Meet Kristi Cross. She is 38 years young. She was born and bred in Bennington, Vermont, a small town of 16,000 people. She is a Registered Nurse with a DNP (Doctorate in Nursing Practice) and currently works as the Director of Bennington Blueprint at Southwestern Vermont Health Care. She is an executive nursing leader who works on population and community health projects. She has also simultaneously worked as a nursing professor at the Southern Vermont College. On top of that, she has finished her Master’s and just finished her doctorate program. So, quite an active lifestyle.
At her peak, she weighed in at 320 lbs. (145.5 kgs.). Since her “Fit-versary” on July 25, 2012, she has lost 85 lbs. (38.6 kgs.), received her masters and PhD, raised two young and awesome children, and stayed happily married to Dan Cross. Together, they have owned their own home for the past 12 years and are currently on pace to be totally debt free within 3 years.
Dan, not to be outdone, has also lost as much as 73 lbs. (33.2 kgs.) while working, raising the kids, being heavily active in community sports, and going back to school himself.
WOW!
Dan, by the way, is my cousin. I have known Kristi since they were married on October 7, 2006, almost 13 years ago. While Dan and I have always had a strong kinship towards one another, Kristi and I have bonded much more over the years through our shared interests in health, finances and self-improvement. When I thought about being fat, broke and stupid, the first people I thought of as my source of inspiration were Kristi and Dan.
Words cannot truly express how proud I am of both of them.
Kristi has generously offered to candidly share her weight loss journey with me and with you. As you will discover, she did not do it alone. She did it with support from her husband, Dan, and their children. Dan has many wonderful insights into this journey as well. While this story focuses mainly on Kristi, it cannot be told without Dan.
If they can have long term success, you can, too! Here is their story:
BACKGROUND AND GOALS
“OK, I did this, but I also don’t feel any different.”
-Kristi Cross, on hitting her goal weight
Q: What is a “Fit-versary”?
Kristi: A “Fit-versary” is the day you specifically decide to change your life.
Q: What is your “Fit-versary”?
Kristi: We are actually coming up on it now. It is July 25, 2012.
Q: Were you overweight growing up?
Kristi: I have been overweight pretty much my whole life. I was normal sized until I was about 8-9 years old. Around that time my mom was really sick, in and out of the hospital, so there was a lot of stuff going on in the home. As a result, I found my love of food pretty early in life and it became a food addiction which exists still to this day. It’s something I constantly battle with.
Q: What were the events that led up to your “Fit-versary”?
Kristi: I had been in and out of the hospital myself. I felt like garbage, was having strange joint pains and weighted about 320 lbs. (145.5 kgs.). They thought I might have lupus and other things, but it was never definitive. During that time, there was never a specialist or any person who said me, “Hey, maybe you should lose some weight.”, despite the fact that some of my health markers were way off the mark.
Nevertheless, we went on a small vacation in Maine. We stayed at a small house on the beach which was lovely. I got this book on my Kindle called Buddha: A Story or Enlightenment by Deepak Chopra. I have always been influenced in and practiced Buddhism, and reading this book and everything that happened to me around this time was a major starting point for change.
Also, during this trip I happened to see my ex-fiancé. It was a weird experience. He walked right by me and didn’t even talk to me. It was a bad breakup and this was the first time I had seen him in many, many years. On the ride back from Maine, Dan and I spoke about the need for us to do something different.
(Disclaimer: You will find affiliate links throughout the rest of this interview. I pledge to donate all earnings from these links to Kristi and Dan’s favorite charities. Read more details at the end of this interview.)
When we got back, we stayed up late and saw an infomercial for a product called the NutriBullet, a blender product for making smoothies. It was like 2:00am and we ordered it on the spot. It arrived on June 25, 2012, and this is the day that I began making smoothies and going for walks. That’s how it all began.
Q: Did you have a weight loss goal?
Kristi: Yes, it was 185 lbs. (84.1 kgs.).
Q: Did you reach your goal weight?
