I have been getting requests lately for a "BEFORE" picture. I got my scanner working and found a picture of me about a week out from delivering my twin daughters. I find that before and after pictures can leave readers feeling discouraged on occasion. Sometimes the before resembles someone elses' goal. Not one person can dispute my pregnant belly was beyond huge, however! I had 14 pounds of baby ALONE in there! It is hard to believe that less than
four years ago I walked into the delivery room carrying twins at 205 + pounds. Now
I write a health and fitness blog hoping to inspire other people to achieve
their fitness goals, , , while working on my personal training certification.
My life
prior to striving to move forward with my fitness goals included: making excuses to avoid pushing
myself to my fullest potential, succumbing to sugar cravings with bouts of
binge eating, and living with a constant restlessness in my heart as I
struggled to find balance. I lost 60
pounds of my baby weight and worked out regularly, taking my body fat back down
to “acceptable levels”, but nothing motivated me to continue to progress and make true fitness goals that inspired me to the core.
The moment I
decided to move forward with my life came when I reached a fitness plateau, became
complacent, and stood by idly while my excuses grew: you’ve had three children, your body will
never be the same after having twins, multiple abdominal surgeries left your
core weak, you’re no longer in your twenties. My body and my heart literally
ached for a change! I hired my
first personal trainer in an effort to kick-start my new attitude on life, but
this particular trainer didn’t fit my needs, leaving me even more unsettled. I started to gain weight back and my
motivation to be _truly_ fit waned.
It was time
to take action toward with the new life I craved. Enter my new personal trainer, Gary! He took my inspiration to move forward and
blasted it to new levels! Gary
challenged me to try things with my body I never thought possible. I became that FIERCE woman at the gym- strong
and lean who is confidant in my appearance and abilities. If a trainer is in your budget, hiring the _right_
one can change your life! If a trainer
is out of your budget, stay motivated by working out with friends or following
fitness fan pages and blogs for new material to keep your workouts challenging
and interesting.
What is life
like now? I am proud of my body for the
first time in far too many years. I love
feeling confidant in my appearance despite the c-section scar, hernia surgery
scar, and the fact that the skin around my belly is not as taut as it used to
be. I sport my bikinis with pride- not because I have the best body,,, because I have finally come to peace with myself. More importantly, however, I’ve never been
physically stronger (I whipped out 14 pull ups the other day), and I’ve never
been so determined to fuel my body with the healthiest food options
available.
 |
205 lbs. . .
You can do it! |
Clean eating is key to your health and fitness! Small changes to your diet add up to large successes! I can't tell you the last time I used mayonnaise in anything. I switched to stone ground mustard for everything. Sound crazy? It's not!!! Mustard spices up tuna, chicken, ground turkey,,,,, everything.
Currently, I am loving
Eden Organic Brown Mustard . With all natural ingredients and sugar free, it is the perfect condiment to liven up all of my dishes!
Here is a quick little recipe to illustrate just how versatile and delicious brown mustard can be:
Ground Chicken "Muffins"
2 pounds ground chicken (turkey or lean beef can be substituted)
1 cup cooked quinoa
3 T brown mustard
1 T rosemary
1 tsp cumin
dash of turmeric
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients. Line a muffin tin with baking cups. Drop spoonfuls of mixture into cups. Bake 350 degrees or so for about 30 minutes. This recipe is so healthy and incredibly yummy! You can pack individual servings into lunches or enjoy them for quick snacks!
Thank you Jean and Nicole for giving me this opportunity to shine! The Aloha Friday Hop has just exploded these past two months, and that has everything to do with your amazing posts, engaging writing, generous spirits, and all around positive vibe. I love being apart of this community and feel so fortunate to be the featured blog this week!
It is hard to believe that less than four years ago I walked into the delivery room carrying twins at 205 pounds. Now I write a health and fitness blog hoping to inspire other people to achieve their fitness goals.... all while working on my personal training certification. I chose to create Cave Princess to illustrate how being FUELED BY NATURE changed various aspects of my life for the better. I wanted to share a feminine perspective on feeding the body with plenty of natural food, and how a healthy relationship with food can facilitate a peaceful balance for the rest of your life.
Aloha!
Krista
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