Diet. That word just makes me cringe when I hear it. I like to just think of it as… “this is what I always eat.” How can I do that? Well, all I had to do was make a lifestyle change, so it’s really not considered a diet.

I was always that girl who could eat whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. It was amazing. Laying in bed in college, smashing pizza & drinking beer at 11pm. We’ve all done it. I’d wake up, feeling just as good as I did the day before and repeat.

That is until i developed lactose intolerance. Foods I loved just started affecting my body and I was super bummed about it. No more chicken Alfredo pasta? Not unless I wanted to spend my evening curled up in a ball of pain. Plus, I had just started Crossfit that year, too, and my body needed way more energy than I was ready to provide it with.

I found myself feeling so tired throughout the day between meals. Katherine, you seem tired & grumpy… you need to eat. That’s when I learned I had trouble with low blood sugar. Snacking/eating every two hours was a must. How can I make this work?

I had to think… How can I fuel my body correctly for my workouts and my daily routine, while not eating the bad, unhealthy carbs, or dairy? I read a lot, watched a ton of videos, tried this diet, tried that diet. Until I found what worked for me. Listen to your body, try new things. but just cut out the bad stuff.

What’s bad?

  • Sugar!!!!
    • The recommended MAX is 25g of sugar. Half of our “healthy” greek yogurt cups have nearly that much already. You’ve already hit your daily max! SUGAR IS BAD. Say it with me… Sugar is bad.
    • Yes, I eat sugar because it’s amazing and I love it, but I try to stay below 15g every day.
    • Dark chocolate, sweeten your coffee or yogurt with natural sugars like local honey. Little changes that make a big impact.
  • Enriched flour
    • Try to stick with whole wheat or sprouted grains. READ YOUR INGREDIENTS before buying!
  • Processed foods
    • Yes, every now and then I enjoy my cereal, pretzels, and chips. Moderation is key.
    • Read your labels and pick the “healthiest” option.
  • Dairy (if you have tummy problems when you eat it).
    • Other than that, eat in moderation. Your body will need the fats.
  • Counting calories
    • Your body needs what it needs. If you want to stick to a plan, count your macros instead.
    • What is macro counting? Making sure you’re hitting your recommended protein, carbs, and fat intake every day and providing your body with the right balance.
    • Try this keto calculator to figure out your recommend percentage.
    • You can track this easily and adjust as needed with MyFitnessPal.

My favorite snacks:

RX Bars, nuts, apples, peanut butter (lowest sugar option possible), carrots & hummus, sweet potato chips made with coconut oil.

My favorite carbs:

Oats, quinoa, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, squash, fruit, brown rice (in moderation).

My favorite protein:

Chicken, turkey, red meat (1-2/week), fish (i’m not a super seafood girl so I only do this once a week), eggs, nuts, black beans, greek yogurt, nut butters, steel cut oats, chia seeds.

My favorite fats:

Nut butters, nuts, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, full fat dairy (if you can), eggs, grass-fed butter, grass-fed beef, dark chocolate.

My favorite meals:

Breakfast:  Oats with chia seeds, cinnamon & nuts. Eggs with sprouted grain toast. Greek yogurt with honey, homemade granola & fruit.

Lunch:  Usually leftovers or meal prep from dinners.

Dinner:  Turkey sausage with quinoa, mushrooms, onions, peppers, & spinach. Spaghetti squash with beef meatballs. Chicken, brussels, & sweep potatoes. Taco bowl with black beans, ground meat, avocado, peppers, onions, & lettuce.

With my favorite snacks in between and WATER. Lots of water. I always have a water bottle with me wherever I go. No, coffee doesn’t count. I start ever morning with a giant glass before I even touch my coffee. Calculate how much water your body needs here.

Balance

I still enjoy my weekend cheat meals. Usually two (somethings three if I worked out really hard on the weekend). My cheats are usually pizza with lots of meat and veggies, burger with no bun, Chinese food with brown rice. So not horrible, but definitely not “healthy,”

It’s all about balance! Especially in the beginning. Don’t be so hard on yourself. It takes time to make healthy eating a habit and not a diet. You got this!

 

 

 

 

 

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