Switching Things Up

Hello, everyone!
I just realized that I had a post in mind a while ago and then never actually posted it... I feel so bad! Oh, well. I'm going to make that post now but just add more!
When I was thinking about what I was going to post a while ago, I was thinking about how easy it is to feel stuck in a routine in a specific place and how the lack of change of scenery can sometimes be discouraging, at least for me. It's easy for me to feel confined if I only have one place to workout or things don't switch up every once in a while.
On that note, recently I have moved down to Utah and am staying with my in-laws until we get an apartment (we should hear back today!!!) and while I was searching for a job along with apartments I was beginning to get cabin fever and just needed to get out of the house. My youngest brother in law was planning to start going running in the mornings, and so I decided I would go with him to walk. There are 2 beautiful parks near by to go to, and so one morning we headed to Layton Park. As I was walking and enjoying the fresh air, I got to enjoy this beautiful scenery:

Everything was so beautiful! I couldn't get over how pretty this park was, right in the middle of town. And it made me think of how little a lot of us go exploring. We get stuck in our ways and don't try new things. Eventually we get bored and we quit, when there are so many things out there that can beautify our lives and keep things exciting.

On a semi-different note, I have been following a bunch of inspirational female coaches on facebook and instagram and have been wanting to make even bigger changes in my life. A lot of these coaches are with beachbody, and I found out that right now BeachBody is having a free 14-day trial for their on demand workouts! I am going to try it, and I'm already super excited about it. It's basically like netflix, but workouts. I am excited to see how this works for me (along with support from one of the coaches I follow and a challenge group they created on facebook) and what changes I can make in the next two weeks. Updates to come!

My challenge to you for this next week is to find a park in your area and go. Or, if you don't go to a park (or fitness is not your current challenge), find some way to switch up your routine and make a change. "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting something different to happen." Keep your head up and be awesome!

Finding Small Things to Stay on Track

Hello, everyone!
I don't have a huge amount to post this week, but I did have something on my mind that I wanted to share.
Sometimes life gets crazy and overwhelming and you don't always remember the things you need to do to take care of yourself. As for me, right now I've been busy trying to find a job and a place to live, creating my makeup portfolio and resume, and helping out with family chores at my in-laws who have been kind enough to live with them until my husband and I find an apartment. Sometimes I feel like there is so much going on that I can't keep track, and my goals seem to take a back seat, even though they are just as important as everything else.
However, amidst all that is going on, I have little things that help motivate and remind me what I'm working for. And that's what I want to talk about today.
One of the smaller things I've done to help me remember is to follow people that inspire me to be better on social media. On instagram there are many amazing women that I've started following that share the same goals to be healthy and eat right. In fact they are coaches that lead by example and post challenges or questions to help others on their journey. Seeing their posts inspires me and makes me want to make healthier choices.
The other smaller thing that helps me remember is so simple yet super effective. I learned that on my fitness tracker, I can set a sedentary alarm. I pick an amount of time, and if I haven't moved for that period of time, it will buzz at me and remind me to get moving again. It's been especially great as I've been on the computer filling out applications and working on my portfolio/resume as well as any other time. I hit my (now) minimum goal of 5,000 steps with so much more ease because I'm making sure to move frequently enough that it doesn't go off. I'm still working towards hitting 10,000 steps a day, but getting closer to that has been so much easier with just that small reminder.
This week I want to challenge you to think of the goals you have set for yourself and your plan to get to them. Are there any little reminders that you can add to your daily routine that will help you achieve them faster?
I know that implementing even the smallest of things can really change your life. I remember seeing a sign while on my mission one day that said "The secret of your future lies in your daily routine." I think that's really when it hit me that it really doesn't take a lot to change your life. Keep working hard and doing all you can. Even the smallest things will change you and your life!

