Category: Macros

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How to Calorie Cycle for Fat Loss

The old school way of thinking in order to achieve our fat loss & health goals: “I have to ‘want it enough’ to achieve it.”

On one hand, they do have a point, it does take intention PLUS action.

On the other hand, it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of perfection & a totalitarian approach & restriction. 

Beliefs like eating nachos or excess calories on a Saturday night equates to failure.

Beliefs like eating a strict meal plan of chicken & broccoli with a kitchen overflowing of Tupperware. 

What you need to ask yourself, “Is this sustainable & how do I want to eat the rest of my life that makes me feel AMAZING?!

For me & many of my clients in the past, this restriction & perfection mindset meant come the weekend, we’d binge & purge aisle 5 of all the foods we’d denied ourselves & wash it down with 4-5 cocktails & wake up to self loathing & a week of over exercising later.

Sound familiar?

The longer we go trying to control things, deny flexibility & living LIFE, the less controlled & unfulfilling your life will become. 

Here are lessons I’ve learned about balance along my fat loss & healing journey. 

How to calorie cycle for fat loss! TAG & SHARE 🎉 

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✅Personally, I like to eat (roughly) the same 200-300 range of calories each day.

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✅I have clients who prefer cycling their calories based on when they work out.

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✅I have clients who cycle their calories to accommodate their weekend partying, too. 😉🍻

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👉🏻The Bottom Line ✅: success comes down to finding something you can follow consistently. While there’s nothing magical about calorie cycling, it can be an excellent tool for creating a more enjoyable plan 👍

Questions about macros & flexibility? Drop’em on Instagram!

Need something more in depth? Fill out the inquiry & we’ll chat🤗

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Life Truths and Real Steps to Successful “Dieting”

You know what’s really, powerfully sexy?

  • A sense of humor
  • A taste for adventure
  • A healthy glow
  • Openness
  • Depth
  • Confidence
  • Intelligence
  • Humility
  • Appetite
  • Intuition
  • Ambition
  • Presence

I’d choose the above over abs any day.

You see there are different seasons of life I’ve in catagories:

The Mundane – the everyday “boring” stuff. Routine, chores, work, etc.

The Mess – the chaos, the road blocks, the f*ck ups, the contrast, the things & shadows we don’t like about ourselves.

The Magic – the sweet spots, the little things, the peace, the moments that make your heart sing with joy & make everything else melt away.

We must learn to nurture & love every season with grace. They make us – US.

My body has been all shapes and sizes through the years.

When I first started struggling with body image I was around 8 years old.

I was labeled as the “fat” girl and that label stuck with me for years. It paralyzed me from reaching my potential. Total mindf*ck. When you’re attached with a powerful label, it’s hard to simply pull that label off like a tag on a new pair of leggins. It takes the dirty work to remove.

I’m almost 60lbs lighter now today, after going meat-based with my diet over a year ago to manage my crohn’s. I’m a lot less f*cks lighter too than I was decades ago. Most of all I’m proud to love ALL my seasons, and I know my worth is not based on a number on the scale or my barbell.

My biggest pain point of criticism – I loathed my legs. I hated the way they looked. I hated the way they rubbed together. I hated the cellulite, the stretch marks. I hated the way they jiggled.

I spent years trying to attain slender legs with fasted cardio, strict low fat & low calorie dieting, binging, purging, running and walking often 30,000 steps a day – that’s not a typo.

What did I lose? Not the legs I was trying to get rid of. I lost friends, and memories, my health, and MYSELF along the way.

Here are some life truths I discovered along my journey that I hope can help reframe your life wherever it may be…

1.) You will never become the person you want to be if you don’t take care of your body. Do you perform, feel your best, & serve your family at your highest when you’re tired, overweight, your gut is a mess, and/or you’re obsessed with food, exercise, & basically hating life? Didn’t think so. Invest in yourself, it’s not being selfish.

2.) You are the sum of your surroundings. This includes your friends, your work, your hobbies, your food, and what you mentally consume. Are they nourishing you or depleting you on your path to who you want to be?

3.) A wish is not a goal. Make a plan and ACT. THAT is when your dream becomes a goal. You know my MO, you either DO or you DON’T. You wanna be a DOer or a DON’Ter?

4.) The most important relationship you have is with yourself. Noone can make you happy but yourself. If you can’t love the reflection in the mirror with tummy rolls, you can’t love the reflection with a six-pack. Appreciate your seasons. Losing lbs is not the answer to gaining your happiness. It’s a band-aid.

