Lower Body Woods Workout

February 19, 2014January 27, 2016 by Sarah | Leave a comment

Want more yoga and exercise? Become a woods warrior, try this lower body workout, then end the day with bedtime stretches that relieve lower back pain. Check out my 200hour yoga teacher training experience and read about the school I attended here.

Growing up, I’ve always been involved in some type of activity, whether it was playing tag with my neighbors, going backpacking with my father or running around on the soccer field. Because of this, my legs have always been the biggest part of my body and I admit, I used to feel a little insecure about it. Struggling to squeeze into skirts and skinny jeans that my friends easily slipped on with their cute little bird legs and knobby knees. Now that I’ve grown up a little bit and realized that Barbies and models are far from average, I love my muscular legs. Are they proportionate to the rest of my body? Sometimes no, but it’s cool, thunder thighs are where it’s at. They take me everywhere I need to go, even if it’s twenty miles from point A to B, I know they’ll carry me. Climbing up a volcano? Yep, they were there. Walking three miles home from class carrying a twenty-pound camera lens? No biggie. Taking dozens of photos while frozen in the same pose for an hour during this tutorial? No problem they say! They even requested a yoga class afterwards. They’re that good. So, after years of self-doubt and twirling in the mirror wishing they’d shrink up a bit, I decided it’s time to give my legs some love and some more exercise. Time to cherish those limbs and treat them right. This lower body workout is really basic, but can be easily modified if you’d like it to be a bit tougher. I designed it to be easily remembered and equipment free that way you can add it to the end of a hike or a walk. These moves target your thighs (especially the inner thighs), glutes, calves and even your abdominal muscles. Read through all the exercises so you’re familiar with proper form. You’ll find a concise workout routine at the bottom of the post.

A few quick tips:

Wear sneakers or supportive shoes
Stretch out for a couple minutes before you begin
Breathe consistently throughout each exercise
Engage your muscles, especially your abdominals
You are your own trainer. Do what feels best for you. Don’t push it unless that’s what your body wants.
If you’re not accustomed to strenuous exercise, consult your physician before you begin.

Basic High Lunge

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder length apart. Engage your abdominal muscles and step forward with your right foot until your knee is bent at a 90° angle. Your thigh should be parallel to the ground or as close as you can get to parallel. Your need should be directly over your ankle, never over your toe. Your left heel will naturally rise off the ground. There should be a slight bend in your left leg. Stand up, bringing your back foot to meet the lead foot and switch legs. Continue lunging forward for a total of 20 lunges.
Modification: Bring your hands in a prayer position and use your abdominal muscles to twist slowly to the left and then the right. This strengthens your core and improves balance.

Calf Raise Three Ways

Super simple, but don’t let that fool you, these work and you’ll feel the effects instantly. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder length apart. Rise up onto your toes and count one Mississippi, two Mississippi and lower down. Repeat twenty times and do a quick set of ten. Rise up, down, up, down as quickly as possible. Make sure your rising up on your toes as high as is comfortable. Now point your toes in towards each other and repeat, twenty slow, ten fast. Finally, point your toes away from each other and repeat again, twenty slow, ten fast. Your calves should be on fire at this point. No need to wear heels to have defined calves anymore.

Basic Chair Pose

If you’ve ever practiced yoga, you’ve probably done chair pose. Stand up straight with your feet hip’s distance apart and your arms raised over your head. Simply exhale and sit back as if you’re sitting down in an invisible chair. The goal is to have your thighs parallel to the floor. Your knees will protrude over your feet a little bit, but your weight should be in your heels. I lifted my toes in the photo above to demonstrate that, but you should keep your feet flat on the ground. Keep your chest and arms lifted, look up and keep breathing. Count to ten or twenty and stand up straight. I like to sprinkle in chair pose between all of the other exercises.
Modification: Instead of feet shoulder length apart stand with your feet together and challenge yourself to bring your thighs parallel to the floor all the while keeping your chest and arms lifted.

Lunge Rollover

This is very similar to a high lunge. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder length apart. I like to hold my hands at my heart’s center in a prayer position, but you can also hold them overhead or down by your sides. Engage your abdominal muscles and step forward with your right foot a little further than you would for a regular high lunge. At this point, your knee should be behind your ankle. You are balanced on the ball of your back foot. Roll forward onto your toe, which propels your body forward so that your knee is now directly over your ankle. Your knee should never be over your toe. That is why you take a bigger step in the beginning. Rock back onto the ball of your foot, that’s one repetition. Roll forward slowly onto your toe again and back, that’s two. Complete 15 on each foot.

