Health Coach | Speaker | Writer | Welcome to my digital diary! I'm here to help you blend life & fitness to find your health & happy! Thank you for being part of my family & allowing me to add value to your journey!
My weight gain & disordered eating was impacting my health. It was a problem I had yet to confront & resolve. I was a mid-size “woman” at the moment. I could wear a size L at the age of 14. My jeans size was a women’s 16. I weighed 160lbs at barely 5 foot tall.
Despite knowing I needed to lose weight & it was the reason all the kids were mean to me & none of the boys liked me I still hid my binges & ate like garbage. I had a sweet tooth & could throw down gallons of ice cream, & boxes of cereal & cheese nips in one sitting. Then I’d throw it all up & struggle with gut flares for weeks. Why TF did I do this I thought? I remember the doctor telling me I needed to lose weight & people would say the annoying, “You’d be the prettiest girl in school if you’d just lose weight.” **Insert eye roll.** But I knew there was some truth in what they were saying. My first thought? I bet I can drop 20 lbs in 2 weeks if I don’t eat & exercise more. I just need to “want it bad enough.” And I did. I stayed stuck in those self sabotaging cycles for decades. Sound familiar? I don’t have middle gears. It’s nothing, or full throttle! And that’s how I was with food, alcohol, exercise, mindset, & negative self talk. Those of you who have read my other blogs might know that I once got so thin that my hair started to fall out. I had fainting spells, low blood pressure, & cervical cancer in my 20s, & I ended up in the ER with a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of .346 & on a vent after a night of drinking one time. You have no idea how badly I needed to hear this to love myself & keep fat loss off forever…SWIPE!
I hope these help you too & are the very things I also teach my clients. [Coaching FAQs in IG bio] oxox Coach
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, brand growth consultant, & connection maker working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to organize/optimize life for better health, increased wealth & happiness! Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life! Katie currently resides in Fishers, IN where she has worked in the health, sales, and nutrition field for over 17 years.
Years ago I came face to face with 2 of my problems. As I sat there staring at myself in the mirror I felt weak, vulnerable & didn’t know what to say. I could see the concern in my eyes, but couldn’t find the words to explain why I was doing what I was doing. I asked myself why I drank by myself so often & I didn’t have a clear answer. On the surface, it’s because I enjoyed it. Why wouldn’t I? There’s satisfaction about taking the edge off with the luscious drop of a sweet burn. Then something happens. I feel more relaxed & I’m able to forget what’s running rambunctiously in my mind. Sometimes it was 1, 2 or even 3 drinks. Then there are the snacks & closet eating. I would buy a giant bag of Reese’s pb cups or packages of cookies & brownies & eat them all in one sitting. I’d feel sick, inflamed, & disgusted with myself for days after. Falling deeper & deeper in the binge/restrict/guilt cycle. I thought to myself, “Katie, this is f*cked up.” A drink alone is so different from a drink with friends. Eating in hiding is different than enjoying food with friends. The social aspect is key to the motivation & appeal of enjoying social spirits & food with friends. I have friends that I like to drink wine with, friends that I like to eat with. Who’s my friend when I decide to drink & binge eat alone? Coming to terms with unhealthy coping mechanisms isn’t easy by any means but absolutely necessary for growth. It’s dirty & painful & forces you to shed layers of yourself you didn’t even know existed. Now that I’ve faced those fears & learned to love myself through challenges vs numb with binging food & alcohol, I can finally say at 40 I am free & the healthiest I’ve ever been. I created my own heaven on Earth with an abundance mindset. I found the carnivore WOE, walking as my therapy, & crossfit as my sanctuary.
I go beyond barriers to possibilities.
— Louise Hay
Here are mantras I use with clients & used myself to help you shift your thoughts, calm, soothe & re-focus your brain (& LIFE) where you want it to be. Please share this post if it resonated with you & to help someone else out there that may also be struggling ❤️🩹 oxox Coach K
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, & brand growth consultant working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to optimize life to attract health, wealth, & happiness. Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
I experienced trauma when I was very young. It shaped my life from the moment it occurred & the effects have stayed with me ever since. I still sometimes well up when I think about it while talking with clients. The body remembers those emotions.
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I say this not for sympathy, but to let other people who may have experienced something similar that they are not alone in their feelings, & that they don’t need to carry the shame that often comes with trauma.
