January 24, 2023

Coach Cathy’s trek in Nepal!

Many of you know that I tackled the Khumbu Valley Trail in Nepal in December. What you may not know is that I am NOT a hiker. That said, I tend to trek only big stuff. Wait, what? I know that does not make sense. It started years ago when I lived in Colorado. With some friends, I conquered Longs Peak, a fourteener in the Rocky Mountains, without much preparation. I triumphed all the same. 

I renewed my lack of hiking preparation in the fall of 2021 when I set out for a two-week adventure of a lifetime. I was officially in my fifties and felt there was no time like the present to push my boundaries and step outside of my comfort zone. You know, physical exertion, mental mind-bending, temperature changes, in-your-face nature, potentially dangerous and suspicious food, and anything that makes you wonder later why you agreed to be that uncomfortable in every way. 

I was hesitant, to say the least because I was about to hike 26 miles to get to Machu Picchu in Peru. When I say I do not hike, I do not step outside my door on weekends with my hiking boots laced up to huff and puff to the top of anything. I live at sea level in a beautiful place with many easily accessible hiking spots, but I don’t hike. No excuses. I sort of like hiking. I mean, I like the idea of hiking. I do not go out of my way to make it happen or prepare in any way for it.

What do you do when you are about to push your limits? You lean on a friend, right? Surround yourself with support and inspiration, which is one of the things I love about Hybrid Fitness. For this experience, one of my grade school besties, Tammy, was joining me. Tam is the epitome of a spirited go-getter. Just what I needed! After 45 years, Tam knows me inside and out and has my back. However, she hikes. Like real hiking. Like all-the-mountains-in-New-England-every-weekend hiking. Compared to my apprehension, she was beyond ecstatic about this adventure. 

I love to travel and have been all over the world. As I get older, I am less willing to suffer for the experience. I envisioned myself trudging along, far behind Tam. That is if I wasn’t sitting on rocks or the wet ground, gasping for breath and sobbing periodically. I pictured arriving at our camp as a sweaty, hungry, dehydrated mess. And in the morning, being so sore, I’d have to stay on the mountain forever to live in harmony with the local alpacas.

I am a Hybrid Fitness Coach. Coach is the keyword. I help others get the exercise they need, but there are more times than I care to admit when I don’t get the workouts I need. I haven’t been as consistent with my exercise schedule as I want. My nutrition is inadequate because I tend to have too many irons in the fire, and I skip meals. In my mind, this behavioral trend is a recipe for disaster. Not knowing what I had signed up for with this moderate-level Sacred Valley Peruvian quest, I questioned whether I was fit enough to check this off the bucket list. Summiting the top of Longs Peak was almost 25 years ago when my aches and pains were less, and my muscles were a hell of a lot more primed.

I had not been backcountry tent camping since b.k. (before kids). I was worried about my back after lying on the ground all night. I imagined tripping on the rock-strewn jaunt to the makeshift potty in the middle of the night in the blackest darkness. The temperature was a concern because I could only carry so much in my pack. Freezing after sweating from the exertion in the cold weather had me thinking there could be a possibility of never being warm again. I had no idea what the food and drink would be like, including coca leaf tea, sacred to the Incas, which has enough caffeine to shame Coach Brandon and Coach Ben. I purposely did not ponder the chances for any up close and personal conversations with unexpected critters as we intruded into their habitat.  

Despite all of these thoughts running through my head, I survived. I did gasp for breath but took more photos than anyone else because I stopped to take in my surroundings. I was slow but steady and arrived at camp whole and happy each evening, except when the toe of my shoe caught the step and sent me tumbling down stone steps. I don’t think I’ve seen that color purple in bruises before. Smiling and laughing took the place of sobbing, and my gear kept me dry in the downpours and shaded my fair skin from the sun. I applaud the thin sleeping pad that did save my back from complete agony. My muscles were sore but in a why-don’t-I-hike-more kind of way. The food was pleasingly on the edge of gourmet. The now welcomed coca leaf tea kept me warm since I didn’t bring enough layers. On a trip to the privy one evening, I made a deal with a tarantula that we would stay on our respective sides of the stall. Coach Brandon would have loved that. Overall, everything went well, but that didn’t mean it was easy. It was hard and NOT a vacation. It was what the brochure stated, an adventure trek. However, after much toil, Machu Picchu is a wonder to behold with its terraces and carefully constructed stone structures dating from the 1400s. Completely magnificent.

