Be Inspired: Whitney

It is my hope that you leave this blog feeling inspired.  Whether you spend 2 minutes reading the blog every month or check the blog on a daily basis, it is my hope that when you click away from my site you leave inspired.  Inspired to try something new.  Inspired to step out of your comfort zone.  Inspired to embrace a new challenge.  Inspired to make a difference.  Inspired to dream big and chase those dreams.  Inspired to live life a little bit different.  Inspired to be the best you possible.  This series introduces you to people and stories that inspire me and it is my hope that they will inspire you as well.

A couple of years ago I struggled with really bad headaches.  There didn’t really seem to be a rhyme or reason to the headaches and all I knew was that when the headaches hit I wanted to curl up in a ball in a dark room.  After talking with my chiropractor and doctor we decided to begin eliminating different things from my diet to see if that decreased the frequency and intensity of the headaches.  After quite a few trials we realized that processed food seemed to have the biggest impact and I had the fewest number of headaches when I was eating clean.  And so my internet searching began for “clean” recipes.  During my search I came across He and She Eat Clean and it literally became my go to source for meal planning.  I probably ate He and She Eat Clean recipes four or five days a week.  Whitney is half of the He and She Eat Clean team and a constant inspiration to me.  She doesn’t believe in diets and fads but in truly creating a healthy, active lifestyle and I love that!

You can connect with Whitney on her personal blog, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram.

What dream are you currently pursuing?

I want to inspire more people to look to the great outdoors for fitness and personal growth. I find it that many people in the fitness industry only have the “six pack and lean body” mindset but there is so much more to health and fitness! I want people to realize they don’t have to have a six-pack or be ultra-lean. I want more people to learn different ways to incorporate fitness into their everyday life – especially going outside!

What is your biggest dream?

My biggest dream is just to inspire as many people as possible to start living or continue living a healthy lifestyle. Health and fitness is definitely a passion of mine.

I am actually proud of a lot of my accomplishments – it’s hard to choose just one. That might come across as arrogant but I’ve come a long way in the 3 years I’ve been involved in health and fitness! I would say climbing Mt Whitney since I just did it! It is the highest mountain in the lower 48 and it was a VERY strenuous hike and I wanted to give up probably over 100 times but I didn’t! From some of the statistics that I’ve read, less than half of the people who start the hike actually finish it.

Who has been an inspiration to you and how have they inspired you?

I have a lot of people who inspire me but I would say most recently it would be my dad. He hiked from GA to NH last year on the Appalachian Trail and this year he did went back to finish it but hurt his knee. He still didn’t give up though – he plans on starting in Maine next year! He is 64 and has had heart bypass surgery and does not use any of that as an excuse! I guess he is where I got my love of hiking from!

How do you handle obstacles that arise as you pursue your dreams?

I usually just try to think them through. I’m big on writing (the old fashioned way) so I will write down what I need to do to overcome the obstacle/problem.  It also really helps me to clear my mind so if I come to an obstacle, no matter what it is, I find that a long walk outside (when I can’t go hiking) really helps to clear my head and figure out a solution.

Can you share five interesting facts about yourself?

• We don’t have cable but we did watch all seasons of Breaking Bad on Netflix over the winter when GA had snow storms so I would say that is my favorite TV show because I honestly don’t watch any others!

• My favorite snack is dried apricots or really dried fruit of any kind. It’s hard to find without added sugar and hard to only eat the recommended portion size so I don’t get it very often but it’s so good!

• I grew up on a farm.

• I’m very shy!

• I was born and raised in GA. I’ve never lived in another state but really want to move out west soon!

Who inspires you?  What are your favorite fitness blogs to follow?