One of the greatest hike’s in Hawai’i, if not in the world is the Kalalau Trail along the Napali Coast on Kauai’s north shore. Me and Karoline opted for the first 2 miles of it, to Hanakapi’ai Beach, and then continued up to the beautiful Hanakapi’ai Falls. In retrospect an 8 mile hike under a scorching sun is not the best idea we’ve ever had, but the trip itself was beautiful beyond comparison. Inspired by the sheer sporty-ness of it all I did gymnastics tricks all through the trip (and only felt sort of goofy and stupid for doing so), and am happy to inform you that I still maintain some of the flexibility from my dancing career. I almost fell over two seconds after that picture was taken though – hence the bent knee – so we can conclude with the fact that my balance has disappeared for the moment.

Finished the hike with a dip in the ocean at Ke’e Beach, had a well-deserved dinner in Hanalei before we returned to Ke’e  to watch the sunset. Kauai is so peaceful, I can’t think of any place I’d rather want to live right now. If you get the chance to visit the Hawaiian islands in your life, I have to recommend Kaua’i. It is my favorite by far (and I do love Oahu).

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Started the day with a hike to the top of the Koko Head crater. The trail is basically an old railway-track used by the military back in the days, but it’s so steep that it reminds you more of stairs than anything else. 1 hour up and down worth of stairs. I nearly died. To say I am out of shape is a gross understatement. I am starting to get the machinery working again though, slowly but surely I will return to my original superwoman-state. Somehow.

I am sick of being sick, and one way to good health is definitely through working-out.

How is your spring extreme make-over sessions working out for you? Broken your New Year’s resolutions yet?

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Just got home from day 1 of our PADI Open Water Diver certification. It’s been on the list of “things to do” for a long time, but it took Hawaii to make us do it. Woke up at 6am this morning to drive down to Hale’iwa and Deep Ecology Diving, did a 2-hour theory test and then changed base to Magic Island outside Ala Moana to learn the skills of a recreational diver. Looked like a drowned rat when we were done, but it was worth it. NOW, bed. Tomorrow is another long day of scuba diving and I already feel like a part-time mermaid, having replaced half of my body fluids with salt water.

Do you have a scuba diving certificate?

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Numero 3 – Skydive.

3 words: IT WAS AWESOME.

I need to do this again.

photos_nacho at skydivehawaii.com

This weekend I am working on the Norwegian Championship in Orienteering for Masters (Age 35+) in Hovden, a small, popular skiing destination in Setesdalen about 2 hours north of Kristiansand. In other words, I am currently seated on the couch in our winter cabin in the mountains after two days of hard work putting together the arena that 450 people will be competing around the next 3 days. It is raining outside, and in two hours I will have to leave the warm comfort of the living room to go down to the arena again and take pictures for the club. Not to tempting at the moment, as I would rather spend the remainder of the day with hot chocolate and a book, but then again I have neither of those things in hand, a refreshing dance in the rain has never hurt anyone (I think?).

This is my last orienteering-related event for a while, which feels weird after having lived for orienteering the entire summer, but now it’s time to get back to my real life, with school, my regular wardrobe (not having to live out of my suitcase will feel wonderful) and a bit of glam. Will enjoy these last 3 days to the fullest thought, before I am heading for Oslo again, then Kristiansand and then Hawaii on Thursday.

Do any of you partake in any unusual sports or hobbies ?

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Since I came back from Newcastle I’ve managed to spend a few days in Oslo, then Kristiansand, then Oslo and now I am sitting in my hotel room in Tromsø having just finished running the so-called “Adidas-mila” during Tromsø Midnight Sun Marathon. Had to settle for 10km instead of the half marathon (21km) because of my knees and the 10 kilometers proved to be tougher than I would have thought (both for the knees and my general condition, I need to run more). But apart from the pain, I enjoyed myself immensely. People were gathered around the track, cheering us on, playing music, waving flags and singing. It was amazing to see how many had turned up just to watch us run. Going out to watch Katarina be super sporty and run the half-marathon now, and then after that it is time for white wine and midnight sun partying. But first: food.

Hope you’re enjoying the day, I sure am.

Warming up, fit and fresh for fight. -ish.

Starting to realize that this might not be a dance on roses after all.

My “kill-me-now”-look. LOL.

Team Green.

NOW, dinner.

