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TRACKING IS A TEMPORARY TOOL: HOW TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM TRACKING MACROS AND TO INTENTIONAL EATING
In the world of nutrition, tracking food intake can be a popular tool for building awareness of our eating habits and helping us to reach more specific goals (eating within a deficit, reaching a certain bare minimum for fiber intake, or even fueling for specific athletic-based performance). But what happens when we reach our goals? Do we continue tracking forever? The answer is absolutely not. Our goal isn’t to obsessively monitor every bite but to use tracking as a temporary tool to cultivate a deeper understanding of our relationship with food.
FROM A NUTRITION COACH: JILDA
As nutrition coaches, we have the privilege of building close relationships with our clients as we help guide them toward their goals - be those related to aesthetics or fat loss goals, performance goals, or goals of optimal health. Along the way, as we work on building a better relationship with food and our habits, we get to share parts of our stories that are relevant to our coaching styles. We’re taking time this year to share more about us, our nutrition journeys and transformations, our road to becoming nutrition coaches and educators, and the amazing clients we have the privilege of working with.
QUICK & SIMPLE PROTEIN PACKED RECIPE: THREE INGREDIENT CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE
As a dad to a toddler, mac and cheese is a staple in our house. But as someone who doesn’t enjoy keeping a ton of food items on hand, or cooking with a lot of ingredients, this three ingredient mac and cheese is a HUGE WIN. Plus, it’s high in protein, creamy, and is a great way to get some fiber with the chickpea pasta.
FROM A NUTRITION COACH: ZACH ANDERSON
As nutrition coaches, we have the privilege of building close relationships with our clients as we help guide them toward their goals - be those related to aesthetics or fat loss goals, performance goals, or goals of optimal health. Along the way, as we work on building a better relationship with food and our habits, we get to share parts of our stories that are relevant to our coaching styles. We’re taking time this year to share more about us, our nutrition journeys and transformations, our road to becoming nutrition coaches and educators, and the amazing clients we have the privilege of working with.
FROM A NUTRITION COACH: WHITNEY
As nutrition coaches, we have the privilege of building close relationships with our clients as we help guide them toward their goals - be those related to aesthetics or fat loss goals, performance goals, or goals of optimal health. Along the way, as we work on building a better relationship with food and our habits, we get to share parts of our stories that are relevant to our coaching styles. We’re taking time this year to share more about us, our nutrition journeys and transformations, our road to becoming nutrition coaches and educators, and the amazing clients we have the privilege of working with.
FROM A NUTRITION COACH: Kimberly Zehnder
As nutrition coaches, we have the privilege of building close relationships with our clients as we help guide them toward their goals - be those related to aesthetics or fat loss goals, performance goals, or goals of optimal health. Along the way, as we work on building a better relationship with food and our habits, we get to share parts of our stories that are relevant to our coaching styles. We’re taking time this year to share more about us, our nutrition journeys and transformations, our road to becoming nutrition coaches and educators, and the amazing clients we have the privilege of working with.
FROM A NUTRITION COACH: KENNY
As nutrition coaches, we have the privilege of building close relationships with our clients as we help guide them toward their goals - be those related to aesthetics or fat loss goals, performance goals, or goals of optimal health. Along the way, as we work on building a better relationship with food and our habits, we get to share parts of our stories that are relevant to our coaching styles. We’re taking time this year to share more about us, our nutrition journeys and transformations, our road to becoming nutrition coaches and educators, and the amazing clients we have the privilege of working with.
FROM AN ONLINE NUTRITION COACH: DIANA
As nutrition coaches, we have the privilege of building close relationships with our clients as we help guide them toward their goals - be those related to aesthetics or fat loss goals, performance goals, or goals of optimal health. Along the way, as we work on building a better relationship with food and our habits, we get to share parts of our stories that are relevant to our coaching styles. We’re taking time this year to share more about us, our nutrition journeys and transformations, our road to becoming nutrition coaches and educators, and the amazing clients we have the privilege of working with.
FROM A NUTRITION COACH: KATE LYMAN
As nutrition coaches, we have the privilege of building close relationships with our clients as we help guide them toward their goals - be those related to aesthetics or fat loss goals, performance goals, or goals of optimal health. Along the way, as we work on building a better relationship with food and our habits, we get to share parts of our stories that are relevant to our coaching styles. We’re taking time this year to share more about us, our nutrition journeys and transformations, our road to becoming nutrition coaches and educators, and the amazing clients we have the privilege of working with.
MICRONUTRIENTS: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Becoming knowledgeable and proficient in providing our bodies with the macronutrients they need to work most optimally is an incredible place to start when digging into personal nutrition. When that sound foundation with those major nutrients is met, or while working to become more confident in consistently meeting those macronutrient needs, we can also begin to dig in a little deeper and work to understand our micronutrients needs as well.
