Liesl Hammer

The number one advice I have for anyone trying to get into exercise

I’ve only been working out hardcore for two years, but it’s been an eventful 2 years. Even before that, I was doing other exercises that were steadily helping build me up – I took a swimming class, a Zumba class, a spinning class, and tried to hike the Y. And then after I graduated college, I had more time on my hands, and so I dove into working out and eventually knocked out a couple of marathons.

In that time, I’ve noticed friends who talk about how they need to exercise and hate exercise, but know that they should. Exercise can be so hard to develop as a habit.

So, here’s my advice:

Find something you like and can do.

There are a lot of great options out there and it doesn’t matter which one you choose, just as long as you start moving.

Do you like the elliptical machine? There is NO SHAME in that. Go for it. Do you enjoy running? Awesome, so do I. My secret is running slow.

Hiking is awesome, too. Are you interested in lifting weights? Sweet – ask someone for help on your form or Google some lifts to do that don’t require a spotter. (Please don’t injure yourself.)

It’s okay if you don’t like running. Even people who run all the time hate it. It matters more that you find something that you enjoy – or at least you don’t hate life TOO much while you’re doing it.

That’s the number one advice I have, but here are some other important things to remember:

Go slow and don’t worry about being “correct.”

Don’t worry about doing it absolutely right the first time. At this point, form doesn’t matter as much. It matters if you’re lifting obscenely heavy weights, but if you’re just getting into a routine, you should lift smaller first anyway. THERE IS NO SHAME IN USING THE 2.5 POUND DUMBBELLS.

Find a reward at the end.

I personally have used different rewards as motivation, such as a tasty treat or a long, warm shower. Eventually I get to the point where the benefits of exercise are the reward itself, but if I fall out of the habit of exercise, that’s what I do to re-incentivize myself.

And finally, keep going.

Try to do something small each day, whether you walk for 30 minutes or run a mile or do the elliptical machine for 20 minutes. I’m not big into FitBit, but I have Google Fit on my phone (it’s free!) and I have a daily goal of reaching 1 hour of activity. ANYTHING counts – walking, running, yoga, rock climbing, hiking, you name it, it’s probably on Google Fit.

(Seriously – they have paragliding on there. It totally counts.)

Mostly I walk. Every hour at work I go for a walk, and those 10-minute breaks add up throughout the day. It makes a huge difference.

I tried a new thing: rappelling

That first lean backwards into nothing is the scariest part.

Walking backwards and going off the edge of a cliff is scarier than actually hanging in the air. By that point you’ve realized that you aren’t going to die, you just need to maintain control of the rope.

This last weekend I went rappelling. It was super awesome.

This is where the privilege of having friends in high places – pun totally and completely intended – really pays off. My friend Emily’s sister was dating a guy who had friends who loved rappelling and had the gear and smarts to do it. Although saying that always makes me think of Ferris Bueller.

We left on Friday evening and arrived at midnight (gross) and set up our tents. The next morning was when we got in the cars (a jeep and a truck) and drove off. The main guy doing the rappelling parked his truck at the trailhead of Grandstaff Trail, which was our end point, and then we parked the jeep at the trailhead and set off toward our two destinations.

Our first rappel was into a giant hole, for lack of a better description. Mini-canyon?

Then after that, we hiked to Morning Glory Natural Bridge and after taking a quick detour walking on top of the arch, rappelled down the canyon wall next to the arch.

I had been the second-to-last on the previous one, so I wanted to be the first person to go down this time. The anchor was a rope connected to some metal bolting in the rock, but the rope was so long that I was terrified of having too much rope – that I’d fall off the edge and wouldn’t be able to control the rope.

Three of the guys picked up the rope and helped lower me until I was safe enough to do it on my own and I began lowering myself gradually into the area. A bunch of people who brought their dogs were watching. I made eye contact with the cutest corgi in the world as soon as I landed on the ground and all the dogs started barking while the people clapped.

Then everyone else began to lower themselves in. I took as many pictures as I could, trying to capture a moving object without it getting blurry.

