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!
The carnivore diet is simple. It worked for me. I’m not here to tell you it’s right for everyone but I want to share my story in hopes of helping at least one person out there that has also struggled with weight, gut issues, & a poor relationship with food & self.
As long as you are eating exclusively animal products, you’re on a carnivore diet, or a meat based diet as I like to say. I simply hope that everyone that finds a solution that helps them feel & look their best!
Tips:
Make fatty red meat from ruminant animals the staple of your diet. Ground beef is my go to & it’s a budget buy! They can also be from steaks & roasts. Eating leaner cuts can be okay too on occasion but you’ll want to add more fat (butter, tallow, etc) to make sure you’re getting in enough calories.
I love to dip my meat in butter. It tastes delicious, is anti-inflammatory, & is a cheap/tasty/easy source of fat-soluble vitamins. Tallow & other real animal fats are great too!
Eggs are magical & contain a powerful punch of healthy nutrients we need to function at our best including protein, healthy fats, iron, phosphorus, selenium, & vitamins A, B12, B2, B5, etc.
Dairy is also a source of healthy fat & protein as well. Consume obviously only if you don’t have a sensitivity to it. Read your labels & choose those low in carbs & zero sugar. The more natural the better.
Non-ruminant meats like seafood, chicken & pork are a great affordable option for many too. They taste great & offer versatility. Pork can be a trigger food for gut issues & histamine responses for some. Just pay attention to how you feel after you eat any food. It’s a trigger for me & I have to consume in moderation. Seafood can be good as well, but are generally too lean.
Organ meats are without a doubt the most nutrient dense foods on earth. Once a week is more than enough, eat as needed. Try out different animal organs, some taste better than others. I personally don’t like them & take a beef organs supplement from @ancestralsupplements
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!
Had a message recently from a woman who asked me how she could feel like the “It Girl” walking into a room — the one everyone wants to know & be around.
Some deep sh*t, right?! I’m thinkin now what kind of baggage do we have to unpack for this one?
cause we all have our bags.
I brainstormed.
I feel it comes down to charisma & mindset. As you sharpen your ability to be more charismatic & growth minded, you open up a plethora of doors.
The work is dirty. It may hurt. It may make your eyes well up. That inner work is absolutely necessary more times than not to find your sparkle.
A lil bit about my story struggling with a growth mindset…
This child was called fat. This child was called ugly. This child felt she would never be the girl that sparkled when she entered a room. This child was me.
I was told to lose weight & tried to diet before I was 10. My self-esteem & body issues started at 8.
I hated my body. I had gut issues.
I was told on numerous accounts, “If you just lost weight, you would be as pretty as all the other girls in school.” Stung every time. Stung with shame.
This translated into: You’re not special. You won’t be successful &/or loved unless you’re thin & look the part.
It’s taken me 40 years to become the happy, charismatic, & proud woman writing these words today.
I hope you enjoy these golden nuggets I’ve learned along my journey about finding your sparkle & becoming a human worth knowing that commands a room.
Swipe thru, continued with much love, growth, & inspiration on your Sunday
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!
Gut check moment: I realized I felt incapable of discovering who I was or what I wanted on my own.
This was why I couldn’t find the right diet, career path, or relationship. One of those “Fxck, it WAS me all along” moments.
Now, hear me out, I see no problem in seeking guidance when searching for your life path. And I know part of finding your path includes finding your identity & making mistakes. In fact, it’s essential to know who you are to discover your purpose in this world.
What I did & what I take issue with is when people feel incapable of discovering who they are or what they want on their own, placing their value in people pleasing, diet & exercise “camps,” what they look like, achievements, titles, &/or how much money they have in their bank accounts.
Ya feel me?
On the evening he died, Buddha delivered his final, but one of his most powerful teachings for generations to come.
As recounted by many historians, he gathered with his monks encouraging them to continue practicing everything he taught them long after he was gone.
His words, translated into modern English: “I was only able to point the way for you.” He furthered: “All individual things pass away. Strive on with diligence.” He also told them: “Be a lamp unto yourself, be a refuge to yourself. Take yourself to no external refuge.”
Essentially, he was telling them that he himself & his teachings were not the source of happiness, well-being, peace, & wisdom. Instead, he reminded them that to become FULLY FREE, they needed to find their truth FOR themselves & WITHIN themselves.
I feel Buddha was urging us to see this truth: although you may search the world over trying to find it, your ultimate refuge is none other than your own being.
In other words – You do you, Boo.
Hope this meets you where ever you need…the hard af truth why you struggle in life, with food & fitness + a few rules will make you stronger than you’ve ever been.
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!
“Abs are made in the kitchen.” — possibly every fitness trainer & influencer who ever lived. LOL!
We’ve all heard this statement before as we try to figure out why the countless hours we have spent sweating in the gym & eating all the “healthy diet food” have yet to turn into that chiseled six-pack we desire.
While the obvious answer is that regardless of how hard you work in the gym, if you don’t eat “right” FOR YOU, you’re only working against yourself. Health first, aesthetics will follow.
