My story & weight loss journey transitioning to a meat-based, “carnivore” diet & losing 60 lbs!

Katie kelly fishers indiana lilbitoffit carnivore fat loss journey

You asked the questions, here are your answers! Documenting my story & weight loss journey on the carnivore diet!

Chronic bloating, constipation, weight gain, feeling like your body is fighting against you – all the feels, right?!

That is what I lived for 3 decades. Hopefully my story can help shed light for you!

Without further adieu, let’s dive into your questions!

1.) Introduce Yourself

Anyone else get anxiety when asked this question? Like where do I start? 🙂

Indiana farm girl & Purdue University grad, I like to say that I’m a multifaceted human!

I have many loves, interests, & hats.

So who is this awesome chick? 😃 My name is Katie Kelly. Professionally, I’m a multi-modal travel clinician đŸ©ș💀 with Aureus Medical & functional nutritionist with over 20 years experience.

I specialize in improving your health & fitness goals utilizing a flexible, non-dogmatic carnivore nutrition approach while providing high performance coaching.

On social I’m better known as Coach K & want you to know I have struggled just like you!  I created this safe space over 10 years ago & welcome you to this amazing community! 

More importantly, I want you to believe in yourself, your health, your voice, & your ability to live your best life!

I believe in vibrational living in life, fitness, money, health, & relationships. Intuition is one of our greatest gifts! I’m here to help you discover & follow yours to a more abundant, joyful life!

Vibrational living is being in alignment with your true self—choosing thoughts, behaviors, habits, & environments that nurture, expand & empower you. Living with an awareness of your energy vibration & understanding of yourself completely change your reality, creating your heaven every single day.

I mentor to help you find your power & solutions to create the body, career, finances, relationships, purpose & fulfillment you’re seeking.

I’m just a sweary, Indiana farmer’s daughter who went from a sick (Crohn’s Disease & bulimia), overweight (lost 60lbs via the carnivore diet, CrossFit & Orange Theory), broke bish (was 50k+ in debt) to a thriving, self loving human here to inspire, educate, & mentor! 

Welcome to my digital diary & wellness blogs full of life lessons learned the hard wayđŸ«¶

I post content about self improvement anywhere from fat loss, budget beauty, decorating, disordered eating, feng shui, Crohn’s, self love, entrepreneurship, healthcare, food, fitness, finance, laughs & everything in between to a social media audience of 47K+!

Thank you for allowing me to add value to your lives! Grateful to have you part of my digital family ❀

As far as nutrition, I specialize in gut health, sports & performance, disordered eating, low carb/carnivore approaches to healing. I help you to optimize life by creating a success routine.

All preferences & skill levels are welcome with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, fitness, & nutrition.

You can catch me via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit

pictures aren't worth 1000 words
I appreciate everyone who allows me to add value to your lives!

2.) How Did You Eat Before Carnivore?

I grew up as an overweight kid. I was told to lose weight & tried to diet before I was 10 years old. My self-esteem & body image issues started at 8. Standard American Diet, being a “farm kid” we ate the home cooked stuff. I had no portion control whatsoever.

Kids were mean, & I couldn’t tell you how many times I was told, “If you’d just lose weight you’d be pretty like the other girls.” This translated into, “You won’t be successful, loved or worthy unless you’re thin & look the part.”

Following came the years of disordered eating & orthorexia — binging and purging with intermittent phases of anorexia. I would gorge & then hide Reese’s wrappers, tubs of ice cream, bags of chips, crackers, cookies – anything I had denied myself.

Then the guilt-restrict cycle would kick in as I layed there with puffy cheeks & bloodshot eyes from throwing up food. I had a food addiction and carbs were not only a big autoimmune & gut trigger, but they were like giving an alcoholic a drink.

I found CrossFit in 2013, was a competitive athlete & then beat my body down into a hole of metabolic adaptation, exacerbated gut issues, & hormonal imbalances due to over exercising & under eating.

It took 4 years for me to reverse diet up to my true maintenance calories so know this is a long journey. Have patience.

I was misdiagnosed with IBS, as many are. Went through tons of testing & doctors.

Honestly, I feel the only diet I haven’t done is a vegetarian diet. I’ve done’em all.

