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!
“Abs are made in the kitchen.” — possibly every fitness trainer & influencer who ever lived. LOL!
We’ve all heard this statement before as we try to figure out why the countless hours we have spent sweating in the gym & eating all the “healthy diet food” have yet to turn into that chiseled six-pack we desire.
While the obvious answer is that regardless of how hard you work in the gym, if you don’t eat “right” FOR YOU, you’re only working against yourself. Health first, aesthetics will follow.
What if I told you the quality of what you’re eating every day was related to & a predictor of the quality of your life?
We’ve all heard how important healthy eating is, but we all tend to put it on the back burner because we’re too focused on working harder in the gym & chronically dieting.
While I did hit several personal & fitness goals by just outworking my former self (to my demise in the long run) what I recognized was that by focusing on self love & my eating first, I didn’t have to work as hard in the gym anymore & discovered a number of other areas of my life became much easier & better to manage.
I’ve lost 55lbs in my lifetime, put my Crohn’s disease in remission, & live med-free via the carnivore woe (way of eating).
One positive change led to another that created an almost domino effect of favorable results in my life, ultimately leading to a more well-balanced, happier life!
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, motivational speaker & writer, & brand growth consultant working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to optimize life to attract health, wealth, & happiness. Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com
When we think of weight loss & happy living, the immediate reaction is to downgrade our food, increase exercise, work ourselves to death & become deprived for the rest of our lives.
Well, that’s one way to pursue weight loss & success, & it might work for some. But at what expense?
I spent a big chunk of my life that way — a very long & hard pursuit in my 20’s & most of my 30’s.
You end up putting weight back on, becoming miserable & embarrassed about your body. You chase all the wrong things & end up pissed off & unhappy wondering if this is all there is to life? One struggle bus after the other.
If you have been dieting & seem to feel like you’ve been unhappy & unfilled forever, not gaining any momentum, it’s time to flip the switch. It’s time to rewrite your story.
Thinking about health & happiness in terms of peace & fulfillment rather than scarcity will create a new environment for success in fitness & life!
It’s not about being as lean as possible. It’s not about being as monetarily rich as possible. It’s not about being married, or partnered, or single, or divorced, etc. It’s about love & savoring the journey!
What’s the point if you’re not enjoying life?
Here are some huge playmakers I’ve learned in the game of life! Get off the bench.
Your #1 focus should be on reducing stress & optimizing hormones.
Stress, anxiety & depression are huge factors that inhibit weight loss & quality of life. If you experience chronic, excess stress on a day-to-day basis, this needs to be at the top of your list. This also means eating well & ENOUGH. Chronic dieting is also a stress.
Sometimes it’s a challenge, well, because life – we need our jobs to make a living, or perhaps our children are driving us crazy. Do the best to control what you can control.
Elevated cortisol levels have a sneaky way of increasing your hunger & cravings for junk foods (or overeating good food sources, too!). This can easily escalate to overeating & weight gain.
Some natural alternatives that help mitigate stress & anxiety:
Spending time in nature, walking is always the answer
Listening to your favorite music while your kids are b*tchin
Exercising so you don’t punch the offending person (I recommend lifting weights)
Meditation, yoga, have a spa day
Stretching & massage (even if you have to do it yourself)
Spending time with animals (especially the cute ones)
Get more sleep & get movement in 1st thing in the morning before you eat.
Sh*tty sleep makes you tired throughout the day, throws hormones off, makes you hungrier, & causes you to give fux about things you most likely don’t need to give fux about. All can cause more fat gain.
A study in 2010 found that adding 3 hours of sleep resulted in burning 400 calories at night. Subjects who slept for 8.5 hours/night lost 60% less muscle than those with 5.5 hours of sleep/night. In addition, extra sleep helped them boost their metabolism.
Also, stop telling yourself you’re not a morning person. Knock out 20 minutes of movement 1st thing in the morning before you eat. When your body is in a fasted state, you are more likely to burn fat for energy since there isn’t any instant fuel available.
Lift weights & simply do sh*t you love to celebrate what your body can do.