What if I told you the quality of what you’re eating every day was related to & a predictor of the quality of your life?
We’ve all heard how important healthy eating is, but we all tend to put it on the back burner because we’re too focused on working harder in the gym & chronically dieting.
While I did hit several personal & fitness goals by just outworking my former self (to my demise in the long run) what I recognized was that by focusing on self love & my eating first, I didn’t have to work as hard in the gym anymore & discovered a number of other areas of my life became much easier & better to manage.
I’ve lost 55lbs in my lifetime, put my Crohn’s disease in remission, & live med-free via the carnivore woe (way of eating).
One positive change led to another that created an almost domino effect of favorable results in my life, ultimately leading to a more well-balanced, happier life!
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, motivational speaker & writer, & brand growth consultant working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to optimize life to attract health, wealth, & happiness. Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com
Do you know there are people that would trade years of their life to be skinnier?
Hi. It me🙋♀️
The FORMER version of me.
You have to get to a point of metabolic & hormonal health to become more flexible with your diet & macros. That may mean scaling back over exercising. That may mean moving more if you are more sedentary. That may mean eating more food & gaining weight in the process.
I gained 15lbs when I started the carnivore diet over 3 years ago & it took me an entire year to adapt & finally lose weight.
Do the hard things. If you keep doing what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.
Swipe, save & share this post here on Instagram!
You CAN eat too much protein, be under nourished & under fueled. Food is fuel. Fat is fuel. Carbs are fuel too if you prefer them as an energy source. We need to start thinking about food in terms of fuel instead of a treat or reward or diet camp.
Machines are all different, right?! They take different fuel sources & parts, right?! Why do you think humans are any different?!
Fat is super important. Protein is not an optimal fuel source. You won’t feel great eating lean meat all the time. If you think I’m full of sh*t, why don’t you eat skinless boneless chicken breast for 2-3 weeks & tell me how you feel (please don’t do that but it will be a rude awakening).
You can’t eat all the meat you want without some educated decision making to nourish your body properly & get the results you truly want. Same with your workouts. If you want to have a certain physique, you have to eat & work out appropriately to get that physique so choose wisely.
Eating as little as possible is not a badge of honor. A toddler can’t survive on 1200 calories a day. Are you a toddler? Have you been conditioned & chronically dieting/under fueling your entire life? The importance of reverse dieting & getting healthy are not emphasized enough over dieting.
Please prioritize getting healthy & reverse dieting first. It will be one of the best things you ever do for your body & I promise the results will follow. Most active women getting at least 10,000 steps/day & working out 3-4 times/week average 1800 to 2100+ calories/day for maintenance levels for perspective. What are you crushing? I crush about 2000/day & I’m 40 years old, 105lbs at 5’1.
You cannot look like me. I built my physique via CrossFit & lifting which may be different from what you prefer. It took me over a decade to get the physique you see today.
Not everyone likes the same workouts which will change the way your body looks. Not everyone has the same story, we didn’t grow up the same way, with the same experiences & same level of health or relationships with food & exercise.
I discovered CrossFit at 31 years old. Prior to that I had never touched a barbell in my life. I am 40 years old today and haven’t been healthier or happier!
Not everyone can eat high-protein & thrive. This all goes back to getting metabolically & hormonal healthy FIRST before most people can be metabolically flexible with their macros & diet approaches. Experiment, track data like macros/ketones/blood glucose if things are not working. Take the emotion out of it, you’re doing this from a place of health. They’re just tools to help you. Learn to be objective. Mistakes are how we learn & find solutions.
Here’s an informative video about different troubleshooting with versions of carnivore.
Not everyone can incorporate carbs, sugar, & alcohol & be a moderator. This all goes back to your emotional & physical relationship with food. Not everyone can include plants, fruit, or honey into their carnivore diet because it spikes blood glucose, causes cravings, binge eating, & other physical ailments. These are a drug for many. We don’t tell alcoholics just to have one drink, right?! Sugar & carbs are addictive. Determine if you’re an abstainer or a moderator. Over time you may be able to moderate certain things once you establish a healthy relationship with a substance.
It’s OK if you have a poor relationship with certain foods or carbohydrates. I do, openly, have a poor relationship with sugar & carbs, which is why I abstain. They also cause physical ailments for me due to my Crohn’s disease an autoimmune condition. My peace of mind & my health takes precedence above all. Which means I do what works for me & I give zero fux if other people judge me for it because I am my healthiest, happiest, & most peaceful & that’s all that matters.
Carbs are not the devil. They are beneficial if you are an athlete or avid exerciser to blunt the cortisol (stress) response & help with recovery. They can also help you sleep better when timed & applied appropriately. We must learn to work with our bodies & food to optimize our body function to live our best lives. Work with your body not against it.
Protein sparing modified fasting is not appropriate for everyone. Feasting & fasting is not appropriate for everyone. Extended fasting is not appropriate for everyone. High intensity workouts are not appropriate for everyone. Eating carbs is not appropriate for everyone. Eating vegan or carnivore or whatever diet camp you want to put here is not appropriate for everyone. Again, get healthy first. Pick an approach that is easy for you to implement in life & one that you enjoy. Be willing to make mistakes & embrace a different way of doing things. I promise you will find your solution to diet, exercise, relationships, & life in general.
