Be The Rock...

This past week I had the opportunity to help a group of 16-18 yr old girls with their high adventure camp. 

Their theme: "Be the rock the river cannot move". 

We hiked Rainie Falls Trail, camped at Ennis Riffle, and floated the Rogue River. As I got to know many of the girls I opened my heart and let their life touch mine. From stories of family hardship that they endure, to uncontrollable laugh out loud moments, it was a time I would endure again and again! 

40:40-23 Smith Rock

 

Besides a couple trips to Sisters Oregon I had never really been to Central Oregon before. Last year my sister's youth group invited me to be their camp nurse, and I am so grateful to them that they did and I got to see this amazing place!!!

 

Smith Rock blooms out in between farm lands and desert. It provides a place for adventurous souls to rock climb, hike, explore, camp, ect. In an understatement it is beautiful!

 

For our hike we started from the last viewpoint and parking area onto the Homestead Trail.

After crossing the Footbridge we followed the River Trail then cut up on the paths to walk past the Morning Glory, Christian Bros, and Diehards climbing walls. (The next day we would bring the youth girls back to climb these walls).

 

 

Next came Asterisk Pass. This is a climbing/rock scamble cut-through enabling some great views. We then followed the Mesa Verda Trail, connected with Monkey Face Trail, and then took Misery Ridge Trail back to the Footbridge.

Mesa Verda Trail

 

Monkey Face Rock

I would go back in a second to hike more trails and soak in the beauty of this area!

Compassion

Last week I posted a question on facebook of "What motivates you". It was specifically directed towards what motivates you to eat right and exercise, to be healthy. My firend Melissa posted this:
 "Self-compassion. Not to be confused with pity or selfishness. A few years ago, I was down in a few ways. An injury that forced me to sit for a while capped it off. I had a lot of time to reflect. Developed a gratitude for the ability to move freely that, once I was able again, has never left me. I love to move. The more I do that, the more I want to eat the right fuel. I "cheat" almost every day, but eat well (unprocessed) otherwise. That goes back to the self compassion thing. Back to the injury...while professionals (PT) were caring for me, I had to keep up my end (exercises, stretches etc). Hard to explain and really very simple, but that visceral care taught me/translated to self compassion (I thought I came up with that concept until I just now googled it). Seems obvious in hindsight, but it really was like an epiphany to me at the time. This is how I conceptualized it...Think of someone you love deeply. You want the best for them in every way. When they are hurt, you are too. When they are well, you are joyful. We should have that same compassion for ourselves. When I flipped it around like that, I realized I had been neglecting myself in a way that I would never neglect someone that I love. It was a huge turning point. Yikes. Sorry this is so manic, sappy and disjointed. Also helps a ton to have a fitness buddy. Way more fun and keeps you accountable."
So this past week the word - Compassion- has been on my mind. At first it was in relation to having compassion for myself. In making better eating choices, and exercising. Then on Sunday, after a disastrous lesson where the class just sat there falling asleep or just staring at me not understanding my fumbling words, I realized I needed compassion in my teaching. I also need more compassion at work. Not just compassion for my patients, but for my co-workers.
According to Merriam-Webster the definition of Compassion is: "A feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, ect". 
I realized that I had not been feeling compassion for myself or others, I felt selfishness. The motivation behind the action or thoughts were not coming from the shiny happy soul of someone wanting to make a place better, but of a dull and hurt emptiness that at times may have wanted others to feel a little bit of the misery too.
For myself I am planning on posting -Compassion- in various places where I find myself at my weakest moments. My work locker, my rear-view mirror, my refrigerator, and my bathroom mirror. I am hoping that as I make this word a bigger part of my life I will be able to feel the difference in my motivation behind my actions. I will be able to make better health and living choices, and will be able to integrate better spiritual and social decisions.
My new word COMPASSION is now on my mind and hopefully burning a little more lightness into my soul.

40:40:22 Sahalee & Koosah Falls

I usually have driven rt 126 in Oregon during the winter. That time of year provides gorgeous views of snow covered evergreens, mountains, and valleys. Last year I had the opportunity to drive it in the summer, and as I rounded a corner I saw a sign for some falls. FALLS??? Why had I not seen this sign for the Sahalee & Koosah Falls before?!!! I immediately veered left and feasted my eyes on some amazing greenery and waterfall! I made a mental reminder to stop here on my way back through and check this place out. I was not disappointed!

 

 

This trail connects two beautiful falls and a lake. The upper fall - The Sahalee "Heaven" can be explored from the top, a straight view from the sheltered path, and explored carefully closer to it's bottom.

 

Sahalee Falls

The lower fall - The Koosah "Sky" can be viewed from it's top and straight on from sheltered paths and viewpoints. 

Koosah Falls

I was overcome by the sweet water smell and the aqua blue color of the cold water.

 

At Clear Lake you can soak your feet and enjoy the tranquility and peace. Here's a great link to help plan your adventure!!!