Kristi: Yes, on September 10, 2015 I got to my goal weight of 185 lbs. (84.1 kgs.). It took a little over 3 years to do it, but I did it. I had just turned 35 years old and I ran my first half marathon that same day. Oh, and I had just finished my Master’s degree, too!
Q: What specific steps did you take to go from 320 lbs. (145.5 kgs.) to 185 lbs. (84.1 kgs.)?
Kristi: I didn’t do any fancy diets, I didn’t follow any fads, it was just really taking a look at what I was putting in my body and making sure that for the most part it was healthy. We made green smoothies for breakfast, and actually when I say we I me it we me because Dan…
Dan: At this point it was mainly Kristi. I was still battling with my own demons.
Kristi: I made green smoothies for breakfast. I packed a healthy lunch for work. I ate a lot of rice cakes with peanut butter, which is funny because I have read the statistics on rice cakes and they are terrible, but I liked them so I ate them. I also ate many vegetables with it. I always chose food that I liked to eat and that I would be excited about eating. We also got into a great rhythm of making our dinners super healthy, and something we were excited about.
Q: How did it feel to reach your goal weight?
Kristi: Stepping on that scale and knowing that I was going to hit my goal weight was a really weird feeling. There were no fireworks. There was no feeling of Yay, now life is perfect! It was a feeling of OK, I did this, but I also don’t feel any different. I did, but I didn’t. I was expecting it to fix some of my problems, but it didn’t. It was kind of depressing! I feel like this is why people don’t keep the weight off.
Q: That is a weight loss of 135 lbs. (61.4 kgs.). Did you keep the weight off after hitting your goal?
Kristi: I kept that weight off until I started my doctorate program in 2016. The 1st year was fine. I did not regain any of the weight. But in the 2nd year in the program it was hard. Writing my doctorate proposal, which ended up being 200 pages long, was a lot of work and I lost my way a little bit. I regained about 50 lbs. (22.7 kgs.) back, but that being said, I have maintained that weight for almost 2 years.
Q: What is your weight today?
Kristi: Today, my weight is about 235 lbs. (106.8 kgs.). I am coming up on my 7th “Fit-versary”, and despite the 50 lbs. (22.7 kgs.) gain, I have beat the statistics by not regaining the weight nor going above my starting weight. Only about 5% of the people who lose a significant amount of weight keep it off. I try to hold on to that.
Q: Do you want to get back down to 185 lbs. (84.1 kgs.)?
Kristi: I go back to the idea that Well, I already did that, I was already there, and it didn’t make me feel any better. The past year I have done more work on myself. I have read many self-help books and I have done much self reflection. I feel like my goals now are just to get back to under 199 lbs. (90.5 kgs.). I have a different reason for doing it this time. Before it was to get healthy and to feel better about myself. Fortunately, today, all of my high markers of inflammation are gone and I don’t have any joint pain. So, health wise, even though I have gained some of the weight back I am healthy. Now, the reason for doing it is all about me and my own personal self-improvement. I think because it is different now, it is harder. Its tricky, and I have my ups-and-downs.
DIET
“I am never going to not view food as a source of pleasure, so I need healthy food to taste good.”
-Kristi Cross, on her changing relationship with food
Q: Before this change, did you often cook at home, eat out at restaurants or order take-out?
Kristi: It was always take-out or garbage food.
Dan: And when we did cook at home it was chicken tenders or pizza. We enjoyed cooking, but it wasn’t healthy food.
Q: What happened after your “Fit-versary” with respect to the time spent cooking at home?
Kristi: We definitely spent more time in the kitchen, and I relied a lot on Dan for that because he did all of our cooking, and he still cooks, and I really needed a supportive partner because without that it never would have happened.
Q: How did the family adapt to this change in diet?
Kristi: We still struggle with that because you have to choose between having a healthy meal and maybe fighting with the kids or not having a healthy meal, maybe everyone is happy for a brief moment, and then having some guilt afterwards. It’s really tricky, especially because one of our children wants macaroni and cheese and hotdogs every day!