After Peru, I thought I would be able to cross hike-something-big off my bucket list, but then my guide friend from college, Chris, offered to take me on a trek in Nepal this past December. He and his wife operate an adventure tour company (Far Xplorer) and spend much of the year in Nepal. Our trek would be the Khumbu Valley Trail towards Everest’s base camp. Not Everest itself. I am not altogether crazy. He said our walk would be mellow, with time to pause for tea, check out the local villages, and photograph the beautiful views. That sounded lovely. He was correct about the fascinating local culture and the stunning views, but the “walk,” as he called it, was a bit more challenging. I had flashbacks of Peru. 

I thought that I would be more prepared after my time in Peru. I was partly correct. I was excited to hear that we would stay in lodges and not sleep on the ground. I imagined hot showers and comfortable, warm beds after each day of hiking. However, the accommodations were not heated and some did not have hot water. Brrrr! We had a few hours of sunny weather and blue sky each day, but after that, it was cold. Cold like see-your-breath, -4 degrees cold. Because of this, we didn’t hike as far as the Everest base camp. The lodges decided to close because of the cold weather (frozen pipes and all that). We heard it was -17 degrees at base camp, and some folks were taking helicopters. 

My 56 mile adventure was incredible despite getting a terrible cold and expending thousands of calories trying to keep warm. The locals were friendly and willing to help as much as possible for us to feel welcome. The meals, mostly ramen vegetable soups, were delicious, and the lemon honey tea aided with my cold. Both helped keep me warm. 

There were no tarantulas on this trip, but I took photos of rabbits, goats, cows, mules, sheep, birds, dogs, and cats, and the yaks were gorgeous. I also snapped footage of stupas, crazy Kathmandu traffic, an outside crematorium, prayer wheels, and the breathtaking scenery, including Everest. I can’t believe the grandeur of the Himalayas. 

Similar to our fitness journeys, there are always many obstacles when traveling that can lead to surprising comprehension. Due to an issue with my visa for India, I had to stay in Paris for a day. I had a glorious time visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and savoring a few French pastries. True heaven! Then on the way home from Nepal, I was sidetracked in India for a couple of days. I understand why the Taj Mahal is one of the world’s seven wonders. It’s romantically extraordinary in size, art, and architecture. It was an enjoyable way to end an arduous journey. 

I share my hiking stories because I think it’s crucial to fold opportunities for exercise (mental and physical) into the pockets of the soul through experiences that entice human growth in character. Someone I greatly admire, Coach Beth of Beth Feraco Fitness says, “We can do hard things.” There were moments on all three of my hefty treks when I questioned whether I could take another step, stop shivering, drink enough water, eat new food, etc. Even though I did not prepare physically in any way for these adventures other than my haphazard exercise routine, I was fit enough to make it happen. I have memories of incredible places where I learned a lot along the way, not only about the places I visited but also about myself. I learned about things that I need to do better (more fresh air & a steadfast commitment to an exercise regime), things that I need to let go of (tasks that don’t matter in the big picture), and things I need to cherish more in my everyday life (family, friends, experiences). 

I am moving forward with yet another deep appreciation for different people and places. However, I can say with conviction that I am crossing hike-something-big off my bucket list. Done, done, and done because I am NOT a hiker! 

Cathy Caveney

Cathy grew up in NH surrounded by a large, loving family, where she learned generosity and hard work. She now models that for her two children. She was inspired to become a fitness coach when searching for ways to become more healthy herself after a life-threatening illness.

hybridfitnessgym.com

November 22, 2022

I Don’t Hike by Coach Cathy

Last fall, I set out for a two-week adventure of a lifetime! I was officially in my fifties and felt there was no time like the present to push my boundaries and step outside of my comfort zone. You know, physical exertion, mental mind-bending, temperature changes, in-your-face nature, potentially suspicious food, and anything that makes you wonder later why you agreed to be that uncomfortable in every way.

After months of planning, prepping, and purchasing the needed gear, I was hesitant, to say the least, because I was about to hike 26 miles to get to Machu Picchu in Peru. You see, I don’t hike. Ever. I live at sea level in a beautiful place with many easily accessible hiking spots, but I don’t hike. No excuses. I sort of like hiking. I mean, I like the idea of hiking. I don’t ever make it happen.

What do you do when you are about to push your limits? You lean on a friend, right? Surround yourself with support and inspiration, which is one of the things I love about Hybrid Fitness. In my case, one of my grade school besties, Tammy, was going with me. Tam is the epitome of a spirited go-getter. Just what I needed! After 45 years, Tam knows me inside and out and has my back. However, she hikes. Like really hikes. Like all-the-mountains-in-New-England-every-weekend hikes. She was beyond ecstatic about this adventure.

I love to travel and have been all over the world. As I get older, I am less willing to suffer for the experience. I envisioned myself trudging along, far behind my friend if I wasn’t sitting on rocks or the wet ground, gasping for breath and sobbing periodically. Later wringing the sweat out of my clothes when we finally reached our nightly campsite only to find in the morning that my muscles would be so sore I’d have to forever live on the mountain in Peru with the alpacas for company.

