homeonthetrail-blog

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Sometimes it’s hard to know When to stop And When to go . . . . . #ultrarunning #trailrun #mountainrunning #mountain (at Valley of Fire State Park)

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Unfortunately, I’ve been real-life busy and haven’t been able to stay as updated as I would like to be on Instagram. Between an increased training load and working on personal projects, I just haven’t had the motivation to post inspiring captions and what not. However, since I’m a little more in shape now, I am becoming more strict with my workouts. Since I’ll be timing them with a watch, unlike before, you can follow my Strava to stay updated. That’s probably one of the only things that will stay updated almost every day. So if you’re interested in my training to feel free to follow along. I’m under Jacki Crew. . . . . . #trailrun #ultrarunning #ultrarunner #mountains #getoutside (at Mount Charleston, Nevada)

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If you’re wondering where I’ve been, I’ve been trying to find the trail to happiness. And the more I run, the closer I get. So if you need me, I’ll be in my office. Just knock on wood before you enter. (at Mount Charleston, Nevada)

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Stop. Appreciate the details before you go. . Guess what?! I’ve just released a Couch to 5k and 10k program. I’ve made it longer than most because when I followed a Couch to 5k myself, I found it was too aggressive. I’m mostly concerned with someone learning to get in the habit of running every week versus attempting to run a 20 min 5k in 9 weeks. I tried to make it a pleasant progression because the first season you start to run can be pretty miserable (which I’ve tried to minimize). I plan on doing a 5k plan for beginners soon which will be a little more aggressive than this. (at Nevada)

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Sometimes you don’t have to run or hike or carry yourself. Sometimes you can just sit back and appreciate nature. Finding stillness is just as important as pushing yourself to be more. (at George Washington and Jefferson National Forests)

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I’ve just added a survey to athomeonthetrail.com so that you can share what you would like to see more of. Did you also know I also have a Q&A page?! If you click the link in the bio, you can ask for any advice about the outdoors. (at Nevada)

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Quitting Veganism After 7 Years?!

I never thought I would even think about quitting veganism. I grew up with a mom who fed me tofu and soymilk from a very young age. Although we also ate meat, we were never over consumers and always purchased local, organic meats. Eating meat and animal by-products has always been a battle against the gag reflexes for me. So when I turned fourteen, I stopped eating meat.

I’ve tried every kind of vegan diet for seven years: whole food, gluten-free, keto, raw, and processed proteins.  But regardless of the dietary particulars, my need for outside supplementation has steadily increased over time. There is no question; you can most certainly find adequate nutrition with veganism. However, this requires greens with every meal, a raw protein supplement (for athletes), and getting protein through legumes. Finding decent protein sources has been the biggest challenge for me. Legumes often upset my stomach (no matter how long they soak or cook), fake meats upset my stomach, and the only thing that doesn’t bother me is tofu and lentils. 

Tofu produces phytoestrogen which can mimic the production of estrogen in the body. Now imagine your primary source of protein for the last seven years has been this product. I’ve been known to consume 2-3 packages of this stuff a day. Yes, I do get organic tofu which does produce fewer hormones than non-organic tofu. But for the very same reason, you should not buy milk with hormones; you should not eat large quantities of something that upsets your body’s natural hormonal balance. According to “Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology” by Heather B. Patisaul and Wendy Jefferson; soy byproducts can improve cardio function, discourage the spread of cancer, reduce the risk of heart disease, and help reduce inflammation. On the other hand, females with high levels of phytoestrogens have seen an increase in congenital disabilities, a lowered sex drive, affected brain functioning (specifically memory issues), reduced energy, and an increase in body fat. A study by Jin Wha Chung showed that when taking phytoestrogen tablets women gained a little over 1 kg and their breasts increased by 1.5 inches over the course of six months (Breast Augmentation by the Effect of Phytoestrogen). Imagine the long-term effects!

Even though I can readily eat lentils and split peas without any issues, my diet wouldn’t have much variety with only consuming those. Part of a healthy diet is having a variety of greens, fruits, and proteins. Eating large quantities of lettuce to hit other nutritional targets, is expensive. One container of leafy greens and one bundle of kale is around $3.99. You might be spending about $12 a day just on greens to hit your nutritional needs without supplements. When I was a raw vegan for a year, I was getting excellent nutrition, but also spending around $200/week to do so. Not to mention that you might not be able to eat this way every day due to life happening. The problem with veganism is that if you miss the mark one day, you lose by a lot. And over time, those nutritional deficits add up to a more significant problem.

My family has had a history of hormonal issues which I am trying avoid. Currently, I’m noticing some severe side effects from my diet. I used to sleep anywhere from 6-7 hours a day and would feel rested. These days, I am incredibly sluggish if I’ve slept less than 12 hours. Besides, my body fat has risen to 27%. I still weigh the same as I did in high school. However, my muscle mass and body fat are slowly switching places. As an extremely active person, there is no excellent explanation for this outside of diet. My most significant red flag is that these are all symptoms my mother was experiencing when she found out that her hormones were in terrible shape. She was bedridden throughout my life because she had no energy due to hormones. Though I can go down the list of symptoms of high phytoestrogen and check every single one off, these are the issues with which I’m mostly concerned. 