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Idag er den Internasjonale Blodgiverdagen, og i den forbindelse arrangerer Blodbanken i Oslo og Norges Røde Kors sammen med bloggere over hele Norge kampanjen “Blogg for livet” for å samle flere blodgivere. Etter å ha sett et par sesonger av Vampire Diaries kan man muligens finne på å tro at disse blodsekkene Stefan og Damon stjeler fra sykehus hele tiden er lette å komme over, men sannheten er at vi i Norge trenger blodgivere. Mange av dem. Helst 30.000 nye blodgivere.

Det å gi blod er ikke for alle, det finnes nok av folk som er redde for sykehus, redde for sprøyter, folk som ruser seg eller reiser for mye i helsemessig utrygge deler av verden. Derfor er det viktig å nå ut til de som faktisk har muligheten til å være med å hjelpe, de som har muligheten til å redde liv, de som har helse og guts til å ta en liten time fri fra livet sitt for å hjelpe andre. Det er ikke spesielt vanskelig når alt kommer til alt. Det eneste du trenger å gjøre er å gå inn på denne siden og registrere deg.

Gjør en liten forandring i hverdagen, skaff deg litt ekstra god karma og redd et liv eller flere.
Det høres ikke så dumt ut, gjør det vel? Jeg har registrert meg, og hvis jeg kan gjøre det, så kan du også !

bloggforlivet.no

Like some of you might remember I am currently getting myself in shape for the Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromsø, where I am running for Team Adidas. With only two weeks left I am starting to feel desperate about not being fit enough for this. I am only running the half-marathon, or in the worst-case scenario; the Adidas Mile, but I have a mad competitive gene and it is currently trying to kick me into full speed. I have a strict program to follow, set by my miCoach, but today I opted for a free run with my mum and my dog instead. Worked fine for a while before I suddenly felt a need to have a dispute with a couple of rocks concerning the children’s game “Jeg går rett frem samme hva jeg støter på” (loosely translated to something like: I walk straight ahead no matter what is in my way). I lost. You should have seen the blood though, in retrospect it was sort of awesome.

A little over a month ago I was asked by Adidas if I wanted to join a team they were putting together for the Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromsø.  Being a very competitive human being, and also a person that needs to get in shape again after a looooooooong winter, I could not say no to this, so come June 25th I will running a half-marathon if everything goes according to plan.

I finished my first long run today, 1 hour and 35 minutes of power walking/jogging (30 min + 55 min + 10 min), and I’ve realized I have to get in better shape fast if this is going to work. No shock there really. Had a meeting with Adidas last week where I got new shoes, clothes and everything, so at least I’ll look fabulous while trying to beat the crap out of all the joggers at Sognsvann.

To help me/motivate me/guilt-trip me I also got Adidas’ version of nike+, called micoach. It is like an updated version of the nike+ thing, with a heart rate monitor and a little chip you place in your shoe that registers steps. It tells you when to run faster or slower, says “nice job” and makes a customized training plan for you. In other words, to quote some sort of TV-shop commercial, it’s a personal trainer that fits in your pocket . I’m smitten. For real.

So, I have 9 weeks to get ready for the half-marathon, I will be running 4 days a week + strength and flexibility training. And I will take it slow, I have no intension of getting inflamed legs of any sort (I already have two knees stuffed with inflamed goo).

Are you getting in shape for the bikini season (and do you want to be bothered with my updates on what/when/how I train)?

SIGNE: I would want to hear about your take on body issues and the pressure to be perfect. Especially because of the fact that you study fashion(?).

Well, I don’t study anything fashion-related, fashion is just a passion I have and take part in through my job as a writer for OsloNights.no as well as my blog. But I am involved in that world and I do notice the hysteria around body ideals.

Personally I have never been the skinniest girl on the block, I am a little curvy and I have always had quite large breasts (the way I see it in any case). I have been dancing ballet most of my life, and when you spend up to 8 hours in front of the mirror every day in a tight leotard your body image gets quite fucked up to be frank. I’ve never suffered from any eating disorders, but that is more because of the fact that I lack the willpower than for lack of desire to be thinner.

As I have grown older I have grown more confident and at home in my own body (and mind) and try to keep healthy rather than obsess about losing weight. I wish that I was thinner (most girls do) but most of the time I am content with not being so and I don’t feel pressured to do anything about it by the people I surround myself with in the fashion world.

