Spend less time worrying about these things to lose more body fat

Do you get anxiety when you look at old pictures or how many calories you burned or how rigid you need to be on your diet?

I’ve talked to a lot of you about this today.

Its ok if your diet is different now than it was then. You have control over your choices. And just because you have 1 or 2 days of consuming more than you normally do doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

You need to focus & track the important things. See below & make sure to save, share, & tag this post on IG!

You need to have self-awareness over chronic self sabotaging habits. 

If you are constantly worried about the number on the scale or how many calories you burned or how rigid you are with your diet because you fear other people will judge you, or how long or how much you need to be fasting & these things lead to binging & physical &/or emotional harm, we have some self healing work to do.

This exact conversation comes up in coaching consults on the reg. Whether my clients are in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond. Disordered eating & body image issues do not discriminate.

This concept was hard for me to accept, too. We change, it’s what we do. If you are taking care of yourself, feel good, & nourishing your body with food, so be it if you’re doing things a little differently than others.

If I have a rough body image day & miss a smaller or leaner or stronger version of myself, I quickly remember how miserable I was at certain times in my life. Then I’m grateful. 

I thought about food constantly, had intense anxiety around food in social situations, was a slave to my exercise. I worried more about what other people thought of me than what I thought about myself.

You give up your power. Your hobby then becomes chasing a smaller version of yourself. And I’ll tell you right now it doesn’t help you lose more body fat more times than it does.

Engage in movement you love & eat food that supports your physical & mental health. 

Food is a part of life, not your whole life.

Focus on the important shit that truly will move the needle forward. 

Oxox Coach K

When your problems seem too big I want you to remember this, PLUS, things I learned in college

You know those days where your problems seem GINORMOUS? Or you just feel frustrated & agitated af & don’t know why? 

Love my career! Although I didn’t go to Purdue specifically for radiology, I still got a BS degree in Science. Still consider West Lafayette my home away from home & a piece of my heart will always be there.

— I feel you. I feel I’m dippin my toes again into a big pool of transition. Ugh, times like these are heavy & almost suffocating. I’m blaming it on #mercuryretrograde 

I came across an astronomy account called @astronomybasics Y’all, my inner Purdue science nerd geeks out on this stuff. I love it! This post shared facts about 2 black holes, called “binary black holes” because they orbit each other. They’re BIG & beautiful & 1.3 billion light years away. 

How freaking amazing is this????!!!!!!

Makes you & your human “problems” seem small & silly, right?! 

I remember in college worrying about the stupidest sh*t…like lookin fat in my outfit for Thursday nights at the Neon Cactus or the big fraternity party that week. I don’t know if anyone else experienced looking at a picture after your freshman year & cringing because you realize you gained the freshman 15 (or 20 in my case). 

Forever Grateful, Forever True!

I remember my brother telling me how much “bigger” I was. OMG I wanted to hide in shame & thought life was over.

Since we’re on the subject of #collegelife looking back on my 4 years at Purdue, I realize how many countless hours I spent in the classroom & studying for tests. (Ok, maybe I didn’t spend AS much time on those things as keg stands, flippy cup, & Greek events, but alas, it added up & I still made Dean’s list.)

When I think about all that time I spent working toward my degree, I wonder, what did it really leave me with? A piece of paper that will continue to gather dust?

I thought harder…my dudes, I learned so much more via college experiences than academics. I’ll share a few with you & hopefully they spark introspection & give a sense of peace wherever you are right now…

Swipe & share with your friends on Instagram!

