Geocaching

If you are a person who hates to go to the gym and lift weights or do cardio, then you should try outdoor activities. Outdoor activities such as intramural sports, hiking, biking, etc, are a fantastic way to get exercise while having fun. One of my personal favorites is geocaching. For those of you who do not know what geocaching is, I will run you through the basics.

Geocaching is pretty much a scavenger hunt for people of all ages. You start by downloading the Geocaching app off of Google Play or the App Store. This application will teach you everything you need to know to get started.

While on this scavenger hunt you are searching for a cache. A cache can be thought of as a "treasure chest." Caches are placed all around the world by fellow geocachers. They are placed in random areas  as a way to attract people to the area and expose others to things such as beautiful views, new restaurants, local shops, and landmarks. Caches range from micro-sized (think as big as a penny) to large-sized (think a shoe box.)

Inside the cache is a variety of things; no cache is the same. Geocachers may leave behind fun trinkets and items called "trackables" for the new cachers to find. Also inside is a paper to log your visit. Just make sure to always BYOP (Bring Your Own Pen.)

Muggles are any person who doesn't know about or doesn't engage in geocaching. Yes, just like the muggles in Harry Potter. I bet you feel awesome now being able to use that term in this world.

Now, when geocaching you want to be stealthy. You don't want the muggles to see you looking for or writing in a cache. Most importantly, you don't want them to see you putting it back in it's hiding spot. They may get curious and pick it up or move it to a different location, ruining it for future cachers.

I absolutely love geocaching. I have found caches in many different states while on vacation. My family and I usually get together about once a month and spend an entire day looking for caches. If you have never geocached, I highly recommend checking it out. This is a very fun way to get exercise without even realizing it.

Click here to visit the official geocaching website to learn more and get started!

Happy Caching! (:

H2O!

I cannot express enough how important water is in a healthy lifestyle. Actually, I can't express how important it is in daily living, period. Our bodies need an adequate amount of water daily to function properly. In all reality, without water we would die.

Click here to learn 7 reasons that we should drink water.

Photo taken by Lauren Pierce

chicken Allergy

Well, I have recently found out (after 9 months of doctors visits and blood tests) that I am allergic to CHICKEN. I was breaking out in bad hives every few days for 9 months and now that I went to the allergist and had a poke test done, I have found the culprit. I eat chicken 5 times a week, every week of every month of every year. I LOVE CHICKEN, and now I have to avoid it. This has proven to be a hard task to get used to compared to my protein-packed lunches and dinners in the past.

I have never been much of a turkey fan, but now I am adjusting to it in place of chicken. Turkey is low in fat content, high in protein, and can be used in place of chicken in almost everyth-- I lost my train of thought while typing this sentence. I'm sitting on my balcony as I type and my iPhone 6 Plus decided to take a tumble from my lap (I didn't even move to cause this) and fall of the balcony into the thorny bushes below. After searching with a spatula in order to avoid thorns in my fingers,  I found my phone 15 minutes later. The outcome- a few dings to the metal and a small crack in the bottom left corner. Suicide attempt: failed. Thank the lord for phone insurance.

Anyway, the moral of this blog is to not let developed allergies to your favorite foods alter your eating habits too much. There are always healthy alternatives that can be incorporated in order to fulfill your daily nutrition. Also, don't sit on a balcony with a case-less iPhone 6 plus.