Posts

Happy Hikes: Choosing and fitting your backpack

/in /by

Fitting the right backpack for youOne of the keys to a happy hike is having a well-fitting backpack. It’s hard to enjoy breath-taking views and outdoor activity if you feel like you’re hunched over giving a piggyback ride, or at all in pain. A good pack is absolutely essential hiking gear for storing your water, healthy snacks, an extra layer, and among other things. And as the spring and summer season gear up, so should we with all the right gear for our outdoor pursuits.

But the choices for this essential bit of kit can be absolutely overwhelming. How do we choose what size, design and suspension system of pack, and how do we ensure it fits correctly? In beginning this important deciding process, consider what terrain you’ll be visiting, your activity, the volume of what you’ll be carrying, and approximate weight. Here is a guide to help out when selecting your travel partner for the trails.

Sizes of Pack

Different volumes (measured in Litres) of pack are available for different activities and body sizes.

The day pack (15-35 Litres) as the name suggests, is perfect for the small outing or day hike. With little structure or frame if any, your load is supported by shoulder straps. A waist belt helps to keep everything centered. The alpine pack (35-55 Litres) is the perfect size for overnight jaunts, or day trips where you may need a little more equipment. Weight here is beared a little more on the hipbelt. A backpacking pack (55 – 75 Litres) is designed for multi-day trips, these packs have an internal structure to help with support, and do take some of the weight off the shoulders/back and onto the hips. The expedition packs (75 Litres +) are again, as the name suggests, designed for serious expeditions.

Pack Construction

Your backpacks take a lot of abuse on the trail, being thrown down, hoisted up, and possibly even be used as a seat. You need to make sure your pack will stand up to the stress and will last a long while. Check for a durable material, especially in high use areas on the pack; chunky, good quality zippers; and tightly stitched seams that are bar-tacked at stress points.

Suspension

The purpose of pack suspension is to comfortably transfer weight to the hips and is comprised of several aspects of the pack. Shoulder straps should be designed to bear around 30% of your pack weight and should be relatively firm, yet padded. In no way should the shoulder straps pinch or chafe. Your hipbelt stabilizes the whole weight of your pack by keeping it in place, and for larger packs is the main weight-bearing area. Adjusting the suspension system to your body is imperative for a good fit. So how to fit your pack?

How to fit your pack

The first step to fitting your pack is determining your back or torso length. The size of the pack is based, on this, and not the overall size or height of the person. Find your c7 vertebra or the bump at the top of the spine/back of the neck. Tilting your head forward will allow you to find your c7 more easily. This is the top point of your measurement. Next, place your hands on your hips, fingers forward and thumbs back. This is the shelf upon which your pack will rest. Measure between these two points for your torso length, thereby determining your pack size; XS, S, M, L, etc. Keep in mind that each manufacturer’s sizing is different, so you want to use your torso length, not pack size after one measurement.

After determining your size of pack, put a bit of weight in the pack for sizing, maybe 10 – 20 pounds. Putting the straps on, settle the pack on your back, then secure the hipbelt directly over your hip ‘shelf’. The hipbelt pads should be snug enough that they are secure over the hip bones. Next, adjust your shoulder straps so that they are not touching your armpits, and are not pinching your neck. Secure your sternum strap. Last, have a walk around with your pack and adjust anything that feels unbalanced. A well-fitted pack will feel simply like you are a little heavier, like an extension of your own body, rather than something ‘on’ you. Keep in mind, if it doesn’t feel good in the initial stages, it definitely won’t feel good after hours on the trail. If in doubt; feel free to use the help of the knowledgeable staff at your local outdoor store!

How to pack your pack

Where weight is distributed in your pack will be huge for your body’s overall comfort and ability to last on the trail. Heaviest items should be placed closest to the back, with bulkier, lighter items on the bottom, outside, and top of the pack. Having a bottom-heavy pack will make you feel like you’re being dragged down, and a top heavy pack may make you feel like you’re about to topple over. Having those heavier items the closest to you will feel the most natural for your centre of gravity. Distributing weight evenly over the right and left sides will help a lot with your comfort too.

