A Guide On How I Fixed My Fat Loss Levers: Leptin Resistance, Insulin Resistance, & Cortisol Balance Hacks

Here’s why I wrote this story…

I got to a point in my fitness & health journey where whatever I did, even if I bought expensive appetite suppressants, I couldn’t stop eating.

With Crohn’s, hell there were days I didn’t know what to eat because everything seemed to irritate my gut & I was still gaining weight, despite fasting all the time.

Here’s how I lost 60lbs & put my Crohn’s & bulimia in med-free remission here. It’ll answer many of your questions.

The inflammation & weight gain made me want to eat less & workout more, further exacerbating my terrible relationship with food & exercise. I empathize with y’all struggling.

When I was younger, I was following a low-fat, high-carb diet. Fat was the devil. I also observed this undesirable situation happening to friends, family, coworkers, & fellow athletes.

The reasons we couldn’t shed the body fat were ultimately malfunctioning or unbalanced hormonal issues. More explicitly 👉 leptin resistance, insulin resistance, & imbalanced cortisol.

Symptoms of leptin resistance, for example, might include:

The inability to lose weight even with calorie restriction & extreme exercise
Extreme cravings for food even if you’ve recently eaten
Persistent weight gain despite attempts at weight loss
Lower than normal body temperature & resting heart rate
Presence of other hormone imbalances (including hypothyroidism, estrogen dominance, low progesterone, low testosterone, or high cortisol)

In this story, my story, & maybe it rings true for your story, I explain why leptin resistance, blood sugar control & cortisol balance matter for fat loss & metabolic health.

Here’s how I fixed mine & created a healthy lifestyle I love!

Keep in mind, some people with underlying health conditions might need medical intervention & support. Therefore, just adjusting our lifestyle might not work for some of us. This is not medical advice or a prescription, simply things I’ve learned & how I improved my health!

BONUS: I created a guide of biohacking products & services {+ discount codes 😉 } that changed my life here!

Here’s How I Fixed My Leptin Resistance & Helped Balance Blood Sugar & Cortisol

What is leptin, and why does leptin resistance matter?

Like other hormones, leptin is also highly complex. However, I feel we don’t need to know the details unless we work as medical specialists in a field. Lets keep this as simple as possible but still have a solid understanding of the what, why, & how behind it. It is easy for us to manage & optimize with healthy lifestyle changes. Its implications can be invaluable for appetite management & preventing undesirable fat gain leading to metabolic disorders.

Leptin is a hormone that signals the brain we consume enough food. In addition to being a signaling hormone, leptin also regulates energy balance & counteracts the hunger hormone called ghrelin.

Unfortunately, if leptin does not function correctly, we will continue eating & consuming excess calories, which turns into visceral fat. Consequently, this condition can imbalance other hormones & lead to metabolic disorders.

Excess calories might be from carbs, fats, or proteins. However, the ones from carbs can much more quickly turn into fat molecules, & they accumulate, leading to obesity.

When leptin signals work properly, we stop eating naturally as the brain triggers feelings of satiety. Having a leptin-sensitive body prevents us from overeating.

However, leptin resistance is an agonizing health condition if it persists. It prevents the brain from receiving satiety signals causing emotional food consumption of more than what we need.

A leptin-resistant body might lead to binge eating due to the constantly activated hunger hormone ghrelin.

When the body is leptin resistant, the ghrelin hormone creates hunger feelings so strong that we might feel like starving even though the body has adequate stored energy.

This awful & paradoxical feeling encourages us to eat emotionally even if we physically have more energy than needed to survive.

Overeating, unfortunately, causes weight gain, might lead to obesity, & cause metabolic disorders such as type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, & even some cancers.

Based on my past experiences of struggling with weight gain, Crohn’s disease, gut & inflammatory issues, here are shifts that helped me improve leptin sensitivity, lose body fat, & gain my health back!

**My points are not prescriptive, as they might not apply to everyone. However, I emphasize the critical principles here so y’all can learn & can customize these protocols based on your needs.**

Optimized blood sugar via a meat based “carnivore” diet approach

My first step was to optimize blood sugar & prevent frequent & prolonged insulin spikes. When my blood sugar suddenly dropped, I faced an extreme sense of hunger & craved unhealthy foods like processed foods. I want y’all to understand this process, so dietary changes make sense.

Our bloodstream needs glucose to cater to the energy requirements of cells, tissues, & organs. If the amount passes the threshold, the body perceives the glucose as “toxic” & quickly acts to eliminate it. The pancreas releases insulin hormone & causes the glucose to be quickly removed from the bloodstream.

The first preference is muscles, as they are critical for survival. If muscles don’t need glucose, the body sends the excess glucose to fat cells by converting glucose to fat molecules.

Consequently, our fat cells grow by accumulating visceral fat, especially in the abdominal area. Muffin top ring a bell?

Optimized blood sugar & prevented insulin spikes by reducing carbs

When muscles and other organ cells stop responding to insulin signals to utilize glucose, a condition called “insulin resistance” occurs. The pancreas creates more insulin to manage elevated glucose. One of the causes of insulin resistance is hyperinsulinemia.

The culprit to raise blood glucose & cause sudden insulin spikes is the overconsumption of refined carbs. Too much protein can also cause more insulin spikes but not as much as refined carbs.

So my dietary solution to optimize my blood glucose & reverse insulin resistance was to cut all refined carbs, particularly bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, candy, & any sugary beverages.

This step primed my body to optimize glucose & make it more insulin sensitive. However, the 2nd step sustainably contributed to making it more leptin sensitive after having an insulin-sensitive body.

Increased healthy fats and bioavailable proteins via a meat based “carnivore” diet

When doing my research, I learned that there were 2 critical factors determining the relationships between dietary fats & leptin.

The 1st factor is leptin is made up of fat molecules. The 2nd is that leptin informs satiety in the brain when we consume food containing fat in each meal. It keeps us fuller, faster. Leptin also relates to the overall body fat percentage.

Those with higher fat should have more leptin, however, we need to understand the issue of leptin resistance in obese people. Leptin resistance means that the body & brain become unable to respond to this critical hormone so we keep eating more than we need.

One of the root causes of leptin resistance is not consuming enough healthy fats, optimal protein, & too many carbs. Therefore, when I started eating more healthy fats & more bioavailable proteins, my satiety increased, cravings & inflammation decreased, & hormones started balancing out. I no longer binged or craved carbs.

This solution stopped my hunger pangs. I felt great satiety after each meal. I understood more fully my poor emotional relationship with carbs & sugar. I relate it to being an alcoholic. I can’t have one cookie or cake, I’m an addict. You don’t tell an alcoholic it’s ok, just have a drink. Understood?

Nowadays, even if I eat OMAD (one meal a day) for several days, I don’t feel any cravings & don’t consume food emotionally. I only eat when I physically feel hungry.