After everyone came down, a different group of guys decided to rappel down on opposite sides of the arch. THAT was rad.

Then we hiked 4 miles back to the car, although it was closer to 4.5 because we got on the wrong trail and had to cross the river to get to the correct trail.

It was an excellent camping trip, even with the massive rainstorm that hit us that night. Luckily, the guys had found an awesome network of caves that we holed up in and made a fire and roasted marshmallows and jalapeno-cheddar hot dogs in. Then Emily brought out her ukulele and we sang a bunch of songs, campfire style.

I loved rappelling and would definitely do it again – but I think getting more into rock climbing couldn’t hurt.

The lazy woman’s guide to eating healthy without eating rabbit food

Are you wanting to eat healthier? Is Chick-Fil-A leaving you satisfied, only to have that satisfaction to be replaced with regret approximately 20 minutes later? Do you want to eat healthy without feeling like Bugs Bunny?

Do you also hate cooking and want easy hacks that simultaneously makes spinach taste like candy but also trims belly fat?

THAT’S TOO BAD.

Here’s part of my lunch today:

20180405_134127 — Look how cute my pants are

Yep. Wabbit ~~season~~ food.

Here’s how it all happened:

Liesl got digestive issues
Liesl’s doctor told her to eat a high-fiber diet
Liesl tried salads and advance meal prep
Liesl got lazy and tired of meal prep
- Also, meal prep works for about 2 days in the Hammer household
Liesl gets snacky at work

Liesl starts snacking on spinach instead
Liesl brings spinach, tomatoes, green peppers, steamed broccoli, the works
It turns into this whole thing
Now Liesl is a rabbit

I used to LOVE sitting around watching TV and doing nothing until it hurt my back. I’ve been so lazy that I literally wouldn’t eat because that required getting up and making food.

So, as it turns out, the easier habit to break is simply snacking on spinach during work – putting the food in front of me – than thinking, “I have to make a salad and I have to include all these veggies and I’ll have to cook chicken to get protein and oh man I’m just exhausted thinking about it.”

Some people can trick themselves into eating healthy things by making them delicious. But that’s not me. I’d rather spend my mornings (and Sunday afternoons) in bed watching some TV show or going for a hike or running or camping or anything that doesn’t involve me having to take frozen chicken out of the freezer.

So, I trick myself into eating healthy by shoving spinach into a tupperware container, cutting up a pepper, and grabbing a whole tomato and making sure it’s the only thing I have access to that day. And even though I don’t love the taste, at least I’m eating good old-fashioned fiber.

At least I still eat Domino’s pizza on weekends.

When you’re an accidental jerk

Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever had people say mean things to you? Has anyone ever talked behind your back, maybe someone you thought was a friend turned out to have a secret vendetta against you?

Have you ever done that yourself?

I know I have.

I think it’s easier to remember when someone was mean to you – but what about when you’ve been mean to someone?

You weren’t being mean, you were just teasing.

You weren’t being passive aggressive, that person’s just unapproachable.

You weren’t talking crap, you were just venting.

All these examples – that’s me in real life. I’ve done all those things and more, and I know I haven’t had an opportunity to apologize for every mean thing I’ve said, intentional or not. And at this point, there’s not much use in tracking down every person I’ve ever wronged or thought I wronged. I’ve apologized to coworkers for being too standoffish and my apologies are typically met with a confused, “You were being standoffish?”

Brendan Leonard mentions this tendency as well:

Do you ever catch yourself being an asshole? In the car, on the Internet, to a barista who misunderstood your order, to a person who disagrees with your political views?

It’s easiest to catch myself when I’m driving – somehow you feel immune in that metal container. But those other times? I’m still learning.

I’m trying to read people better – I like reading stuff on microexpressions and learning how to decode them – and just trust my vibes that I get from them. I’ll ask for feedback, and hopefully implement it.

But knowing that I am trying my best to not intentionally hurt people? Hopefully that’ll make me more forgiving too. It’s a process.

Amateurity

The other day, I was alone at the rock climbing gym.

