Simple Strategies That Helped Me Stop Binge Eating And Start Treating Food As Fuel

strategies that helped me stop binging & start treating food as fuel, abstainers vs moderators

I didn’t dare talk about it much publicly when I was younger, I used to binge eat — A LOT. It didn’t help my health, gut issues, gym performance, or fat loss goals either.

It would happen mostly when I was lonely, stressed, or bored out of my mind. Sometimes, it would happen when I was celebrating, too — but always when I was alone. I would go to the store, buy all the junk food, then go home or sit in my car & eat as much as I could. I was an addict, food was my drug, & binging was a high.

I’d eat until I didn’t think I could eat another bite, & then felt so sick I’d puke to “undo” what I’d done. Sometimes even after I threw up, I’d wait a while, & when the feelings of nausea started to subside, I’d start eating again until either the food was gone, I vomited, or until I went to bed in deep shameful sleep.

Without fail, I’d wake up feeling like absolute shit the next day. I’d beat myself up, forcing an unending spiral of guilt, restriction, & punishment.

To make myself feel even worse, I’d look in the mirror & tell myself how terrible I looked, & that I would never be good enough until I could stop eating & got as thin as I could. That if only I could somehow turn myself into one of those people who just “forgets” to eat, then I’d finally be good enough.

But that was the wrong approach.

Learning to Treat Food as Fuel
Looking back at how I used to treat food & abuse my body, my first reaction is to wonder what the hell was wrong with me. After all, the binge eating obviously made me feel like a dumpster fire, physically & emotionally, yet I kept doin it.

But when I took the time to look deeper into my behaviors & habits, I started to be kinder to myself & feel empathy for that past Katie.

Back then, I didn’t treat food as fuel as I do now. I treated it as the enemy.

So if you deal with binge eating at times, or know someone who does, know that you’re not alone. Know there’s hope. But you have to start treating food like you should — as nourishment, not punishment, a treat, or reward.

Here are the strategies that slowly helped me learn to stop binging & start treating food as fuel!

If you don’t know how to stop binge eating start here

Start Eating Enough During the Day

One of the constant mistakes I used to make was to eat as little as possible throughout the day, often limiting food intake to as little as 1,000–1,200 calories. I thought I was being “good” & if I could eat as little as possible without completely crashing, the better.

This caused several problems:

Incredibly low energy, meaning my workouts were shit (if I worked out at all).
Mental fatigue, due to lack of fuel — your body needs food to function at an optimal level.
Feelings of endless hunger due to hormones bring completely f*cked, even after eating a reasonable meal. This made me more susceptible to binging!

The key was pretty simple: EAT enough throughout the day.

Start tracking your calories if you need to keep yourself accountable, & aim to eat at least every 4 hours. This strategy may scare you a bit & make you feel like you’re eating “too much.” But trust me — eating enough during the day does wonders to help you avoid binging.

Don’t Keep Trigger Foods Around

We all have certain foods that once we start eating them, we just can’t stop.

A few of mine:

Cracker, cookies, cereal, cheese nips, goldfish
Sweet sugary candy & drinks
Ice cream, cool whip, chocolate, nut butters
Cake, cupcakes, doughnuts, rolls, biscuits
Rice, french fries, mashed potatoes – basically any CARB.

I’m an abstainer, carbs are drugs for me so I cut them out of my diet almost completely switching to a carnivore WOE (way of eating). Not only is my Crohn’s disease in remission, I’ve lost 55lbs, & healed my binge eating changing the way I eat.

weight loss before and after katie kelly carnivore — Tap here to learn how I healed my gut and lost weight via the carnivore diet

Why do I not “cheat” on my diet? Because it’s not worth it. You’re not winning by cheating on yourself.

Grace & Control Your Environment

Nobody is perfect. We will all have days when we eat too much, choose the less healthy option.

That’s why I follow a flexible “carnivore” low carb approach. I eat well 90% of the time, eating perfect & healthy 100% of the time is unrealistic.

One of the most common questions: How do you stick to a healthy diet when you’re surrounded by tempting food?

The answer: change your environment.

In other words, make it as easy as possible to eat healthy food & as difficult as possible to eat unhealthy food.

Keep healthy food with you so you’re never tempted.
Make it harder to eat out by cooking more meals at home.
Don’t grocery shop when you’re hungry & make sure you’re eating enough to fuel your day!

Restriction or Food Freedom?

Abstainers vs Moderators

Food & sugar addiction are not bullsh*t excuses people make to eat & live a certain way. I lived food addiction for 30+ yrs. It negatively affected me physically & mentally.

I am definitely an abstainer when it comes to carbs & sugar. It is freeing to me to have food rules & not have to waste energy justifying my choices & actions. I either DO or I DON’T. I also understand not everyone is wired this way.

Moderators & abstainers are often very judgmental toward each other, as they both believe that their way of approaching temptation is the right way.

Some think that a meat-based diet or “carnivore” is too extreme and restrictive. But whether that’s true for you might depend on whether you’re an Abstainer or a Moderator. This is why we determine which one you are. It makes choosing a nutrition approach easier because sustainability, ease, & adherence are everything.