As a CrossFit athlete fueling for my sport, I leaned more towards a high carb diet. (Knowing I had a poor relationship with them.)

3.) Why Did You Try Carnivore to Begin With?

carnivore gut healing katie kelly indiana lilbitoffit
All the deets here!!

My last Crohn’s flare was about 4+ years ago, which was when I started the Carnivore diet approach. I knew I needed a reset. I was stressed out, eating out more, sleep was terrible, and I felt horrible. I had put on 10lbs of inflammation & felt I was insulin resistant. So I thought, this is my time. I’m gonna commit, cut the carbs & clean my shxt up.

As for my relationship with carbs, I am an abstainer. I am not a moderator when it comes to food. You need to determine which one you are too, an abstainer or a moderator? I do better with food rules and an all or none approach. I cannot have just 1 cookie, that leads to wanting the whole pan!

My own personal experimentation, data keeping via tracking food, journaling symptoms & triggers were my best “doctors.” Figuring out my trigger foods took YEARS. Years of getting to know myself, my needs, and how my body responded to food and stressors.

As far as my specific needs, I don’t digest veggies, fruits, fiber, gluten, dairy, lectins, high oxalate, or high fodmap foods well. ⁣That’s a lot, right?!

trigger food gut lilbitoffit katie kelly indiana carnivore

I noticed when I finally got my gallbladder out, I could eat meat just fine. My digestive symptoms went away.

I suggest for anyone else out there struggling with chronic bloating, constipation, diarrhea, reflux, heartburn, feeling like your food just sits there and you’re bloated and look 6 months pregnant every night, etc — these are warning sings. They are not normal and sign of an imbalance. An elimination diet like the carnivore diet is a great first step. Seek help from a qualified coach, dietitian, or practitioner. Coaching options & services are available here.

trigger food gut lilbitoffit katie kelly indiana carnivore
Tap photo for full post

Often we don’t realize the ‘healthy’ food we’re eating are the culprits because we cannot properly digest and absorb them. Often the plants, pre-packaged frozen meals, diet bars and shakes are the culprits. That’s what happened to me. The fiber, fruit, and veggies were causing me more harm because of my compromised digestive system. I’m grateful for these experiences because now I’m able to help clients pinpoint their trigger foods too and start the healing process.

Repeat after me, “We are what we DIGEST and ABSORB.”

My safe foods when having a gut flare were always soft meats like fish, ground meat, rice Chex cereal, eggs, plain rice cakes, & white rice. Basically a low residue diet & absolutely no fruits or vegetables. I could not break them down, they caused bloating & agony.⁣

⁣Nutrition is not a one size fits all. Reason we need to track, experiment, & realize templates or cookie cutter meal plans rarely work long term.

I created a whole Biohacking guide with my favorite products and supplements HERE. Fitness over 40, I look and feel better than I ever did at 20.

before and after weight loss

4.) How Do You Personally Approach the Carnivore Diet?

People are more familiar with the term “Carnivore Diet.” I prefer to reference it as a meat-based diet. That’s because there are 50+ shades of the Carnivore Diet. I feel you have free will and choice to eat the meats & foods that make you feel your best. You don’t have to be strict carnivore (beef & water). We all have different trigger foods, preferences, and individualized needs. I like to use the flexible & functional meat based approach to nutrition.

I call my myself a “Liberal Carnivore.” I believe in flexibility. The majority of my meals are ground meats such as ground beef & ground turkey/chicken, pork, eggs, steak, ribs, ground lamb & veal. I personally don’t like organ meat after experimentation.

Tap for two of my favorite recipes here!

If I feel I need a refeed day of higher carbs, I would choose white rice or plain rice cakes around workouts. They don’t typically bother my digestion in moderation. Rarely do I go over 50g of carbs, my average is around 20g daily. I don’t deny myself or feel guilty if I need to consume them for my health, gym performance, & recovery. All carefully portioned, of course. Now I find I don’t need or crave them any more.

Another common question I get is, “Do you drink?” Not much anymore. If I do choose to enjoy socially, I set boundaries to no more than 1-2 beverages. Usual choices are an occasional craft cocktail like an old fashioned or tequila.