Decluttering Your Life

Hello, everyone!
Things have been getting so crazy! In my last post I mentioned that my husband and I had decided to move (we were thinking July 7th when our contract ends), and since then he got a job in Utah and is actually starting today! In other words, we are moving a lot sooner than a month from now. In the meantime I've been cleaning and packing like a mad woman so we can get everything done by the end of this week so that when we have a place we can just grab stuff and go.
I was able to have a little bit of fun though and my husband and I went to a family reunion at Lake Powell. It was so much fun and we got to play the whole time swimming, hiking, boating, and all other things water related. It was a much needed break from our everyday stresses and routines. I even learned that I can swim much farther than I realized I could! My whole family thought I was crazy for swimming as far as I did, but I had a blast! Talk about a good workout!
This past couple of weeks as I've been cleaning and packing I've been thinking a lot about how much we as humans tend to hang on to unnecessary junk in our lives. Physical things have been a more prominent thing (I didn't know 2 people could have so much stuff!!!), but as I was thinking about what to post my mind went more towards the unhealthy habits that we just can't seem to let go of. And those could be anything; from the junk food we just can't stop eating to not wanting to get off the couch and get outdoors to shaming our bodies and not appreciating ourselves and the amazing things we can do.
There are so many things we "clutter" our lives and bodies with and it unnecessarily weighs us down from doing what we really want to do. Things become more and more overwhelming and harder and harder to get out of our lives that we sometimes imprison ourselves and preventing our potential to become who we want to be. With this in mind, my challenge this week is to "declutter" your life in one way. It can be within your environment or within yourself, but find one thing that you don't really need and free yourself of that thing. Let me know how it goes in the comments!

Catching Up

Hello, everyone!
It's been a couple of weeks. I have decided to post on Sundays usually, but week before last it was my birthday, then last week was Mother's Day (I LOVE YOU, MOMMA JENKINS AND MOMMA SNOW!!!), so I was busy and forgot to post. I do have things I want to share though, and then I can get back on track for this week as far as blogging goes.
Since my last post, I've had my fitness tracker a little longer and I've learned that while I easily make around 12,000-13,000 steps a day on the days I work, I only get around 5,000 steps a day on my days off, even with my workouts. Now I know why I'm so tired after work! Also, with that being said, I realized that I'm going to have to find ways to be more active throughout the day. Does anyone have tips? I usually get a lot of my steps in by going to the Nature Park here in Rexburg and making a few rounds, and then coming home and doing more cardio and some weights, but I still need to do more. Please comment with suggestions! I'll also work on trying to figure out what works for me in the meantime.
As far as eating goes, Orion and I finally bought some fruit and I've been making smoothies galore! They are so yummy and filling! I've also been keeping up with my rule to not eat after 7pm (with a couple exceptions), and it has been making all the difference in the world for my reflux issues. Seriously. Although there was a couple nights I had to sleep on the couch because I got sick (thanks to the hubby), I've been able to sleep through the night in my own bed!!! I'm so excited! I have so much more energy throughout the day now because I am actually sleeping at night.
Every change I've been making lately has been in the small things, and it is making my life so much better. I feel like I should tell you this because a lot of times we (especially me) get discouraged because we only make big goals that take a long time to achieve and it is hard to see the results. Sometimes we've got to focus on the little steps for a while, and that's okay. In fact, it's great! Don't get caught up in the idea that your life needs to massively change right now. No change will happen over night. Instead, look at the things you've accomplished and how it is currently improving your life, even if you are not where you want to be. I know I need surgery because my GERD isn't going to go away without it, but I'm doing everything I can with the tools I have to make my situation better until then.
Keep your head up and stay strong. You can do this!

On a side note, my husband and I have recently decided to move and everything going on in my life has been causing me stress even though I know it's right. It can be hard to find peace among chaos sometimes, but I had a tender mercy happen to bring me that peace. There is a story in the Bible about the apostle Peter walking on the water towards Christ. He does it, but as his focus switches from Christ to the storm he starts to sink. He then calls out to Christ to save him and Christ pulls Peter back up out of the water. Well, there's a video showing that story, courtesy of lds.org, and it really spoke to my heart. I know that with Christ we can do all things, no matter what storms of life we may be in. Here's the video if you are interested:

A Lot of Updates!