I feel our society as a whole has a strong moderator bias. How many times have you heard someone say: “Everything in moderation”?

As one who is an abstainer & suffered with food addiction, disordered eating, orthorexia, alongside an autoimmune condition like Crohn’s, I know first hand not everyone can moderate & eat all foods without repercussions.

Saying things to an abstainer like:

“You’re too restrictive.”

“Just loosen up.”

“One won’t kill you.”

etc…

…is like telling an alcoholic or drug addict to “just have one drink or one hit, you’ll be fine.”

How to Handle Food Pushers & Moderators If You’re an Abstainer

“You’re too restrictive.” We’re all different & I respect your choices. To me, the way I eat is freeing & meets my needs so I can be the best for you. I honor my body & that may change in the future, but for right now, I feel great!

“Just loosen up.” I’m happy you can moderate food choices, but that does not align for me. For people who are abstainers, we have specific needs & approaches that work better.

“Just have one.” I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t feel my best when I have those foods, mentally or physically. Thank you for understanding!

“Meat is bad for you.” Well, so is drinking nothing but celery juice. ( jus sayin lol)

Everyone has the freedom to eat & live as they choose. Right now this is my choice & I respect yours. I feel great, it’s easy & sustainable for me. If I get to a point where I feel like I need to make an adjustment, I will honor that.

Go your own way.

Can you relate to my story too?

oxox Coach K

All resources, links, discount codes, guides, recipes, coaching, & more here. Thank you for allowing me to add value to your lives!

bio carnivore lilbitoffit katie kelly indiana fishers — Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Motivational writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, financial struggles, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, CrossFit, & adapting a carnivore diet lifestyle.

Katie also has over 18 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, & Sales Consultant. She works with people of all walks of life as a nutritionist & personal life coach to help them authentically optimize their lives to find health, wealth, & happy!

You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com

May 15, 2023

If You’re An Empath And Struggle With Weight Loss And Food Addiction You Need To Read This

Lost & found are from the same box. I’m an empath. A highly sensitive person when it comes to environments, emotions & other peoples’ energies. I like to eat alone.
Maybe you can relate too.

I spent decades with food triggers, gut issues, constipation, bloating, G.I. bleeding, unexplained weight gain & disordered eating.

empath weight loss before and after — I’ve lost 55lbs and put my Crohn’s Disease and bulimia in med-free remission via the carnivore diet.

I grew up hearing shit like this:

“You’re just too big to be a cheerleader, hon.” -cheerleading coach, middle school

“Pretty girls are in the front, you’re in the back.” -a mom, childhood birthday party pictures

“Well, you’re just not polished enough.” -recruiter, job fair in college

“I’m sorry I cheated, I like you, it’s just, she was prettier.”
-someone not even worth mentioning here LOL!

Naturally I’d be lying if a part of me didn’t want to tell these people of past chapters of my life they can suck it

People will teach you how to love well by hurting you. They will teach you how to love yourself by not loving you back. Life will teach you evolution & growth thru pain & stagnation.

Hell, crispy airfryer #meatbars were discovered by me being late to work & literally throwin the shizzle my nizzle in the airfryer basket.

meat bars lilbitoffit katie kelly carnivore

This world is made up of a plethora of different people with different priorities with different life situations all 50 shades of f*cked up.

You’re not alone, the difference is how you react to what life throws at you.

Here are things I do & had to learn to do throughout my journey to be my healthiest. They often times are perceived as being rude for those who don’t understand special digestive needs or people who are extremely highly sensitive & empathetic.

The hard truth is, it’s hard to learn to love yourself for being different. So let’s raise awareness on this especially if you’re stuck in self sabotaging cycles!

I’ve lost 55lbs and put my Crohn’s Disease and bulimia in med-free remission via the carnivore diet.

Empaths Are Prone To Addictions

My Take?
Empaths are more prone to addictive behaviors. More importantly, what can we do about the unproductive behaviors, habits, & addictions we struggle with?

We literally feel what others are feeling, which can be a good thing — or not so much. When it’s good it’s fucking great! In fact we amplify those high-vibe emotions which is why so many people seek us out for support.

The downside, it seems, is that we absorb “negative” or low-vibrational emotions. Emotions are energy vibrating at different frequencies, by the way. Joy and love, for example, are high-vibe while guilt and shame are low-vibe. These vibrations impact our vitality, our mental state & quality of life.

When we don’t know how to effectively & efficiently process all that energy, we act out or we hold it in. Neither is healthy. When we hold it in, sometimes that takes the shape of a physical illness & other times it’s mental. Either way that shit gets stored somewhere — in our bodies or our brains.

We then have a toxic build up of low-vibe emotions stored in our entire being, making us feel like crap.

Why Empaths Over Eat

Food is medicine. It can stabilize your sensitive system, but it can also throw it off. I’ve observed in my 18 years of working in healthcare & as a nutrition coach as well as in myself, that overeating & food addictions are common among empaths.