My diet consists of primarily red ruminant meats like beef & lamb, occasional chicken, turkey, & pork, seafood, eggs, occasional daily (butter/cheese/milk), organic coffee, water, electrolytes, & occasional social alcohol in the form of bourbon or vodka.

The next step focused on reducing oxidative stress & chronic inflammation. With Crohn’s disease these are CRITICAL!

Improved sleep quality, lowered stress, prioritized self care & “biohacking“

During my research of metabolic hormones causing weight gain, I discovered that the 3rd cause of leptin resistance was sleep deprivation & stress – basically a f*cked up sleep routine & not being able to chill out. They caused both increased cortisol & blood sugar. This was an eye-opener for me.

The solution to balance insulin & cortisol was restorative sleep, self care, & whatever the hell I had to do to chill out, detox, & slow down to lower oxidative stress & chronic inflammation. When I got restorative sleep, my chronic stress & inflammation all but disappeared. As a result, my hunger pangs & food cravings diminished & gradually ended too. Which is why I say NO to going out when I don’t have the energy. My health suffers.

I now incorporate infrared sauna, red light therapy, grounding (earthing) mats, blue blocking glasses, get outside in nature & the sunlight as much as possible, & reduce toxins in my beauty, food, & home products as much as possible too. Biohacking products all posted in my IG highlights & codes in link in IG bio!

Why Stress & Cortisol are Making You Fat

What is Cortisol & why does it matter?

Cortisol is a hormone, which as levels rise in response to stressors, not only affects our blood glucose, but influences our physical & psychological processes including fat loss.

Stressors can include things like:

Under eating
Over exercising
Relationship stress, kids
Job stress
Trigger foods, gut issues
Lack of quality sleep
Over caffeinating, Alcohol
Fasting too long

The direct effect cortisol has on insulin is a big contributing factor to weight & fat gain.

For example:

Elevated cortisol levels stimulate gluconeogenesis, the breakdown of non-carbohydrate sources like protein into glucose. This will increase our blood glucose even on low carb diets. If prolonged, this can lead to changes in appetite regulating hormones like leptin & ghrelin, causing us to eat more than we need.

How can we minimize stressors?

Eat enough food for optimal body function & activity. Typically called our true maintenance calories. You can use the TDEEcalculator.net to find yours.
No chronic dieting or yo-yo dieting. Periodize nutrition. Eat meat & healthy fats. Minimize processed food.
Get to sleep! 7-9 hrs of quality per night.
Limit caffeine intake to mornings only.
Cultivate a positive environment & monitor what you consume from social media, to food, people, tv, books, podcasts, etc. GRATITUDE.
Take time for self care. No excessive fasting, find an optimal fasting window for you. Most do well 12-16 hrs overnight.
Recover from workouts efficiently, take rest days, walk.

Here’s my daily routine. I created a guide for you!

The best pre-workout: sleep, proper hydration & electrolytes

The best fat burner: sleep, stress management, & a calorie deficit

The best workout & training plan: The one that you’ll do & stick with longer than 2 weeks.

The best diet: The one that you’ll do & stick with longer than 2 weeks. (Meat-based for people with gut issues, autoimmune needs, & emotional issues with food addiction & carbs imo.)

The best protein & multivitamins: meat, eggs, & healthy fats from animal sources.

Realize the body you want requires you to eat more & lift heavy stuff, not living in a constant state of restriction & extremes. Your weight & what you look like are the least most interesting things about you. You can look good nekkid at any weight, it’s about perception & confidence. Health looks good on everyone.

Why Your Blood Sugar May Be Affecting Your Fat Loss

Tools I’ve Used To Check Mine

Keto Mojo: checks both ketones & blood glucose. Has app, blue tooth, syncs with phone, got mine off Amazon.

Nutrisense Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM): my top pick. Painless application, has app, syncs with phone, no pricking your finger, continuous monitoring, access to their nutritionists. Discount Code: lilbitoffitCGM10

Times to Check Blood Glucose

Fasted 1st thing when you wake before any food or drink: to gain data & a biomarker of metabolic & hormonal health. This is when I weigh myself too.

2 hours after eating combo meals: to see how they interact with one another & affect your digestion & blood glucose. Quality & quantity matter. Ex: combos like carbs + protein +fat, high protein + low fat, high fat + lower protein, carbs + protein, carbs +fat, etc.

After eating singular foods: to see what spikes your blood sugar more than the other. Ex: like testing after eating carbs, diet pop, chewing gum, using sweetener, eating dairy, after a larger high protein meal, after a bolus of fat, etc.

After periods of stress: to see how your body handles stress. Ex: after a hard workout, a poor nights sleep, after a stressful life experience, etc.

FAQ’s & Tips To Help

What can I use to track? I’ve used a keto mojo & my top pick is a NutriSense CGM. You can get a simple glucometer from your local drugstore too. Discount Code: lilbitoffitCGM10

What range should my blood sugar be for optimal body fat loss? I like MINE in that 70-90/dL range fasting. Normal fasting ranges will vary but for most are in the 70-100 range. Mine tends to run higher, around 85-100 while others may be lower around 65-80. Lifestyle, genetics, & environmental factors all matter & can affect ranges.

How long should I wait after meals to check my glucose? I recommend checking prior to your meal then 1-2 hours after eating for your “peak” levels.

What diet works best for food/sugar addiction? Low carb & meat-based hands down in my opinion.

What are normal blood sugar levels?

They’re less than 100 mg/dL after not eating (fasting) for at least 8 hours. And they’re less than 140 mg/dL 2 hours after eating. During the day, levels tend to be at their lowest just before meals. For most people without diabetes, blood sugar levels before meals hover around 70 to 80 mg/dL. For some people, 60 is normal; for others, 90. Again, we’re all different.

Why does it matter if my blood sugar is high, like around 120-200ish sometimes?

It is very important to keep your blood sugar level under control. It affects everything really, mood, fat loss, weight gain, hunger, satiety, energy, performance, sleep, etc. When your blood sugar level is high, it can cause damage in your veins & arteries. This damage could lead to complications later such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, neuropathies, vision problems, etc.

What foods spike my sugar most? What food has carbohydrates? Carbs typically spike blood sugar the most, then protein, then fat. Fruits, starchy veggies, milk, dairy, yogurt, rice, cereals, bread, grains, basically think anything sweet all have carbs. High glycemic foods affect glucose the most, ex: bread, cereal, candy, baked goods, fruit, honey, rice, crackers, cookies, rice cakes, sugar, pancakes, waffles, potatoes, corn, most processed foods.

If it is sugar free, I can eat as much as I want, right? SF foods can be part of your diet in moderation. Abstainers typically do better abstaining from any carbs, sugar, or SF substitutes. Many cause gut issues like bloating, constipation, & pain due to added fibers, fillers, gums, sugar alcohols & artificial sweeteners. Some of these foods still have carbs (in the form of other sweeteners such as sorbitol, isomalt, & mannitol) & may affect your glucose levels.