With these tips in mind, we hope you’ve found it helpful and motivating to get out there and hit the trail with your most important piece of equipment. Happy fitting and happy packing!

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Health and Vitality as We Age: How to make the most of your Encore Career Years

/in /by

Health and Vitality as We AgeIn years past, it was not uncommon to retire after a hard, lifelong career, only to kick up your feet, relax, retire perhaps to a warmer climate, and maybe get in a couple of games of weekly golf. Yet these days, with advancements in modern medicine and a swing towards healthier life habits, not only are we living longer, we’re therefore working longer. And although this ‘retire and relax’ practice is still very much par for the course for some, we are seeing a major shift in the trend for retirees: today, boomers are younger and more active, and later in their professional life are willing and wanting to take careers that matter more to them instead of making them the big bucks or raising them higher up the corporate totem pole.

This shift in society’s working demographic has been coined as the ‘Encore Career’

While a definition is still under debate, it is typically being called ‘a substitute for retirement’, aiming to grant the individual with some form of personal satisfaction, usually through meaningful work in the not-for-profit sector, education, etc. Combining social impact, personal satisfaction, and fulfillment, along with a continued income, is a path many are finding appealing. Studies done in 2011 showed significant trends towards said Encore Careers: surveying Americans ages 44 – 70 revealed that as many as 9 million people would currently qualify themselves as being in their encore career, while another 31 million admitted to wanting an encore career, and were making moves towards it. We are seeing more and more high profile, successful, corporate professionals doing just this; Bill Gates’ switch from Microsoft to working full time for his foundation being one example of many. It appears as though finding your second act in more fun, meaningful work is becoming the norm increasingly so.

We are working longer, and changing lanes into more meaningful work.

This switch in life purpose and fun work means that now more than ever, we want to live longer, to be able to enjoy these fulfilling activities and pursuits. Living longer, means living healthier, and we are seeing huge interest into how to be healthy and full of life, well into retirement and beyond. As we age, our bodily systems slow, cell regeneration slows, our metabolism slows, and so it is important more so than ever to focus on our health. So whether your future holds retirement in the form of an encore career or relaxation, or if you are in the midst of switching over to that encore career now, or maybe you are in the midst of your well-earned retirement, here are some tips that we’ve found here at Mountain Trek about how to live long, and live well:

Quality Sleep

Sleep helps the body and mind to rest and regenerate, and is absolutely imperative to our health, nevermind that feeling rested helps tremendously in our quality of everyday life! Getting enough sleep reduces the chances of disease and aids in our productivity. Deep sleep is specifically needed in order for the body to release the human growth hormone (HGH), known as one of the anti-aging hormones. Benefits of this hormone include increasing lean muscle mass, balancing weight, and feeling good. (Exercise also helps with HGH release, as taught in our Program).

Nutrition

Eating a balanced diet is imperative to your health, and following the recommended Mountain Trek Program’s food schedule is ideal: eat ⅔ of your calories in the first 9 hours of your day, aim for a breakfast of ⅓ complex carbs, ⅓ vegetables, and fruits, and ⅓ protein, and have lunch and dinner at a ratio of ⅓ protein: ⅔ vegetables (for a continued weight loss formula). Ideally, eat within 30 minutes of rising, and be sure not to skip a meal, otherwise, your metabolism slows way down, and your body goes into calorie-conservation mode.

Hydration

Drinking enough water, 8 – 10 glasses/day, flushes the body, unwanted fat cells, and kidneys, aiding in detoxing thereby allowing our bodies to function more effectively. And as far as hydration goes – there is no substitute for good ol’ clean water! But if you really feel like you need a little something different, try a mug of comforting herbal tea, or a wedge of organic lemon or lime in your next glass of water.

