Health Coach | Speaker | Writer | Welcome to my digital diary! I'm here to help you blend life & fitness to find your health & happy! Thank you for being part of my family & allowing me to add value to your journey!
♡𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨… Now that I’m over 40 — I would love to have coffee with my 21 year old self.
It’s the perfect paradox. I wish I could share the wisdom I have now with my younger self, yet that wisdom came from all the f*ck ups I made😂 🤷🏼♀️ So, without the mistakes, I’m not sure I’d have anything important to say to that younger version of myself.
Purdue University. #boilerup I remember nights out in college with my Delta Gamma sorority sisters & Block & Bridle Club aggies. (I graduated with a Bachelors in Animal Science from the school of Ag btw. Fun fact 😉 🎓).
Thirsty Thursday’s with Bruce the Piano Man at the Neon Cactus. Those huge cups, cheap drinks, & priceless memories were epic. (Minus the waking up hungover af the next day after smashing Mad Mushroom 🍄 🍕 pizza & cheese sticks 🙈🫣🫥🤭)
I’d implore her to laugh like that more & worry less. As women, maybe wives, moms, friends, daughters, etc we place a lot of pressure on ourselves to orchestrate & capture magical moments for our loved ones, for others.
I wish I could tell that 21 year old version of myself that the magic will happen without the pressure of a perfect social media shot & Pinterest board. Sure, snap a few pictures, but don’t let the pressure of trying to get the perfect shot interfere with absorbing the moments.
Case in point: I remember going to Disney as a child. Now that I’m an adult, I don’t remember talking about how much fun we had at Disney. I do, however, LOL when I talk about the road trips to get there. For some reason, a favorite is my dad wearing a fanny pack & the excitement of taking the back seats out of the van so we could “camp” on the way there. And the singing to oldies🎶
We often stayed at an economical hotel. I remember things like bike rides, seeing Jurassic Park on vaca & sea shells on the beach, coming back from the park & enjoying the swimming pool and the tiny arcade off the lobby.
Because life happens in the in-between moments.
I remember the hotel with much more clarity than I remember the magic of Disney or a specific location.
Take care of yourself. I wish I could convince that younger version of myself that the world wouldn’t collapse if I gave myself a day off of work or the gym or whatever stupid diet I was doing.
I wish I could convince that younger version of me to build a true, aligned tribe she could count on sooner. I figured it out, but not until my late 30’s. I found that small inner, high value circle would have my back no matter what, & who got to see all my flaws & love me anyway.
I’m grateful I learned the lesson about needing a tribe, but mostly the importance of building a home in myself first. Now, everywhere I go, I make home AND I know with confidence I can be happy anywhere because that power comes from within me.
Dream big, but don’t be afraid to change your target if your season changes.
I had big dreams for family, career, finances, & travel. At some point, it became clear that I had fallen for the lie that I could have it all or even knew what I wanted or what tf I was doing.
Reassessing our goals & adjusting our dreams is part of life. As you learn about yourself & life, you learn more about where you want to invest your energy. Give yourself permission to change your definition of success, & never forget that your definition is the one that matters, not the one painted by social media, society, or your peer group.
Release control, laugh more, worry less.
This is the advice 21 year old *me* needed most of all. Even today, I’m not sure I would be the most equipped to give that advice, as I still struggle with releasing control.
I work harder at acknowledging useless worry than I did back then, bringing a measure of hard-earned peace. If I could buy that 21 year old version of myself a cup of coffee & tell her all the wisdom we gained over the next few decades, would I be doing her any favors?
After all, we’ve made it this far, & I kind of like who the two of us became.❤️🫶
A while back, I was a podcast guest & panelist for fitness & leadership workshops for companies like Burn Boot Camp, Orange Theory, CrossFit, & privately owned health & wellness entrepreneurs.
One of the ideas that many resonated with as I spoke of my experiences with body image, gut issues, weight loss & evolving perspectives on life & fitness transformation in general was my “8 Forms of Wealth” ideal I embraced from Robin Sharma.
In my mind, health, wealth, happiness, & fulfillment aren’t just about making money & being skinny. They are world-class levels to embrace whenever you’re ready.
You meet, love, & accept people & the reality of your life only as deep as you meet, love, & accept yourself. You KNOW you.
It’s like If you’re wondering if someone likes you, you will not have to go to f*cking tarot card readers, investigators, & some shiz to find out. Your inner compass knows.
Inner Wealth: a positive mindset, self-respect, internal peace & strong spiritual connection, clarity around your values & targets you’d like to achieve along your journey.
Physical Wealth: Your health is your wealth. What’s the point of getting to a great place in your life or career if you get sick doing it? Don’t be the “best” coworker or businessperson in the hospital. Why be the richest person in the cemetery? Most GREAT leaders & successful peeps are in great health.
Relationship Wealth: When your social life & circle is joyful & nourishing, you will perform better at life, period. It is imperative to forge deep connections with family, friends, community, colleagues, role models & trusted advisors.
Career Wealth: Getting to greatness in your profession brings a feeling of satisfaction & fulfillment. It helps you shine & is good for your self-respect. Be so good at what you do that you leave everyone in your presence spellbound.
Economic Wealth: Yes, money is important. It’s not the most important thing in life, but it absolutely makes life easier & better. Money allows you freedom! Like to live in a nice home, take beautiful vacations & provide well for those you love. I like to say: “The more I make, the more I can give away!”
Circle of Genius: You become who/ what you spend time with, & these influences affect your health, mindset, & performance. “Lead without needing a title” & surround yourself with exceptional people—their stardust will rub off on you.
Adventure Success: To be fulfilled, each of us needs adventure, awe, & novelty in our lives! Adventure is necessary for growth. The human brain craves novelty. And we are creative beings, so we need to be creating & learning constantly if we hope to feel joy. Perfection is nowhere required here, but effort is. I f*ck up sh*t all the time too, but lots of lessons in experience (ranging from meeting new people to visiting new places) is an essential element of authentic wealth!
Impact Wealth: The deepest longing of my human heart & spirit is to live for something greater than myself. Each of us craves to be significant. To make a difference. To know that the world has somehow been better because we have been here. Leaders leave a legacy.
I invite you to focus on each of these elements. Money & being jacked or skinny alone do not define being happy, healthy, & wealthy.
Don’t go back to containers & doors with dust & cobwebs on them. Remember why dust settles.
I wanna be with someone that would divorce me if I gained 50lbs.
Now hear me out…morning ponderings & real talk…
I’ve thought a lot about my journey of becoming my best self: past mistakes, my health, my fitness journey, my relationships, & every facet of 50 shades of f*cked up & beautiful on this ride.
For those of you new here I’ll be 42 years old this year & still don’t know what the f*ck I’m doing. It’s ok. I love every minute of this life! I’m grateful for all the sh*t I’ve been through because it’s made me the woman writing this today in this journal entry.
My opening statement isn’t about weight gain & aesthetic changes, it’s about being THE PERSON & with a partner who holds high standards for themselves too & one who makes me want to be a better woman, partner — human.
A reminder for myself & maybe you too 🤷♀️to be with people who make you want to be the best version of yourself. Maybe they make you feel a little uncomfortable. Good. Choose people who are different & help you grow.
I set these standards for all relationships — platonic, business, & romantic.
Why? Because it influences who you are.
I understand we’ve all been taught about these “fantasy” relationships & unconditional love …
… I believe love is conditional because people change & that’s totally OK. Lovingly allow the right people into your lives yet also realize it’s OK to lovingly release those who do not fit your nonnegotiable conditions.
👉 The game of relationships & choosing wisely @hormozi 👌🏻 🎙️
“Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it is the middle that counts the most. You need to remember that when you find yourself at the beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up.”