Prayer Squat

Stand up straight with your feet a little wider than shoulder’s length. Engage your abdominals and bring your hands in a prayer position at your heart’s center. Lower down slowly until your thighs are parallel (or as close as you can get) with the ground and your elbows touch the insides of your knees. Keep your weight in your heels and as you lower your knees will track outwards instead of forwards. Your knees should never track out over your toes. Slowly rise back up. Repeat 15-20 times.

Squat Walk

First make sure there are no strangers around because this is one sure-fire way to creep them out. Take a wide stance with your legs with your toes pointing outwards; I like to pretend I’m making the letter A. Then squat down so your thighs are parallel with the earth. Keep your head and chest lifted and take 6 small steps forward and 6 small steps backward. You should feel it in your inner thighs. Continue six-steppin’ for about a minute.

Speed Skater

Stand up tall with your arms at your sides. Bend your left knee with your toe pointed towards the ground. Keeping your back straight, lean forward bend your right knee and kick your left leg out behind you. Your fingertips should be pointing towards the earth and your right knee will track over your foot a little bit, but never past your toes. Pretend you’re speed skating in place. Do 15 reps without letting your left leg touch the ground and repeat on the other side.

Tree Squat

Find a tree with a smooth surface. Make sure there aren’t any poison vines growing on it and lean with you back against it, thighs parallel to the earth. Sit up tall and count to thirty.
Modification: Try lifting one leg for 15 seconds and then the opposite for 15 more.

Lower Body Woods Walk Workout 1-3 sets

Basic High Lunge x20
Basic Chair Pose 10-20 seconds
Calf Raise Three Ways: Slow x20 Quick x10
Lunge Rollover x15 each leg
Prayer Squat x20
Squat Walk 40-60 seconds
Speed Skater x15 each leg
Tree Squat 30 seconds

There are dozens of modifications for each of these moves, but rather than overwhelm you I thought it’d be great to start simple and go from there. You’ll see these basic exercises being built upon in future posts. Exercise doesn’t always mean putting on bright workout clothes, paying for a gym membership and fumbling around with machines. Sometimes the most effective workouts are the simplest because we’re more likely to be consistent. I hope you’ll try out some of these moves this week while you’re out walking around or hanging out at home.

Butter Lettuce Salad with Roasted Beets, Pumpkin Seeds and Citrus Parmesan Dressing

February 18, 2014September 14, 2015 by Sarah | Leave a comment

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liveseasoned_butterlettucebeetspumpkinseeds

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This salad’s citrus dressing combined with the flavor of roasted beets and the crunch of the pumpkin seeds creates a flavor that’s sure to please, making it a super healthy alternative for lunch or dinner.

Do you ever dine out and wonder why restaurant salads seem so much tastier than those prepared at home? It’s because the chef had a certain vision and flavor combination in mind instead of chopping up every veggie in the fridge. I know I’m guilty of the latter eighty percent of the time, but not with this one! The fewer the flavors, the more you actually recognize, taste and appreciate them. I wanted a salad that had a warm feeling, hence the roasted beets, while simultaneously waking up my taste buds, which is where the citrus dressing comes in. Butter lettuce is a great vehicle for the beet and pumpkin seed power couple. Even though there are only four ingredients, this salad is packed with vitamins and minerals that have some pretty powerful effects and there’s even some protein in the mix. If you prepare the beets ahead of time, you can throw this together in five minutes, making it perfect for lunch or a colorful appetizer before dinner.

Quick tip before you begin:

Roasting beets takes some time, so I usually do this step the night before. I like to roast a bunch of beets at once so I have them in a pinch. You can store roasted beets for up to a week in the fridge.

Ingredients:

Head of butter lettuce
4 small beets
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
4 stems Cilantro

2 oranges, juice and zest
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
½ tsp lemon juice
1 Tbs parmesan cheese
2 shakes of salt and pepper

Equipment:

Sheet pan
Aluminum Foil
Pairing Knife
Skillet

Preheat the oven to 400°F. This is a flexible temperature; if you’re cooking something else you can throw them in at that temperature. Cut the leaves off of the beet near the bulb and then scrub them clean. Wrap each individual beet loosely in aluminum foil without drying them off first. Place them on a baking sheet in case they drip. Check on the beets after 25 minutes by sticking a fork through the center. If it goes in easily then they’re finished. The bigger they are the longer they’ll take, but most beets are cooked completely after an hour. Once the beets are finished roasting, take them out of the oven and unwrap them to cool. Once they’re cool enough to be handled, peel them by rubbing them gently with a paper towel or using a pairing knife. The peel should separate quite easily; if it doesn’t then the beets probably need to be a roasted a little longer.