But when it comes to the whole debate about skinny models I think that the debate that is going on is based on some generals elements that I strongly disagree with. First and foremost I dislike the fact that the whole debate is based upon the principle that everyone can be a model if they are just skinny and tall enough, and that is wrong. Some people are born abnormally tall and thin, most of us aren’t, and luckily for those few people we have a market that targets those types of human bodies.

No one reacts if you tell a short guy that he can’t play basketball because everyone knows that in basketball you are supposed to be tall, but somehow (catwalk)modeling is something everyone should be able to do according to the general public.

Models are human clothes hangers, they are there to sell a garment and that garment will in 90% of the cases look better on them than if you let a short, chubby person wear it. It might sound cynical but that is the way of the world.

Then again I am not in any way supporting letting models that look like skeletons walk on the catwalk, but most models do not look like that.

When it comes to the body issues this causes for young people I think that we – the society in general – need to take more of the blame upon our own shoulders and face the facts. Anorexia and bulimia is more often than not based on personal issues related to interpersonal relationships, the skinny models and celebrities are just the inspiration (or thinspiration) one uses to reach a goal based on something far deeper. The goal and strive to be perfect in every aspect of life is something we need to work on, to make people more secure in their own skin and content with their own abilities and qualities.

Most girls (and guys to some extent) want to be thin because they feel that whatever else they have to offer might not be good enough. They think that if they are thin and beautiful people will look passed the fact that they are boring, pathetic, unintelligent, etcetera. Most people lack the ability to see that they have good qualities in them and strive to be perfect on the outside in order to “disguise” their inner imperfections. And just to be clear, I am not saying that people are boring, pathetic, etc. But people that suffer with low self-esteem issues often think that they are.

Personally I think that it is unfair to the fashion industry that it has been labeled the big bad wolf, and that it is just a way of pushing the responsibility over on someone else.

In our society I think we should work on getting better at telling people how much they are worth and congratulate people for their accomplishments no matter how small they are. Tell your friends how much their presence in your life mean to you, tell the girl on the bus that you love her hair or dress instead of just thinking it and the external problems will solve themselves quite easily.

Got a little of topic at the end there, but this is my general opinion about the issue. What do you think?

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Me @ Venice Beach.

Last night I started on my work-out regime again. Have been lazy for a month (or for that matter the past year, if you exclude the summer) now, but the reality of me getting tired of walking up the stairs to my apartment (I live on the 3d floor) hit me square in the stomach when I got home from school yesterday. So goodbye couch, hello nike shoes.

Luckily for me, nike+ is still going strong and as of last night I am participating in the “Norway vs. Denmark vs Sweden” challenge, as well as “Europe vs America”. We’re so winning btw. Also joined the TAKE OSLO competition, because there’s nothing that keeps me running mile after mile like a good competition. Last time I entered one I ran 10km for 4-5 days a week for about 3-4 months. Felt like superwoman.

How are you treating your bodies at the moment?

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My vacation this year will be like every vacation I have with my family: a boot camp. Orienteering + healthy food + decent amount of sleep every night. And for me it’s during the summer vacation that I really have the time to start being nice to my body again. So I thought I might give you some details on how I get in shape both in body and mind. Goal = total relaxation. Stress less.

JOGGING: Now that summer is here, you should try to take advantage of the fact that the woods are in perfect running condition. I plan to jog every other day, ideally 3-5 times a week. If you (like me) haven’t been working-out to much lately, it’s important to start slow, don’t run an hour of intervals or a 15 km trip, you will only hurt yourself. Personally I like running on the small paths instead of running rounds on the gravel tracks, it’s better for my knees to run on a softer ground and the running doesn’t get as monotonous. Good for the body, good for the soul.

FOOD: Fruit salads, müsli, smoothies, raisins, nuts. It’s important to eat enough, even though we’re supposed to prance around showing off the tiniest stomach we can muster in a bikini. When it is warm outside you feel less hungry, so small meals could be a thing. Müsli with yogurt and fruit is a winner. Always.

WALKING: If you don’t feel like jogging, just getting out for a walk will do you good. Shorts, t-shirt and a pair of good shoes (and of course your iPod) is all you need. Personally I love taking my camera with me as well, to take pictures whenever I find some curious little wonder on a deserted path somewhere deep into the forest. Gives you time to think a lot too.

