First Steps and in Praise of Costco

 Took my first walk this morning. It was my first fitness walk in months and my first steps toward that 11 mile trek to the top of Mt LeConte and back that I’ve set as my birthday goal. Steve is trying to talk me out of it because we’d have to make the round trip in one day because the cabins are booked a year in advance but my brother in law, who has hiked it many times in a day, assures me it’s doable. So, I’m still holding on to that goal and maybe, when they start taking reservations for 2020 in October, I’ll go ahead and book us in for next November. 

My walk this morning was only 1.4 mile which I did in 36 minutes. Not great but it’s not only day one, I also had Bodie in tow and he has to stop every couple of yards to sniff. I also would like to do a sprint then walk pace but we got a later than hoped start this morning which meant not only heat but people out to see me embarrassing myself. 

Ahhh, how I love Costco, let me count the ways. It’s not just the low prices or one stop shopping or even bulk buying to keep me away from one of my least favorite activities longer. Those things are certainly pluses but the thing I love most is all of the organic, non gmo and whole food choices both in produce, the freezer and even packaged. I’ve always praised those organic, frozen, dark cherries. I eat them as a chilled treat straight out of the bag! Now, I’ve discovered so many more delicious options, cauliflower tots and cauliflower fried rice are easy and fast to fix right out of the freezer, also new (to me anyway) in the freezer section are avocado chunks so I don’t have to worry about the fresh ones going bad before o can use them (although they do have the best, freshest avocados I’ve found anywhere in their produce section), also in the produce section, great organic lettuce and greens and the sweetest, plumpest blueberries you’ll ever eat, then there is the Alpine Valley whole grain bread that contains nothing but natural goodness and loads of fiber, finally, if you want a sweet treat(and don’t have any of those frozen cherries), give Cave Man brand protein bars a try, they have no artificial ingredients, are gluten free, non GMO and only 7 grams of sugar. Here’s to clean and healthy eating!