Exercise

Cardio, strength training, flexibility – it’s all so important to our overall health – now, and certainly, as we age. Cardio will keep your heart healthy and aid with weight loss among other benefits, strength training aids in preventing bone loss as you age, boosting metabolism, and of course, staying strong. And stretching exercise, like yoga or Pilates, will keep you flexible and less prone to injury. As a bonus, exercise also releases some fabulous feel-good endorphins, allowing you to feel full of vitality.

Detox

Detoxifying regularly is necessary to maximize our body’s efficiency. Sweating (through exercise and sauna), drinking plenty of water, eating organic where possible, minimizing exposure to environmental toxins and harsh chemicals are all ways to rid our body of these unwanted, and potentially harmful, toxins.

De-stress

When we are stressed, the body releases the stress hormone, cortisol, into the body, which in turn upsets our entire hormonal balance, on which so many bodily functions depend. Engaging in de-stressing activities, such as time in nature, massage, meditation, even just taking a couple of deep breaths while stopped at a traffic light or in line at the grocery store, can all help our overall well-being.

Disease Prevention

Many of the above tips will help with disease prevention. Ensuring we are rid of unwanted bodily toxins, eating healthful foods, engaging in regular exercise, and sounds sleep are some of the best preventative measures out there.

Learn

Keeping the brain sharp may be one of the most important things we can do as we age, and learning is one of the best ways. Introducing new information to ourselves, assimilating it, and then using it, is some of the mind’s best exercises, for example, learning a new language or how to play a musical instrument. An encore career is a perfect way to engage in continued learning, social engagement, and interaction, and overall feelings of fulfillment – all absolutely vital for our health!

Make the most of the many years after your career, by staying fit and healthy with the tips above. Please note that all these tips are some of the key points of the Mountain Trek Program and are only summarized above – for full information, and full benefits, please feel free to come see us for a visit and enjoy the points outlined above, including learning through our educational health lectures! You deserve to enjoy a long, healthy life, and an unbelievably fulfilling, and fun, Encore Career.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Feeling Vitamin D-ficient? How to top up on the Sunshine Vitamin this Winter

/in /by

a woman dressed warmly in front of a winter sceneIn the middle of winter, are you feeling a little low on energy? Could be that you’ve come to your ‘D-day’, a time in the year when your Vitamin D is at an all-time low. But the good news is, this is easy to top up with a high-quality multi-vitamin and some delicious nutrient-rich foods!

Vitamin D, necessary for healthy bone density, calcium absorption, and even depression prevention, is provided naturally to us in two main ways: by the sun’s UV rays, and through our diet. Yet, in these winter months when the sun is low in the sky and usually cloud-covered, most of us aren’t getting enough of the sunshine vitamin. By the time spring rolls around, many of us are Vitamin D deficient. To help us stay topped up on this important player in the body’s functioning health, we’ve taken a look at what foods we can incorporate into our diet to get this necessary nutrient. But first, why exactly is Vitamin D so essential?

Related Article: Mother Nature is the Pill for Health

Why is Vitamin D so important?

Often correctly associated with bone health, Vitamin D does a lot more for our overall health and body function than it’s usually given credit for. In addition to being absolutely necessary for bone growth and repair, Vitamin D also aids calcium absorption in the gut, is responsible for the modulation of cell growth, neuromuscular and immune system function, and reduction of inflammation. No question that this Vitamin’s role is crucial to our body’s functioning health!

Where can I get my Vitamin D?

When UV rays from sunlight touch the skin, this triggers Vitamin D synthesis. But when sun exposure is at a minimum during the winter months, we can turn to diet to help with our vitamin D intake. Unfortunately, very few foods are high in Vitamin D naturally, and so it is not possible to get all the Vitamin D you need from diet alone. In conjunction with a high quality multi-vitamin and UV exposure (in moderate amounts, where possible), here are some of the best food sources of Vitamin D:

Fatty fish

So very nutritious for you for so many reasons; fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, and even seafood such as oysters, contain some of the highest concentrations of Vitamin D in food.

Eggs

Not only high in protein and so many other nutrients (Vitamin B12), the sunshine yellow of egg yolks do contain a hearty helping of Vitamin D.

