I love the Stewart Falls hike! I went with with my siblings and some cousins last week.  We took some of our friends with us and had a good time.  This hike is up Provo Canyon.  It is up past Sundance Resort and past Aspen Grove. There is a parking lot just past Aspen Grove where you can park and begin the hike.  It takes about 45 minutes from the base of the trail to the falls.  The Stewart Falls hike also provides great scenery and water falls you can get wet in at the end.  This is a great activity for any occasion during the summer time.  Go check it out and enjoy!

I had the opportunity to go on this hike not too long ago.  The Sunset Peak hike is up Big Cottonwood Canyon. From the base of the trail it is about three miles up and three miles back.  You pass by three lakes on your way up to the peak. 

Sunset Peak elevation is about 10,678 feet. You can park at Brighton and hike up from there. I enjoyed this hike thoroughly.  It was peaceful at the top and the view is great.

I recommend this hike to anyone interested in beautiful scenery, a decent hike, and a great view at the top.

Want to lose your last ten pounds?  Madeline Vann from EverydayHealth.com, shares four sure steps to lose those last pounds you are anxious to get rid of.

Step 1: Record what you eat – This helps you keep track of your calories, and keeps yourself aware of the types and quantities of the foods you eat

Step 2: Pick a calorie-counting goal – Be sure to make this goal realistic.  It is unwise to eat less than 1200 calories for a normal active day.  You can cut out 500 calories from normal calorie intake to lose 1 pound per week just by diet.

Step 3: Eat filling, low-calorie foods – Vegetables and fruits are the best choice.  These tasty munchies are full in water volume, phytonutrients (cancer and disease-fighting micronutrients), fiber, life-sustaining vitamins and minerals, not to mention colorful flavors. These will fill you up quick without increasing your calorie intake too much.

• Drinking water before you eat helps fill your stomach as well as making sure you get enough of this vital nutrient
• Make sure you eat your raw fruits or vegetables in the beginning of the meal to fill your stomach
• Try including soups more regularly in your meal plans
• In place of sweets, have your favorite fruit covered with low-calorie yogurt, sprinkled with slices of almond or  your favorite nuts

Step 4: Be active! – Remember, 30 minutes or more of heart-rate-increasing perspiring-promoting activity, on most, preferably all days of the week. For example, jogging burns about 80-100 calories/10minutes/1mile. Find joy in building your lung capacity and physical freedom.

When wanting to know whether it is safe to engage in physical activity when your sick, Jillian Michaels says follow the above/below-the-neck rule.  If your symptoms are above the neck like a runny nose, sneezing or sore throat, then you are safe to engage in low-intensity activity.

If your symptoms are below the neck, like diarrhea, intense coughing, vomiting, or fever, then the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest letting the sickness run its course before engaging in physical activity.

How can I remain physically active during the winter months?

When the cold winter months come, we often find our beloved summer outdoor activities become more difficult to participate in.  But there are many winter activities and resources that can become beloved here in the snow, too. Thankfully, most cities and communities have a recreation center that has gym equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, and weights, as well as a swimming pool and sometimes even indoor tracks, indoor basketball, tennis, racquet ball and other courts. Other indoor activities can also be anything from house cleaning to aerobic videos.

Outdoor winter activities may include ice skating, building snow forts, sledding and shoveling snow. There are also indoor rock climbing gyms like Momentum in Sandy, Utah, that you can use during the winter to add variety to your physical activity.  Just move your body and reap the benefits!  Do activities you enjoy and do it with a friend.

There are a plethora of things one can do and be physically active here in Utah.  Here is a list of some of the many things available here in Utah.

1. Hiking – My favorites: Timpanogas Caves, Stewart Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Zion’s National Park, Goblin Valley, Dead Horse Canyon, ‘Y’ Mountain

2. Mountain Biking – My favorites: Moab’s Gemini Bridges & Slick Rock

3. Backpacking – Uintas, Zions National Park

4. Skiing – Park City, Sundance, Snowbasin, Snowbird, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Little Cottonwood Canyon

6. Rock Climbing – Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zions National Park, Angel’s Landing

You can also use  local parks and trails as resources to be physically active.

Other activities to participate in and enjoy:

1. Frisbee

2. Softball/Baseball

3. Soccer

4. Football/Rugby

5. Tennis

6. Basketball

7. Swimming

8. Volleyball

The list is endless.  