5.) The beauty is in the mess. It’s ok to try and chase the best version of your life, but if you’re constantly dreaming & searching for the perfect life you’re never truly living in the now. You’ll be forever unsatisfied.

6.) Rich is in the eye of the beholder. Rich doesn’t always mean money or material things. In fact, the most important things aren’t seen or felt. They’re experienced-freedom, peace, pride, laughter, love.

As we grow older, and hopefully wiser, we realize that a $300 or a $30 watch both tell the same time. You will realize that your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. Whether you fly first class or economy, if the plane goes down-you go down with it. -Steve Jobs

7.) The most important food in the world is soul food. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

“Find what makes your soul sing with joy & try, as much as you can, to let that happen as often as possible. Listen to the inner-workings of your mind and be honest with yourself when things don’t feel right. Leave what doesn’t sit well and walk into new relationships, connections, & places with open arms. Forgive yourself for the shortcomings you’ve had (or think you’ve had) & celebrate where you will go next. And most of all, know that what you have to offer this world is valuable. And noone else can do it.” -Marisa Donnelly

Real Steps to consider for Successful “Dieting”

Everyday I have beautiful women come to me wanting to lose body fat. Absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to see what your body can do. Change is good. Change is energy. We are entitled to see what our bodies can do no matter what season we choose.

The question: have you earned the right to lose body fat and are you mentally ready?

Avoid Common Mistakes:

  • Not being clear about what your goal really is? Do you want to gain muscle or lose fat? Two different things. Two different requirements, one a calorie surplus, one a calorie deficit.
  • Not setting a realistic goal and not being honest about how flexible or strict you want to be. Eating for general health and wellness is more flexible. You can go out with friends and have those occasional cocktails. Cutting for a photo shoot or competition? That means strict diet, training, and minimal “cheats.”

These require different levels of commitment:

  • Not periodizing your nutrition. You should not be “cutting” or “dieting” forever. Keep cuts 8-16 weeks MAX, limit to 1-2 times per year. Follow up with 4-6 months of maintenance or surplus calories to upregulate body systems.
  • Automatically assume you need to cut carbs to lose weight. Carnivore, low carb, & keto absolutely have their place. They work wonderful for people who need an insulin reset, an elimination diet, have autoimmune disorders, poor relationships with carbs, etc, but they’re also not “right” for everyone if they don’t suit your needs or preferences. What kind of training are you doing? Are you doing CrossFit, HIIT training, Orange Theory, Bootcamps, marathon training? You may do better utilizing some quantity of carbs in your diet. All of our bodies are different. YOU have to eat for YOU!
  • You think punching numbers in myfitnesspal, an online calculator, or following a template will spit out magic macros to solve all your problems. Do you think a calculator or template cares you’ve been surviving on poverty macros, struggle with work stress, travel, kids back talking and getting in trouble at school, gut issues, and can’t sleep at night? All affect your mindset, digestion, recovery, relationships with food, relationships with other people, and most importantly yourself. INVEST in a qualified coach! I offer consults every single day, even weekends and holidays for YOU. Inquiry HERE.
These were from a fat loss cut for photo shoot prep. I reversed for 3 months prior and then ate at surplus (2300 calories daily) for 2 months prior to going into my cut. I didn’t have to drop below 1500 calories during my 12 week cut BECAUSE I did my due diligence to heal and recover FIRST.

Truths about Fat Loss:

  • Healthy, nourished bodies lose body fat. Eating 1000 calories a day, surviving on sugar-free jello & lettuce is not a balanced diet, nor a protocol to set you up for a successful fat loss phase. You need to work on yourself for months to get your calories up & your body functioning like a normal human being.
  • All your systems should be in check BEFORE considering diving into a cut: your metabolism, your hormones, your period, your mindset, your stress level.
  • Ladies, your period is like your internal gauge your body is functioning properly. If you’re not having a period that is the biggest red flag. Did you know your body can conserve 30,000 cal/year by not having a period. Why? If your body takes away a natural process to conserve energy, that’s called survival because reproducing is not a priority. This also goes for down regulating your metabolism, your thyroid, & your sex hormones.
  • Your metabolism is not one singular thing like your brain or your arm or your liver. Your metabolism encompasses everything it’s everywhere. Your brain, your digestive system, your reproductive system – they all contribute. It will adjust to low calories and this is when you plateau. We can’t cut you any lower as a coach when you come to us eating 1200 calories a day.
  • Your body will not respond to a cut if you have not properly taken care of it before hand. This could take months or even years. Your body does AMAZING things on the daily. Appreciate it. It’s main priority is keeping you alive & guess what?