Beef liver

Not everyone’s favorite, but when mom said ‘eat up!’ to those liver and onions, she knew what she was talking about as far as Vitamin D’s concerned.

Mushrooms

Certain varieties of mushrooms, like white-button, can provide Vitamin D among other nutrients (Vitamin B5) when lightly cooked.

Many foods are fortified with Vitamin D for the simple reason that we don’t get enough in our diet, or in general. Almost all milk (and baby formula) in the U.S. and Canada is fortified with Vitamin D. Please note that dairy products (cheese, yogurt, etc.) are not usually fortified with Vitamin D like milk. Some orange juices, soy products, and cereals are often fortified with many supplements such as Vitamin D, but please use caution and check labels, as many of these products can contain refined sugars, hydrogenated oils, and other undesirables.

Although there is no substitute for sunshine, we can always help ourselves with high-quality supplements, and delicious, nutritious food! We wish you a wonderful, healthy rest of winter. And when the sun does come out on those beautiful frosty days, don’t forget to go enjoy yourself outdoors for that dose of Vitamin D!

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

The Biggest Loser Fiasco: Tips for Healthy Weight Loss

/in /by


Recently, the hit reality TV show “The Biggest Loser” had their biggest loser ever: winner Rachel Frederickson lost an astonishing 60% of her total body mass, a total of 155 pounds in just over 3 months. Controversy is flying high in the media around the health and fitness industry, asking the question: Just what is healthy weight loss?

In this special Mountain Trek two-part blog, we will first cover what constitutes healthy weight loss, the potential health risks of unhealthy or too-fast weight loss, and the role of metabolism in all this: how our metabolism works, and how giving it a boost will help us lose weight more efficiently.

Copyright NBC

Over a short period of time, like one or two weeks at Mountain Trek, a metabolic ‘kick start’, through calorie control and extensive exercise can be a very effective way to reboot the body’s metabolism, our fitness, and, very importantly, our own psychology and mind set towards our own weight loss. During a short time frame metabolic ‘kick-start’ like this, losing weight quickly (0.5 – 2 pounds/day) is safe, effective, and encouraging. But limited calories and extensive exercise over a longer time frame can do more harm than good. When you eat severely reduced calories, your body compensates by slowing down your metabolism, allowing it to save calories for energy your body will need to handle its basic functions. Achieving healthy weight loss doesn’t mean only considering the obvious strategy of decreased calories and increased exercise, but considering a more holistic approach that includes stress reduction, detoxification and sleep improvements. This all-encompassing lifestyle approach allows us to balance our hormones, thereby raising our metabolism, and voila, we’ve got healthy weight loss. And after a 2 week intensive metabolism kick-start, all these same components would continue to be the focus for a continued, sustainable, and slower weight loss.

According to the U.S. Department of Health, dieters should aim to lose approximately 0.5 – 2 pounds/week after the first 2 weeks of their regime, for sustainable, healthy weight loss. Rapid weight loss can result in numerous health risks, including: loss of bone mass, increase in bone marrow fat, which can in turn lead to increased risk of bone fractures, heart attacks or high blood pressure, gall bladder stones, kidney failure, thyroid problems, excess estrogen, osteoporosis, and the list goes on.

Our philosophy is to promote wellbeing and fitness through healthy habits and lifestyle choices geared towards long term success – and with this comes numerous benefits (increased energy, better sleep, better body functions, etc.) including weight loss!

So here’s to a fit, healthy you! Until next week, when we look at metabolism, and its role in our weight and health.

3 Ways To Show Yourself Some Love This Valentine’s Day

/in /by

Show yourself some love this valentine's day

Romantic candlelit dinners with that special someone, heart shape boxes of chocolates from a secret admirer, mailing red and pink envelopes to loved ones…seems to us that Valentine’s Day is all about showing others we care, but what about ourselves?

We thought it high time that in addition to all the romantic gestures we will do for others this February 14th, that we do some truly loving gestures for ourselves, too!

