Have a Great Day!

Whenever I go to yoga class my yoga instructor begins by asking us to recognize our intention for the class. When the class concludes, she asks us to thank our bodies and set our intention for the rest of the day. It is amazing what this does for my class and my day. The intention I usually set has a great deal to do with peace, confidence, and pushing myself past what boundaries I believe exist.

This simple set of intention pushes me past thinking of my to-do list and all the people I must contact or e-mails that must be read and makes me see the greater picture of my day. How I effect others and how I let my situation effect me. What a difference stepping back and looking at the difference I can make for my own day and for others' can make! It is a wonder that I set goals, make to-do, grocery, and call lists but do not wake up and set my intention for the day or the week.

My intention for this day and this week is to be at peace with myself, bring peace to others, and have a productive day and week. I hope to push the boundaries of what I think I can do and expand my "comfort zone" to that unknown. To be kind and patient with others (and myself), and to live with courage and conviction.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday :*

Conversation: Do you set an intention for your day?

The Appalachian Trail

Well, today is the day that all my wisdom teeth get removed from my head. So far, my plan is to recuperate with lots of movie watching and Nutella and banana smoothie drinking. My movie of choice is my current go-to feel-good, Austenland. Although, I am not completely against the idea of marathoning a new show on Netflix- any ideas of a good one?

Enough about oral surgery, let's talk the Appalachian Trail, shall we?

Hiking on the Appalachian Trail was one of my big life goals and my big summer goal was being able to go camping. Both were accomplished in two days and it was incredible. First off, if you are thinking of doing this, I would highly recommend not listening to people when they say how hard it is; of course it is difficult, you are climbing a mountain. But, it is totally worth it.

We ended up camping at an incredible camp site in the Smokey Mountain National Park called Cosby Campground. It was beautiful and secluded and has some of the biggest camp sites in the Smokey Mountains (so I have heard). There are also like a billion trails going off the campsite and each is worth a trek down.

For our big hike day we chose Low Gap Trail. It was the one that got us to the Appalachian Trail the fastest (about 3-miles) and I had read reviews saying it was nice. Turns out, the reviews were completely correct! After hiking less that a half mile we reached the most beautiful waterfall I could ever imagine near a campground and got to cross it on a neat-o hiking bridge that made me feel like a real, legitimate hiker. Things that did not make me feel like a legitimate hiker, however, were the dying phone, compass that was out of battery, and lack of knowledge about wildlife.

Turns out that bears are not the only dangerous thing in the Smokey's, they also have giant rattlesnakes. The hubs found one when he went to pick up his walking stick. It started rattling and we ran. Unfortunately, we ran before snapping a picture of it (mistake), so I have no proof to show you, but the part of it that we saw was about four-inches in diameter! Thankfully though, we met the snake on the way back down. I am not sure if we would have made the 12-mile round trip if that was the first (and only) bit of wildlife we saw.

The hike up to the Appalachian Trail was a massive climb that left my legs feeling like jello. Low Gap Trail was the steepest incline and most of the area of the Appalachian that we were on was flat. The views on the trail were incredible, but nothing was as awe inspiring as being at the top of Mount Cammerer. That view and the feeling of complete significance and insignificance all at once was worth any amount of soreness in the following days.

Mt. Cammerer has an elevation of about 5,000 feet and includes a lookout at the top! According to the handy little info board, the lookout was made in 1934 and all materials (boulders included) were brought by hand, horseback, or Jeep. This made me quite happy that the only thing I was carrying on our trek was a backpack with emergency supplies, sweaters, and water. No rocks.

After hanging out at the mountain top for a while, we packed our things and started the trek back home to the campsite. Funny, but I thought the going up bit would be the hardest. I was wrong. Going down is way more difficult and used muscles I am quite sure did not exist prior to that day. Everything was sore for a few days after the trip, but every muscle ache was completely worth.

The entire hike took about 7-hours with several sitting breaks mixed in. I had heard that the view can be a bit overcast and clouded in the morning so we opted to leave around 11:30 after having a nice breakfast and relaxing wake-up. This got us to the top around 3:30 and home around 6:30. Granted, our pace did quicken a bit after the whole rattlesnake incident.

I know this post is ridiculously long and kiddos to you if you have managed to read it all the way through. It was just such a fun trip that I needed to share it with you! The main take-a ways from it are:

1. Go climb that mountain... or any other goal you may have. You can do it!
2. If your goal is to climb a mountain or Hike part of the Appalachian Trail, Mt. Cammerer or Low Gap are some great options for getting there.
3. Bring a compass and charged phone. Also, refer to this list of things to bring.
4. Enjoy the journey. The hubs had to stop me a few times because I was so excited to get up the mountain that I was missing the beauty around me. This is so true of life as well. Sometimes, I just need to remember to enjoy life instead of continually striving for the next accomplishment.

Hiking the whole Appalachian Trail is about 2,200 miles, we trekked about 5 of them :) After only 5-miles on the Trail I totally have the hiking bug! My aunt has had a fantastic idea of taking a weekend every year and hiking part of the trail with a group of people. We would all come together and have a goal of, one day, hiking the entire thing, one year at a time. If we were able to hike 80-miles a year, it would only take us 28-years! Sure, everyone may not be able to finish, but I seriously cannot think of a cooler goal to start at this point in my life. Who's in?

5 Must Haves for Camping

We recently went on a massive camping trip that included hiking on the Appalachian Trail and climbing a mountain. This was the first camping trip I have been on since I was 6-years old and it has left me with plenty of tips and must-haves to share with you. Since it was the hubs and my first time camping in quite a while, we brought plenty of goods- some of it we used and swear by and some of it will not be packed in our camping bag again. These 5 must haves for camping are all the little things I would not venture on any camping trip without.