Things That Elevate Blood Sugar You May Be Overlooking

Coffee: Increases adrenaline, cortisol (stress hormones) & blood sugar which can cause a release from our liver glycogen even when fasting. This was one thing I tested, luckily black coffee only affected my blood sugar like 2-5 points. Best to drink with food 90 minutes after waking for more optimal hormone balance.

Fasting too long: Again, increases body stress which increases your cortisol level which will cause liver glycogen to be released & your blood sugar to rise. Are you waking up in the middle of the night? Is your fasting AM blood sugar high (>95)? Try eating more, shorten fasting windows

Dehydration: Less blood volume=higher concentrations of glucose in the blood. Shoot for 1/2 your body weight in Oz of water daily.

Over exercising, under eating, &/or eating trigger foods: All huge stressors on the body which increase cortisol & thus blood glucose.

Carbs: No they’re not the devil. Typically it’s our relationships with them & our habits that are. Carbs do keep us calm by serotonin & cortisol. Our tolerances vary bioindividually. Typically in a healthy individual the more active the more carbs we require & tolerate. Carbs do spike your insulin higher than protein or fats. Carbs obviously spiked my blood sugar higher than any other food even experimenting consuming 2lbs of a high-protein meal. 3 rice cakes spiked my insulin to 160. The 2lbs of beef #meatbars spiked my insulin to 130.

Artificial sweeteners & sweet beverages: If it tastes sweet typically it will cause a reaction in your body & spike your blood sugar to some degree. I’m all about moderation but don’t have the majority of your diet full of diet foods & Splenda just to save a few calories & carbs. They lack in micronutrients which your body needs to function properly. In my experience with the CGM, they did elevate my blood glucose slightly but not very much, maybe 5 to 10 points max.

Alcohol: I’m just leaving this one there, y’all this is common sense. The higher the calorie, the higher the sugar, the higher the carbs the more it is going to spike your blood glucose. The “worst” options are beer, wine, sugary cocktails like White Russians, margaritas, Mojito‘s, Long Island iced teas, etc. I know it’s heartbreaking right ?!

Sleep: Not only does this disrupt your satiety & hunger hormones like a leptin & Ghrelin which can cause you to crave carbs & feel like a bottomless pit, it also spikes your blood sugar, & your performance, fitness goals & recovery suffer. I found lack of sleep, not getting sunlight, & high intensity workouts especially fasting were the biggest culprits that spiked my blood sugar & made me feel like trash. Get outside at sunrise, take sun breaks midday. Use blue blocking glasses. Reduce caffeine. Utilize red light therapy. I have an @emrtekinc Firewave light. Discount Code: lilbitoffit20

Helpful Charts

Conclusions and Takeaways

In summary, I owe a healthier, leaner body to 3 simple lifestyle habits:

The 1st was to refrain from refined carbs & sugar.
The 2nd was to increase healthy fats & consume adequate bioavailable proteins via a meat “carnivore” based woe.
And the 3rd was to get restorative sleep, reduce stress, & increase self care via “biohacking.”

However, I also incorporated a 4th solution, which was time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting. It indirectly contributed to making my body more leptin sensitive because it made it insulin sensitive & fat-adapted, too. No excessive fasting, I am intentional & follow my body’s natural hunger cues. I fast 14-20 hrs overnight on avg. Just wanted to create awareness. It’s optional as it might not be feasible for everyone & might not be needed if the 3 mentioned steps are in place.

When we make the body insulin & leptin sensitive, keeping a healthy weight can be a breeze. Therefore, we might not need expensive supplements, fad diets, or excessive exercise. Thank you for reading my perspectives & experiences! I wish y’all the healthiest, happiest, & most badass life ever!

Like this blog? Find it helpful? Interested in trying carnivore & fasting with me? Join my coaching community & book a coaching call!

{I also provide you with a recipe book, Meat & Macros Guide & 2 workout plans!}

oxox Coach K

bio carnivore lilbitoffit katie kelly indiana fishers

Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of healthcare, fitness, & personal development.

You can find her personal weight loss & healing story here.

She’s been involved in travel nursing & radiography for 20 years! She’s a writer, connection maker, nutritionist, & entrepreneur who loves helping others & squeezing every drop out of life!

Katie grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture & healthcare were her first loves.

She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation with weight loss & Crohn’s disease.

She competed as a competitive CrossFit athlete in her early 30’s. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, & hormonal imbalances, she is passionate about helping others find self-love, achieve their health & business goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!

You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit : http://www.instagram.com/lil_bit_of_fit

June 7, 2023June 7, 2023

A Simple Guide to Fasting And Why It Isn’t Working For You Especially With A Disordered Eating History

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This guide has now passed thousands of views! Big thank you to everyone who continues to share (my posts & your story too) & be a big part of my life as my digital family!

You guys make my days so much brighter & I hope you know how much you mean to me!

I’ve lost 55 lbs thanks to carnivore & intermittent fasting! Follow me on Instagram (@lil_bit_of_fit) to see my day-to-day journey with living a meat-based life as a busy xray tech & 40 year old athlete with Crohn’s Disease.

Interested in trying carnivore & fasting with me? Join my coaching community & book a coaching call! I also provide you with a recipe book, Meat & Macros Guide & 2 workout plans!

I tried every diet in the book to lose weight & heal my gut issues. While I did see occasional results, I eventually couldn’t sustain it and then yo-yo’d. IF & carnivore have been the simplest and most manageable way I have found to improve my health & fitness (and stick with it).

This post is intended for my friends (and friends of friends) who have been following my health journey on Instagram, Facebook, or have asked how to get started. Because the interest has been in the thousands (so amazing!), I’ve wanted to share this information more publicly.

In the interest of time, I’ve created this super quick educational start guide with a couple troubleshooting videos!

Let’s dive into fasting & why you may not be seeing results.

I see this oftentimes with all y’all chronically under eating, trying to do protein sparing modified fasting (PSMF) or OMAD (one meal a day) with a disordered eating history.

Tap for a short video on why fasting may not be working for you!

Yes, I prefer to utilize intermittent fasting. It works best for my digestion. I eat when I’m hungry & fast when I’m not. Typical fasting window is around 14-20hrs, biggest meal I consume after my workout in the am. I also love to incorporate fat & carb cycling.
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It is not necessary for you to fast to achieve your health and body goals no matter what diet you prefer.

Remember: health & happy hormones first.
⁣⁣

Here’s a previous video answering a client question talking about why fasting wasn’t working for her

Coaching FAQs Here if you’re needing help

What is intermittent fasting?⁣⁣

Intermittent fasting, also known as intermittent energy restriction, is simply an umbrella term for various meal timing schedules that cycle between voluntary fasting or reduced calorie intake and eating over a given period of time.

