Health and Fitness
By Sarah Walls
I have always been a fairly active person. Ever since I was a little kid, my hobbies included things like hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, and swimming. I’ve always enjoyed being outside as much as possible. I am at my happiest when I’m in nature; whether it’s a forest or a lake or a mountain or an ocean, I feel the most connected to the world and to myself when I’m in an environment like that. I’m excited for being assigned the health and fitness beat because I think combining my love for the outdoors with a health and fitness aspect will be something I really enjoy writing about. I think that’s what I would be the biggest advocate for: leading a healthy lifestyle by finding an outdoor activity you are passionate about.
As far as writing goes, however, I’ve never really covered a story specifically about health and fitness. I’ve done plenty of pieces regarding the outdoors and activities or adventures I’ve had, but I think targeting that health and fitness angle will add a new challenge for me. I’m not the kind of person who wants to write about counting calories or fad diets. I’d rather try to inspire people by highlighting exciting events, new activities one could try, or through interesting stories about other outdoor advocates. I believe that one shouldn’t just say “I want to be healthy. I want to be fit”. I think the real success and lifestyle change comes from saying “I want to find a new passion. I want to find something I enjoy that will also help me live a healthier and fitter lifestyle”. Those are the kind of stories I would want to cover; people trying to find the balance between healthiness and happiness.