Dear Hikers,
Can you remember a year more life-changing than 2021?
Systemic racism, hurricanes around the world and the most active year on record for wildfires (particularly in Oregon and California), were only added to a list that has the worst pandemic the world has seen in more than a century sitting atop.
At the same time, a decade of technology advancements seemed to happen in just a few months – and now vaccinations are rolling out at a record speed. Looking for another unintended positive consequence of shutdowns we all faced in different varieties? Air pollution steeply dropped alongside restrictions on commute and movement in general.
Before rolling out more of our environmentally sustainable outdoor events in 2022, we would once more like to thank all of you that participated in our first-ever in-person events in New Jersey and Cuyahoga Valley, sharing your pictures, stories, routes, and achievements. We hope you had as much fun as we did scrolling through tons of e-mails, comments and photos, and that many of you continue on the hiking journey that some just started with MammothMarch.
Now that the holidays are fast-approaching, we’d like to offer you four tips to get you through the upcoming weeks of food comas and overeating:
1. Got the munchies for… everything? Learn to listen to your body because the body is smart. Cravings are a signal that should not be ignored and can, for example, represent a lack of nutrients. A healthy, balanced eating plan can also include a candy bar now and then.
2. Eat mindful
“Mindfulness” is more than just a trending word. Especially when it comes to eating, it is difficult for many people not to do 100 things on the side. Cell phone, TV, music or even the newspaper: simply “just” eating would be boring wouldn’t it?
Those who eat slowly perceive their physical signals better. For example, the feeling of satiation only sets in after 15 minutes. When we devour, we therefore like to eat beyond hunger. The stomach also benefits from eating slowly – and chewing. This stimulates the flow of saliva, which means that the food is digested better. Appreciate what’s on your plate!
3. Get out!
Overcoming your weaker self should be the only challenge besides the cold and gray winter weather this year – at least in some parts of our country: Here you will find a little motivation and reasons why hiking isn’t just for the warm and sunny days. The step outside the door is usually the most difficult. After that you’re glad that you have moved.
4. Be your own chef
The good thing about cooking for yourself: It’s up to you how to prepare a dish. A holiday meal doesn’t necessarily have to be good and solid. Vegetables and salad as fresh side dishes can prevent an unpleasant feeling of fullness and still taste delicious.
Alternatives can also be found for your afternoon coffee: in addition to chocolate Santa Clauses and cookies, for example, nuts could also be on the plate.
Although they are also very high in calories, they contain valuable nutrients, have little influence on the blood sugar level and thus satiate for longer. Alternatively, you can also rely on high-quality ingredients when baking and thus save a lot of sugar or “empty calories”.
We wish you very Happy Holidays. Stay safe, get out and make every step count!
Your
MammothMarch Team