I had a half hour to kill before I need to go get ready for work, and my goal is to climb at least 3 different routes at the gym. It was what I told myself just so I’d just LEAVE THE HOUSE and make the most of the trial membership I have.

There were people around, and I felt even more apparent of my loner status. I’ve been in enough gyms to know that people generally don’t care about how good you are – but I still feel dumb, still feel somewhat lonely, and hope that I’ll eventually make friends here.

I chose the easiest bouldering routes – the purple rocks, in this case. They’re climbable. The route-creators make it so you’re not completely scared off of climbing, and the floor beneath me is soft and somewhat bouncy so I don’t injure myself, just in case I fall.

I climbed 1 route, then 2, and 3 – and my forearms were sore, but hey! At least I accomplished my goal. And now that I was here, why not keep going?

So I climbed some more – and my arms were starting to get pretty juiced, so I started jumping off mid-route. But after a few attempts and finally overcoming my 6th “problem,” as they call them, I figured my time was up and I needed to get going.

Here’s the lesson:

I was successful because I took action – not because I’m good at this.

I will always be a beginner and an amateur, plain and simple. I’ll get good at some things and give up other things, but I have a fascination for learning and trying new things.

Brendan Leonard, creator of semi-rad, says this:

I am going to try this, I am going to suck at it for an indefinite amount of time, and other people are going to see me fail, repeatedly.

Right now, I’m trying some new things:

Snowboarding
Rock climbing
Winter camping and hiking

I’m okay/intermediate at snowboarding, I’m still a beginner in rock climbing, and with winter camping and hiking? It depends on the day, weather, and how willing I am to get out of my comfort zone.

I talk about Austin Kleon a lot, and for good reason: he helps me embrace my amateurity.

(I just made up that word, do you like it? It’s like amateur meets maturity. I think that’s me.)

I like the way Austin Kleon looks at it: amateur is originally taken from the Latin definition: amator, meaning lover. I am a lover of many things. I may not be good at any of it, but golly, I love it. I’m trying to get better. I’m interested.

If you don’t have it, you can learn it

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression in some form or another that boils down to: “You either have it or you don’t.”

I completely disagree with this.

It’s too reductive, too reliant on talent and innate ability. It’s a fixed mindset rather than a growth mindset and can be incredibly limiting.

I try – key word here “try” – to operate in a growth mindset. It’s not always easy because there are a lot of invisible scripts that hold me back and I have to identify them, and figure out how to rewrite the stories I tell myself.

There are definitely days where learning something new – trying a new skill, trying to improve – really sucks. I wonder if I’ll ever touch my toes or do the splits. I wonder if I could ever run fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon, or if it’s just not in my genes and if I should play to my strengths and go for ultras instead since I’m good at pacing myself.

But I much prefer the growth mindset. I like trying new things and learning new skills and improving the skills I already have. I like the idea of doing insane things I hadn’t done before. I grew up a non-athlete, but I ran 2 marathons last year and plan to run more.

I let expressions like that hold me back when I was first in college and burned out pretty easily as a result. I never knew if I “had it” or not, and would hang on teacher’s praise as evidence of my innate ability or talent.

But I know now that it’s not entirely true – that’s not the whole story.

I have to keep going – I have to keep learning – I have to find new ways to keep trying and reward myself every time so I’m willing to keep moving forward.

So, I propose a new variation on that expression: “If you don’t have it, you can learn it.”

You never forget your first shoes

I’m only being slightly dramatic when I say these shoes changed my life.

They were shoes that were meant more for hiking (i.e. they were bulkier), but because they were built like running shoes, I also exercised in them.

I learned how to run in these shoes. I would wear them as I ran uphill into the German forest behind my apartment and they carried me for miles.

I learned about blisters with these shoes. They would grow on my feet after long runs – after the first time I ran 5 miles, then 10, then 15. I began realizing the blisters would just pop and I’d run anyway, because the worst part about running wasn’t even the blisters.

These shoes were what I hiked through Scotland with – a collective 170 miles, all through rain, mud, and midges. They sometimes were still wet from the night before, but they were all I had.