Dan: It really comes down to the day. It was an easy day and everything went OK we were more apt to have these discussions with the kids about healthy food, but if it was a rough day it was not a battle we wanted to have at the end of the day. So, it came down to our own emotional battle.
Kristi: Which brings up another point that back in 2012 the kids were little. They are older now and very active in sports. Suring the last few years, by the time we get home from sports practice it is like 8:00pm and the last thing we want to do is have an argument with the kids or with each other about having healthy foods.
Dan: We still do a pretty good job of this. When the weather is nice, we are much more likely to cook veggies and fresh foods. In the winter; however, especially by early-February, you can get so resentful about everything and the only thing you want to do is eat a huge bowl of mashed potatoes and sit under a blanket. Especially this winter, we both put on some extra weight, but as the weather is improving, we are getting back on track.
Q: How has your children’s attitude towards food changed over the years?
Kristi: It hasn’t! They react to food much the same as they did when they were younger. My daughter is much like me, and my son is a little indifferent about food.
Q: How has your attitude towards food changed over the years?
Dan: It comes and goes. We discuss it, we talk about it and we have a dialogue about eating healthy way more than we ever did. That helps. There are days I struggle and Kristi is there to support me, and vice versa. That’s where our success lies more than it did before, even with the kids. We are willing to have the dialogue. The results may vary, but our self-awareness has increased our ability to keep this positive change. At the end of the day, I do like healthy food, and I keep reminding myself of this.
Kristi: I definitely think very differently of food. I like healthy food, and I think the key was to realize that healthy food tastes good and that it makes me happy. Here’s the thing, I am never going to not view food as a source of pleasure, so I need healthy food to taste good.
Q: What is your favorite healthy dish that you have created?
Dan: We came up with a chicken fajita recipe which is healthy and delicious. It’s just some chicken, seasoning and veggies, and it’s fantastic. We do a Chicken Fajita Friday now and the kids love it. As of right now this is our favorite dish, but it has changed over the years. There is also nothing better than a big salad!
Q: How about sugary drinks?
Kristi: This has never been a big issue. We are not soda drinkers and we don’t but sugars in our coffee. This has never been an issue for me, or for us, even at my heaviest.
Q: How do you maintain your weight today?
Kristi: I’m just not eating garbage. I try to eat healthy just 85% of the time.
EXERCISE
“[Running] alone gave me very personal, self-reflection time. That’s a lot of time to think while you are running. I never listened to music. I was (and am) always there, present, in the moment when I run. It is a very meditative, personal space for me… I deeply value this time to think and meditate.”
-Kristi Cross, on her passion for running
Q: How has your activity level changed since your “Fit-versary”?
Kristi: My activity level before my “Fit-versary” was zero! I didn’t do anything. I started by just walking with the kids and the stroller. I think it helped that I started in the summer months as the winters here can be rough.
Q: Did you have a fitness goal?
Kristi: Dan’s mom was planning on doing a 5K run the following year and asked me if I wanted to do it. I didn’t even know what a 5K was, that’s how inactive I was. But I agreed. I started running at the track. We would bring the whole family and I would put them in the middle of the track since they were little. I would do my laps and they would play.
I remember my first time running at the track. I could only do maybe a quarter of a lap before I was dead and I was worried that I was not going to make it. However, very quickly after that I started to build up my stamina and before I knew it, I was doing 3 miles at that track and actually putting in some pretty good time. Then I started taking it on the road and trained by myself to do a half marathon. I just Googled “half marathon training” and did my first half marathon. During that first half marathon I met a running group called Training for More, I joined that group and they helped me train for the next two half marathons that I did.
Q: Did you prefer training by yourself or with a group?
Kristi: I actually always preferred training by myself. The group offered accountability and community. They were amazing and supportive. I felt safe and part of a group. But doing it alone gave me very personal, self-reflection time. That’s a lot of time to think while you are running. I never listened to music. I was (and am) always there, present, in the moment when I run. It is a very meditative, personal space for me. I missed this when I was running with a group because I was always talking with someone and somebody was always with me, which is great, but I deeply value this time to think and meditate.