I sat the other morning with coffee ☕️, talking with my plants about personal awakenings surrounding partnership & relationship 🪷🪴☺️ (I’m weird. It’s ok 😆 At least I’m high vibe🥰 haha! High five 🙌 to all my fellow woke weirdos)
Maybe y’all can relate to some of my thoughts & feelings 🤷♀️ Hope they resonate in a way that you need to find clarity, clear the cobwebs, or serve as a provoking thought conversation starter.
For those of you who are new here, I’ve struggled with relationships basically my entire life. It’s been about remembering myself. Not losing myself in another. Building a home in myself so that I can be that safe space and partner for another, too.
I’ve been divorced twice. Casually dated all different kinds of men. I’m really proud of myself for creating a kick ass self partnered life that I am so grateful for. But I do truly believe we are not meant to go through this life alone. I just haven’t quite been sure what kind of a partnership is right for me. I acknowledge not every relationship is meant to last forever, honoring whatever time a contract serves.
I understand now that I simply need a partner that sees & accepts me as I am, my whole self. “Flaws” quirks & all. Not just for my looks. One that does not judge/criticize but allows me to be my weird little self.
Someone who can fall in love with their safe space. One like simply sitting in solitude appreciating the sweet sounds & murals of nature outside.
I understand that I do have to be emotionally, mentally, AND physically attracted initially to a person, because that does not develop later. (For me) I’ve tried to force this in the past. Doesn’t work.
I no longer allow myself to let relationships romantically continue if I do not feel romantically attracted to that person.
I’ve realized I have had a lot of wonderful friendships with men, i’m naturally a “guys girl” being raised with brothers & on a farm. What I thought potentially was a romantic relationship on many occasions was a platonic attraction to someone.
So yes, I feel I have broken a lot of hearts, but I’m proud of myself for being honest. Honest in telling those people that I love them (because I do), but our relationship was more in the “friend zone” kind of way.
I align to someone that loves me not just for my looks or what I can do for them. I desire a partner that simply makes me feel safe & protected, special & appreciated. Money comes and goes. But I know you can always build a better life together with someone that makes you feel the way you want feel & aligned with your energy.
Memories & experiences are everything & meant to be shared. We weren’t meant to go through this life alone forever.
I used to think I needed a super successful, rich business man type. And I have dated many wealthy men because I needed those experiences. But what I discovered was that I actually wanted that success for myself so I had to go out and create that for myself. Which I did 👏🏼 I didn’t need that through another.
I had to show myself that I could travel and be free and be successful and create my own business & opportunities scaled to my needs, on my own. I didn’t need someone else to do that for me.
I realized I needed the aligned partner that made me feel emotionally & physically the way I wanted to feel, and that gift, that package, was probably going to be different than what I expected.
So I opened my mind and my heart to that concept and simply followed what I loved & was drawn to. I followed what I felt was right, and listened to the signs and the things, places, & people that I was drawn to whether I understood it or not.
I admit, there were/are many times I’m like l. “Katie you are f*cking crazy. I do not understand why you resonate & are so drawn to certain things.”
BUT… I know that I walk by FAITH, not by sight.
I enjoy & admire partners that let me take care of them. Not in the mommy role kind of way. But in the energy of allowing my to embrace my feminine strengths. To be soft & let a man take care of me, too.
I know my “role and my place.” I know my strengths and my weaknesses. I don’t say that in a disrespectful way, but one of self-awareness and appreciation.
i’m very very good at taking care of a household and I make shit happen because I am driven and I am strong. I am the glue. I am a natural caretaker. I am able and extremely resourceful and resilient because this life has made me that way and I’m grateful.
I cannot thank my parents enough for helping me build a solid foundation in myself. Same for people who were cruel and harsh to me. I appreciate every time they were hard on me &/or had high expectations because it made me the woman that I am today.
Although I do not wish to fall into the role of mother & teacher, as I know, I deserve an equal partner, I do acknowledge that I excel in both of these places, but I do so respectively.
I do not desire to be more masculine than my other half, I understand some women are guarded, and maybe a little defensive sometimes when it comes to allowing a man to be a man and take care of them. “Men” are natural providers and I feel that that is their right.
Loyalty, honor, duty, understanding, & respect are vital, really when it comes to supporting men especially in a certain environment.
I had to understand throughout my journey that I had to love myself as I was, first. That I didn’t always need to change to suit someone else or have materialistic items, titles, things outside of myself. But, on the other hand, that it was OK to love the things that I loved that made me feel amazing from a place of self-love and not by ego.
We all deserve abundance & everything that we desire. We weren’t meant to go through this life miserable, living in scarcity & fear.
Abundance is everywhere & love is everywhere if we let it in. And all of this comes via our unique journey and self-awareness, unlocking the doors to everything we have ever desired.
Thank you for reading my thoughts from the pages of my heart, my storybook, that I pour into the notes pages of my iPhone 📲 💕
Oxox Coach K
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I’ve disclosed to close friends & coaching clients that I battled bulimia & body dysmorphia since the age of 8.
It started with a scarcity mindset around food. I was the “fat” girl in class & “bigger” than my brothers. Kids in my class were cruel & mean.
As I got into middle school & adulthood it exacerbated into full blown bulimia with bouts of anorexia.
Life was bleak & I KNEW I was 50 shades of F*cked up. I knew I had to stop or I was gonna die because of my disorder &/or my Crohn’s disease complications.
With this blog post, I’d rather focus on the healing part than rehashing the past. Grateful it made me who I am so I can now help you.
In a way, I’ve purposely avoided sharing TOO much about my pre-recovery story because it can horribly backfire.
Those in the pre-contemplation or contemplation stages of change can hear these stories & think, “I’m not sick enough to get help,” “I don’t have a problem,” or “She was far worse than I am.” or even get ideas to further deepen the dark relationship with food, exercise, & self hate.
But when carefully crafted, these stories can be the very propellant that pushes someone into taking action.
The reality is, millions of people, right now, are living the secret life I once was as they battle disordered eating & body dysmorphia.
May my story instill the hope that you, too, cannot only recover but take back your power!
The Beginning
My relationship with disordered eating & poor body image started when I was just 8.
I spent the majority of my childhood & early adulthood overweight & unhealthy. Had a middle school teacher tell me I was too big to be a cheerleader at tryouts.
Kids were cruel, calling me names like lambchop because I had big 80’s hair & even thicker thighs.
My disorder began with overeating & then restricting to punish myself. I’d skip breakfast & barely eat lunch which I’d “allow” myself sugar free jello, a small travel size cottage cheese & 5 Ritz crackers.
My stomach would growl. I remember being embarrassed if the classroom was quiet enough for others to hear. Inevitably, I’d return home in the afternoon absolutely ravenous & binge on cookies, candy, cereal, chips, & junk food.
These episodes got more & more out of control. I continued eating less during the day, binging at night & sometimes I’d take cold medicine to make me sleep to keep from eating.
Years passed, & my eating habits fluctuated. I had never considered throwing up until I saw a Lifetime movie about a girl who had bulimia.
The process seemed easy. Eat whatever you want, throw up. The first time I purged was in middle school after eating a tub of ice cream.
Bulimia became a sort of coping mechanism for me. I told myself my obsession with diets & exercise were normal. It was about control. I was dealing with increased stress: school, college, & later on, relationships, a failed marriage on top of debt & drinking too much.
There were many things in my life I felt I wasn’t able to manage. I’d binge & get a rush. Then I’d get an even bigger, better rush after getting rid of it all.
12 Years Old: Barely Average
In so many ways, I guess I was an average midwest farmer’s daughter, pre-teen girl growing up in the 90s.
I played catcher, 3rd base & outfield in softball & threw shot put in track. After being criticized for going out for cheerleading being “my size,” I was mortified & self hate thickened.
