Staying Healthy All Festival Season

happy festival season!

The weather is getting warmer and the crop tops, and bro tanks are are coming out to play! This time of the year, we are turning up the heat at gym sessions, and see the bohemian festival vibes in windows of every clothing store. It's important to look and feel good in your skin! This is a great time to use that momentum of motivation and work towards your health goals. 

Beyond aesthetics, there are many more reasons why taking control of your health is important for the festival months. Keep in mind these tips and tricks to keep you at your body's best all season long.

1. Build Endurance

Yoga at Tripolee, Electric Forest | source: Insomniac Events

Festival hours will have you prancing around the grounds in sunlight, and dancing all night long. Incorporating strength training and cardio into your workout routine will benefit your festival endurance. If you build this endurance leading up to festival day, you'll have an increased amount of energy to exerte while there. "I don't want more energy" said no festival-goer, ever.

I've been switching between a variety of classes: weightlifting, plyometrics, HIIT, barre, yoga, totaling about 3-5 times a week. I switch up my workouts at Studiomix, a class-based gym located here in San Francisco. For me, this works because my workouts never feel monotonous and being in a class setting motivates me to push beyond my comfort level. Most importantly, have fun with it. Fitness should be fun! Get active the way you most enjoy it. 

Tip: While there, take a morning yoga session at a festival! They are the perfect way to start your long day. 

Hammocks of Electric Forest | source: Insomniac Events

2. Get some rest

Getting rest is the first thing to get pushed aside once you get to a festival. I know it can get really exciting when you are there! One of the most common problems festival goers experience is going way too hard the first day. Don't be that person that tries to outdo every one, and end up exhausted for the remainder of the festival. Enjoying a festival is not a sprint, it is a marathon, especially at multi-day events. Pace yourself, and allow yourself to take a break every now and then. Let those FOMO feels go. Trust me, there will still be plenty to enjoy after you catch your breath.

Tip: Bring a hammock to hang in the trees. Another option is a lightweight sarong in your daypack for when you want to plot down for a break in the grass.

Dirtybird Campout | source: Aaron Kwon, AOK Photography

3. Protect your skin

This one is as easy as it sounds. Sun screen is an absolute must. Vitamin D is good for you, but you'll definitely want to protect yourself from painful sunburn.

Tip: Hats, visors and parasols double up as accessories! Remember though, dark colors will attract heat. If it's a really hot festival, and you're wearing a black hat, check-in with yourself periodically to make sure you don't overheat.

If it's hot, grab something cool. Popsicles are always an easy go to. | source: Coachella

4. Eat to Energize

Leaning out for the Festival

Nutrition is key to a healthy festival body. Before heading to a festival two years back, I went on a strict 12-week diet that cut out all breads, sugar, and sodium. Sure, I saw results quick and felt good about how I looked, but because my body was not used to processing these foods, it immediately bloated after anything I ate, leaving me sick and groggy. From first hand experience, I learned NOT TO OVER RESTRICT PRE-FESTIVAL. Chances are there will be delicious food vendors you'll want to try at the festival too. Prevent yourself from making this mistake, and take your progress slow. There's nothing wrong with wanting to cut back on bad eating habits, so go for it. A popular and more flexible approach that works best for me, is tracking both calories and macronutrients. Check out Fit+Thick's guide to macronutrients for more information!

At the Festival

Always start the day with a solid breakfast. Do not skip meals. If festival camping, pack some energy boosting snacks for when you're on-the-go. Similar to foods you would take on hikes, great options to pick up are beef jerky, trail mix, granola bars and dried fruit. Easy to store, quick to throw in your bag, and no need to chill them.

Tip: Fruit smoothies! The smoothies are easy to drink and you can take them as you wander in the festival. Really though, anything light and fresh is a good choice, like slices of watermelon or fruit popsicles.

Insomniac's free water fill stations | Source: Insomniac

5. Don't Be Thirsty...Drink Water!

Most festivals occur when the weather is warm. If you aren't careful, the sun will show no mercy! Stay hydrated! Many festivals get a bad rep for other controversial issues and recreational activities, but one of the first things to send anyone to the medical tent is dehydration. Always carry water with you...for yourself and those around you. If you decide to consume alcohol, you'll need to up the water intake a little more. Check your festival's guidelines, but most now allow you to bring in empty water bottles to fill up throughout the day.  Save yourself and the planet simultaneously!  Keep those bottles filled and with you at all times and encourage your crew to take trips to refill together.

