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!
Since I’ve been on my gut healing & weight loss journey I have thought a lot about addiction. It’s really hard to admit you have a food addiction because everybody needs to eat in order to live.
There were several things that made me realize that I was addicted to food & THAT was the biggest culprit which exacerbated my Crohn’s issues & inability to get healthier & lose weight.
Maybe you can relate to these too…
Going past a McDonalds & instantly wanting to devour a large fry & 20 piece nugget whether I was hungry or not (And I did smash the ENTIRE meal!)
“Having” to have something sweet after dinner & eat in front of the tv.
Seeing other people eating, especially food I restricted or labeled as “bad,” longing to do so regardless if I had just eaten.
Hiding food & eating when your friends & family don’t know you are. I’d binge then throw it all up.
And just plain feeling out of control!
I’m sure you understand the feeling of waking up in the morning & saying you’re “going to do better today” & then you fail miserably like you did the day before.
Maybe you’re like I was. You’d go to bed at night & say that “tomorrow will be another day & you’ll start working out & eating right.” Then you don’t.
I remember saying one time if food were liquor, I would be drunk every day.
It’s taken over 2 decades to build the body you see today, I’ve been every shape & size! If I can do it, so can you!
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!
Y’all, the diet and fitness industry is keeping you unfit. There I said it.
Many of them promise 6 pack abs in a pill or quick fix. They profit on your weakness, poor health, and most of all, your ignorance.
I too was told by medical professions and “gurus” all I needed to do to lose weight and improve my gut issues were eat less calories, eat more fiber, more fruits and vegetables, and drink more water. All of which I did, gaining more weight, worse constipation, and exacerbated gut symptoms.
It’s CLEARLY not a one-size-fits-all or easy answer like eat less.
If you knew what truly matters when it comes to health and transformation, you wouldn’t fall for all the BS.
There are certain foundational principles that will help you get incredibly fit.
I made big mistakes in my fitness journey juggling digestive problems, disordered eating, & fueling like an athlete for performance. I remember starving myself after workouts because I thought I’d “undo” all my hard work. I thought I’d be “toned” & have better energy but what I actually got was “skinny fat,” weak, & bloated. What does it take to optimize workouts? 1. Adequate food quantity & proper meal timing for your workouts 2. The RIGHT food (what you can digest & absorb efficiently mentally & physically) 3. Appropriate stimulus (WEIGHTS & cardio) 4. Consistency (not perfection) 5. Recovery (SLEEP & rest days) Liquids & low volume, easy to digest foods will be your best friend when it comes to IBS & IBD & eating closer to workout times.
An endurance athlete? You train for high-level competition. You log a lot of high intensity miles each week. For you, carb or fat & calorie needs are likely higher.
Training as a bodybuilder? You lift weights with serious muscle growth in mind. Your protein & calorie needs are likely higher.
Getting ready for a fitness competition? You’re trying to drop to a single-digit body fat %. For you, carbs or fats would be lower depending on the individual & protein would be higher.
My body has been all shapes and sizes! They required different diets and different macros.
Basic Generalizations:
Carbs & Fats are your fuel sources. If you eat carbs, they’re more appropriate for the Crossfits, Cyclebar, Orange Theory, Shred415, F45, etc. We burn a ton of carbs doing high intensity activity for long periods of time. You can also fuel with fat if you’re fat adapted, I do.
Eat 90-120 min prior to exercise, minimize added fats or fiber around workouts for digestive ease. 2:1 ratio carbs to protein for traditional dieters. Ex: 50g carbs, 25g protein
5am’ers training fasted, just eat a delicious carb (traditional) or fat-filled (keto or carnivore) dinner the night before.
I’d be happy to guide you in the right direction, link here to coaching options!
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
I made big mistakes in my fitness journey juggling digestive problems, disordered eating, & fueling like an athlete for performance.
I remember starving myself after workouts because I thought I’d “undo” all my hard work.
I thought I’d be “toned” & have better energy but what I actually got was “skinny fat,” weak, & bloated.
What does it take to optimize workouts?
▪️Adequate food quantity & proper meal timing for your workouts
▪️The RIGHT food (what you can digest & absorb efficiently mentally & physically)
▪️Appropriate stimulus (WEIGHTS & cardio)
▪️Consistency (not perfection)
▪️Recovery (SLEEP & rest days)
Liquids & low volume, easy to digest foods will be your best friend when it comes to IBS & IBD & eating closer to workout times.