I idolized Britney Spears & wished I was liked enough to be invited to the popular girls’ parties. I had boy crushes & a very small circle of friends. I was the smart girl & quiet & extremely insecure. I didn’t dress “cool” like all the pretty girls or athletes. I was awkward af. (hell I’m still awkward af 😂)
Then, one day, I did something not so average. Something I’d never done or known anyone who had but recently learned about from a boy at school.
I wish I could say I went home & masturbated, but that would be an untruth. Instead, I did something that felt extra perverse. I made myself vomit after eating.
Yes, I thought. This would make me skinnier faster & then I’d be liked.
I swore it would just be this one time. I’d just try it.
See, for about a year up to that point, I’d struggled with binge eating and fantasized about food because I allowed myself so little. My body starving, I’d gorge.
I just needed a single “fix” of ice cream or cake or cookies, and then I’d be good to go.
But then it happened again. And again. And again.
In no time at all, I met the diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa.
We always had junk food & snacks at home, so despite eating large quantities, my mom or siblings never grew suspicious. I also purged when no one was home to eliminate any risk of them finding out.
Bulimia had become my dirty little secret. A secret, unbeknownst to me at the time, I would carry for another 20+ years.
12–17 Years Old: Popularity and Pleading
Part of what fueled my eating disorder was my insatiable need to have something most every kid my age wanted: popularity.
My theory went as such: restrict food > be thin > get more friends/a boyfriend.
I went through many school days with only nibbles of food in my belly. If I had gym or farm chores in the evening, I ate a little extra so I could basically not pass out.
I wound up bingeing and purging when I got home because starving myself intensified the urge to eat uncontrollably. I could smash whole boxes of cereal, cheese nips, & goldfish.
All the while, I portrayed myself as the nice girl, the smart girl. I never reached Homecoming Queen nominee status, but I did bounce around between multiple friend groups. I got along with everyone.
I was in the honors society, president of the FFA & 4H, top part of my graduating class & received numerous scholarships to Purdue University.
I had duped everyone — even myself, at times — into thinking I was “normal.”
But no one saw me crying in the shower because I was so sick and scared or throwing up my food after every social gathering.
No one saw me looking at my reflection in the mirror and telling myself how hideous, fat, and worthless I was.
No one saw me keeled over after purging, pleading with God to forgive me for my gluttonous, grotesque behavior.
After every episode, I swore to higher power that it would be the last. Tears streaming down my face, I begged for God to not to give up on me. But week after week, month after month, year after year, the scene kept replaying.
18–22 Years Old: A Not So New Chapter
In August of 2000 I moved into my dorm freshman year & then participated in sorority rush.
I joined as a sister of Delta Gamma at Purdue University. Perhaps this — and my new life in college, in general — could be a chance to begin again.
Unfortunately, my keenness outweighed my hopefulness. I quickly learned my roommates’ schedules and when I could be alone with my behaviors.
But after a couple instances of them arriving home early or not leaving at their normal times, I realized I wasn’t guaranteed any solitude.
I secretly ate in my bedroom, blarring music to conceal the purging. They overheard on more than one occasion, and I either blamed it on being sick or hungover.
Swollen lymph nodes, puffy cheeks, and blood-shot eyes. A broken-out chin and sores on my lips from the stomach acid that often coated them.
WTF was I doing?
Still, I carried on as a social butterfly. Like my friends, I went to parties, took shots of God awful cheap tequila & vodka, and ate fourth meal at 1 a.m.
Unlike my friends, I made myself pay for it. I could easily down a super size fry & 20 piece chicken nugget meal from McDonalds. I could eat a whole box of Mad Mushroom Cheese sticks.
To make matters worse, at 22, I married my college sweetheart, not even knowing myself. I couldn’t love myself, How could I love another? My first marriage lasted 6 years, we were together 11 total. That post divorce hoe phase is real y’all 😂 let me tell ya. Added fuel to the fire.
In retrospect, my life hadn’t changed much at all in college. It was still an endless stream of lies, deception, self-hatred, and suffering.
What’s more, I’d completely lost sight of who the real me even was anymore & that continued well into my late 20’s & early 30’s.
41 Year Old: Current Flexible Carnivore Me
“My Fitness Journey” started at the age of 8. I started my Instagram over 10 years ago & that has been one helluva transformation story all on its own. I don’t even know how it happened but I feel it’s important for you guys to know the person behind the Instagram handle.
I wanted to share my fitness, health, & healing journey with y’all because it’s similar to many of yours. I want you guys to know you’re not alone, you’re seen, & you’re heard.
Before I started sharing my story, meals, fitness tips or acting like I know “everything” about “healthy” living, it’s important to share I am not a therapist, a doctor, or the best trainer of any sorts, yet, I am a person who lost a significant amount of weight, kept it off & has dedicated her life to living a healthy lifestyle & forgiving herself of her mistakes.
I’ve overcome decades of gut issues. Physical & mental hurdles. ⁃ Crohn’s disease ⁃ cervical cancer & infertility ⁃ numerous other health issues including renal stones & having my gallbladder out ⁃ decades of disordered eating, bulimia, orthorexia, & food addiction ⁃ managing Crohn’s & being a Crossfit athlete ⁃ managing social pressures of being told I needed to eat, workout, live, & BE a certain way to be “significant” & fit in a certain box
Some of you have watched & have been there for my journey since the beginning, while others are reading about this for the first time.
To put it out there plain & simple though, I’ve lost 60 lbs over my lifetime & transformed my body to all different shapes & sizes.
While that may not seem like a huge or significant feat to some, on my petite 5’1 frame – the transformations have been huge, mentally, physically, relationally, & spiritually.
Throughout my whole journey, my heaviest was 160 lbs at barely 5ft tall & my lowest in my adult life has been 97 lbs.
I’ve had ups, downs, I’ve gained, I’ve lost & learned a whole lotta life lessons along the way. My journey started at 8 years old, I’m 41 years young now, will be 42 in July, & the best is yet to come!
Everyone’s journey is different & this is mine… I hope it can help you in any way possible & know my door is always open.
Join my Newsletter Community! I’d love to share & grow with you! It’s a weekly newsletter full of ideas to help you become the most EXTRAordinary version of you!
Age [Whatever You Are, Doesn’t Matter]: YOUR Moment
Whether you’ve been secretly battling an eating disorder for a few months or 50 years, I want to make 3 things very clear:
You are sick enough You deserve help You can’t do it alone Sadly, there are thousands upon thousands of eating disorder stories like mine, but each one is still different. Some cases are more severe, some less. But that’s all irrelevant.
What matters is knowing, at your core, you have an unnatural or undesirable relationship with food. That realization, alone, warrants getting help.
It doesn’t matter how much you’re restricting, what you weigh, how often you’re purging, or how much you’re bingeing. Yes, certain factors will determine the level of treatment you need, but you deserve help, regardless.
The first step is saying something. Is there someone who’s been there for you when you confided in them about other personal matters? Someone who exudes kindness & compassion?
I hope you can also learn from my experience and not hold out for a wake-up call or a feeling of readiness to tell someone. If you do, you may never get the chance.
As long as a piece of you recognizes there is a problem and wants something different, you are ready to start your new life & begin again! Who you are with your eating disorder is not who you are destined to be.
You can heal yourself.
You can find yourself.
You can be the version of yourself you wish for you and the rest of the world to see!
Life reflections lately…2 years ago today I was at a bar crawl with this beautiful soul. Thank you Facebook memories 😆
I have a small circle of high value people & I prefer it that way. When I was younger, I thought if everyone didn’t like me &/or I didn’t have a huge friend circle that I must not be cool or hot enough to spend time with.
