercise!

An Alternative Salty/Crunchy Snack!

Sometimes nothing seems to hit the spot but a little bit of salty and a little bit of crunchy.  For those of us who are watching calories and fat intake, we want an alternative to reaching towards chips, right?

Enter a snack we first encountered at a legendary Italian restaurant and bar, Lucca Grill in Bloomington, Illinois years ago--a plate of simple olives and celery sticks.  We wish it was still part of their appetizer menu.  At 4-8 calories, each olive delivers a whollop of salt in a tiny package.  A couple of these may deliver 10-15% of the recommended amount of sodium you need each day, but that might be enough to satisfy a craving for salt.

Celery gives you the crunch, and at one calorie per "stick," according to Livestrong.com, you can eat a full cup of celery slices and take in only 17 calories.  Seventeen!

Lucca Grill, Bloomington, Illinois
(Lucca Grill photos by Brian Brakebill)

In contrast, tortilla chips deliver many more calories, and it is easier to eat QUITE a bit more than one standard "serving," right?  A serving of potato chips is 16 chips according to Livestrong.com  (when's the last time you ate just 16?!?) and delivers 157 calories.


So here's a tip: when you're eating out, read the entire menu before ordering.  You may be surprised by what you find...there may be some good options there for new dining or snacking alternatives!

Introducing Adrianna, a friend to new hikers!

Parks Ranger/Parks Interpreter, Adrianna Weickhardt, of Texas
Parks and Wildlife's Franklin Mountains State Park

Sometimes, when you try something new, it helps to have a guide or a coach or someone to encourage you to get the most out of an experience.  Our state and national parks have some great rangers and interpreters who can help you become a hiker, and one of the best is El Paso's Franklin Mountains State Park, Adrianna Weickhardt.  New to Texas, Adrianna joined the park staff in October, and she's been encouraging new hikers ever since.

This week, Adrianna begins a new series of women's beginner hikes!

Adrianna leads a group of hikers up the mountain!

We visited with her recently....here's the basic info!                           "Thursday (3/22) is the first ALL WOMEN'S HIKE that we've had at the park: This hike is for the females out there who are new to the recreational activity of hiking, would like guidance in getting started, and by having a group of other first time hikers the experience will be easy going and enjoyable - you'll have the support of other females, feel empowered as you start mastering your own skills in hiking, and learn about Chihuahuan desert flora and fauna along the way.For more information on the hikes, call headquarters at (915) 566-6441."

Adrianna, tell us more about the "women's hikes!" 

"This is going to be a great opportunity for females of all ages who may feel some apprehension or fear about starting this new activity.  They will learn all of the fundamentals of hiking, taking a slower pace, starting with beginner level trails, and have an experienced guide along for the entire hike to lead them, assist, and answer any questions.  The support that comes from having an all women’s hike is unmatched; you’ll be surrounded by fellow first time female hikers all trying something new, and the comfortable environment created from setting up a newbies hike like this can really allow each woman to take the experience at her own pace, enjoy the learning process, and ease her into the fantastic world of hiking!"

How did Adrianna learn to be an "outdoors person?" 

"Thanks to my family being health conscious and nature loving people, I was introduced to the outdoors from day one.  I can’t thank them enough for “raisin’ me right” in the sense that they instilled in me an appreciation for the outdoors, initially through horseback riding in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California.  But, I spent a majority of my life hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas, with lush rolling hills, flowing creeks and rivers, and a LOT of trees.  I’d have to say a comparison of the Franklin Mountains and the Ozark Mountains would be comparing apples to oranges.  I love them both, and each ecosystem has some incredible aspects to appreciate.  The Franklin Mountains have so many unique qualities beginning with the hidden wonders found in the caves and mines to the surprise of finding the springs that flow continuously in this Chihuahuan Desert mountain range.   There are incredible hiking and biking trails that unveil sprawling vistas (not to mention jaw dropping sunrise and sunset viewing), and there's such an easy access to opportunities to explore the geology and wildlife all within the city limits of El Paso.  Hiking and biking in the Franklin Mountains is nothing like doing the same in the Ozarks; in the desert you get views as far as the eye can see, literally you could watch your dog run away for 3 days out here."

Thanks, Adrianna, we look forward to hearing from you again soon about a joint project the Texas Mountain Trail is undertaking with GeoBetty.com, Franklin Mountains State Park, and Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Far West Texas!  We know the women in your all-women's beginner hikes will have a great experience!

I'm a Runner

One of our favorite parts of Runner's World magazine is their back page feature, "I'm a Runner."  Every month they feature a "celebrity" in a mini-interview about their own running practice.  Some of them will surprise you...

Al Roker
Julie Bowen

Drew Carey

Jon Cryer (says Matthew McConaughey "runs like a girl")

Bobby Flay

Sir James Dyson (inventor of the Dyson vacuum cleaner...who knew?)
Susan Orlean

There are LOTS of other stories of runners linked on these pages, and there are some neat videos at the links too!

Hiking 101--Where's the Trail?

If you're new to hiking, here's a tip.  To help folks stay on the trail, many are marked with piles of rocks, called cairns.  (See one in the center of the photo?  Click on the photo for a closer view!)  They are often placed at regular intervals on trails with stony areas or in places where the direction of the trail may not be obvious.

Isn't this a lovely view?  You can hike this trail yourself at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center, outside Fort Davis, Texas.  The Clayton's Overlook trail is just 1.5 miles and offers terrific views of the entire Davis Mountains range.

Never been a hiker, but you're eager to try?  Late this spring we're going to announce a fun hiking challenge for Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Franklin Mountains State Park...and we'll make it easy for new hikers to achieve their goals...even if it means hiking the tallest peak in Texas!  Our other partners will be our own Texas Mountain Trail and GeoBetty.com!

Our Favorite Post-Workout Recovery Snack

After we're done with a long run or workout, the snack we enjoy most is healthy and EASY and delicious.

Creamy, frothy and comforting, this snack is top of mind at the end of our workout.  We can't wait to get to the kitchen!

Three things you need:

1) A banana, fresh or frozen. A 7" banana has just 105 calories and is packed with nutrition, including lots of vitamin C and potassium.  Curious about it?  Click here to read "Why is Eating a Banana After Jogging Good" by LiveSTRONG.com

2)  1 cup of milk.  A cup of 1% milk offers 29% of the calcium and 10% of the vitamin A you need each day, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.  And just 102 calories in a cup!

3)  A blender.  Pop the first two in the blender, cover tightly and blend for about a minute on top speed.

Frozen bananas?  Sure, this is easy too.  Peel a banana, wrap in plastic wrap, then put in ziploc bag in your freezer.  Pop them out when you get back from your workout or your run, and they're ready to go.   Sometimes we add chunks of mango, or a few strawberries (both are great fresh or frozen), or even a canned apricot, too.  Rinse those apricots though..they're usually packed with sugary syrup which adds calories, but not that much taste in our opinion!

Calorie and nutritional information on bananas here.  And the same for milk, here.