Coconut Dreams Smoothie

I love making up smoothies, whatever I got on hand I use. Here is one I just came up with today.. it's so smooth and creamy and delish!!

Coconut Dreams Smoothie

1 cup light coconut milk

3/4 cup frozen mango

3/4 cup frozen pineapple

1/2 cup Nonfat milk

2-4 T of honey (to your desired sweetness)

Dash of nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 T wheat germ

1 cup ice cubes

Throw all ingredients in your blender blend until smooth and there you go a fabulous, creamy, smooth, smoothie! Enjoy

I haven't calculated the calorie count yet.. i will make sure to add it soon!!

Weight loss journey

When I was in my 3rd trimester with Kaylee..I was a borderline with having gestational diabetes and my doctor had put me on a special diet for the remainder of my pregnancy. This is when I started realising that I needed to do something about my weight. I gave it a little thought..but not too much. After Kaylee was born..pretty much immediately I was diagnosed with severe Postpartum Depression and was put on antidepressants. I was miserable..a big mess..and even though I was breastfeeding..I was packing on those pounds, with no care at all. I ate and ate and ate and ate.

After another appt with my Dr. he warned me that if I was thinking of getting pregnant again there would be a 99% chance that I would get gestational diabetes if I didn't lose some weight. He also warned me that I was at very high risk for developing diabetes when I got older. Even after hearing that from my doctor...I was a little cautioned, and I didn't really care, but it was not the thing that made it "click" for me to lose my weight. It happened almost a year later.

It all started November 3rd, 2006, actually it started just the night before, or that's when I truly new my life would change. I had just put the kids to bed, Jayson had just turned 3 and my princess Kaylee had just had her big 1st birthday :) After they were asleep I hopped in the shower..when I got out and dried off a little bit I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror (I usually NEVER look at myself naked) but I decided to look, and when I did the tears just started pouring. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I could not believe that the image staring back at me....was ME. I was grossed out, disgusted and disappointed. I couldn't believe that I had let myself get so dang obese... yes not just fat, I was OBESE. Then after just a few minutes it was like a light switched on in my head..all the sudden I thought to myself, " I don't have to be this way, I can change, I can take control of my own body, it's going to be the hardest thing I've ever done, and I know it won't be easy, but I WILL do it"

I went to bed that night more determined than I have ever been in my whole life, I was excited for the next day.

Then next morning I woke up full of unexplained energy. The very first thing I did was raid my kitchen. I went through my cupboards, pantry and refrigerator and threw out every nasty thing I could. Which was anything highly processed. I threw out all white breads, chips, tortillas, crackers, flour, pastas..boxed dinners.. you name it I threw it out. After I was done..my kitchen was pretty much empty but i was excited to fill it with tons of good complex carbohydrates (wheat pastas, breads, grains, flours..etc.) that's exactly what I did. Now this was no big deal to me at all...I love everything wheat so this was no big change to me..I know for some people it's a bit harder.

That same day I started to work out too. Even though I was very active as a teenager and played sports...my body had changed and was not used to any kind of activity. So I started out working out 6 days a week with low impact and low intensity,this way I new I wouldn't want to give up if the workouts were too hard. I started out doing Walk Away the Pounds by Leslie Sansone. It's an in-home walking program. Even though I felt like an old lady doing some in home walking.. it really helped. It was easy to follow, I never once got discouraged and I never wanted to give up. I was happy with how I was starting out on my weight loss journey. Just after that first day I really felt like I was on the right track and that this is something I could finally do for myself..with no ones help! I lost 20lbs in my first month of my journey. I couldn't believe I was actual doing it.

I started bumping up my workout routines, still working out 6 days a week and taking Sundays as my rest day...I did Walk Away the Pounds for the first two months..then my body started get use to it..so then I started doing some Tae Bo..then I would just do as many different kinds of cardi0 workout as I could. I lost 58 pounds in 8 months, that's an average of about 7 pounds a month. That might not seem a lot to you, but when you are trying to lose weight and be healthy for life SLOW and STEADY is the way to go. Now that coming from a very IMPATIENT person , well that say's a LOT..and I hope it shows you how serious I am about losing weight.

Course there is down sides. The dreaded plateau.....oh and did I ever have a plateau. I was in a plateau for over a WHOLE YEAR. Yes it's true. I couldn't lose anymore than 58lbs for over a year!! I didn't gain weight..but I sure the heck could not lose any more. Finally.... I started doing lots of research on the web and learned that I needed to start strength training (weights, resistance etc.) So I quickly incorporated that into my workouts. I bought some dumbbells and started doing a program called P90X (awesome, highly recommend it) That first week of introducing strength in my cardio and lost 2lbs I was 60 pound DOWN..that was a huge milestone for me!!! I was ecstatic. Finally this last December I finally reached my first goal of being 150lbs that was a weight loss of 66 pounds (yes do the math I weighted 216lbs when I started). I surpassed that by 1 pound and weighed in at 149lbs! I think I almost fainted when I saw that.

Thatwas short lived because that was right before Christmas. I gained about 9lbs during the holidays. I'm very use to this fluctuating weight now. It's going to be a never ending battle for me. When I reached my 40 pound milestone..my husband and I went to Hawaii and I gained 12 pounds in 5 days.. yes you heard that right. I was devastated...when we got back from Hawaii it took me a whole month to get those 12 pounds back off. Living this life is not easy. I'm easily tempted by food...sweets are my down fall. When ever I go back home to visit my family it's extremely hard to control my portions and stay on track. I gain about 3 pounds every time I go visit. I always lose it..but it's just a struggle.