Next you want to roast the pumpkin seeds. Put them in a small skillet over medium heat. Shuffle them back and forth every two minutes or so until they’re lightly browned. The seeds quickly turn from roasted to scorched so keep an eye on them, it should only take about five minutes.

While you’re roasting the pumpkin seeds, wash the lettuce and chop up the beets. Pull the leaves off of four or five stems of cilantro and add them to the mix. Top with the warm seeds and your salad is complete.

Now it’s time to mix up the dressing. Juice two oranges and add a little zest to the juice. Mix in the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, cheese (leave it out if you want to keep it vegan) and a few shakes of salt and pepper. Whisk it with a fork and give it a taste. Adding a bit more of anything your taste buds think it lacks.

Pour some dressing over the salad and then cut it with a knife and fork. I think this is the best way to mix all the flavors together, which is why I don’t rip up the lettuce leaves while prepping the salad. Take a big bite and enjoy your fresh and healthy meal.

A note about our star ingredients: If you’re not a beet lover, I’m begging you to give them another chance. Beets are high in vitamins like A, B and C and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, and iron just to name a few. I’m always looking for ways to get more iron since I eat a veggie heavy diet (otherwise meat is a great source of iron) and that’s where beets and pumpkin seeds come in handy-they’re loaded with iron. Back to the beets, they contain betaine, which is used to help treat depression and tryptophan, which relaxes the mind similar to chocolate. Beets are also an aphrodisiac because they contain high levels of boron, which is directly related to the production human sex hormones, so eat beets and get busy. If all that isn’t enough, I don’t know what I’m going to do with you, but if you come over for dinner be prepared to eat it or beat it!

Now about those pumpkin seeds, you can substitute in another roasted seed or nut, but I chose pumpkin seeds because they’re a good source of vitamin B, E and K and they have loads of iron, magnesium, phosphorus and copper. Like beets, they also contain tryptophan which helps produce serotonin. Pumpkin seeds are also high in zinc, which means they’re a natural protector against osteoporosis. They also add some protein to the salad. The list of benefits goes on, but I don’t want to overwhelm you, just go ahead and pat yourself on the back for treating yourself to this salad.

While you’re chowing down, think of all the great benefits of beets and pumpkin seeds and know that you did something great for yourself today. Even if making a salad is the only thing you did besides sitting in bed, typing posts and dreaming up new recipes. If you’re one of those who thinks a salad won’t cut it for the entire meal, that’s cool and that’s me most days, just whip it up as an appetizer!

This Isn’t Your Monk’s Meditation

February 17, 2014July 26, 2015 by Sarah | Leave a comment

I’m sure a lot, if not all of you, already meditate in some form or another. Maybe you clear your mind while you exercise or while doing the dishes or while taking a shower. When you are alone with your thoughts you’re beginning to meditate. Over the past couple of years, I have read a few powerful books about mediation and self-discovery and I believe they have had a big impact on my overall happiness and upbeat attitude. I’ve learned to direct and guide my thoughts in a constructive way instead of arguing with myself. Self-love is always in season so from time to time we’ll be sharing a little bit about our paths to self-discovery and tips for your own, in a series called Grey Matters.

First let me start off by saying I don’t identify myself as a Buddhist per say and I’m not here to promote any one religion. I do however think that the Buddhist religion has some really great insights into how to become a better individual and how to pass on that goodness to those around us. Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, founder of San Francisco Zen Center, said it best, “The purpose of studying Buddhism is not to study Buddhism, but to study ourselves.” Buddhism informs us that we should identify the intention behind our actions and whether those actions will have a positive or negative effect on those around us. If you identify with a particular religion or not, I think the Grey Matters series will be helpful to you as you walk on your path to self-discovery.

