TASTY TALK: TRISTA AND RYAN SUTTER

Your adorable son Max will be turning one this summer! What will you be doing to celebrate for his birthday?   

Thank you.  We are planning a fun party with all his little buddies and both of our families up in the mountains.  Before the party though, it’s all about nakedness and chocolate cake!

You and Ryan are the only couple that has tied the knot after any “Bachelor” or “Bachelorette” season.  What is your advice to finding true love?  

I don’t think there’s a magic answer, but there are certainly things that need to be present, including openness, honestly, friendship, similar values, and a sense of commitment. 
 
Trista, you worked at Miami Children’s Hospital for four years. In what way did that experience define you as a mother today?

My job as a pediatric physical therapist gave me the opportunity to work with all different types of babies and children…learning how they play and how they thrive.  I utilize a lot of the methods I used in treatment with Max to encourage him and help him develop.  I also learned so much from the parents of my patients…their patience and love showed me a lot and my hope is that I am that present for Max throughout his life.

 
Ryan, as a firefighter is it hard staying away from the family for an extended period of time?

Working at the Vail Fire Department, I have to be away from home for 48 hours at a time.  Trista and Max try to visit as much as possible, but it is difficult to be away…especially when they are having a great day or Max does something he’s never done before. 

Who is the healthiest cook in the family?

Well, neither of us are really “cooks” per se, but we try, especially now that Max is in our lives.  Trista is more of a recipe chef and I am more of a spontaneous chef because of having to put things together at the firehouse. 

You had complications during your first pregnancy, which was pretty hard on you.  Now you are trying for a girl! What precautions will you take for your second pregnancy?

I think the same precautions I took with my first pregnancy…watching what I eat, trying to stay active, getting as much sleep as I can, and making sure to follow doctors orders. 
 
Trista, after having Max you lost 30lbs! How did you do it?

Well, I actually gained 30 pounds, so my goal was to lose that and luckily I have.  It was hard, but a few of my key tricks are to eat in moderation, set up appointments with a trainer or a friend so you can’t back out, take Abdominal Cuts…a supplement that helps cut hip/ab/waist body fat (you can find it at www.revolutionlifestyle.com), and scheduling a family vacation where you have to be in a bathing suit!!
 
Who has the green thumb in the family? (For instance, do you both try and push each other to help the environment?)

Ryan and I are both extremely passionate about the environment.  We do as much as we can, including recycling, driving a hybrid, using natural cleaning products, buying organic, using low-voc paints, unplugging cords not in use, and just being conscious about packaging and what we use.  We are also going to be building a house very soon that will be as environmentally friendly as we can make it!

Speaking of the environment, we know that you have a new bag line. How exciting! Please tell us all about it? What is the inspiration behind it? Where is it available? (And please share anything else you’d like to!)

I know…very exciting!  It’s called “Trista Baby” and it is an eco-conscious line of diaper bags that I have partnered with www.ebags.com to create and produce.  Our motto is “Eco Style for Motherhood and Beyond” as we use organic hemp canvas as our outer materials, natural dyes, all FSC certified paper products, and they are proudly made in the USA.  It’s been fantastic as the line allows me to work from home and be extremely hands on with everything from designs to colors to styles.  We are hoping to come out with handbags and luggage in the future, so watch out for it at www.tristababy.com. 
 
And, lastly, something we ask everyone, what makes you tasty?

Such a funny question!  I think the love I have for my family, friends, and life in general makes me tasty.