Q: What was your exercise routine like?
Kristi: With the kids I would go about 3 days a week. When I was training for the half marathon on my own it was 3 days a week with a longer run on the weekend. I had a set schedule and I stuck to it. I always had a training plan that I followed and I was pretty strict with it. In between these sessions I would try to stay active. I played a lot of badminton, we were always outside doing stuff, and over the last year we have gotten into hiking quite a bit.
Q: Do you actually like running?
Kristi: I absolutely love running! I love it! I hated it growing up, and getting into it at first was a bit of a challenge, but as soon as I started to do it and seeing that progression of what my body was capable of, knowing that I could do it, was really cool. Also, the personal reflection during my time running alone was powerful.
Q: What was your fitness goal?
Kristi: Running a half marathon.
Q: How long did it take to reach your goal?
Kristi: It took about 2 years.
REFLECTIONS AND ADVICE
“When I am at the top of my game and eating healthy, I am naturally more active and energetic anyway.”
-Kristi Cross, on the relationship between diet and activity
Q: What are your recommendations for people who want to get started eating better?
Kristi: I get asked this question all the time. I’m not sure if I am the best person to give advice because I am still struggling, but here they are:
- Keep it simple. It’s OK to eat the same think every day if it’s OK with you. People get too caught up trying to make it fancy.
- Have a nice spice rack. Find some spices and seasonings that you like and you can make anything taste delicious. If you enjoy eating it, you are going to make and eat it more.
- Cook together. If you have a family you need to do it together. Its accountability, its teaching life skills, and it turns preparing food into a positive experience.
- Make it exciting. It needs to be something you are looking forward to eating. It can be exciting, and not complex at the same time.
Q: What were the biggest challenges for eating healthy?
Kristi: They were:
- Time, time and time. You have the time; you just have to make the time.
- Temptations. We are pretty social and we get out a lot. Seeing our friends eating whatever they want and being nonconformists can be a struggle.
- Variety. Having enough variety to keep it exciting can be a challenge. We love our chicken fajitas but we haven’t eaten it in a while because it got a little old.
Q: What are your recommendations for people who want to get started exercising?
Kristi: They are:
- Just do it! Start today.
- Time. People always say they don’t have time, and this frustrates me! I have a full schedule throughout the day. You have the time. You make time for what is important to you.
- Do what works for you. I do not like waking up super early and exercising in the morning. I could force myself, and I have, but there are better options for me. Find a time that works for you.
- Have a supportive partner. When I started, I needed Dan to support me so that I could work out at 5:00pm in the evening. Without him, I could not have done it. It is hard to do it all by yourself all of the time.
- No excuses. I would sometimes pack my gym clothes in a bag and bring it to work. I just did it, no matter what.
- Social media and accountability have also been helpful. If I knew that I would be struggling to work out the next day I would make a post saying that I would run the next day. Then I had to do it.
Q: What were the biggest challenges for exercising?
Kristi: Hmmmmm….
- Accessibility. There may not be a gym nearby or a treadmill handy. We live in Vermont, so much of the time it is cold and snowy. It can be a struggle to get out and work out in that weather.
- Trying to make it fancy and too complex. Keeping it simple is key. The most weight I ever lost had nothing to do with fancy gym routines. I was just walking and I made sure I was active throughout the day.
Q: What’s more important, diet or exercise?
Kristi and Dan: Diet!
Dan: Let’s say your body is a Ferrari. Are you going to put low grade fuel into a Ferrari? If you do, it will not run well. The same is true for the body. What you put into your body, what you eat, is so much more important than how you use your body.
Kristi: I agree. When I am at the top of my game and eating healthy, I am naturally more active and energetic anyway. Besides this, you cannot out-exercise a bad diet.
ALCOHOL
Q: How does alcohol affect your lifestyle, physical activity and eating habits?