1. An Infinity Scarf

You may laugh at this and think I am such a city girl gone glamping, but it is for waaayyy more than looks. My infinity scarf was the most used and most appreciated thing I brought... Well, other than food and a tent. The scarf will keep your neck warm and ward off any unwanted bug bites on that super sensitive area. I also used mine as a eye mask to keep the early morning sun out, as extra umph to my camping pillow, a hood when things got wet, a napkin when hands got dirty, and a pot holder. Yes, the infinity scarf turned out to be the best portable oven mitten ever!

My best advice would be to bring an infinity scarf that is made out of a gauze-like material and one that you do not mind loosing to the elements.

2. Flip Flops

No, you will not be wearing these whilst hiking, but yes, you will be wearing them almost everywhere else. Sure, hiking boots or sneakers are great when you are roughing the elements, but no one wants to worry about untying and retying them every time you go into or come out of the tent. And don't even think about wearing those muddy sneakers inside your camping abode. Instead, pack a pair of sandals that you can wear around the campsite and easily put on or kick off.

3. Cotton Balls

We like to start a fire the simple way, some tinder and that scratchy spark-maker thing wisely called a "fire starter." Sometimes however, nature does not make things so easy or dry. Cotton balls make the easiest tinder and the best cheater method for starting your fire. Besides, most girls have them in their toiletries bag anyway :)

4. Baby Wipes

Most camp sites do not have showers or, they are the kind you would prefer not to use (another reason to bring flip flops). Sure, you could purchase and lug one of those portable showers everywhere with you, or, you could just purchase a pack of pretty scented baby wipes. No, it is not a five-star bath house, but it will do the trick after a long day of hiking. Baby wipes are my best secret to staying clean and smelling good the whole camping trip long!

If you are really wanting to glam it up, some dry shampoo, a good deodorant, and facial cleansing wipes are pretty great to have as well!

5. A Good Attitude

Bear Grylls says that one of the most important parts of being in nature is your attitude. Remember, you are in the elements and things might not always go according to plan. There will be bugs and some nights, there will be lots of rain and little food. My best advice would be to get over these trip snags as quickly as possible and remember why you are out there in the first place.

All of the things listed above along with a tent, good sleeping bag, food that does not need to be heated, water, snacks, and hair ties will make a camping trip easier, but nothing will make or break a trip like the attitude going in and coming out of it. Camping is super fun, just go with the flow, relax, stay positive, and you will be sure to love it!!

P.S. A handy tip would be to know the wildlife in the area... We knew of bears but had no idea there would be rattlesnakes- these are the little, vital things to know :)

Oh, and one more thing... I am so excited about tomorrow's post talking all about our trip on the Appalachian Trail. There will be lots of pictures too!!!

Weighing In

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Since we are all friends here, I decided to be pretty honest about something... Summers can be a bit fickle for me in the gaining weight department, especially since we are up in Michigan where sweatshirts and booties are my daily uniform. This year was no different and I found myself eating, eating, and eating some more. I am not one to eat on a schedule; at home I eat when I am hungry and don't when not. Up in Michigan things are a bit different since meals are scheduled and I do not always make my way down to them. For this reason I find myself eating 2-3 of each meal and not the most healthy of things either. There is also TONS of midnight snacking and eating right before going to bed. The worst. 

When we got home I put myself on a scale for the first time in two months and was SHOCKED. This body of mine had somehow found a way to pack on ten extra pounds in 2-months time. Yikes. Although I am super happy that two of those pounds are muscle from all my intense Michigan workouts, the other 8-lb's were a bit of a shock. I am a big supporter of weight being but a number and the way you feel being most important, but have personally been feeling a bit bigger and clothing that I usually love is not zipping up so well.

So many of us go through these weight yoyo's and it just made sense to share mine with you. Sometimes we see people we think are super fit and healthy or have it all together, but the fact is, all of us have issues. Right now, my issue is losing those extra pounds that seemed to glue themselves to me over the summer.

The hubs recommended that I try a low-carb lifestyle for a while since he knows my addiction to bread and the whole thing about it not being great for me (I could, and have, eaten an entire loaf of bread in one sitting- it is just so good!). It is actually going very well and he is being super good about not having breads or super carby snacks in the house. Things are much easier not to eat when they are not available :)

So far, I have lost two of those pounds and these are a few of the things that have helped me do it...

• A low-carb diet that has plenty of fruits, veggies, and lots of protein!
• Snacking. My stomach seems bottomless now and I feel like I could eat an entire buffet's worth of food in one sitting. Snacking keeps me satisfied better than big meals that turn my stomach into a black hole of calories.
• Hot Yoga. This is something my body has very obviously been missing. It raises my heart rate, burns fat, and keeps my mind at peace... Everything I love in a workout!
• Drinking coffee black. So long yummy creamers filled with carbs, you weren't that great anyway.
• No more splurge days. This has probably made the biggest difference. I use to have one splurge day a week but could never remember when the last one was or would go out with friends a day after the splurge and end up having way more splurging than healthy eating on a weekly basis. Now, I am eating healthier by just keeping a healthy diet in mind and avoiding not-so-great things. If I want something unhealthy, it is not held off for a week, but instead, eaten in small quantities.

What are some of your tips and tricks to staying healthy or loosing some extra weight? I would love to know any suggestions you have and may even create a post or two about all your fantastic ideas! Any of your favorite calorie burning workouts would also be super appreciated since trying new workouts are, pretty much, the best thing ever!

Happy Friday friends, I hope your weekend is simply wonderful! Be sure to check out my workout sum-up this Sunday as well :)