Food addiction is an uncontrollable craving for excess food for which many diets & weight loss programs often don’t succeed. Frequently, the specific addiction is to sugar or carbohydrates, which is a BIG reason I adopted the “carnivore” WOE (way of eating) for both my Crohn’s disease & disordered eating. I’ve lost 55lbs & put my Crohn’s & bulimia in med-free remission for over 4 years.

Excess weight can be a way of armoring yourself to stop absorbing other people’s stress or disturbing behavior. Putting on added pounds can make you feel more grounded, & it can act as a buffer against negativity. But reaching for junk foods for a quick fix, is a short-lived & unhealthy solution that gets addictively repeated.

Diets often fail for sensitive people because they are unaware that they are eating (& overeating) unhealthy foods to protect themselves from overwhelming or negative energy. When I point this out to my empath clients who are struggling with overeating, it’s a life-changing insight for them.

Are You A Food Empath?

I asked myself these questions to navigate through confusion & find answers & clarity as far as the right diet & coping solutions:

Do you overeat when you are emotionally overwhelmed?
Do you turn to sugar, carbs, & junk food to self-soothe discomfort, boredom, or a difficult emotion?
Are you highly sensitive to the effect people & food have on your body?
Do you get mood swings, brain fog, or feel toxic from sugar, caffeine, sodas, junk food, or specific foods?
Do you have food allergies, gut issues, & intolerances such as to gluten, soy, plants, fiber, artificial ingredients, etc?
Do you feel more protected from stress when you are heavier?
Do you feel energized by healthy, non-processed food?
Are you sensitive to certain foods? Feel better on certain foods?
Do you feel more vulnerable to stress when you are thinner?

If you are an empathic eater, you will need to pinpoint energetic stressors that trigger overeating such as a draining coworker, an argument with a friend or family, kids, or feeling rejected. Train yourself to clear the stress as soon as possible to balance your system. Avoid using food as a numbing coping mechanism. I walk & keep my mind occupied instead.

An Empath’s Survival Guide

Tips that have helped me to eat well, stay fit, & release negativity before self sabotaging & over eating:

Breathe: When you feel stress, immediately focus on breathing slowly & deeply. This releases negative energy. Holding your breath out of fear traps toxicity in your body.

Hydrate: Water purifies you. Drink filtered or spring water, especially when you’ve been exposed to negative energy & have the urge to overeat. Consume at least 1/2 your body weight in oz daily. Get in adequate electrolytes. Take a bath or shower. Water washes away impurities of all kinds.

Minimize Sugar & Processed Food As Much As Possible: Although you may crave carbs & sugar (as well as alcohol), they will destabilize you mentally & physically. This makes you more susceptible to absorbing unwanted energy & self sabotaging. These kinds of hyperpalatable foods are like drugs, leaving you wanting more.

Prioritize Protein: Protein stabilizes everyone. It gives a sense of grounding & satiation. Get protein at every meal, at least 30g. Big reason many food addicts thrive, lose weight, & heal on carnivore.

Rest: Sleep. Remove yourself from your busy routine. Regularly. In his book, Willpower Doesn’t Work, Benjamin P. Hardy talks about “enhanced environments” — one that will have you uber productive & one that will allow you to completely reset. If we don’t give ourselves these two distinct environments, everything blends together & we never really disconnect, nor do we really get satisfying results from our work. We stay stuck in the in-between, dissatisfied & seeking something to make us feel better. Solitude is your best friend. Go take a walk in nature. Eat alone & mindfully.

Restore & Release: Self Love. Where there’s suffering there is a lack of integrity & self love. I’m not talking about moral uprightness here. I’m talking about the state of being whole. Part of the human condition is that we come with soul wounds, past trauma, & conditioning. Our job is to heal & reintegrate the perceived “unlovable” parts of ourselves so we can live connected to Self, Source, & each other. The parts of yourself that you’re angry or ashamed of are the source of your suffering. The whole world is “coping” with this dis-ease. Empaths feel that pain & powerlessness. Seek therapy.

Manage: Your emotions. Your time. Your energy. I know it feels like you don’t have the time or energy so you turn to what’s easy & convenient. Managing your emotions actually frees up the energy you’re spending on things that do not serve you. Emotions are messengers. They alert you to boundaries being crossed. What boundaries of yours are not being honored? Do you even know your boundaries? The lack of knowing & enforcing boundaries is causing you more work, frustration, & stress than you can manage. If you’re like I was, that is what made me want to stuff my face with donuts, cookies, cake, chips, cereal, crackers, & ice cream then throw it up — UNTIL I realized that behavior meant staying sick, broke, & lonely AF.

Move: Your body. Walk, go to the gym, get sunlight, connect with friends. We cope with stress, including loneliness, by using dopamine-triggering substances & behaviors as a means of avoiding painful emotions & self-awareness. But if we make a commitment to living a kick-ass life, then moving the body will get the dopamine flowing, reconnecting us to what we truly enjoy, like our friends & families. Oh, and that workout high & lookin good nekkid too!!

Final Thoughts

Addictions can be distracting or completely destroy your life. Empaths are not meant to be average. Stop trying to be normal. You were born with an extraordinary gift. When you learn to use it, your life will light the fuck up. If you don’t know what your gift (or superpower) is, you are missing out on the best life has for you. You will likely fall into the dark hole of suck to cope with feelings of failure & being misunderstood. Don’t let that happen. If you’re there now, don’t worry, there’s a cure.