Why fasting may not be working for you
You will never regret walking. You will never regret eating optimal protein & fat. You will never regret quality sleep. You will never regret being kind. You will never regret eating slowly & mindfully. You will never regret eating the right foods for you no matter what someone else thinks. You will never regret therapy. You will never regret a gratitude attitude & abundance mindset. Set your high value nonnegotiables in life. This includes everything you consume including the people you surround yourself with.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel you just have to follow a way of eating & a way of living that suits you❤️
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.
In the 40 years of my life, I’ve attempted to get into “better shape” & been a plethora of different shapes & sizes depending on what season of life I was in.
I had more than enough phases that sadly, fizzled out in a few weeks. Either because the fad diet wasn’t sustainable &/or I fell right back into my disordered eating habits again.
But this time, something was different. My motivation & drive were at an all-time high. I was sticking to my plan perfectly, & most importantly, the carnivore WOE (way of eating) was turning into my new lifestyle.
Was this journey easy? No. Did I feel great all the time? No. But what did happen within a couple weeks, my carb cravings were gone, I was satiated after meals, I was no longer binging & purging, my inflammation & gut issues had all but disappeared & I embraced stepping into my new chapter of life!
What was so different this time?
I started listening to my body & intuition instead of what everybody else was doing. I put my health first over aesthetics.
I committed to doing the hard things like: ⁃ tracking food & steps diligently ⁃ tracking my weight from an objective point of view instead of letting my emotions get the best of me ⁃ eating more food ⁃ gaining weight ⁃ making mistakes & experimenting with different foods & macros to find my sweet spot.
These 4 major changes over my 1st year on carnivore resulted in 20lbs of weight loss & the ability to consume more calories than I ever thought possible:
I stopped eating sugar, plants, processed foods, fiber, nuts & seeds. Due to my autoimmune & Crohn’s disease I do not digest these well without gut issues.
I eat meat, animal fats, eggs, & seafood.
I don’t binge, purge, or obsess over restrictive calorie counting & dieting anymore.
I eat when I’m hungry, stop when I’m truly satiated, & fast when I’m not hungry.
Notes: I initially gained 15lbs on the carnivore diet but stuck with it & adapted. It took a whole year of experimentation to find my calorie & macro sweet spot. Been meat based for 3+ years. I have lost 55lbs in my lifetimes, I’m 40 years old, been all shapes & sizes. I’m 5’1, & maintain 105lbs +/- a few lbs on 2000+ calories/d.
My weight loss did not happen overnight & you do not always feel fantastic, it’s not linear & requires a lot of patience.
I’ve lost 55lbs over my lifetime!
Common Carnivore FAQ’s
What do I eat? Do I need to buy expensive, organic, grass-fed meat? No. buy what you can afford & enjoy. Eat meat, eggs, & seafood. Ground meat & eggs are cheapest, buy what’s on sale. I would eliminate dairy, cheese, pork rinds, & artificial sweeteners the 1st 30-90 days. Most have gut or emotional issues with these things. Drink water, coffee black, unsweet tea, electrolytes.
What are high fat & low fat meats? Your higher fat meats will be your ribeyes, beef chuck roasts, ribs, waygu beef, 75-85% ground meats, pork sausage, pork butt/shoulder roasts, salmon etc. 85% ground meats are my sweet spot. Low fat favorites are shrimp, scallops, fish, 90-93% ground meats, Perdue ground chicken. Grilled chicken breast, egg whites, & chicken thighs without skin are also leaner options.
Can I use seasonings or eat other things besides meat & eggs? I’m all about freedom of choice & flexibility, if you want to use seasonings or consume other foods like carbs, fruits & veggies & they don’t cause any negative physical or mental issues – go for it. It’s YOUR diet. 1st 30-90 days, I’d stay more rigid so you know what works & what doesn’t.
Why did I lose my period? The biggest reasons I see are under eating, not eating enough fat, overly fasting, & over exercising. Keep your stress as low as possible.
I have loose stool, is this normal? I experienced this when I 1st started. Digestive enzymes will help. Take these 5-10 minutes before eating or mid meal. Try reducing meal sizes, increasing meal frequency, & lowering fat/meal. Don’t add extra fat to meals. When we reduce carbs & fiber we loose the “bulk” in our stool paired with the higher fat/protein content in meals our gallbladders release more bile to compensate to digest our meals.
I’m constipated, why? See this most often with clients when they’re consuming too lean of meat, too many processed meats & dairy, & not drinking enough water/electrolytes. Deli meat, pork rinds, dairy & sausage can be culprits, minimize these. Eat natural meat, increase fats by choosing fattier cuts like 80-85% ground beef vs chicken, increase water, & electrolytes. You should be drinking at least 1/2 your body weight in oz of water/d. Always being in a stressed out state can do this too as well as not getting enough sleep. Also, if you’re not eating enough, your digestion naturally slows too. Track your food, make sure your calories ¯os are appropriate.