SWIPE LEFT for all the tips to help optimize food & fitness to LOOK & FEEL like the badass you are!
Athletes have special needs:
🏃🏼♀️ An endurance athlete? You train for high-level competition. You log a lot of high intensity miles each week. For you, carb or fat & calorie needs are likely higher.
💪🏼 Training as a bodybuilder? You lift weights with serious muscle growth in mind. Your protein & calorie needs are likely higher.
👙 Getting ready for a fitness competition?You’re trying to drop to a single-digit body fat %. For you, carbs or fats would be lower depending on the individual & protein would be higher.
Basic Generalizations:
▪️Carbs & Fats are your fuel sources. If you eat carbs, they’re more appropriate for the Crossfits, Cyclebar, Orange Theory, Shred415, F45, etc. We burn a 💩ton of carbs doing high intensity activity for long periods of time. You can also fuel with fat if you’re fat adapted, I do.
▪️Eat 90-120 min prior to exercise, minimize added fats or fiber around workouts for digestive ease. 2:1 ratio carbs to protein for traditional dieters. Ex: 50g carbs, 25g protein
▪️5am’ers training fasted, just eat a delicious carb (traditional) or fat-filled (keto or carnivore) dinner the night before.
Leave your tips to help someone else!👇🏻 I’d be happy to guide you in the right direction, link in bio to coaching FAQ’s.
Before I can dive into this, we need to agree on a few things. First, if your goal is body fat loss, the number 1 magical “exercise” you should be doing daily is quit eating sh*t food.
Ditch the highly processed, I have no idea how to pronounce that ingredient, junk.
Eat real food.
Next, to cardio or not? A: it depends. What are your goals/limitations? How’s your biofeedback/stress/recovery? While I agree it can be overdone, I don’t think it needs to be avoided entirely. When done in combination with strength training, cardio can have benefits.
It is possible to lose fat without doing cardio at all, but that depends on your goals. And be realistic here, do you mentally & physically have what it takes to diet down to those shredded pics do you think you want to look like? Are visible abs worth it?
Cardio is a way of increasing your deficit without having to severely deprive yourself. Cardio will NOT increase your muscle mass. Ladies, pick up the weights.🏋🏼♀️
Aerobic exercise can help increase blood flow & oxygen to your muscles & brain. This is good for recovery from intense activity & getting rid of brain fog. Some of my best ideas come when I’m walking (or drinking 🏃🏼♀️↔️🤷🏼♀️↔️🍸😁)
Endorphins release when exercising. This helps lower stress & improve mood. Take that 20 minute walk at lunch.
Don’t use cardio as a way to punish yourself for indulging. Practice forgiveness. One cheat meal or bad day won’t kill you. Refocus, get back on track, eat real food, drink your water, & conquer YOUR LIFE.
Most of all be true to yourself & realistic about your goals. If you love cardio & approach it with the right mindset, who cares if the person next to you tells you otherwise.
That might not be their cup of tea, but that might be your shot of whiskey 😉 🥃 #cardiovsweights
Q: I only have 2-3 days to work out a week? Any tips on workouts I can do? And what changes helped you lose the most weight? ➡️Swipe, save, tag & share! Here’s a very basic but solid full body program example if you’re planning on resistance training & working out 2-3 d/wk. You don’t need to make training overly complicated nor do you have to excessively do cardio & HIIT. Stick to walking & basic movements focusing on getting stronger with each of them. Most of us want to save time & get in & out of the gym as quick as possible without sacrificing workout efficacy. I put 2 exercises back to back to make 3 simple super sets. Aim to do each super set for 4 sets of 8-12 reps – slowly with good form. Form always 1st before adding more weight to prevent injury. Take 1-2 minute rest between sets in order to ensure adequate recovery. I know this is the hardest part for some of you, including myself. It’s hard to beat the crossfitter out of you when you’re focusing on bodybuilding. 😂 🏋🏼♀️ Gradually increase weights each week. If you’re consistent, you can switch up your workout after 4-6 weeks. No one says you have to switch up your workout if this is working for you either. Go your own way as with everything in Food, Fitness, & Life.
If you’re looking for a step by step plan to lose weight, actually keep it off, & improve gut issues &/or emotional issues with food, apply for a consultation in the link in my IG bio. Can’t afford coaching? I created a 354 page guide that will teach you anything you need to know about meat, macros, & getting the body you deserve❤️ Also in the link in my bio👩🏼💻📲 link here
No matter what diet you follow, you should know that nutrition has a significant impact in every facet of your life, it is literally what you are made of. It especially has significant impact on your results in the gym. What you eat before, during, & after your workouts may be the difference between achieving your goals & falling short.