Clouded mind

Clear mind

In this first installment of Grey Matters I thought it could be helpful to give a little primer on meditation and setting an intention for your day or week. When you let your mind rest you are beginning to practice meditation. You don’t have to venture to a secluded spot and sit in the same position for days on end without talking to a soul. This isn’t your monk’s meditation. It’s a tool for self-reflection that we can all utilize. Mediation has tremendous power in that it helps us identify the motives of our actions and reactions. It helps us to expand our minds and hearts and allows both to more easily accommodate the obstacles we all face from day to day. If the word meditation makes your eyes roll then think of it as constructive thinking. Sometimes life feels like you’re climbing Mt. Everest with no coat when it should feel like you’re strolling along a beautiful beach. Taking the time to reflect while setting an intention and motivation for your day can help you transform that mountain into a plain. Meditation is a helpful tool in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia and many other uncomfortable conditions of the human mind. At first the goal of meditation is to have an open and clear mind. You can’t solve all of your problems during the first week of meditation. It’s a process so start small.

Here are a few tips to practicing meditation:

Choose a consistent, comfortable, clean and quiet space in your home. I put a pillow on the floor in my bedroom; it’s as simple as that. Some people have a space set aside specifically for thought. Maybe it involves a comfortable cushion and a couple scented candles in front of a sunny window or maybe you’re not sold on the idea of meditation and you choose to sit at your dining room table with a cup of coffee. However you choose to begin is fine.
Minimize distractions and focus within. If you’re sitting on the ground, sit up straight in a comfortable position and rest your hands on your knees or thighs. If you’re sitting on a chair make sure both feet are touching the ground. When you breathe in you should feel uplifted and when you exhale you should feel balanced and grounded, it’s easier to feel grounded when you’re making contact with the earth.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze and focus on your breath. You don’t have to alter your breath, it shouldn’t be a distraction to you, but rather an anchor to the present. We are practicing being present and not letting our thoughts carry us to the past or future. Change is possibly the only constant in our lives; let your flowing breath be a gentle reminder of that.
If thoughts pop into your mind simply exhale them away. Continue to focus on the sensation of your breath traveling in and out. Try not to get caught up in thoughts of your to do list or the fight you had with your friend. Don’t beat yourself up about all these random thoughts either, simply acknowledge that you’re thinking and then exhale the thought and return your focus to the breath.
After five minutes feel free to leave the cushion. It’s important to keep your meditation short and regular. If you find yourself successfully freeing your mind of thought and meditating every day for five or ten minutes then you’re ready to address various issues through meditation.

After all, meditation breeds mindfulness, which is simply paying attention to what’s going on around you and not getting hooked by strong emotion. If we’re being mindful we can begin to identify our intentions and begin to work with them. We’ll save problem solving and addressing emotions for the next Grey Matters installment, but let’s start setting short-term intentions for our days and weeks.

Your intention is a thought or motivation for how you’d like to live your life. It’s kind of like a New Year’s resolution without all the pressure. You can shape your intention daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly. We’ll talk about setting long-term intentions in the next Buddha Brain post, but let’s stick to daily intentions right now.

Tips for setting a daily intention:

Think of a positive word, feeling or focus that will guide you through the day or week. It can be a goal like writing and photographing x number of blog posts, completing a project at work or a gentle reminder like taking a nap when one is needed. It can also be an overarching, nonspecific theme like practice patience or be generous or persevere. Think about what you’re lacking, what you’d like to work on or what your body and mind really needs and create your intention.
Repeat your intention. After meditating for five to ten minutes, repeat your intention, aloud or internally, three times with passion and motivation to carry through with your intent.
Take your intention with you. Now it’s time to go out into the world always knowing that you have your own special guidelines by which you’ll live your life. You can repeat your intention whenever you’re feeling like your day is going off track. Know that above all else something is guiding you even when you feel lost.

If your intention was to get enough rest than you’ll feel better about working harder when you’re awake and sleeping sounder during naps or at night. You won’t have to feel guilty if you need nine hours of sleep instead of eight because you’re paying attention to what you really need to live a happy and fulfilling life. If your intention is to be more patient, it will be helpful to repeat the word patience when a coworker is talking out of turn during a meeting, when your kids are misbehaving or when the line at the grocery store is a mile long. Setting intentions is another small way to take control over emotion and immediate behavior. It’s a tool for shaping our actions, reactions and even the way we talk to ourselves. It’s a reminder that you live by your own rules. It’s time to stop feeling guilty, upset or uneasy about the choices you make. It’s time to stop judging yourself so harshly and instead knowing there was a reason for why you did whatever you did. You intended it to be so and that’s all the reason you need.

