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STRUGGLING MENTALLY? HERE’S HOW NUTRITION & EXERCISE IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH
When you hear the term “self-care”, what immediately comes to mind? Probably something physical (skincare, stretching,etc.) that is done in an effort to improve overall well-being. What we don’t include in that definition are some of the less glamorous things like movement and eating balanced meals that do have demonstrated benefits for mental health.
BREAKING THROUGH WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAUS: WHY THEY HAPPEN & WHAT TO DO
Weight loss plateaus can be a very frustrating part of working towards your body composition goals. If you constantly lose weight, you'd ultimately cease to exist. But that flatline in progress can feel like a GIANT roadblock, casting doubt over all the work you’ve put in.
8 MUST-HAVE TRADER JOE’S MACRO-FRIENDLY ITEMS FOR FLAVORFUL, HEALTHY MEALS
Focusing on making healthful nutrition changes does not have to equal making food taste boring: let’s put the idea of needing to eat boiled chicken breast and mushy vegetables in order to successfully pursue health goals to bed once and for all! On the contrary, by ensuring that we’re actually enjoying the health-promoting foods that we’re aiming to make staples in our diets, we’re far more likely to make change sustainable and, in turn, results retainable. Whether you’re looking to liven up your protein prep, make veggies more attractive to reach for or play around with new flavor profiles, here is a list of some of our favorite ways to insert flavor from Trader Joe’s.
DETOXING 101: WHAT YOUR BODY ACTUALLY NEEDS TO STAY HEALTHY
If you've spent any time in the wellness space, you've probably seen many bold claims about detoxes - from juice cleanses to special supplements, influencers and "detox specialists" promise that these methods will help flush toxins, boost metabolism, and even cure diseases. But do they actually work?
PROTEIN BARS UNWRAPPED: WHAT TO LOOK FOR (AND WHAT TO AVOID) IN A MACRO-FRIENDLY PROTEIN BAR
Choosing the right “macro-friendly” protein bar can feel like spotting a snowflake in a blizzard—especially when marketing doesn't make it clear whether the product is actually a protein bar or more of a glorified candy bar. Protein bars can absolutely have a place in your daily intake, but it’s important to know what you’re really buying.
CREATING A DOPAMINE MENU: AN EASY TOOL FOR WHEN MOTIVATION IS LOW
One part of our nutrition goals we often overlook is the inevitable fact that, at some point, our motivation will tank. When that happens, we often believe we have to rely on only willpower or wait until motivation comes back to feel “on track,” but the reality is that motivation will wane at times and, rather than waiting for it to reappear, this is a time when we can benefit from taking simple actions that help us rebuild momentum.
6 COMMON MACRO TRACKING MISTAKES YOU MIGHT BE MAKING: TIPS FROM A NUTRITION COACH
Tracking your macros is a fantastic tool for understanding your food intake and making intentional choices that align with your goals. But let’s be honest—it’s not always straightforward. In time, you will be able to track macros like a pro. But mistakes happen, and that’s ok. We need to acknowledge they will be part of this experience. The goal is to learn from them and make small, sustainable improvements over time.
HIGH PROTEIN COMFORT FOOD RECIPE: CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
‘Tis the season for feeling both under the weather after a month or so of extra socializing and yearning for comforting foods, yet likely feeling a push from the temporal landmark that is the New Year as well. But who says comforting foods can’t also be goal-aligned? This chicken noodle soup recipe checks all the boxes when it comes to flavor, warmth, and nourishment and is sure to become a winter go-to to help boost your protein intake!
WHY MINDSET MATTERS FOR YOUR NUTRITION GOALS
The rules of energy balance may seem simple on paper (with all “name brand” diets driven by hard and fast regulations operating under the same umbrella): calories in vs. calories out. Follow the guidelines, achieve results. However, without a foundational belief that we are capable of overcoming and learning from the challenges that are bound to arise in the process and are deserving of the outcomes we seek, we are bound to struggle with any real, sustainable change. A growth mindset is the key to unlocking our potential to reach any and all of our goals.
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.