Hello, everyone!
Last week I posted some of the goals I set for myself and I have been working on them throughout this week. I'm happy to report that I have already seen at least a little improvement, so that is what I'm going to share with you this week.
First of all, I had created a list of breakfast options for myself to help me stay on track (I didn't share that with you, it's just something I chose to do). It made it easier for me to choose healthy things that would be filling and last me longer throughout the day. One of the things I had I actually used for dessert first, and then breakfast the next day (I made extra). It was a dark chocolate chia seed pudding topped with strawberries:

The next day I was inspired by another blog from a while back and made an apple cinnamon quinoa breakfast bowl:

The other days I just had some toast or cereal, but it was super good and helped me have energy throughout the day! If you want the recipes for these two dishes, check out the "Recipes" tab.

While I'm talking about food, I also told you all last week that Orion and I were trying Hello Fresh for the first time, and we got our box we received our box Wednesday. We haven't made our third meal yet but here are the 2 we have made:

First we made a Turkey Chiles Rellenos with Chipotle Sauce. And it was SO GOOD. And our apartment smelled amazing afterwards.

Then we made the Cumin-Spiced Steak with Spinach Couscous Salad. Seriously, I could eat this all day, every day. It was amazeballs. And again, our apartment smelled the best after dinner.

This was just our first time trying Hello Fresh and we love it. Although we can't afford to have it every week, we have already decided that we want it at least once a month. It got us both cooking in the kitchen together (making a fun date night), and we made fresh, amazing food that we both are wanting to make again. I would highly recommend the service. And as I mentioned last week, if you use the Hello Fresh link in my "Helpful Links" tab, you can get $40 off your first box!

I also want to report this week on my water intake and steps. I've been trying really hard with water, and I'm still terrible. I set a goal for 4 bottles a day, and I've been able to get 2 a day. It's something I'm working on, but I wasn't even drinking one bottle of water a day before, so there's still progress! As for my goal of 5,000 steps a day, I got my tracker in the mail on Thursday evening, and so I've only been able to track Friday and Saturday so far. On the upside, both days I have hit over 12,000 steps! They have mostly been due to my job, but I'm going to reset my goal to 10,000 steps. It will be interesting to see how much harder it is to hit on my days off...

The last thing I want to report on is my other daily goal which is to not eat after 7 pm. I have been pretty good about it, and I am really excited because I have been able to sleep through the night! I still have reflux at night, but I don't have to go out and sleep on the couch, and it's been wonderful. I have so much more energy and a higher functioning capacity throughout the day.

This was a long post and I apologize for that, but I am just so excited about all the progress I'm making and am going to make! It's amazing how such little goals can change your life so much. I'm excited to keep working on these goals and make a bigger difference in my life! Keep your head up and keep working on your goals. Even the smallest progress is still progress. I love you all and thank you for your support!

Renewing Goals

Hello, everyone!
This is going to be a pretty short post, but I am trying to be accountable so I can be successful. As my acid reflux has been getting worse and I don't know when I'll be able to get my surgery yet, I have decided to reset some of the goals I've had in the past. I am doing this because I'm hoping that as I work on my weight loss goals with a renewed determination, I will also have less reflux and I can start to be able to sleep through the night more frequently. I don't know if it will work, but it will definitely be good for me either way! I just set 3 small daily goals and 3 small weekly goals to help me stay on track without being overwhelming. Here's what they are:

• Daily Goals:
• Drink 4 bottles of water
• 5,000 steps (I just ordered a tracker to help me with this one and it's on its way)
• Only water after 7 pm, no eating
• Weekly Goals
• 5-6 30 minute workouts
• Track progress at end of week
• Post update on blog for accountability

Setting small goals is ultimately what helps us reach the larger goals in our life. Today I want to challenge you to set some small goals for yourself to reach some of the bigger goals you have in life, whatever they may be. If you're not sure what goals to set, ask for help. There is always someone there to help you. Don't give up!
And because today is Sunday, I just want to share a little bit of my testimony that ties into this post. I know that the power of prayer is real and that we can each ask God for whatever we need. He is waiting with open arms and listening ears. He will reveal to you His plan for you, because He knows what is best. Look to Him in all you do. He will never let you down.

You are all awesome and I appreciate your support so much. Keep being amazing at being you.