Ps #boilerup 🖤💛🤍

  • No one gives a sh*t about your GPA, people care more about how you make them feel, your integrity & effort.
  • Learn self discipline, ain’t nobody here to hold your hand. Work smarter not harder.
  • Just when you think a mf won’t do you like that, they def will do you like that. It be that way sometimes. Watch your words, be picky about the company you keep.
  • Care for something other than yourself, but not more than you care for yourself.
  • Big friend circles don’t mean you’re cooler or loved more. Your circles will become smaller as you get older & that’s ok. Make sure you surround yourself with people smarter & more successful than you.
  • Real independence is found in being comfortable alone, on your own without needing someone with you to stabilize you. Realize being independent doesn’t mean you’re not smart enough to delegate & ask for help.
  • It’s easy to think that there should be more people like you in the world, but once you open your mind to groups of unfamiliar people, you become able to see that our differences are what make humanity so beautiful.
  • As I matured in college & life, I began to see my parents as people, instead of just “my parents.” I began to appreciate them for who they are, their experiences, sacrifices, & realize they’re constantly evolving & learning just like me.
  • It is impossible to hold on to everything in your life; sometimes, you have to burn bridges & move on, others you learn to lovingly release & let go. As Dylan McKay once said, “May the bridges I burn light my way.”
  • Say NO. I used to be the girl who couldn’t say, no — until I had to. Life places demands on you that can be detrimental. You do not have time for everything & you will never please everyone. Saying “no” isn’t about being weak, missing out or offending others, it’s about being smart & understanding what’s meant for you.
  • Dream BIG. College showed me a little piece of the world, & that little piece was enough to teach me to dream of bigger & better possibilities.
  • Create your own possibilities & live life to the fullest because our time here is tiny & short & so are we in this Universe.

oxox Coach K

#lifeinmy20s #lifequotes #purdue #lafayetteblogger #purdueblogger #womeninhealthcare #purduealum #lifeatpurdue #lifelessonslearnedthehardway #lifelessons #lifeadvice #spreadpositivity #dating #carnivorediet #carnivorewomen #catmom #plantmom #lilbitoffit #girlswholift #indyblogger #singlelife #midwestblogger #indianablogger #datinginyour30s #datinginyour40s #relationshipgoals #purduedg #boilerup

What old facebook memories taught me about adulting & aging gracefully

Cringe worthy.

Like, “Dear Baby Jesus, did I really put that out in the world?” SMDH

My old social media posts, ESPECIALLY those on Facebook often make me wanna hide underneath a rock. On the other hand, some make me smile, some laugh, some wonder if I even had a brain or any sense of style. Those you see & you’re like, “WTF was I wearing &/or WTF was I thinking dating that person?!”

Come on, laugh, let the WTF’s flow! Judgment free zone!

As I’ve aged & became more comfortable & in love with myself, I realized they are also clues & puzzle pieces to the way I absorbed the world, evolved, & learned to eventually (hopefully), more successfully navigate as an adult.

Don’t know bout ch’all but I still feel like I’m a kid. I remember when I thought 30 was old & by 40 all the fun sh*t was over.

Hell I’m just gettin started!

I don’t consume much social media nowadays as compared to when I’d scroll endlessly without INTENT. Key word – Intent.

I use it more for content creation & connection. It is easy to get sucked into the rabbit hole. Be careful to not place your worth in your profiles. I enjoy using mine as an educational tool & expressive extension of my personality, but I choose not to use it as a barometer of my worth, existence, or social resume.

The other day tho, up popped a FB memory that went back 16 years to when I was married, unhappy, confused af, an addict to food, alcohol, & toting around a sh*tty midset, “shoulding” all over myself. 

It read, “Fck this adulting, bout to get fckedddd up!”

Welp, glad my use of sentence enhancers haven’t changed.

But instead of feeling shameful, this 39 year old human felt such a sense of pride & gratitude. Pride for how much I’ve grown & gratitude for this space in life, in time – with all of you!

I know y’all relate to this too. Just wanted to check in with ya in hopes you’re also sittin in this space of awareness, love, & acceptance instead of shame, sadness, & regret.

Laugh y’all! Life is meant to be lived in JOY! No ragrets.

Anyone wanna share your “walls of shame?”

Oxox Coach K

Basically why the vegan diet would kill me

Had a vegan DM this mornin that said my health would deteriorate & I wouldn’t be able to poop right if I didn’t eat plants & carbs.

🤔 Hmmmmm

So I snapped a picture.

My response, “I think the f*ck not, Karen.”