I really hope you enjoyed this Grey Matters post and learning a bit about meditation and setting intentions. I always felt like I had it all together, but once I started to peel away my emotions through meditation I realized I had a lot to learn about myself. I’m able to communicate my thoughts so much clearer than in the past and I feel like I actually know why I’m experiencing strong emotion instead of just getting wrapped up in it. I feel free from my own self-doubt and it’s really refreshing. If you’ve ever felt the effects of guilt, anxiety or doubt I encourage you to try some of the tactics in this post. I think you’ll feel a bit if not a whole ton.

Now go live lives of purpose! Whether your purpose is to take a walk in the woods, cook a delicious meal, rekindle a friendship or get a promotion at work. It is all just as important and integral in living a happy and fulfilled life.

In Season : Valentine Edition

February 14, 2014February 14, 2014 by Katie | Leave a comment

Valentine’s Day is today! Don’t worry, there’s still time to do something special.

Create a banana valentine (this is so easy, and before you know it, you’ll be leaving banana to-do lists, banana jokes, banana instructions. Need we go on?)

While you’re in the kitchen whip up some strawberry milkshake fudge. It’s an easy raw vegan treat.

Do you have a jigsaw puzzle? Create this super simple valentine. It’s ok if you don’t have red paint, just glue the pieces so that their back side is facing; brown’s pretty too.

Surprise your love with a closet of red balloons. Extra points if they are heart-shaped!

Have stray birthday candles? Make this card.

Get a red sharpie and write out this math equation. i<3u

We admit it may be a little too late for these heart-shaped gingerbread cookies, but boy are they beautiful and inspiring.

Remember that love is looking out for your friends, so give some or all of them a call today!

While you’re at it, treat yourself with these cute handmade heart earrings.

Give your sweetie a hug. and a smooch.

Image stored in the Library of Congress’ digital archive.

Woven Valentine Tutorial

February 13, 2014January 30, 2016 by Sarah | Leave a comment

Woven Heart Valentines

Today we’re sharing the simple instructions and templates to make a woven Valentine’s Day card. This is an especially convenient craft because the materials are probably stashed away somewhere in your home. While weaving paper sounds simple (and it is!), you’ll see that with a bit of creativity it produces a card with big impact. After you’ve finished this project, you can flex your creative muscles and use this technique for a variety of holidays and occasions! Additionally, If you have little kiddos at home weaving paper is a really simple, yet fun, way for them to work on their developing coordination and dexterity.

We’ve provided printable templates at the bottom of this post, making the project even easier by eliminating the need to do any measuring or sketching. Of course, if you’re comfortable with a ruler or you don’t have access to a printer then follow our written instructions.

Materials & Tools:

Card stock or any colored paper
Printer (optional)
Ruler
Exacto Knife
Scissors
Pen
Tape
Cutting Mat or old magazine

Cost $1

These instructions will create a 5.6 by 5.2 inch heart centered on a 7.6 by 7.2 inch piece of card stock.

Choose your base paper. If you aren’t using a template, you’ll begin by preparing the white base paper that the colored strips will be woven into. Our heart is going to be centered on the paper, so it will have a 1 inch border on all four sides. Having the nice wide border makes it easier to weave, and your finished work will look cleaner. If you’re using a different sized paper, subtract 5.6 inches from your paper’s width and 5.2 inches from your paper’s length, divide by two and that will determine your respective borders.

Draw and cut vertical lines on your base paper. Begin by marking dots where the vertical lines will fall. Starting an inch (or your given border length) from the left and top edges of the base paper, measure and mark every 3/8^th of an inch working across your paper until you reach the right border area. So your first dot should be 1 and 3/8^th inches in. Simply mark a little dot every 3/8^th of an inch until you have a total of 16 dots. Repeat this process again an inch up from the bottom of the paper. Remember your first dot will be at 1 and 3/8^th. Stop once you have 16 dots. Now place your ruler from top to bottom on the paper and draw a straight line to connect the first dot on the top to the first dot on the bottom. The line should measure 5.2 inches. Continue drawing straight lines from the dots on the top to the dots on the bottom of the paper. You should have a total of 16 lines. Now place your paper on a cutting mat or if you’re like me and don’t own one, on an old magazine. Take your time and carefully use an exacto knife to cut each line, making 16 slits in the paper.