Kristi: It plays a huge role. If I have a drink right when I get home from work I am not going to work out. I am also certainly not going to eat healthy, because I had a drink. I never drank when I lost the majority of my weight. The occasional drink is nice, but when I do drink it makes diet and exercise much more challenging. While I do not drink a lot, it is enough to say that alcohol is a significant part of my, and any, weight loss journey. Over the last 2 years specifically, I find it to be the one thing which has most severely impacted my consistency with healthy living.
Dan: It affects your sleep. Even if you eat well all day your sleep will suffer. You will wake up the next morning not sleeping as well, and I think that sleep plays a huge role in all of this, too.
SLEEP
Q: So, how important has sleep been to your success?
Dan: June marks two years tobacco free for me, and I didn’t realize it until after I stopped how much smoking affected my sleep. I instantly started sleeping better. I could breathe better, which lead to better sleep. If you can get a good routine with your sleep it makes everything a little easier.
Q: How has sleeping changed over the years?
Kristi: When I am on my game, I sleep so well. We sleep 7-8 hours a night on average, every night.
Dan: We are usually in bed at a specific time, we like to wake up at a specific time. You spend a third of your life sleeping, so it must be important, and we treat it that way. The kids getting older has been helpful because they sleep a little more, too. We put in the time and schedule our sleep. We make it a priority.
RESOURCES
Q: What resources did you use to help you along the way?
Kristi: When I first started, health and fitness magazines were helpful. I used to read a lot of Prevention magazine, but not so much these days. I did a lot of Pinterest. I did a lot of pinning but never went back and looked at the stuff. Regardless, the act of pinning was in-and-of-itself an intervention for weight loss.
As things evolved, I listened to more podcasts. I bought a lot of books, and a lot of mindfulness-based books. I bought this one amazing book about a mother who was helping her daughter lose weight so I bought it for my daughter and I. That was really cool shared experience for us. I feel like I am very resource heavy, but the implementation of this knowledge is not always there.
Q: Any other resources that you can think of?
Kristi: I downloaded this app recently. At work I watched a webinar on quitting smoking because I oversee the tobacco cessation program at the hospital, and one of the guys talking mentioned he had created an app to quit smoking but that he also had the same app for mindfulness-based eating. It is called Eat Right Now. I downloaded the app, it does cost some money, but it is a really good resource. I love it, and I still to this day use the exercises that I learned with the app. I was already exposed to meditation and mindfulness, so it was a great fit for me.
MEDITATION
“When I am on my game, active, eating healthy and mindful, I do a meditation at least once a day, even if it is just for a few minutes.”
-Kristi Cross, on the importance of meditation in her life
Q: How does meditation play a role in your weight loss journey?
Kristi: I am glad that this discussion led to this because meditation is a big part of my journey. I use an app called Insight Timer. It’s free. It has hundreds of guided meditations. I have my favorite bookmarked. When I am on my game, active, eating healthy and mindful, I do a meditation at least once a day, even if it is just for a few minutes. It is a significant part of my day.
Dan: Last year we would get up early, do a meditation and about 15-20 minutes of yoga before the kids got up. Nothing intense, just something to get the blood flowing, your brain active and your body moving. We would set our intentions for the day before any outside stress starts messing with your head. That worked. Meditating at night before bed was not as effective for us as a couple, so we stuck to the mornings. Kristi can meditate at night no problem.
WHAT IF I FAIL?
“There is no straight path that works for everyone all of the time, so just experiment, repeat, repeat, repeat.”
-Dan Cross, on the importance of consistency
“Find a routine, and if life gets in the way, find a new routine. Never give up!”
-Kristi Cross, on never giving up
Q: How do you get back on the horse when you fall off?
Kristi: I talk a lot to Dan. I also do some journaling. I think people struggle with trying to make it way more complicated than it needs to be. I keep it simple. It’s a quick note about my goals of what I want to do and what I want to focus on. I feel like I am constantly conceiving a plan and I put that on my phone under my notes so I always have it. I call it my Forever Journey Plan. I am never going to finish, and that’s OK! I constantly update it. I also give myself a mini goal, something easily achievable, to get back on track.