Having leg cramps/muscle soreness? Make sure you’re recovering properly by managing stress, sleeping 7-9 hrs/night, getting in electrolytes & magnesium (I use Ultima Replenisher, link in IG bio), & staying hydrated.
How do you order when you eat out & travel? I typically stick to plain beef patties if I eat out, especially fast food. I’ll order 4 plain quarter lb patties from McDonalds for example. Also enjoy shrimp, scallops, salmon fillets, occasional steaks, plain/naked wings. BBQ places I go for the plain beef brisket. Ask how they cook their food & ingredients. They will custom cook your food. I ask for no oil & no seasonings. At Mexican restaurants I order the fajita meat only, no oil, no seasoning. I travel with my Instant Vortex 6qt airfryer & pack ground meat in a cooler for meat bars. I always book at hotel with a fridge, microwave, & fitness center. Cook your meat ahead of time and keep it in a baggie &/or in a cooler. At gas stations, they usually have hard boiled eggs & a microwave if you need to heat your food. Go to the grocery & stock up when you reach your destination. On the go, I enjoy rotisserie chickens, check the ingredients. In a pinch, most airports have restaurants to order meats & have hard boiled eggs.
What do I do when people question me? Use it as chance to educate on why you’re eating a meat based diet. Most people are just curious. Don’t let it trigger you, if they do give you sh*t, it is because of the way they feel about themselves, not you.
How many meals do you eat? Do you snack? During a 12hr shift work day in the ER, I eat 2 meals/d. An off day I can get away with OMAD post fasted workout. I eat around 2lbs of meat per day. I do not snack, “treat” myself, or earn food. Some days I like higher fat, others days I eat leaner. I trust & listen to my body.
How much protein should I eat/what do you eat? I will preface this with we are ALL DIFFERENT. I thrive on higher protein, I also strength train & CrossFit, have an active job, & get 15k steps per day. I avg 140-175g of protein/d. Most do well on 1g protein/ lb of body weight or goal weight if you have more to lose. I find most females do well around 120-150g of protein daily & keep a leaner physique. Others prefer a 70/30 or 80/20 approach.
Protein per meal? Most do well around 30-60g on avg of protein/meal if you’re consuming at least 2-3 meals/day.
How do I increase fat? Choose fattier cuts of meat like 75-85% ground meats, ribeye, beef chuck, pork belly, & ribs. If you have to you can add some butter, bacon fat, & tallow to meals. Ask your butcher for fat scraps or skins.
How do I know if I’m eating too much protein? The most common symptoms: waking up in the middle of night, sh*tty sleep, peeing all the time, lack of energy, hungry all the time, & excess thirst. Protein thresholds will be different for us all, it is helpful to track your food.
I feel tired all the time, why? Again, track your food. Often times you’re actually not eating enough calories. You may also not be consuming enough fat & too much protein. Most active females who workout 3-4 times per week, avg 10-15k steps/day, & lead an active lifestyle should be consuming around 1800-2100+ calories daily for general maintenance levels. Also take your electrolytes, you excrete more water & lose electrolytes during the transition.
What macro ratios should I start with to find my maintenance calories? I recommend most starting with a 1:1 ratio of protein:fat. For example, I started around 150g Protein:150g Fat then made adjustments off of that foundation. Use the TDEEcalculator.net to help you find your maintenance calories, then set your protein around 1g/lb of body weight or goal weight, then set your fat grams. You just have to experiment.
I can’t tell when I’m full! This happens often in those who come from a background of under eating, chronically dieting, orthorexia, & disordered eating. One of the biggest reasons is chronic dieting. It imbalances our natural hunger & satiety hormones (leptin & ghrelin), causing us to lose “sense” of what our body’s needs & are trying to tell us. We lose sensitivity to true stomach hunger, & get it confused with a multitude of other signals & needs like emotions, thirst, under recovery, boredom, stress, numbing, etc.
What can I do to help me feel when I’m full?
Eat regularly scheduled meals: they should be large enough to keep you satiated 4+ hrs. Protein (ex: meats & eggs) should be the center of your meals & around 30-60g of protein/meal. Daily goal around 1g/lb of body weight or goal weight if you have more to lose. (leaner individuals even up to 1.5g/lb for some) **Everyone’s preferences, thresholds/goals will be different as far as daily grams of protein. These are GENERALITIES! Some like higher fat approaches like 70/30 & 90/20 carnivore. Go your own way. I hope whatever you choose you feel AMAZING! 🙂
Do not skip meals, allow yourself to get “hangry,” & chronically under eat: especially if you tend to binge &/or emotionally eat. If you cannot control your eating when you’re overly hungry, I do not suggest intermittent fasting or doing extended fasts either. Eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes for your body to sense fullness.
Avoid trigger foods: mentally (causes emotional eating, binges) & physically (causes gut flares, bloat, energy crashes, etc) triggering foods like sugar, carbs, highly palatable & calorically dense foods like cheese, nuts, nut butter, bacon, ribs.
