A Hike to the Summit of Mount Timpanogos

The view from the top

My friend, Amanda, and I hiked to the summit of Mount Timpanogos yesterday. We planned on it taking 8 hours or so but ended up finishing in 5 hours and 55 minutes! It was tough and my legs are feeling it today, but it was worth it. The view is gorgeous and the accomplishment pretty fantastic.



The summit of Mount Timpanogos is 11,749 feet, second highest in the Wasatch Mountains. The hike is 7.5 miles one way with an elevation gain of 4580 feet. We saw plenty of mountain goats. In fact we had to scare them off the trail so we could get by them. We passed within 5 feet of a mountain goat that sat there and stared us down. I also spotted a small brown animal with a tail that looked suspiciously like a mountain lion. Since they hunt mountain goat, I'm not too far off in thinking that's what I saw. Gotta keep things interesting, you know!

Mountain Goats

Amanda and the goat ahead on the trail

Funny story about this "toilet" if you can call it that. This is about 3/4 of the way up the summit right on the mountain side pretty much in plain view. Sure it's off the main trail a bit, but really not any better than using a tree. At least the walls were somewhat in place. Needless to say, I didn't need to go that bad!

If you have to be sitting still...

...then you might as well be reading Breaking Dawn. I love the Twilight Series and this book was my favorite of the four. I love to read almost as much as I love to exercise and this story did not disappoint. I can't wait for the Twilight movie to come out in December. And I definitely can't wait until Stephenie Meyer writes another story.

Save Money, Burn Calories

There are daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly chores that you can choose to do yourself or pay someone else to do it for you. If you do them yourself you'll not only save money but you'll work off those unwanted pounds that like to hang around. All calorie counts are for a 135 pound woman. Prices are just an estimate. Here is the low down:

Washing the Car yourself vs. Driving it through the Local Car Wash

Calories burned per hour: 184
Money saved: $7

Average yearly stats: 9568 calories burned; $364 saved if done weekly

Cleaning your own House yourself vs. Hiring a Cleaning Service

Calories burned per hour: 153-214
Money saved: $70-160

Average yearly stats: 9542 calories burned; $5,980 saved if done weekly

Mowing the Lawn yourself vs. Hiring a Neighborhood Kid

Calories burned per hour: 338
Money saved: $20

Average yearly stats: 17,576 calories burned; $1,040 saved if done weekly

Painting Interior Walls yourself vs. Hiring a Professional Painter

Calories burned per hour: 276
Money saved: $1500-$3000 for a typical 3 bedroom home

Average yearly stats: 1800 calories burned; $1500-$3000 saved

Massaging your Partners Back vs. Sending him to a Massage Therapist

Calories burned per hour: 245
Money saved: $60+

Average yearly stats for one massage monthly: 2940 calories burned; $720+ saved

Shopping at a Store vs. Ordering Online

Calories burned per hour: 141
Money saved on shipping: depends, but typically $5-$15 per item

Average yearly stats if done monthly: 1692 calories burned; $60-$180 per item


Remember that 3500 calories equals one pound. So if you were to do all these things every month verses the more expensive and lazy alternative you'd lose 12 pounds in theory and save $9,664-$11,284 a year!

Take that.

You Tube video that must be watched!

Thanks to my Hungry Girl Newsletter, I watched this short 3 minute video that has changed the way I think about portion sizes. Please watch it HERE and it may help you in your weight loss efforts!

Jillian's 30-Day Shred Workout DVD

Soon I will be trying out this new workout DVD with my sister-in-law Kara. I will keep you posted on how good of a workout it is and if I really can get "shredded" in 30 days. This will be fun! I like doing workout DVDs because I can really look like a fool in the comfort of my own home, I can workout even if it is 95 degrees outside, and I can get a good variety of exercises with minimal equipment.

Muscle on girls is a good thing!

I tried to convince a 10 year old girl in one of my gymnastics classes that muscles on girls is okay. She thought it was "weird" when you could see muscles on girls. They were climbing the rock wall and getting tired so I told them they were getting strong and building muscles. To which they complained that they didn't want to be buff "like boys". WHAT?!?! I am seriously offended. Who is teaching these girls that only boys can be buff? What the hell? Please, please, please if you know a girl between the age of 1 and 18 teach them that it is SO much better to be strong than weak. That muscles are hot and waif-like skinny is not. And that it is so okay to be a girl and be able to climb a rock wall or two (and do a couple push ups, and bench press, and carry a heavy box, and attempt pull ups....etc.)

UUHGG!

Intense Cardio Interval Workout

5 min. Warm Up at 4.0 mph on treadmill

10 min. Run at 6.0 mph (or faster)

5 min. Jump Rope

10 min. Elliptical Trainer

10 min. Run at 6.0 mph (or faster)

5 min. Jump Rope

10 min. Incline walk at 4.0 mph on 10% incline

5 min. Cool Down at 4.0 mph

This is a fantastic workout that takes 60 minutes but seems like 20. Do this when it is either too hot, too cold, or too dark outside. Expect to breath hard (gasp for air is a better term) and feel great afterward.