Experienced individuals in losing and keeping weight off repeatedly share that diet alone is not the answer to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.  A balanced, nutritious diet coupled with physical activity prove to be the best prescription for healthy weight loss and weight maintenance and a happy life.

What is considered a balanced, nutritious diet?

• Fruits and vegetables – these colorful, tasty items are jam-packed with essential vitamins, minerals and powerful phytonutrients  your body needs to keep it functioning at top-notch levels.
• Whole grains – grains in their unrefined state have all the original vitamins and nutrients required by your body to function at top levels.  These wholesome munchies also have plenty of bulk (fiber) to get you full quicker and and stay full for longer periods of time.
• Nuts & Legumes – these crunchy goodies are great sources of protein, calcium and magnesium your body needs to rebuild tissue and keep that tissue healthy.
• H2O – we sometimes don’t think of water as a nutrient, but it is.  Our bodies are 75% water, and that water needs to be replenished daily for our bodies to function well.  Water carries essential vitamins and minerals to our cells and waste from our cells.  Without this necessary nutrient, our body’s systems struggle to do their work at the most basic level. Experts recommend 1 oz. of water per lb. of body mass a day.  If you struggle to get that, strive to get at least half that amount of pure water a day.  For example, and individual who weighs 128 lbs. would need 128 oz. of water/day.  128 oz/8 oz (1 cup) = 16 cups = 1 gallon of water.
• Plant oils – (i.e. olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, etc.) these oils are high in poly- and mono-unsaturated fats that are healthy  for your heart and contain omega-3 fatting acids that contribute to optimal brain function. If you are eating your vegetables, fruits, and all other plant derived foods (i.e. nuts, legumes, grains etc.), you will be getting these healthy oils and the benefits, too.  These healthy fats also lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol.

Stretching your muscles is an important part of maintaining overall physical fitness.  Some  benefits associated with stretching your muscles are:

1. Improves flexibility

2. Increases circulation – increased blood flow to muscles helps them heal from the wear and tear of the day

3. Improves joint range of motion

4. Relieves stress

Some studies have shown that flexibility also prevents injury, but because not all studies have the same conclusions, this benefit is somewhat controversial.

Being flexible increase the physical freedom you have to move and be active and enjoy doing it.  It can also prevent car accidents by being able to look over your shoulder far enough to see clearly.  When we are physically active, our muscles are continually contracting and therefore can build up tension over time.  Stretching is a great way to relieve that tension in your body, and bring overall painlessness in movement throughout the day.

Think about a time you left your bicycle outside for a long time.  It became rusty and when you attempted to ride it again after seasons of neglect, it no longer rode as smoothly, and required some attention before it rode smoothly again.  This is the same for our bodies.  When we cease to use and take care of the tissues and joints that help us work out well, they can become rusty, too.  When we cease to be physically active, the benefits that come with being physically active stop.

Ways to motivate yourself to stay active:

1. Make it a routine – Schedule a regular time everyday when you will allow yourself the opportunity to keep your muscles and joints toned and in-shape. Putting physical activity as a task into your daily routine will lessen the  reminder stress of the need to stay fit.

2. Get a Work-out Buddy – Making changes is hard to do alone. Find a friend or a loved one who will support you in your efforts to be physically active.  I have found doing physical activity with another individual strengthens my relationship with him or her. So, improve an existing relationship or gain a friend through physical activity.

3. Review benefits – Remembering the reasons why behind being physically active will strengthen your desire to remain physically active.

4. Revel in improved fitness – Observe the new abilities and physical freedoms obtained through your efforts to be physically active.  Take mental note of these benefits and bask in it.

5. Tell a friend – When we offer our personal experience and testimony to a friend to help them begin on the path of enjoying the benefits of physical activity, it will remind us of how far we’ve come and we will likely remain on course.

There are 3 causes of disease and sickness, they are:

1. Dehydration

2. Malnutrition

3. Stress

One or a combination of these conditions are often found to be the cause behind much of our sickness and disease.  PHYSICAL ACTIVITY along with adequate sleep, and a positive mental attitude can be used to keep the stress component of health in check.

Studies have shown that physical activity can enhance sleep and reduce stress levels.

Being physically active also aids in maintaining or achieving a healthy weight which can improve self-concept.  With a strong self-concept, individuals can feel more secure and more at peace with who they are in the world around them.

I offer this information to you and the recommendation to engage in physical activity because I enjoy the benefits of physical activity myself, when I engage in it.  I can witness from personal experience of these benefits and I invite you to participate in them with me.