Will I gain weight on Carnivore? It depends on the level of healing you need to do metabolically & hormonally when you start. Also, what is your story? Have you chronically been dieting your entire life? If you’re starting from a place of under eating, you will most likely gain some weight when you start eating more food. Its basic science & will happen with any diet you choose.
We should be eating our maintenance calories the majority of the year, not dieting more than 1-2x/year for no longer than 12-16 weeks. You can use the TDEEcalculator.net to find your maintenance calories. Any weight you gain through making changes for better health & healing was most likely weight you needed to gain. Yes, you will lose the weight more easily & optimally the next time you try to diet after going through this period of taking care of yourself, eating more, focusing on muscle gain, & repairing any downregulation & imbalances from the years of undereating.
I hope there is something you can take out of this read! Good luck on your journey wherever it may find you!
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!
You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com
When we think of weight loss & happy living, the immediate reaction is to downgrade our food, increase exercise, work ourselves to death & become deprived for the rest of our lives.
Well, that’s one way to pursue weight loss & success, & it might work for some. But at what expense?
I spent a big chunk of my life that way — a very long & hard pursuit in my 20’s & most of my 30’s.
You end up putting weight back on, becoming miserable & embarrassed about your body. You chase all the wrong things & end up pissed off & unhappy wondering if this is all there is to life? One struggle bus after the other.
If you have been dieting & seem to feel like you’ve been unhappy & unfilled forever, not gaining any momentum, it’s time to flip the switch. It’s time to rewrite your story.
Thinking about health & happiness in terms of peace & fulfillment rather than scarcity will create a new environment for success in fitness & life!
It’s not about being as lean as possible. It’s not about being as monetarily rich as possible. It’s not about being married, or partnered, or single, or divorced, etc. It’s about love & savoring the journey!
What’s the point if you’re not enjoying life?
Here are some huge playmakers I’ve learned in the game of life! Get off the bench.
Your #1 focus should be on reducing stress & optimizing hormones.
Stress, anxiety & depression are huge factors that inhibit weight loss & quality of life. If you experience chronic, excess stress on a day-to-day basis, this needs to be at the top of your list. This also means eating well & ENOUGH. Chronic dieting is also a stress.
Sometimes it’s a challenge, well, because life – we need our jobs to make a living, or perhaps our children are driving us crazy. Do the best to control what you can control.
Elevated cortisol levels have a sneaky way of increasing your hunger & cravings for junk foods (or overeating good food sources, too!). This can easily escalate to overeating & weight gain.
Some natural alternatives that help mitigate stress & anxiety:
Spending time in nature, walking is always the answer
Listening to your favorite music while your kids are b*tchin
Exercising so you don’t punch the offending person (I recommend lifting weights)
Meditation, yoga, have a spa day
Stretching & massage (even if you have to do it yourself)
Spending time with animals (especially the cute ones)
Get more sleep & get movement in 1st thing in the morning before you eat.
Sh*tty sleep makes you tired throughout the day, throws hormones off, makes you hungrier, & causes you to give fux about things you most likely don’t need to give fux about. All can cause more fat gain.
A study in 2010 found that adding 3 hours of sleep resulted in burning 400 calories at night. Subjects who slept for 8.5 hours/night lost 60% less muscle than those with 5.5 hours of sleep/night. In addition, extra sleep helped them boost their metabolism.
Also, stop telling yourself you’re not a morning person. Knock out 20 minutes of movement 1st thing in the morning before you eat. When your body is in a fasted state, you are more likely to burn fat for energy since there isn’t any instant fuel available.
Lift weights & simply do sh*t you love to celebrate what your body can do.
I modify CrossFit classes + Lift & “body build” 5d/wk. Haven’t looked or felt better! Lifting heavy weights not only burns calories (because it takes a lot of energy to do this), but it helps you build extra muscle. This is important for us seasoned ladies, who lose muscle mass more rapidly as we age.
Lifting weights helps keep your bones strong & healthy & eliminates your chances of fat gain as menopause starts to creep (as in, belly pouches & weight gain as long as you are also prioritizing stress management & happy hormones).
The more muscle you have, the better you look nekkid & the more food you can eat because muscle allows you to burn extra calories at rest & throughout the day.
The hardest climbs lead to the best views.
I wake up early, get outside in the sun & nature as much as possible, walk 15k steps/d, eat plenty of protein & healthy fats via meat & eggs, & give gratitude for all that I have now & every mistake that has made me better.
It’s the struggles in life that shape us & determine who we become. My elderly patients & clients frequently tell me that they have finally been able to see their difficulties in life as sources of both strength & character. They are proud of the challenges they have faced & wish they had adopted this thinking when going through difficult times.
As one patient told me, “Just keep moving. Minutes of pain can lead to years of growth.” You can use this mindset to achieve your goals, both in life & fitness.
You are the main character of your life.
A lot of us forget that each of us has a different story. When we try to align our stories with what other people expect or want, that’s when we lose our own.