Update and Trying Something New

Hello, everyone!
It's been a little while since I last posted and now I finally have an update, although I don't know much more now than I had pre-consult.
On the 11th I went in to talk to the doctor about getting a gastric bypass surgery to conquer my reflux, and I did learn a little. I will have to get the Roux-En-Y (the one in which they actually cut your stomach to divide it, then attach your intestine to the 2 oz pouch that is now your stomach). Because of the severity of my reflux, I can't get a band or a sleeve. The only problem is that insurance doesn't want to cover the surgery because it can be considered an "optional" or "elective" surgery since most people just get it for weight loss. However, the typical anti-reflux surgery is not a good option for me, and so I will be getting more tests to prove that I need the surgery for my reflux and hernia. I am hoping and praying that it will all work out smoothly. If it does, I can have the surgery in about 5 months!!! Now for the more fun part of this post...
I don't know how many of you have heard of the food delivery service, Hello Fresh, but it seems pretty awesome. They deliver recipes and fresh local ingredients right to your door so you can easily make a healthy, fresh meal at home. A lot of people like it because they can try new things without buying a ton of an ingredient they may not use again. You can pick how many meals you want sent and for what amount of people. I have been wanting to try it for a long time, but I didn't want to spend the average cost for something I didn't know I liked.
However, I recently started following Short Girl Fitness and since she uses Hello Fresh, she shared a link that allows you to get $40 off of your first box, making it $20! I am so excited because I can finally afford to try it and decide if I want to keep using it. It allows you to pause or cancel your subscription at any time, so I can choose to only do it when I can afford it. I am so excited! I will keep you all updated as I try the recipes (my first order gets here next week!). But for now, here's a sneak peek at what I will be trying when it gets here:

So, if any of you are interested in giving Hello Fresh a shot, I'm going to give you the same deal I did. $40 off your first box! Here is the link that will get you the discount: 

www.hellofresh.com/?c=KRYSNOW 

If you decide to try it, let me know and tell me what you think! Enjoy and have a great day!

Weakness Into Strength

Hello, everyone!
I was going to post a while ago and had it all written up, but the internet decided to crash and then when it finally came back up my life was crazy busy. I finally got a job and have been getting ready for finals, and I am excited and ready for the end of this semester!
Last time I posted, I mentioned that I had a surgery consult scheduled to talk about what I will need for bariatric surgery. That was supposed to be this last Tuesday, but, unfortunately, the doctor had to go to a conference in Texas and I had to reschedule. A little annoying, but it is giving me a little time to figure out the problems I am having with insurance before I go. I will have the consult in a couple of weeks and then I can (hopefully) start to get things moving forward again.
Even though I didn't get to have my consult last week, I was lucky enough to still be able to go down to Utah with my husband to visit my in-laws. It was super fun and I enjoyed being there just to be there instead of coming down for a surgery or some other special event (which actually happens quite often).
While we were down in Utah, we all decided to go on a hike near Adam's Canyon and it was a beautiful to do such. We all started out together, but after a while I split off with my mother-in-law (affectionately named "Mama Snow") and we took an easier trail because I was really struggling. The reason I mention this is because as I hiked with Mama Snow we talked about physical limits and how important it is to know what they are. To a certain degree, you always want to push your limits and break out of your comfort zone, but you also must realize that there are limits that you do have to put on yourself so that you don't injure or impair yourself.
This is especially key for me to keep in mind as I prepare for my surgery. I have a huge tendency to go without really stopping to take a breather and when I do finally stop, I have already gone to far and I pay the price and am miserable for a while until I can recuperate.
To summarize, my advice for this post is to make sure that when you are working to improve and push out of your comfort zone, do so knowing what limits you can push and which ones you can't. Everyone is different and so are the limits we face. Just keep working and the limits that you have today might not be limits any more someday. God gave us weakness so that we can become strong.

Finding Inspiration to Start and Keep Going

Hello, everyone!
This is going to be a really short post, but I decided I would take a minute and share something I found a little earlier this week. As I was browsing Pinterest for things to help me get ready for surgery (such as grocery list and bariatric-friendly recipes), I found a blog post of a woman who had been struggling with her weight and her realization that being fit was a way to honor God and her husband. I really enjoyed reading it and it has inspired me to be better as I set goals for myself and my health. I support everything she says in this post. Here's the link:

What Does Fitness Have to Do With God?