Here are 3 ways to show yourself some love this Valentine’s Day:

1. Get yourself some flowers

Don’t wait for him or her to do it, when was the last time you bought yourself flowers? Research shows, that beyond the numerous health benefits of being in nature, bringing a little nature into the home has many of the same effects. A study by Kansas State University compared patients in the recovery wing of a hospital; those who had plants or flowers in their rooms, and those who did not. Patients in rooms with plants requested less pain medication, showed lower blood pressure and heart rate, experienced less anxiety, and were released from the hospital sooner. And, since most of us are in the middle of winter, that added vitality and pop of color inside may be just the ticket.

Buy yourself flowers

Related Article: 14 Ways To Pamper Yourself This Valentine’s Day

2. Spa treatment

At the day spa or in your own home and bathrobe, give yourself the deluxe treatment. Engage in a full-body dry-brushing. Draw a bath, and using your favorite relaxing essential oils (i.e. lavender, chamomile, rose), have a de-stress soak. Use pure oils to moisturize afterward, leaving yourself dewy and baby soft. Include a detox sauna, if you have access to one. Get or give yourself a facial / face massage. Get a full body massage or give yourself a hand and foot massage (elbows can be helpful here), spending some real-time on every part of your hardworking hand/foot. Besides offering release and relaxation, many spa treatments have numerous health benefits, including improving circulation, immune system function, and sleep quality, stimulating the lymphatic system, reducing depression and anxiety, and the benefits go on.

Enjoy a spa treatment

3. Do something you enjoy

This may seem like a simple one, but really, in the everyday scheme of things, when do we make the time for ourselves to do one of those things we really love that truly recharges our batteries? Schedule an appointment with yourself, and keep it like a real appointment, no interruptions (after all, your time is valuable), and have guilt-free you-time. A time for you to pick up that novel you’ve been dying to sink your teeth into, try that new yoga studio you’ve been meaning to get to, refurbish that beautiful old chair you bought last year, write poetry. Whatever it is you truly enjoy and will leave you feeling relaxed, and fulfilled.

Do something you enjoy

With this inspiration, we hope that you feel the love from everyone around you, including yourself – maybe not just today, but year-round! Happy Valentine’s day, from all of us at Mountain Trek!

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Not Another Passing Fad: Health and Fitness Trends for 2014

/in /by

Top Trends for Fitness in 2014Trends, unlike fads, are cultural flows or tendencies. Fads pass and often with nothing more than surface style or quick money in mind.

Think of pop star Miley Cyrus and twerking, a dance she recently popularized in which an individual dances in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements while in a low squatting stance. Sure twerking raises the heart rate, burns calories, works certain muscle groups, and adds fun to fitness, but it will never become more than a passing fad. Like the Charleston dance of the 1920s, lava lamps in the 70s, Rap-Rock music of the 90s, or Segway scooters in the early 2000s, Miley’s dance will soon be relegated to pop culture’s, dusty half-price bin.

Mountain Trek pays no attention to passing fads. Instead we invest our time and energy into researching which new or revived trend is synonymous with the healthiest, happiest, most inspiring lifestyle possible.

Go ahead and twerk all you want, but the following is a list of what we’ve found to be the biggest trends in health and fitness for 2014.

Metabolism Boosting Exercises: Renowned personal trainer Jillian Michaels, predicts that high intensity interval training (HIIT), a trend popular in 2013 will continue on throughout 2014. “Current research suggests that HIIT is the best way to achieve training improvements and body change results,” she says. “Programs that challenge the body to incur a higher calorie burn during and post-workout (after burn) by using a variety of total body training methodologies will prove to be winners when it comes to game changing workouts.”

Corrective Exercises: How many of us suffer from chronic low-back pain, arthritis, neck or shoulder issues? The growing number of people who experience aches and pains on a regular basis has inspired a movement in the world of personal trainers to help their clients by using corrective exercise techniques for pain management and postural issues.