I carried my shame, held onto it tightly for probably 3 decades of my 40 years. This shame caused me to form an identity that shaped my future & saw me struggle with Crohn’s disease, weight, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, low self-worth, debt, poor relationships, & self-doubt.
I’ve lost 55lbs via Carnivore & CrossFit
In elementary school, a boy I liked told my friend he would never like me because I was fat. A teacher told me in middle school I was too big to be a cheerleader. Kids in high school called me poor & a chubby farmer’s daughter.
With the wisdom I have now, I understand those comments were made by people who didn’t know me nor have my best interests at heart.
But as soon as those words came out of those people’s mouths, my life changed & another wound slashed through my soul & left me bleeding.
I felt ashamed of my body & questioned its validity & my worth. I felt a burning shame about what my body looked like. I wore a t-shirt over my bathing suits & swim class was a nightmare. I felt embarrassed, & I wanted to hide. I hid my binge eating & wore anorexia as a badge.
As a young girl & young adult, I took the comments at face value, & believed them wholeheartedly.
These labels caused me to identify as someone who was fatter than she should have been, & the only way to prove my worth & beauty were to be skinny & lose weight.
Not only did I feel shame about what my body looked like, I developed shame around what it couldn’t do. I was not the fastest runner or athlete.
The kids at school laughed & teased me about how slow I was when I ran. I was always one of the last picked in gym class for teams.
The identity of being someone who needed to lose weight caused me to question my body so much I was extremely conscious of what I looked like & felt uncomfortable & disconnected in my own body.
I compared myself with other people all the time, always feeling ashamed because I believed I was ‘bigger’ than they were. So I started dieting to whittle my body into the smallest version of itself.
Obsession with weight, body shape & dieting took its hold in my early teens & 20s. I would jump from one diet to another, often ending up bingeing because I was eating so little during the day. I also used to use food to soothe my emotions.
With every failed diet, I slowly began to take on another layer to my identity. I became the girl who needs to lose weight but struggles to look the way she envied in her head.
The emotional weight I carried weighed more than my body did.
I celebrate my body every day now. I have done a lot of work in the past decade unlearning, unbecoming, & rising as a Phoenix. I write this to share with all of you to give you hope.
You see, what I have learned — & it’s been a painful learning, as I look back on how much my life has been affected by the words that I heard when I was a young girl — is that I was never a chubby girl who needed to lose weight. I never needed to go on all those diets in the first place. And, it’s only because of dieting that my weight became a problem.
My body was never the problem. My identity was.
So, I choose everyday to no longer identify as the person who is overweight, sick, broke, & can’t love herself.
I identify as the person I’ve always wanted to be.
Confident & happy in her body. Able to wear whatever clothes she likes. Strong & self-assured. Proud of what she looks like & how she serves others. Someone who celebrates & loves her body.
Someone who is proud of her struggles because they made her strong.
And hello to a sexy woman who celebrates her body in all its forms, & who will never be defined by her weight, other people’s opinions, or the need to shrink herself again.
And you can, too!
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, brand growth consultant, & connection maker working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives.
She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to organize/optimize life for better health, increased wealth & happiness!
Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, fitness, & nutrition.
After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
Katie currently resides in Fishers, IN where she has worked in the health, sales, and nutrition field for over 17 years.
You CAN make the life you want. Oftentimes this begins with hitting the reset button. What better time than NOW?!
The change you want in your life begins with you. If you can change your inside, the outside will fall into place.
Remember, your most significant obstacle to success is you. It’s not time, money, or your situation.
Life is a learning experience, and you’ll learn some essential life lessons along the way.
Some of these lessons come from your own experience, some from watching others, and some from reading books and articles like this one.
A pep talk you may need to hear!
Here are life lessons that can change your life and help you live it the way you want. These allowed me to manifest a better life!
1) Embody the person you wanna be. Be a person of VALUE! To progress & succeed, this may mean shedding the old version & reinventing you. Most don’t: sleep/eat well, don’t have a success routine, don’t have self awareness, learn new things daily, choose positive thoughts & energy. You need to: build mental fortitude, execute desires, keep commitments, realize motivation is fleeting, create a routine & + environment. If you wanna be a high value, successful, & well respected big boy/girl, f*ckin act like one.