When we returned to the United States, they started wearing out from the hikes we were doing. The front started wearing out and I had to get new shoes. I settled on trail running shoes and they felt like I was running on clouds. I loved them.

It was hard to let go of my shoes. They became a part of my identity and were so integral to my growth in physical activity.

You never forget your first shoes, man. Those things are life-changing.

My top 5 winter hikes

Winter has technically ended and spring is here, but that doesn’t mean the snow’s gone. And everybody knows what that means…more winter hikes in the mountains!

Here are my favorite winter hikes in Utah:

1. The Y, or Y mountain itself

Here’s the cool thing about this hike: if you hike just the Y, you still get an impressive workout. Hiking uphill is one thing, but hiking uphill in snow is a completely different beast.

I’ve hiked the Y in all seasons, but winter is something special. It’s secluded and quiet, but you’re close enough to civilization that you’re never in too much danger. It’s only when you go beyond the Y that you have to start being careful, but it’s beautiful and worth it.

I’ll tell you about my winter hike on Y mountain some other time, but if you’re in Utah valley and looking for a doable, but challenging winter hike, Y mountain is unbeatable.

2. Donut Falls

Easy peasy. I’ve done this hike three times now: one by myself, one with Austin, and one with Austin and some friends. This one’s better in the winter, in fact. Since the waterfalls are frozen, it’s a lot easier to get up to see the actual donut. 10/10 would recommend.

3. Alpine Loop

The Alpine Loop gets closed off during the winter due to heavy snow making some parts impassible. So what do you do instead? Why, you walk it of course!

This is such a great, easy, versatile hike. A groomer goes over the road, so you can hike on very smooth ground. We met people walking their dogs here, cross-country skiing, and we even went camping here a couple of weeks ago. We’ve also hiked it from both ends, which makes for a change in scenery.

4. Lake Blanche

If you’ve done Donut Falls and you want something longer and more challenging, the hike to Lake Blanche is it. We layered up when we started on this hike, but had shed many layers by the time we were finished. We had met some people who brought sleds with them, which makes for even more fun.

5. Delicate Arch

Winter hiking to Delicate Arch was new for me, and I’m glad I did it. Even though Arches National Park will always attract crowds, there’s less people.

Let’s face it: it’s stunning in the winter. The contrast of the crystallized snow against the red rock, the scrubby shrubbery, the otherworldly natural sculptures? You don’t find this just anywhere.

BONUS: Big Springs, Provo Canyon

Despite the fact that this was not my first winter hike, it was when I was starting to get into winter hiking and I did this hike as a sheer amateur. Austin and I had just bought our own snowshoes and we excitedly went tromping into the park.

We quickly found out that we had 1) overprepared and were wearing too much clothing, and 2) did not actually need our snowshoes because the path was so well-worn. Still – we trekked out as far as we could until we decided to turn back (my endurance was a lot less impressive at the time).

I’ll always fondly remember Big Springs as the first successful venture into winter outdoors recreation. Them was good times.

I tried surfing and it was…

Girl versus ocean, July 2017

Ocean: 3
Girl: 0

The last few times Austin and I have been to the beach, Austin really wants to rent a boogie board and wetsuit and just go to TOWN.

So that’s what we do. But every time I get in that water, I am thoroughly THROTTLED by the ocean. I get nasal lubes and accidentally ingest enough seawater to house a goldfish in my stomach. I’m Moana before she becomes an expert wayfinder.

(On second thought, maybe I’m the pig. I’m Pua.)

Austin, on the other hand, goes back in. I lose the battle with the ocean, but Austin? He just keeps going back for more, even though he gets pummeled.

I don’t love the ocean the way Austin does. I think it’s BEAUTIFUL, and I think that there is a TON to explore and discover on the ocean floor and would love to try my hand at scuba diving, but I’m not in love with the crashing waves. Austin has a much higher pain tolerance than I do.

So when we were in California last week, I signed up for surfing lessons. I’m a cheapskate, so I try to avoid having to pay for lessons of any type. But these?