In many cases, the pain you’re experiencing now is often the result of a series of small events that, when looked at as a whole, leads to the real reason you’re experiencing pain. Muscle imbalance and movement issues are often the root cause of chronic pain.
The idea behind corrective exercise is to use simple exercises that address any muscle imbalances and misalignments and relieve the stress in your body.

Corrective exercise is based on the simple fact that each muscle is connected to another. By reintroducing proper structure in the body, structure can improve and you can move freely and with less pain as time goes by.

Digital Wellness: Most of us are shackled in one way or another to our digital gadgetry, whether it’s cell phones, laptop computers, or tablets. And even though there is a growing trend toward people living tech-free lives (or at least dedicating one day a week to this lofty goal), there is an even bigger trend toward digital tech wellness. From fitness tracker apps that monitor everything from caloric intake to heart rate and running distance, to online fitness classes, the mobile health movement is here to stay.

Brainpower Boosters: Another trend that was big in 2013–exercise that incorporates cognition-building challenges and specific movement patterns to improve brain function–will also fuel 2014’s fitness devotees.

We’ll see more experiential fitness classes that involve an elevated approach to the mind-body-brain connection. A yoga-flow-play class, that offers a music sampling experience and explores how certain vibrations and sounds impact yoga flow and poses, is one example.

Brain-boosting exercise may sound complex, but it can be as simple as working on your balance or coordination

Good Old-Fashioned Hot Springs: Soaking in a natural hot spring is something that humans have been experiencing for thousands of years. It is in fact our original spa encounter.

With today’s rising costs of living, an inexpensive, social and therapeutically beneficial soak in a thermal spring is hotter than ever. And the best part is, you can find a natural hot springs all over the world.

Nutritious Food: Will good, nutritious food ever not be a trend? We don’t think so, and neither does Sandy Todd Webster, editor in chief for the IDEA Health and Fitness Association. She says, “Empowering people to break the chain of crazy fad/yo-yo dieting by educating them to eat sensibly is an immeasurable benefit. If you can teach a person how to eat well and stop putting unnecessary additives and chemicals into the body, their system will breathe a sigh of relief and start metabolizing the way it’s meant to. It will finally recognize the ‘information’ they’re putting in rather than getting inflamed and fighting unrecognizable processed substances.”

Wellness Spas and Retreats: With the recession now in our rear-view mirror, many people are beginning to travel and spend again. Destination spas and health retreats, like Mountain Trek’s Nelson, British Columbia and Baja Mexico (Rancho La Puerta) locations specialize in what increasing numbers of people are seeking out in 2014– personalized, transformative and immersive wellness programs.

Healthy Gift Guide: 6 Gift Ideas to Support a Healthy Lifestyle

/in /by

a mug mittens thermos and gift box in the snowIt can sometimes be a challenge to get that special someone just the right gift, never mind a gift that promotes well being! We’ve thrown together a few gift ideas that are easy to incorporate into your healthy lifestyle. These are sure to inspire your loved ones to embrace wellness too.

Gift Ideas For a Healthy Lifestyle

Re-useable Containers

What could have previously been thought of as an unexciting present, is now the catalyst to healthy snacking and meals throughout the day! A Tupperware set will provide lots of little pots, perfect for your cut up veggies, nuts, and dips. We recommend ‘Her Lunch Set’  by  Tupperware. A thermos is also a great idea to bring a low calorie, highly nutritious and warming meal on the go.

Nordic Trekking poles

Nothing says “join me on a hike” like a set of trekking poles. With that added support while hiking, and added calories burned from their use, these are a great gift for any hiker; from seasoned to novice. We recommend poles with shock absorbing springs.

Fitness balls, mats, and bands

Get into the fitness groove with the help of some simple, inexpensive, yet super effective exercise equipment!

Aromatherapy and healing salts

What better way to wind down from the day than a bath with oh-so relaxing lavender oil and Himalayan healing salts? Engaging in these relaxing rituals can help put us in a frame of mind that takes us away from stressors, and ready for a restful night’s sleep. You could even get your giftee an essential oil diffuser, allowing the aroma to better fill their space.