“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.” — Albert Einstein
Prove your worth every day and show your colleagues, friends, and family that you are worth the time they have invested in you. To succeed in life, you must tell stories about yourself in an authentic, humble, and business-focused way. Do more than is asked of you, be a thought leader. Under promise, over deliver 😉
2) Health is your biggest wealth. Develop good habits! Steps to a healthier, leaner, happier life:
Prioritize protein & nourishing, unprocessed food. Eat food you can digest & absorb properly with no negative physical or emotional issues
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” — Jim Rohn
The key to success in life is building tiny habits that can significantly impact your life. Little things, such as good habits, add up over time. Good habits can help you live a more fulfilled and happy life, while bad habits can cause you to spiral downward.
Success lies in what you do every day. Most of us are not aware of our bad and good habits because we live on autopilot
If you want to succeed in life, your good habits must outweigh your bad habits. If you think you have some toxic habits in your life, you still have time to unlearn them and change your negative tendencies.
3) Obsess over purpose/something larger than yourself. Make today count! Being interested or wishing are not enough, you need to be obsessed with becoming a better, more EXTRAordinary version of yourself. Embrace being an evolving human. Perfection is not needed. Once you make your mission & legacy your purpose for living, you will find & attract opportunities & people to help you achieve your goals. Live & vibrate intentionally, the Universe will show you the How.
“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” — Robert Breault
Make every moment and day count. Be mindful of where you are in the here and now, savor each moment. Life goes by faster than you think. Live each day to the fullest, happiness is a state of mind.
4) If it isn’t a hell YES, it’s a hell NO This makes decision making much simpler. It requires sacrifice & a shift in perspective. I had to shed toxic habits, addictions, friends, & old versions of myself. I had to give up excuses, playing it safe, fear of mistakes, shrinking myself, & FOMO in order to UPLEVEL body, mind, & spirit. Sacrifice is a choice & it doesn’t seem like a negative thing when you want something bad enough. Embrace JOMO: JOY of missing out.
5) Realize the power of influence. Develop meaningful, deeper relationships! What you consume, consumes you & what consumes you, controls your life. Our consumption is not only what we eat/drink but also what we watch, listen to, social media, & environment (people & places). If you want to change, become a healthier, wealthier, happier version of yourself, you have to change your behaviors & consumptions. Listen to a podcast, motivational speakers, surround yourself with successful, high value people.
Our lives are built around our relationships. Our interpersonal skills are the keys to your success. You must improve and deepen your relationships through interpersonal intelligence and your ability to understand and interact effectively with others.
When you can gracefully navigate social settings with good verbal and non-verbal communication, you build strong connections with all types of people and show them you value them.
Deep conversations with the right people are worth their weight in Gold. Katie Kelly, @lil_bit_of_fit
6) Realize the power of discipline It is what it is – you either do or you don’t. There’s nothing worse than rolling thru life in the passenger’s seat. It’s about keeping commitments to yourself. If dieting & obtaining the physique & level of health & success you desire were easy, everyone would be lean, happy & rich. Goals don’t mean anything unless you ACT. Just like knowledge isn’t power unless there’s application. We were made to be ACTIVE participants in life. The word ATTRACTION includes the word ACTION.
7) You can’t please everyone & your Character matters! “But one of the big lessons I have learned from my journey is you can’t please everyone, so don’t try.” — Chris Colfer
It’s impossible to please everyone in your life. Not everyone will agree with you or even like you. You don’t need to get the approval of others, especially if you strive for excellence over perfection.
Stay true to who you are. Find people who believe in you, and you believe in them. Find your tribe and stay loyal to those who give to you.
A person’s character is about their value systems and defines their behavior. Your behavior can be traced back to your values and beliefs. Your view of the world influences your behavior. Having good character helps you make good choices and decisions.
Good character is the foundation for good decisions
When you have a good character of honesty, loyalty, and perseverance, you’ll feel good about yourself while earning the trust and gaining the respect of others. People with solid moral character find happiness and success in their life and grow their relationships with others because of honesty, transparency, and mutual respect.
8) Be like water, flexible & adaptable. Realize good things are worth patience & sacrifice.
“A bad plan is better than no plan, and the most important quality of any plan is the flexibility to change.” — Judson L Moore
When you are flexible and adaptable, you more easily accomplish your goals. You find ways to cope and succeed when circumstances are not in your favor.
Learn to bend without breaking. Adaptability helps you handle and embrace change in order to be able to thrive in whatever situation life throws at you.
