Ultra Nerds Unite!

     I did it! I managed to get up at 5:45 am every single day last week and either exercised at home, or at the gym. I stuck to my food guidelines for most of the week, but soon realized that taking on that much exercise while drastically changing my diet was a recipe for disaster. The exercise is the most important thing to me right now. Getting my endurance and strength back are priority number one, so I'm going to be more flexible with my diet. That doesn't mean I get to binge eat truffles or deep friend nom noms. It just means that I'm going to continue drinking Soylent, utilizing my Lose It app, and eating as many fruits and veggies as I can. It also means that I'm not going to beat myself up when I eat a crab rangoon. I'm just going to walk it off and get back on the horse. This isn't all or nothing. It's a lifestyle change, and it isn't going to be easy, but I'm finding ways to make it more enjoyable.
     Enter Pokemon Go. I'm so in love with this game right now! There are some very specific features that really make me want to get outside and walk. If you've never played the game, there are little critters called Pokemon that roam around in the wild. There are hundreds of different kinds. You throw Poke balls to try and catch them and that's the basic premise. In order to get these Poke balls, you either receive a gift from a friend or go get them from a Poke stop. It doesn't matter what town you are in, there are almost always Poke stops. They are located at parks, historical sites, and places of educational interest. This means that I have to go out and walk to these sites. Our downtown (not far from my house) is loaded with them.
     Pokemon critters can evolve into new and different versions with the proper amount of stardust and candy. In order to acquire these items, I have to visit more Poke stops, catch more critters, and walk. Adventure sync allows you to track your steps with the GPS in your phone when you are not using the app. When you log back in, it will add your steps and award you candies for the distance you have walked. There are also eggs, and the only way to hatch them is, you guessed it, to walk some more! I'm sure there are ways to cheat the system and not do so much walking, but I'm not interested. I want the exercise! My goal as soon as the weather gets nicer is to map as many Poke stops in Hays as I can.
     In July, my friends and are a walking a 5K Bubble Run in Kansas City, and I want to be ready! This game is going to help me do it. My ultimate goal, whenever I am able to build up the stamina, is to be an ultra nerd, put on one of my husbands lighter hiking packs with a water bladder, and spend an entire day "hiking" Hays and mining Poke stops. Motivation is all that matters, and I've found it baby!