What Steps2Nutrition Means To Me

Standing at the bottom of the Culver City Stairs is intimidating, especially if you have never climbed them before. The ancient looking staircase is reminiscent of an Incan Ruin. I can imagine many people would stand at the bottom of these steps and look up, freak out and turn around and walk away. Some would stand there and debate it. Some might even stand there and complain for a few minutes. Especially when the sun is out and shining so bright you can’t even really see where the stairs end. Or it’s hot. Or it’s about to rain. Or their knees aren’t good. Or their hips aren’t quite right. There will always be an excuse. What is your excuse?

The proper name is Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. It’s 280 steps from the top to the bottom, with a few breaks for merging hiking trails in between. The stairs are made of dirt, mud, stone and some concrete here and there. Some of them are broken, especially at the beginning. Some are higher than others, some are covered in mud and some are lopsided. In fact, the first half of the stairs is pretty much a mess, but you have to get through the first half to get to the second half. The reward is getting to the top. Once you catch your breath, you can see all of Los Angeles. Smog aside…on a clear day it is simply magnificent.

I have been climbing these stairs for over three years now. I have seen rain turn them into an almost virtual mudslide. I have seen the spring turn that mud into grass and flowers. From the top of these stairs I have laughed. I have cried. I have thought about some major decisions. I have screamed at the top of my lungs. I have brought people I loved there to share the beautiful view from the top. I even took someone special to watch the sun set once.

There are so many different people who attempt (and succeed) climbing these stairs. I see athletes decked out in their weight vests and heart monitors trying to make their next big fitness gain. I pass young moms and dads with their babies strapped in baby backpacks. There is no shortage of overzealous little boys and girls trying desperately to beat one another on a race to the top. I pass a few older adults, in their sunglasses and sun hats. Of course, there are many overweight people. For many of them, just getting up the stairs one time would be amazing. Maybe getting to the top once will be all the motivation they need to come back and do two sets next time. I look at all these people and remember why I want a career in nutrition. Maybe I can help motivate them. Who knows, maybe one of them will even motivate me.

What is it that drives you? There are many things that drive me. This blog is only about one of them. Wanting to reach the top and climbing over whatever is in my way to get there. It is an uphill battle and you might have to stop and catch your breath at some points. I want to reach the top no matter how lopsided or muddy or far apart each stair is from the next. The ultimate goal is to experience the view from the top of the stairs and the feeling when you look out over the horizon and see how far you have come.