Spa Voucher

Who wouldn’t love a trip to the local spa for a relaxation massage or detoxifying infrared sauna?

Wellness retreat

You could of course go all out, and get that special and deserving someone the gift of a rejuvenating retreat at Mountain Trek! What better gift than getting to feel your absolute best!

Supporting each other on this journey towards vitality and continued wellness is so much easier, and so much more fun when we can be engaged together. Give the gift of facilitating health and wellness this holiday season!

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Embracing an Attitude of Gratitude

/in /by

thank you written in tiles on a wooden table with a hand holding a heart tile

A steaming hot mug of peppermint tea. Sharing a good laugh with your best friend on the phone. Going for a hike on a crisp, clear, fall day. Thanksgiving; a time to reflect on all we have to be thankful for! But is putting gratitude on the calendar one day a year enough to embrace this attitude?

In a recent study, two groups of people were asked to journal 5 things each day over a two week period: group one, 5 things for which they were grateful, and group two, 5 things that were a hassle. The benefits for those who jotted down their daily appreciation were clear. These grateful people showed more alertness, optimism, enthusiasm, energy, and determination. They showed lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, lower blood pressure, and reported less depression, better sleep, and a higher likelihood of achieving personal goals. Not to mention the positive impact on the way they think and feel! In essence: expressing gratitude regularly contributes to overall happiness in a big way.

Seems like recognizing our blessings is a worthwhile activity! But how can we go about feeling and showing our thanks? Here are some simple ideas to get your attitude of gratitude flowing.

How to Make Space for Gratitude

Gratitude Journal

Just like Oprah suggested way back when, get yourself a journal, and as a great addition to your morning or evening ritual, jot down 5 (or more!) things for which you are grateful. This gratitude can be for ANYTHING, big or small! Your loving partner, the particularly delicious apple you ate earlier, existence, the kind smile from the old lady in the line up at the grocery store, anything. If you’re short on time, this needn’t be a hassle – keep a small notebook with you, and in those in between moments when you’re waiting for your dentist appointment or your daughter’s Judo lesson to wrap up, make that time count by writing some notes of thanks.

Gratitude Rock

A gratitude rock is a small keepsake or memento, and the idea is that when you touch it or see it, you take a moment to feel gratitude and say thanks. You can keep it in your pocket, your purse, in the console of your car, the table in your entranceway where you drop your keys when you walk in the door, anywhere that works. And of course, this doesn’t need to be an actual rock! It can be a small figurine, your key chain, anything that works for you to initiate those thankful thoughts.

Consistently acknowledging and appreciating the people who make a difference in our lives

Sometimes we feel gratitude towards someone for doing a special something for us, or just for being who they are. Instead of keeping this feeling within, why not take a moment to express this gratitude, and let them know we appreciate their presence? As William Arthur Ward said, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” This can be in the form of a phone call, a quick email or text, or even taking the time to write a thank you note or card. And by the way, acknowledging the people who make a positive impact in our lives includes appreciating yourself!

It seems as though we could all benefit from counting our blessings and adopting an attitude of gratitude! So, as we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, what are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving from Mountain Trek!

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Mountain Trek on xoJane.com

/in /by
Photo credit: Margarita xoJane.com

Photo credit: Margarita xoJane.com

Mountain Trek was recently featured on xoJane.com – a sassy New York based online publication written for women by women.

Writer and Mountain Trek guest Margarita, shares her personal experience of leaving NYC for the mountain ranges of British Columbia.

“There was an introductory lecture, which included words like “tonic,,” “fat flush” “hydro therapy,” and, everybody’s favorite, “toxins.” We concluded the evening with some goat’s whey and a probiotic. I set off for my room, wondering what I got myself into.”

To read the full article:  IT HAPPENED TO ME: I WENT ON A SMOKE-FREE, CAFFEINE-FREE, SUGAR-FREE “WELLNESS” RETREAT DESPITE BEING FULL OF TOXINS click here.