Think about dreams you want to fulfill. Whenever we don’t know what to do, we should ask ourselves, “Will this make me happy? Will it add legacy to my story & value to other people?”. “Rich & successful” mean different things to us all!
In your healthy living journey, remember that you are the main character. You don’t need to compare your results to others; they are your own! Your story will unfold, maybe just in a different way.
Embrace aging is inevitable, but living well with a young spirit & nourished vessel is a choice.
Resting doesn’t mean quitting.
Sometimes life gets really hard & common wisdom tells us to keep persisting. We should, but what’s often left out is that it is ok to take a break. Taking a break from challenges in our lives makes sure that we have the time & energy to come back with a better mindset. Taking a break does not have to mean “giving up”… it just means we’re re-energizing ourselves for a bigger comeback!
How does this lead to happier living? If you find yourself completely stressed out, take a break! It’s ok! You can meditate or just rest your mind & body. When you come back after this rest period, you’ll have a clearer mind & renewed purpose.
The secret to having it all is believing abundantly you already do! A healthy, happy mind & spirit mean a healthy, happy life. That also takes rest & presence.
It’s the little things & There’s no such thing as false hope.
Yeah, the big things are great but if you sit down & talk to the elderly, they rarely talk about what they’ve achieved. They speak of candid moments of generosity & kindness that they still remember, even decades later.
We often forget that making others happy can also help us become happier too. So be kind, both to others & yourself!
Hope is the desire that a situation or circumstance will turn out favorably. By its definition, it can’t be false. It’s either there or not there. Would you rather spend time with someone who lives a life of positivity & optimism or despair?
It is possible for you to become healthier, happier, more fit, etc…whatever you want is possible! Have faith because sometimes it’s all we have & you create your reality!
Share with a friend who needs this too!
There is a light inside all of us. No matter how hard we try to shove it down.
It glows. Always glows — even the faintest, no matter how dark it may seem.
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, & brand growth consultant working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to optimize life to attract health, wealth, & happiness. Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
Y’all things aren’t as complicated as you think they are. Get healthy first. I promise everything else falls into line when you put your health first over aesthetic fat loss goals.
You just need a WOE (way of eating) that serves you best mentally & physically & is easy to implement into your lifestyle & stick to.
The big rocks rule: -getting good, restful sleep -getting sunshine & outside -getting daily movement -eating nutrient dense, whole, unprocessed foods -managing stress -cultivating nourishing relationships -setting boundaries & knowing it’s ok to say NO -reducing your toxin load & exposures as much as possible -drinking pure, natural water
Each person is unique & will require a different balance of macronutrients for optimal health, which can change throughout one’s life.
But, there are general guidelines for both men & women, which is a great starting place & should be helpful for most people.
➡️I personally believe you should earn your carbs through activity. Not everyone chooses to eat carbs & that’s OK too.
➡️Research has shown that the body can use (burn or store) about 40g of carbs after a meal. Your body uses carbs more efficiently if/when you’re active. Meals that exceed 40g require more insulin & often times extra carbs to be converted into fat for storage.
➡️High-quality protein is the bomb 💣 & foundation. 1g/lb of ideal body weight for most. Experiment, you can go higher if you want.
Always listen to your body, keep track of how you feel & enjoy the journey!
Pick a WOE (way of eating) that serves you best mentally & physically, is easy to implement, adhere to, & stay consistent with.
Carbs are determined & “earned” through activity level & physical needs & preferences. I find most don’t need more than 100g if you’re fueling properly with appropriate quantities of protein & healthy fats.
Keep meals under 40g of carbs if you choose to eat carbs. Some of us prefer a meat-based “carnivore” approach & that is ok too. Goes back to point #1.
Most do well with meals around 30-60g of protein. Protein I personally like around 1-1.2g/body weight or goal weight if you have more to lose. Leaner, smaller individuals can typically get away w/ranges up to 1.5g/body weight. Ex: I’m 105lb & eat around 170g P/d. Go your own way & experiment, we’re all different.
Fats, depending on your carb intake should be at least 25-35% of our daily calories. A general goal is .7-2.2g/kg of body weight. Those doing high fat carnivore may be around 80% fat/20% protein. Others that choose higher protein carnivore may be around 70/30, 60/40, or even 50/50 fat:protein as far as macro ratios. Experiment to find where you thrive & feel your best.
Choose a meal frequency that works for you. Some like OMAD, some like 2 meals/d, most stick to 3 meals/d.
Most of us should be fasting at least 12hrs overnight. No snacking & making sure our meals are protein centric with adequate healthy fats. No low quality veggie oils.
Gratitude Attitude & Get Outside: red light therapy, walks in nature, get outside at sunrise. Mindset & thoughts matter. You can’t be a negative Nancy & a Positive Patty at the same time. Who would you rather hang out with?
Realize you can eat more than you think you can & maintain a healthy weight. You do not need to eat 1200 or even 1600 calories/day to lose/maintain your weight. I have maintained my weight on around 1800-2000+ calories per day for almost 2 years. Please reverse diet if you’ve been chronically under eating. It’ll be the best thing you’ll ever do for your metabolism, hormones, health, mood, energy, sex life – everything! You’ll quickly discover life doesn’t suck when you finally start eating more than a toddler.