I am a Hybrid Fitness Coach. Coach is the keyword. I help others get the exercise they need. In the past, I wasn’t as consistent with my exercise schedule. My nutrition was inadequate, at best. I tended to overschedule myself and skip meals. Once I realized what I had signed up for with this moderate-level Sacred Valley quest, I questioned whether I was fit enough to check this off the bucket list.

I have not been backcountry tent camping since b.k. (before kids). I was worried about my back after lying on the ground all night. I imagined tripping on the rock-strewn jaunt to the makeshift bathroom in the middle of the night in the blackest of black darkness. The temperature was a concern because I could only carry so much in my pack. Freezing after sweating in the cold weather from the exertion had me thinking there could be a possibility of never being warm again. I had no concept of what the food and drink would be like, including coca leaf tea, sacred to the Incas, which has enough caffeine to ignite my heart into a full gallop giving a whole new meaning to Elvis’s Burning Love. I was purposely not pondering the chances for any up close and personal conversations with unexpected critters as we intruded into their living spaces.

Despite all of these thoughts running through my head, I did gasp for breath but took more photos than anyone else because I stopped to take in my surroundings. I was slow but steady and arrived at camp whole and happy each evening, except when the toe of my shoe caught the step and sent me tumbling down stone steps. I don’t think I’ve seen that color purple in a bruise before. Sobbing was non-existent, smiling and laughing taking its place. My gear kept me dry in the downpours and shaded my fair skin from the sun. The thin sleeping pad did save my back from complete agony. My muscles were sore but in a why-don’t-I-hike-more kind of way. The food was pleasingly on the edge of gourmet with the now welcomed coca leaf tea because I didn’t bring enough layers for the evenings and needed the warmth. On a trip to the privy one evening, I made a deal with a tarantula to stay on our respective sides of the stall. Coach Brandon would have loved that. Overall, everything went well, but that didn’t mean it was easy. It was hard. Definitely not a vacation. It was what the brochure stated, an adventure hike.

As Coach Beth of Beth Feraco Fitness says, we can do hard things. We certainly can because I have signed up to hike in Nepal for two weeks in December. No, not Everest. I am not that crazy. As you probably know by now, I hate being cold, but I will be able to see Everest from my hike. I am going with a friend from college who runs adventure tours (Far Xplorer) in Nepal. Far Xplorer supports organizations that install clean drinking water in villages. Incredibly cool all the way around.

To prepare for this adventure, I have scheduled myself more time to be consistent in my workouts and not skip meals by doing some food prep. Sure, I’ve gained a few pounds with the increase in calories but, I feel better, heartier, stronger, and more prepared this time.

Wish me luck and stay tuned.

Cathy Caveney

Cathy grew up in NH surrounded by a large, loving family, where she learned generosity and hard work. She now models that for her two children. She was inspired to become a fitness coach when searching for ways to become more healthy herself after a life-threatening illness.

hybridfitnessgym.com

April 2, 2021

Ideas for Relaxation to Use Anywhere

Incorporating ideas for relaxation in your busy life is simple.

How many times have you heard someone say that they just want to chill out and relax?  Why do we crave relaxation? Because, when we are relaxed we feel calm, well, mentally settled, and comfortable. Keep reading to find out how you can be relaxed in your daily life. 

The Benefits of Relaxation

The benefits of relaxation go above and beyond just being comfortable. Moments of relaxation in our fast-paced world actually make us healthier humans. 

Just to name a few, relaxation has physical and mental benefits for your whole being by: 

• Lowering blood pressure & heart rate
• Decreasing anxiety
• Aiding digestion
• Brightening your mood
• Reducing aches and pains
• Improving concentration
• Enhancing sleep
• Reducing negative feelings (anger, frustration)

Let’s move on to find out how to apply ideas for relaxation to your life to get these benefits.

Exercise!

As a matter of fact, you do not have to become an athlete to reap the relaxation benefits of exercise. To begin with, simply moving your body in some way every day will get you in the groove of relaxation. Exercise can be low- or high-impact depending on what creates that feeling of relaxation for you.

Examples of aerobic and anaerobic exercise to reach a state of relaxation are: 

• Walking – Preferably outside, but even around your house or up and down stairs works
• Biking – Preferably outside, but a stationary bike gets the job done, too
• Dancing – In your living room, while washing dishes, anywhere, just shake it!
• Yoga – All you need is a mat and an app with follow along guidance
• Tai chi – Google ‘tai chi for beginners’ and choose a video to follow
• Qigong – Google to find a video that calls to you
• Pilates – Start with a mat class or join a Pilates studio to use equipment
• Stretching – Check out theflexibilityguru.com, Hilery Hutchinson and her 10-minute stretching book

If attending a class in person is not your thing right now, have no fear. The web is exploding with fitness classes to fit anyone’s preference. 

