Dare to Be Different

I remember so clearly walking into Valley View Middle School one day in sixth grade to find two of my friends wearing the same T-shirt. With a strong sense of irony even as a sixth grader, I enjoyed the fact that both of their shirts boasted the phrase "Dare to Be Different" along with a cute turtle. As a sixth grader, I didn't really think deeply about why a cool brand like American Eagle or Hollister would sell a T-shirt proclaiming "Dare to Be Different" to tween girls.

Since that day, I've had a lot of time to think about it. There is something so incredibly alluring about individual free choice. Even in the field of public health, individual interventions are often seen as the way to change societal problems. Worried you are gaining too much weight? Try intermittent fasting or a new gym routine. Worried about mental health during the pandemic? Surely there is an individual therapist who could help you with that. We love individual agency, free choice, the American Dream of self reliance.

But sometimes that breaks down. There are larger systems at play. And by not acknowledging these lager systems and institutions, we are setting ourselves up for failure in our quest for individual change.

One of our most deeply held cultural Western beliefs is the morality of good health (sometimes called Healthism). After all, one contributes more to society when they are in good health. However, our society does not do everything possible to promote the good health of its individuals. A large amount of burden is left to the individual - to find housing, to secure a good food, to secure work, and even to secure healthcare. When one fails to secure these things for oneself, it feels like a personal failure.

In addition, we have visual markers of health and success that we have internalized as a society. At some point, we switched from viewing fat people as those who could afford to eat more to viewing fat people as those who are gluttonous. We view people in large bodies as having made poor individual choices which have reduced their health, and therefore their worth as a member of society. We have extrapolated our belief that good health is morally good and decided that being overweight is morally bad. However, we have not generally stopped to question whether good health is, in fact, tied to being a certain weight.

So, what's the deal? Can I be fat and healthy? Beyond this important question, it's important to recognize that one's worth is not in fact tied to their health. But to answer the question - yes. You can absolutely be fat and healthy. Weight is not a good proxy measure for health. There's a ton of research on this and I won't get into the weeds.

Let's Dare to Be Different and explore the ways in which we think about weight, health and morality. It's more complicated than it seems, but I'm on this journey with you.

Until next time,

Sarah

Outward Bound for Life

Well I'm just tickled pink to report what a great time I had on my first Outward Bound adventure this January. The scenery? 10/10. The lack of bugs? 11/10. The people? 13/10.

We backpacked in Big Bend National Park for 6 days and 5 nights (as well as a little rock climbing and a lot of driving). Here are some important takeaways from the course:

1. Bring a star lazer pointer for optimal star party action. For example this one. Just be sure not to point it at any planes or eyeballs.

2. Respect the cacti. Bring a good pair of tweezers with you because they're sure to get ya at least once. They're so beautiful though you can't help but forgive them.

3. Poop high, pee low. Go uphill to poo and downhill to pee. The rain will wash away things that are in the washes more easily than things that are uphill.

4. Bring an open mind. You never know who you'll meet and how they will change your life. How neat is that?

5. Water is scarce in the desert. Be ready to carry more water than you think you need day to day, because you never know what a water source will look like until you reach it.

6. The visitor center at the Chisos Basin closes for lunch between 12 pm and 1pm. If you are planning to get a national park stamp or become a Junior Ranger between these hours, think again.

7. It's fun to be a part of a team as an adult. Many of my crew-mates had not been a part of a formal team in many years, and we had a lot of fun working together and cheering each other on.

8. It gets cold at night. Snuggy bottles (hot water in Nalgene bottles) are a true life saver.

Many thanks to my crew-mates and instructors for making the trip incredible and so memorable. If you're interested learning more or in going on an Outward Bound course, I'm always happy to chat (and to share my family and friends discount code with ya). Just holler!

Peace, love and chow,

Sarah

Trail Report

It's time for the unofficial Trail Report! In my ranking system, all of these hikes start with a 10/10 because the Superior Hiking Trail is beautiful, well-maintained, and free to use. Then, points are added or deducted based on my experience hiking the trail.

Carlton Peak from Britton Peak - Sunday, July 10

We started strong Sunday morning with the lovely 3.4-mile out and back trail to Carlton Peak. It was a very pleasant and gradual hike with a few steeper climbs near the summit. +1 for not being overrun, despite it being a beautiful Sunday morning. +1 for the large granite slabs at the summit. -3 for the mosquito action. Overall, a very respectable 9/10 and well worth your time!

White Sky Rock and Caribou Lake - Monday, July 11

This mini-hike makes a great pre-swim warm-up. With a stellar climb-to-pay-off ratio, White Sky Rock is a great option if you are in the area and are looking for a hike under one mile. +1 for a great view, -1 for the steep climb, +2 for the swimming option at the Caribou Lake public water access at the end of the hike, and -2 for the super short nature of the hike. So overall she's a 10 when you take the swim into account as well!

Oberg Mountain Loop - Tuesday, July 12

This hike is the region's most popular, and for good reason. With more scenic viewpoints than we have any right to expect (+3), this trail delivers pure hiking joy. Honestly, I only have good things to say, and it easily deserves a 13/10 or more.

Leveaux Mountain - Wednesday, July 13

Another beautiful morning for a hike! This was a rewarding 3.2-mile that starts from the same parking lot as Oberg Mountain. +1 for the amazing cedar forest and fresh pine scent that starts the hike off strong. -2 for a bridge that is clearly marked as structurally deficient. -3 for the mosquitos, although that may be a result of the previous night's rain more than the trail's topography. +1 for the very cool overlook with a glacial erratic conveniently posed for a photo. Overall, a solid 7/10. It's got to be hard to be the less popular sister of Oberg Mountain, so let's make sure we give Leveaux Mountain some love too.

Temperance River - Thursday, July 14

I didn't really follow this route, but you can see my full route on Strava here. This hike does follow the SHT, but the parking area is run by Temperance River State Park, so you need a State Parks annual or daily parking pass to park (-1). This hike gets major points (+3) for not climbing a mountain, and therefore being very flat. An additional +1 for the notable lack of bugs! There was a group cliff jumping higher up the river, and the margin of error for landing on rocks was so small that I nearly had a heart attack (I would subtract points, but should we really blame human stupidity on the trail?). Overall, this trail was extremely beautiful, impressive, well-maintained, and had cell phone service to boot. 13/10.

We loved it so much that we did the same trail again on 7/15.

Did we miss your favorite regional hike? Drop us a line and let us know!

Happy Trails!