Cut the colored strips for weaving. Cut 14 strips of paper that are each 3/8^th inches wide and at least 7 inches long. You can do this with your exacto knife or scissors, but it’s even easier if you have a straight edge paper cutter.

It’s time to weave! On the backside of your base paper (the side with the pen markings) follow our template to mark the heart area. We marked the backside of our paper with the x’s you see above. If you’re using the template, the printed side is the back of your paper. When you’re weaving, you will covered the x’s with your colored paper (producing a white heart). When you turn your paper over, BAM! your colored heart will be nice and crisp without any of the markings used for measuring and planning. You can add a highlight on the heart if you desire. I found that nifty highlight idea here.

Finish your card. Secure each strip with a tiny piece of clear tape and then trim the ends. Glue your woven heart to a piece of colored paper to make a postcard or to the front of a folded piece of card stock. I made both versions, but I can’t decide which I prefer. Put a stack of books on your finished cards to ensure that they dry nice and flat before sending them off in the mail.

Now that you get the general idea, feel free to run wild with this technique. The only rule is to keep the width of the strips and the width of the slits consistent. It’s always helpful to sketch up a new idea before you cut and measure. Measure twice, cut once, right? For me it’s more like do the math three times, measure twice, and sketch once more.

Here are templates for the Small Woven Heart Tutorial, the Large Woven Heart Valentine Tutorial and the camouflaged Love Card Template. Print page one on a piece of colorful card stock (this will be your background) and page two will be your strips, so find a color that will look nice with whatever you chose for the background. If you want to spell something else, you can find a pixel alphabet here, which should help with planning. Let us know how it goes!

Seasonal Tunes: Valentine’s Day Special

February 12, 2014January 30, 2016 by Sarah | Leave a comment

I really enjoy groovin’ to music while I cook, work out, tidy up or hang around my apartment. I do this weird half humming, half high-pitched off-key singing thing too. I totally sound like Regina Spektor (to me at least). In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I compiled a list of both classic and modern tunes for you to jam out to. Hopefully you’ll discover something new and appreciate the old!

I created this list on Spotify. Simply click the link and you can listen to it online for free. If you don’t have an account, it’s super easy to sign up. I’m new to Spotify and so far I like it, but their library lacks the Beatles! What a crime. Enjoy ninety minutes of lovey dovey tunes!

Love Tunes

Florence + The Machine – You’ve Got The Love
Ingrid Michaelson – You and I
Etta James – At Last
Van Morrison – Crazy Love
Keren Ann – It Ain’t No Crime
Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun
The Ronettes – Be My Baby
Cat Power – Sea of Love
Bruce Springsteen – She’s the One
Frankie Valli – Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
First Aid Kit – Emmylou
The Knife – Heartbeats
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Home
Regina Spektor – Us
Brandi Carlile – If There Was No You
Frank Sinatra – I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Bright Eyes – First Day Of My Life
The Civil Wars – Dance Me to the End of Love
John Prine – In Spite of Ourselves
Fleet Foxes – Montezuma
Talking Heads – This Must Be The Place
Nat King Cole – L-O-V-E
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Simplest Love
Fleetwood Mac – Songbird
Hellogoodbye – Oh, It Is Love
Bruce Springsteen – Two For The Road

Skeleton Artwork by Stay Gold Media

Winter Hiking ~ Quick Tips

February 12, 2014April 18, 2016 by Katie | Leave a comment

We are serious about our hikes.

They aren’t crazy epic adventures, just 40-90 minutes in the woods on any given afternoon. Unfortunately, because of the shorter days we end up taking a lot fewer hikes in the winter than in the summer. But ~ when we push it and get out, that simple walk cures any sign of crazy cabin fever that’s so contagious at this time of year.

When we were on this hike, Calder and I were talking about what we each find essential for a good winter walk. His answer: all you need is a charged iPhone and a good pair of boots. My list, which I’ll share below, was a bit more detailed, but the focus was the same: keep it simple, smart, and of high quality. This is the key to making it to the woods when all you want to do is hibernate.

Don’t let having a baby hold you back! We love to get out with Alex, and he definitely loves to take in the scenery. While being in the house all day may make this little guy grumble, a trip outdoors really soothes his soul. He’s quiet and wide-eyed, absorbing the sights and the sounds of the forest.

