Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Nearing the end of the Health Challenge!

So, the HD Health Challenge is almost over! I have a bunch of pictures to upload from my last backpacking trip in Yosemite and from our dayhike of Mt. Whitney. This has been the best summer of my life. Not only was this my first summer being married to my best friend but I did more fun stuff this summer than in the past ten years combined. Hiking and backpacking and camping and bicycle riding and tubing down the Kern River and swinging into the river from rope swings and trying new sushi places with my wife. The list goes on and on!

As far as the Health Challenge goes, I used it as a motivator to get off my rear and do things. I knew I wanted to go hiking but when I learned about the HDHC it really got the gears in my head moving. I made plans to go on trips and I stuck to them and I feel like I accomplished a lot. I took good friends and family on almost every trip and the time I got to spend with them doing things other than sitting on a couch was awesome. I've lost about 5 pounds, I'm riding my bicycle to school and work every day (five miles and seven miles, one way, respectively) and my wife and I have cut WAY down on the junk food and the alcohol. I even LIKE drinking V8's every day now! The plan now is simply to make sure that the positive changes I've made in my life don't get left behind after the Challenge is over and to contiually strive to better myself, physically and mentally.

I've got to go clock in now. Distance Learning is on the schedule today so that should be fun. Or not. I don't know. This is my first time. Photos from our trips should be up tonight if I can keep my eyes open after I get my homework done tonight!