Tip: Getting in extra electrolytes will do wonders. Keep Gatorade and/or Pedialyte handy back at camp in addition to the cooled water. 

Dancing in Water Misters at Dirtybird Campout | source: Dirtybird Records

6. Don't Stress! Make a plan, then Break It.

When you get the lineup and festival guide, it's good to have a game plan. However, there's no need to turn that game plan into an hour-by-hour agenda. Festivals are the perfect chance for let go from a strict routine, to have fun and just explore!

Sometimes, plans aren't always meant for keeping. Don't stress it if you miss an artist you were dying to see. Be present in every experience there, big and small. Enjoy the little things you may come across, like the foosball table in the corner, or a chance to dance in the water misters.

You shouldn't have to go home from the event feeling exhausted.  Mental health is a huge important part of your health too. Music Festivals should be an escape, not something you take so seriously that you're drained at the end of your vacation.

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Lessons Learned From Growing Up in the Bay Area

"You're from the Bay?! Me too!" my Lyft driver exclaimed, talking to me as if we were some type of unicorn.

Sitting in my Lyft line and scrolling through my Instagram feed, my Lyft driver jokingly continued on, "Everyone that hops in this car always says they moved here from SoCal and has been here for 6 months." Ironically, the passenger assigned to join our Lyft line was a SoCal man equipped with a beard and you guessed it...moved to the city exactly 6 months ago. Sitting in the back seat, our driver made eye contact with me through the rear view mirror, we gave each other a quick smirk, and casually carried on with our ride. 

According to the U.S. Census, between 2010 and 2014, the population of San Francisco grew by 47,274 people. That number continues to rise. With a population so dense,  finding a fellow Bay Area native in this city is rarer than most people think. The population growth says wonders about the type of city San Francisco is. All hipster jokes aside, I'm so proud to be from a place that known to steal hearts. Some people visit for a short few days, some move here for months or years at a time. Even after the first year, the city will mold you into a new person. Here's a few of the life lessons I've learned from living in the Bay all my life.

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Growing up in the SF Bay Area, you'll learn...

1. That in the bay, we dance a lil different

I know, a hyphy movement reference ...really? What did you expect? I'm a good girl with a Bay playlist. It's practically in my blood.

Real talk, living in a region like the Bay Area will affect your taste in food and fun! Our communities bring inspiration from many cultures and ethnic backgrounds, making for quite the lineup of restaurants, classes, and fun activities. From fusion food experiences like Off the Grid, to live shows in just about every genre of music, there are so many opportunities to find your place. Don't limit yourself. The world is your oyster! This is the place to broaden your horizons.

2. To remain optimistic

In the country's top cities with the most Ethno-Racial and Linguistic Diversity, Bay Area cities dominate half of that list. That doesn't even include San Francisco, Oakland, San Mateo, Sunnyvale or Vallejo, which all follow closely behind in the top 20. Melting pot? We're like the crockpot of California. Throw in a bunch of different stuff and let them stew together. It ends up good and you get a little of everything. 

In the SF Bay Area, you see struggle and success almost side-by-side on a daily basis. Being in the Bay reminds you that there really is no right or wrong way to do things. Instead of wasting energy trying to keep track of those who have it better or worse...just focus on being authentic. You are one-of-a-kind, not just one-in-a-million. What may be considered a traditional path for some, may not be for you. Focus on making YOUR current situation work. So keep going. Give 110% with what you're working with. That is what makes us resilient.

3. To always come prepared

The grey skies tease us by morning and disappear by night. Some days, vice versa. The day you decide to wear shorts, it'll probably start to pour rain. Even if you check the weather forecast, it doesn't always account for all the microclimates around here. Don't question this....just always come prepared with multiple layers.

Beyond choosing a weather friendly outfit, it's a good reminder that like the weather, what's expected in life isn't always how it plays out. Things happen, and you just have to roll with the punches. The Bay taught me that like that sweater you are hesitant to bring, it's better to be safe and come prepared with an extra layer of tough skin. Don't take things too personal. Take any challenge head on, like the champ you are.

