Variety is the Spice of Life

Hello everyone! Hope your summer is going great for you!  I am longing for the cool days of fall.  It has been a warm summer in the valley and it really makes you very lethargic.  Everyday day, every week, my healthier journey becomes easier to do.  In the past I would be very bored and would have given up by now.  It reminds me of a song that we sing in church.....I've been on this journey a long time, and I'm not tired yet!  I just keep plugging along and try my best everyday.  I love the below cartoon I came across.  It is so true!  I know that I am going to slip a time two, but I don't want to go back to where I began.  In years past I would totally give up.  I am NOT going to climb the same hill twice! No more!

When eating healthier I have learned that variety is key.  As the title says, Variety is the Spice of Life.  Some people can eat the same ole food everyday, but I am trying to introduce new foods so that I will not get bored and reach for unhealthy choices.  

This is a new snack or breakfast that I have tried.

Ezekiel Bread, Natural Peanut Butter, & Rasberry

It is actually very good and when having protein, it helps to stay satisfied longer.

I know this is crazy, but I am not a vegetable eater.  There is only certain ones that I will eat.  I don't really care for tomatoes, but I make myself eat them.  Cucumber is my new like.  Here I made a cucumber sandwich.  I am really trying to incorporate more veggies into my meals.  It has turkey, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.  It was pretty good snack. 

It really helps to have veggies cut up and ready to go.  Here are different colored peppers ready for my breakfast omelets.  Aren't they pretty?

This is just a few things that I have been eating lately! I will share some other things soon!

Hope everyone has a healthy and wonderful week!!

Busy Summer

Hello Everyone!!   I know it has been a long time! But my summer has been crazy busy and something just had to go.  I am afraid it was blogging. But not for good! Just until the beautiful, sunny days are not calling my name.

When the summer heat arrived in the valley, I was having a hard time finding motivation to exercise.  I even cut back on how many days I exercised.  As it is every year, I eventually start getting used to the heat, and will find motivation again to get moving.  

I promised myself this summer that I was going to do some things that would be a new challenge.  I went to our church teen camp as a counselor.  Every year they hike to the top of Donkey Rock.  I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I just had to try.  I was assuming that it was just going to be a trail or a road.  I was wrong!  Through the years they have forged a trail up the side of the mountain.  It was going to be a quite a challenge for me.

We started with 116 hikers.....

Our first challenge was crossing a creek over a log.  Easy peasy to what was to come!

Here the trail starts to climb.....

As you can see, it was single file, straight up.

After awhile,  we started hiking through bushes also.

Then came the rocks!!  Up and sometimes over  we went!

I was getting tired and pushing myself harder then I ever had.  Right before the final climb to the top, we came to some more rocks.  It was climb through.....or climb over.  Yeah right!! I could see myself getting stuck! But I trusted our guide and he assured me that I could make through.  I really need to save what energy had left for the final climb.  I made it through.....sideways at the end. Whew!!

Exhausted I reached the final climb! Thankfully one of the men in our church was waiting to help the ladies, and he helped propel me the the top. :o)

The view was worth the climb!  Absolutely beautiful!

Another thing to check off of my bucket list......I climbed Donkey Rock!  116 started to the top and 114 made it!

But what goes up.....must come down.  Going down was just as hard as going up.  I got most of my scrapes and bruises from going down.    Leaving the top you can see the rocks whe had to climb.

Down....Down....Down.....we go!  It took us one hour and 15 mins to get to the top and 45 mins to get down.

A challenge was met and I was very proud of myself.  No I am not ready for Half Dome at Yosemite, but I may hike Donkey Rock again.  Well see.....

I hope everyone is doing well with their healthy journey.  I hope to check in with you and see how you all are doing!

Have a wonderful weekend!!