Your body gives two f*cks that you want to have abs & look good in a bikini. #REALtalk

I empathize with your frustrations. It took me years to work my calories up to true maintenance, 4 years to be exact. Took me even longer to heal my gut, manage triggers, and most importantly, step into my worth and cultivate a growth mindset.

My door is always open. Feel free to message, dm, or email. I would love to help you on your journey!

If you’re ready, start HERE! 🥰

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Fitness truths I’ve learned and why you may be gaining weight

Fax Friday. I am really glad I keep LEGACY photos now of my fitness journey.  For decades I would’ve cringed at the thought of taking a picture of myself. 

Now I use them as a tool to adjust my nutrition protocols for my health & fitness goals. It all comes down with your relationship with things, fam. Change your perspectives!

I want to make the most evidence based progress related changes possible. Because my health fxcking deserves it.

I will continue to harp at all of you to educate yourselves, find mentors, find coaches, people to help you along your health & fitness journey. 

None of us know everything but there are plenty of free resources & awesome people out there to help you make the right decisions when it comes to your goals. 

These cookie cutter programs & templates don’t give you the tools to help you make informed choices when you’re finished. 

That’s the point of trying new things & hiring people to help you. We don’t want you to need us forever. If you need us forever we’re not doing our jobs.

I don’t believe in any perfect way of eating — only the perfect way of eating for YOU.

You’ve asked about things I’ve learned through my fitness journey & why you may be gaining weight on low carb.

THINGS IVE LEARNED ALONG MY FITNESS JOURNEY:

💓 Carbs are not the enemy, your relationship & application of them is what determines their meaning. Higher carbs will give you more energy, help you recover from higher intensity activity, they make your muscles fuller, sometimes an insulin reset is needed for specific symptoms, dis-ease, & seasons. 

Consult with a coach or practitioner beforehand if you don’t know what you’re doing. 

💓Higher fat & protein diets keep you more satiated, they keep your energy levels & blood sugar more stable, they will help with insulin resistance, they are not necessary to follow forever.  For some, like myself, they help with digestive symptoms & help you lean out around your stomach as long as your calories match your needs & energy balance. 

💓 For me, gluten free, dairy free, low fodmap, low lectin, low oxalate, animal based, low fiber work best to control digestive symptoms & my Crohn’s. I have worked with a functional medicine doctor to rid myself of SIBO & CANDIDA years ago. Symptoms were much better after undergoing a 12 week protocol. GET TESTED, QUIT GUESSING. Through trial & error & decades of experience I figured out what works best for my body. Which will be different from your body. 

💓Educate yourselves. I’ve had to adjust my nutrition & training numerous times with specific food choices & workout modalities — it’s OK to experiment. That’s the only way you’re going to learn what truly works for YOU. There are no magic sets of macros or diet camps or fasting protocols, etc — they’re all simply tools for your toolbelt & puzzle pieces that will either fit or they don’t. Go your own way. 5 things that ALWAYS MATTER no matter what diet you’re doing: Your mindset, sleep, simple movement, & the quality & quantity of food you consume. 

REASONS YOU MAY BE GAINING WEIGHT ON CARNIVORE OR LOW CARB:

🥩You’re eating in a surplus. As with ANY diet you choose if you are eating in a surplus chances are you will put on body fat. It’s part of it. This is when you should be focusing on muscle gain & strength.

🥩You’ve been eating in a chronic deficit & your body is finally getting the nutrients it needs to function & grow muscle. You WANT muscle growth. More muscle=more food=more badass. You can’t  have the athletic body without building the muscle underneath FIRST. This weight gain is actually weight restoration.

🥩You’re snacking too much on things like pork rinds, fat bombs, or fake keto junk like Atkins bars. They’re easy to overeat & nutrient deficient. Even no cal artificial sweeteners can trigger hunger, water retention, & over eating. Go back to the basics for a while & experiment. Simplify. Meat, water, coffee, no sweeteners. 

🥩You’re choosing highly palatable meats & foods like ribeyes, bacon, cheese, butter, processed meats, etc. they are delicious, YES, but can trigger over eating when you’re not really hungry. It’s like when you’re not hungry but then they bring out dessert. Most of us will have that extra piece of cake. Choose foods that are satisfying & get the job done. My choice (FOR ME)  is ground beef & ground chicken cooked in the air fryer. Fuggin delicious & satiating, but not so much I’m triggered to eat more for pleasure & not true hunger. 

🥩You’re overly fasting, overly training, not sleeping, still eating foods you don’t digest well, &/or over caffeinating or consuming excess alcohol. All these things are stressors which increases our blood glucose & cortisol level. Chronically high cortisol & hormone imbalances affect your weight, recovery, energy, & fat loss. Reduce your workout intensity & volume, SLEEP, reduce caffeine/alcohol, cut out foods & habits that hinder your digestion, shorten your fasting window or STOP fasting. Get a @nutrisenseio continuous glucose monitor to track blood sugar levels. It’s a wealth of information & will help you more accurately make adjustments!

🥩You’re eating too much protein, throwing hormones & your biofeedback off. Try increasing your fats & start with protein around 1g per lb of LEAN BODY MASS or 20-30% of your daily calories. Our energy sources come from fats & carbs. Play around with it, you’ll find your thresholds. Play around with different kinds of meats & macros ratios. There’s no one-size-fits-all. If in doubt, invest in a coach or practitioner to help!


xoxoxo’s y’all, happy Friday!

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A day in the life: What I learned over 1 year on the carnivore diet

Lotsa carnivore questions today about what a day in the life of this girl looks like. It ain’t special y’all it’s just a routine that works for me. 

I’ll summarize for those who are new around here! Welcome! 🥩  Bookmark this on Instagram, there’s a lot of info! I also did an interview which is here on my blog that explains all of my transition over my carnivore journey.

▫️I don’t ‘treat myself’ or ‘cheat.’ Food is not a reward/something to earn. I also dislike saying cheat because it implies it’s going to benefit you in some way. Cheaters cheat to win. Do you really think you’re winning by cheating yourself?

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▫️I eat 2 meals/d on avg. My days off or if I can sleep in, I now eat 1 meal. You must experiment. Your experience/needs will be different than mine.⁣ It takes TIME. It took me an entire year to fully adapt &, yes, I gained 15lbs initially.

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▫️Majority of meals are my Airfryer Crispy meat bars. 85% ground beef, ground chicken. Avg 2lbs of meat/d. Ground meat is easier to digest & track. I removed most pork & dairy, I don’t digest’em well. I don’t add extra fat often. Choose meats that are higher in fat. No I don’t like organ meat, I prefer the taste of grain fed over grass fed beef.

⁣▫️I stick to beef bc it’s satisfying & delicious but not SO delicious I want to binge. Food addicts tend to have issues controlling carbs, sugar, sugar free substitutes, keto treats, dairy, butter, cheese, bacon, pork rinds, hyper palatable & processed meats)

▫️I track macros loosely. It keeps me accountable & I know where to adjust. Rice cakes on occasion post workout or in the evening if I need them, rarely above 50g/day. Macros 10% C – 30% P – 60% F for ME** around 1900-2100 cal/d. Workout fasted at 5 AM on weekdays. Yes I drink coffee before. Work out 5d/wk, 1 active recovery day, 1 rest.

▫️YES, you can CrossFit & carnivore, CAREFULLY. Comes down to allowing yourself to fully adapt to being fat-fueled, meal timing, eating ample calories, & RECOVERY.

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▫️Sleep=nonnegotiable. 7 hrs min. Zzyquil helps. I take it most nights because I can’t shut my mind off.

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▫️Still hit 13-15k steps/day⁣, even on rest days, drinkin a ton of water + electrolytes, fasting when I’m not hungry (~18hrs avg), eating when I am.⁣⁣ No extended fasts, no snacking.

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▫️I do drink socially. I don’t typically eat & have cocktails I choose 1 or the other. I also don’t like to eat late. Last meal is usually around 2 or 3p.

▫️Favorite self care is coloring, writing, walking, live music, time with friends, working out @3kings_athletics , @hotworx.fishers infrared saunas, @vitalityivbar , routine colonics treatments via Brandy Mason Colon Hydrotherapy in Carmel (I have her info), @massageheightsindy

All of these experiences are going to be different for you but I hope what I’ve learned throughout my journey can help steer you in the right direction 😉🐮 

Happy Friday, keep calm & carnivore on🤘🏻 

I’d be glad to answer any of your questions, drop them in comments or send me a DM on the gram http://www.instagram.com/lil_bit_of_fit

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Healing and losing the weight often means doing things you don’t want to do

“Your appetite will correct itself.”

Used to think this was bullshxt.

When I started an animal based nutrition approach this is what I heard. In this photo I was about 10lbs heavier on vacation, embracing the journey.

Had many of you ask about this yesterday & my recent weight loss.

I’m excited many of you want to try a more animal based approach & YES I absolutely believe its a wonderful lifestyle of eating which corrects many health issues, but I also want to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons & not just wanting to hop on the “bandwagon” because you seek weight loss. 

It’s not for everyone’s lifestyle needs, some of you NEED specific kinds of carbs in your diet to feel & function better. Just because I prefer this style of eating doesn’t mean I think everyone should do it. No diet dogma here. We’re all different.

I had a question from a follower yesterday asking what she needed to do to heal gut issues & finally see weight loss. 

I responded with some hard truths.

You will most likely have to do things you don’t wanna do. Things I had to do:

  • Reduce workouts: no more 2 hrs of CrossFit & 20k+ steps a day. More rest days. I have to modify, reduce intensity & steps. Requires me swallowing my ego & not picking weights & movements I don’t need to do anymore for LONGEVITY as a goal.
  • Ate in MAINTENANCE & SURPLUS for almost 8 MONTHS. GAINED 15lbs in the process. Experimented with intuitive eating, macro ratios, fasting, meat, portions, tracking glucose & ketones, etc. Figured out I get better results tracking macros. Ground meats work better as far as tracking, simplicity, & satiety. Carb refeed days via rice cakes or white rice work great when I need them with minimal negative feedback. My appetite did “correct.” I eat slower & know know when I’m truly full.
  • Different fasting windows affect you differently. Don’t recommend any newby to fast, just get adapted to the way of eating 1st. You’ll find what works best. I can fast longer now. I don’t do extended fasts. The longest I go is about 20hrs.
  • What gets TRACKED gets MANAGED. I know a lot of you don’t wanna track but HOW ARE YOU GONNA KNOW WHAT TO CHANGE IF YOU DONT HAVE ANY AWARENESS OF WHERE YOU’RE STARTING? Quality & quantity matter. After a while you master it & won’t have to track but you need to learn quality & quantity & how it affects you 1st. It’s about making EDUCATED choices.
  • If you’re having gut/hormone issues, do a true elimination diet & stick to something longer than a few days or 2 weeks. This takes TIME. You didn’t have these issues after 1 day &/or put on the weight in 1 day. There are no quick fixes or magic. Put in the work. Get help from a coach or practitioner, get tested! Quit guessing. I worked with multiple practitioners, coaches, protocols & diets, & tracked symptoms/trigger foods for DECADES.

Do the DUE DILIGENCE — experiment, eat more, educate yourself, sleep more, have patience, seek help, fix your relationship with food & self 1st, quit binging on the weekends, overtraining, & treating your body like a dumpster fire.

Here’s to embracing the journey!

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Simple Cheesy Carnivore Meatballs

Y’all know how much I love beef & my airfryer.

I named my airfryer 💁🏼‍♀️His name is Albert. If you’ve been following me for a bit you know I name all my plants too🪴💕

After experimenting with all different kinds of ground meats, 85% ground beef is my fav. Just the right amount of fat for my macros, flavor, & texture.

I used to bake meatballs all the time, but fell in love with the crispy edges on meat when cooking in the airfryer. I thought, why the heck not, let’s airfry’em. 

You can add cheese with this recipe or omit if sensitive to dairy. You can also use different kinds of ground meats, have fun with these!! Ground Pork is another fav, if you’re trying to reduce fat use a leaner ground chicken or ground turkey like a 93%

Simple Cheesy Carnivore Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground beef (I like 85%, idc if it’s grass fed or grain fed. I feel people over complicate things. As long as it agrees with your health, eat it. I prefer grain fed for taste.)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 oz pork rinds ( @epicbar brand baked pork rinds are my fav)
  • 3 oz shredded Italian cheese blend (or whatever you’d like)
  • 1 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt 

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients in a bowl. 
  • Roll into balls (~1-2 inches in diameter) Should make 24 meatballs.
  • Cook at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Turn meat balls & cook for another 4 minutes.

Ballpark Macros per 4 meatballs

(These’ll vary depending on your meatball size & what ingredients you include)

Carbs: trace maybe from your cheese

Protein: ~40g

Fat: ~32g

Enjoy y’all!

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What fitness and being raised on a farm taught me

Life ain’t always tacos & tequila 🌮🍸but it should be 🎉 😝 (more like beef & bourbon🥩🥃 for this girl.)

In other words, you don’t always get whatcha want but ya get whatcha need. It hinges on your perspective & reaction.

Yes, ‘whatcha’ is a word. Hxll my talk & text can’t even decipher my Indiana twang. Anybody else have that problem? 📲 

Raised on a cattle & crop farm in small town Indiana I grew up hearin things like, “Sexy as socks on a rooster” and “Quit your dickin around” an awful lot. 😂 

Cleaning the barn 💩🐮 was punishment. That and picking up rocks out of the field.

And you did not wanna hear mom say I’m gonna call dad — you knew your a$$ was in trouble.

I wouldn’t have changed my childhood for anything. Priceless life lessons that never could’ve been taught sitting in a classroom — the value of hard work, honesty, the Golden Rule, love, teamwork, responsibility, discipline, & the relentless pursuit of betterment.

Katie what the hxll does this have to do with your bathroom photo this mornin half naked in @Amazon underwear? 😆 — I’m getting to that.

You see these life lessons were the foundational bricks that transferred into my success habits AND fitness.

Most people scroll & look at the after photo & want to be &/or look like that person but they’re not willing to commit & do the work behind it. That’s what you need to think about. 

Can you do what that person had to do to get where they are? (Eat more food, reverse diet, commit to healing & rest, work thru the hunger in a cut, etc)

Is that your story & authentic self?

Have you learned the correct bricks to build your foundation? (Macros, eating maintenance, what foods you can digest, trigger foods, eating schedules, workout schedule, etc)

Growing up on a farm & fitness taught me a few things:

— They taught me I CAN do the hard things. I’m stronger than I think.

— They taught me how to stay committed, not just by what I looked like in the mirror, but simply by keeping the promises I made to myself to be healthy.

— They taught me discipline. Getting those workouts in, working with my 4H calves, hitting the macros, eating foods I can digest vs crap, sleeping over drinking all night.

— They taught me the value of hardwork & that I can do anything I put my mind to.

— They taught me having a serving & loving heart is more important than having a set of abs or five grand champions. 

As creatures on this earth, we either find comfort in not trying or comfort in the extreme. It’s difficult to find comfort in the balance.

There will be bumps along the way. They’re called lessons and remember you don’t always get what you want you get what you need 🌱 🪴 

Cheers y’all happy St. Patrick’s Day from Kelly Farms🍀🍻 

Go make memories, have fun, remember no good story started with a salad 🥩🥗🥂😄

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6 Fat Loss Hacks That Helped Me Lose 50lbs and Maintain Health

I could talk all day about the mistakes I’ve made throughout my fitness journey. 

To name a few:

  • Feeling I had to earn food or use it as a reward
  • Yo-yo dieting & falling for fads, pills, & what Karen down the road was doing
  • Wearing restriction as a badge of honor then falling victim to self-loathing, disordered eating & exercise habits
  • Eating all the wrong foods for me physically and mentally causing paralyzing G.I. distress
  • Equating my worth with abs & a number displayed on a dirty box which sits on my bathroom floor

Losing weight doesn’t have to feel like a punishment, in fact that’s the one thing you must avoid. 

Think about it, if you hate what you’re eating and how you’re training, do you think you’re going to stick to it? 

— Heck no. 

Losing weight is simple, but it’s not EASY. Ultimately it comes down to being in an energy deficit. (Taking in less energy than you are expending) 

We over complicate the process. We set ourselves up for failure by chronically dieting, picking the wrong kinds of workouts, picking the wrong kinds of foods we cannot digest & absorb properly, we over stress, under eat, under educate ourselves, under execute, & over train. 

Don’t even get me started on the negative self talk & shxtty mindset syndrome.

30 years ago (I’m almost 39 now😬) my fitness journey began. I was 8 years old. My heaviest weight was 160 lbs on a 5’1 frame. 

Right now is actually the lowest weight (avg 107-110lbs) & best health I’ve ever been. And I’m eating at my true maintenance (calories around 2000-2200 daily). Maintenance is we all should be hanging out the majority of our lives.

I’ve made the same mistake as you have. We are all different as far as what foods & training work best for you.

Here are some examples of hacks that have helped me keep the weight off and I hope it helps you find the right tools for your toolbelt too!

1.) DETERMINE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD

Are you an abstainer or a moderator?

Abstainer: cannot have just 1 cookie without then eating or wanting to eat the whole pan. Does better with food rules and a more “all or none approach.” More prone to binge eating.

Moderator: can have 1 cookie and be satisfied. Needs more flexibility.

Are you a food addict? Get real with yourself. I understand this stuff isn’t pretty.

What is your relationship with carbohydrates? Are they like drugs which trigger self sabotaging habits? How do they make you feel? Do you need them for your health & fitness goals for optimal health, performance, & recovery? What is your daily threshold that makes you feel your best?

2.) CHOOSE THE FOODS & TRAINING YOU LOVE AND HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH

For me, it’s animal based nutrition. Protein & healthy fats are the center of my meals. I do not have a good relationship with carbohydrates and have many emotional and physical trigger foods. I only consume carbohydrates when I need them for optimal health, performance, and recovery. I find eating carbohydrates makes me crave more carbohydrates & I’m not satiated as sticking with meat only.

I prefer CrossFit like training. I love the community, I love the variety, I love it combines strength and aerobic conditioning. It’s effective af & keeps me happy. Therefore it’s easy for me to stick to my routine. 

3.) EAT & TRAIN INTENTIONALLY & MINDFULLY

The food you eat literally makes you. Choose accordingly. Slow down when you eat, enjoy every bite, chew thoroughly, eat till you’re 80% full. Same with your training. Pick a goal and stick with it. Keep your commitments to yourself. Work hard & rest when you need to and be intentional about both! Motivation is fleeting, your integrity & character are forever.

4.) SET YOUR NONNEGOTIABLES & FLEXIBILITY

Especially important when it comes to social functions & family. Set step goals. Mine are between 13-15k on average. Maybe you allow yourself 2 cocktails on the weekends, maybe it’s one untracked meal with family, maybe it’s 2 refeed days on the weekends, maybe it’s more carbohydrates one day a week, maybe it’s dessert a couple times a week, maybe you do better being strict for a couple weeks & taking a week off, maybe you prefer to take your own food when you go out. Anything goes, you are your own boss, but OWN IT.

5.) GRATITUDE AND CELEBRATE EVERY WIN

Y’all gratitude is everything. You can’t hate yourself healthy and love yourself healthy at the same time. Which one would you rather choose? Take progress pictures, the scale isn’t the only indicator of success. Maybe you’re eating for better energy and better biofeedback. Maybe you’re trying to get stronger. The number on the scale does not dictate your worth or achievement.

6.) MANAGE YOUR MINDSET & OWN YOUR DAY

You should have a success routine nailed down. I talked about 8 things you should do every day that will change your life, yesterday. Check out that post and blog. If you continuously tell yourself you are a failure & always fxck up, guess what? That’s what you’ll attract & become. Talk to yourself like your best friend. What would you say, what advice would you give her or him? Be the person you want to embody. 

You can make moves or excuses. You either DO or your DON’T. 

— It’s your choice. 

My door is always open, feel free to comment and message! I look forward to chatting with all of you! 

Oxox Coach K

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CrossFit, Crohns, & Carnivore: How to Optimize Life as an Athlete

Tips to optimize a low carb lifestyle as an athlete/avid exerciser with special digestive needs:

▫️For my carnivore low carb’ers:

1.) Just get adapted-eat meat, find the low carb sources you love, cut the junk, find what eat windows that work for your schedule, track to make sure you’re eating enough food.⁣

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2.) Focus on healing any gi issues & give it time. Be patient & consistent. You don’t feel good all the time, as with any diet it takes time to find your groove. Most hit a slump around 2 weeks. Reduce the intensity & volume of your workouts (especially my crossfitters & Orange Theory enthusiasts)

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3.) Thrive & THEN play around with fat loss or muscle gain goals. You’ll be more self aware & educated once your reach this point.⁣

Not until someone is adapted & healed do I recommend any kind of playing around with fat loss cuts.⁣

For some it may take 3-6 months or it can take years depending on what kind of healing (gut, hormonal, metabolic etc) you have to do.⁣


▫️For someone who is just learning how to best manage IBD – I wanted to share my learning tools as an athlete. Do not give up who you are because of IBD – you will need to adjust & pay attention to your body, but you can continue to do what you love as well! There will be good days & bad days. Some days you may need to modify workouts, movements, intensity & volume. 

SLEEP & HYDRATION

I drink water with electrolytes from @goultima Sleep has made the biggest impact on me physically & mentally. Shoot for at least  7 hours. I am in bed asleep by 8:30 at the latest most days, wake at 4am the majority of week days. Sleep is the most important thing to manage during any season. NON NEGOTIABLE.

NUTRITION

Everyone has different triggers & different needs. Do not apologize for having to eat a certain way or bring your own food in social situations. Food choices are extremely important. For me, I find lowfodmap, easy to digest, gluten free, low lectin, minimal dairy, animal based nutrition with the exception of white rice, plain rice cakes, & rice Chex cereal if I feel like I need some carbs (don’t crave or need them anymore now that I’m fully adapted to a more carnivore lifestyle). But I believe you should always leave room for flexibility & no diet dogma. Do what works for you. Carbs are most optimal post workout & in the evening prior to bed.

SOCIAL SITUATIONS

I understand this is a rough spot for many with autoimmune issues &/or special digestive needs. Use your uniqueness to educate others why you need to eat the way you do. Maybe it’s something they need to hear too. Be confident, bring your own food if you have to, eat before you go out, custom order your meals. I set a limit of 2 alcoholic beverages in social situations & also mix my own drinks the majority of the time. Just order a shot of whatever liquor you want & whatever mixer you want. That way you have control over how much alcohol is in that drink. There have been times I’ve also brought @zevia as a mixer. Voice your needs to the restaurant & they will accommodate. 

STRESS MANAGEMENT 

Stress plays a huge role in inflammation. Sleep, take more rest days when you need them, make sure you’re eating enough food for your activity, take walks, spend time alone.Learning how to manage stress is a skill. Be kind to yourself!❤️

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Carnivore Questions Answered and Some Things You Won’t Want to Hear

People are gonna tell you you CAN’T do a lot of things. They’re gonna tell you THEIR way is better than YOUR way…

You’ve asked great carnivore questions over the weekend. I’ll summarize  for those I haven’t had the pleasure to chat with & tell you some things you may not want to hear…

▫️I don’t ‘treat myself.’ My view of food has changed since going animal based. I “treat” myself everyday, enjoy every bite & it all serves a purpose — nourishment & fuel. Food is not a reward/something to earn.

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▫️You must experiment with different meats/food/fats, eating/fasting windows, meal sizes/freq, tracking macros vs not, & macro ratios. Your experience will be different than mine.⁣ It takes TIME. It took me an entire year to fully adapt &, yes, I gained 15lbs initially.

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Common Q&A’s:⁣⁣

⇢ Majority of my meals are 85% ground beef, ground chicken, & salmon. Avg 2lbs of meat/d, 2-2 1/2 meals/d. Yes I drink coffee. Ground meat is easier to digest & track. I removed pork & dairy, I found I don’t digest’em well. I only consume them on occasion in small quantities.

⁣⁣⇢ I stick to beef bc it’s satisfying & delicious but not SO delicious I want to over eat. For those who struggle with food addiction, like me, find foods that are satisfying & get the job done without triggering over eating or bingeing. We typically do better with food rules, we are abstainers. (Food addicts tend to have issues controlling carbs, sugar, sugar free substitutes, keto treats, dairy, butter, cheese, bacon, pork rinds, hyper palatable & processed meats)

⇢ I track macros loosely. It keeps me accountable & I know where to adjust. Rice cakes/white rice on occasion post workout or in the evening if I need them, portioned carefully, rarely above 50g/day.

⇢ YES, you can CrossFit & carnivore, CAREFULLY. Comes down to allowing yourself to fully adapt to being fat-fueled, meal timing, eating ample calories, & RECOVERY (sleep, rest days, deloads) Macros 10% C – 30% P – 60% F for ME**

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⇢ Sleep is a MUST. 7 hrs min. Zzyquil helps. It is what it is, I’m transparent here.

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⇢ Still hit 13-15k steps/day⁣, even on rest days, drinkin a ton of water + electrolytes, reduce alcohol, fasting when I’m not hungry (~18hrs avg), eating when I am.⁣⁣ No extended fasts, no snacking.

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It’s taken me 38 yrs to understand where my body is at mentally & physically.

And I’ll have to keep figuring it out every day for the rest of my life.

Have patience. Take care of your body it’s the only forever home you have♥️🏠