It is just a tool to help you to manage meal times & calorie intake, it is not a dirty word nor is it a quick fix or magic pill. There are 100 different ways to “fast” & everyone has their own “definition” of what they consider fasting. Some drink coffee & water, some don’t. Some use no calorie sweeteners, some don’t. There are more optimal times, situations, & schedules that are more effective & efficient. Make sure it fits easily into your lifestyle & schedule. Pick whatever suits your needs. Remember adherence & consistency are always keys!

Most utilize the 16/8 or 14/10 or 12/10 windows. (Fast 16 hrs/eat 8) You can also periodically fast 24 hrs or longer. I personally do NOT do extended fasts.

16/8, 14/10, 12/12 Protocols – Ex: Fast 16hrs/8hr eating window
OMAD – One meal a day, fast the rest
TMAD – Two meals a day, fast the rest
PSMF – Protein Sparing Modified Fasts: highly restrictive diet that involves severely limiting the intake of calories, carbs, & fat & consuming only lean (zero-low fat) protein
5:2 – Eat normal 5 days, restrict calories to 500-600 for 2 days
Eat Stop Eat – Eat normal for 5 days then fast for 24hrs for 2 days
4:3 or Alternate Day Fasting – Fast every other day, eat normal on non-fasting days
Skip Meals Spontaneously – skip meals when you’re not hungry

Will fasting help me lose body fat?

Why your story & background matter when it comes to fasting efficacy

Before we dive into fasting deets I want to reiterate & touch on WHY your story & food/dieting/health history matter when it comes to the experiences & results you get (or lack of).

Lets be honest, the main reason most people choose the Carnivore Diet & utilizing fasting is because they want fat loss. That’s fine, we all wanna look good nekkid, HOWEVER, the difference lies in our starting point: calorically, metabolically, hormonally, physiologically, mentally, emotionally – the whole picture.

I feel we really should approach any nutrition protocol from a health/healing perspective, first, aesthetic perspective, second.

Some of us come from the SAD (Standard American Diet), some have been dieting basically our entire lives & still think 1200 calories is the magic number for weight loss, some fear fat, some fear carbs, some are binge eating &/or suffering from disordered eating & still in denial, some come from Keto, some have been struggling with gut issues/autoimmune stuff for decades & really have no idea what they can eat.

All of these different stories & starting points impact the transition & adaptation to any diet. You do not have to fast at all if you don’t want to.

Usually I see two different stories, & thus experiences, when working with clients. We’ll call them Peter & Patty.

Are you Peter or Patty?

PETER

Peter is male, used to over consuming the typical SAD, dad bod (aka looks like he might lick something deemed “healthy” & work out occasionally but really loves tacos & would much rather smash a 6 pack vs have a 6 pack). Simply eating meat & cutting out all the other crap significantly reduces his caloric intake & the fat just falls off.

PATTY

Patty is female, lets say 30-40yrs old, habitual yo-yo dieter, excessive exerciser, wants to lose fat & build muscle but doesn’t wanna be “bulky” (sigh smdh), scared to eat more than 1200-1500 calories & gaining weight is one of her biggest fears.

She’s tried every diet in the book. Had some success with “Keto” (doesn’t really know what keto means but she’s eating less carbs right?!) but always falls off the wagon, stressful home life/ job, struggled with bloating & gut issues for years.

Her neighbor, Peter, looks great since carnivore, so she decides it’s gonna be the magic quick fix to all her issues. Sooo Patty stops tracking food (because she was told it didn’t matter on the carnivore diet) & starts smashin all the bacon, ribeyes, cheese, ribs, & chicken wings.

Her gut issues get better, the first week she dropped 3lbs, but now she’s about 6 weeks in & hungry, tired, & the scale is going up! So she decided to start fasting more, & ups her steps to 20k/d. (Further stressing her body out more btw).

She gives it another month with more weight gain. She wants to quit after a couple months despite her gut issues resolving. It doesn’t work she says, “I didn’t lose weight.”

Things that matter when choosing any diet, macros, calories, &/or fasting protocols

Things I need as a coach to help you figure out appropriate macros/diet/fitness/fasting approaches:

Age, Current Weight, Height⁣⁣
Training modalities⁣⁣ (how you prefer to workout. CrossFit vs running vs yoga vs Orange Theory vs walking vs Barre vs Bodybuilding vs power lifting etc)⁣⁣
Daily Activity ⁣⁣(steps, job, kids, schedules etc)⁣⁣
Training Frequency, Volume, Intensity ⁣⁣
Previous Dieting History⁣⁣ (disordered eating, low carb, high carb, low fat, have you been chronically dieting, eating surplus, etc)⁣⁣
Medical History⁣⁣ (allergies, IBD, IBS, gut issues, hormonal issues, cancer, thyroid, etc)⁣⁣
Your goals, preferences, special needs)⁣⁣
Mindset & mental health⁣⁣
Lifestyle⁣⁣ & Stress (kids, stressful job, shitty sleep, relationship problems, etc)

That’s a LOT of stuff, right? It’s not as simple as just picking a set of macro numbers, or calories, or a magic diet camp or fasting protocol. You are not a template or calculator, you’re a human. This is why we set up coaching consultations to help you!

indiana lilbitoffit maintenance calories chart carnivore reverse diet katie kelly — A BIG reminder, we should not be dieting any more than 1-2 times per year, no longer than 12-16 weeks. You should be chillin, eating at your maintenance calories, enjoying life and getting strong AF the majority of the year! Like this chart? Allllll the free content available on Instagram!

Why should I try fasting?⁣⁣

It’s simple, eating fewer times works better for your schedule, less thinking/measuring. Your lifestyle aligns w/your eating schedule. Helpful when in a calorie deficit to allot larger meals.⁣
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Metabolic flexibility. It will utilize the fuel from previous meals/glycogen first, then it will use your fat stores to fuel your day.⁣⁣

Hunger response. Are you bored or really hungry? You learn/feel the difference. A big reason I would utilize IF with clients. It helps connect with your body’s true hunger signals.⁣⁣

Benefits of fasting: hormone balance, reduced insulin resistance, risk of diabetes, inflammation, improved focus, gut health & digestion, fat loss in a calorie deficit.

Why it works for fat loss

While I will reiterate fasting is not a diet, it can help with fat loss goals by creating a calorie deficit in various ways:

Reduces the number of meals in a day

Helps create food rules to prevent over eating & snacking, especially for people who are abstainers

Helps reduce your weekly calorie average

Helps you feel & get back in tune with true hunger cues which helps prevent eating when you’re not truly hungry. Many of us eat out of learned habit like eating in front of the tv at night, eating desert just because it is available, or seeing/smelling/hearing food cook

When should I not fast?

You’re on the gain train. If you’re ok cramming 3-4000 calories down your pie hole in a short amount of time go for it. For most, IF protocols are utilized for eating less calories simply by decreasing feeding time.⁣⁣
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It screws with your mind & feels restrictive. Can’t sustain it easily & comfortably w/your lifestyle. If it increases cortisol/blood sugar/affecting your sleep/mood/energy negatively.