WHY 75 DAY HARD IS A HARD PASS FOR ME
75 Hard is a popular program that's come to the forefront the last few years promises rapid transformations, increased mental toughness, and life-changing results, but what it misses is how extreme approaches can be counterproductive to your long-term goals. The focus on rigidity, perfectionism, and punishing routines may offer short-term wins but lead to burnout, injury, or even regression. It can be counterintuitive to your overall well-being and can just be another attempted quick fix that keeps us stuck in the cycle of restriction, punishment, and believing that change comes only when we’re miserable and doing everything “perfectly.”
HOLIDAY NUTRITION MADE EASY: 3 ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO AVOID THE ‘ALL OR NOTHING’ MENTALITY
The holiday season often means packed calendars, filled with family gatherings, work parties, and festive get-togethers. Right now, we’re in the thick of it. But how do we approach these events without feeling either deprived or overly indulgent? How do we navigate our nutrition in a way that aligns with our goals instead of calling it quits and just “starting over in January?” Let’s talk about it…
8 REASONS TO CHOOSE MACROSFIRST AS YOUR MACRO TRACKING APP
Choosing the right tracking app can make or break your nutrition goals, and MacrosFirst stands out for all the right reasons. Let's jump into why MacrosFirst is superior to popular options like MyFitnessPal (MFP) and Cronometer and why it best fits your tracking needs.
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.
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!
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.
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.
WHY YOU SHOULD DITCH THE SCALE WHEN WORKING TOWARDS WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
I think we all technically know that our weight is just an arbitrary number on a device that doesn't mean that much, but it can still be difficult to let go of the anxiety and frustration that this number sometimes carries. It's easy to step on the scale and either feel proud when we see the number has decreased or hopeless when it hasn't. This is because we have this idea that the number on the scale equates to our self-worth. Rather than just suggesting that you don't let the number on the scale bother you, I want to delve deeper into how we can utilize the number on the scale as a measure of progress alongside other metrics, or how we can step away from the scale entirely -- and how to decide which option is best for us.
MACRO-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT SERIES: STARBUCKS
Let's face it, life often gets chaotic, leaving us little time to complete all of our errands, let alone cook all of our meals from scratch. Popping into Starbucks for a drink or a meal might seem like it will throw our nutrition goals “off track,” however if we understand the nutritional content of the food we're choosing, we can choose foods that help us work towards our nutrition goals. Believe it or not, Starbucks DOES have some food options that keep us fueled and feeling good, proving that even in the midst of a busy day, we can make choices that support our health.
MACRO-FRIENDLY AIRPORT TRAVEL SNACKS
Whether you’re a frequent flyer or only an occasional jet setter, staying goal-aligned with your nutrition during air travel can feel overwhelming with so many other aspects of your trip demanding your attention. Staying on top of your energy needs is a must though, so we’ve compiled a list of snacks you can grab at most major airports and ones you can source before your travel day and bring through TSA to help keep you fueled until you touch down at your final destination.
BREAKING THE CYCLE OF RESTRICTION: HOW TO CREATE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD AND YOUR NUTRITION
The cycle of perpetual restriction can look like throwing away the cookies your friend just brought over because you know that if you have just one, you'll spiral into eating every sweet treat in the pantry. It can look like not even keeping those “scary” foods in the house because you've labeled yourself as someone with no control. It can also look like an entire inner dialogue of categorizing “good” foods and “forbidden” foods and promising ourselves we'll only eat “clean” while also ignoring the fact we've never succeeded at this game in the past.
NUTRITION TIPS FOR YOUR NEXT CAMPING TRIP
Camping is one of my favorite ways to vacation/travel, even though it involves more meal planning than other vacations. That extra required planning also means it can be friendlier to your nutrition goals, especially if you take the time to pre-track some meals to ensure you’re hitting your protein and other targets.