**Disclaimer: This is what works for ME. I am not a medical doctor giving advice, simply sharing my experiences.

As far as macros and ratios, again, we are all different. I prefer a higher protein approach for my needs. As far as my activity & physical stats for comparison, I’m currently 41 years old, 5’1, 100 lbs , cross train via Orange Theory, lifting, & occasional CrossFit. I train 5 days a week, average 13-15k steps/day.

Just to clarify what a macro is if you’re a beginner.

My “sweet spot” for maintenance seems to be around 1850-2100 calories per day, ratios around 65% Fat, 30% Protein, 5% Carbs. I eat when I’m hungry, fast when I’m not. Fasting window is around 16-20hrs. I prefer to work out fasted most mornings during the week. Largest meal post workout with another meal around 1-3pm. I don’t force fasting and I don’t do extended fasts. Average 2lbs of meat daily.

I do track occasionally with food & macros via My Fitness Pal. I track weight, sleep, & steps via my Fit Bit Sense 2. I’ve also teamed up with NutriSense utilizing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). What gets tracked gets managed. Not necessary, but I’m a data girl 😉 It helps me make more educated decisions and adjustments.

My fitness routine is outlined here👇 This varies with travel assignment & my life season. It’ll give you a good sense of what a typical day is like.

Here’s an older guide to help you as well👆

5.) What Benefits Have You Seen Since Starting the Carnivore Diet?

A TON! The biggest benefits have been no gut issues or flares, increased, steady energy (once adapted, it took me about 8 months), no carb cravings or binge eating urges, no more constipation, normal appetite and satiety, no more inflammation, and eventually, fat loss.

I didn’t go into the Carnivore Diet chasing fat loss or weight loss, I went into it chasing better health. I preach this to my clients, chase health and healing first, everything else will fall into line. The problem with yo-yo dieting is chasing unrealistic goals and expectations with an unsustainable diet &/or training approach.

I outlined all my food, macros, weight transitions and experiences here in this IG post. Tap photo!

6.) What Negatives Have You Found With the Carnivore Diet?

I’m gonna be real, I gained 15lbs total when I started the Carnivore Diet. After 1 year, I lost that 20lbs, however. I wanted to quit many times and felt like shxt early on trying to adapt. I listened to the veterans and my own intuition, kept going.

Your appetite does correct and level out. Performance in the gym does suffer, initially. Depends on what modality of training you prefer. Take it easy. I significantly reduced my workout volume and intensity with no HIIT for about 6 months. Did a lot of walking and lifting simple weights, keeping my heart rate in a lower range.

About month 8/9, I noticed I was able to hit it harder in the gym and everything else was falling into line. That’s about when my weight started dropping as well.

Meal timing is important, especially when timing appropriately for your workouts. If you eat larger meals, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to digest them. Meat and fat are naturally “heavy” and the body has to work hard to break them down for digestion, affecting your energy levels. Again, everyone is different.

7.) Do You Exercise on the Carnivore Diet? What Do You Do?

Yes, absolutely! The gym is my sanctuary. I found CrossFit in 2013, drank the Kool-aid. My love affair has been ever since the first sound of a barbell dropping. My weights, intensity, and volume have changed with my seasons. I no longer train like a competitive CrossFit athlete. Yes, its hard to beat the competitiveness out of me, but is absolutely necessary for longevity.

I modify weights and movements to my needs. I listen to my body and rest when needed. Workout 5 days a week, rest 2. I get in about 13-15k steps a day. Also enjoy body building and orange theory!

I feel the term “CrossFit” gets an unfair bad rap. It’s simply a term and just another modality of exercise. I love it because it combines strength and conditioning made up of functional movements performed at a your desired intensity level. The intensity and approach are up to you. Anyone can do it and you determine the pace and modifications of your workouts. Invest in a quality gym with quality coaches. Three Kings Athletics in Noblesville, IN is my second home and family! Owned by Bryn Jafri.

8.) What Piece of Advice Would You Give Someone Who Is Interested in Trying This Diet, But Hasn’t Taken the Leap Yet?