Sometimes I get so depressed when I see skinny girls who can eat whenever they want..and not gain an ounce. Yeah yeah ..I know they are just "skinny fat" meaning that even though they are skinny and beautiful..they probably couldn't do 1 single push up to save their lives..and have absolutely no muscle on their skanky little bodies..but still it hurts. I have to work hard every single day for the rest of my life to keep my body the way it is. The sad thing is... I still see the FAT Krissy. When I look at myself even now..I still see fat girl. My body has changed so much. After having 3 babies by c-section and losing lots of weight..I got lots of extra saggy skin..and it makes me cry every time I see it. That's why I'm so determined to get a tummy tuck someday, I even made appointment to have a consultation to see a Plastic Surgeon to see what he said. He said that I will never be able to lose that..because it's just loose skin, and he said I'd be a perfect candidate for having the procedure! It needs to go. All this work I've done..and all this maintaining..I want to be able to look at my body and be proud of all my work.... not to hide it and get sad.

I wouldn't change anything though. I'm more healthy then I have ever been in my life. I have tons of energy..I love playing with my kids..and I don't get out of breath doing simple house hold chores. I got my life back and my goal is to help and inspire many others, let them know that they CAN DO IT!!!

Snowboarding

Just this last spring break I found my new favorite past time, hobby and love. Snowboarding! Snowboarding is something that I have always wanted to try but never had the chance to do before. When we moved out to Randle, WA. over 7 years ago I always thought that snowboarding would be such a fun thing because we are only 25 minutes away from White Pass!!

Well my chance finally came earlier this month during the kids spring break. My parents came and got the kids for the whole week. One night while we were wondering what to do with the kids gone my husband say's, "lets go snowboarding this week" I was SHOCKED hearing this come out of his mouth... I got so excited. Two days later we went snowboarding.

My husband our good friend Aaron and I headed to the pass. On the way up it was snowing and beautiful. I could feel my heart pumping with excitement when we reached the pass and I saw all the skiers and riders out there. I couldn't wait, I felt like a little kid waiting in line at disneyland for Splash Mountian or something..hehe. After we got all our gear on and our tickets we headed to the lift. For some reason..this was the thing I was most nervous about..not the actual going on the lift..it was getting off and on the lift that I was nervous about. To my surprise the getting on..was a piece of cake...then comes the getting off...and yes I fell, I fell all day long.

I didn't start out on the bunny hill, I wanted to..but Jeff didn't want to..so we started on the second biggest hill. It took me almost an hour to get down that hill..when now It only takes me a few minutes. Lucky for Jeff..even after 10 years of not riding..he picked it up right away. Aaron stayed back and help me try to get the basics down.. the balancing, toes and heels and getting up after falling. I swear I probably fell down 100 times...and I had a few really good slams, one that knocked the beegeezes right out of me. There were a few times that I just wanted to give up and cry..because after falling so much..getting up was SOOOO tiresome my energy was just sucked right out. I didn't give up though, I was so determined to get it down. I think our last run of the day.. i made it without falling, and that was such an awesome feeling.

The next morning..... oh yes, the next morning.... boy was I SORE. I had never felt pain like that in my life. I had muscles ache that I never even new I had before, and here I thought that my working out daily would save me from soreness, yeah right. I secretly loved the soreness, just knowing I found and worked other muscles was very fascinating to me.

I have gone twice since my first time, each time keeps getting better and better. This last weekend we spend the whole day on the big run. I have conquered getting off the lift and i'm really good with my heels and edging..but I need to work on my toes. The thing I love about snowboarding is cold crisp air, the quietness and just the freedom and the control you have over your board. I love that I can control everything...I love the feeling of when I straighten out my board and the speed just comes...hits you in the face and the adrenalin just courses through your veins...it's such and exhilarating feeling.

I am so sad that this season is coming to a close, there is only one more weekend left and I hope we can make it up once last time!! We did get season passes our last trip up...so i'm very psyched for next season!!! Hoping we can get the kids into it next season too!!

P.S. If snowboarding isn't wonderful enough......I have burned 1500 calories and over each time I have gone up..and that's buring 50% fat!!! AMAZING!!!!

Green Pea & Carrot Soup

I was never a huge fan of Split Pea Soup, but I always ate it.(but then again what didn't I eat..hehe) Then I was watching food network and saw a recipe Ellie Krieger made and wanted to try it. Course I switched mine up a bit and made it my own. This soup was SOOOOOO yummy and so comforting, you can eat so much of it because it's SOOO low in calories !!!! If you try it let me know how you like it!

Green Pea & Carrot Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (10-oz) bag frozen peas

1/2 c frozen carrots (I added a little carrot to sweetin the soup up just a little more)
4 teaspoons plain nonfat yogurt, optional

Directions:

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over moderately-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth,bay leaf, salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook just until defrosted. Take out bay leaf just before blending.

In a blender, puree the soup in 2 batches until very smooth. If serving hot, return the soup to the pot and bring just to a simmer. If serving cold, transfer to the refrigerator to chill. Ladle into bowls. Stir the yogurt so that it is smooth and top each serving with a swirl of yogurt.

Nutritional Analysis

per Serving 1 1/4 cups each
Calories:94

Total Fat:2.5 grams

Saturated Fat:0

Protein:7 grams

Carbohydrates:13 grams

Fiber:3 grams