According to Hal Herzog Ph.D.’s article in Psychology Today, 84% of vegans return to eating meat. 71% of those going back to meat dishes indicated that it was due to health problems. Most of these people left veganism after six years. Is veganism sustainable? Maybe not. Since it takes a year to rid your body of most added hormones, I plan on leaving my current dietary choices behind for that period. If I do feel better, I will continue eating meat. However, if I don’t notice a change, I will pursue hormonal therapy instead and go back to veganism. 

I still acknowledge the issues with animal treatment in meat production. And for this reason, I will not consume meat, fish, or dairy while at restaurants. I will continue to be dairy free at home as well. And will only eat pole caught fish and meat that is raised under proper conditions and is organic. To respect the animals on this earth, I won’t consume more than is necessary to reach my nutritional goals. And my diet will rely primarily on fish and eggs with the occasional bison, turkey, and chicken meat. I will never consume pork, shellfish, and cow. 

Whatever your dietary choices are, you can be a conscious consumer. You don’t have to be vegan to boycott animals' mistreatment. Think before you eat. 

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My dream place to live is on the Virginia/West Virginia border. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?? . In other news, I will not be posting an article this morning. I am putting together a Couch to 5k and a Couch to 10k program which will be up on the website next Wednesday. I am also still posting a journal this Saturday. I’ve been super busy with other work and I don’t want to just put up a fluff article. You all deserve the best content. . PS thank you for all the page views. I was not expecting this many in the first half of the month. This is crazy!!! You all are amazing. ☺️☺️ (at Shenandoah, Virginia)

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Treat the world well. You’re not the only one living here. (at Nevada)

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Van-Life Made Me Lose My Hair?!

I never thought I would talk about this. It’s something that, as a female, is very embarrassing and private. But in hopes that this sort of thing doesn’t happen to you, I have decided to share my story.

When I moved out of my apartment, hygienic practices quickly deteriorated. I did have easy access to a shower; whether at my 24-hour gym or a campground. But I never liked lugging my duffel around. And I certainly didn’t enjoy taking up counter space at my gym for an hour. 

One thing that I started to cut out quickly was hair maintenance. I continued to wash my hair at first, but I stopped brushing it. After a few months, my hair began to dread naturally, but it didn’t look bad, so I kept not maintaining my hair. I figured I was saving a few minutes by not having to brush my hair in the morning and nighttime, so why not? I was just looking to cut corners.

Gradually I stopped cleaning my hair. Soon I was only washing it once or twice a week. But eventually, I stopped shampooing altogether. One of my coworkers at the time mentioned that he hadn’t messed with his hair in over a year. And his looked good! So the only form of washing I did from then on out was with baby powder. Unless I went swimming, my hair didn’t get wet, but it still didn’t look greasy or gross, just unkempt.

As time progressed, my hair naturally turned into actual dreadlocks. Since I wasn’t even maintaining those, they started to grow together. I found someone at my college who did hair and paid for her separate the dreads. What I didn’t realize, is that I would have to oil my scalp, spray my dreads, and manually twist my hair for thirty minutes to an hour each day.

After not brushing for a year and a half, I went into a Pizza Hut one day. The girl at the counter talked about how she used to have her hair like mine, but then she took the dreads out. In passing, she mentioned how we both had thin hair. Thin hair?! I had never been told that before. In fact, my hair had always been relatively thick. I was kind of offended and just thought she didn’t know what she was saying. 

When I moved to Los Angeles, I decided to take my dreads out. My scalp had started itching like crazy, and I hated the amount of time I would spend on my hair. I had started this journey just looking to save a few minutes, not to spend more time styling. It took over a week to brush the whole thing out with a dog comb. When I took out that last dread, I looked in the mirror, and to my horror, I realized that my hairline had started to recede. I had just never noticed it because of the position of my dreads.  I have now had those dreads out for over a year. My hair is still a lot thinner than it used to be but it’s gradually getting thicker again. Between the products and the supplements I’ve been taking, I spend approximately $160 a month just to keep my hair from breaking off into the sink. My hairline is still growing back, but who knows if it will ever go back to the way it was. When I went to one of the best hair stylists in Los Angeles, he was able to confirm my suspicions. The hair loss was due to lack of stimulation. 

Whether you are living in a van, or just want to seem cool by not brushing your hair since you’re “such a dirtbag.” Just remember, the decisions you make now, affect your future. Maintain not only your hygienic practices now, but also don’t put yourself in a position where you might lose your hair through neglect. My family has thick, black hair even at the age of 40. So I never thought I would be at risk for this sort of thing. And no, it’s not apparent, but looking at older pictures of me, I can tell the difference. Take care of yourself.

