Since returning home from Yosemite, life has been a little chaotic…but in a very good way! Clearly, the trip has had and is continuing to have an immense impact on my life and my little family’s future. Lots of exciting stuff is happening – but I feel like I need to take a tiny step back and give a little order to the chaos.
Looking forward to the second half of 2010 (and likely through the first half of 2011), there are several goals I hope to attain. They are exciting goals…although I can’t say too much about one of them yet 
:
- Take my outdoorsy-ness to a new level by taking a backpacking trip.
- Transition to a more simple, greener lifestyle.
- Invest in my family’s future…
It’s time to create some action plans to get us to where we want to be!
Goal #1: Take a backpacking trip.
One goal that I’ve already written about is to take a backpacking trip. Since this is SO out of my comfort zone, I feel like I REALLY need to prepare – hardcore! Luckily, preparing for this particular challenge actually helps me work towards some other personal goals I have, namely in the areas of personal wellness and fitness.
I quickly realized during our Yosemite Adventure Hike that I am not in the kind of physical condition I want to be in.
Not so fit Laura 
I already knew this to a certain extent, but it really hit home as I felt how difficult the hike was. If I’m going to try my hand at backpacking, I need to be in better physical condition. This brings me to the first item on my action plan:
To get back there, I’m going to once again follow a plan by my fitness guru, David Kirsch. Four years ago after completing grad school and spending my summer job hunting, I followed David’s Sound Mind, Sound Body program. In two short months, I found myself in the best shape I’d ever been in. This time around, I’m taking on David’s Ultimate New York Body Plan.
Skinny Laura (Summer 2006)
David’s workouts are intense – but in a great way! This plan also demands some major dietary changes – many of which I’ve been easing into since earlier this spring.
I start Monday and will be completing two weeks of intense workouts. After the focused two-week program, I’ll update my progress and plan my next steps.
Backpacking challenge: here I come!