If you can’t feel fullness cues & eat past satiety & all you do is think about eating during your fasting — STOP! Try eating more frequent meals during the day.

Who should NOT fast &/or fasting is not ideal

Pregnant Women
Women who are nursing
People who are reverse dieting
People training for high performance
People who have abused or overly fasted
People who have chronically under eaten for an extended period of time (aka you’ve made chasing a smaller body your hobby)
People who are trying to gain muscle
Women a week before their cycle
People healing &/or struggling with adrenal insufficiency & fatigue
People with eating disorders &/or disordered eating habits, poor relationships with food, exercise, &/or body image where restriction is a huge trigger

Getting Started

Chances are that you’ve already done many intermittent fasts in your life.

If you’ve ever eaten dinner, then slept late and not eaten until lunch the next day, then you’ve probably already fasted for 16+ hours.

Some people instinctively eat this way. They simply don’t feel hungry in the morning.

Many people consider the 16/8 method the simplest and most sustainable way of intermittent fasting — you might want to try this practice first.

If you find it easy and feel good during the fast, then have fun, experiment and maybe try moving on to more advanced fasts like 24-hour fasts 1–2 times per week (Eat-Stop-Eat) or only eating 500–600 calories 1–2 days per week (5:2 diet).

Another approach is to simply fast whenever it’s convenient — simply skip meals from time to time when you’re not hungry or don’t have time to cook.

There is no need to follow a structured intermittent fasting plan to derive at least some of the benefits.

Experiment with the different approaches and find something that you enjoy and fits your schedule.

At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to nutrition. The best diet for you is the one you can stick to in the long run.

I find for those who have a poor relationship with carbs & sugar, chronic gut or health issues, autoimmune needs, etc for example, a lower carb, animal or meat-based approach is extremely effective for health, healing, & fat loss.

body transformation woman carnivore diet

Here’s my routine & what has help me drop 55lbs & put my Crohn’s disease & bulimia in med-free remission.

https://lilbitoffit.com/the-stupidly-simple-system-i-use-to-stay-in-shape-and-love-my-body-as-an-empath-at-age-40/

Intermittent fasting is great for some people, not others. The only way to find out which group you belong to is to try it out.

If you feel good when fasting and find it to be a sustainable way of eating, it can be a very powerful tool to lose weight and improve your health.

oxox Coach K

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

bio carnivore lilbitoffit katie kelly indiana — 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 18 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

January 20, 2022

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

January 19, 2022

How many calories should I be eating?

“How many calories do you eat?” “How many calories should I eat?”

Fabulous question & one that is unique for you. Just because your neighbor eats a certain amount of calories or follows a certain diet or just because I do doesn’t mean it’s correct for you.

Lemme explain…

The number of calories someone requires to maintain their bodyweight is unique & specific to them. Therefore, just because 2 people are the same height, weight, age & gender, doesn’t mean they should consume the same amount of energy (which is calories) per day.

Daily caloric requirements are influenced by many factors including these & swipe for cheat sheets!⬇️

▪️ Occupation (active vs sedentary)

▪️ Training frequency & intensity

▪️ Recent dieting history (metabolic adaptation, disordered eating, etc)

▪️ NEAT levels outside of work (walking for ex)

▪️ Diet quality, thermic effect of food (whole foods vs highly-processed)

▪️ Overall health & hormone status

▪️ Sleep Quality, Stress

▪️ How much muscle you have

It’s a matter of perspective. What you think is “alotta calories” is highly subjective, as different people will have different interpretations of what they consider to be “alotta food.”

Also, macro requirements will depend on the individual as well, everyone has a different threshold of energy & macro ratios of which they thrive.

Pay more attention to the below vs hyperfocusing on numbers:

▪️ Energy availability is in a great position to optimize health, performance & recovery

▪️ Your diet includes whole foods highly bioavailable & packed with essential nutrient requirements

▪️ Your relationship with food is healthy, hunger & satiation cues are on point

Enjoy the cheat sheets, experiment, & have fun! Don’t be afraid to eat!

You got this! How many calories are you crushing? 🦾🥩

January 15, 2022

Why your body never changes and what to do instead

Listen, I belonged to the “I’m working my azz off (literally) club why am I not seeing results?” for decades.⁣

Weekends were always excuses, social time was always an excuse, i’ve been good all week so I deserve this…it’s easy to make excuses.

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Happy swiping. Do any of these sound familiar to you?⁣

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Triggered much?⁣

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Good. Our triggers tell us where we need to heal & change.⁣

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The majority of the questions asked this week were centered around not seeing body change or fat loss despite cutting food.

Most of the time they come down to these things that you don’t want to hear.

If you keep doing what you’ve always done you will always get the same result. Remember that. ⁣

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I tell you guys these things with love.⁣

You’re worth the change.⁣

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Oxox Coach K⁣

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January 14, 2022

Why your blood sugar can affect your fat loss even on carnivore, keto, and low carb

In a world that glamorizes quick fixes & a pill for cure all’s, what we need most is education. Education on how the body is interconnected & how every organ affects the next & trickles over to every system.

How stressors affect body fat gain even in a low-carb state:

Stressors can come from lifestyle. Ex: exams, travel problems, relationship issues, kids, work. They can come from over exercising, over caffeinating, or eating high inflammatory foods & sugar.

In response, the brain signals the body to produce Cortisol. Your body needs a quick fuel source. It’s primary focus is survival. This is where low carb misses out. Even in a low carb state this release of cortisol releases liver glycogen for short term fuel which causes an insulin spike.

So say you’re depleted, low carb for 3 days, what happens? You can begin to break down muscle tissue for short term fuel. Your muscles contain 400g of stored glucose. So stressors like hard workouts, overly fasting, over caffeinating, or high levels of life stress still spike your blood sugar.

The more chronically elevated your cortisol, your cells become less responsive which can cause insulin resistance.

⬆️stress=⬆️cortisol=⬆️blood sugar=⬆️insulin=⬆️inflammation=⬆️cortisol=⬆️estrogen=⬆️body fat

Post here on IG with cheat sheets!

Moral of the story: educate yourself. Chase health 1st. Too much caffeine or stress can cause you to gain body fat/become insulin resistant w/out eating an excess of sugar & carbs. So carbs are not always the enemy.

Balance yo!

Our bodies are miraculous, learn the way it works so that you can work with it and not against it!

Oxox

Coach K

January 6, 2022

Signs you’re eating at your maintenance calories & what you need to do if you are not

Y’all wanna know what most people get wrong when it comes to dieting in general?

Not dieting.

We weren’t meant to live in a constant state of restriction. Feeling like sh*t, no energy no matter how many coffee or Bangs I shoved down my pie hole, chronic constipation, no body comp changes, cold all the freakin time – THAT was my normal back in the day.