#meatbars for the win!
I want to keep this as basic af, easy to understand & apply as possible for y’all, no matter if you follow a meat-based (or “carnivore”) diet or a more traditional approach including carbs. I will share my experiences & tips especially for those of you who have struggled with special digestive needs like autoimmune, IBS, IBD, & Crohn’s like myself. A lot of word vomit here, I tried to include as much as I could.
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the “right” way to eat, workout, or live. You choose what works best for you. 🙂 This is a non-dogmatic safe space.
In general, by eating a healthy, well-considered meal 1-2 hours before exercise, & another healthy, well-considered meal within 1-2 hours after exercise, most people can meet their workout nutrition needs without anything fancy stuff. In other words:
If you’re a healthy person who exercises regularly, you probably don’t need special workout nutrition strategies. Most of us fall into this category & that’s where I will keep this focused.
Important stuff:
TOTAL DAILY INTAKE
Your calories & energy balance. The big rocks. Without adequate calories, you won’t perform or feel your best. Fats & carbs are your energy sources, not proteins.
⠀⠀
MACRONUTRIENTS
Carbs (if you eat them) the more you train or the harder you train – the more carbs you will likely tolerate. Fats are the other lever for us fat fueled folk. Protein stays pretty consistent.
ELECTROLYTES & HYDRATION
Ever been dehydrated or electrolytes lacking? If you have, then you know your energy, sleep, recovery, & training were trash 🚯. These are crucial for keeping your CNS healthy, muscles hydrated, & your body functioning optimally.
⠀⠀
FOOD COMPOSITION
You are what you digest & absorb. You also are your habits. Eat food that is nourishing to your body & mind. Avoid foods that are hard to digest, cause physical problems, & emotional issues like binging & emotional eating. If you don’t absorb nutrients, you won’t utilize those nutrients efficiently.
MEAL TIMING
Efficient digestion, absorption, & nutrient utilization are keys here. Meal timing won’t change things drastically until you master the basics first. Like sleep, eating enough food & the right food for you!
Swipey swipe away!
Tap photo for IG post!
Special timing considerations:
You work out early af in the morning: you can do these fasted if you prefer & eat a well sized meal with plenty of protein after. If you’re hungry in the am, liquids (shakes) & easy to digest, low volume carbs (like cereal or rice cakes), if you eat carbs, are more appropriate. I find people who follow a meat-based diet & workout early in the mornings prefer to fast & then eat their largest meal post workout.
CARBOHYDRATES
There are few things in the fitness world more controversial than carbs. Will they make you fat? Do you need them? Timing? The questions are endless. Quality fuel is critical, which we get from carbs & fats. They are our energy sources, not protein. You pick which one you prefer.
Carbs in general are your body’s preferred fuel source when it comes to highly glycolytic (means it burns a sh*t ton of carbs) activities like HIIT, the “crossfits,” & Orange Theory-esque type workouts.
Optimal timing & portions are more important. You want every gram of carb you consume to be utilized as an immediate fuel source or to restore glycogen levels – you don’t want it to be stored as fat. I find them consumed around your workouts most optimal. Just remember the more active one is, the more carbs they can typically warrant consuming.
PROTEIN
Protein is essential for tissue growth & repair. Since the body is continuously breaking down proteins, our diet must provide sufficient quantities. Although recommended intakes vary & depend on so many different things like dieting/health history, activity, training modality, goals, digestion, allergies, etc, a post workout shake is almost always universally helpful to kickstart muscle repair, recovery, & growth.
Shakes are convenient around workouts for high digestibility & absorption, but not necessary if you time your meals accordingly to your needs & preferences. I prefer real, whole foods for my nutrition vs supplements. To cover your bases most people do well consuming meals around 30-50g of protein per meal to meet optimal amino acid needs. Timing will differ based upon diet preference, workout timing, workout modality, & specific goals.
FAT
The body uses fat as a fuel source, & fat is the major storage form of energy in the body. Fat also has many other important functions in the body, & is needed in the diet for optimal health. Fats (cholesterol) are also the precursors to our hormones.