Thinking about carnivore in terms of 3 phases is helpful starting:⁣

1.) Just get adapted – eat meat, find the low carb sources you love, cut the junk, find what eating windows work for your schedule, track to make sure you’re eating enough food.⁣

2.) Focus on healing any G.I. issues & give it time. Be patient & consistent. You don’t feel good all the time, as with any diet it takes time to find your groove. Most hit a slump around 2 weeks. You didn’t develop gut issues overnight and you didn’t put on 30lbs overnight.⁣

3.) Thrive & THEN play around with fat loss or muscle gain goals. You’ll be more self aware & educated once your reach this point.⁣

⁣Highly recommend getting the book Carnivore Cure by Judy Cho & Forever Strong by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon.

Not until someone is adapted & healed do I recommend any kind of playing around with fat loss cuts.⁣ For some it may take 3-6 months or it can take years depending on what kind of healing (gut, hormonal, metabolic etc) you have to do.⁣ Honor your biofeedback. Biofeedback means my quality of sleep, energy level, recovery, performance, mental clarity, menstrual cycle, sex drive, hunger & satiety cues, etc.⁣

Tips for tracking more accurately:

  • Pick meats that are easier to track. Ex: ground meats like beef/turkey/lamb/pork. The protein & fat grams are not as variable as say a ribeye or chuck roast.
  • Weigh your meat raw before you cook. Meat shrinks down something like 20-30% when you cook it. It can account for a big difference in protein/fat grams & calories if you’re logging the oz or grams of cooked meat vs the actual raw weight. Fat will differ as well, especially if you’re draining or dabbing the fat off your meat after cooking. Here’s a good resource explaining what happens.
  • Measure out your fats (butter, bacon fat, tallow, etc) Don’t guess. Weigh it out on a scale for most accuracy. Most of us use teaspoons or tablespoons but I don’t recommend eyeballing until you master accurately weighing food.

Reasons you may be gaining weight on low carb:

  • You’re eating in a surplus. As with ANY diet you choose if you are eating in a surplus chances are you will put on body fat. It’s part of it. This is when you should be focusing on muscle gain & strength.
  • You’ve been eating in a chronic deficit & your body is finally getting the nutrients it needs to function & grow muscle. You WANT muscle growth. More muscle=more food=more badass.
  • You’re snacking too much on things like pork rinds, fat bombs, or fake keto junk like Atkins bars. Guilty đŸ–đŸ» They’re easy to overeat & nutrient deficient. Go back to the basics. Simplify. Meat, water, coffee, no sweeteners, no supplements.
  • You’re choosing highly palatable low carb foods like ribeyes, bacon, & cheese & eating when you’re not really hungry. It’s like when you’re not hungry but then they bring out dessert. Most of us will have that extra piece of cake. Choose foods that are satisfying & get the job done. I find ground beef to be most satisfying.
  • You’re overly fasting &/or overly training. Chronically high cortisol & hormone imbalances affect your weight, recovery, energy, & fat loss. Reduce your intensity & workout volume. Walking & simply just moving does wonders. Don’t over complicate your workouts. SLEEP. Shorten your fasting window or STOP fasting.
  • You’re eating too much protein, throwing hormones & your biofeedback off. Try increasing your fats & start with protein around 1g per lb of lean body mass, your goal weight, or 20-30% of your daily calories. Our energy sources come from fats & carbs. Take away your carbs & what do you have left? Fat. Don’t fear it. Play around with it you’ll find your threshold.

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

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

9.) Do You Think the Carnivore Diet Will Ever Be Accepted Mainstream?

Never say never, but I doubt it. Carnivore is just like being a vegetarian only we prefer meat. No one bats an eye when you say you’re a vegetarian, but you say you only eat meat? They look at you like 4 eyes. The awareness, research, and education is spreading, however, so that is promising!

Is any diet really mainstream?

There’s hundreds of ways to eat. All that matters is you pick the one that suits YOU.

10.) Where Can People Follow You?

Everyone is welcome to become part of my digital family here, lilbitoffit.com and Instagram, @lil_bit_of_fit If you’d like to be added to our email list, click here!

Thank you all for reading and allowing me to add value to your lives! I hope my experiences on this journey can allow you to find your authentic puzzle pieces to life!

oxox Coach K

The Hard Truths About Body Fat % & Getting Lean Af

sad girl looking in mirror

My body shivered as I undressed & stepped on the scale.
I looked at the number. Shit.