I used to be addicted now I am aligned.

My addictive behaviors took on many forms over the years. In my twenties I partied my ass off for close to a decade & wrecked my health.

At one point that fix was tied to the attention of men. Another time I couldn’t get enough shopping. Then there was food, specifically sugar & carbs, that were controlling my life. I was bulimic to boot on top of self hate.

For me, being free of addiction was not possible until I got clear about what I am here to do, how to eat right for me, get healthy, & simply do shit I love. I made a commitment to be the badass I’ve always believed I could be, but now there’s a passion & purpose attached to it.

Food can be a source of energy or depletion. You want to develop dietary & lifestyle habits that serve your sensitivities rather than aggravating them. Then you can maximize the energy you receive from food & people, & environments & minimize the protective defense mechanism of empathic over-eating. With these tools to protect & ground yourself, you won’t have the same cravings that used to undermine your best intentions.

Thank you for reading & I’m honored you allowed me to share my story & add value to your lives!

With love,
Oxox Coach K

All guides, resources, recipe books, coaching & more HERE!

Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Motivational writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, financial struggles, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, body transformation, & adapting to a carnivore diet lifestyle.

Katie also has over 17 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, Brand Growth & Sales Consultant. She works with people of all walks of life as a nutritionist & life coach to help them authentically optimize their lives to find health, wealth, & happy!

You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com

May 12, 2023May 12, 2023

LIES told by your food addiction. My story.

sad girl eating disorder food addiction scale

It can take decades to unlearn. 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. I was told in middle school by a teacher I was too big to be a cheerleader. 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 try to 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 even 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 a lot of stress: school, college, later on, relationships, a failed marriage on top of debt & drinking too much.

There were lots of 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.

Takeaway: Don’t make my mistakes.
If you’re dealing with an eating disorder or disordered eating & exercise habits, I encourage you to seek help.

Life is more than choosing to shrink yourself as a hobby. Eating disorders like bulimia are often not just about losing weight. They also revolve around issues of control or negative thoughts, like having a poor self-image.

The first step is admitting that you have a problem & you WANT to break the cycle. Don’t make my mistake & fill your memory book with reminders of your eating disorder instead of the truly important moments in your life!

Lies told by your food addiction.

I can’t abuse food & exercise. I’m fine.

Receptors in our gut respond to certain foods we consume by triggering release of dopamine in our brain. Exercise & social media can do the same thing. One of the hallmarks of any addiction is tolerance: progressively needing more & more of a certain substance to get the same effect. When the brain’s reward system is repeatedly flooded with dopamine, it responds by reducing the receptors as a protective mechanism. And as with drugs, people who are addicted to food often binge in order to get the same dopamine rush. The more sugar, alcohol, carbs, fat, & salt (for examples) the greater release of dopamine & “reward” we experience. Dopamine-enforced sensory cues mean we are motivated to have the substance again just by the sight, smell, & sounds of a food (like bacon cooking) or an endorphin high after working out.

I don’t have a problem. I’ll just have 1.

Addiction & recovery don’t discriminate. Most of us that have an emotional trigger to sugar, carbs, & hyperpalatable foods like dairy, cheese, bacon, keto/sugar free treats, ribeyes, ribs, nut butters, etc are abstainers when it comes to food. Abstainers usually have an all-or-nothing mentality. It’s far easier for abstainers to give something up altogether than to indulge moderately. Trying to moderate becomes an internal struggle & justification of actions like: Should I? How much? Can I stop? I’m a failure! Small portions intensify cravings & lead to wanting more. Avoidance of food helps cravings pass. We do better with food rules, meal plans, tracking food/macros, fasting windows, & meat based diets. avoiding trigger foods like carbs & sweets.

This is the last binge. Diet starts tomorrow.

Habits, habits, habits. Our habits make US. The issue with food vs drug addiction is we HAVE to eat. We cannot live without food, it is literally life fuel & what we’re made from. We often use it as a reward or punishment. When you chronically restrict, then binge over & over again, it becomes a cycle we deem as “normal” (as f*cked up as it is we justify it). We also physiologically cause imbalance & lose the ability to sense true hunger cues & satiety, making over eating & binging more prevalent. This happens by throwing off our hunger & satiety hormones, leptin & ghrelin. The more we participate in these behaviors, the more our brain is wired to believe they’re accepted & normal. Ima be blunt when it comes to sugar & carbs, the more you eat, the more you crave them & harder it is to stop the cycle.

I’ll stop once I reach my goal weight.

“You’re just not trying hard enough!” Sound familiar? I remember telling myself I “just didn’t want it bad enough.” Once I was skinny all my problems would go away & I’d be happy. Guess what? They didn’t & I still wasn’t happy even when I reached my “goal weight.” I still had an addiction to food & exercise, I still binged, & my health was worse. I gained weight back because it wasn’t sustainable, physiologically trashed my hormones, gut health, & metabolism. I ignored the poor relationships I had with myself, food, & exercise. Have you ever told yourself you, “Didn’t deserve to eat & needed to workout more!?” Let’s try harder to love ourselves & seek help over restriction & self loathing. I promise you’ll get a lot further & life will suck a whole lot less.