In my 20’s, I lied to myself with a plethora of “good” reasons to drink, & I thought that everyone would drink if they were dealing with problems like mine…
I drank because I was depressed & hated my body
I drank to cope with the trauma of Crohn’s disease, obesity, orthorexia, body dysmorphia, & bulimia
I drank because my marriage was misaligned
I drank because it made me feel confident & vibrant (numbing social anxiety & insecurity)
I drank because I felt life was “really hard” when I didn’t
Navigating the world in a marginalized body can be hard. Add trauma &/or mental sabotaging to that, & it makes sense that some of us might use substances to cope with the weight of living in a fog of scarcity & lies
A coping mechanism doesn’t have to be healthy to be valid; we’re all just doing the best we can with the tools & level of consciousness that we have.
I Had Lots of Reasons to Think I Didn’t Have a Problem
Despite the fact that I had been admitted to the hospital one time with a BAC of .346 & on a vent, a year later after that incident I started drinking again.
I had lots of reasons I told myself I wasn’t an alcoholic:
I didn’t drink every day or much on many occasions
I didn’t drink in the morning (unless I’d been up all night & was still drinking. That didn’t count)
I’d never had a DUI (but should have)
I didn’t drink alone. Even if I went to the bar alone, there were always people there, so that wasn’t technically “alone”
And then one day, I was fed up with giving something power over the magic of my life.
And someone said to me, “It’s not about how much you drink; it’s about what happens when you drink & how you feel when you don’t.”
Ooof.
With that one sentence, everything fell into place for me. I started to connect the dots about my behavior & it was like warm sunshine came thru my windows of life.
1. I Often Drank More Than I Planned
I often went out with the intention of having “a cocktail. No more than 2.” No matter what I told myself at the beginning of the night, it hard to just have a couple of drinks. I got a better handle of it in my late 30’s but would still wake up & feel less than even if I had 1.
2. My Drinking Interfered with My Life
Waking up hungover affected my work, productivity, energy, workouts, Crohn’s disease, weight gain, energy, mood, hunger, satiety, money, relationships — EVERYTHING.
3. I Routinely Did Things When I Was Under the Influence That I Wouldn’t Have Done Sober
I used to be the queen of drunk texting. I’d wake up & delete all my text messages before I couldn’t even read them because I didn’t even want to know. I slept around. In the morning, I never wanted to hear about what I’d done the night before. “Just don’t. tell. me!”
4. I Was Drinking to Fix How I Felt When I Was Sober
Drinking may have caused a lot of problems for me, but the real problem was how I felt when I was sober. When I was drunk, I was relaxed & confident. I wasn’t so insecure about my body. I was outgoing, I could talk to people, & I could go places without my empathy & clairsentience going into overdrive, especially in large crowds.
5. Drinking Controlled Where I Went, What I Did, & With Whom I Hung Out
I was way more likely to attend a function if I knew there would be booze. I could be friends with anyone as long as there was alcohol involved. I avoided hanging out with people who didn’t drink like me because they made me feel guilty. I’d take shots before going out to social functions to “chill out.”
6. I Kept Promising That I Would Stop, But Never Could
I tried to stop (or cut back) drinking many times in my 20’s & 30’s. My 40s haven’t been bad, but I still enjoyed drinking less & less the more I realized how it affected me & my spiritual awakening strengthened. Remember swearing off drinking many weekends?
I’m not writing this to say you’re wrong if you drink. And I would be lying if I said, I didn’t enjoy drinking. I love enjoying cocktails & enhancing experiences. But I had to come to terms & ask myself if I was really enhancing experiences when it did nothing to make me feel better or improve my life?
If you’re reading this & thinking, “Wow, this sounds a lot like me,” then hi! 👋 I’m so glad you’re here! Thank you for reading a chapter out of my diary of life!
Knowing that other people thought & acted like me was a huge step towards getting well. It meant that I wasn’t abnormal, I wasn’t broken, & there was a solution.
As a first step, I encourage you to do some reading. Read other stories & blogs written by people embracing sobriety & the sober curious life.
There are many wonderful venues out there now with alcohol free options, & mocktails, too. You’ll come to realize there are an abundance of life things to enjoy that do not have to include alcohol.
If you’ve read this far & relate to what’s written here, I want you to know that you are an incredible human!
Recognizing that you want to make a change is the beginning of a lifelong journey that can be incredibly difficult, but it’s one that you never have to take alone.
If no one has told you how strong you are yet today, let me be the first❤️🫶
Oxox Coach K
My name is Katie Kelly. I’m a multi modal travel clinician 🩺💀, nutritionist, high performance coach, & biz consultant specializing in human connection & process optimization with over 20 years experience. On social I’m better known as Coach K & I’m just like you!
More importantly, I want you to believe in yourself, your health, your business, your voice, & your ability to live your best life!
I’m known as the sweary, Indiana farmer’s daughter who went from a sick (Crohn’s Disease & bulimia), overweight (lost 60lbs via the carnivore diet & CrossFit), broke bish (was 50k+ in debt) to a thriving, self loving human here to inspire, educate, & mentor!
Welcome to my digital diary & wellness guide full of life lessons learned the hard way🫶
I post content about life/biz/self improvement anywhere from fat loss, therapy, disordered eating, Crohn’s, self love, entrepreneurship, healthcare, food, fitness, finance, & everything in between to a social media audience of 47K+!
Thank you for allowing me to add value to your lives! Grateful to have you part of my digital family ❤️
Journaled my feelings & thoughts this morning around energy, intentions, & alignment.
Big Dolly Parton energy ✨
I realize I’m constantly shedding skin into new versions of myself. Like peeling layers off an onion. I reflected back even 2 years ago & wow such a transformation inside & out!
I share this in hopes of being relatable to y’all wherever you are right now too. We’re all humans living this experience.
I reminded myself this morning I deserve people & companies & connections who are SURE. SURE in themselves and SURE about me. Because I SURE as heck is sure about me 🙂
This year, one of my big intentions is calling in aligned partnership & connections. I’m open to receive whatever is meant for me & my highest alignment without judgement or questioning.
Yeah, it’s painful & uncomfortable af for someone who loves control 👋 😂
Another change is the way I view time. I had to let go of my old “routines” & simply organize & schedule my daily activities & energy management to cycles that serve me best.
So I decided to stop looking at time like the norm & view it in cycles authentic to me. Maybe you can relate to this too?! ⏰
February is the month of love. I hope you manifest & receive whatever love (for yourself, others, & your life) is meant for you🙏💕
I was asked before if I had a “best friend.”
So I thought, well, I guess I don’t really use labels like that at 41 🤔
As I’ve aged it doesn’t “fit” in my life anymore.
I view people in terms of frequency & the qualities they bring out in me – you see, they’re all different.
I don’t judge people based upon race, sex, sexual preference, religion, politics, size, shape, whatever da fugg you wanna put here.
I ask myself:
Do you make me want to be a better person?
Do you bring me joy?
Are you kind & energy giving?
High vibe?
Do you embody a human & life I align with?
Yes?
Cool. We can hang out.
I have friends that hold keys to all different doors of my personality. I have close friends I’ve never even met in real life thanks to social media. I am incredibly grateful to have all of you in my life!
Some keys open my mind. Some my heart. Some my entrepreneur. Some my introvert or extrovert. Some my feminine side. Some my masculine. Some laughter. Some adventure.
Some Saint.
Some Sinner.
Some my rawest, deepest, ugliest, & most beautiful parts too.
Some I haven’t seen in decades or years, past lovers, acquaintances, friends, family, yet they’ve been a part of the most pivotal moments in my life.
They all take a piece of my heart that I plant in my garden of life. Some only grow & bloom for a season, or moment, or a lifetime.
It’s OK if a past friend, family member, spouse, or partner don’t hold all the keys to your billion dollar home or nourish every part of your field of life.