I modify CrossFit classes + Lift & “body build” 5d/wk. Haven’t looked or felt better! Lifting heavy weights not only burns calories (because it takes a lot of energy to do this), but it helps you build extra muscle. This is important for us seasoned ladies, who lose muscle mass more rapidly as we age.
Lifting weights helps keep your bones strong & healthy & eliminates your chances of fat gain as menopause starts to creep (as in, belly pouches & weight gain as long as you are also prioritizing stress management & happy hormones).
The more muscle you have, the better you look nekkid & the more food you can eat because muscle allows you to burn extra calories at rest & throughout the day.
The hardest climbs lead to the best views.
I wake up early, get outside in the sun & nature as much as possible, walk 15k steps/d, eat plenty of protein & healthy fats via meat & eggs, & give gratitude for all that I have now & every mistake that has made me better.
It’s the struggles in life that shape us & determine who we become. My elderly patients & clients frequently tell me that they have finally been able to see their difficulties in life as sources of both strength & character. They are proud of the challenges they have faced & wish they had adopted this thinking when going through difficult times.
As one patient told me, “Just keep moving. Minutes of pain can lead to years of growth.” You can use this mindset to achieve your goals, both in life & fitness.
You are the main character of your life.
A lot of us forget that each of us has a different story. When we try to align our stories with what other people expect or want, that’s when we lose our own.
Think about dreams you want to fulfill. Whenever we don’t know what to do, we should ask ourselves, “Will this make me happy? Will it add legacy to my story & value to other people?”. “Rich & successful” mean different things to us all!
In your healthy living journey, remember that you are the main character. You don’t need to compare your results to others; they are your own! Your story will unfold, maybe just in a different way.
Embrace aging is inevitable, but living well with a young spirit & nourished vessel is a choice.
Resting doesn’t mean quitting.
Sometimes life gets really hard & common wisdom tells us to keep persisting. We should, but what’s often left out is that it is ok to take a break. Taking a break from challenges in our lives makes sure that we have the time & energy to come back with a better mindset. Taking a break does not have to mean “giving up”… it just means we’re re-energizing ourselves for a bigger comeback!
How does this lead to happier living? If you find yourself completely stressed out, take a break! It’s ok! You can meditate or just rest your mind & body. When you come back after this rest period, you’ll have a clearer mind & renewed purpose.
The secret to having it all is believing abundantly you already do! A healthy, happy mind & spirit mean a healthy, happy life. That also takes rest & presence.
It’s the little things & There’s no such thing as false hope.
Yeah, the big things are great but if you sit down & talk to the elderly, they rarely talk about what they’ve achieved. They speak of candid moments of generosity & kindness that they still remember, even decades later.
We often forget that making others happy can also help us become happier too. So be kind, both to others & yourself!
Hope is the desire that a situation or circumstance will turn out favorably. By its definition, it can’t be false. It’s either there or not there. Would you rather spend time with someone who lives a life of positivity & optimism or despair?
It is possible for you to become healthier, happier, more fit, etc…whatever you want is possible! Have faith because sometimes it’s all we have & you create your reality!
Share with a friend who needs this too!
There is a light inside all of us. No matter how hard we try to shove it down.
It glows. Always glows — even the faintest, no matter how dark it may seem.
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, & brand growth consultant working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to optimize life to attract health, wealth, & happiness. Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
The words cocoon & chrysalis are often used interchangeably. However, I learned they are 2 completely different things!
Cocoons are specific to moths, while chrysalises are formed by butterflies. When you compare the 2, although both beautiful in their own right, we attach vibrant beauty to the butterfly. They are more colorful.
I feel I am at a huge pivotal transformation time right now. I’m super anxious, curious, frustrated, excited, scared, confused, uncomfortable, appreciative, grateful, & joyful all at the same time.
I feel like I’m in a snow globe that’s continuously being shaken. And I’m OK with it, this is nothing new in the 40 years I’ve been on this earth, but at the same time it’s still uncomfortable af.
For me, I intuitively know myself extremely well, that means going inward & spending quality time in selective solitude.