“The best things in life don’t come easy, but those things are the ones worth the sacrifice.” — Adriana Locke
A good life is up to you. The amount of effort you put in every day, the ability for you to learn from your mistakes, and how you cultivate a trustworthy network of colleagues and friends are up to you.
Your life is all about contrast. Nothing in this world is worth having if you don’t have to go through some hard times. The key is to have mental toughness, self belief, & an endurance mindset.
When you have these mindsets, you view failure as an opportunity to improve yourself, you are unafraid to take risks, and you make sure you continue to have a positive outlook on life because you know you’re worth it.
There you go, 8 life lessons that can change your life for the better!
You won’t learn these life lessons at one time. Be mindful that change takes time and allow yourself the time you need to grow. The key is to be aware of life lessons and apply them to your life. The change you want in life begins and ends with you.
“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” — Bernice Johnson Reagon
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, brand growth consultant, & connection maker working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives.
She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to organize/optimize life for better health, increased wealth & happiness!
Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, fitness, & nutrition.
After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
Katie currently resides in Fishers, IN where she has worked in the health, sales, and nutrition field for over 17 years. You can find her on the gram, @lil_bit_of_fit
You see, I used to be made fun of because I was the smart girl & was shy.
I read — A LOT…because it helped me escape.
I used to hide it.
As I aged, I realized the importance of being a forever student & figuring out the best ways for me to learn, comprehend, & APPLY the knowledge to daily life.
You can read all the books & listen to all the podcasts in the world but if you can’t comprehend AND apply the knowledge you learn, you’re wasting your time. Knowledge + ACTION = Power.
If you don’t like to read, listen to audiobooks & podcasts & take notes! You’re more likely to remember & comprehend the material.
Ex: I’m a busy body, so I listen to many audiobooks & podcasts while cleaning, cooking, walking, driving, & in between patients at work.
It’s a part of my daily morning routine, called #habitstacking I take notes on my notes page on my phone & on paper for review.
We don’t know everything, but everyday we have opportunity to learn! Utilize your time wisely.
I know when it’s time to rest, however, the majority of my days are spent investing in myself whether via exercise, learning, self care, service, reading, podcasts, optimizing my day, tackling my to do list, creating, helping others, & aligning to opportunities for extra income so I have more time & freedom to love & live life joyfully.
I align to as much abundance as possible so that I can give back to others less fortunate. From my brain & bookshelves to you, some of my favorite books/podcasts/YouTube’s.
A multitude I want to put here! And like me (& you), this list is ever-changing & evolving!
@lil_bit_of_fit ‘s Live Your Best Life List If you’re ready to begin again, start here!
Sharing my list!
GRATITUDE & MINDSET: Name off at least 3 things you’re grateful & do at least one thing that brings you joy. Smile more. Compliment more. Do at least one nice thing for someone every day. Make a vision board or list on Pinterest & fill it with visions, quotes, pictures, & expanders of the life, love, body, & person you desire to embody. Believe you are worthy & deserving. Listen to positive podcasts, read books, surround yourself with extraordinary people & nurturing environment.
HEALTH: Get a walk or some kind of movement done 1st thing in the morning. Be intentional about getting 10K steps/d. Choose nourishing food that does not cause any negative physical or mental triggers. Eat slow & mindfully. Hit your protein grams/d. At least 30-50g/meal. Average 2-3 meals/d, no snacking. Let your carbs & fat grams fall where they will. Eat at your maintenance calories the majority of the year. Hydrate. Walk after meals, even 10 minutes. Eat your largest meal & carbs (if you eat them) after your workout & taper meal sizes off later in the day. Moderate caffeine & alcohol. Strength train 3-4 x/week. Use HIIT cardio wisely.
SELF: Do sh*t you love everyday, fill your cup. Sleep 7-8 hrs/night. Take rest days. Sweat, get sunshine & nature as much as you can. Live by the 4 agreements: Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don’t Take Anything Personally, Don’t Make Assumptions, Always Do Your Best.
WEALTH: LOVE what you do. Spend & invest wisely. Find out what you love to do & get paid well for it. Realize you work to live not live to work. Money is good, it’s energy & freedom. Give back. Wealth means more than just money in the bank. Make decisions from a source of love not greed or loathing. You deserve a life of abundance!
RELATIONSHIPS: Connect with your people. Make memories! Tell people you love them. Communicate efficiently & often. Seek first to understand before judging. Your network is your net worth. Every opportunity is a networking opportunity, carpe diem, savor the present.