Some of the most beautiful weeds are the most beautiful flowers, some of the most magnificent creatures are the most unruly.
Throw away the labels, definitions, boxes, chains, & cages – let love grow wild. 🥀🌱🌹
Be fearless. Let your guard down. Always put your oxygen mask on first. Stand by your boundaries.
Love fiercely (especially yourself) because this all ends.
I had a teacher tell me in middle school I was “too big to be a cheerleader.”
I was CRUSHED.
➤ That meant I was different.
➤ I was less than.
➤ I didn’t. Fit. In.
(I’m 60lbs lighter than I used to be for people new here. I spent the majority of my life sick, over weight, & broke af. You can find my weight loss/healing story in the link in my IG bio)link here
In the absence of love & belonging there is suffering. -Brené Brown
I still feel alone (not lonely – big difference).
I truly am a dominant introvert. Being around a lot of people is really hard & energetically draining.
I won’t, however, sacrifice my loves like live music, travel, & exploring because of it tho. I’ve taught myself to be a selective extrovert.
If I wanna go do something – I do it.
Here’s been the game changer for me: I belong to ME.
I spend a lot of time belonging to myself &, frankly, that makes a portion of other people feel uncomfortable🤷♀️
Even when I feel alone or “don’t fit in” I know I belong to ME. For the first time in my life at 41, I feel fully embodied in the unique, sparkly, sweet & spicy essence of MY “being.”
You see the opposite of belonging 👉is fitting in. Belonging doesn’t ask for us to change ourselves it asks us to BE ourselves.
The more you love yourself & give yourself what you need, the less you’ll demand & need from others.
♡ I challenge you to ask yourself the question, “Who am I?”
How would you answer that?
To give you examples, today, as the 41 year old model, I’d describe myself as follows…
∞ Storyteller & Experience collector
∞ Life & people lover
∞ Creator & entrepreneur
∞ Messenger & mentor
∞ Psychic Intuitive & Healer
∞ Forever student & athlete of life
∞ Your safe space & biggest adventure
I don’t like to be “defined” by labels, nor do my values reside there. I value freedom/time/health/& energy more than anything.
I used to live for labels like being defined by things like being a CrossFit athlete, a former Marine wife, an X-ray tech, yada yada, etc
I am an athlete of LIFE!
And guess what? So are for you!
Enjoy flexibility & the ability to shed & create whatever shade/character you want every day.
As a travel RT & clinician, I’ve learned to make HOME in MYSELF. That’s how I’ve found happiness, joy, & peace embracing this lifestyle.
♛I belong everywhere I go as long as I don’t betray myself.
If I’m worried about:
if other people like or accept me
or the need create for likes or follows instead of what my heart wants
& I feel the need to change for those reasons…
THAT is the moment I’ve betrayed myself.
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.” -Brené Brown
My name is Katie Kelly. I’m a multi-modal travel clinician 🩺💀, nutritionist, high performance coach & biz consultant specializing in human connection & process optimization with over 20 years experience. On social I’m better known as Coach K & I’m just like you!
More importantly, I want you to believe in yourself, your health, your business, your voice, & your ability to live your best life! I believe in vibrational living in life, fitness, health, relationships, & business. Intuition is one of our greatest gifts! I’m here to help you discover & follow yours to a more abundant, joyful life!
I’m known as the sweary, Indiana farmer’s daughter who went from a sick (Crohn’s Disease & bulimia), overweight (lost 60lbs via the carnivore diet, CrossFit & Orange Theory), broke bish (was 50k+ in debt) to a thriving, self loving human here to inspire, educate, & mentor!
Welcome to my digital diary & wellness blogs full of life lessons learned the hard way🫶
I post content about life/biz/self improvement anywhere from fat loss, therapy, disordered eating, Crohn’s, self love, entrepreneurship, healthcare, food, fitness, finance, & everything in between to a social media audience of 47K+!
Thank you for allowing me to add value to your lives! Grateful to have you part of my digital family ❤️
You can simply book a call via email: katieokelly2@gmail.com
I had a patient tell me I had really BIGblingy earrings in the ER one day💎✨😂…
I find in general people are afraid to step outside the norm.
Y’all, the more we embrace the concept of being colorful & XTRA, the more we will normalize people feeling comfortable in their own skin.
When my patient commented on my appearance in the ER, I was so freaking proud of myself in that moment because instead of being triggered, I thought f*ck yeah, I’m doing my life right.
I feel amazing, regal, beautiful, luxurious, abundant & I’m not afraid to show up. I no longer live life trying to shrink myself. (Note most of my jewelry is affordable & from Amazon. These particular earrings were Kate Spade AB crystals. LOVE. OBSESSED.)
There are threads that connect our past, present & future selves together. 🧵🪡🧶They’re unique to us. No thread is identical.
Btw… my patient smiled, I looked at her with loving eyes, & I said, “Hell yeah, I love my big earrings 👉just like life. Little person, big personality. That’s how my mom describes me.”
I experience JOY crafting & creating my character of the day. That’s me creating my heaven + my reality. You can create yours too! That’s the magic of thoughts become things. 🪄🦄
💫I manifest the feeling of my reality via my writing, my words, my wardrobe, my accessories, the way I take care of myself, the way I present myself. 👉It all comes from me. We co-create life. Utilize your resources & inner beauty.
I truly do enjoy the “ #travelnurse “ life. (I’m a travel Xray tech & clinician for newbies here) The decision to partake in this unique lifestyle didn’t come lightly, however. I did it scared shitless & had self doubt, too.
What if I suck?
What if I’m homesick?
What if people don’t like me?
What if I hate my assignment?
What will people think of me?
What if, what if, what if…
I’m elated embarking on this journey. It’s exciting, enlightening, challenging, adventurous, fulfilling, pleasurable & painful af too.
You become a more resilient, able, adaptable, loving, insightful, resourceful, badass & bombdiggitty human in my opinion.
Dudes, we rock 🤘🫶💀💕🚑🏥 Travel healthcare workers UNITE!
I realized in a rock-bottom point in my life years ago that I was stuck in a stagnant, hyper vigilant state. I was addicted to the complacent, “busy life” instead of one of inner peace & fulfillment.
GSD (get shit done) is a dopamine hit with pros & cons on both ends of the spectrum.
On one hand, it made/makes me super successful, productive, & proud, but on the other hand, also burned out, tired, cranky, oftentimes sick. It can feel on occasion I’m stuck in a phase called “chasing the next best thing,” missing out on the sweetness of life. I forget to be present.
I’m clearly aware of it. Back then I simply didn’t know how to change it or how to evolve into a better version of me. Some things that helped me understand myself & other people to get what I wanted 👇
I’ve lost 60lbs in my life’s time and kept it off. I documented my healing, weight loss, & carnivore journey HERE just for you in case you’re struggling like I did.
My complacency with life was a protective mechanism. I armed myself with “safe” decisions & stagnancy because of past trauma:
being a people pleaser
always feeling like I had to achieve to receive love
feeling I had to look a certain way or weigh a certain weight to be seen as beautiful & worthy of love
wanting to change myself to be accepted & validated…I could go on & on here.
Ego got me into debt because I would buy shit just to look the part instead of because it made me feel amazing or enabled me to express my creative authenticity.
It’s taken over 40 years for me to acknowledge & accept the following things that are seen as weird & non-traditional to society.
I’m exuberatingly proud to say that I am OK living an extremely satisfied, loving life being self partnered & non traditional.
Self partnered to me is living life on my own terms to feel, look, & be my best…AND THAT MEANS designing a life optimized to help me live my most peaceful, happy, easy, joyous, abundant, loved filled, & purpose driven life possible.