But I’m different now. I’m better. I don’t read Anorexia blogs, starve myself, or equate my weight with my self-worth anymore. Yet, a tiny thought crosses my mind. “Just five more,” it whispers. “Imagine how powerful you’d feel. Maybe then you’d actually like yourself.”

Instead of glorifying shredded abs & single digit body fat, I’m speaking up. In a society that pressures us to look a certain way, I know others share my past struggle.
Yeah, they’re the parts of me I’m not proud of, but understanding them changed my life.

  • The hard truths about Body Fat % & getting lean af

I used to believe that starving was an art, bare bones were beautiful, & I was an artist.

I’d try & mold my body to match the models on TV & in the magazines. I worked hard to paint the emptiness I felt inside.

When I was in 3rd grade, I got the honor of being ‘the fat kid.’ This event might not sound like a big deal to some, but to 8-year-old me, it was traumatic. Food became my enemy. My stomach hurt all the time, too. Later on in life to be diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. My poor relationships with food (specifically binging on carbs & sugar) & body image exacerbated.

At the beginning of 7th grade, we did weigh-ins. When it was my turn to stand on the scale, my health teacher made a frowny face at the numbers & pulled me aside. I was informed I was 160lbs & obese at 5ft tall.

My cheeks burned, & tears streamed from my eyes as I was lectured about exercising & eating less.

And by my senior year of high school, I was a mastermind of my craft. I learned how to eat just enough to keep me from binging or passing out.

Losing weight was like a drug — each time I stood on the scale, dopamine rushed into my brain, & I forgot all my problems.

Getting smaller also gave me a sense of power — & I loved it. I loved feeling “better” than everyone else because I was the ‘perfect’ anorexic & bulimic.

No matter how skinny I became, I couldn’t get rid of my problems. My weight yoyo’d over the years. I was fading away from my life; I was lonely, miserable, & sick. I burned bridges in relationships because of my constant irritability, fatigue, gut issues, & obsession with losing weight.

While I’d been chasing the ‘high’ & power, there were other feelings, a deeper longing, that I needed to acknowledge. Helplessness & self hate.

From my struggles came my strengths & my passion for helping others. My awesomeness comes from being myself — from writing, speaking my truth, & kindling the potential energy within me.

We are all artists; we’re sculptors & painters, creators of our dreams, poets of our memories. Let our hands mold our ambitions, not our appearances. Because it is there where we find our true power!

oxox Coach K

Like this Blog? Join my email list & follow along on the gram for all the life & resources to help you! Link Here

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

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

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

LIES told by your food addiction. My story.

sad girl eating disorder food addiction scale

It can take decades to unlearn. My relationship with disordered eating & poor body image started when I was just 8. 

I spent the majority of my childhood & early adulthood overweight & unhealthy. I was told in middle school by a teacher I was too big to be a cheerleader. Kids were cruel, calling me names like lambchop because I had big 80’s hair & even thicker thighs.

My disorder began with overeating & then restricting to punish myself. I’d try to skip breakfast & barely eat lunch (which I’d “allow” myself sugar free jello, a small travel size cottage cheese & 5 Ritz crackers).

My stomach would growl. I remember being embarrassed if the classroom was quiet enough for others to hear. Inevitably, I’d return home in the afternoon absolutely ravenous & binge on cookies, candy, cereal, chips, & junk food.

These episodes got more & more out of control. I continued eating less during the day, binging at night & sometimes I’d take cold medicine to make me sleep to keep from eating.

Years passed, & my eating habits fluctuated. I had never even considered throwing up until I saw a Lifetime movie about a girl who had bulimia. The process seemed easy. Eat whatever you want, throw up. The first time I purged was in middle school after eating a tub of ice cream. 

Bulimia became a sort of coping mechanism for me. I told myself my obsession with diets & exercise were normal. It was about control. I was dealing with a lot of stress: school, college, later on, relationships, a failed marriage on top of debt & drinking too much.

There were lots of things in my life I felt I wasn’t able to manage. I’d binge & get a rush. Then I’d get an even bigger, better rush after getting rid of it all.

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

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

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

Lies told by your food addiction.

  • LIES told by your food addiction triggering disordered habits

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

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

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

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

This is the last binge. Diet starts tomorrow.