4. How to work with just about anyone

The best employees are those that know how to work with every type of personality. What better place to figure this out than the Bay? Sure, at first it will feel like someone throwing you in the shark tank. It's intimidating (and exhausting) trying to read so many different kinds of people in a day. Some days, things you'll say may come off way more offensive than you intended to be. Some days, you'll connect with someone you had no idea you'd be in-cahoots with. The more you do, the more you'll learn the art of interacting harmoniously.  You'll know both: what you need to do to hold a good team together and what brings a tough team closer together. 

To save you the years of first hand trial and error...remember that others' reactions are a reflection of themselves, not you. Pick your battles wisely, and always try to meet others halfway. 

5. Most importantly, to eat a slice of humble pie

Within the nine counties of the Bay Area, each city holds many different stories and lifestyles in them. Even in the neighborhoods of San Francisco, you can visually see the subcultures change just by turning a corner. San Francisco born, and Antioch raised, that culture shock hit me like a ton of bricks my first year moving back to the city. I realized that growing up an East Bay girl did not mean I understood the San Francisco Bay Area lifestyle in it's entirety.

You'll realize that the morals and beliefs you have, may not be the same for the person next to you...and that's okay! To thrive here, you better quickly let go of any "big fish in a little pond" mentality. Keep your hometown roots, but always remain open to learn something new. Go with the flow. To make good friends and connect to quality people here, you need to strip yourself down to your true core. Make friends that match your intentions, not your style. That realization alone will help you to understand that everyone is entitled to their own thoughts, beliefs and lifestyles...some similar, some way different than your own. Soon enough, you'll be surrounded by people...all colorful, both inside and out.

Jacket: Zara | Boot: Aldo | Dress: Thrifted

Photography by Zoe Larkin

HIking to Land's End Labyrinth

Spontaneous Saturdays

When the sun comes out on the weekend, we've learned not to think twice about getting outside. We know Karl, the Fog will swallow the sky without a moment's notice. With nothing more than Lea's leash and a camera, we hopped in Daniel's truck and headed to Land's End to explore the infamous labyrinth.

The sun was warm, while the air was crisp and cool. Surrounded by many others, it was easy to see we all had the same idea to get outside and explore the Land's End area. Some were locals and some were visitors. Some were families and some were friends. The people around us represented a spectrum of many individuals, all there for one reason: to enjoy the beauty of Golden Gate National Recreation Area on a sunny weekend.

Down a few more steps, we got to Mile Rock Beach. The waves there are particularly higher than nearby beach areas, so kept our distance from the water. It isn't the best spot for swimming, but you can enjoy a picnic or relax in the sand! One wave was loud enough to shake the ground, but hearing them continuously crash  against the rocks was both fun and soothing. Overall, the morning hike was a short and an easy-going stroll.

“The labyrinth is there as a sign of peace, love and enlightenment for all”

— Statement on Richmond District Blog

Visit the land's end Labryinth

Essentials: Wear comfortable shoes. Bring water, snacks and a phone (or camera) for awesome pictures. If four-legged friends comes along, remember to bring poop bags and leave no trace! 

Bathroom Tip: Plan ahead. Make a restroom trip prior to arriving, as there are no bathrooms in immediate proximity. For additional planning tips, check out more helpful details here or visit the NPS website for Land's End. 

Difficulty: The Land's End Labryinth makes for an easy to moderate hike, with a breathless view of the Pacific Ocean and Golden Gate Bridge. Taking our time, and starting our walk near the Legion of Honor, the short excursion (including Mile Rock Beach) was no more than 1-2 hours total. 

Why to love it: This place is a treasure of San Francisco that many locals hold close. Last summer, the hidden spot was vandalized by individuals that threw the curated rocks into the water. Overnight, the masterpiece disappeared. No more than one month after, a group of locals volunteered to rebuild the Land's End Labryinth, and that alone shows how much the community values it's presence. For visitors, it can easily fall behind the iconic San Francisco tourist attractions, but it's not one to miss. When visitors do find it, it's a meditative treat. For SF Bay Area locals, it's a great place to bring family, friends, and pups. (Just remember to be respectful of all the types of recreation happening around you!)

The next time Karl the fog is on hiatus, take the time to go outside and visit the Land's End Labryinth. When you approach the labryinth, I encourage you to enjoy it one step at a time. When you finally find yourself in the middle of it, you may be surprised to find your own center too.

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