That’s it. There’s mine. Make your own! Remember motivation is fleeting, but you have the choice to be a person who keeps commitments to themselves!
Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, CrossFit, & adapting a carnivore diet lifestyle. Katie also has over 16 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, & Sales Consultant. You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com
One day I woke up and I was sick of being the fat girl. I was sick of the FEELING of hating my body, feeling slow, out of shape, weak, struggling with gut issues, & frankly, mediocre. DONE.
Body transformation takes time. It’s taken me about 10 years to build and heal my physique! I currently live a meat-based or “carnivore” lifestyle and haven’t felt better!
I’ve lost 55lbs throughout my lifetime. I’ve been all shapes and sizes. I’ve made all the same mistakes as you from trying every diet known to man, bingeing and purging, restricting, abusing exercise, taking diet pills – you name it.
Only until you learn to love the skin you’re in & make the changes you need to make from a place of self love vs self loathing does true transformation take place.
You asked me for my best fat loss advice and here are 10 things I would say…
1. You don’t have to diet often once you heal your body & make peace with the right foods & workouts for you. Your routine and success habits will transform your body into whatever you want it to be. That starts with an abundance mindset.
2. You should focus on strength training and feeling amazing. Sprinkle in just enough cardio to do your body and mind well. The secret is progression and consistency. Just get to the f*cking gym.
3. You don’t need as much fiber or as many carbs as you think you do, especially if they’re causing gut issues. We’re all different. Experiment. Do what works for you, not the crowd. Eat animal based nutrition (meat & eggs) & cut processed foods.
4. Sleep & recovery are just as important as food & workouts. No, you can’t function optimally on 5 hrs of sleep. Stress management is also a must.
5. Sometimes success looks like contentment, not chaos. Drop the FOMO & slow down a little bit. I realized running myself into the ground, trying to keep up with everyone was serving no one. It’s ok to be considered boring. It’s ok to like to go to bed early & get up early. You are the star of your show, not a cameo. One person’s “living life to its fullest” may be another person’s demise if it’s not true to their alignment.
6. How bout we normalize not “liking” certain things about ourselves but being ok with it, like cellulite. Use it as empowerment & proof of a life well lived.
7. Wisdom is remembering a past experience & feeling without an emotional attachment. Learn your lessons & move on.
8. Just like life, the scale will have ebbs & flows. You can’t grow & change staying the same weight & staying at the same point in life. The secret is not allowing the ebbs & flows to affect your emotional well being.
9. Stop letting your clothes wear you. YOU wear your clothes. Be your own fashionista. Wear whatever the f*ck you want. BE EXTRA. Dress to compliment your body. Stop trying to fit into clothes that are outdated & don’t fit you anymore.
10. Stay in YOUR lane & do what’s best for you. You don’t need to follow rules or follow the crowd. Like I always say, “I don’t do rules, I do what feels right.”
Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, CrossFit, & adapting a carnivore diet lifestyle. Katie also has over 16 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, & Sales Consultant. You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com
WTF is considered middle-aged anyways nowadays? I remember when I thought 30 was old?!
Who doesn’t love a good leopard print? Amazon find 🙂
I have a big birthday coming up, the BIG 4-0! For many, this is a death sentence. It’s all downhill from here…
…like you magically turn the page, become less attractive, less desirable, boring – kind of like an old penny you find on the ground.
But for me, I feel a sense of pride & appreciation for my body & my life at this point. Every wrinkle, scar, sun spot, stretch mark & dimple of cellulite, baby. Let’s throw a couple divorces in there, too. LOL.
(I did LOL)
They all tell my story.
Did you know my friends used to call me “Momma Cougar” after my FIRST divorce?
–those are stories for another day (& another drink).
What can I say?! I’ve historically been attracted to younger men. My last husband, yes, SECOND divorce, was 10 years younger than me.
Amazing man, really, I did pick a good one. No need to end things on bad terms. Remember that thing I preach? Learn to let people go with a loving heart. Your life will be more peaceful that way, I promise.
Other things that will make your life more peaceful: treat your body & mind like a temple, ladies.
Eat well, lift weights, be happy, do sh*t you love, don’t wait on anyone or anything, always remember your worth, & remind yourself you ain’t got time to teach, try to change someone, shrink to their level, or be someone’s mom.
Change takes time y’all. I’m 3 years “Carnivore” with my lifestyle & healthier than ever!