RELAX: Take time to sit down and realize that you’re actually on vacation, this is your time off. Spend a whole day in the park blowing soap bubbles and chatting with friends without really doing anything. Because that is what the summer holiday is really all about (at least for me): doing absolutely nothing for so long that by the time school/work starts again, I reallyreallyreally want to start working again. Motivation, inspiration and above all surplus of energy.

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Som  mange av dere vet var jeg med på å fronte nye Chiquita smoothie, og like før jul var vi på ernæringsworkshop hvor vi fikk lære masse smart og nyttig om kosthold, i tillegg til at vi generelt hadde det kjempe koselig, spiste god mat og drakk smoothie. Vel anywho, siden forrige gang var en så utrolig suksess, så bestemte vi oss for å gjøre dette en gang til, men denne gangen ville vi ha med noen flere, litt sånn for gøy. Derfor skal jeg kåre to vinnere som får dra på workshop med Marie, Silje, Nora og meg selv og såklart fagkyndige personer, vinnerene får goodiebags og en opplevelse og lærdom for livet.

Sted: Oslo
Dato: 20. januar

Hvis det høres interessant ut så det er bare å skrive ned ditt beste sunnhetstips i kommentarfeltet. Husk å legge igjen mailadresse/mobilnummer i mailfeltet så jeg kan kontakte deg. Det er viktig at de som deltar bor i eller i nærheten av Oslo slik at du kan komme deg til dit på egen hånd. Du må være 16 år for å delta. Vinneren kåres førstkommende torsdag. Hadde vært kult å møte noen av dere in real life. Tror jeg;)

Yesterday was very educational, without getting to lecture-ish. We had a good conversation around the table and managed to agree on some vital issues when it comes to young girls and nutrition. To those of you who asked about healthy, cheap and good dinners (or meals in general), a varied meal is always a winner. You can use:

- Different kinds of vegetables: not just the same old every time, we need to be better to eat vegetables, and branch out a little. Visit one of the vegetable markets at Grünerløkka and buy something new and foreign thing.
- Fish: first price fish (the frozen ones) are very cheap, but is exactly the same fish as the ones you buy from Findus ++ Norwegians in general need to eat more fish. Or take tran.
- Beans – heat them and eat them with roasted vegetables or as replacement for meat in a tortilla.
- Fruit: eat different kinds of fruits as well, drink smoothies, eat bananas. If you want to get C-vitamin boost, always choose the fruits with the strongest colors.

Norwegian girls are bad at getting enough energy through their system. There’s a connection between what goes into your body and what goes out (via working-out and being in movement), and girls in general are lousy at eating enough of it. Alcohol is not healthy either, especially not in large quantum. Low-fat milk is not unhealthy. That’s a myth.

If you want to get slimmer, the key is to always exercise and eat healthy and ENOUGH. I’m not saying you should eat 32 slices of bread and 5 helpings at every meal, but don’t try to starve yourselves either. It will not do you any good, you’ll cut down on your storage energy and end up being tired, moody and stupid (if your brain doesn’t get enough energy, it can’t work as fast as it should, simple math).

And if you do have an obesity problem, talk to the school nurse or contact a nutrition expert who can help you loose weight in a healthy manner.

If you have any additional questions, write a comment and I’ll answer it or forward it to the nutrition expert.

Useful links: klara klok / pasienthåndboken / wikipedia /

BTW: If you want to you can now take a test on start.no to see what kind of morning-person you are (sponsored by Chiquita, and with the pictures of the four of us on the result page). In Norwegian unfortunately, you can find it HERE.

Imorgen skal jeg, Marie og Nora møte en ernæringsekspert i samarbeid med Chiquita kampanjen, og i den forbindelse tenkte jeg at jeg skulle spørre dere om dere har noen spørsmål i forhold til mat, trening og liknende. Hvor mange måltid trenger en gjennomsnittlig person om dagen? Hvor stort skal et måltid være? Hva bør det inneholde? Hvordan skal man endre kostholdet sitt hvis man vil gå ned/opp i vekt? etc. Gi meg noen gode spørsmål, så skal hun – og jeg – svare så godt vi kan.

E: Tomorrow I’m meeting a nutrition expert together with Marie and Nora, and on that occasion I wanted to ask you if you had any question about nutrition, what to eat, when to eat, etc? Give me some really good questions please, so I can impress her with them and the intelligence of my readers ;)