ONLINE NUTRITION COACHING: THE MAKING OF A GOOD CLIENT + COACH RELATIONSHIP
In today’s post, I’m talking all about the client + coach relationship and how to really get the most out of your work with a coach. Whether you work with one of our coaches or have worked with any sort of coach in the past or are thinking about working with a coach, understanding how you can bring your best to the table can make or break your success in reaching your goals.
LOW APPETITE? HERE’S WHY & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
We often see tips for curbing an increased appetite, but what about those of us that consistently struggle with a lower appetite? Here are habits that can help you navigate having a low appetite.
Smart Watches: The Pros, The Cons, and How to Use Our Smart Watches to Meet Our Health, Nutrition, and Fitness goals
Smart watches - Apple Watches, FitBits, Garmins, etc. - can be such an incredibly helpful tool for daily life, but they become more detrimental than helpful when we rely too heavily on the data they provide. But we can understand how to utilize them in a way that is most beneficial for us and our needs, without having them give us inaccurate information.
CONFIDENCE IS A SKILL, NOT A DESTINATION: HOW CONFIDENCE GOES HAND IN HAND WITH YOUR NUTRITION GOALS
Even if you have composition goals, your current body is fully deserving of your respect. Learning to respect your body even if you have composition goals is one of the first ways to start building that confidence.
NUTRITION IS SELF-CARE: HOW TO FEED YOURSELF WHEN APPETITE IS LOW
Our ability to stay reasonable when feeling incredibly stressed or emotional tends to be most challenging. And unsurprisingly, ensuring we're well fed is a significant helper and factor with us thinking (and acting) reasonably. Here are a few ideas that may be helpful to ensure you're eating enough, especially when with significant time demands and stressors.
WHY PERFECTIONISM IS OUR BIGGEST ROADBLOCK TO HEALTH AND NUTRITION GOALS
If you’re a perfectionist, chances are you’ve been told repeatedly that “perfect is the enemy of good”. The problem, though, is that the goal is still to be good. And if there’s anything I’ve learned from my perfectionist clients, it’s that good is never good enough.
WHAT IS DIET CULTURE? A REVIEW OF DIET CULTURE, DIETS, AND DIETING
Diet culture is a system that places value on our weight and size over our health. Diet culture is supported by a multi-billion dollar industry that pushes weight loss through every medium possible. Diet culture tells men, women, and children that they are not small enough, strong enough, or lean enough. DIET CULTURE IS HARD TO IGNORE. Anti-diet culture is not the same thing as anti-dieting, and let’s talk about why.
DIVERSIFY YOUR (NUTRITION) FEED
Last week on the blog, we talked about the general idea of diversifying your conception of what “healthy” looks like. This is also a reminder to make sure that you’re getting your nutrition information from diverse sources. So this week, I’m here to provide some links to creators and resources to help you dig in further.
SOBER CURIOUS FOR THE HOLIDAYS: HOW ALCOHOL IMPACTS OUR MACROS, BODY COMPOSITION, AND OVERALL PROGRESS
The holiday season often conjures images of festive gatherings, joyous celebrations, and, inevitably, alcohol. For many, these moments include a glass of wine, a cocktail, or a beer to toast the occasion. However, an increasing number of people are becoming "sober curious," re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol. This movement isn't about outright abstinence but about mindfulness and understanding how alcohol impacts our bodies, especially concerning health and fitness goals. Let's explore how alcohol affects our health, particularly in the realms of fat loss, sleep, and overall wellness.
MAKING MACRO-TRACKING BUDGET FRIENDLY
With grocery prices rising, getting high-quality food (especially protein!) can be challenging. In this blog post, I’m breaking down some great budget-friendly grocery options by macronutrients that is perfect for those tracking macros and looking to eat well without breaking the bank.
HAVING A COACH THROUGH “MAINTENANCE MODE”: INSURANCE FOR LONG TERM NUTRITIONAL SUCCESS
A maintenance phase is arguably the most important season of our nutrition since it’s where we can best focus on the habits that help us find harmony with our physical, mental, emotional, and social health. Without the prioritization of changing our bodies, the other aspects of our lives that we value can better be at the forefront. However, that doesn’t mean that body composition can’t remain in the periphery. The foundational habits that we develop before or alongside a focused fat loss phase, with the goal of long-term physical change, continuously support small aesthetic changes over time.
