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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.
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.
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.
WHY WE EMOTIONALLY EAT & HOW TO MINIMIZE STRESS EATING
Of the adults who overeat unhealthy foods when stressed, 33% say they do it to distract themselves from the stress. The survey finds that these behaviors are higher in women, who are more likely to report unhealthy eating behaviors as a result of stress. The percentage of those skipping meals due to stress is also higher in women, in teen girls, and in millennials. When referring to stress here, we’re not just talking about a hard day at work. Stress encompasses feeling lonely or emotional turmoil, and then also work stress, relationship stress or caretaking, etc. There’s nothing wrong with eating foods that are less nourishing sometimes, but it can become problematic -- to our health, to our relationship with food, to our trust around food -- if we consistently use junk food as the way to regulate our emotions.
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.
MACRO-FRIENDLY TRAVEL: DISNEYLAND, DISNEY WORLD, AND YOUR NUTRITION GOALS
Disneyland and Disney World: the places where dreams come true and nutrition dreams go to die…or do they? As with any out-of-routine time including vacations, work trips, anniversaries, date nights, birthdays, and holidays, we have to ask ourselves: What is the experience that I want to have during this brief time? and Does your expectation of your time away match the reality of the environment where you are going? The way that you feel during or after periods of time outside of your regular routines does not mean that any permanent changes occurred. Whether the journey of your nutrition while on your trip includes macro tracking or not, the main focus should be on making confident choices even if those choices are less efficient than normal.
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.
IS BREAKFAST REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY?
Whether you take it as gospel truth or just a catchy marketing slogan, chances are you’ve heard the phrase “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” And it does seem like most people have some kind of strong opinion on breakfast — whether it’s related to its importance, overratedness, or which foods are acceptable breakfast foods. When it comes to your nutrition goals, breakfast isn’t necessarily any more or less important than any other meal, but it can be used as an opportunity to get a headstart on your nutrition goals for the day.
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.
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.
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.
HEALTH IN THE NEW YEAR: 5 UNEXPECTED “HEALTH BOOSTERS”
It’s the middle of January and you’re a couple of weeks into your New Year’s resolution. While we’re all about BIG goals around here, we’re also about finding effective and sustainable ways to improve your overall health, beyond only losing weight or going for PRs in the gym. With years of experience working with hundreds of clients, our coaches have A LOT of experience supporting others in all areas of their health and nutrition. Our team is sharing that expertise with this list of unexpected ways to improve your health this year and continue to work towards your body composition and fitness goals sustainably. It’s a culmination of our work with our clients as well as our own personal journeys as nutrition coaches. We’re sharing how getting in touch with different aspects of your health will allow you to look and feel your best not only this year, but for years (and years!) to come.
THE PROS AND CONS OF A PLANT-BASED APPROACH: WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO EAT WITH INTENTION
Ideally you are starting with a diet that is already well-rounded and focused on whole foods, then reducing/eliminating meat consumption and replacing animal based proteins with plant-based alternatives. The unfortunate side effect of a plant-based diet being a fad right now is that many people skip this part and move right to just cutting out meat and dairy.
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.
MAINTAINING MINDFULNESS THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS: THE GIFT OF A MINDFUL MEAL
In the throes of the holiday season, it’s easy to push your nutrition goals to the side and tell yourself you’ll gear up to tackle those big goals in the New Year. But in the spirit of flexible nutrition, we find that this is the perfect time to work on building important skills around eating and making food choices as well as improving your relationship with food.
7 HEALTHFUL TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS: AVOIDING HOLIDAY BURNOUT
The holidays are a time of twinkling lights, cheerful gatherings, and copious amounts of joy-- and sometimes, stress. Consequently, you've probably found yourself frazzled amidst the festivities, wishing things were as simple as a Hallmark Christmas movie. Despite the hustle, bustle, and festivities muscle, there are a few ways you can help avoid the typical holiday burnout and still prioritize yourself.
YOU’RE NOT “OFF TRACK:” NAVIGATING NUTRITION ON THE GO DURING THE HOLIDAYS
We are in the midst of what is typically the busiest, most travel-prone, food-centric time of the year. So for my frequent flier clients AND the majority of the population at this time, most of our normal “controls” aren’t quite able to happen. Food choices look different, we may not have access to a gym, and we may be enjoying more meals out or savoring more of the foods that only come around this time of year. These higher variable times don’t have to add stress to our lives! One of my favorite parts of coaching is helping clients see that there is no “on or off track,” no matter where they are or how many variables are at work in their lives.