Clear Lake

 

40:40:21 Oneata Falls

Along the Columbia River Gorge there are little gems of falls that can be reached by car or by foot. In a previous post I talked about my adventure to the top of Multnomah Falls. A little further up the Gorge there is the Oneata Falls.

 

The excitement of this trail is that the end of it, where the fall is located, it only accessibly by trekking through the actual creek bed.

 

It is a popular summertime excursion when the weather is warm. Be prepared to cross a large log jam, and to GET WET!

 

At one point, even in the midst of summer, you are wading up to your chest.

Deb and the Falls

A little motivation please!!!

I have found it hard to keep up with my goals of the C25K. I had some complications with getting my tendonitis in my foot to let me push myself as hard as I wanted, and then this prompted my laziness... I did however find a new friend in my cylinder foam roller. I don't stretch as much as I should, and this has helped with the tension relief. Now to just get a hot tub :) J/K. I do still have the goal to run a 5K by the end of summer. Just need some help in refocusing myself.

I also have had a hard time eating regular food and keeping the weight off, let alone getting rid of some more! (slump shoulders) and endless struggle that I face. Any suggestions out there???

C25K

It's been a few weeks since I ended the optifast program. I can happily say that I have not gained any weight back, yet I cannot joyfully exclaim that I have lost any more either. I have started a much needed journey though in learning to like the gym. To help me out in this new quest I have started the Couch to 5K program. I am now in week three. Woohoo, 3 minutes continuing running. LoL. I know, my running friends out there are smiling as they stretch out their running legs, and reset their running watches from their last 10 mile or so jaunt. :) I'll just start with a 5K goal. Any suggestions out there for the Coos Bay/Eugene/Portland areas? My hope in all of this is that I will learn to love the act of exercise. I already love to hike- obviously- but to get the thrill of getting out of bed to hit the beach or the trails, or gulp, even the treadmill. Plus with a bonus in all of this I hope to shed the last 20-30 lbs!

40:40:20 Adventuring: Swordfern Trail

 

Just wanting to get out of town and find some trails and warmth, I happened upon the gems of hiking in the Umpqua National Forest, outside of Cottage Grove Oregon. I originally was going to camp at the main Dorena lake Campground but found a small campground deeper into the national forest. Rujada Campground was small enough to not attract too much traffic, yet large enough to provide some amenities that I like. The Swordfern Trail Trailhead is actually located in this campground.

 

The trail is a short two miler circling around the campground. The lush ferns though are amazing and the forest smell intoxicating! A great little leg stretcher to prep you for the longer trails that surround the area.

 

40:40:19 Adventuring: Brice Creek Trail

 

 This was by far one of my favorite hikes of the year. A spur of the moment solitary camping trip took me through Cottage Grove, past Dorena Lake, then a beautiful drive into the Umpqua Forest. I camped at a random campground near the trail then set out early the next morning. The trail itself has many options, and a few tent camping sites on the trail itself.

 

 The trail follows along part of the original Oregon Skyline trail- the trail that was the precursor to the Pacific Crest Trail.

You can plan on a short 3 miler, or do as I did and conquer approximately 13 miles adding in a couple waterfalls along the way. I would definitely recommend the waterfalls, even if you have to take this hike in sections. The Upper Trestle Creek Trail falls were amazing even in the middle of summer. I came around a corner and just stood there thinking.... "how do I get around the falls?", you don't go around, you go under! Beautiful!

 

I still dream of this trail, the warmth, the beautiful pools of water. Loved it!

 Brice Creek Trail

Lbs and inches week 12

Last and final week of the Optifast program. After 12 weeks of weekly doctor visits, carefully calculating food choices, and trying to change my mental process in eating and exercise I did my final MD weigh in. This visit included a 1:1 with my doctor after my usual weekly consult with her assistant. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when she actually knew everything that I had struggled with over the past months that I had been talking weekly with her assistant about.

My overall thought on the program is that it's a pretty good one. I am still worried about maintaining and still loosing more weight that I need too, but my worries are not in fault of the program. Due to my crazy crazy schedule I was not able to attend the weekly group sessions where they discuss incorporating the needed exercise goals, dietician counseling, and psychological changes that need to be done. 

I'm still planning on using some of the products to keep working on my weight loss goals. I also still plan on making specific goals to propel me on. Be looking for my next one! 

Lbs lost: 32

Inches lost: 12

Money spent: $$$$

Self-esteem raised: unmeasurable!

Lbs and inches week 9-11

The slacking on my posting could be a direct relation to how I'm doing on program.... I successfully was down three lbs after week 9, then proceeded to gain back those three in the two weeks following. The reasoning, since there always has to be reasoning with me, I'm blaming the Girl Scout Cookies. I did go my usual off program a couple times a week, although that has not effected me in the past.