I committed every sin I’ve talked about here on the interwebs. I used to CrossFit my a$$ off hours a day 7 d/wk on 1500 calories, eating all the carbs & plants, wrecking me mentally & physically. I wondered why I could never recover & I never looked “jacked” like other female athletes that weren’t working “half as hard” & eating twice as much as me.

Fast forward today, my 39 year old self finally fit the puzzle pieces together & learned not to fear food, not to see it as something I had to earn or burn off. I’m 5’1, 105lbs. I workout 5 d/wk, I lift & CrossFit, I walk a lot, and I eat ALOT. I avg 1850-2000 calories a day most days, primarily ground beef, eggs, lamb, & Perdue ground chicken.

Reminder, maintenance calories are how many calories we can eat in a day & maintain optimal body function without seeing any changes to muscle & fat composition. In other words, chillin like a villain.

If you’re eating below where you need to be calorically & basically feeling the exact opposite of the signs we’re talkin about in the slides of this post, you most likely need to do what’s called a reverse diet. Don’t know how? I have a whole 354 page EGuide with a section dedicated to this very subject.

Included are some things you may not want to hear:

A healthy body loses body fat & any weight you gain in the process of gaining health is weight you needed to gain.

It may take years to get the body you want going through numerous periodization cycles.

There is a cost to being a certain level of lean.

That athletic body you covet just may weigh more than you think.

Unless you’re a newbie & never worked out before or dieted, fat loss takes a calorie deficit, muscle gain takes at least maintenance & more likely surplus. Pick one. You cannot do both at the same time.

Also, our bodies are all different. What weight & body fat % one person is might work great for them as far as hormonal & metabolic health, others it may not be optimal & you may need to eat more to remedy any issues.

And if you refuse to eat more when you need to restore your health, you have far pressing more important issues than looking good in a bikini.

Keepin it real,

Coach K

September 23, 2021

Amenorrhea with exercise and athletics. Mistakes I made and why we want metabolic flexibility.

I had no idea when I lost my normal period in my early 20’s something was wrong.

Admission: chronic exerciser & habitual dieter.

At 25 I was diagnosed with cervical cancer & had part of my cervix removed. Went through divorce number 1 at 27, had a high stress job & lifestyle.

Discovered Crossfit in my early 30’s, which was like chasing a bad shot of cheap tequila with another bad shot of cheap tequila. Exacerbated my tendency for extremes.

I was overly stressed, under fed, experiencing Crohn’s flares, over training — I completely lost my period. Basically I just ignored it. I didn’t care I was just trying to chase PR’s.

At some point in your life, you’ve probably declared that your period is a major pain in the tush. But while it may be a nuisance it’s a good insight into your overall health & one we use as a biofeedback marker to help you achieve your health & fitness goals.

A recent article by Outside Magazine explained how common these issues are with female athletes & avid exercisers:

“Researchers estimate that as many as 60 percent of exercising women may experience one component of the female athlete triad, which includes disordered eating, loss of a menstrual cycle, and loss of bone density.

When an athlete’s nutritional intake doesn’t meet the body’s needs, whether due to reduced dietary intake—intentional or not—or increased exercise, the body shuttles resources to systems that are essential to survival, suppresses energy-intensive processes like menstruation and growth, and alters hormone levels.”

Quick tips on what your period tells you:

Bright Red Blood

Means you are simply at the beginning of your cycle. The ‘fresher’ the blood the more red it’ll be.

Darker Brown Blood

Brownish blood is basically just older blood that’s been in your uterus for a lot longer than fresh blood. It’s had a chance to oxidize. Can also be prevalent if you have an IUD, especially the progesterone kind. This is because you’re shedding a smaller amount of the uterus lining every month, which means the blood stays in there longer.

Clotting

Totally normal, but if you have large clots on a regular basis, they could be indicative of a larger problem like hypothyroidism, uterine fibroids, symptomatic anemia, or heavy bleeding (menorrhagia).

Irregular or Absence (Amenorrhea)

Occasional irregular periods may be totally normal, but it could also be a red flag. For starters, stress is a huge culprit.

When you’re stressed, your body produces more cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels can block signals that lead to the release of an egg that then leads to your period.

Other Common symptoms related to overdoing it, warranting an overhaul:

Irritability, mood swings

Cold extremities, hair loss, gut issues, bad digestion, bloating

No sex drive, Irregular or no menstrual cycle

Increase in belly fat⁣⁣, unexplained weight gain, plateaus

Chronic fatigue & soreness⁣, terrible recovery, poor sleep

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Common Stressors:

Chronically eating in a calorie deficit⁣, not enough fat in the diet

Candida, Bacterial Overgrowth, Food Intolerances⁣

Malabsorption, gut inflammation⁣

Over training, hormonal imbalances ⁣

Too much caffeine, lack of quality sleep

Overly fasting or using fasting to extremes

Low quality food, autoimmune disorders, nutritional deficiencies ⁣

A prevalent problem in the fitness scene as discussed above: UNDER EATING & OVER TRAINING resulting in amenorrhea

Experiencing this myself first hand, here is some advice to help you destress & rebalance — not only to help you get your period back, but to also move the needle forward towards achieving your fitness goals.

Tips to Help

EAT. Eat enough food to support body systems & your activity

The number one reason athletes & avid exercisers lose their cycle & go down a rabbit hole of metabolic adaptation & basically life sucking.

We’re preconditioned to think 1200 calories is the magic number to eat to lose weight. We spend endless time punching numbers in calculators that have no idea our medical history, lifestyle, stress level, or the fact we think sugar free jello & rice cakes dipped in Walden Farms Syrup are meals. Invest in a coach y’all, life isn’t a template or calculator. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.

We underestimate the calories and nutrient dense foods needed to support muscle growth to get the ‘tone’ that every woman talks about but refuses to eat & lift weights accordingly to gain. We also tend to over exercise & do too much HIIT & cardio on top of under fueling. Focus on strength training & reduce high intensity activity.

When we don’t eat enough, and/or our body fat is very low, we don’t have enough energy stores to efficiently support body functions like reproduction. As a result, hormones and body systems down regulate (like your period & thyroid function) to survive.

Many women can have trouble losing weight and may even gain weight when eating a chronic deficit over a period of time. This is typically due to the down regulation of thyroid hormones that slow down metabolic rate. This has become commonplace in women who are training hard, competing, repeatedly doing HIIT style workouts like CrossFit and the Orange Theories without adequate food and recovery.

Find the “Right” Diet for YOU

Look, I tried to do paleo for years trying to run and CrossFit despite not being able to properly break down fruits, vegetables, nut & seeds. Add it to my list of dumb shxt Katie learned the hard way.

Not only did my physique not change, my performance suffered, my recovery suffered, I was sore all the time, pissed off, bloated, and hangry.

I was officially finally diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2018. Guess what my body cannot digest and absorb? Nuts and seeds, fibers, raw fruits & vegetables.

Guess what makes up the majority of the Paleo diet? All of the above.