2023 WINTER ACTION PLAN: UTILIZING OUR NUTRITION, FITNESS, AND HEALTH HABITS TO FEEL OUR BEST THROUGH CHANGING SEASONS
As we say goodbye to warmer months and head into seasons of shorter days and colder temperatures, it is common for those shifts to translate into some seasonal gloom. We feel the impacts of less perceived time in the day and less sunlight, and we may initially feel a bit less motivated in the way of our normal health habits. During these colder months when we may find ourselves with a less zeal for prioritizing our nutrition, getting those workouts in or staying mindful of our sleep and stress management, we can meet our bodies and brains where they are at and create winter action plans that still support us feeling our best and in flexible ways.
MINERALS: A DEEP DIVE
Minerals. Where do they come from? They have existed in the planet we inhabit since its creation, filling our soil, rocks and water from dust that long rained down on us from exploding supernovas. Yep, exploding stars. They are elemental in form and very basic units and our bodies are infused with them everywhere. They are essential to us from the moment we are conceived in the womb, from the moment cells begin to divide and a heart begins to beat.
HOW TO INCREASE YOUR VEGGIE INTAKE: COOKING TIPS TO HELP YOU NOT HATE VEGETABLES
“I just hate eating vegetables” tends to be the most common sentence I read when I get a new client intake form. It usually comes straight after reading that said client’s main goal is to “lose fat and gain muscle.” If that gives you any consolation for not being a fan of veggies, GREAT. But in years of coaching, I’ve learned it’s not so much about hating vegetables as much as not knowing how to prepare them or make them enjoyable.
AM I ADDICTED TO FOOD? EXPLORING THE POWER OF HYPERPALATABLE FOODS.
When we crave “junk foods.” it’s not because there is something wrong with us; that is the goal! Hyperpalatable foods are engineered to be extremely tasty and override natural satiety, fostering overconsumption. While not clinically addictive, these activate similar brain reward pathways and override our fullness cues. Learn more about HPFs and how to make these feel less powerful.
TRACKING MACROS WHILE TRAVELING
Whether you’re off to the beach for a summer vacation or heading out for some international adventures, traveling is great but can also be a bit stressful. We believe that eating the foods you enjoy should not require restricting, rationalizing, or guilt. This post will help you find strategies that will keep you on track as you travel and navigate situations that are not totally in your control.
VITAMINS: A DEEP DIVE
We have learned a bit of the background on vitamins and minerals - small examples of why they are important in our bodies and a few ramifications for overall health - and we can now deep dive specifically into one type of micronutrient: vitamins.
ALL ABOUT PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS: CHOOSING THE BEST PROTEIN POWDER FOR YOU
Protein is one of the harder macronutrients to incorporate into our diet because it generally requires storage and prep time and therefore it can be less convenient. However, protein powder is super convenient! There are A LOT of different types and brands of protein powder out there, and it can be confusing to know which protein powder you should buy. Here is how to choose the right protein powder for you and a list of some of our favorites!
HIGH VOLUME VS. NUTRIENT DENSE: ADJUSTING FOOD CHOICES TO YOUR APPETITE AND NEEDS
One part of our nutrition that I think can be really empowering is learning to address appetite through the typical ebbs and flows of life. This means when we’re sick, hot, busy, etc. and appetite is low (or gone completely); and when we’re more active or a little munchy and appetite is higher than normal. In either of these situations, knowledge of our nutrition allows us to tailor our food choices to how we’re feeling, so we can still honor our hunger and fullness cues and continue to fuel ourselves well.
RECOGNIZING PHYSICAL VS. PSYCHOLOGICAL (EMOTIONAL) HUNGER & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Recognizing our hunger cues and the impact our environment can have on those cues is especially important for goals related to our nutrition. Establishing a difference between physical and psychological hunger is the first line of defense against any feelings of guilt, shame, or regret surrounding our food choices.
BUILDING STRONG HABITS FOR LONG TERM RESULTS
While we want our clients to have specific goals they’re after, as coaches, our goal is to also ensure that clients walk away with tools that ensure their results are sustainable and that they feel confident in navigating their nutrition on their own. In today’s post, I’m sharing more about some of those tools we aim to develop in our work as online nutrition coaches working one-on-one with clients, no matter what their goals are.
YOUR NUTRITION AND FITNESS GOALS FOR 2023: GOAL SETTING TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE NEW YEAR
Goal setting can seem cliché, but setting yourself up with the right type of goals can be the difference between getting frustrated and giving up, and actually achieving the big goals you have set for yourself. This post is here to help you along in the process of making new goals that will best serve you in this coming year.