I’m just health conscious. I’m not obsessed.

NO. This is called Orthorexia & leads to you chronically yo-yo dieting, exercise hopping, over training, pissed off & life sucking all the time. Orthorexia nervosa is perhaps best summarized as an obsession with healthy eating with associated restrictive behaviors. However, the extreme attempt to attain optimum health through attention to diet may lead to malnourishment, loss of relationships, & poor quality of life. Basically, this is you making shrinking your body your biggest hobby & priority in life. It gives you food anxiety, social anxiety, & you lose yourself. You compare to everyone, often get lost in all the information, & are confused af all the time. Hire a coach or practitioner to help guide you. More does not always mean better results when it comes to over exercising & restricting food.

The weight on the scale doesn’t trigger me.

Ever wake up & feel great only to step on the scale & see you gained 3lbs & instantly you hate yourself & the whole day turns into a dumpster fire? You look in the mirror & tell yourself you’re “fat” & only eating bread & water or whatever specific diet food all week simply because you base your worth on your appearance & number on the scale. Fat is not an emotion. You most likely are FEELING: stressed, sad, anxious, vulnerable, angry, ashamed, jealous, alone, etc. These feelings are often triggers for continual emotional eating &/or exercise abuse if you use food & exercise as numbing & coping mechanisms. Complete this statement: “_____ happened & triggered me. I am not “fat” & do not need to punish myself. I am actually feeling ______ & choose to do _____ instead.”

Orthorexia Warning Signs

Compulsive checking of nutritional labels & obsession about the “health” of ingredients & specific foods.
Obsession with steps, fit trackers, & calories burned.
Feeling compelled to exercise to compensate for what you ate, when you’re ill/injured, sacrificing your mental health/work/social life to burn off calories & workout.
Refusing to eat anything but foods that are deemed ‘healthy’ or ‘clean’.
Unusual interest in the health of what others are eating, fitness goals, & exercise routines.
Food consuming your every thought & feeling guilty if you didn’t workout or “ate the wrong things.”
Showing high levels of distress & anxiety when ‘safe’ or ‘healthy’ foods aren’t available or you’re presented with social situations.
Obsessive following of food and ‘healthy lifestyle’ blogs on social media.
Body image issues such as body dysmorphia.

Watch your words. Common phrases that encourage disordered eating & exercise habits:

“Diet starts tomorrow, or Monday, or January 1.”
“I deserve a ‘cheat meal’ or ‘treat’ because I’ve been, ‘good’ all week.”
“I already messed up my diet, might as well splurge & start again tomorrow or Monday or January 1.”
“If I eat that I’ll need to make sure I workout enough to burn it all off.”
“I’ll be happy when I reach my goal weight.”
“I don’t deserve to eat that.”
“I can’t do that until I lose the weight.”
“You just don’t want it hard enough.”
“It’s fine, we’ll work it off in the gym tomorrow.”
“Whatever, calories don’t count today.”
“I already messed up, might as well make a whole day/week/month out of it.”
“Ugh, look at everything I ate. I’m so fat.”

Final Thoughts

When you are scrolling thru pictures on social media, remember your worth lies in your essence & your heart. You’re amazing for the sum of everything that you are. What you look like is the least most interesting, magnificent thing about you. What is: Your intelligence. Your kindness. Your relationships. Your smile. Your wrinkles. Your impact. Do not let comparing pictures & the constant pressure to shrink yourself believe that you aren’t enough & you need to be more. Go build your life & embody your big beautiful world. Self-love is an important part of a happy life. When we love ourselves, it becomes easy to go through life. There’s no judgment, fear, or low self-esteem, & instead, there’s immense gratitude & compassion towards our own selves.

The best thing is that self-love helps us have healthier relationships with the people in our lives. It’s a true win-win situation!

Oxox
Coach K

You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com

March 6, 2023

If You Struggle With Binge Eating Watch This

If you struggle with binge eating, this is for you

⁣
⁣
“I forgot to eat.” “I need to restrict more.” Things you will never hear me say now.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
Years ago, I wore my ability to restrict food like a badge. There were days I had to pull over to catch a quick nap because I couldn’t keep my eyes open driving.⁣
⁣⁣⁣

You can read more about my struggle & how I healed my disordered eating, gut issues, & dropped 55lbs here in this blog!

There were workouts I thought I was gonna pass out. Blood pressure was super low, like 80/58. I remember the doctor saying do you feel lightheaded often? ⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
A woman messaged me & stated she didn’t “think” she was restricting food but still binge eating. She noticed the more she controlled what she was eating & the LESS she ate consistently, the less hungry she felt.⁣
⁣
She didn’t understand how eating more food would help. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
So I put it this way…⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
Dying animals have no appetite & don’t eat. Thriving animals fight for their food. Starving animals gorge themselves. Nourished animals eat till they’re comfortably satisfied.⁣
⁣
Which one do you wanna be?⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
A decrease in hunger after living in a calorie deficit for too long is our body shutting down to survive. ⁣⁣⁣ #bingeeating is another survival mechanism.⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
This is why females eating below their BMR or at a low body fat don’t have a period, you’re commonly constipated, digestion slows, you’re cold & lack energy. Your hormones & systems down regulate to compensate.⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
Other Common Symptoms:⁣⁣⁣⁣

Irritability⁣⁣⁣

No sex drive⁣⁣⁣

Increase in belly fat⁣⁣⁣⁣

Chronic fatigue/soreness⁣⁣⁣⁣

Malabsorption, gut inflammation⁣⁣⁣⁣

Increase in binge eating, etc⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
Tips:⁣
Eat enough food to fuel your body. 2-3 meals/d⁣
Stop over exercising/over caffeinating/negative self talk/overly fasting⁣
SLEEP! HYDRATE!⁣
Get trigger foods out of your home. Eat more meat & eggs, less processed food, more natural whole food⁣
Stay busy! Get accountability.⁣
⁣⁣⁣
Eat when there is physiological/internal cue – in other words, when you either feel that hunger pang or become aware your body is in need of nourishment. ⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣I hope this helps!
⁣
Oxox⁣
Coach K

Join me & my digital family here on IG if this post resonated with you! Tons of free content to help you live your best!

Resources, Guides, Recipes, Coaching, & More Here!

September 3, 2022September 3, 2022

The secret to curing binge eating isn’t what you think

5 years ago, on a Saturday morning, I wrote a journal entry about my ongoing struggle with binge eating. I detailed my longstanding struggle with my seemingly endless appetite & f*cked up addiction to stuffing huge amounts of food in my face. I was struggling with gut flares & drowning in a black cloud of self loathing & frustration.

I had no “cures” as of yet, but I was now out of the closet & getting REAL with living in the haunted house of this behavior.

Since writing that entry, I created a community here simply sharing my life in hopes of helping others living a similar nightmare. I’ve received dozens of messages from readers asking about my journey of recovery from disordered eating, poor body image, food addiction, orthorexia, & Crohn’s disease.

Living 3 decades of 50 shades of f*cked up, I’ve learned so much about these demons that used to haunt me. I used to feel lost & powerless when it came to what I saw as my most shameful behaviors, but I’ve since found the keys to recovery, unlocked my own cage, & strutted my way out.

Today after going “carnivore” with my diet & changing my perspective on health & fitness, I never binge,& am healthier than I’ve ever been at 40 years old. I want the same for you.

carnivore woman eating meat — I’m 3+ years carnivore and thriving!

How did I crack the code?

Well, first, I stopped looking outside of myself for solutions, in online articles & advice from friends, doctors, & the latest fads. Instead, I decided to compassionately look inward & get curious.

I started observing myself to understand why I was engaging in this behavior. I found that without exception, I binged in response to 3 different situations that left me hungry physically & mentally:

When I’ve been “restricting” & trying to eat like everyone else instead of for ME
When I’m avoiding an emotion &/or lacking purpose
When I’m neglecting my own pleasure & needs

By addressing these 3 triggers, I’ve been able to completely eliminate binge eating from my life, lose body fat, & enjoy freedom!

My top-of-the-list priorities now are:
Great food in the form of meat & eggs — good sleep & exercise — plain & simple joy & peace.

I don’t categorize dieting & working out as a daily must-do activity anymore. I’ve learned to consider carnivore & exercise a lifestyle choiceI love, not a chore.

And it’s definitely not something I schedule or force myself to do every day because being a CHAMPION means to be someone that loves the work of becoming one more than the idea of becoming one.

Let your wrinkles & stretch marks & flaws serve as tree rings of growth.

Hope these tips help you! SWIPE, save, & share freely.

oxox Coach K

Coaching, services, resources, discount links & more!

August 30, 2022

You have no idea how badly I needed to hear this to love myself and keep fat loss off forever

My weight gain & disordered eating was impacting my health.⁣
It was a problem I had yet to confront & resolve.⁣
⁣
I was a mid-size “woman” at the moment. I could wear a size L at the age of 14. My jeans size was a women’s 16. I weighed 160lbs at barely 5 foot tall.⁣

weight loss before and after carnivore lilbitoffit katie kelly — I’ve lost a total of 55lbs via Crossfit and the Carnivore Diet. I post all about life lessons learned on IG!

⁣Despite knowing I needed to lose weight & it was the reason all the kids were mean to me & none of the boys liked me I still hid my binges & ate like garbage. I had a sweet tooth & could throw down gallons of ice cream, & boxes of cereal & cheese nips in one sitting. Then I’d throw it all up & struggle with gut flares for weeks.⁣
⁣
Why TF did I do this I thought?⁣
⁣
I remember the doctor telling me I needed to lose weight & people would say the annoying, “You’d be the prettiest girl in school if you’d just lose weight.” **Insert eye roll.**⁣
But I knew there was some truth in what they were saying.⁣
⁣
My first thought?⁣
⁣
I bet I can drop 20 lbs in 2 weeks if I don’t eat & exercise more. I just need to “want it bad enough.”⁣
And I did. ⁣
I stayed stuck in those self sabotaging cycles for decades.⁣
⁣
Sound familiar?⁣
⁣
I don’t have middle gears. It’s nothing, or full throttle!⁣
And that’s how I was with food, alcohol, exercise, mindset, & negative self talk.⁣
⁣
Those of you who have read my other blogs might know that I once got so thin that my hair started to fall out. I had fainting spells, low blood pressure, & cervical cancer in my 20s, & I ended up in the ER with a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of .346 & on a vent after a night of drinking one time.⁣
⁣
You have no idea how badly I needed to hear this to love myself & keep fat loss off forever…SWIPE!⁣
⁣

I hope these help you too & are the very things I also teach my clients. [Coaching FAQs in IG bio]⁣
⁣
oxox Coach

Coaching, services, guides, & free stuff here!

June 23, 2022June 23, 2022

50 Shades of Addictions and What I Did About It

coffee write book lilbitoffit katie kelly

50 shades of addictions…like this coffee

here. Confessions of another dirty bathroom photo.

lilbitoffit katie kelly coffee indiana underwear bathroom — Confessions of another bathroom photo…

I made some big decisions lately.

I’m going down part time in radiology. This is my last full-time week & I booked a legacy photo shoot for my 40th in August.

I read a past journalist entry this morning dated October of 2020.

It read, “My coworkers & I were going thru our schedules & I had a gut check moment. I’ve had 3, THREE whole days off in 2 months.”

My reaction, “WTF, Katie! You have a problem.”

I’ve confided in y’all about how I have an addictive personality.

I was never addicted to 1 thing. I discovered thru therapy I was addicted to filling voids.

It’s a hard shot to swallow. Most truth bombs are.

I reflected on my journey this mornin & gave gratitude for how far I’ve come. And I hope y’all can do the same. Be proud of yourselves!

My addictions were similar shades.

pete cat coffee computerlilbitoffit katie kelly indiana — Mornings writing with Pete (and coffee, of course)

I’ve been all 50 shades & shapes & sizes of fugged up, mentally & physically. They affected all my relationships.

Like the memes…

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲: what do we say when we feel like this?
𝗠𝗲: you coulda had a bad bitch?
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁: NO.

Quoting @lizzobeeating seems like a positive life decision for me at this point

You?

My biggest fear used to be gaining weight.

Now, I’ve quickly discovered my biggest fear is missing out on life & working my life away.

I enjoy coaching y’all, writing, speaking, networking with my community, nurturing relationships, & helping others more at this season in my life than trading my time for money.

I want to spend as much time with my mom & dad, my friends & family as I can, making as many memories as I can.
Loving the sh*t out of this life, squeezing every drop.

That’s my true wealth.

I hope I gave y’all a laugh, & let you know that it’s OK. We are always 1 decision away from a completely different life.

Choose your happy.

Xoxo
Coach K

BONUS: words of wisdom from Dr. Nicole LePera about addiction.

“Addiction is an attempt to regulate a nervous system chronically stuck in fight or flight.

Addiction is an attempt to escape from feeling a pain and emptiness that runs to the core of a persons being.

Addiction is a form of self abuse. When we are abused or emotionally neglected as children, we can become our own abuser. It’s all we know. Our brains seek to repeat the familiar.

Addiction is the result of not having childhood co-regulation. An inability to self sooth. A lack of healthy ways to cope.

Addiction is the result of witnessing things that were scary, overwhelming, or downright terrifying without having a safe adult to help you understand them.

Addiction is the childhood LACK OF EMOTIONAL CONNECTION, manifested.

Addiction is an attempt to silence the “dark” thoughts that re-play (like a broken record) the voice of the critical parent.

Addiction is the result of a society’s greatest lie: that says some people aren’t lovable, worthy, or valuable.

Addiction is SHAME. And it’s usually a shame that was never that persons to carry.

Addiction causes a person to engage in survival based behaviors they wouldn’t otherwise engage in like: deception, abuse, theft, or betrayal.

Addiction is a slow spiritual death that no human being consciously chooses.”

Wishing you all so much healing. Love & hugs

All links, free content, coaching, services, discount codes here!

carnivore lilbitoffit katie kelly indiana — Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, CrossFit, & adapting a carnivore diet lifestyle. Katie also has over 16 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, & Sales Consultant. You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com

June 21, 2022

Hard truths about cellulite, stretch marks, social media and body image

cellulite stretch marks body image katie kelly lilbitoffit

I’ve talked about my CrossFit boobs plenty times before. I also grew up ashamed of my cellulite & stretch marks.
⁣
I love & live in bralettes. They’re functional & more comfortable. I giggled as I tried on “real bras” for a boudoir shoot.

My biggest fears used to be getting fat & failure. I was ashamed to show my body in any way shape or form. I always wore a T-shirt over my bathing suit. I hated my legs.

Ya know what I learned?
I earned my cellulite & stretch marks. My boobs may not be the size I’d like but my arms & shoulders are pretty spectacular.
Hey, at least I got a handful

It used to really bother me being smaller. I felt being petite I looked like a child.

I’m grateful at 40 to have finally learned to love & celebrate the skin I’m in & show it proudly. I can’t wait till my next #boudoir shoot in August!

SWIPE for some hard truths about cellulite, stretch marks, social media & body image you may need to hear.

I’d love for you guys to share these with somebody else who needs to read them too!

Love & hugs

Oxox
Coach K

All links, coaching, services, discount codes, & free content here!

⁣

June 18, 2022

Confessions of a binge eater

I used to plan big binges on purpose. They were a high. I believed that if I could “get it out of my system” & cultivate enough shame, I would “get my sh*t together.”

It didn’t work. No change ever came from me shaming myself when I kept reliving the same story.

I realized I was hungry all the time – from under eating, eating too many carbs, sugar, & gut trigger foods. The Carnivore way of eating saved my life in more ways than one. Not only did it heal my disordered eating & put my Crohn’s in remission, it helped me find more purpose in my life. You see I was hungry in a much different way than just food.

I realized my worth & my mess was my message. That if I kept my mind busy, fed my soul, & stoked my hunger in more ways than one, I had more enjoyment & satisfaction, not just in my belly, but in my whole life. Somewhere as a kid between farm chores, playing with my little ponies & my 1st diet, I lost the simple enjoyment of my body, my food, & just being me.

Don’t underestimate the value of having purpose & simply staying busy. Tasks & movement engage our bodies & brains to redirect in more positive ways. They offer a sense of structure & boundaries that give comfort to most abstainers when it comes to food/sugar addiction. Along with eating enough food to fuel my body, this was one of the most useful tools in recovery.

Most days, especially when my emotions feel ginormous & suffocating, I create a “to do” list of things to execute during my day.

(I freaking love lists, how bout you?)

It gives me a sense of control, direction, & inner peace.

For a busy bee like me, there is grounding in the “doing,” especially for those of us who have to keep our minds busy.

During times when my disordered eating & binge eating were at their worst, I found correlation in the times when I was bored, restricting more food, eating more carbs, &/or lacked a sense of purpose.

Ways I redirected away from binging:
Coffee with a friend, drink more water
Go for a walk, get out in nature, sun
Go to CrossFit or a group fitness class
Clean & purge my home
Design something for social media
Write a blog, read, listen to a podcast
Go for drive & listen to music
Color

Until I reached my weight “safe place” or “set point,” my body was still hungry & not losing body fat even on Carnivore. I wasn’t underweight, but my body did not feel safe. It was hard to sense fullness & true hunger. I gained 15lbs when I started Carnivore 3 years ago. It took me a year to heal, adapt, & lose fat. I’m now 20lbs lighter, maintaining my weight eating 2,000+ calories/day.

When I allowed my body to heal & gain the weight it needed to restore my health, a switch went off & I felt capable of eating foods I knew I needed, in amounts I needed without feeling fear. For those of us with a disordered eating history & one of chronic restriction/exercise abuse, safety is everything. Your body decides when you’re ready & recovered.

Your set point & maintenance ranges are not static, like your body & LIFE, they’ll shift & change over time. Genetics, medical history, dieting history, training modalities, food needs/preferences, digestion, body goals, etc will all differ.

Live your life & listen to your gut.

So maybe the question you should be asking is “How do I start satisfying my hunger living a life of purpose authentic to me?” vs “How do I stop binge eating?”

Coaching FAQ’s here if you need help.

Save, Like, Tag, Share this Post on IG with someone else who needs to hear it too.

lilbitoffit katie kelly indiana — Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, CrossFit, & adapting a carnivore diet lifestyle. Katie also has over 16 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, & Sales Consultant. You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com

Add me to the email list here

All links, guides, services, discount codes & contact here

June 17, 2022

What it’s like living with body dysmorphia

I’ve struggled with body dysmorphia, orthorexia & disordered eating. ⁣
⁣
Swipe for some things you may relate to like I did.⁣
⁣

Lately I’ve been experimenting, reflecting, & redefining what “beauty” & physical beauty mean to me.⁣
⁣
At 40, beauty is a feeling & state of being that becomes from knowing I’m listening to, honoring & taking really good care of myself.⁣
⁣
In my teens, 20’s, & early 30’s beauty meant a certain size, weight, body fat %, barbell PR, & things like how many compliments I got about how I looked…⁣
⁣
Beauty encompasses the whole body & soul. ⁣
⁣
To me, beauty also has a visual, aesthetic element too (if you want that to be part of your definition) that includes who I want to embody AND see in the mirror. ⁣
How do I want to feel? ⁣
⁣
For me, the emotions around my body & mind were the pivotal helping or hindering factors on redefining the identity & relationship with my body AND other people. ⁣
⁣
Going carnivore significantly healed my gut issues & relationship with food.⁣
⁣
Life dramatically improves when you simply honor yourself & stop trying to fit into somebody’s box. ⁣
⁣
As for other people, life dramatically improves when you start seeing people for who they truly are & what they show you instead of romanticizing about what they could be. ⁣
⁣
If some of these sound like you, know you’re not alone. Things won’t get better until you really “do the work” & that starts from within.⁣
⁣
Sending love & hugs 🤗