My list for a short winter hike:

good shoes and socks. This is key. You won’t be comfortable if you don’t have a secure footing and warm toes for trails that may have snow, some ice, mud, rocks, and roots.
hat and gloves (obvs, I know)
a charged phone (for all of the reasons Calder mentions below)
a map or good knowledge of the area. If you’re hiking in a new-to-you area, pick up a good trail map. We go hiking in a local state forest, and many of the bike and outdoor supply shops sell maps marking all of the forest trails.
the right timing. You don’t want to get caught in the woods in the dark in the cold (of course, this is when your phone’s flashlight comes in handy). Ideally you can start your hike with plenty of daylight left, but if you know the sun is going to set in 30 minutes, do a quick 15 min out and back hike, and don’t push it.
a lifeline. I know Sarah’s reading this and shaking her finger saying the most important thing is to tell someone where you’re going, even for short walks. You never know when something will happen, and it’s better to be safe than sorry, so call or text someone and let them know you’re heading off into the woods.

My second tier list:

camera (more on this below)
water bottle. For short walks, I find that this isn’t necessary and just adds weight. I keep mine in the car and sip it before I take off and when I return.

The baby gear:

a warm hat
warm socks
a baby carrier. We’ve found the Ergo to be the most comfortable carrier, particularly as Alex has packed on the pounds. The straps are easy to adjust, making it a piece of cake for both Calder and I to use it, and to switch off during the walk if we want to give each other a break.

That’s it!

Whoever is wearing the baby just zips their coat up and around him ~ that way the baby doesn’t have to wear a bulky coat, but he stays nice and cozy. Alex is nine months old, and still breastfeeding, so as long as I’m along on the walk, we don’t have to worry about food.

But back to Calder, he wanted to explain his list. The boots are a no-brainer.

The phone is essential because it will provide your flashlight and camera. If you have an app like Garmin’s navigation app, it’ll also provide your maps using satellite data (even when you don’t have cell service!). AND if you’re still nervous about setting off into the snowy woods, you can always download a winter survival app.

He had a really thoughtful response when pressed about what makes a winter hike great: a camera. He said that on any hike, if he has a camera (i.e. phone) along it, he’ll often slow down to take in the details more than if he doesn’t. I agree, sometimes I can be on autopilot, just walking along and thinking without really taking in the scenery. Don’t get me wrong, that kind of walk is great too, but if my mission is to get out and enjoy the woods, then I want to keep my eyes and mind open to what’s in front of me. Before Alex (B.A.), I used to take my digital camera on every hike, now there are times when I just take the phone and use its camera.

And surprise! In an effort to keep it simple for this post, we just used our phones for the photos. What do you think? Could you tell?

What about you? Are you a winter hiker? If so, anything on your list that I missed?

Welcome to Seasoned!

February 9, 2014February 9, 2014 by Katie | Leave a comment

Hey, you discovered a new corner of the web, welcome!

This is the start of an adventure dreamed up by us (Katie and Sarah). We are sisters that grew up in the woods of Pennsylvania, from there we took off in our own directions, studied, traveled, and now have settled for a bit in east coast college towns. Along the way, we each developed a serious love of creating a well-nourished life, full of food, movement, crafting, and exploring. But just as our wardrobes change by the seasons, so do our meals, projects, and travels.

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After finishing her degree in photojournalism, Sarah took off for a semester of teaching in Thailand followed by a few months traveling around southeast Asia. Now she lives in North Carolina, where the winters are just warm enough to keep her sane. Between blog posts she’s an avid yogi, a self-employed photographer, and is busy preparing for her first solo photo exhibit!

Katie’s older than Sarah by nine (9!) years. With a few environmental science and geography degrees under her belt, she can’t help but get excited whenever she can blend her formal training with her creative endeavors at home. Katie’s son was born in the spring of 2013. She’s still learning the ropes of motherhood and anticipates that the lessons won’t stop for the next few decades. You can expect Katie to offer the more mature (i.e. frazzled new mom) perspective to Sarah’s younger spirit!

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We are both serious about living a life that is choreographed by the seasons, and Seasoned is a space we created to share this adventure. We’ll post local and international exploits under the Explore tab. Dwell & Craft are where you’ll find ideas for creating a richer life at home. And perhaps most importantly, it’s hard to take on the world if you’re not healthy. Nurture is where you’ll find us looking for ways to care for our body and mind.

We’re so excited you stopped by and we hope you’ll stick around!

xo,

-Sarah & Katie