HJNO May/Jun 2022

58 MAY / JUN 2022 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS COLUMN FITNESS AS I SIT HERE writing this article, I con- sider howmy life has changed over the last five years. I have to admit that November of 2016, when I turned 50, came and went with anticlimactic mundaneness. I experi- enced no significant changes to my men- tal or physical condition. I essentially feel the same on the inside as I have for many years, which I would classify with the cli- ché, “young at heart.” I have noticed slight physical restrictions adding up, but I stress the word “slight” as I have had no trau- ma to cause a sudden, massive change to my physical well-being. When I recall the years of physical abuse I endured and ad- ministered with my body and mind, I con- sider myself very fortunate indeed that I Working Your Workout INTO YOUR LIFE am able to work out to my heart’s desire. I happen to enjoy driving (with my 4-year-old boxer, Phoebe) across country to visit friends and family on both coasts. When I travel, I prioritize taking a few tools with me to aid with my training regimen. I thought I could share with you some guidelines and useful equipment that I use to enable a healthier adventure experience. First, I map out how many miles per day I wish to travel. Nothing too heavy, as they say, “It’s about the journey, not the destina- tion,”and I allow Phoebe andmyself ample time to get in as much exercise as we can on our explorations. Currently, there are more than 6,600 state parks that cover 14 million acres of land in America. National parks number at 423, though they carry a fewmore restrictions against allowing pets in. City parks are abundant across America and are certainly the most accommodat- ing for health and fitness. In packing for our trips, I consider por- tability, packability, and functionality. I don’t want to pack anything that will take up valuable seat space in my SUV, and ev- erything must fit into a moderately sized travel container. By the way, I do the same with all of my supplements, protein bars, and snacks. Resistance training with weights is not an option for me, as I would need to bring far too much equipment to be use- ful, which I simply don’t have the room