Hiking Does a Body (and a soul) Good
On top of my kettlebell workouts we also hiked a lot. I averaged 15,000 steps a day. It felt amazing. The more I walk the more I am CONVINCED it is actually exercise. I never thought I would say that but my body has never felt better. Truly. Combine walking with a quality kettlebell program and you have a killer combination of strength and cardiovascular with practically 0 stress/impact on your joints.
One of my favorite hikes was up a river filled with boulders. We went there twice. Once with the kiddos and once alone.
I don’t normally hike in a bikini. That would be weird (for me) but since we were in a mountain stream and no one was around I felt comfortable.
For some reason this picture cracks me up with the flower in the foreground.
Brent loves to get in mountain streams. He calls it “refreshing”. I call it CRAZY.
But after some coaxing….
….he convinced me that I should get in.
I don’t think cold was the right word. How about PAINFUL. I will admit after I got out I did feel refreshed. Maybe hydrotherapy will grow on me.
Can’t go under it. Can’t go around it. Gotta go across it. This tree was enormous. Bigger than it looks in the picture.
Nowadays this is about as thrill seeker as I get. Hope I don’t fall off. That would be bad.
Whew we made it.
Not only did I get some quality time with Brent. Thing 2 and I got some cuddle time. He likes to call me “Cuddle Butt”. I love it.
When Weewa, aka my mom, is around I don’t get much cuddles from Thing 1.
Brent works from home so one day hiked up to the top of a hill to set up “an office”.
That about sums up our trip unless you want to see the pictures of Snow White Gone Bad.
Don’t worry I put him right back and it’s a myth that mother ducks abandone their ducklings after being touched by a human. You should have seen Mama Duck. I’m just lucky I kept my fingers.
Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn
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Such amazing views!!!!! Since being preggers, I’ve fallen in love with walking and like you said it is so much easier on the ol joints.
I remember those preggers days. I wish I would have walked more back them.
Beautiful photos! Hiking is my favorite workout!!! And yes, there was a time when I thought it wasn’t a “real workout”….
I think it may be my fav too!!
Great Visual Blog Post !
My wife and I recently discovered a small trail near by and we are in the “burbs”…. it was a path/bik/walk and it lead to wooded trail thru a mini forest. I’ve been back twice with my 6 yr old son and he thinks its the coolest of course. We brought the Jungle Gym – Straps & tried out some push/pull body weight exercises before bike riding on.
….and on the nature note I’ve been enjoying my trips north to a family place that is hours into the bush… I love the city… but trees, rocks, water and watching the kids take it all in is a “grounding” experience.
What a cook thing to do with your son!
beautiful pictures! I wish we had nice places to go hiking.
Thanks! I’ve never spent much time in Oklahoma. I would love to visit someday though.
Hiking is a killer workout!! Especially when you are climbing up and over gigantic trees that look just as huge as you say they are!
Those are great photos that make me really want to go camping and hiking.
It’s fun pretending to be Tarzan and Jane!
What a fabo trip. I really had to look hard to make sure that the photo of your mom wasn’t you (I need glasses perhaps??). Love the bikini. Love the “office”. You guys really know how to live!
My mom and I look VERY MUCH alike.
PS Forgot to mention. I hike all the time and love it. I usually don’t consider it a ‘workout’ BUT once I brought along my 15 pound kettle bell in a back back and every 20 minutes or so I banged out 50 or so swings. It pushed a ‘good’ workout over the edge to a ‘stellar’ workout! But a hike of any kind is definitely good for you in every.single.way.
Oh yeah, I really want to do the kettlebell hike too! I never think to bring them when I hike though.
Ahhh, I miss hiking in the mountains!! I got to do some when I was in the Canadian Rockies last month, but now I’m living in a place that’s flatflatflat. You’re right though, walking up an incline is a killer cardio workout. Nothing like hiking to let you know just how in shape you really are 😉
I love swimming in mountain streams and waterfalls too. Cold, but the water is so clean and refreshing!!
I would LOVE to visit the Canadian Rockies someday!
“I’ve had the time of my life” is all I could think of when looking at the fallen tree pics.
Hilarious and you know what? I kept thinking the exact same thing!!! Brent would have never gone for dancing on a log. Besides I would have fallen off and broke my neck.
this trip sounds amazing in so many ways!
have I said this before? Hiking is hands-down my favorite activity. Esp. in such a beautiful setting!! I love your trip and all the photos. The baby duck one is cracking me up!
I’m so happy that the baby duck cracked you up b/c it was cracking me up too!!! Someday when we are visiting my brother in law in MN maybe our families can go on a hike together!
Way to WERK that bikini, girl! Cuddle Butt? So cute!!
I know I LOVE when he calls me Cuddle Butt.
Hi Jenn–just checking in. I ate your brussel sprouts recipe tonight and thought about you! I love that stuff.
That place you hiked looks amazing. Very similar to an area that I stopped at in Oregon. And I like walking too, and if I’m paying attention and pushing myself, it is definitely a workout.
I’ve never been to Oregon. I would LOVE to go there!!! I have hear it is beautiful!
Ahhhh my guy and I are going hiking this weekend and this just caused my excitement to go through the roof!
hopefully our trip is as successful as yours! 😀
Have a wonderful trip!