It means grinding at what I do well to build a solid foundation of stability as well as resting to allow the blanket of peace to appease & rejuvenate holistically to contrast the hustle.
As an Empath, healer, & feeler, I have to be alone to center, ground, & find my process out of my chrysalis to discover & embrace my new season/path.
I soak up other people’s energies, trauma, & emotions easily, which means to find MY TRUE SELF & PATH, that means saying NO to that which feels heavy, resistant, misaligned, & a sacral (think gut feeling) NO.
I understand as an ever evolving people pleaser & overachiever this feels icky because you don’t want to disappoint or let anyone “down.”
Psychologists tell us we’re social animals, & therefore solid social connections are vital to mental & physical well-being. For those of us who naturally lean more towards introversion, we can be seen as antisocial, unhappy, & lonely to our more extraverted counterparts.
There’s a HUGE difference between loneliness & solitude in my opinion:
Loneliness is a negative feeling, lower on the emotional spectrum. It’s a sadness characterized by a sense of isolation. Solitude, on the other hand, is a physical & more often temporary period, one that can be undesirable for some, but for others is highly sought as a preference for some marvelous rejuvenation & much needed time for transformation.
Maybe you’re like me. I crave solitude. Especially when I’m around a lot of people often & large crowds. After a 12 hr shift (I work in radiology for those new around here), I have no more people juice left, I say. The last thing I wanna do is go out when I’m off work.
To be honest, my loneliest moments often come when I’m around others but feel on the outskirts of their social circle. This typically happens when I say yes to an event when I in fact know I should’ve said no.
While I can be comfortable in a small group or even a mass gathering for a stretch, ultimately I just love being alone.
Has it posed some challenges? I’d be lying if I said no. Seeking solitude has definitely probably closed some doors. I’m a GREAT networker when I wanna be, but I’m selective about those times.
I’m a responder by nature when it comes to communication which can make me come off as antisocial, stoic, or sometimes not the best friend or team player. But I thrive on my alone time & have found I am more successful & abundant in life when I follow the right path for me. I hope you do too!
I recognize the trade-offs & work to balance them so that I’m content & productive, even happy, while maintaining my most treasured relationships without coming off as “stuck up” or a cold-hearted bish. LOL!
In my opinion, solitude as a method of up leveling & self preservation is a SKILL.
Thuy-vy Nguyen, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at Durham University in England stated that individuals most likely to seek & value solitude are not introverts. Rather, they rank high in “dispositional autonomy,” defined by three tendencies:
Being the person they actually want to be
Being resistant to pressure from other people
Being interested in exploring their own experiences & emotions
So take what you need from this message & glimpse into my vulnerability as permission:
To say NO to what doesn’t feel aligned at the moment. To rest or grind & do whatever feels right to you. To say YES to what lights you up. To embrace the pause. To change your mind.
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, brand growth consultant, & connection maker working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to organize/optimize life for better health, increased wealth & happiness! Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life! Katie currently resides in Fishers, IN where she has worked in the health, sales, and nutrition field for over 17 years. You can find her on Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit
After 40 years, I realized I had it all wrong for decades. In fact there are STILL a lot of humans on this Earth living for the wrong reasons like the 7 deadly sins : Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, & Pride.
Remember the movie, Seven? How f*cked up & powerful at the same time was that?!
The secret to a happy life wasn’t looking a certain way or weighing a specific tiny number displayed on a dirty box that sat on my floor — it had more to do with purpose, fulfillment, & the energy behind decisions, habits, & behaviors.
I thought about it today, if I wanted to live my best life, I needed to address these 7 things…the C’s.
Some basic universal needs can help us live our best lives.
I don’t need to live a lavish, flashy life to live my own slice of heaven right here & now. Every day I make magic.
I listened to a podcast yesterday & it blew me away when I heard them say, “People have it all wrong when they say they die & go to heaven if they did everything “right.” You do it “right” when you make your every day reality heaven.”
When our universal needs are met, we can flourish right now. These needs go beyond the fundamental requirements and help us stay engaged & motivated in our personal & professional lives.