Fats in food come in several forms, including saturated, monounsaturated, & polyunsaturated. Quantity & quality are important. Fats do help to slow digestion, which maintains stable blood glucose & insulin levels. Fats also provide vitamins & minerals, aid in absorption & are important in everyone’s diet.
Some examples of foods that contain fats are butter, oils, nuts & seeds, meat, fish, & dairy products. Again, people will have different preferences as to whether they get their energy from carbs or fats. Most meat-based people prefer fats as fuel or they only consume a strategic amount of carbs around workouts only.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION TIPS
Athletes may have special needs, for example:
An endurance athlete: You train for high level competition. You log a lot of high intensity miles each week. For you, carbohydrate & calorie needs are likely higher unless you do not digest them well & prefer fat as fuel. You could add a protein + carbohydrate drink or shake during your long training.
A bodybuilder: You lift weights with muscle growth as your goal. Your protein & calorie needs are likely higher especially in a building phase.
Getting ready for a fitness competition: You likely accumulate more exercise hours. Goal is to drop to a low body fat %. For you, carb intake (if you eat carbs) will likely be lower & protein higher especially as calories drop to maintain as much lean muscle mass as possible. Keto athletes will manipulate protein & fat macros to their preferences & needs.
Tips for those with special digestive needs like allergies, autoimmune, IBS, IBD, & meat based:
**This is simply to help you optimize from my experience as an athlete & someone who lives with Crohn’s & special needs**
If you’re going to eat carbs, keep them around your workouts for more optimal utilization aesthetically & metabolically. Largest meals I prefer post workout & earlier in the day. Digestion is better in the mornings.
I did best with minimal digestive issues with easy to digest, gluten free, low volume carbs like rice cakes, gf oats, white rice, rice chex cereal if I was going to eat carbs. I don’t need them much anymore since going meat-based. Ground meat & seafood is easier to digest vs steak, ribs, & chewy cuts of meat.
If you workout early af in the am & you’re not training for a performance sport, I find fasted workouts more optimal as far as aesthetics & digestion. Protein shakes are great if you’re hungry early, training long periods, or don’t have time to eat a meal within an hour or so after your workout. Stop fasting until like noon before you eat after an early workout. “Tone” aka MUSCLE takes FOOD. You gotta build the body first!
People reverse dieting do better with 3 meals/day vs 1-2, especially if meat-based. It’s harder on your digestive system to cram more calories in larger, less frequent meals. You MUST set yourself up for a successful cut by eating at maintenance or surplus for an extended period of time (like 6 months to a year realistically) BEFORE dieting for optimal, quicker results. A HEALTHY body loses body fat. You shouldn’t be dieting more than 1-2x/yr for no longer than 12-16wks. Most maintenance levels for active females are around 1800-2100+ calories/d. (I eat 2000/d & am 5’1, 105lbs for ex)
When dieting, I find larger, less frequent meals more satiating utilizing intermittent fasting. Fat cycling leaner, lower fat days with higher fat days is extremely effective & easier to sustain on a diet. Try 4 lean days/wk & adjust as you go for your needs. Higher fat days you should be consuming around maintenance calories. Leaner individuals don’t need as many lean days or need to do the Protein Sparing Modified Fasting (PSMF)
Don’t eat a high fat, heavy meal too close to working out. Digestion takes a lot of energy & you will be tired & sluggish. Eat 2+ hrs prior.
Stay hydrated! 1/2 your body weight in oz, more if you sweat a lot & workout frequently. I use Ultima Replenisher electrolytes. If you’re low carb, you require more electrolytes. If you’re having muscle cramps & sh*tty recovery, up your electrolytes. All my product/supp info/discount codes in LINK IN IG BIO!
If you’re having trouble sleeping, peeing a lot, hungry all the time, & tired, check your macros. You may need to decrease protein & up your fat. This is why I suggest at least loosely tracking your food! I find 180-200g of protein on the top end for females. 140g protein is an avg for most active females lifting weights. Most people who are hungry all time need more fat & calories.
Maintenance macros: start with a 1:1 ratio of protein:fat as a baseline then tweak as needed. Use the TDEEcalculator.net to find your calorie needs 1st.
If you’re losing hair, tired all the time, gut messed up, hormones wonky, craving carbs/salt, waking up at night starving, sh*tty sleep & recovery, plateaus in the gym or fat loss – you’re most likely NOT EATING ENOUGH, not sleeping enough, fasting too much, over caffeinating, & stressed to the titties -STOP 🙂