I don’t give a shit that my light shines differently. And you have permission to shine bright yourself, as bright as you want, however you want! ✨🪩✨
Huge observational revelations I scripted one morning trying to make sense of myself & life. They’re a tad bit triggering but honest af. Maybe you’ll relate to them too!
🧠I sleep in cycles & when I’m tired, I don’t pay attention to the time or whether it’s deemed morning or night. Chock that up to probably working weird 3rd and first shift cycles. I am always responsible/respectful of my work schedule. I feel my best when I honor my natural sleep/wake cycles. I sleep really well 😆 in the back of my Ford Ecosport (named Ruby btw 🚗) where I’ve made a little bed. I had to take naps on my lunch breaks to conserve energy on many travel assignments and road trips. I travel often & this has been a Godsend in keeping my energy/health as a priority.
🧠 I am a biohacker 🤷♀️ To answer y’all’s questions about my anti-aging & biohacking routine, I wrote a blog HERE for you.
🧠Music is my life force just like food. So is my wardrobe, colors, & the vibe of my environment. They immensely influence my mood & energy. I’ve learned how to change & utilize these to my benefit. I have playlists & colors that I’ll wear & listen to to reflect the mood I’m in or vibe/state I need to be in. Playlists I enjoy are my Denim & Rhinestones list, coffee house jazz, classical pop, nature sounds, country, red dirt music, caffeine & kilos playlist, etc. morgan wallen, post Malone, & Warren zeiders always 🙂 A HUGE VARIETY! 🎶 Spotify playlist HERE
🧠I feel my best when I’m caffeinated. Haha! I do enjoy coffee & occasional alcohol in moderation. I don’t drink alcohol much tho. If I’m going to partake in alcohol or a cocktail, it’s to enhance an experience like a special occasion or my favorite venue. I don’t drink to get drunk anymore. Not worth it, dims my light & numbs my abilities. I’d rather go to bed early & get up early. If I’m going to partake in alcohol, it’s usually early in the day, socially.
🧠I eat when I’m hungry & eat what I’m hungry for. I do whatever form of exercise/workouts feel good to me in that moment. Here lately it’s Orange Theory, zone 2 cardio, walking, occasional CrossFit & strength training. I look & feel my best when I honor my body without force. I do better digestively & energy wise eating one large low carb, MEATY meal early in the day & sipping on my daily chocolate nutritional shake from @acheiveequilife or @nuethix_formulations Medipure DS during daylight hours. (LINK to discounts & products IN IG BIO & HIGHLIGHTS btw)
OR one larger meal in the morning post workout & a small snack around 1pm-ish.
Meat bars and my airfryer are my jam. You can find recipes and videos in this blog HERE.
Post workout breakfast. 1.25 lbs of *0% ground beef #meatbars Airfry. 380. 12 minutes. Did not consume the fat in the bottom of the airfyer to make it leaner.
I have a whole recipe book full of low carb deliciousness! 👇👇
I prefer eating alone or intimately with few people vs eating out. My energy is best with liquid meals (I am more satiated with real food however, that’s why I keep one large meal in the morning) I do fab fasting longer hours overnight (like 20 hrs) That’s when my digestion is the best.
🧠I prefer being a lone wolf. I am social, but do it in doses on my own terms.
I have very few people I am comfortable sharing my space with (traveling, sleeping over, adventuring, etc): my parents, + my 2 besties @lisamitchellindy & @just___jess___
They are my persons & make my life FULL❤️ no matter how little or how much we talk, or are/aren’t physically around one another, I know they are always there & we pick up where we left off. People that feel like Freedom & Home. Thank you for being my biggest adventures + safe spaces.
🧠I define & base my relationships on how they make me feel. Traditional relationships, the married then kids then picket fence things, feel like masks & facades people put on to appease society. They simply don’t feel aligned. It’s not that I haven’t tried being the bride with the white picket fence in the past, &/or I’m not open to love, I’m just open to love & relationships on my own terms that serve me best. And why is it that the majority still feels they HAVE to have kids?
I understand this is “weird” for most people. Let me explain what is aligned to me…
💕I typically don’t stay over at peoples houses. I feel more comfortable in my own home around my own energy.
💕I enjoy driving myself, Uber, & travel solo.
💕I enjoy & sleep better alone.
💕I like going to bed early + getting up early. My mornings are everything to me & set the tone for my entire day.
💕I am energetic in the morning & more productive. I don’t lay around in bed when I first wake & I’m not one to lay & cuddle for hours. (I like cuddling & I love physical affection, but I don’t want it first thing in the morning I have things to do 😂 Same with Sex…I LOVE passionate sex, but would rather have it spontaneously throughout the day or in the middle of the night. I don’t like it first thing in the morning because ya girl dedicated to her routine)
💕I love people & being in an aligned relationship. I’ve realized I am frankly super happy & satisfied doing my own thing on my own time and I would hope that other person would feel the same. Then when the time is right, we come together later when our energies & attention are aligned to be a freakin POWER COUPLE.
🧠I love being by myself🤷♀️ Took me decades to get here. One thing I’m SUPER proud of myself for cultivating. It’s effortless. I am my own best friend, in my own energy. I openly love myself a ridiculous amount👉 I’m not afraid to admit that. It’s taken me over 40 years to love the essence of my being & my body & being able to just BE me.
🧠I don’t feel the need to be a wife. I look forward to a life partner that agrees with my lifestyle, my ambition, my goals, my personal boundaries, & similar beliefs. I prefer someone that compliments me in their own unique way. I prefer diversity, someone not exactly like me. I like the wisdoms that comes with challenge & variety. I like someone that wants to build something together, I like someone that is OK with me striving to always be my best.
🧠I desire someone that doesn’t want to change me. I am able to evolve & compromise but the moment you tell me what to do when I don’t want to do it & it doesn’t feel aligned, you’re trying to change me. The relationship will not work. I say this with love because I want you to be your best too. (I’m speaking to whomever my life partner is here.)
➡️➡️I call this kind of writing/journaling scripting. Simply get your thoughts out. I suggest trying it to everyone out there! Visualize/journal your thoughts & what you desire! That’s why I write all of these down in the morning on my notes page in my phone. It has helped me make sense of my life, myself, make better business decisions, relationship decisions, health, & body decisions, money decisions, etc.
🧠I am an impulse shopper. I’m an emotional being & I buy shit on a whim. 😂 I’m aware of this. I don’t shame myself for it. It just is what it is. If I buy something when I’m being emotional & I don’t love it, I require myself to take it back. It’s a self love boundary. Because money is freedom and I want to utilize it in the best way possible. I’ve made investing & saving a game that is SEXY & FUN TO ME! That’s how I’ve been able to create wealth, including getting myself out of 50k+ in debt! If finances & wanting to be a high performance achiever are things you struggle & want to improve, book a consult call with me. I’ll coach you how to do this specifically for your situation. I’m not just a “ nutrition coach “ 😉. Email me, katieokelly2@gmail.com
🧠I love to save time & make my life effortless. I love Amazon➡️easy returns, effortless shipping. I love Instacart. They save me time going to the store & having to be around other people when my energy is low.
🧠I don’t shop in stores often because I buy shit I don’t need 😆another reason I like Amazon. I tend to only get what I’m inspired to buy. I love goodwill and thrift stores. Sometimes I just want to dress in a different style or a different color for a day or a week. I don’t need to buy designer I just buy what I feel good in. It can be a dollar or it can be $500
🧠I invest in what I feel is worthy of my well earned and deserved money. I tell myself I’m gifting the universe when I invest in other peoples crafts and skills or wardrobe. I don’t care my hair extensions and lash extensions are expensive 💁🏼♀️they make me feel amazing! The same with my lip injections. I love the way I look & I don’t care that other people criticize me for investing in this form of self-care.