I call myself “Vintage.”
Vin·tage /ˈvin(t)ij/
of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality : CLASSIC
There are 10 years between these 2 photos. Like a fine wine, bitches,
Does my life look different than I thought it would at 20? Hell to the mf, YES!
I thought I’d be happily married, 2 kids, a dog, white picket fence, workin a 9-5 M-F, still doin Jazzercise at church. When in reality, I happily live alone in an apartment with my cat, Pete. I’m divorced, kidless, have more hats on my coat rack when it comes to jobs than you can shake a stick at.
Unapologetically living life in hair extensions & lashes somewhere between scrubs & leggins. I’m clothed in purpose, smashing #meatbars with my 2 boyfriends, Al & Abe (my airfryers) on the daily.
I love every minute of it & I laugh.
I laugh because life is funny. You think you can control every outcome with precision as long as you do everything PERFECT. As long as you make all the “right” choices, it’ll go as planned. Doesn’t matter if it’s with love, money, or your body. It applies across the board. Just roll with it.
Thing is, I’ve aged, but I’m not aged. I think and feel and breathe like I always have. I’ve grown wiser, but not stupid. There’s still a ton of dreams that will be realized, adventures to be had, and a life to be lived.
I hope you feel that way, too.
My advice?
Keep going. Be your best YOU. Take every day as a blessing. Tomorrow is not promised. The best is yet to be, even if today is in shambles.
Yesterday is a bridge to nowhere, but tomorrow is a bridge to everywhere.
Carpe Diem!
I’ll leave you with some life lessons because, well, that’s how I roll.
No aesthetic #glowup & extensions can overshadow the lessons you’ll learn with life. I hope these spark a thought-provoking flame for your own reflection.
Unapologetically Be Yourself
I too feel the word “authentic” gets thrown around & over used nowadays, but it still doesn’t discredit its truth & power. I’ve learned no one can be me & it takes way too damn much energy to try & be someone else. What happens is you lose yourself & attract the wrong kinds of people in your life.
Success is Not Defined by Numbers, Titles, Productivity, & Achievement
I am worthy simply because I exist. Not because of my weight, the titles before or after my name, how many hours I’ve worked, my relationship status, or numbers of likes or followers. Success is defined by me, happiness is defined by me, relationships are defined by me, Joy is defined by me & I create my reality.
Love Shows Up For You Every Day Love shows up every single day if you let it y’all. Let go. It may not be in the exact form, person, or way that you think but it’s always there. Let the Universe take care of the how, why, & when. You just gotta roll with it & have fun on the journey to whatever it is that you want. Pay attention to the signs & pings that you’re drawn to, like places you’re drawn to, food you love, jobs, workouts & gyms that call to you, people that always show up in your life or your mind. Those are signs.
Take Time for You & Realize There’s A Big Difference Between Alone & Being Lonely
Remember when being alone was boring & scary af & you thought that made you a loser? My alone time now is like Church & something I’ve come to cherish. I have to have it to refresh. Taking time for myself is vital to all my relationships. You can’t serve anyone with an empty cup.
Just Do It
I’ve most definitely learned that magical things come from working outside of one’s comfort zone. I admit I LOATHE being a beginner. I wanna be a master of everything like right now. Starting new jobs are extremely hard but I know as soon as I find my groove I rock whatever is thrown my way. Fear of failing, fear of embarrassing myself, fear of exposing myself stifled me for decades. Now, it might take me some time to pursue something, I may have to figure some sh*t out first, but I will never have a dream I don’t follow because I don’t believe in myself.
Be Present, Speak Up, Gratitude, Always
Being present – really fckin hard for me too. I miss out on the beauty of the now when I don’t slow down tho. Take time to pause. Literally tell myself this numerous times a day. Speaking up & standing strong in my beliefs also plagued this recovered people pleasing crowd follower back in the day. You just end up a watered down version of yourself. Gratitude is always the answer, like walk. If in doubt, walk, you’ll hear me say. Every single day is a blessing & I don’t dare take that for granted. In the last 10 years, I’ve witnessed how precious life & health are. I look for little ways to celebrate everything, I wake up & say thank you to the Universe & God every morning. I tell my plants, appliances, & my cat Pete I love them. I know, I know…I’m a special kind of weird. I make a point of reflecting on the people & things I’m grateful for…and THIS my friends, all of THIS in its collective has made all the difference.
