yosemite | snippetswithalex

I call this Fundamentals because what I’ve learned during my long 24 years of life thus far, is that fitness is not about all the gimmicks, quick-losing-but-not-healthy diets, or the soon-they’ll-say-it’s-bad-for-you fads, but it IS about changing up your lifestyle, attitude, and doing the little things to keep you movin’ and groovin‘!

You DON’T need all the fuss and buss of heavy machinery or contraption. My advice is to just go and get out there! God created this wonderful earth, let’s go and enjoy it!

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Here are my list of 5 small ways to be a little healthier:

1. Drink water. Period. (coffee is an exception 😉 )
2. Devote at least 20 minutes everyday devoted to movement at a speed that gets your heart racing.
3. Reach for the fruit.
4. Find an active activity that you like. (ex. hiking, rollerblading, sports, speed-walk-shopping….)
5. Lose the discouraging talk.

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In addition to those 5 ways, I’d like to introduce you to my friend Kenny — the super trainer. I first met him in Bible Study earlier this year and he has truly been such an inspiration — not only about fitness, but about faith as well. He is so energetic and encouraging that even though you’re sweating, groaning, hurting, and tired he will make you laugh and forget it all. Check out his YouTube Channel for encouraging words and that Kenny Smile.

So remember that Half-Dome trip I did this past summer? Well, little did you know, after a grueling 16-mile hike, my friend Kenny decided to make a work-out video on top of the mountain. Just proof that you can work out for 10 minutes, any time and anywhere. And yes, you may see a cameo of me. Just maybe.

Oh, and if you want to get tips on how to “Bring Sexy Back”….

Thanks for joining me during Fitness Week! 🙂

1. Fashion
2. Food
3. Fundamentals

P.S. I would love some feedback from you! Would you like to see more series or themed weeks on SWA?

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Have you ever said that you were something, such as a runner, artist, saxophone player, etc. when in actuality the most you’ve you get tired after 2 miles, the most you’ve drawn was a stick figure self portrait, or the most you’ve played was “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on the saxophone back in grade school? Yea, been there, done that. You’re more in love with the idea and are continuously striving to be that person, but when it comes down to it, you don’t have a lot of experience. But It’s ok! We all do that!

Yes, this is my relationship with camping and hiking. I actually hike a lot, but since I’ve moved back to the Bay Area, my hikes consist of the same trail because, like most human beings, I am a creature of habit so you can decide whether hiking the same trail over and over again justifies calling myself a hiker. And as for my camping experience, I would say it starts and stops at my 8th grade Outdoor Ed trip (which was actually intense — backpacking, rock climbing, the whole sha-bang). But I do love the outdoors and I would camp more if I had the opportunity to.

And this past weekend the opportunity came! I finally found a group of wonderful people to actually exercise my love of camping. We were able to snag enough permits for all of us to climb Half Dome!

Half Dome is about a 16 mile hike with a 4800 ft elevation. Yea, you read it. The hike was definitely intense and grueling, but oh so fun! My pictures definitely don’t do it justice since I didn’t want to lug around my nice camera, but hopefully these pics will inspire you to go on this adventure!

{at the very top!}

Half Dome Tips:
1. Hiking Boots – DON’T buy the cheap ones. You will be grateful for the extra grip. I was really happy with these.
2. Water / Hydration tablets – Average person needs 4 L of water during this hike. It’s helpful if you add to your water Hydration tablets (I used Nuun).
3. When climbing down the cables, go down backwards (like climbing down a ladder).
4. Bring good gloves.
5. Bring lots of snacks to munch and replenish your energy.
6. Train – Make sure you train on the stair master or go on other hikes. Strengthen your legs!
7. Backpack: Make sure your backpack has straps to support your shoulders and back to distribute the weight. I really liked the daypack that I bought from Mountain Hardwear.

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Initially this post was titled “Glamping without the Glam” and focusing more on what to wear while camping, but seeing that my photographer wasn’t with me and I didn’t want to be that weird new girl taking pictures of herself, I decided to veer away from the outfit posts. I hope you don’t mind.

And this is a real question…
How do single unmarried fashion bloggers get awesome pictures during vacation trips?

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