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

I’ll stop once I reach my goal weight.

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

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

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

The weight on the scale doesn’t trigger me.

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

Orthorexia Warning Signs

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

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

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

Final Thoughts

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

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

Oxox
Coach K

bio carnivore lilbitoffit katie kelly indiana fishers

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

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

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

A Simple Guide To Why You Eat Past Fullness

sad girl eating pizza over eating feeling guilty

As I was creating these for you today, I recalled how scary & powerless it felt to not truly know when I was full.

For me, I was less troubled by feeling when I was actually hungry. But the fullness thing & binge eating were out of control at one point.

It took time. And a lot of learning about how my body worked, why it happened, the foods I needed to eat, the foods I needed to release, & forgiveness.

The MOST significant thing I do to keep fullness signals regular is to not get to the point I’m “hangry” & starving. I stick to a meat-based diet. Carbs & sugar are addictive drugs for me. Huge triggers & hard to portion control.

Most of my clients are emotional eaters.

I understand that it is really hard to break that cycle & there is a good reason for this.

This is because you haven’t figured out how to deal with those emotions or behaviors that lead to overeating or binge eating.

I have been there myself & understand. It takes time, there is no quick fix, but in the end you will be in control & see food as fuel rather than reward or punishment.

Sending you lots of hugs & I hope this post helps! Share it & let me know if this resonates with you too!

  • why do i eat past fullness?

Oxox
Coach K

If you like this, make sure to check out my Hopeful Gut Healing & Body Transformation Guide Here! This may be the light you need at the end of your tunnel!

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

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

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

http://www.instagram.com/lil_bit_of_fit

Confessions of a binge eater

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

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

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

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

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

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

(I freaking love lists, how bout you?)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Live your life & listen to your gut.

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

Coaching FAQ’s here if you need help.

  • binge eating recovery lilbitoffit katie kelly

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

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

Lies your disordered eating told you and what you’re really hungry for

I used to crave all the sweets. Could smash an entire pan of brownies, boxes of cereal, gallons of ice cream — & I did in the thick of my binging & disordered eating. Followed by days of guilt, inflammation, pain, & more hunger.⁣

Tap for full post with cheat sheets!

⁣Thank God every day for this carnivore lifestyle. This is an important post, please SWIPE, save tag & share freely with someone who needs to hear it or if it’s a simple reminder for yourself.

We think we crave chocolate, cookies, brownies, & ice cream, but our hunger truly is for somethin much deeper, somethin much more nourishing.⁣

⁣Things like love, significance, fulfillment, & connection are what we really crave.⁣

⁣When we allow ourselves to FEEL & RECEIVE & have these things, it’s far more satisfying than treats, overindulgence, & temporary pleasures.⁣

⁣If you feel constant, ravenous hunger, know you are probly feeling undernourished & unfulfilled in more ways than just food. ⁣

❌Watch your words, they’re powerful!

“Diet starts tomorrow, or Monday, etc”

“I deserve a ‘cheat meal’ or ‘treat’ because I’ve been, ‘good’ all week.”

“I messed up my diet, might as well splurge & start again Monday.”

“If I eat that I’ll need to make sure I workout enough to burn it all off.”

“I’ll be happy when I reach my goal weight.”

“I don’t deserve to eat that, Ima failure.”

“I can’t do that until I lose the weight.”

Look deeper for what you truly need. Maybe its a walk with a friend, a deep convo, GRACE, a hug, doing something nice for someone else just because, or quiet time with God/the Universe/the Collective or whatever you believe.⁣

⠀⁣Without connecting with ourselves, forgiving our past, & getting real honest on the bullsh*t sandwiches we’ve been feeding ourselves & understanding what TRUE nourishment is — we remain unfulfilled & hungry.

⁣If you are feeling disconnected & lost, my door (& DMs) are always open đŸšȘ💌đŸ“Č⁣

⁣ I have a whole 354 page guide with an entire section dedicated to emotional eating and things to help you. Click below âŹ‡ïž

Tap Photo to snag your copy

❀ oxox Coach K⁣

Peace, love, & #meatbars â™šïž 

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! đŸ„°

Why you can’t live a BIG life always playing it small

I used to want to be the smallest girl in the room. Because thin meant she was the prettiest & worth being loved & admired.