Cheers to defining your own life . Here’s to many more years of awesomesauceness! (Yup made that up)
Hailing from Fishers, Indiana, Katie is an aficionado of health, mindset, human connection, & entrepreneurship. Writer, speaker, doer of many things, she grew up on her family’s beef cattle & crop farm where agriculture was her first love. She is a Purdue University graduate well known for her storytelling of life lessons & personal transformation through her own relationships, Crohn’s Disease, disordered eating, CrossFit, & adapting a carnivore diet lifestyle. Katie also has over 16 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, & Sales Consultant. You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com
Had a DM today from a frustrated woman who stated she felt she was always “Behind with everything.” Relationships, love, her body, financial situation, for examples.
I’ve felt this way more times in my life than I’d like to admit. How bout y’all?
I’m 40, childless, divorced (twice), & for humor’s sake, my cat, Pete, is the longest successful relationship with a male I’ve had. LOL!
My life is incredibly rich in love, laughter, joy, & wealth, however. It’s about gratitude & perspective. My wealth is found in experiences, honoring myself, & being a human that makes somebody feel like somebody.
She cried, “I should be further along.”
Seriously, what does that even mean anymore? Like wth is even “normal” anymore?
And who cares?!
I replied, Honey, take your time. I paused, smiled, & sent her these beautiful words from a post that changed my life years ago.
I hope they resonate with you in the beautiful way that you need, too.
A woman who takes her time moves slow. She knows what she is worth. She values herself enough that she doesn’t need to hook you quickly with her shiny carnal lures.
She takes the time to see you. She waits patiently as you take off your armor. She knows the sadness hidden beneath your smile. She knows the hurt you hold inside. She isn’t in a hurry to pull it out of you. She knows that her purpose is not to heal you, but to teach you how to heal yourself.
A woman who takes her time does not believe in Love at first sight. Not the Love she is interested in. Because she remembers how long it took to love herself. She knows that is how her Love will grow with you. Slowly. Gradually. With forgiveness. Patience. Compassion for all your greed, all your lusts, all your competitiveness. Even your possessiveness.
But a woman who takes her time will not let you keep her as your pet. She has taken the time to know who she is in truth. She knows she cannot be owned. She is a wild wolf. Made of shark teeth, hummingbird feathers, and the first drop of dew on the morning rose.
If you have the courage to be with a woman who takes her time, there is nothing that you can keep hidden. No secrets will be kept safe. You will be naked, vulnerable, exposed. You will see yourself for who you truly are. All your shadow, all your glory. You will be forced to see Her for who she truly is. When there is nothing left to hide, then and only then will you be able to decide…If you are meant to slow dance with the woman who takes her time. @aubreymarcus ❤️
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
Q: “I’m trying to work calories up but I don’t feel hungry. I know I need to but I am petrified to gain weight because I only feel noticed when I’m skinny.”
Note what you said here: you fear weight gain because you only FEEL NOTICED when you’re a certain size.
The “health” I was constantly congratulated for: -weight loss -thinness -self control / dieting -exercising for calories burnt -a lower number on the scale -a lower number on my pants -*looking* healthy The health I rarely was congratulated for: -weight gain -acknowledging disordered eating -quitting dieting -exercising for body and mental health -ditching the scale -going up in size -*being* healthy External validation is like a drug. When you’re told how great you’re doing, how “healthy” you are, it feels like a high. Internal validation is like a daily vitamin. When you tell yourself it’s ok, that your health is not defined by what you thought it was, & it feels like comfort.
Let that sink in.
Eating more food can be uncomfortable, mentally & physically. It’s a mind fxck. Especially if you struggle with digestive issues like IBD, IBS, Celiac, etc. Especially when we’re told to eat less & do more.
The majority of my clients fall into this category. We need to reverse diet & heal before we even think about a cut.
It may take being strategic about the types of food you choose to aid in digestion, nourishment, & get those calories up so you can go on being a bada$$.
Things we work on if this is the case: ⁃ choosing lower volume foods to help get calories in if you have problems with feeling too full like adding fat butter/tallow/or bacon fat ⁃ choosing higher fat meat ⁃ choosing softer meat like seafood, ground meat, & shredded meat vs steaks & roasts ⁃ eating smaller more frequent meals, not fasting, being more active ⁃ protein shakes
Now repeat after me, WELL-FED HUMANS CHANGE THE WORLD!
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