SO WORTH IT.

We practiced on the sand: lie down on your surfboard, paddle on the sides, then put your back foot on the pad on back, and your front foot up ahead. We’d practice it constantly to just help our muscles remember it.

Then we moved to the ocean.

The best part is having an instructor out there with you. The guy who helped me would hold onto the board while we paddled out to deeper water to catch the waves. He’d turn me around and push the board as a wave was JUST coming in.

Then it’s up to me: paddle, paddle, paddle – JUMP – stand, bend your knees, and ride it out.

I’ll be honest: I only stood up three different times. And two of those times were when the instructor was literally holding onto the back of the surfboard while the wave was pushing us. Pushing yourself up to stand is the hardest part.

But standing up those few times? It’s a small taste of victory and I get the whole ocean obsession thing – even if I fall a few seconds later.

Current score:

Ocean: 3
Girl: 1

What snowboarding teaches me about balance

Picture this: I’m sitting on the top of a mountain, having just strapped my other boot into my snowboard.

I reach over and grab the bottom of my snowboard and pull myself up. I’ve gotten better at this, but I’m still apprehensive. I nudge myself off in one direction, with my right foot going forward – I ride “goofy,” as the lingo goes.

The run is steep. It’s not so steep to be a black, but it’s more advanced than a green. I’m on a blue, and I’m trying to get more confident in transitioning through my turns: heel to toe, toe to heel, in a never-ending push and pull to maintain control and balance.

It is terrifying and thrilling.

I’m not confident enough to just bomb down the run, so I’m taking the slope at an angle. I’m more comfortable on my heel edge, so I take that and ride it for far too long until my legs ache. I know that turning is inevitable, that the five seconds of vulnerability will be there. So I start to turn, knowing that if my body doesn’t catch up in time, I’ll crash.

I crash.

Luckily, I still have plenty of energy because it’s early in the day and I bounce right back up. I start off on my toe edge this time and transition easily to the heel edge. It’s always harder going from the heel to toe for me and I don’t know why.

I keep going down the run, and my muscle memory starts kicking in. What works on steeper runs won’t work on flatter areas, so I have to build up speed in advance. I approach areas with softer snow and I get bolder, knowing I won’t hurt myself if I crash here.

I just have to keep moving. Why?

Balance is dynamic.

In order to maintain balance, I can’t stay still. It feels ironic. If I’m going down a more narrow and flat run, I have to maintain one edge, heel or toe. If the board is flat, I crash.

If I’m going too fast, I crash. If I’m going too slow, I crash. If I’m trying to turn and I hesitate, I crash. If I’m not committed, I crash.

So much crashing. It’s exhausting.

But it’s also kind of cool when you start picking it up. When you start picking yourself up after each crash and you’re surprised to discover you have more energy than you originally thought you did, and you’re linking turns more smoothly. When you start daring to go on steeper, scarier slopes and you’re getting vague concepts like “butter” or “carve.” (Although between you and me, I still don’t know what “butter” means.)

So, I keep going.

I make tweaks constantly. I’m not perfect, and will often ask for feedback. It makes a difference. I watch other people and imitate them. It keeps me going on my snowboard, and it keeps me balanced.

Life is like this.

Balance in life is not achieved through every part of my life being satisfactory. I wish it was. But there’s always going to be a typo, a person who drives me crazy, a job situation that isn’t quite what I want it to be.

And so I have to make constant tweaks to myself, my relationships, my job, and of course, my snowboarding. I have to try doing hard, uncomfortable things so I can improve more – but I also have to build up skills so I don’t hurt myself too much either.

Again, balance. I try hard things and rejoice in taking action, but it helps to see results, too.

I’m not as scared of crashing like I used to be, and I’m getting good enough where I can find more secluded areas to practice my turns and jumping. It’s no longer a downhill ice rink filled with a million people who are all going 20 times faster than me.

Instead I’m among the trees in soft powder. Building up speed. Slowing down. Crashing, but then picking myself back up again, knowing that balance is forever a dynamic dance, trying and tweaking, and then trying again.