Q&A: HORMONAL HEALTH, SUPPLEMENT SAFETY, AND SET POINT WEIGHT THEORY
The large majority of individuals probably don’t need to worry about their hormonal health. If you are struggling with your hormonal health, that is absolutely an indicator to see an endocrinologist - not a trainer, nutritionist, or wellness influencer! What supports our hormonal health most are the basics that support our overall health: exercising sensibly, giving ourselves time to recover, managing stress levels, eating a balanced and high quality diet and not chronically dieting. Hormonal health is incredibly important, so this is not about minimizing that importants; rather, it’s a reminder that the “boring stuff” is often what we overlook when it should be our first priority.
MACRO FRIENDLY DESSERT: SALTED CARAMEL APPLE YOGURT BARK
Tracking your macros doesn’t have to be restrictive and in fact, we pride ourselves on coaching our clients on ways to be more flexible with their food choices. We feel it’s important to include foods that you love and that means dessert and sweet treats! This peanut butter salted caramel apple yogurt bark is the perfect sweet treat for this season (or any season, really!) It’s super easy to make and for 22g of protein per serving, it can actually play a role in helping you nail your protein goals!
EMBRACE FLEXIBILITY AND ENJOY SOME PIZZA: TIPS FOR MACRO-FRIENDLY PIZZA NIGHT
When I start working with a client, they typically believe that they can't enjoy pizza AND eat “healthy” at the same time. Their experience tells them that pizza is a “bad” food, it’s a cheat meal, and it will definitely make them gain body fat. But often, that’s a fear of food and diet culture talking. By embracing a flexible approach to eating and incorporating some macro-friendly strategies, pizza can be part of a balanced approach to nutrition. Grab a slice, and let’s dig in!
TRACKING MACROS VS. COUNTING CALORIES: WHICH APPROACH SHOULD YOU TAKE WHEN WORKING TOWARDS YOUR FAT LOSS, PERFORMANCE, AND HEALTH GOALS?
At its core, counting calories is about ensuring you consume a specific number of calories each day. It's a straightforward approach focusing solely on energy intake versus energy expenditure. While this can be effective for weight management, it doesn't address the quality or composition of the food you're eating. Tracking macros, on the other hand, involves breaking down your calorie intake into three key nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Each of these macronutrients plays a unique role in your body. By paying attention to the specific amounts of each, you can optimize not only your overall caloric intake but also support your body's functional needs.
CHANGE TAKES TIME: WHY WORK WITH A NUTRITION COACH FOR 6 MONTHS?
At KLN, we require a six-month commitment from our clients, and there's a good reason for it. When you first join us, we take the time to get to know YOU – your habits, history, and what makes your daily life tick. This isn't something we can rush through-- it takes TIME! Time need to see how you live, how you interact with food, and how different factors affect your eating patterns. Getting to know you as an individual - your lifestyle, your needs, and what keeps you motivated - is crucial for providing the absolute best guidance and support from your coach.
3 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR MEALS MORE FILLING: MACRO-FRIENDLY TIPS FOR SATIETY
If you’re in a calorie deficit and working towards fat loss goals, a main goal should be minimizing any feelings of restriction or hunger so you can maximize adherence to your deficit. This is why we, as coaches, take a strong stance against aggressive and unsustainable deficits. If our hunger is through the roof each day, it’s not very likely that we’ll be able to adhere to that calorie deficit for long. Luckily, there are tools that can help us minimize hunger and, luckily, those same tools also keep us well-fueled and promote our overall health as well.
EASY MEAL PREP LUNCH: TRADER JOE’S SHAWARMA CHICKEN SALAD
Using pre-made ingredients and components can really streamline your kitchen process and help you experiment with new foods and flavors without having to resort to complicated or time consuming recipes. Introducing a favorite of mine: this ridiculously easy, high protein, veggie-packed chicken salad.
7 MACRO TRACKING TIPS FROM EXPERIENCED NUTRITION COACHES
We work within a framework of tracking macros to facilitate sustainable progress and, eventually, move away from tracking completely. However, while tracking, there are some ways we can make it easier on ourselves! In this blog post, we’re sharing our favorite tracking tips as “macro coaches,” experienced trackers, and coaches who help our clients make tracking work for them.
MACRO-FRIENDLY ADULT LUNCHABLES: 30+ HIGH PROTEIN SNACK COMBINATIONS
Welcome to your go-to guide for protein-packed snacks designed to keep you energized and satisfied throughout your busy day! When working with busy clients, we like to introduce the idea of an “Adult Lunchable” as a completely valid option for a high-protein snack that helps you meet your macro targets and keeps you fed even on the busiest days. Packed with protein and convenient enough to fit into your hectic schedule, these snacks will ensure you stay fueled and focused with at least 20 grams of protein, without compromising on taste or health. Dive in to discover both smart and delicious solutions for snacking at home or on the go!