PROSPEROUS YEAR OF THE DRAGON, FRIENDS!
How's the start of 2012 treating you? I hope it's treating you splendidly.
As for me, 2012 and I started on the right foot but I know that we're still getting to know each other. However, I'm positive that we're going to be great friends very soon.
Before 2012 arrived, I have been hearing people talking about their new year's resolution and what they're planning to do to make it happen, moreso, stick with it until the year ends. Some would like to kick their cigarette habit, others their impulsive spending and some their excessive drinking. Whatever resolution you promised to work on this 2012, always keep in mind that it requires dedication and commitment so better be prepared to work hard on keeping it. But if you're going to ask me, doing something good for yourself doesn't need a brand new year to kick in. I'd say start when you want to start, regardless if it's in the middle or end of the year. What matters is the fact that you're going to begin and intend to finish the task. Agree?
Since we're on the subject of doing something good for oneself, I decided to continue making and keeping myself healthy for the rest of the year and for the years to come. I may have fallen through the cracks a couple of times but I have always managed to get back on my feet one day at a time. I've realized that health is indeed wealth. So what are the things I'm going to continue doing so far? Well for starters, not just eating breakfast but eating a healthy breakfast. Do you know that I rarely eat fruits? You read right. I'm not sure where my aversion of fruits began but it really takes a lot of effort on my part to make myself eat fruits. I made that known to my partner-in-crime but glad to know that it didn't stop him from slowly converting me to like fruits. So recently, I've been introduced to fresh fruit juices to jumpstart my mornings. My morning juice usually consists of carrots, celery, apple, pear, banana and yogurt. Sometimes, we put ripe avocado and cantaloupe. SImply put everything in the blender (don't forget to chop them first) and you'll have it in just a few minutes. Amazingly, it tastes fantastic! The moment you drink a tall glass of it, you instantly know that it's good for you. I may not have been converted to eating fruits but at least, I like drinking them every single morning.
Aside from the fresh juice, oatmeal is also a breakfast staple in the household. I like cooking them on the stove instead of putting it in the microwave. You just need milk and a little bit of sugar to go with it.
I guarantee you, once you make your breakfast healthy, your heart and body will thank you for it. There are still a lot of breakfast fares out there that are healthy but I always make sure that I start the day with my fresh juice.
Aside from making sure that I eat my breakfast, I also make it a point to move. By move, I mean stretch, walk, run, jump, hike, weight train. Basically do things that will keep my body active. Since we're in the subject of moving, 3 days before the end of 2011, my partner-in-crime and I went to Jones Creek Trail in Galena in Reno, Nevada for some hiking. We haven't tried the trail so we both knew that we were in on an adventure. As soon as we were parked, we started our hike.
The trail not only welcome hikers, people can also bring their bicycles and even horses to give the trail a try. At first, the trail was easy to trek since it seemed like we were just walking through the fields. Good thing we layered and had our jackets on because we felt sudden gusts of wind coming from the trees that lined both sides of the trail.
By the time we reached over half a mile, we noticed that the trail got a bit narrow and that more trees surrounded us. We also realized that we've started to go up the mountain as the trek was becoming more uphill.
After 10 minutes, we reached part of the creek that we had to cross by using the logs as the makeshift bridge. I can say that after this bridge, the real hike began. The farther we got, the steeper the trail went. The winds even sounded like cars on the freeway. We really gave our calves and thighs a challenging workout. And our hearts and lungs worked double time. But no one can deny the beautiful nature that embraced us.
After about 15 minutes of hiking, we arrived at another sign that says no bikes allowed from that point onwards. It's because the trail gets more steep and it will be very challenging for riders to handle it. True enough, it was definitely steep.
At this point, we can already see the mountain across us. After 20 minutes of continuous hiking, we decided to rest. Good thing, my ever-reliable boy scout brought water and even snacks to ensure that we'll have ample energy to keep us going. Since we began a bit late in the afternoon, we decided to head back because it will be dark soon. Going down was a breeze. We got down quickly, a little over 30 minutes. We figured, we were able to cover at least 2.5 miles. Not bad, not bad at all.
It was definitely a good hike and quite an awesome adventure. As we drove back home, it made me appreciate life more than ever. I was able to enjoy nature, I was able to feel my legs climbing those steep treks, I was able to breathe the fresh air and I was able to hear the howling winds. It is tremendously great to be alive!
So my friends, take care of yourselves so you can take care of your loved ones. Have a wonderful and healthy 2012!
By the way, it's also a Leap Year. Make it your "Year of No Fear".