Then I wanted to be BIG & small at the same time. I wanted to be BIG & STRONG & live a BIG life but I still wanted a small body.

Taking up less space may get you complements, it may change the way people see you, but it won’t change your worth or the relationship you have with yourself. 

How you see yourself at your core will not change simply because of your weight. That’s part of the work you have to put in.

Your worth is also not based upon you accomplishing everything on your to do list, or over eating, or looking good in an outfit, or having too many cocktails or none at all, or plain just not knowing where you are in life or where you’re going.⁣⁣

⁣⁣

The only way to throw those weights in the trash & rid yourself of feelings of being viewed as “less” is to cloak yourself with new, real truths & an entirely new narrative. ⁣

⁣⁣

I’ll leave you with words from @annelamott đŸ‘‡đŸ»âŁ

⁣

“What if you wake up some day, & you’re 65, or 75, & you never got your memoir or novel written, or you didn’t go swimming in those warm pools & oceans all those years because your thighs were jiggly & you had a nice big comfortable tummy; or you were just so strung out on perfectionism & people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juicy creative life, of imagination & radical silliness & staring off into space like when you were a kid? It’s going to break your heart. Don’t let this happen.” — Anne Lamott⁣

⁣

Go live that big juicy creative life, of imagination & radical silliness. ⁣

⁣

Stay thirsty

xoxo ⁣

There’s more behind a picture than a wall

What I do & look like now really doesn’t mean jack or offer you as much value than the story that got me here today.

I can give you all the advice on what I practice & preach daily, but you can’t replace life experience, feeling emotions, & putting in the work.

I don’t know everything & I’m not an expert. But I have lived similar struggles just like all of you & I know what it feels like to sit in a shxt pool of self loathing.

đŸ–€I was the fat girl. Kids were mean.

đŸ–€In the 6th grade I was told I was too big to be a cheerleader.

đŸ–€This one’s for the 14 yr old me that thought rice cakes & sugar free jello were meals & restriction was the only way to be thin & thus loved.

đŸ–€This one’s for the 16 yr old me that thought skinny & having a boyfriend was all she needed for happiness & worth.

đŸ–€This one’s for the 18 yr old me that beat herself up for gaining 20lbs in college bc she made memories w/friends. 

đŸ–€This one’s for the 20 yr old me that binged & purged & let food consume her every thought because she wasn’t as pretty or skinny as other sorority girls. 

đŸ–€This one’s for the 22 yr old me that got married too young, was a people pleaser, & turned to drinking to numb the feelings.

đŸ–€This one’s for the 28yr old me, divorced, lost, partying, gut issues, & starving bc her body was the only thing she thought she could control.

đŸ–€This one’s for the 32 yr old me that discovered Crossfit & fell in love with being strong, but let PR’s & comparison lead her to overtraining & completely fxckin up her hormones & gut for yrs.

đŸ–€This one’s for the 36 yr old me struggling to figure out how to date & live in a world as an athlete with Crohn’s & special needs.

đŸ–€This one’s for the 38 yr old me that continues to grow & evolve in a life that constantly changes.

For all the humans who scroll, comparing when they see a beautiful photo, know there’s a story & a lifetime of struggle there too.

What we do now is not a reflection of livin a perfect picture life, it’s a reflection of a lifetime of scars which are far from picture perfect —we should wear them proudly.

There is HOPE💓 

Link HERE if you need a consultation & pep talk to get back on the right health journey for you🙏

6 Fat Loss Hacks That Helped Me Lose 50lbs and Maintain Health

I could talk all day about the mistakes I’ve made throughout my fitness journey. 

To name a few:

  • Feeling I had to earn food or use it as a reward
  • Yo-yo dieting & falling for fads, pills, & what Karen down the road was doing
  • Wearing restriction as a badge of honor then falling victim to self-loathing, disordered eating & exercise habits
  • Eating all the wrong foods for me physically and mentally causing paralyzing G.I. distress
  • Equating my worth with abs & a number displayed on a dirty box which sits on my bathroom floor

Losing weight doesn’t have to feel like a punishment, in fact that’s the one thing you must avoid. 