Focus on the big rocks: Sleep 7-8 hrs, shoot for 10k steps/d, eat your meat, drink water, minimize stressors. Being stressed to the titties is not a badge of honor. EX: sh*tty sleep, over exercising (1hr/d, 5 d/wk is enough), too much HIIT (waking 10k/d is a standard goal), under eating (most active females require 1800-2100+ cal/d for maintenance), overly fasting (12-16hrs overnight is sufficient), over caffeinating (<300-400mg/day).
Find your maintenance calories if you don’t know using the calculator on tdeecalculator.net This is what you should be consuming the majority of the year for optimal health & function. Shoot for these calorie goals 1st. I suggest getting comfortable with this before playing around with sexy stuff like fat loss cuts, fasting, & fat cycling. Especially if you come from a place of chronic dieting & disordered eating. This may mean you need to reverse diet & handle your relationship with food first before heading into a fat loss cut.
How to handle food pushers: Use this as an opportunity to educate them on why you require specific foods for your needs, preferences, dis-ease, etc. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, a simple, “No thank you, & I appreciate you.” is all you need to say. You do not owe anyone an explanation of your needs. You are in charge of what you put in your body.
Cut toxicity from your life: Control what you consume. What you focus on will have an enormous impact on your mindset, attitude, perspective, & what you attract into your life. It is mostly a result of 3 things: What you consume (what you eat, read, listen to or watch), Who you hang out with, Your inner dialogue & self-talk. I like to refer to it as “garbage becomes garbage.” We truly become what we consume physically, mentally, & emotionally. To have a healthier life, take responsibility for what you consume.
Bring your own food to social functions, eat before, or custom order. Check the menu ahead of time. Most places always have meat. Ask them to cook your food the way you need. I ask for my meats to be cooked in no oil with no seasonings. Skip sauces & dressings or have them on the side. Skip pan-fried, breaded, creamed, dipped, scalloped, slathered, etc. Lower cal will be grilled, steamed, baked, roasted, broiled, seared.
If you’ve struggled with disordered eating/chronic dieting & can’t “feel” true hunger/satiety cues, slow down when you eat & stop fasting too long. This one – HUGE. You should be able to distinguish between true physical hunger & emotional hunger/habits. Meals should be large enough to keep you full for 4+ hrs, they should be protein/fat centric, & you should not be snacking in between meals. We numb emotions with food, we eat too fast, we eat our kids food, we eat in front of the tv, we wire our brains to think these self sabotaging habits are normal. You can choose to change those habits & re-write your story.
Realize the adaptation period takes a lot longer than you think. It’s a journey! Ya gotta give it more than 2 weeks to a month y’all. I gained 15lbs initially on the carnivore diet because my body needed to heal. Yes, it was uncomfortable, but I knew & always say any weight you gain trying to gain HEALTH is weight you NEEDED TO gain.
Have patience & commit to doing the hard things that are right things to give you long-term health & longevity.
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 remember the binging days…& the more I thought & learned about it, I had bulimia.
There’s a slight difference between the two. While multiple similarities exist between the signs and symptoms of binge eating disorder & bulimia, there are distinct differences that separate the two.
People diagnosed with binge eating disorder do not typically force themselves to throw up (purge) the food they have just eaten. Alternately, people struggling with bulimia will eat & immediately throw up. Many tip toe amongst the shades of the two just like diets & different facets of life.
Scrubs: Figs. Shoes: Dansko
I remember the days I’d plan binges. The urge to eat welling up inside me. I couldn’t wait to get out of work & stuff my face. What am I gonna have? Something sweet & decadent?! Target has bags of Reeses on sale, I want cookies & brownies too! Maybe that box of gluten free chocolate cake donuts with the frosting! I’ll get one of those. Or two. I’m salivating already. 30 mins to go.
Full of shame, I’d buy everything I denied myself. They were my drugs. Sometimes I’d sit in my car & down 2 gallons of ice cream, boxes of cookies & brownies & then I’d rush home, gag myself & throw it all up. Then I’d wait for the nausea to pass & walk for hours to “burn it all off.” Anything I couldn’t throw up.
This isn’t true hunger I thought. This is something else entirely. Something darker. And it terrified me.
Everytime I’d say this was the last time.
But I’d break that promise every time the monster returned. The next day, the next week, the next month, for about 3 decades of my life.
What my f*cked up relationship to food did to me…
I lost all trust in myself. My broken promises proved that I was incapable of keeping my word, so I stopped committing to things. My response to social invitations changed from “Yes” to “Maybe” because I couldn’t predict when I’d be hit with another urge to binge.
I gave up on myself. I had tried everything to stop. I got angry, pleaded & begged. I listed the consequences on my wallet, waistline, health & social life.
I gave up on my dreams and ambitions and settled for just surviving.