After 2 years of being meat based, here are some things I know for sure, see below & swipe left👈🏻

I don’t digest plants, fruits, veggies, gluten, nuts, seeds, nut butters, veggie oils, fiber, high fodmap foods, most carbs other than white rice & gluten free rice based products, lectins, oxalates, & excess sugar well

Carbs more likely make me want to binge

85% ground beef is my favorite

I thrive best on 2lbs of beef/day

No, I never get sick of it

Yes, I Crossfit & eat basically meat & eggs

No, I never feel deprived or starving

Yes, the airfryer is life. I have 2, named Albert (Al) & Abe

No, I don’t have trouble pooping, actually it’s better than ever

No, I never have abdominal pain, bloating, G.I. bleeding, or gas anymore

Yes, I still eat occasional white rice & rice cakes when I need them. I’m a liberal carnivore. No haters allowed.

No, I don’t binge anymore, my appetite has corrected

Yes, my sleep & energy are great

Yes, it took a long time (~1year) to find my groove, lose body fat, & adapt. Have patience.

Yes, I tracked macros & my food to figure shit out, & you should too if things aren’t working.

I think that rounds out the questions I got this morning, too.

Oh, & to the vegan that messaged me this mornin, if you wanna challenge this farmer‘s daughter to a bale throwing contest,  I accept.🦾🙋‍♀️🥩🐮

That is all the rambling. Happy Tuesday squad ❤️

 #teamcarnivore #meatheals #zeroplants  #autoimmunediet #meatlover #musclegaintips #fatlosstips #carnivoremacros #flexibledieting ⁣#iifymgirls  #carnivorediet #ibsdiet #ibddiet #crohnsdiet #crohnsandcolitis #bloatinghelp #animalbasednutrition #carnivorewomen #ketocarnivore #ketodiet #carnivorecoach #meatbaseddiet #animalbaseddiet #carivoreketo #carnivorebodybuilding #carnivorecrossfit #crossfitgirls #lchfdiet⁣ #guttriggers #constipationhelp 

Yesterday’s magic is today’s science

Yesterday’s magic is today’s science.

What you think is magic may just be science that you don’t quite understand yet.

Stay with me here…

I’ll relate this to all of those quick fixes you think were magic, for example:

cutting carbs

slashing calories

choosing a specific diet camp

Changing your morning routine & adopting a more positive mindset…

…yesterday you may have thought these were magic when in reality it all comes down to:

science

how your body works

the power of your thoughts

how your behaviors & habits are wired & learned

the impact of your past on your present & how you choose to move forward

The point of this post is to do your own life admin. Be a forever student, be open to learning new things & experimenting fearlessly. 

Stop relying on other people to tell you what to do without learning why things work and why they don’t and why you are making the choices and thinking the thoughts of your every day. 

You have all the answers you need.

I’ll leave you with this…

…when we lose our intuition to listen to ourselves & allow ourselves to become lost in information & what everyone else is doing — we lose everything.

You can hire the best coaches, teachers, doctors etc, but if you don’t learn from yourself, learn to trust, & stop worrying about what other people think of you or your decisions — you’re allowing other people to live your lives for you.

Tough love ❤️ 

Oxox

Coach K

Full body workout routine plus the top tips that helped me lose the most weight

Q: I only have 2-3 days to work out a week? Any tips on workouts I can do? And what changes helped you lose the most weight? ➡️Swipe, save, tag & share!⁣

Here’s a very basic but solid full body program example if you’re planning on resistance training & working out 2-3 d/wk.⁣

You don’t need to make training overly complicated nor do you have to excessively do cardio & HIIT. Stick to walking & basic movements focusing on getting stronger with each of them.⁣

Most of us want to save time & get in & out of the gym as quick as possible without sacrificing workout efficacy.⁣

I put 2 exercises back to back to make 3 simple super sets. Aim to do each super set for 4 sets of 8-12 reps – slowly with good form. ⁣
Form always 1st before adding more weight to prevent injury.⁣

Take 1-2 minute rest between sets in order to ensure adequate recovery.⁣
I know this is the hardest part for some of you, including myself. It’s hard to beat the crossfitter out of you when you’re focusing on bodybuilding. 😂 🏋🏼‍♀️⁣