[homeonthetrail-blog]

"Vegan Fried Rice" • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil or Coconut Oil • 1/2 Block High Protein Tofu • 1/2 Bag Frozen Vegetables • Bragg's Amino Acid • Garlic and Pepper Seasoning • 1 Cup Pre-Cooked Brown or Wild Rice ************************ Heat up oil in a frying pan. Put tofu in a snack ziplock back and squeeze (this breaks up the tofu so that it doesn't get all over your hands). Place tofu and veggies in a pan. Add amino acids and seasoning to taste. Cover with a lid and turn the stove on high. Stir every couple of minutes. After 6 minutes turn stove to medium and add in rice. After a few more minutes, your meal should be ready to plate! • This meal doesn't take long to make and is well balanced in nutrients. Fuel your run properly!! (at Las Vegas, Nevada)

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There is a road that leads to nowhere and everywhere all at once. (at Appalachian Trail)

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Today I was swallowed alive by a whole ‘slotta canyons. (at Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest)

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Nevada: The Last Frontier

2.9 million people live in Nevada. 2.6 million live in large cities like Las Vegas and Reno. That means out of the state’s 110,567 square miles of land, 109,536 square miles are virtually uninhabited. In spite of the incredibly scenic landscape, it’s hard for Nevada to be a big competitor in the outdoor community. The top mountaineering and climbing places in the United States surround it, and its neighbours all boast more than one 14er to climb. As a result, Nevada remains the black sheep of the outdoor family with numerous peaks unmapped and thousands of trails neglected.      If you’re like me and you hate having to push past a crowd of people to reach your go-to peak, Nevada might be the state for you. They say Alaska is the last frontier. I beg to differ. These abandoned trails don’t have coinciding maps at your local REI. You won’t know where you’re going and you’ll need a compass to find your way out. And even choosing to explore is a little tricky. This state has a lot of “red tape” areas. Meaning if you enter without permission, you might be in the federal government’s live-fire zone! Additionally, many trails are over and around hundreds of old mining shafts that might cave in at any moment in time.     But, if you are among the few willing the risk all of the danger and solitude, you will be mightily rewarded! While exploring you will find sculptures set in the desert by some lonely artist; 13,000 ft. peaks; alpine lakes; and an incredible abundance of wildlife. And maybe that’s what makes Nevada so great. Everyone goes to Vegas, leaving these natural wonders to the rest of us.      As part of this new resolve to uncover hidden parks and trails, I spent a week travelling across the Silver State this holiday season. Not only did I find a few of my new favourite parks, but I came back home feeling inspired to learn more about this undiscovered world.

Cathedral Gorge State Park     Panaca, Nevada

     From the road, it doesn’t look like much. In fact, I almost turned around from disappointment. But after parking and deciding that I hadn’t driven all this way just to head back to my hotel, I decided to make the short 3.5-mile loop and not complain too loudly. After following the relatively flat wash for a while, I looked to my right and noticed a hidden trail. After a few minutes, the narrow path opened into a glorious scene filled with caverns and tall formations of stalagmite-style rock that looked like something out of a fantastical movie.       Cathedral Gorge turned out to be everything I had hoped for, and then some. After completing the loop, I sat in the campground area and had a snack. One shining feature of this park is that there are bathrooms with heat and plumbing. The park service also provides firewood for the campgrounds. While it does cost you, it’s great that you don’t have to find logs on your own. 

Spring Valley State Park     Ursine, Nevada

     Located approximately 6,000 ft above sea level lies the quiet Spring Valley State Park. After driving many miles through a mountain pass, the peaks open up to reveal a pristine alpine lake perfect for skating in the winter and fishing in the spring. The park lies on 59 acres of volcanic tuff where wildlife flourishes and the people do not. Not only can you find miles of quiet trails, but this park has one of the best-maintained campgrounds I’ve ever seen. Along the gravel road, you can see old cabins and abandoned farming equipment from long ago. Just outside of the park lies an abandoned mining town rich with history as well as a small lodge offering a bite to eat and a warm place to sleep. The entire time I was at the park I saw one RV. Something tells me this is the most action the park has seen in a while.

Echo Canyon State Park     Pioche, Nevada

     Looking down upon a quiet rural town lies Echo Canyon State Park. Known for fishing and wildlife watching, you’ll find more trout and white-tailed deer than almost anywhere else. The primary trail is a 3.5-mile loop looking down into Ash Canyon, however, outside of the official park boundary lies a series of unmarked trails that zig and zag throughout the countryside. This park boasts two very well-maintained campgrounds which also have handicapped accessibility. Do drive slowly around the park, and when leaving the area. Wildlife abounds and will bound out in front of your vehicle regularly.

As 2018 continues, I will be discovering more amazing parks and trails that I will share with you all. This short trip has inspired me to keep doing the things I love and to share all of my fantastic discoveries.  Viva Las Vegas!