SIGNS YOU NEED TO REVERSE DIET: NAVIGATING CALORIE DEFICITS, MAINTENANCE, AND MORE
As someone who reentered the dating world a few years ago, I never fully understood the concept of red flags. And then, suddenly, I understood the dialogue. It seemed like I was in a parade, and red flags were readily available and in abundance. But dating doesn't have the monopoly on red flags. Our bodies often wave a giant red flag in front of us, and we seem to be colorblind to it. But I want to draw your attention to calorie deficit red flags, how a reverse diet can address those red flags, and whether a reverse diet may be appropriate for you.
MACRO-FRIENDLY BOWL RECIPE: PLANT-BASED GOLDEN TAHINI PROTEIN POWER BOWL
This power bowl is loaded with protein, high-fiber vegetables, and a nutritious golden tahini sauce. Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or plant-based (or even if you’re not!) this simple meal is great for tracking your macros (or not!) and can help support any body composition, fitness, or overall nutrition.
4 WAYS TO ACTUALLY BOOST YOUR METABOLISM: BEYOND SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS
If you’ve spent any amount of time on social media, you’ve probably come across a plethora of content touting metabolism-boosting “hacks”: drinking cold water, green tea, and coffee; eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day; making your food as spicy as possible; cold plunging in ice water; wearing a weighted vest. What’s worth implementing? What’s simply noise? Read this week’s blog to find out.
MAKING PLANT BASED EATING EASIER: HOW TO EAT ENOUGH PROTEIN, PLANT BASED PROTEIN SOURCES, AND HEALTHY RECIPES
For many, one of the biggest barriers when first starting to track your macros is hitting your protein target. It’s easy to think that eating protein is only important for bodybuilders and elite athletes, but it plays a crucial role in all of our bodies, regardless of our age or athletic ability. Hitting your protein target may be hard at first, but it’s not impossible -- and it definitely doesn’t require just eating meat all day, every day. In fact, since making the personal choice to stop eating meat last year, I know that it’s totally possible to eat an adequate amount of protein and even follow a higher-protein diet with little to no animal-based sources. In this week’s post, I’m sharing just how to do that along with a list of plant-based protein sources and some awesome, easy (and macro-friendly!) plant-based recipes. With the surge of popularity of plant-based diets has also come the increase in plant-based marketing. Walking around the grocery store, you’ll find “plant based” whole wheat pasta, donuts, and chips - all foods that are generally free of animal products anyway, and foods that don’t become automatically healthy just because of a plant-based label.
IS FAST FOOD BAD? HOW FAST FOOD CAN BE MACRO FRIENDLY, HEALTHY, AND ALIGNED WITH YOUR GOALS
The idea of what is “healthy” is nuanced. A salad can be healthy as it’s filled with micronutrients, and a cookie can be healthy when we allow ourselves to enjoy it guilt-free. It’s important to note that fast food can be consumed in a way that isn’t as healthful if opting for super calorie-dense options that lack nutrients, but most fast food restaurants do have options that are more aligned with goals of eating healthfully. Fast food is not bad, nor is any singular food bad or good, because they exist within the context of our goals and life circumstances.
SETTING BOUNDARIES AROUND FAMILY FOOD TALK: HOW OUR FAMILY’S DIET AND BODY TALK IMPACTS OUR EATING BEHAVIORS
You're enjoying Sunday dinner with your family when your aunt comments, "Are you sure you want more mashed potatoes? You've already had two helpings!" This type of communication or commentary can have very detrimental effects on our self-esteem, body image, and overall relationship with food. It may contribute to the development of disordered eating patterns and a heightened focus on achieving unrealistic beauty standards that impact us in very negative ways as we age and grow.
WHEN ROUTINE GOES OUT THE WINDOW: HOW TO HANDLE A NON ‘MACRO FRIENDLY’ MEAL
Intentional out-of-routine times, like the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday, tend to cause panic around meals where panic need not be warranted. Nutritional and lifestyle habits might need to temporarily change but managing expectations, having flexibility with our choices, and giving ourselves the permission to intentionally get out of our routines can ensure that those occasional meals stay exciting (not stressful!). Understanding and establishing the intentions of our meals gives us more control over how our meals make us feel. Remember: we have the power over food, food does not have the power over us.