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The Importance of Maintenance Phases in Fat Loss Progress
When considering fat loss, the number one thing we talk about is energy balance. In order to lose fat, it’s necessary to eat a calorie deficit (eating less calories than you expend). However, our bodies aren’t made to exist in a calorie deficit forever.
The Impact of Sleep and Stress on Fat Loss Goals
Elevated stress levels and lack of adequate sleep can mess with the regulation of hormones that impact hunger levels and fat loss rate, and can also lead to mood problems that impact decision-making skills. This can create a one-two punch that makes fat loss much, much harder than it needs to be.
Taking Action: The Key to Motivation in Your Nutrition Journey
If you have some goals you want to accomplish but haven’t been feeling particularly motivated lately, here are a few strategies that may help you create some motivation if it’s been lacking
Boosting Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) for Fat Loss
Most of the calories we burn in a given day aren’t during our workouts, and the majority of the differences in most people’s activity levels are unlikely to be just from that hour or so most of us are used to spending in the gym.
Maintaining Your Leanest Body Composition: Understanding Seasons of Nutrition
Most people have some time in their life when they think they performed or looked their absolute best, and then wonder why they weren’t able to hold onto that forever. But, if you take a moment to reflect on all of the pieces of the puzzle that had to come together for that brief moment, it’s unlikely that everything can stay aligned that way for long.
Becoming Consistent in a Calorie Deficit: Why Weekends Matter
If your focus begins on Monday and ends on Thursday, you’re really only working toward your goal 4 out of 7 days per week. Even if you only loosen up on Saturday and Sunday, you can still cause your progress to lag or even stall out, depending on what your weekend intake looks like.
Prioritizing Vegetables: Prioritizing Your Nutrition During the Holidays
With Thanksgiving behind us, the holidays are definitely in full swing. It feels like just about every other post I see from anyone in the health or fitness industry is about how not to overeat at holiday meals or parties. I do think there’s a lot of value in being strategic or even just extra mindful about your food intake through the season - but if your household is anything like mine, you probably need to be aware of what’s missing from your fridge and not just how to handle the extra cookies that are making their way into your kitchen.
Managing Alcohol Intake When You Have Nutrition Goals
Alcohol is fine for most diets in moderation. However, if you are on a fat loss diet and already struggling with compliance, that lower inhibition after a drink may make it very hard to stay on track. If that’s the case, it may be wise to cut alcohol consumption as much as possible, at least until you’re comfortably able to stay compliant without it feeling like a struggle.
Pushing Past Plateaus: How to Trust The Fat Loss Progress
The process. At some point, your coach has probably told you to “trust the process,” but what does that mean? And why trust “the process” when you’re frustrated that you’ve had a tough week or aren’t seeing the progress you’re looking for?
Embracing Flexibility: The Key Principle of Flexible Nutrition
No matter what goal you are working toward, consistency is key to achieving it and perfection is not your friend. Despite how good it feels hit your macros perfectly 10 days in a row, that may be an indicator that you’re not allowing yourself the flexibility you need to build long-term success.
Effective Strategies for Athletes to Make Weight Safely: Weightlifting, BJJ, MMA, Wrestling
If you participate in a sport with weight classes, you probably know the struggle of balancing your actual body weight and maintaining (or increasing) strength. It can be a fine line to walk, but there are strategies that can help your weight cut be a more enjoyable experience!
Nutrition Strategies for Optimizing Gym Performance: Nutrient Timing and Protein Needs
We’ve talked about the importance of nutrition in regard to specific fat loss, health, and athletic performance goals before.
Today we’re going to dig a little deeper and take a closer look at what it really means to eat for performance. Whether you’re a weightlifter who competes regularly, looking to improve on last year’s CrossFit Open performance, or just someone who wants to run farther or lift heavier, you can probably benefit from focusing on tailoring your nutrition to your performance goals.
Why Willpower Doesn't Work for Fat Loss Goals
Most of us have lived for years believing that the key to successful fat loss is willpower.
If we just resist our cravings and suppress our hunger, we will be successful dieters. If we just stick to our plan, eat the same food every day, and say no to every treat and drink offered, we will finally lose that weight.
That’s not the case.
Coach Whitney's Top Macro-Friendly Snacks and Meal Prep Tips
I try to keep my typical diet full of lean proteins and fruits and vegetables, but sometimes I just need something delicious or something I didn’t have to make from scratch! Here are three of my favorite macro-friendly foods I keep on hand basically at all times.
Meet Coach Whitney: From "Fat Friend" to Nutrition Coach
Meet Coach Whitney: the newest member of the KLN Team
HIGH FIBER MEAL PREP RECIPE: HONEY MUSTARD DENSE BEAN SALAD (WITH MACROS!)
If you’ve been on the internet recently you may have seen the popular trend of “dense bean salads.” In an online space where there are lots of questionable trends circulating, this is one that I can wholeheartedly get behind! The idea behind a “dense bean salad” is that it’s a recipe packed with ingredients that get better day by day as the ingredients marinate longer. This dense bean salad I’m sharing today is no exception. It’s flavorful, high in protein (with plant-based options available to boost protein without animal products!), high in fiber, and incredibly customizable.
WHAT PEOPLE GET WRONG ABOUT MAINTAINING WEIGHT LOSS
There will always be periods of time, whether it’s weeks, months, or years, where you may not be able to maintain your leanest or fittest point, and that’s normal. But if you take time to build foundational skills and habits, you can keep that maintenance range in a place that feels good to you. And you can always return to some of those more time-intensive skills and practices when capacity allows.
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!
TRADER JOE’S: YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PROTEIN PROVIDER - 30 HIGH PROTEIN FINDS
Navigating the aisles of Trader Joes to find high-protein options can be manageable, even with the vast array of calorie-dense novelties and goodies. You can easily incorporate more protein into your diet by focusing on items with lean meats, plant-based proteins, and convenient prepared foods. This guide should be handy to help you make informed choices that align with your nutrition goals. And soon enough, you might find yourself a Trader Joe's connoisseur.