Dan: Its all about discussion and dialogue. It’s about self-awareness. You have to be aware of what you are doing in order to make the change.
Kristi: Find a routine, and if life gets in the way, find a new routine. Never give up!
Dan: I think that’s the key to all of this. It’s repeat, repeat, repeat. Think about it, talk about it, try, repeat, repeat, repeat. Life is a sound wave. It’s up and down. There is no straight path that works for everyone all of the time, so just experiment, repeat, repeat, repeat.
Kristi: I think it is very natural as humans to want to fit everything into a box of perfection with a checklist of specific steps you can take to accomplish your goal. When that box gets old you just throw it away and you lose that piece of healthy living. So, keep it simple, and when you do go off track you need to find your way back to it.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Q: What’s next?
Kristi: Night now I am working on a 40 5Ks Before I Turn 40 plan. I am on number 27 already, so it is totally doable, and I already have the rest of my races lined up. The kids are aware of it, so I involve the whole family and make it a family event. It’s cute because whenever I go to do a 5K the kids ask what number I am up to now. I would love to run a marathon before turning 40, but if that doesn’t happen, I will do it before I am 50. I am not giving up on that! It’s there. It is my stretch goal.
With respect to diet, I am still holding on to my goal of getting to my goal of weighing less than 200 lbs. (90.9 kgs.) before the end of they year.
I want to have more consistency in my meditation, healthy eating, portion sizes, activity levels, and mindfulness. Right now, I would say I am at about 3 days per week in my consistency, and I need to get back to 5 days per week at least. So, the plan is consistency, not perfection.
WHAT ELSE?
“I just really like Kristi. We can say all we want about all this stuff. What keeps me going is that I have a great relationship with my wife.”
-Dan Cross, on his motivation to keep moving and the secret to their success
Q: What else would you like to talk about?
Dan: Professional success has a lot to do with it. It is a constant effort. You cannot let one area of your life fall more than the other. You have 2 lives, your work and home life. As one advances, you really have to try hard to bring the other area up with it so that they stay at that level. You do not want a roller coaster every day because that is going to lead to failure. As parents, we want to keep it consistent. We want to keep everything at the higher level consistently.
Q: How manage family, work, studies, weightless, physical activity, social life, etc. together?
Dan: Simply put, I just really like Kristi. We can say all we want about all this stuff. What keeps me going is that I have a great relationship with my wife. I am willing to do things outside of my comfort zone, and I she is willing to do the same for me. I am willing to manage the kids all day long so that she can do her half marathon training or sit down for 5 hours and work on her doctorate stuff because we are playing the long game.
This is a life plan. That, more than anything else is what keeps me going. Its hard. Working, school, kids… its hard, its not easy. There have definitely been days when I have been frustrated with Kristi just because I know I also have to write a 5 page paper and I haven’t started it yet, but at the end of the day I am going to be with the person I love, I am waking up with the person I love, and that right there is enough to keep me moving. You see so many people with struggling relationships and it is going to be so hard to get all of the aspects of your life together when you don’t necessarily enjoy being with the person that you are with. I think that is overlooked with a lot of people. The support that we give each other is worth it. Its worth every step of the way. I battle, too, and we help each other.
Kristi: I agree completely. I don’t always share that with everybody, because I know that not everybody is lucky enough to have the type of relationship that Dan and I have. Still, the support that I received from Dan is the one thing throughout all of my personal and professional success that allowed me to keep going. There have been times when I wanted to give up. A perfect example is when Dan rode his bike with me as I ran 12 miles. I was on mile 11 and I thought I was going to die. Dan was riding his bike right along side me telling me that I could do it, and you know what, I did it. I did it only because Dan was right there with me. Every time I finish my half marathons, I can hear the crowd cheering, and I know Dan is going to be there, and that helps me make it to the finish.
A MOMENT WITH DAN
“I think it was a lesson I needed to learn. I am not the number on the scale. There is more to it that that.”