🧠I love an effortless, energy giving life. I like auto brew on my coffee maker, I organize my space in a way that makes sense to me. I purge and clean old energy & stuff constantly. I update my wardrobe all the time with the seasons, with my seasons. If something frustrates me, I get rid of it, I change it, I cut it out of my life, I optimize it, or I delegate it in someway. I am here to love every bit of my life and I have the power to change whatever I want.
🧠I know I don’t have to do everything myself. I can utilize my resources. I am worthy and deserving just being me, I deserve being paid for just being me, in whatever form that means, I don’t have to perform or achieve or look a certain way to be incredible.
I record these reclamations/thoughts/acknowledgments simply for observation & self nourishment reasons with so much self-love, not ego.
And now I can go out & serve everyone to my best ability because I know my blueprint.
Oxox Coach K
Love you. Mean it.
Who’s Coach K? Wrote this for you, my fellow warriors working to be the best versions of yourselves!
You asked the questions, here are your answers! Documenting my story & weight loss journey on the carnivore diet!
Chronic bloating, constipation, weight gain, feeling like your body is fighting against you – all the feels, right?!
That is what I lived for 3 decades. Hopefully my story can help shed light for you!
Without further adieu, let’s dive into your questions!
1.) Introduce Yourself
Anyone else get anxiety when asked this question? Like where do I start? 🙂
Indiana farm girl & Purdue University grad, I like to say that I’m a multifaceted human!
I have many loves, interests, & hats.
So who is this awesome chick? 😃 My name is Katie Kelly. Professionally, I’m a multi-modal travel radiographer RT 🩺💀 with Aureus Medical & functional nutritionist with over 20 years experience.
I specialize in improving your health & fitness goals utilizing a flexible, non-dogmatic carnivore nutrition approach while providing high performance coaching.
On social I’m better known as Coach K & want you to know I have struggled just like you! I created this safe space over 10 years ago & welcome you to this amazing community!
More importantly, I want you to believe in yourself, your health, your voice, & your ability to live your best life!
I believe in vibrational living in life, fitness, money, health, & relationships. Intuition is one of our greatest gifts! I’m here to help you discover & follow yours to a more abundant, joyful life!
Vibrational living is being in alignment with your true self—choosing thoughts, behaviors, habits, & environments that nurture, expand & empower you. Living with an awareness of your energy vibration & understanding of yourself completely change your reality, creating your heaven every single day.
I mentor to help you find your power & solutions to create the body, career, finances, relationships, purpose & fulfillment you’re seeking.
I’m just a sweary, Indiana farmer’s daughter who went from a sick (Crohn’s Disease & bulimia), overweight (lost 60lbs via the carnivore diet & CrossFit), broke bish (was 50k+ in debt) to a thriving, self-loving human here to inspire, educate, & mentor!
Welcome to my digital diary & wellness blogs full of life lessons learned the hard way🫶
I post content about self improvement anywhere from fat loss, budget beauty, decorating, disordered eating, feng shui, Crohn’s, self love, entrepreneurship, healthcare, food, fitness, finance, laughs & everything in between to a social media audience of 48K+!
Thank you for allowing me to add value to your lives! Grateful to have you part of my digital family ❤️
As far as nutrition, I specialize in gut health, sports & performance, disordered eating, low carb/carnivore approaches to healing. I help you to optimize life by creating a success routine.
All preferences & skill levels are welcome with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, fitness, & nutrition.
I appreciate everyone who allows me to add value to your lives!
2.) How Did You Eat Before Carnivore?
I grew up as an overweight kid. I was told to lose weight & tried to diet before I was 10 years old. My self-esteem & body image issues started at 8. Standard American Diet, being a “farm kid” we ate the home cooked stuff. I had no portion control whatsoever.
Kids were mean, & I couldn’t tell you how many times I was told, “If you’d just lose weight you’d be pretty like the other girls.” This translated into, “You won’t be successful, loved or worthy unless you’re thin & look the part.”
Following came the years of disordered eating & orthorexia — binging and purging with intermittent phases of anorexia. I would gorge & then hide Reese’s wrappers, tubs of ice cream, bags of chips, crackers, cookies – anything I had denied myself.
Then the guilt-restrict cycle would kick in as I layed there with puffy cheeks & bloodshot eyes from throwing up food. I had a food addiction and carbs were not only a big autoimmune & gut trigger, but they were like giving an alcoholic a drink.
I found CrossFit in 2013, was a competitive athlete & then beat my body down into a hole of metabolic adaptation, exacerbated gut issues, & hormonal imbalances due to over exercising & under eating.
It took 4 years for me to reverse diet up to my true maintenance calories so know this is a long journey. Have patience.
I was misdiagnosed with IBS, as many are. Went through tons of testing & doctors.
Honestly, I feel the only diet I haven’t done is a vegetarian diet. I’ve done’em all.
As a CrossFit athlete fueling for my sport, I leaned more towards a high carb diet. (Knowing I had a poor relationship with them.)
Helpful guide post below why I do better on a meat based diet + supplement guide!
3.) Why Did You Try Carnivore to Begin With?
My last Crohn’s flare was over 4 years ago, which was when I started the Carnivore diet approach. I knew I needed a reset. I was stressed out, eating out more, sleep was terrible, and I felt horrible. I had put on 10lbs of inflammation & felt I was insulin resistant. So I thought, this is my time. I’m gonna commit, cut the carbs & clean my shxt up.
As for my relationship with carbs, I am an abstainer. I am not a moderator when it comes to food. You need to determine which one you are too, an abstainer or a moderator? I do better with food rules and an all or none approach. I cannot have just 1 cookie, that leads to wanting the whole pan!
My own personal experimentation, data keeping via tracking food, journaling symptoms & triggers were my best “doctors.” Figuring out my trigger foods took YEARS. Years of getting to know myself, my needs, and how my body responded to food and stressors.
As far as my specific needs, I don’t digest veggies, fruits, fiber, gluten, dairy, lectins, high oxalate, or high fodmap foods well. That’s a lot, right?!
I noticed when I finally got my gallbladder out, I could eat meat just fine. My digestive symptoms went away.
I suggest for anyone else out there struggling with chronic bloating, constipation, diarrhea, reflux, heartburn, feeling like your food just sits there and you’re bloated and look 6 months pregnant every night, etc — these are warning sings. They are not normal and sign of an imbalance. An elimination diet like the carnivore diet is a great first step. Seek help from a qualified coach, dietitian, or practitioner. Coaching options & services are available here.
Tap photo for full post
Often we don’t realize the ‘healthy’ food we’re eating are the culprits because we cannot properly digest and absorb them. Often the plants, pre-packaged frozen meals, diet bars and shakes are the culprits. That’s what happened to me. The fiber, fruit, and veggies were causing me more harm because of my compromised digestive system. I’m grateful for these experiences because now I’m able to help clients pinpoint their trigger foods too and start the healing process.
Repeat after me, “We are what we DIGEST and ABSORB.”
My safe foods when having a gut flare were always soft meats like fish, ground meat, rice Chex cereal, eggs, plain rice cakes, & white rice. Basically a low residue diet & absolutely no fruits or vegetables. I could not break them down, they caused bloating & agony.
Nutrition is not a one size fits all. Reason we need to track, experiment, & realize templates or cookie cutter meal plans rarely work long term.
I created a whole Bioharmonizing guide with my favorite products and supplements HERE. Fitness over 40, I look and feel better than I ever did at 20.
4.) How Do You Personally Approach the Carnivore Diet?
People are more familiar with the term “Carnivore Diet.” I prefer to reference it as a meat-based diet. That’s because there are 50+ shades of the Carnivore Diet. I feel you have free will and choice to eat the meats & foods that make you feel your best. You don’t have to be strict carnivore (beef & water). We all have different trigger foods, preferences, and individualized needs. I like to use the flexible & functional meat based approach to nutrition.
I call my myself a “Liberal Carnivore.” I believe in flexibility. The majority of my meals are ground meats such as ground beef & ground turkey/chicken, pork, eggs, steak, ribs, ground lamb & veal. I personally don’t like organ meat after experimentation.
Tap for two of my favorite recipes here!
If I feel I need a refeed day of higher carbs, I would choose white rice or plain rice cakes around workouts. They don’t typically bother my digestion in moderation. Rarely do I go over 50g of carbs, my average is around 20g daily. I don’t deny myself or feel guilty if I need to consume them for my health, gym performance, & recovery. All carefully portioned, of course. Now I find I don’t need or crave them anymore.
Another common question I get is, “Do you drink?” Not much anymore. If I do choose to enjoy socially, I set boundaries to no more than 1-2 beverages. Usual choices are an occasional craft cocktail like an old fashioned or tequila.
**Disclaimer: This is what works for ME. I am not a medical doctor giving advice, simply sharing my experiences.
As far as macros and ratios, again, we are all different. I prefer a higher protein approach for my needs. As far as my activity & physical stats for comparison, I’m currently 42 years old, 5’1, 100 lbs , I enjoy walking, functional resistance training, Orange Theory, & occasional CrossFit. I train 5-6 days a week, average 15k+ steps/day.
Here’s an updated blog post on my current training and daily routine HERE. This varies with travel assignment & my life season. It’ll give you a good sense of what a typical day is like.
Here’s a super helpful blog on workouts, supplements that will help, macros, fitness stuff and routines HERE too.
My “sweet spot” for maintenance seems to be around 1850-2100 calories per day, ratios around 65% Fat, 30% Protein, 5% Carbs. I eat when I’m hungry, fast when I’m not. Fasting window is around 16-20hrs. I prefer to work out fasted most mornings during the week. Largest meal post workout with another meal around 1-3pm. I don’t force fasting and I don’t do extended fasts. Average 2lbs of meat daily.
I do track occasionally with food & macros via My Fitness Pal. I track weight, sleep, & steps via my Fit Bit Sense 2. I’ve also teamed up with NutriSense utilizing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). What gets tracked gets managed. Not necessary, but I’m a data girl 😉 It helps me make more educated decisions and adjustments.
Just to clarify what a macro is if you’re a beginner.
5.) What Benefits Have You Seen Since Starting the Carnivore Diet?
A TON! The biggest benefits have been no gut issues or flares, increased, steady energy (once adapted, it took me about 8 months), no carb cravings or binge eating urges, no more constipation, normal appetite and satiety, no more inflammation, and eventually, fat loss.
I didn’t go into the Carnivore Diet chasing fat loss or weight loss, I went into it chasing better health. I preach this to my clients, chase health and healing first, everything else will fall into line. The problem with yo-yo dieting is chasing unrealistic goals and expectations with an unsustainable diet &/or training approach.
6.) What Negatives Have You Found With the Carnivore Diet?
I’m gonna be real, I gained 15lbs total when I started the Carnivore Diet. After 1 year, I lost that 20lbs, however. I wanted to quit many times and felt like shxt early on trying to adapt. I listened to the veterans and my own intuition, kept going.
Your appetite does correct and level out. Performance in the gym does suffer, initially. Depends on what modality of training you prefer. Take it easy. I significantly reduced my workout volume and intensity with no HIIT for about 6 months. Did a lot of walking and lifting simple weights, keeping my heart rate in a lower range.
About month 8/9, I noticed I was able to hit it harder in the gym and everything else was falling into line. That’s about when my weight started dropping as well.
Meal timing is important, especially when timing appropriately for your workouts. If you eat larger meals, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to digest them. Meat and fat are naturally “heavy” and the body has to work hard to break them down for digestion, affecting your energy levels. Again, everyone is different.
7.) Do You Exercise on the Carnivore Diet? What Do You Do?
Yes, absolutely! The gym is my sanctuary. I found CrossFit in 2013, drank the Kool-aid. My love affair has been ever since the first sound of a barbell dropping. My weights, intensity, and volume have changed with my seasons. I no longer train like a competitive CrossFit athlete. Yes, its hard to beat the competitiveness out of me, but is absolutely necessary for longevity.
I modify weights and movements to my needs. I listen to my body and rest when needed. Workout 5-6 days a week. I get in over 15k steps a day. Also enjoy FUNctional lifting 😉 and orange theory!
I feel the term “CrossFit” gets an unfair bad rap. It’s simply a term and just another modality of exercise. I love it because it combines strength and conditioning made up of functional movements performed at a your desired intensity level. The intensity and approach are up to you. Anyone can do it and you determine the pace and modifications of your workouts. Invest in a quality gym with quality coaches.
8.) What Piece of Advice Would You Give Someone Who Is Interested in Trying This Diet, But Hasn’t Taken the Leap Yet?
Thinking about carnivore in terms of 3 phases is helpful starting:
1.) Just get adapted – eat meat, find the low carb sources you love, cut the junk, find what eating windows work for your schedule, track to make sure you’re eating enough food.
2.) Focus on healing any G.I. 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. You didn’t develop gut issues overnight and you didn’t put on 30lbs overnight.
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. Honor your biofeedback. Biofeedback means my quality of sleep, energy level, recovery, performance, mental clarity, menstrual cycle, sex drive, hunger & satiety cues, etc.
Tips for tracking more accurately:
Pick meats that are easier to track. Ex: ground meats like beef/turkey/lamb/pork. The protein & fat grams are not as variable as say a ribeye or chuck roast.
Weigh your meat raw before you cook. Meat shrinks down something like 20-30% when you cook it. It can account for a big difference in protein/fat grams & calories if you’re logging the oz or grams of cooked meat vs the actual raw weight. Fat will differ as well, especially if you’re draining or dabbing the fat off your meat after cooking. Here’s a good resource explaining what happens.
Measure out your fats (butter, bacon fat, tallow, etc) Don’t guess. Weigh it out on a scale for most accuracy. Most of us use teaspoons or tablespoons but I don’t recommend eyeballing until you master accurately weighing food.
Reasons you may be gaining weight on 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’re snacking too much on things like pork rinds, fat bombs, or fake keto junk like Atkins bars. Guilty 🖐🏻 They’re easy to overeat & nutrient deficient. Go back to the basics. Simplify. Meat, water, coffee, no sweeteners, no supplements.
You’re choosing highly palatable low carb foods like ribeyes, bacon, & cheese & 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. I find ground beef to be most satisfying.
You’re overly fasting &/or overly training. Chronically high cortisol & hormone imbalances affect your weight, recovery, energy, & fat loss. Reduce your intensity & workout volume. Walking & simply just moving does wonders. Don’t over complicate your workouts. SLEEP. Shorten your fasting window or STOP fasting.
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, your goal weight, or 20-30% of your daily calories. Our energy sources come from fats & carbs. Take away your carbs & what do you have left? Fat. Don’t fear it. Play around with it you’ll find your threshold.
9.) Do You Think the Carnivore Diet Will Ever Be Accepted Mainstream?
Never say never, but I doubt it. Carnivore is just like being a vegetarian only we prefer meat. No one bats an eye when you say you’re a vegetarian, but you say you only eat meat? They look at you like 4 eyes. The awareness, research, and education is spreading, however, so that is promising!
Is any diet really mainstream?
There’s hundreds of ways to eat. All that matters is you pick the one that suits YOU.
10.) Where Can People Follow You?
Everyone is welcome to become part of my digital family here, lilbitoffit.com and Instagram, @lil_bit_of_fit If you’d like to be added to our email list, click here!
Thank you all for reading and allowing me to add value to your lives! I hope my experiences on this journey can allow you to find your authentic puzzle pieces to life!
