What is a Health Adventure?

Getting out in nature inspires us to be more active. A health adventure is when we plan a weekend or vacation around being more active out in nature even if it’s currently out of your comfort zone. A Health Adventure helps encourage and inspire us to create activities to be active and stay fit. We also plan daily fitness training in preparation of the big goal or vacation.  

This is one way I support my health and keep focused on fitness for weight management. Plus it feeds my soul and makes me feel happy and content.  The bonus is I always lose weight being outside in sunlight and nature.  Being outside in natural settings energizing me and my stress naturally reduces.  I am more active and I lose weight.  I took a pole recently and several other women  mentioned the same thing.  Nature can be one of your weight management goal plans.

Last year, February 29th, 2020, leap year, I participated in a half marathon at Zion National Park.  It was my first half marathon and I am not a jogger.  It was a big jump of faith that I could train for this.  But I love national parks and that is where I get a lot of energy to be strong and I wanted to be there. This Zion trip was a weekend half marathon. I may not have gone if it wasn’t for my sister, Jennifer. This goal was out of my comfort zone.  I went with the leap of faith.  

A friend from high school was also signed up which is what spurred me to do so as well.  After a bit of a panic, I excitedly booked a couple of reservations and planned to train a couple of months before.  At two months before, I picked up the new running shoes and started to train on Saturday mornings at the nature center.  I walked/jogged off and on for 3 to 4 hours.  I would have one bulletproof coffee beforehand.  I noticed I did better with liquid only.  I would add collagen for support on days I felt I needed it. I started taking amino acids close to the end of training to build muscle strength.  I took turmeric, brain octane pills and coffee berry extract strategically.  I always felt wonderful afterwards and rewarded myself with a 2nd cup of bulletproof coffee and a collagen bar.  I felt young and carefree.  I was 57 years old and starting a new exercise hobby.  

Meanwhile, I had to save money to buy the hotel room, get the car serviced & budget for the trip. That can feel overwhelming. it’s easier to do nothing or even cancel the event. I am so glad I didn’t!

My sister took two precious days off work to drive up with me. The drive up was 6hrs & we listened to “Everything is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo & an audible book on brain health. I have found my ideal driving companion!!!❤️ We were excited, felt free of burdens and everyday stress.  I didn’t realize it at the time but this was my sister, Jennifer, and mine first outing as adults by ourselves!  Where does time go and why do we wait to have precious moments Like these?💔😢 we were 54 and 57 years of age!I was so grateful for My sister’s company! This wasn’t just my health adventure.  This turned out to also be Jennifer’s health adventure.  

When we checked into the hotel my credit card didn’t work because they double charged the card. So Jennifer had to pay for it.  The morning of the half marathon Jennifer got me to the bus, she kept me calm, she parked the car at Zion, she met me at the end and filmed my finish!  What a blessing to have this support and to have these memories ❤️ I had felt so energized, strong and happy to be on the road to zion. (see my blog below on “the road to Zion” for my first Health Adventure.

https://loribalue.com/on-the-road-to-zion/

After the marathon it was time to explore the park.  Now,  it was time for Jennifer’s health adventure!  Me being Lori, I didn’t stop to consider whether or not Jennifer wanted to hike.  We were in Zion!  We were excited!  When I am outside I like to hike and explore. National Parks are where I go to feel strong, be in nature and soak up the energy from the rocks and to destress. I am enthusiastic and very active.  Here at Zion, Jennifer was feeling strong and was invigorated.  She was hiking & tired. But She felt good. We were stress free.  We were having an adventure together as sisters for the very first time in our adult lives! 

That night we had a magical stay at the Zion Lodge.  This is one of my favorite places to stay.  I had gotten a winter rate which made it affordable.  Sharing lodging with a travel partner makes it all more practical.  It is such a beautiful place and oh so quiet.  We ate at the lodge for dinner and enjoyed the grounds and our room.  It was relaxing.  We even saw deer outside our balcony.  It was exciting.  