Whatever your goals are in life, I believe that finding a deeper reason within ourselves to keep going is the most effective method out there. There are a lot of people that can decide to do something and automatically keep going without thinking much about it, but I know that I am not one of those people. Would I like to be smaller than I currently am? Yes. Is that enough to keep me going? Not quite. What truly motivates me is my love for my Heavenly Father, my husband, and my future children. I want to be there to see my children get married and have their own children. I want to live a long, full life and grow old with my sweetheart. I want to be able to help build God's kingdom by being healthy enough to fulfill my calling (which is especially important now in the Jr Nursery!). There are many things I want to do with my life and that is what keeps me going each and every day. There are going to be days when you want things more or less in life than others, but that's okay. Remember who you want to become and your amazing potential and things will get easier. You are outstanding!

Becoming Better at Staying Hydrated

Hello, everyone!
As I've been researching and preparing for my surgical consult and surgery so I know what to expect and what questions to ask, I've heard that a huge struggle post-op is making sure that you drink enough water. There was a lady who thought it was judging other people because she couldn't believe that they were having a hard time getting 64 ounces a day because it was so easy for her. After her own surgery, however, she had the same problem!
Now, I've had my good and my bad days with getting myself hydrated, but I really struggle to get those liquids in each day. There are many things that help me (such as flavoring my water with water enhancers, which are great because they are 0 calories!), but at the end of the day my main issue is just remembering to drink throughout the day.
There are various ways people remember to drink their water, whether it be marking their water bottles with the time of day, keeping a water bottle with them constantly, or even downloading apps that remind them to stay on track. What are some ways that you stay hydrated?

It's Been A While...

Hello, everyone!
I feel bad for not posting for so long... has it really been a year? So much has happened in that time and my life has been crazy! The most life changing thing to happen this past year is that I started dating and got married to the love of my life. I could not be happier. He treats me so well and when I have hard days or feel self conscious, all I need to do is see the way he looks at me and everything somehow is alright again. He makes me feel like I am the most beautiful woman in the world. I am so lucky!
Also life changing, since I last posted I have had 4 surgeries to treat my Barrett's Esophagus (the intestinal lining that formed in my esophagus) and get rid of some precancerous cells, and as of the 2nd, I am now free of that burden. I am beyond excited because the procedure is not fun and now I can move on to taking care of various other health issues. One of the biggest ones is my GERD, and it has made it really hard to heal, even when I have been taking the medicine I need to... which brings me to why I'm posting again and rambling in the first place!
Because my acid reflux is so bad and is preventing me from healing at the pace I need to be, my most recent surgeon has recommended that I get a gastric bypass surgery. It will not only help with my reflux, but it will also get rid of my hernia and my insulin resistance. And it will help me to lose weight.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared. But I am also SUPER EXCITED. Had my circumstances been different and I just had a weight issue, would I go in for a weight loss surgery? Probably not. I fully believe in the power of working out and eating right and drinking lots of water. IT WORKS. It takes a lot of dedication and willpower and is so worth it. Sometimes, though, things happen and your body just doesn't do what you want it to.
I've been really struggling with the fact that I worked so hard to lose 54 pounds for my mission just to have it all come back after my mission for reasons that I could not control. I was bitter and depressed about it for a while, even though I knew in my soul that I was still better off because I am still able to do more than I could have dreamed before I lost the weight initially. That being said, I am so grateful for this opportunity coming up. I have been big my entire life and have tried so hard to get it off. And I know that it's not going to be a magic switch that is really easy. It's going to be painful and hard and it is going to suck. But I can't wait.
I can't wrap my mind around it, but I am finally going to be able to make bigger progress toward my ideal weight. I am going to be able to fit into normal sized clothes and have more energy to do the things I've always wanted to do. And for the first time, I'm not going to constantly worried about how fat I look, even if I have loose skin post-op. After a lifetime of being overweight and 3 years of being sick and in and out of the hospital with no end in sight, this is a HUGE answer to my prayers. I feel so blessed and grateful.
I apologize for rambling, but I felt like I needed to get my thoughts down as I start this next step in my journey to a healthier me. Thank you all for the love and support you have given me. It has meant the world to me and continues to make me want to strive to be a better person. This is my new beginning, my second chance, and I'm excited to have you all with me! My surgery consult is on March 21, so I'll post updates as I get them.

Current Weight: 247