We need adequate food and the right kinds of foods for our unique needs for lean muscle gain, recovery, reproduction, healthy hormone balance, and cortisol control. More food is not automatically going to cause you to gain weight and go into the dreaded ‘fat storage mode.’

Carbs are by far the most insulin-stimulating macro & antagonist to your cortisol level (stress hormone). So if you’re eating a low carb diet and performing highly glycolytic activities like CrossFit, all the boot camps and Orange Theory‘s, your insulin levels will be low. If you have a good relationship with carbs & can digest them with ease, they’re not the devil. You may need to incorporate more into your diet if you feel things are “off.”

Your body senses that resources are limited and down regulates accordingly.

Now, with that said, carbohydrate requirements will vary. We all have different fitness goals, train in different modalities and metabolize carbohydrates to varying degrees.

If you are one with PCOS, for example, you may do better on a lower carb approach but lifestyle and training needs to be tailored appropriately. Work with a qualified practitioner.

If you don’t know how many calories to eat for your activity I wrote a phenomenal post and resource on that here. Below are helpful infographics to guide you to more optimal choices.

Meat based macro ratios more applicable for healing & muscle gain phases

Meat based macro ratios more applicable for maintenance phases

Remember, standing on the podium or holding that medal in your hands doesn’t require you to have abs. Athletes don’t eat less & train more, they eat more & train intentionally.

Make Sleep a Non-negotiable

We should be sleeping well for at least 7-9 hrs per night. Make sure your environment is:

Cool & dark

Shut off electronics an hour or so before bed

Read & wind down with things that are relaxing

Keep caffeine <200 mg per day ideally and only in the mornings

Don’t eat large meals too close to bedtime

Taking a natural supplement like Nuethix Formulations Relax Liposomal (Discount Code: lilbitoffit ) or Natural Vitality Calmful Sleep with Magnesium can also help

Two wonderful resources:

Dr. Jolene Brighten’s Beyond the Pill

Lara Briden’s The Period Repair Manual

This transitions into what it means to be metabolically flexible…

What we want is Metabolic Flexibility

I used to be a huge sugar burner. I didn’t understand why I had energy crashes, craved carbs & was hungry all the time despite eating plenty of food.⁣
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Even when I was eating in a surplus, training for performance & muscle gain. I was eating plenty of meat paired with more rice, rice Chex, & rice cakes – no matter how large my meals were I was always hungry like 2 hours later. ⁣
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It was super frustrating & not convenient at all as I work in healthcare & don’t have time to have meals every 2 hours.⁣
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I fluctuated from a sugar burner, to metabolically flexible, & everywhere somewhere in between during my health & fitness journey. ⁣
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Since going meat-based with my diet I no longer have these issues of being a “sugar burner.” I now can incorporate smaller portions of white rice based carb around training occasionally with minimal negative issues. I really don’t crave them anymore.⁣
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Becoming metabolically flexible, which just means you’re able to burn both glucose & fat as fuel, was the biggest life changer. It took a lot of experimentation & patience but there is light at the end of the tunnel for y’all!⁣
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I can easily fast overnight & in between meals for hours, without having to force it or feel like I want to rip someone’s head off because I’m hangry lol!⁣
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I don’t have to worry about multiple snacks available at all times because I have to eat every 2 hours. That’s food freedom for me.⁣
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Here are a couple cheat sheets simply to help educate & help you along your health journey! ⁣

PR’d this 5k fat fueled & fasted, metabolic flexibility is where it’s at y’all!

Stop ignoring the problem, seek help from a qualified doctor, health practitioner, & coach. ⁣
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Your quality of life hinges on it❤️ I’d love to hear yall’s experiences & if you struggled with this like me!

Experiencing any of the problems above in this blog?

If you’re an athlete or woman struggling like I did, and need personalized help tailoring your nutrition, work with me one on one HERE.

Don’t forget to share this with the women in your squad who deserve to be well-fed!

May 16, 2021

The Difference between Refeeds and Cheat Meals. What you need to know!

If you’ve been following a low carb diet (low carb, keto, carnivore) for a while and have been experiencing weight loss plateaus, hormone imbalances, low energy, or a decline in athletic performance, you might want to consider implementing strategic refeeds.

A refeed is an intentional, strategic increase in calories consumption This can be via carbs, fats, or both carbs and fats. Often done on a periodic weekly basis. These refeeds are an effective strategy for minimizing potential negative hormonal &/or metabolic effects from longer term dieting or low carb intake.

So lets talk Carbohydrates and Insulin

We know carbs have a larger impact on the hormone insulin. Most of us that follow a low carb diet have chosen to go this route for more efficient blood sugar balance as well as improved mental, emotional, and physical improvements. When our bodies don’t respond properly to insulin, we increase our risk for disease like metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Alzheimer’s, and more.

Insulin is responsible for telling our cells (mostly muscle, liver, and fat cells) to soak up sugar from the bloodstream. If your cells don’t respond, the level of sugar in your blood remains high and can begin to have toxic effects. This is called “insulin resistance”.

One way we can become resistant to insulin is from eating carbohydrate-rich foods in excess, especially from refined, heavily processed sources like sugary cereals, donuts, cakes, candy, brownies, poptarts – you get the picture. These foods result in excess glucose in the blood, leading to chronically elevated blood sugar and cells that eventually become resistance to insulin signalling. Chronically elevated blood sugar is a serious problem in and of itself, but so is becoming resistant to insulin, as it serves many important functions in the body.

When You Might Need to Implement Refeeds

Carbs can help athletic performance.

They’re not the devil, you’ll hear me say it over and over again what it really comes down to is our relationship with foods and they’re application.

Carbs are helpful for optimal high-intensity performance. They provide fuel for your muscles in the form of glycogen. Long term low carb dieting can lead to depleted glycogen in muscles/liver and a hindered ability to perform high intensity, glycogen-demanding exercise, especially in the beginning stages of adapting to a low carb lifestyle. HAVE PATIENCE. Performance will improve and even out over time.

One diet strategy that has been shown to actually increase performance is a carb cycling method, where athletes & avid exercisers switch between periods of low and high carb intake. The aim is to maintain the ability to efficiently use both carbs and fats for energy, referred to as “metabolic flexibility.” Not only does this ability reduce risk of disease, it also improves performance and can aid in fat loss.

In other words, properly timed carbohydrate refeeds can be an effective strategy for optimizing athletic performance and maintaining metabolic flexibility when following a low carb diet.

You can also incorporate caloric refeeds by increasing your fats macros (vs carbs) and therefore increasing your over calories to maintenance or a slight surplus in time of dieting. This is a great mental & metabolic break for many and will also help restore your “tank.”

Weight Loss Plateaus

The dreaded plateau! Trying to lose the last 5-10lbs can seem like a never ending cycle. It’s not uncommon to see significant weight loss in the first couple weeks of a low carb diet, but then stall. Coincidentally, it’s shown that 1 week is all it takes to see a drop in leptin levels.