Gradually increase weights each week. If you’re consistent, you can switch up your workout after 4-6 weeks. ⁣
No one says you have to switch up your workout if this is working for you either. Go your own way as with everything in Food, Fitness, & Life. ⁣



If you’re looking for a step by step plan to lose weight, actually keep it off, & improve gut issues &/or emotional issues with food, apply for a consultation in the link in my IG bio. ⁣

Can’t afford coaching?⁣
I created a 354 page guide that will teach you anything you need to know about meat, macros, & getting the body you deserve❤️ Also in the link in my bio👩🏼‍💻📲⁣ link here

Oxox Coach K

Sunday ponderings and the intimacy of being alone

The intimacy of being by yourself isn’t intimacy most can grasp or understand. The silence & how your energy isn’t affected by anything else is a sense of peace & freedom like no other. 

Embracing who you are when no one is looking & not worrying about what other people think of you. I realized actually how much I loved myself, how I’m my own best friend via swimming in the intimacy of being by myself. 

And that has allowed me a happiness, sense of joy & openness to receive as well as give on a level I never thought it was possible. #sundaymorningview #sundayponderings

Cheers to the final day of my 4, 12 hour shifts in a row. Dear baby Jesus I see light at the end of the tunnel 🙏 💀 ⚡️ 

I wanna hear your Sunday ponderings below. I know some of these you guys will relate to. I hope you laugh. 

Laughter is the best medicine ❤️ but most of all I hope it gets you thinking & appreciating your journey & the person you are becoming!👇

  • I Love a fun Texter. Like throw some GIFs in there. You can never have too many emojis. Sprinkle a lil video or audio messages every now & then. But don’t blow up my phone all day. Instant anxiety for the responder in me.
  • Life hack. If you use your weekends building the life & the person you want you won’t have to spend your weekends trying to escape reality.
  • Whatever you are not changing you are choosing. Read that again.
  • Are you making the decision because it’s what you truly want or because you fear something else? Maybe even something better? But the fear of the unknown is outweighing what your gut & heart are trying to tell you.
  • Don’t let loneliness make you reconnect with toxic people. You wouldn’t drink poison just because you’re thirsty.
  • Delete, unfollow, block, unfriend, erase, & disconnect from anyone & anything that robs you of your peace, love, & happiness.  On social media & in real life. You don’t need to be around people & things not on your level & don’t appreciate your value.
  • It’s not your job to fix & detox people. It is your job to detox the part of you that relates to the toxicity & what needs fixed. 
  • If you’re going thru hell keep going because why would you want to stop there?

Love y’all & wishing you the happiest of Sundays! Oxoxo Coach K

When life is too much and passing by too quickly this is what you need to do

I scrolled past a post on Pinterest that read “Put yourself at the top of your to-do list & watch how everything falls into place.”

I realized the past month I was not living this. I realized I was working wayyyy too much. Which isn’t anything new. 👀 🤦‍♀️

 But I was almost in tears the other day. I had a conversation with myself. I said, “Katie you are abundant & rich in so many ways but you are really f*cking poor in time. How do you truly want to live & what do you need to remove?”

Freedom & time are everything to me.

I found myself frustrated, getting angry at things I wouldn’t normally get angry about. 

But I’m also grateful for this contrast for showing me what I enjoy & what I don’t like about my current situation. 

That’s where I find my answers, I learn everything the hard way.😂

I resigned from the VA last week. After a few months, it was way too much on my plate, I didn’t have the time they deserved, & frustrating me more than making me happy.  

— That’s when I know I have to cut cords.

Is it just me or does it feel like life is on super speed? Like where da fugg did the past 3 years go? 

I realize I am working the majority of my days…either in radiology, content creation, client calls, coaching, business odds & ends, interviews, podcasts, videos, etc…

You know those notifications your phone sends about Screen Time 👀 well mine pretty much says b*tch do you ever not work?

I’m super happy right now with life y’all.

I realized today I don’t have any complaints & I don’t have anything in my life that I know I can’t change.

I just let life unfold. I don’t complicate things anymore. Especially things like relationships (or lack of 😄) & controlling my body.