You can choose a previously recorded program to practice whenever you choose, or a live practice where you interact with instructors and participants in real time. Furthermore, being part of a community online or in person will encourage you to stay consistent in keeping this idea of relaxation in your daily life. 

Tense and Release

Another technique to activate your muscles is progressive muscle relaxation. It’s a practice involving tensing muscle groups, and then releasing the tension by relaxing the muscles. 

Here is how you can use the tense and release technique:

• Start from your toes, move to your calves, then your thighs, working your way up to your head. Don’t forget your face!
• By focusing on each muscle group individually, it is easier for you to target areas that may be more tense or sore than others. 
• Tense for 5 seconds 
• Relax for 30 seconds
• Repeat

While this idea for relaxation is easy, in order for any relaxation technique to work fully you must be MINDFUL. 

What does being mindful have to do with relaxation?

Being mindful is a mental state of being consciously aware of what is happening in the present moment. 

Mindfulness is created by focusing on, calmly acknowledging and accepting:

• How you are feeling
• What you are thinking
• Physical sensations of your body

Focusing on your breath is one way to create mindfulness, because you are paying attention to what is happening to your body as you breathe. This focus makes it easier to notice if you have shallow breathing, if you are holding your breath, or if your breathing is faster than normal.  

Breathe!

Yes, breathe to relax your body. It’s that simple. Believe it or not, a lot of us do not breathe fully, especially when stress is present. If we are not mindful of our breathing we tend to hold our breath or take shallow breaths. 

Options to release stress, relax muscles and cleanse your body with essential oxygen are: 

• Focusing on taking slow, deep breaths for a few minutes, a few times per day. Be it in the car, washing dishes, folding laundry, raking leaves, etc. 

• Using a square breathing technique where you inhale to the count of 4 (or whatever # works for you), hold for a count of 4, exhale to the count of 4, hold for a count of 4, and repeat for a few minutes.

• Breathing from your diaphragm by placing your hand on your abdomen and taking slow, deep inhales focusing on your abdomen expanding followed by a longer exhale. This stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system to calm your body and reduce your heart rate and blood pressure. 

• Meditating while focusing only on your breath by being mindful of the oxygen entering your body and the carbon dioxide leaving your body. Closing your eyes can help keep the focus on your breath. 

Transferring this mindful practice to other things in your life by focusing on one thing at a time will make it easier to be present in the moment instead of allowing your mind to be scattered. 

Need a visual to be mindfully present? 

Use your imagination. Yes, the game of pretend from when you were young. 

Envision calm and serene images. Many people find it helpful to include nature in their visualizations.

Ideas to consider are: 

• Sitting in a comfortable lounge chair on the beach with the sun shining and the temperature is perfect. Watch a wave swelling toward the shore as you inhale expanding your abdomen and every time you exhale imagine the wave breaking slowly across the shore.

• Gently swinging in a hammock on a fall day with the leaves floating down around you. With each sway of the hammock your body is sinking deeper into relaxation as you inhale and exhale. 

• Hiking on a trail in the woods meandering between the trees, hearing the birds chirping, the squirrels chattering and the sun’s rays peeking through the leaves and branches. 

• Choosing your favorite place surrounded by all the things that make you feel calm, happy, and whole. Wherever that may be, how do you feel when you are in your favorite place? 

You can have a lot of fun with these ideas for relaxation because you can let your imagination run wild and transport yourself anywhere.

Relaxation made easy

There’s an app for that! Consider choosing from the plethora of apps for download, free and otherwise, that provide ideas for relaxation. They offer everything from listening to music or nature sounds to hearing a voice guiding you by story or through visualization and much more. 

A few internet favorites are:

• Calm
• 10% Happier
• Insight Timer
• Headspace

It is easy to see that these apps take the thinking out of the practice allowing you to just follow along. 

To Recap

Practicing these ideas for relaxation will: 

• Keep your mental state balanced
• Keep you physically fit
• Improve your inclination to see the bright side 
• Manage your fight-or-flight response in stressful situations

In short, the trick is to choose a relaxation technique that works for you, and not one that will add to your stress by trying to accomplish it in your busy day. Consequently, you may have to try a few to find the one that works easily. 

If you enjoyed this article please check out other helpful articles by our coaches here:

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Remember…small steps, big results. 

Cathy Caveney

Cathy grew up in NH surrounded by a large, loving family, where she learned generosity and hard work. She now models that for her two children. She was inspired to become a fitness coach when searching for ways to become more healthy herself after a life-threatening illness.

hybridfitnessgym.com