There might be more "Ks" in this post than a Kardashian story in Us Weekly. Katie actually warned me that the Kardashians may take legal action against this post. I guess we better lawyer-up. Come to think of it, maybe we can recruit Kylie and Khloe for our efforts and start a spin-off with a new "K" clan. I have a decently sized booty but if I can get it just a scosche bigger, it just might work...
So who is this Katie? She has already been referenced twice in two sentences!?! Simply put, she's awesome. Katie is a nutritionist which means she has studied food way beyond looking at it and putting it into her mouth. She earned her Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition from NYU which is far above the degree that I earned from MyFitnessPal (those of you know my obsession with the app understand this point). So...I'll bring attention to the obvious situation here. One would think that I have a bias since her names is Katie Fitzgerald and she went to NYU (we are practically twinning at this point). BUT NO, it is not a bias! In spite of her excellent choice in schools, her winning initials, etc. she really knows her stuff and knows how to deliver that information even better. She has a very approachable style when it comes to nutrition. Achieving a healthier lifestyle can seem unattainable and information on food can be hard to understand but Katie does a great job at making a healthy lifestyle seem so... simple. I like to think that I am a "healthy" eater but the truth is that I take a page from "Why French Women Don't Get Fat" and I pretty much subscribe to a life of moderation and balance but there is so much more beyond that and I've had the luxury of learning that from Katie. I feel confident that I kick major butt in my classes and help my students torch calories but the adage saying of "abs are made in the kitchen" is beyond true. Well it's actually partially true because it forgot to mention a lot of other body parts like your ass. Exercise will only go so far. Simply put, your body should move more and your mouth a little less :p
We teamed up to offer a Fitness Class and Nutrition Talk at Refinery29 to some of it's awesome employees last night. Today we are sharing some of those practical and eye opening tips that she covered. Side note, I was on stimulation overload wanting to own every outfit that everyone was wearing. I am going to do some major online shopping in hopes of scoring similar looks of what inspired me. Back to food....I really have a short attention span when I write. Katie focused on some easy to follow information that can make a huge difference over time. I plan on following these three tips STAT and so should you!
What is the perfect post-work out snack?
Buddy-up your macronutrients (fat, protein, carb, etc.) Pair carbohydrates with protein or fat to replenish your muscles and restore blood glucose. Here are some great pairings for a delicious and replenishing post-work out snack:
C: ½ apple + F/P: 1 Tablespoon nut butter
C: 1 cup baby carrots + F/P hummus
C: ½ cup fresh or frozen berries + F/P: ½ cup 1% greek yogurt
C: ¼ cup dried fruit + F/P ¼ cup raw cashews, almonds, pistachios, or walnuts
C: 1 cup diced tomatoes, cucumbers -+ F: small pack of marinated olives
Raise the bar:
Energy bars are a yummy and convenient way to ward off hunger. Some examples of bars with 10g of sugar or less such as:
Health Warrior Chia bars: all flavors have 5g sugar
KIND: Madagascar vanilla almond, apple cinnamon and pecan, almond coconut, cashew and ginger spice
Mediterra: olive and walnut, sun-dried tomato and basil,
Smoothies are a great idea post workout because since they are predigested they delivery replenishing energy in the fastest way possible
Choose whole fruit and vegetables juices with a ratio of 2 vegetable ingredients to 1 fruit ingredient.
Whole fruit/veg green juices and smoothies contain all the fiber of the plant so it will keep you feeling more satisfied and will keep your blood sugar more even
How to be savvy when being social i.e. how to order better at entertaining events and which cocktails this summer will not compromise your swimsuit season body?
Before: Do not skip a meal to make-up for boozy calories. Have a light meal such as salad with lean grilled chicken or steak, Mediterranean tapas, chicken satay, shrimp cocktail, ceviche, or vegetable crudité. It is important to stick with light options while imbibing because the metabolism of alcohol takes priority over carbohydrates, fats, and protein meaning those calories are more prone to be stored rather than burned off.
During: Aim to drink water or a mocktails in between each alcoholic beverage. Choose something to savor like light beer or glass of wine opposed to other drinks that go down all too easy. Shots are reserved for spring breakers only.
After: If you had a light meal before or with your cocktails you will be far less likely to snag a greasy slice on the way home. Before bed drink plenty of water and take an anti-inflammatory to ward off a hang-over. Eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and green tea the next day will provide you with antioxidants to mitigate some of the alcohol related free radicals. Sorry, a fried egg and cheese is not a good source of vitamins and minerals.
Sobering truth about cocktails:
Diet mixers with sugar free sweeteners can amplify intoxication by almost double. When your mouth tastes sweetness, it sends a signal to your brain to metabolize sugar, however, in the absence of calories the rate of metabolism increases and the effects of alcohol are stronger.
Since the body can’t use alcohol for fuel, energy from any kind of alcoholic beverage is an empty calorie. The differences in calories between servings of wine, beer, and liquor vary only slightly (about 100-120 calories per serving)
Timing: Enjoy no more than 2 servings of alcohol within an hour. Studies show that cognition and reactions times are impaired significantly even the day after a night of binge drinking.
How to make better choices at lunchtime
Don’t play the waiting game: Stock your bag or desk with a few snacks like an apple, individual packs of nuts, and energy bars to grab when you can’t get away to prevent from overeating at meals or attacking the bread basket.
All salads are not created equal:
Come on, those bacon bits and blue cheese crumbles aren’t fooling anyone. Opt for a colorfularray of fresh fruits and vegetables and apply lean proteins like you would a garnish.
Have a plan and know before you go: Use online menus to find the healthiest options before you order to avoid being tempted by more indulgent items.
Gotta have it? You’ve made smart choices all week, you’ve been keeping to your workout schedule, and you simply can’t say no to the item that’s been calling your name. Go for it! Pair your treat with a cup of clear broth or vegetable based soup or a side salad before you dig in and split it with a friend.
Personally, I loved all of it. She really captured my <3 and my stomach on her "Gotta have it" piece. At the end of the day, we are only human.
For more information on Katie and her services, check out her website: http://www.compleatnutrition.org, her email is: katie@compleatnutrition.org
If you are interested in a 1-2 fitness and nutrition punch AKA KFX2 whether it's for personal or corporate initiatives shoot me and Katie an email: Kelly@KOREbyKelly & Katie's is above.