Lessons from a Year on the Road
After driving 24,717 miles and visiting all but 9 of the contiguous states, we celebrated our one year roadiversary. On my travel blog I wrote about what it’s really like being a family on the road and living fulltime in a 300 square foot RV with three other people.
I thought here on Girl Heroes I’d share a little more about what I’ve learned this past year on the road how how that relates to my never ending (almost sane) quest for insane health.
Lessons from a Year on the Road
1. Eating healthy year round is easier in southern California than most other places. Most Californians take this for granted. Florida comes in at a close second.
2. Eating healthy is never impossible. Even gas stations have bananas or nuts.
3. Eating crap is sometimes worth it. Very worth it.
4. Most of the time eating crap isn’t worth it. I really need to remember that before buying a bag of Cracker Jacks.
5. Sugar really is a drug and I’m an addict. I will break this addiction in time.
6. Kettlebells rock. I already knew that but after a year of doing kettlebell workouts from California to Main and everywhere between I like kettlebells even more than before. Other than my body no other piece of equipment could have offered the same type of workout. Barbells are too big to travel, dumbbells work best when you have pairs of multiple weights, and there isn’t always a place to attach a suspension trainer.
7. Mobility work is key for wellness and injury prevention. Who cares how strong you are if you can’t move well or get hurt. My mobility work has been inconsistent and I feel it. Not in a good way.
8. Movement matters. All sorts of movement. If you like hiking, hike. If you like lifting, lift. If you like rolling down hills, roll! It all adds up!
9. Use it or lose it. I didn’t do pull ups for months and when I finally got a portable pull up bar I found I had lost them.
10. Cooking in an RV kitchen is a real challenge for impatient people especially impatient people with PMS. 😉
11. People of Walmart do exist. ↑
(I was one of them per your suggestion after I threw out my scale. 😉 BTW, I ended up buying a scale not long after this picture to prepare for my RCK recertification then I decided to put my RKC recertification on hold. I haven’t yet decided when or if I’m going to renew my RKC certification. Oh and I wear shoes in Walmart. Promise.)
12. Weight really is just a number. I’ve gain 10 pounds this past year and you know what I’m the happiest I have ever been!
13. I’m not really “passionate” about food or fitness. I’m passionate about people and life. I don’t live to workout. I workout to live. I want others to experience this same passion for life and fitness often opens that door. Fitness is a tool for an amazing life. It’s not life.
So there are my thoughts after a year on the road! If you want to know how I really feel about life on the road and what’s next for our family read this post!
Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn
Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!
Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!
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This is my (almost) sane quest for insane health. Let's 
Great post! I can’t believe it’s been a year already.
” I’m passionate about people and life. I don’t live to workout. I workout to live”
I know! Time flew!
Whooot! Am going to share this all over the place!
Oh wow thank you! I really appreciate the support.
LOVE LOVE LOVE admirethehelloutofyou LOVE.
“admirethehelloutofyou” – This makes me giggle. You would think differently if you saw me screaming at Brent on the side of the road! He he. 😉 But thank you and LIKEWISE. xo
Nice list of lessons learned.
I think I’ve thrown out 2 scales and have done the walk of shame into Wal Mart to purchase another. Enough with the “ah ha” moments, sometimes I just want to know how much I weigh.
Loved reading all of your lessons learned! Never thought about doing kettleball workouts in an RV. I’ll have to look into that now, since my husband and I are full-time RVers and I always have a tough time looking for some kind of good workout that I can keep up on in such a small space. And I completely agree with you that it is easier to eat healthy year-round in Southern California. That is where we started our travel adventures from and it is definitely more of a challenge in many other locations!! Thanks for sharing all of your words of wisdom!
Thanks for stopping by! Yes,kettlebell workouts are a great option for fulltime RVers. Oh southern CA not only are we missing the food but the warm weather right now!
Safe travels!