The next morning after bulletproof coffee (Lori always shares her bulletproof coffee when traveling) we went for a walk to Emerald Pools across from the Zion Lodge.  This is one of the reasons to book a room at the lodge.  Location! And a parking pass to park at the lodge.

I don’t get to spend a lot of time with my sister as we live in different cities and both have jobs, kids and home to keep us busy.  Prior to my aunt passing, her care was a full-time job for my sister.  Jennifer is a cancer survivor and gained a lot of weight during this journey of survival.  She didn’t schedule a lot of exercise into her day.  When you are tired it seems more important to rest.  However, she was inspired that full day we had in Zion.  It was cold and invigorating.  It was March 1, 2020.  So we went on a walk to Emerald Pools.  She walked to the top pool and felt invigorated.  She did it!  She hiked and it was beautiful.  I had remembered how hard that hike was back in my 40s when my health was challenging. We also walked the river walk to the entrance of the Narrows.  It was an amazing day to be in nature and to enjoy beautiful Zion National Park.  I consider a good day spent outside all day as the best kind of day.  

Jennifer was changing; her thoughts were shifting.  She had watched my health journey over the years and was seeing me in a different light. She had watched me change over the years.  She was seeing that being healthy is part of a mind shift of possibilities.  Her sister had lost weight, was healthier now than when she was younger, and had participated and finished a half marathon.  Her sister went from fat to fit and looked younger now than before.  She wanted that for herself.  She now knew it was possible.  She was inspired and saw  that it WAS possible.  Nature and a weekend in Zion had become magical. It was life changing for two sisters who had never traveled out on a weekend before because life gets too busy.

On the way home, we listened to more audible books.  It was an awesome drive.  I love road trips.  I wish I could do more with my sister.  These were memories I will always cherish and looking back it was a special time and very timely.  Little did we know what was around the corner once we got home.  It was the last trip out for a while as Covid started soon after we got back.  How fortuitous this trip was for us.  How glad I am that I didn’t cancel something that was initially overwhelming and could have been easier to just not go.  But health adventures don’t happen if one doesn’t make a plan to get out to a national park, state park or nature preserve to hike and heal in the beauty of activity, fresh air, sunlight and nature.  There are microbes to breath in and essential oils in the air that we need to relax our stress and reset our nervous system.

Soon after Jennifer got home, she went to Whole Foods  and was determined to take that inspiring weekend and make some habit changes.   She bought a couple of cookbooks, brain octane and collagen.  She started a keto diet.  She called me up one day that week as having a scare with an electrolyte imbalance.  I reminded her to eat some potassium rich foods and she felt better.  But I worried and told her not to be me too fast!  We got a laugh out of that.  Jennifer lost weight.  Her most empowering experience showed her that she could take control of her body and life and make lasting changes.  Even If she fell off the new lifestyle plan she was on, her new habits were developing.   Her Zion Health Adventure had inspired her to make the changes she needed to make and now she wanted to do them.  Her journey of health had begun.  She recently mentioned she had lost 50lbs.  Now that’s a lasting health success!

What’s your plan for a Health Adventure?  

With my program, “Weight Loss Like a Lady Boss,” I use a 4-step plan to get you to success. With my program we use functional labs to find hidden healing opportunities.  I develop a personal program tailor-made specifically for you.  Health habits don’t happen in a day or all at once but over time.  This is a 4 month program with education and health coaching to get you to your health goal and to reduce your symptoms by finding what your body needs to heal.  This is designed to be easier and faster than if you did it on your own.  I am there with you every step of the way with bi-weekly coaching and email check-ins and for accountability.  Planning health adventures is also part of how I keep you motivated and inspired to get the results you want.  I did it over the last 25 years on my own but you don’t have to spend any more extra time than is needed to get results now!  I was inspired to create my health and I know you will as well.  Let’s get you started on your own Health Adventure!  Just respond to this email or hop on over to my website loribalue.com to schedule your discovery call today to see if this program is for you.  

Lori Balue, A-CFHC, FDN-P