Here is what I have learned the past few weeks: 

1. Girls Scout Cookies maybe be sold by cute girls decked out in their award winning badges and wrapped in colorful packaging, in truth though the are a design of the Devil to yearly thwart health conscience folks into not stepping, but diving off their healthy plans. I succumbed.

2. Giving myself a "eat whatever I want till I puke" day ended up in a literal sence. My body was not happy with my "free day" and I payed for it with over twelve hours of "where is the closest bathroom". Lesson Learned. 

3. Don't wait to exercise. I had been reserved in exercising due to the fact that I know I'll gain weight when I do start due to muscle gain. Yet as I sat at home Tuesday night devouring some "devil cookies" I decided that exercise was what I have been missing to round out this healthy regime. C25K day 1 accomplished. 

4. Being some coworker's poster child for weight-loss can be intimidating. Yet, now that I'm about to enter into a world of not having my fancy products to eat, and not being accountable to my MD every week, I'm accepting this challenge. Maybe I should make actual posters.... 

Lbs and inches week 8

Better, much better. 4lbs down this week. I don't know if I just had to get through a plateau, or if I really ate that differently. I still had my Thursday night breakdown of Fast Food Living, and still ate out over the weekend. I did however remain more steadfast over my work days. This next week starts the beginning of my transition month, where each week I add in a meal of regular food in place of one of their products. Which means I get to go grocery shopping!!!! I got some great handouts on what was an actual serving of meats, vegetables, and fruits. Hello fish, how I have missed you! Total lbs Down: 29

lbs and inches week 7

I made a comment in the MD office this morning that I thought that this diet plan was creating even more bad habits for me. For example, things that I was always able to pass up I have been eating like a starved child hiding in a closet. This is the last week of the program that I am supposed to only eat their food products. My plan, give it my all. See what I can accomplish with a week of concentrated effort on staying on target. Starting next week I begin adding regular food into my diet plan. According to the MD scale I did not lose anything this past week (not surprised). According to my home scale I am down one more lb which has me at a 40 bl loss for the last two years. I am wondering when I can demand a new photo for my work ID card :)

Adventuring: 40:40:18 Horsfall Beach

Horsfall Beach

Horsfall Beach is located right here in my hometown area. Growing up it was the place we brought all our out-of-town family and guests. It is an impressive beach with miles of walking and shell collecting. My favorite time to go, which maybe I don't want to share... lol , is first light in the AM. Sometimes the fog is so thick I can barely see the Snowy Plover gathering their food. Other times the skies are blue and the water reflects the happy rays of light. Of course be careful in walking along the beach and keep your eyes open for the sneaker waves! (This is a Fee area).

Old Shipwreck Remains

Shells, Shells, Shells!

The beach connects with the Oregon Dunes. From the main entrance if you head to the right you will come across the ATV tracks mostly from the campers from the nearby sites. If you lead to the left, after a few miles, you get the access from the autos that like to drive out on the sand. Either way it is nice that there is designated people areas, as well as areas that can be accessed by those that enjoy to travel the sand a little faster!

You never know what you'll see!

lbs and inches week 6

They say that the greatest sabotager of your goals is yourself. I have to agree full heartedly. I have entered a pattern the past couple weeks of going off program over the weekend, and then playing catch-up until Thursday, so I'm not up in lbs when I weigh in. Then I sit there in the MD office with the knowledge that yes, I did loose one more lb, but what could I have lost if I would have stayed on program all week? The other fear I am facing, since I am at the half way mark, is what will happen to me when I go back to regular food? My scrubs are getting more and more baggy and I am afraid to let them go and give them away! What if the weight comes right back? See? Self-Sabotage.  Total lbs down: 25

(On a good note, since the above was sounding such a downer, folks I am around have started to notice the loss. Yay me!)

Adventuring: 40:40:17 Floras Lake- Blacklock

As mentioned in my previous post I found Blacklock point by doing a random internet search for hiking in the Coos Bay area. Blacklock point had been listed by a travel blogger as one of Oregon's best kept secrets. The cliffs that they had mentioned are accessible from walking along the sandy shores heading south down the coast from Floras Lake.

Floras Lake

Floras Lake itself is a great spot for windsurfing and kiteboarding. The day I adventured there I was mesmerized by the folks learning and mastering these skills. Beautiful! After I trudged (which is what I call walking in soft sand) along the edge of the lake I entered out onto the shoreline. I knew to check tide levels since one can easily misjudge the height of waves and get caught out in a dangerous situation. After walking a short while I came to see what had been documented before. Shear cliffs to the left that headed straight up. The day was sunny so it was hard to photograph the actual beauty of the cliffs without the shadows. But they were beautiful!

 

 

 

On my way back I took a trail up from the beach and followed the Oregon Coast hiking trail back to Floras Lake. I cannot remember how many miles I went. I do know that it can be marked as moderate of ease since there was quite a bit of trudging, and besides checking the tides check the wind level. Crazy winds can be had in this area.

Oregon Coast Trail