Think about it, if you hate what you’re eating and how you’re training, do you think you’re going to stick to it? 

— Heck no. 

Losing weight is simple, but it’s not EASY. Ultimately it comes down to being in an energy deficit. (Taking in less energy than you are expending) 

We over complicate the process. We set ourselves up for failure by chronically dieting, picking the wrong kinds of workouts, picking the wrong kinds of foods we cannot digest & absorb properly, we over stress, under eat, under educate ourselves, under execute, & over train. 

Don’t even get me started on the negative self talk & shxtty mindset syndrome.

30 years ago (I’m almost 39 now😬) my fitness journey began. I was 8 years old. My heaviest weight was 160 lbs on a 5’1 frame. 

Right now is actually the lowest weight (avg 107-110lbs) & best health I’ve ever been. And I’m eating at my true maintenance (calories around 2000-2200 daily). Maintenance is we all should be hanging out the majority of our lives.

I’ve made the same mistake as you have. We are all different as far as what foods & training work best for you.

Here are some examples of hacks that have helped me keep the weight off and I hope it helps you find the right tools for your toolbelt too!

1.) DETERMINE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD

Are you an abstainer or a moderator?

Abstainer: cannot have just 1 cookie without then eating or wanting to eat the whole pan. Does better with food rules and a more “all or none approach.” More prone to binge eating.

Moderator: can have 1 cookie and be satisfied. Needs more flexibility.

Are you a food addict? Get real with yourself. I understand this stuff isn’t pretty.

What is your relationship with carbohydrates? Are they like drugs which trigger self sabotaging habits? How do they make you feel? Do you need them for your health & fitness goals for optimal health, performance, & recovery? What is your daily threshold that makes you feel your best?

2.) CHOOSE THE FOODS & TRAINING YOU LOVE AND HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH

For me, it’s animal based nutrition. Protein & healthy fats are the center of my meals. I do not have a good relationship with carbohydrates and have many emotional and physical trigger foods. I only consume carbohydrates when I need them for optimal health, performance, and recovery. I find eating carbohydrates makes me crave more carbohydrates & I’m not satiated as sticking with meat only.

I prefer CrossFit like training. I love the community, I love the variety, I love it combines strength and aerobic conditioning. It’s effective af & keeps me happy. Therefore it’s easy for me to stick to my routine. 

3.) EAT & TRAIN INTENTIONALLY & MINDFULLY

The food you eat literally makes you. Choose accordingly. Slow down when you eat, enjoy every bite, chew thoroughly, eat till you’re 80% full. Same with your training. Pick a goal and stick with it. Keep your commitments to yourself. Work hard & rest when you need to and be intentional about both! Motivation is fleeting, your integrity & character are forever.

4.) SET YOUR NONNEGOTIABLES & FLEXIBILITY

Especially important when it comes to social functions & family. Set step goals. Mine are between 13-15k on average. Maybe you allow yourself 2 cocktails on the weekends, maybe it’s one untracked meal with family, maybe it’s 2 refeed days on the weekends, maybe it’s more carbohydrates one day a week, maybe it’s dessert a couple times a week, maybe you do better being strict for a couple weeks & taking a week off, maybe you prefer to take your own food when you go out. Anything goes, you are your own boss, but OWN IT.

5.) GRATITUDE AND CELEBRATE EVERY WIN

Y’all gratitude is everything. You can’t hate yourself healthy and love yourself healthy at the same time. Which one would you rather choose? Take progress pictures, the scale isn’t the only indicator of success. Maybe you’re eating for better energy and better biofeedback. Maybe you’re trying to get stronger. The number on the scale does not dictate your worth or achievement.

6.) MANAGE YOUR MINDSET & OWN YOUR DAY

You should have a success routine nailed down. I talked about 8 things you should do every day that will change your life, yesterday. Check out that post and blog. If you continuously tell yourself you are a failure & always fxck up, guess what? That’s what you’ll attract & become. Talk to yourself like your best friend. What would you say, what advice would you give her or him? Be the person you want to embody. 

You can make moves or excuses. You either DO or your DON’T. 

— It’s your choice. 

My door is always open, feel free to comment and message! I look forward to chatting with all of you! 

Oxox Coach K