-Dan Cross, on achieving his goal weight
Q: Dan, what are your weight loss numbers and story?
Dan: When our cousin Mark came over from Ireland there was an unflattering photo of me at my mom’s house. I was up to 252 lbs. (114.6 kgs.) and that was my heaviest weight. Seeing this picture was an Oh My God moment. I hadn’t realized that I was that big. Activity has never been a problem for me. I really do like food. It has always been portion sizes and portion control where I struggle. I got down to 179 lbs. (81.4 kgs.) at my lowest along with Kristi.
Q: How was it when you hit 179 lbs. (81.4 kgs.)?
Dan: It was very much like what Kristi said. Even at 179 lbs. when I was looking in the mirror, I thought it was going to be this glorious Ah Ha Moment that I had made it, but it wasn’t. I think it was a lesson I needed to learn. I am not the number on the scale. There is more to it that that. I have gained about 30 lbs. (13.6 kgs.) back this winter, but I am getting back into it.
Jack: Now I feel that it was a bit unfair of me to reach out to you right at the end of winter.
Dan: I think it is just as important to see us now as when we were at our best. Its important to understand that even the most successful people struggle. Its not the success or failure that matters; it’s about how are you going to keep moving forward when you do fail that counts. There are ebbs and flows. But at the same point, none of this works if you are not honest with yourself.
Kristi: Just talking about this now, in itself, feels like an intervention. Going through the story, where we are now, reliving what works, I don’t know if we have ever had the opportunity to sit down and just talk through how this works and what we would share with other people. So, it might be good to check in with us again in September to see if this was an intervention in and of itself.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Q: What’s your favorite color?
Kristi: Blue
Dan: Green
Q: What’s your favorite number?
Kristi: 7
Dan: 6
Q: If you were a hotdog, would you eat yourself?
Kristi: I don’t know. I’m not a huge hotdog fan. I would say no.
Dan: Oh yeah. Grilled hotdog… fantastic! Toasted bun with ketchup.
Q: What books do you recommend other people read?
Kristi: I recommend:
- What are you Hungry For? by Deepak Chopra
- Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment by Deepak Chopra
- You are a Badass by Jen Sincero (If I can only choose one, then it’s this one!)
Dan: I recommend:
- Every Day We Live Is the Future: Surviving in a City of Disasters by Douglas Haynes. It is a great book to show perspective, which I believe is the only real thing we can learn in life. Reading their story shows how to overcome real problems.
- Who Owns the Ice House?: Eight Life Lessons from an Unlikely Entrepreneur by Clifton Taulbert. It’s a cool book showing that anyone can overcome obstacles to achieve their goal.
Q: What charity is especially important to you?
Kristi: The Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless. I used to be on the board for this charity and it holds a special place in my heart.
I also wholeheartedly support the Bennington Area Trails System. They preserve those hiking trails in Bennington we love so much!
Dan: I researched the Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless as part of my studies and I think it is a very important area to get involved in.
THANK YOU
I cannot thank Kristi and Dan enough for sharing this story with me and with you! I hope that you found it as interesting and inspiring as I have.
Kristi and Dan made many recommendations during this interview. Some are free. Some cost money. If you are inspired to purchase any of these resources through their recommendation and my affiliate links, I will donate 100% of the earnings to the Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless (50%) and the Bennington Area Trails System (50%).
Here are their recommendations and other resources that you can learn more about. If they are paid resources, the affiliate links will be attached:
- What are you Hungry For? by Deepak Chopra
- Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment by Deepak Chopra
- You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
- Every Day We Live Is the Future: Surviving in a City of Disasters by Douglas Haynes
- Who Owns the Ice House?: Eight Life Lessons from an Unlikely Entrepreneur by Clifton Taulbert
- NutriBullet – make your own healthy smoothies
- Eat Right Now – start meditating and eating right
- Insight Timer – add some meditation to your life
- Training for More – join a running club
- Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless – support directly
- Bennington Area Trails System – support directly