If life has been passing by quickly & a bit much for you too, here’s your permission to chill & cut the cords you need to cut.

You don’t always have to be a human doing, don’t forget to be a human simply being.

You can’t open doors to people & opportunities if you don’t leave space in your life & schedule to receive.

I wanna check in with y’all too. How are you doing

Oxox Coach K #saturdaymorningview 

I used to be hungry all the time: what I learned about hunger

Confessions of another dirty bathroom photo…

I ate 63g of carbs yesterday.

I used to be hungry all the time.

I hate sharing my food.

Other things I don’t share are toothbrushes & wieners but those stories probly aren’t IG appropriate & sure to spark conversations that’ll go down the gutter rather quickly.

Been throwin in some 2 a days the last couple weeks on days I have evenings free to experiment. Been craving carbs after my workouts in the evenings, so I honor my body & listen to her. My carbs of choice are rice cakes, easily tracked, portable, & don’t typically cause gut issues in moderation with my Crohn’s disease & autoimmune needs. Quantity varies, I am able to moderate these now. So far so good.

They help me with recovery, lower my cortisol, & help me sleep. Transparently sharing my experiences – go your own way. I stick to meat & eggs for everything else, rice cakes only post workout after an evening WOD with the 5:30 crew. I don’t crave them when I don’t need them. Rest days & days I stick to my morning workouts I don’t want them. Proud of my body & mind for supporting me in intuitive, nurturing ways compared to my self sabotaging self years ago.

Went back to CrossFit & Beats class more regularly. I realized how much more enjoyable & effective my workouts are with community. Being more social was a 2022 intention of mine, Its fed my soul & stoked my hunger in more ways than one & got me thinkin…

I remember being hungry all the time even after a huge meal, I still wanted dessert. I noticed my friends were able to eat smaller portions & be satisfied. I felt ashamed. As I aged & became more self aware, a sense of amazement & awakening crept over me…  

Did this mean that the bottomless hunger I felt wasn’t physical hunger after all? Could I sit down at a meal & push away my plate, full & satisfied, without the urge to overeat?

I could, but only after I figured out that I wasn’t only hungry for food. I was hungry for enjoyment & satisfaction, & not just in my belly, but in my whole life.

Somewhere as a kid, between farm chores, playing with My Little Ponies & going on my first diet, I lost track of the idea that I was allowed to enjoy my body, my food, & just being alive. I decided that always feeling hungry & vaguely dissatisfied was part of growing up.

I had to learn the bigger lesson – that hunger isn’t simply about filling our bellies, but about something deeper: a hunger for connection, enjoyment, & love.

From my own experience & awakening of learning to feel full, body & heart, I hope you find ways to satisfy your inner hunger. To be continued in another post at some time, let this be a conversation starter with yourself.

oxox Coach K

Should I do cardio before or after lifting? How can I lose fat and gain muscle? Things you may not want to hear…

Love yourself enough to go after your goal physique.⁣

In many cases this may mean doing the exact opposite of what you think you need to do. ⁣

Swipe for reminders answering some of your questions the past couple days.⁣

Losing weight will neither make you a stronger, healthier, more acceptable human nor a happier person. ⁣

To answer your questions of “Should I do cardio before or after weights?” and “How do I train for better performance for my competition or race AND lose body fat?”⁣

If your goal is to BUILD muscle, strength & have better performance, we want to be doing resistance training when we have our best ability to perform well & that means eating like it too.⁣

That means your cardio session before lifting or constant worrying about burning more calories is the exact OPPOSITE of your goal of better performance, building muscle, & getting stronger.⁣

You don’t want to deplete your energy systems by doing excess cardio before lifting if your goal is to get strong, perform well, & lift as efficiently as you can.⁣

Building muscle & getting stronger are hard af. Why would you want to purposely make it more difficult?⁣

Also, losing body fat & building muscle are 2 different goals. Commit to one, eat & train like you mean it.⁣

So take away…⁣

Love yourself enough to do the things you need to do to optimally crush your goals. Be clear on your goal & execute.⁣

Lfg. ⁣

Oxox Coach K