I loathed myself. What kind of person goes through whole boxes of cereal in one sitting? I lived in fear. The next urge could control me at any time. I feared food.
The first step to recovery was truly admitting I had a problem. Surprisingly, it took me about 10 years to get to this stage. Then I chose to ignore it for almost 20 yrs after that but finally had enough of my bullsh*t & was saved by a book & adopted the carnivore WOE that helped me finally lose weight, stop the binging, & put my Crohn’s disease in remission.
This is something we work on together as client and coach. Often times we think the magic is found in macros or a specific diet when it is actually our relationship with our self and food that is the thing holding us back.
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, & brand growth consultant working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to optimize life to attract health, wealth, & happiness. Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life!
The words cocoon & chrysalis are often used interchangeably. However, I learned they are 2 completely different things!
Cocoons are specific to moths, while chrysalises are formed by butterflies. When you compare the 2, although both beautiful in their own right, we attach vibrant beauty to the butterfly. They are more colorful.
I feel I am at a huge pivotal transformation time right now. I’m super anxious, curious, frustrated, excited, scared, confused, uncomfortable, appreciative, grateful, & joyful all at the same time.
I feel like I’m in a snow globe that’s continuously being shaken. And I’m OK with it, this is nothing new in the 40 years I’ve been on this earth, but at the same time it’s still uncomfortable af.
For me, I intuitively know myself extremely well, that means going inward & spending quality time in selective solitude.
It means grinding at what I do well to build a solid foundation of stability as well as resting to allow the blanket of peace to appease & rejuvenate holistically to contrast the hustle.
As an Empath, healer, & feeler, I have to be alone to center, ground, & find my process out of my chrysalis to discover & embrace my new season/path.
I soak up other people’s energies, trauma, & emotions easily, which means to find MY TRUE SELF & PATH, that means saying NO to that which feels heavy, resistant, misaligned, & a sacral (think gut feeling) NO.
I understand as an ever evolving people pleaser & overachiever this feels icky because you don’t want to disappoint or let anyone “down.”
Psychologists tell us we’re social animals, & therefore solid social connections are vital to mental & physical well-being. For those of us who naturally lean more towards introversion, we can be seen as antisocial, unhappy, & lonely to our more extraverted counterparts.
There’s a HUGE difference between loneliness & solitude in my opinion:
Loneliness is a negative feeling, lower on the emotional spectrum. It’s a sadness characterized by a sense of isolation. Solitude, on the other hand, is a physical & more often temporary period, one that can be undesirable for some, but for others is highly sought as a preference for some marvelous rejuvenation & much needed time for transformation.
Maybe you’re like me. I crave solitude. Especially when I’m around a lot of people often & large crowds. After a 12 hr shift (I work in radiology for those new around here), I have no more people juice left, I say. The last thing I wanna do is go out when I’m off work.
To be honest, my loneliest moments often come when I’m around others but feel on the outskirts of their social circle. This typically happens when I say yes to an event when I in fact know I should’ve said no.
While I can be comfortable in a small group or even a mass gathering for a stretch, ultimately I just love being alone.
Has it posed some challenges? I’d be lying if I said no. Seeking solitude has definitely probably closed some doors. I’m a GREAT networker when I wanna be, but I’m selective about those times.
I’m a responder by nature when it comes to communication which can make me come off as antisocial, stoic, or sometimes not the best friend or team player. But I thrive on my alone time & have found I am more successful & abundant in life when I follow the right path for me. I hope you do too!
I recognize the trade-offs & work to balance them so that I’m content & productive, even happy, while maintaining my most treasured relationships without coming off as “stuck up” or a cold-hearted bish. LOL!
In my opinion, solitude as a method of up leveling & self preservation is a SKILL.
Thuy-vy Nguyen, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at Durham University in England stated that individuals most likely to seek & value solitude are not introverts. Rather, they rank high in “dispositional autonomy,” defined by three tendencies:
Being the person they actually want to be
Being resistant to pressure from other people
Being interested in exploring their own experiences & emotions
So take what you need from this message & glimpse into my vulnerability as permission:
To say NO to what doesn’t feel aligned at the moment. To rest or grind & do whatever feels right to you. To say YES to what lights you up. To embrace the pause. To change your mind.
Hoosier farm girl & Purdue University grad, Katie is a multifaceted girlboss! She’s a nutritionist, radiologic technologist, personal coach, executive assistant, motivational speaker & writer, brand growth consultant, & connection maker working with individuals, businesses, organizations, & executives. She specializes in gut health, sports nutrition, disordered eating, social branding, human connection, and how to organize/optimize life for better health, increased wealth & happiness! Katie welcomes all preferences & skill levels with a no diet dogma or one size-size-fits-all approach to health, fitness, & nutrition. After decades of struggling with her own health issues from Crohn’s, obesity, disordered eating, infertility, hormonal imbalances, & being a competitive athlete, she is passionate about helping others find self love, achieve their goals, & create sustainable success habits for an EXTRAordinary life! Katie currently resides in Fishers, IN where she has worked in the health, sales, and nutrition field for over 17 years. You can find her on Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit