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, & brand growth consultant working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to optimize life to attract health, wealth, & happiness. Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Up and at’em early! Success habits are everything and they make YOU!
SWIPE for my success tips that will help you become healthier, wealthier, & happier! These are solutions I teach you as a client. Coaching FAQ’s LINK HERE if you need help, too
Aristotle stated those 15 famous words. And for most of my life, I didn’t believe him.
I fought against cultivating good habits & routines because I didn’t want to feel like I had to live my life by other people’s rules. I wanted to be my own person & do my own thing. Besides, keeping a routine was hard work, right?! Know what I discovered?
Having no routine or structure is so much more draining mentally, physically, & emotionally than any routine could ever be!
By not doing the things I knew would make me better — habits like exercising, positive mindset, personal development, quality sleep, surrounding myself with high value people/uplifting environment, creating gratitude lists — I deprived my body & mind of the energy that these types of positive activities create.
I felt tired…inside & out. To make matters worse, my dreams & goals were slipping away.
A few years ago I decided to take a different path…to listen to Aristotle & WORK on creating excellence in my life by establishing a positive daily routine & intention setting ritual.
LIFE TRUTHS 1.) You will never become the person you want to be if you don’t take care of your body. 2.) You are the sum of your surroundings. 3.) A wish is not a goal. EXECUTE. 4.) The most important relationship you have is with yourself. The beauty is in the mess. EMBRACE it. 5.) Rich is in the eye of the beholder. 6.) The most important food in the world is soul food. Your life is a field of dreams. And like a farmer, you only reap an abundant harvest if you nurture the soil.
Tips on how I optimize a more peaceful, successful, & abundant af life!
Work smarter not harder.
@instacart & @amazon prime same day delivery. Saves time, money, stress, & energy. Allows you to get other sh*t done during your day without having to run errands.
Workout 1st thing in the morning. Get up early. Have a success routine nailed down. No excuses. Walk after meals, set an alarm every 20-30 minutes to get up & walk around, take the stairs, & park further back in parking lots.
Get easy tasks & must do‘s done 1st. Work 1st, play later.
Use clear storage bins & containers to help organize closets, shelves, cabinets, pantry’s & drawers. Purge every week unnecessary items & any items attached to old energy no longer serving you.
Organize shelves, cabinets, drawers, pantry’s, & closets by color. It creates a beautiful aesthetic look & you know exactly where to find things.
Clean 1 area of your home every day. No dirty dishes in the sink. Make your bed. Declutter. Simplicity is bliss.
Get movement & steps in while your food cooks. Sometimes I do a mini workout with bodyweight or dumbbells while my meat Airfrys
If you travel often, have pre-packed bags with essentials ready to grab & go. I have an overnight bag with me at all times, kept in my car & closet.
I lay clothes out for the next day, brush my teeth in the shower, set my coffee on auto brew. It speeds up the process.
I delegate things I don’t like to do or hire it done.
Have ready to go meals or snacks. I keep a freezer full of meat & packets of tuna just in case I don’t have time to go to the store. My go to‘s traveling are stopping to grab a rotisserie chicken or plain burger patties or chicken breasts at a fast food restaurant if I have to.
Outer order, inner calm. An organized clean environment welcomes & attracts more abundance.
The most successful people are organized, honest, service driven, prioritize their health & education, & communicate effectively.
I spend my time working on improving my health, environment, attracting wealth, educating myself & others, & embracing different ways to utilize my gifts to better other peoples lives.
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, brand growth consultant, & connection maker working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives.
She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to organize/optimize life for better health, increased wealth & happiness!
Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, fitness, & nutrition.
After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
Katie currently resides in Fishers, IN where she has worked in the health, sales, and nutrition field for over 17 years.
You can catch her on the daily via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit
You see, I used to be made fun of because I was the smart girl & was shy.
I read — A LOT…because it helped me escape.
I used to hide it.
As I aged, I realized the importance of being a forever student & figuring out the best ways for me to learn, comprehend, & APPLY the knowledge to daily life.
You can read all the books & listen to all the podcasts in the world but if you can’t comprehend AND apply the knowledge you learn, you’re wasting your time. Knowledge + ACTION = Power.
If you don’t like to read, listen to audiobooks & podcasts & take notes! You’re more likely to remember & comprehend the material.
Ex: I’m a busy body, so I listen to many audiobooks & podcasts while cleaning, cooking, walking, driving, & in between patients at work.
It’s a part of my daily morning routine, called #habitstacking I take notes on my notes page on my phone & on paper for review.
We don’t know everything, but everyday we have opportunity to learn! Utilize your time wisely.
I know when it’s time to rest, however, the majority of my days are spent investing in myself whether via exercise, learning, self care, service, reading, podcasts, optimizing my day, tackling my to do list, creating, helping others, & aligning to opportunities for extra income so I have more time & freedom to love & live life joyfully.
I align to as much abundance as possible so that I can give back to others less fortunate. From my brain & bookshelves to you, some of my favorite books/podcasts/YouTube’s.
A multitude I want to put here! And like me (& you), this list is ever-changing & evolving!
@lil_bit_of_fit ‘s Live Your Best Life List If you’re ready to begin again, start here!
Sharing my list!
GRATITUDE & MINDSET: Name off at least 3 things you’re grateful & do at least one thing that brings you joy. Smile more. Compliment more. Do at least one nice thing for someone every day. Make a vision board or list on Pinterest & fill it with visions, quotes, pictures, & expanders of the life, love, body, & person you desire to embody. Believe you are worthy & deserving. Listen to positive podcasts, read books, surround yourself with extraordinary people & nurturing environment.
HEALTH: Get a walk or some kind of movement done 1st thing in the morning. Be intentional about getting 10K steps/d. Choose nourishing food that does not cause any negative physical or mental triggers. Eat slow & mindfully. Hit your protein grams/d. At least 30-50g/meal. Average 2-3 meals/d, no snacking. Let your carbs & fat grams fall where they will. Eat at your maintenance calories the majority of the year. Hydrate. Walk after meals, even 10 minutes. Eat your largest meal & carbs (if you eat them) after your workout & taper meal sizes off later in the day. Moderate caffeine & alcohol. Strength train 3-4 x/week. Use HIIT cardio wisely.
SELF: Do sh*t you love everyday, fill your cup. Sleep 7-8 hrs/night. Take rest days. Sweat, get sunshine & nature as much as you can. Live by the 4 agreements: Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don’t Take Anything Personally, Don’t Make Assumptions, Always Do Your Best.
WEALTH: LOVE what you do. Spend & invest wisely. Find out what you love to do & get paid well for it. Realize you work to live not live to work. Money is good, it’s energy & freedom. Give back. Wealth means more than just money in the bank. Make decisions from a source of love not greed or loathing. You deserve a life of abundance!
RELATIONSHIPS: Connect with your people. Make memories! Tell people you love them. Communicate efficiently & often. Seek first to understand before judging. Your network is your net worth. Every opportunity is a networking opportunity, carpe diem, savor the present.
That’s it. There’s mine. Make your own! Remember motivation is fleeting, but you have the choice to be a person who keeps commitments to themselves!
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
WTF is considered middle-aged anyways nowadays? I remember when I thought 30 was old?!
Who doesn’t love a good leopard print? Amazon find 🙂
I have a big birthday coming up, the BIG 4-0! For many, this is a death sentence. It’s all downhill from here…
…like you magically turn the page, become less attractive, less desirable, boring – kind of like an old penny you find on the ground.
But for me, I feel a sense of pride & appreciation for my body & my life at this point. Every wrinkle, scar, sun spot, stretch mark & dimple of cellulite, baby. Let’s throw a couple divorces in there, too. LOL.
(I did LOL)
They all tell my story.
Did you know my friends used to call me “Momma Cougar” after my FIRST divorce?
–those are stories for another day (& another drink).
What can I say?! I’ve historically been attracted to younger men. My last husband, yes, SECOND divorce, was 10 years younger than me.
Amazing man, really, I did pick a good one. No need to end things on bad terms. Remember that thing I preach? Learn to let people go with a loving heart. Your life will be more peaceful that way, I promise.
Other things that will make your life more peaceful: treat your body & mind like a temple, ladies.
Eat well, lift weights, be happy, do sh*t you love, don’t wait on anyone or anything, always remember your worth, & remind yourself you ain’t got time to teach, try to change someone, shrink to their level, or be someone’s mom.
Change takes time y’all. I’m 3 years “Carnivore” with my lifestyle & healthier than ever!
I call myself “Vintage.”
Vin·tage /ˈvin(t)ij/
of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality : CLASSIC
There are 10 years between these 2 photos. Like a fine wine, bitches,
Does my life look different than I thought it would at 20? Hell to the mf, YES!
I thought I’d be happily married, 2 kids, a dog, white picket fence, workin a 9-5 M-F, still doin Jazzercise at church. When in reality, I happily live alone in an apartment with my cat, Pete. I’m divorced, kidless, have more hats on my coat rack when it comes to jobs than you can shake a stick at.
Unapologetically living life in hair extensions & lashes somewhere between scrubs & leggins. I’m clothed in purpose, smashing #meatbars with my 2 boyfriends, Al & Abe (my airfryers) on the daily.
I love every minute of it & I laugh.
I laugh because life is funny. You think you can control every outcome with precision as long as you do everything PERFECT. As long as you make all the “right” choices, it’ll go as planned. Doesn’t matter if it’s with love, money, or your body. It applies across the board. Just roll with it.
Thing is, I’ve aged, but I’m not aged. I think and feel and breathe like I always have. I’ve grown wiser, but not stupid. There’s still a ton of dreams that will be realized, adventures to be had, and a life to be lived.
I hope you feel that way, too.
My advice?
Keep going. Be your best YOU. Take every day as a blessing. Tomorrow is not promised. The best is yet to be, even if today is in shambles.
Yesterday is a bridge to nowhere, but tomorrow is a bridge to everywhere.
Carpe Diem!
I’ll leave you with some life lessons because, well, that’s how I roll.
No aesthetic #glowup & extensions can overshadow the lessons you’ll learn with life. I hope these spark a thought-provoking flame for your own reflection.
Unapologetically Be Yourself
I too feel the word “authentic” gets thrown around & over used nowadays, but it still doesn’t discredit its truth & power. I’ve learned no one can be me & it takes way too damn much energy to try & be someone else. What happens is you lose yourself & attract the wrong kinds of people in your life.
Success is Not Defined by Numbers, Titles, Productivity, & Achievement
I am worthy simply because I exist. Not because of my weight, the titles before or after my name, how many hours I’ve worked, my relationship status, or numbers of likes or followers. Success is defined by me, happiness is defined by me, relationships are defined by me, Joy is defined by me & I create my reality.
Love Shows Up For You Every Day Love shows up every single day if you let it y’all. Let go. It may not be in the exact form, person, or way that you think but it’s always there. Let the Universe take care of the how, why, & when. You just gotta roll with it & have fun on the journey to whatever it is that you want. Pay attention to the signs & pings that you’re drawn to, like places you’re drawn to, food you love, jobs, workouts & gyms that call to you, people that always show up in your life or your mind. Those are signs.
Take Time for You & Realize There’s A Big Difference Between Alone & Being Lonely
Remember when being alone was boring & scary af & you thought that made you a loser? My alone time now is like Church & something I’ve come to cherish. I have to have it to refresh. Taking time for myself is vital to all my relationships. You can’t serve anyone with an empty cup.
Just Do It
I’ve most definitely learned that magical things come from working outside of one’s comfort zone. I admit I LOATHE being a beginner. I wanna be a master of everything like right now. Starting new jobs are extremely hard but I know as soon as I find my groove I rock whatever is thrown my way. Fear of failing, fear of embarrassing myself, fear of exposing myself stifled me for decades. Now, it might take me some time to pursue something, I may have to figure some sh*t out first, but I will never have a dream I don’t follow because I don’t believe in myself.
Be Present, Speak Up, Gratitude, Always
Being present – really fckin hard for me too. I miss out on the beauty of the now when I don’t slow down tho. Take time to pause. Literally tell myself this numerous times a day. Speaking up & standing strong in my beliefs also plagued this recovered people pleasing crowd follower back in the day. You just end up a watered down version of yourself. Gratitude is always the answer, like walk. If in doubt, walk, you’ll hear me say. Every single day is a blessing & I don’t dare take that for granted. In the last 10 years, I’ve witnessed how precious life & health are. I look for little ways to celebrate everything, I wake up & say thank you to the Universe & God every morning. I tell my plants, appliances, & my cat Pete I love them. I know, I know…I’m a special kind of weird. I make a point of reflecting on the people & things I’m grateful for…and THIS my friends, all of THIS in its collective has made all the difference.
Cheers to defining your own life . Here’s to many more years of awesomesauceness! (Yup made that up)
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
She told me, “Once I lose the weight I know I’ll find the right guy & the right job because I’ll be happier & more confident.”
I felt her emotion in my soul, that was me at one time, too.
I thought as long as I shrunk myself to the smallest version possible I would, then & only then, finally be happy in the depths of my disordered eating & abusive relationship with myself.
Somehow I convinced myself by controlling my body, I held the power.
Guess what?
Life kicked me in the face repeatedly.
However, despite the painful experiences of sickness, mental/physical heaviness of being obese, pain of living with Crohn’s, failed relationships, men cheating on me, ME cheating on myself – I gained awareness of my strengths & weaknesses.
I learned about communication, humility, compassion, empathy, self love, pride, proper nourishment, fitness, mindset, purpose, & the true meaning of wealth & happines.
I had one job I hated so much I wanted to cry every morning. I resigned after 2 months because I was stressed & miserable. I felt like the biggest failure & fell into a depression.
I didn’t know my purpose or what the f*ck I was supposed to be doing with my life. I didn’t know how to become the best version of myself.
I dove head first into researching & learning from resources & mentors such as The Secret, Abraham Hicks, Lacy Phillips @tobemagnetic , Bob Proctor, Wayne Dyer, Napoleon Hill, Dr. Joe Dispenza.
I learned about how I was wired, to embrace & accept myself thru researching my enneagram, astrology signs, human design, & Myers Briggs.
I learned that the statement, “I’ll be happier when”…
– was total bullsh*t.
You’ll find the right guy/girl, the right job, the body, the health, insert whatever you desire here __________ — when you learn you attract & manifest everything you want by choosing to be happy & confident right now, despite the circumstances.
Some of life experiences you might relate to…
I know people who some would be categorized as “larger, less attractive, &/or less successful” by society’s standards than other “slimmer, more attractive, &/or more successful” & they are the happiest, most fulfilled, rich, & have the most nurturing wonderful relationships I have ever seen.
This has zero fux to do about their size & everything to do about their beliefs about themselves, their abundance mindset, & commitment to making decisions to constantly create a better human.
They f*cking rock life because they love themselves & the Universe rewards them so.
You have the power to create the life & attract whatever you want simply by learning to love yourself, focus on what makes YOU happy, what brings YOU joy, & choosing to keep commitments to yourself from a loving heart.
Learn the lessons or they will repeat themselves until you do.
You matter simply because you exist not for what you look like.
Not every relationship is meant to last forever, & that’s OK, enjoy the season & experiences.
Not every job is meant to last forever, just the same as relationships.
Love is the most nourishing & essential nutrient of life. Without it life has a little meaning. And this could be love for yourself, love for a greater purpose, or love for another. It is the most important thing we have to give freely & the most valuable thing we can receive.
Our job is to reject love or a life that is lackluster, abusive, emotionally damaging, or vanilla. Step up to plate of your desires & knock that ball out of the park.
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
here. Confessions of another dirty bathroom photo.
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.
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.
“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.”
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