If you’re close to your fat loss goal and have reached a plateau, a refeed can give you the hormonal & metabolic boost needed to shed the last few pounds.

How to Do a Carb Refeed

There are many ways to do a carb refeed, and depending on your situation one may be better than another. Each method involves a larger quantity of carbohydrate intake at a scheduled time, but the size and frequency will vary based on individual activity levels, genetics, bioindividuality, goals, training modalities, digestive needs, etc.

A few common methods you can experiment with to see what works for you:

Weekly

Best For: Individuals who engage in lower intensity physical activity, are currently dieting and need a mental break like on the weekends, or are seeking the health benefits of a low carbohydrate diet but want to avoid any possible negative long-term effects.

How to Do It: Pick one day or one meal per week to eat a larger amount of carbohydrates. For example, your refeed could be on a weekend or on your most physically-active day.

Recommended Amount of Carbs: 50-150g carbs, depending on the individual.

Post-Training

Best For: Individuals that perform a intense training sessions (heavy resistance training, CrossFit, HIIT, Orange Theory, Spin, etc) each week and want to optimize performance and recovery, while maintaining ideal body composition.

How to Do It: On big training days, increase your normal amount of carbohydrates in your first meal post-workout.

Recommended Amount of Carbs: 50-150g carbs for most, depending on the individual’s needs

Daily

Best For: Serious athletes who train nearly every day or multiple times per day who need to enhance recovery between sessions and have no negative physical or mental issues with carbs.

How to Do It: Pick a meal to consume a larger amount of carbs. Most often this is post-workout &/or at dinner.

Recommended Amount of Carbs: 50-200g carbs, depending on the individual.

Less Optimal Sources of Carbohydrates

When choosing where to get carbs for your refeed, some sources are more optimal than others. Refined carbohydrates, stripped of their fiber and micronutrients, tend to cause a greater spike in blood sugar compared to their whole food, fiber-rich counterparts. They are better used around training pre/post when you want this spike for fuel and recovery like white rice & all natural/low sugar cereals, rice cakes. Additionally, refined carbs have been shown to promote overeating and weight gain, alter your gut biome, and damage your intestinal barrier.

Here are some carb sources that you’d be better off avoiding during refeeds:

White, processed, non nutrient dense bread
Pastries, cake, brownies
Pasta
Candy, chocolates
Sugar-sweetened beverages
Most packaged foods — check the ingredients!

More Optimal Sources of Carbohydrates

A more optimal carb choice is going to be one that replenishes glycogen, balances insulin sensitivity, and also provides valuable nutrients. Unrefined, complex carbohydrates from whole-food sources are going to be a more optimal choice for most for getting the most out of your carb refeed unless you have issues with fiber, high fodmap fruits & veggies, etc.

Here are some of the more optimal carb sources for a refeed:

Starchy vegetables like potatoes, squash, yams, etc.
Properly prepared grains like white rice, quinoa, oats, etc.
Natural fruits
Nutritive sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, or blackstrap molasses

Summary

Carb refeeds & fat refeeds in general can be a valuable tool if used appropriately. There are several options, from once a day to once a week, but some experimentation will be necessary for determining the exact method that works best for you.

Some of the benefits you may start to see after strategically including more carbs &/or fats in your diet include:

Balanced hormones
Better body composition
Enhanced athletic performance and faster recovery
Increased energy
Reduced cravings
More restful sleep

Hope this helps team! You’re always welcome to message me on Instagram!

April 21, 2021April 21, 2021

Life Truths and Real Steps to Successful “Dieting”

You know what’s really, powerfully sexy?

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

I’d choose the above over abs any day.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Real Steps to consider for Successful “Dieting”

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

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

Avoid Common Mistakes:

Not being clear about what your goal really is? Do you want to gain muscle or lose fat? Two different things. Two different requirements, one a calorie surplus, one a calorie deficit.

Not setting a realistic goal and not being honest about how flexible or strict you want to be. Eating for general health and wellness is more flexible. You can go out with friends and have those occasional cocktails. Cutting for a photo shoot or competition? That means strict diet, training, and minimal “cheats.”

These require different levels of commitment:

Not periodizing your nutrition. You should not be “cutting” or “dieting” forever. Keep cuts 8-16 weeks MAX, limit to 1-2 times per year. Follow up with 4-6 months of maintenance or surplus calories to upregulate body systems.

Automatically assume you need to cut carbs to lose weight. Carnivore, low carb, & keto absolutely have their place. They work wonderful for people who need an insulin reset, an elimination diet, have autoimmune disorders, poor relationships with carbs, etc, but they’re also not “right” for everyone if they don’t suit your needs or preferences. What kind of training are you doing? Are you doing CrossFit, HIIT training, Orange Theory, Bootcamps, marathon training? You may do better utilizing some quantity of carbs in your diet. All of our bodies are different. YOU have to eat for YOU!

You think punching numbers in myfitnesspal, an online calculator, or following a template will spit out magic macros to solve all your problems. Do you think a calculator or template cares you’ve been surviving on poverty macros, struggle with work stress, travel, kids back talking and getting in trouble at school, gut issues, and can’t sleep at night? All affect your mindset, digestion, recovery, relationships with food, relationships with other people, and most importantly yourself. INVEST in a qualified coach! I offer consults every single day, even weekends and holidays for YOU. Inquiry HERE.

These were from a fat loss cut for photo shoot prep. I reversed for 3 months prior and then ate at surplus (2300 calories daily) for 2 months prior to going into my cut. I didn’t have to drop below 1500 calories during my 12 week cut BECAUSE I did my due diligence to heal and recover FIRST.

Truths about Fat Loss:

Healthy, nourished bodies lose body fat. Eating 1000 calories a day, surviving on sugar-free jello & lettuce is not a balanced diet, nor a protocol to set you up for a successful fat loss phase. You need to work on yourself for months to get your calories up & your body functioning like a normal human being.

All your systems should be in check BEFORE considering diving into a cut: your metabolism, your hormones, your period, your mindset, your stress level.

Ladies, your period is like your internal gauge your body is functioning properly. If you’re not having a period that is the biggest red flag. Did you know your body can conserve 30,000 cal/year by not having a period. Why? If your body takes away a natural process to conserve energy, that’s called survival because reproducing is not a priority. This also goes for down regulating your metabolism, your thyroid, & your sex hormones.

Your metabolism is not one singular thing like your brain or your arm or your liver. Your metabolism encompasses everything it’s everywhere. Your brain, your digestive system, your reproductive system – they all contribute. It will adjust to low calories and this is when you plateau. We can’t cut you any lower as a coach when you come to us eating 1200 calories a day.

Your body will not respond to a cut if you have not properly taken care of it before hand. This could take months or even years. Your body does AMAZING things on the daily. Appreciate it. It’s main priority is keeping you alive & guess what?

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

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

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

If you’re ready, start HERE! 🥰