Hello Inner Circle Members!  :)

If you're new, welcome! Each month you will receive 2 two of these premium content emails where I share about the topic of the month as well as all the things I've been loving! This month, however, is our first Q&A session, so rather than talking about a topic of the month, I will be answering your questions from the last workshop on metabolic health. The same goes for the next newsletter in 2 weeks and then we will finish this month off with a live Q&A that will allow you to ask any question about your health or the topics discussed so far! Looking forward to all of it!

Your Metabolic Workshop Questions Answered:

1. Q: I’ve been enjoying various Organifi drinks throughout the day or in the evening. I’m wondering if these “count” as eating since I’m often drinking these between meals or as a drink before bed. Would that register in your body as food and prevent the clearing out from happening? Like drinking the gold in the evening, would that disrupt a 12-hour fast?

A: This a great question, and here's what I do: I try to go at least one stretch, either from breakfast to lunch or from lunch to dinner, without consuming too many calories in the form of beverages. While this might not seem like a big deal occasionally, doing it daily can technically prevent the migrating motor complex from carrying out its cleaning and sweeping functions, and can also prevent the body from getting into a state of fat burning. Remember, anything with calories can interrupt a fast to some degree. So always make sure you get at least 12 hours (from dinner to breakfast) daily with just water in between for optimal metabolic health, and at least one other 3-5 hour stint each day where all you’re having is water! Your gut and metabolism love these breaks.

2. Q: What is a good caloric range or macro breakdown that we should use as a guideline on our healing journey?

A: This varies greatly depending on many things: hormone status, sleep, age, weight, metabolic flexibility, goals, etc. Most female bodies do well with somewhere from 1,200-2,200 calories daily (again, depending on all those factors). And as covered in the workshop, most female bodies also do well with at least 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For example, a 130lb female would aim for about 105 grams of protein. Then, you would cycle, playing with higher fat and lower carbohydrate days (as shown below for someone aiming to consume about 1,200-1,500 calories daily) and visa versa. Remember, your body will adjust to what you do for longer than 4-6 weeks, so refer back to the workshop on how and when to cycle fats and carbs for optimal metabolic flexibility and function.

Example Higher Carb, Lower Fat Day:

        Protein: 105 grams

        Carbohydrates: 200 grams

        Fat: 22  grams

Example Lower Carb, Higher Fat Day:

        Protein: 105 grams

        Carbohydrates: 100 grams

        Fat: 45 grams

3. Q: My metabolic bloodwork panel just came back with flying colors, so it seems I do not suffer from metabolic dysfunction.  Can I still benefit from implementing all that you teach here in the inner circle?

A: Yes, blood work can be helpful, but it’s just one piece to the puzzle. I've seen a lot of people with "normal" numbers and poor metabolic health or symptoms of poor metabolic health. Honestly, there’s not a person on this planet who won't benefit from continuing to work on improving the health and function of their metabolism. And, remember, the biggest offender to optimal metabolic health is chronic stress, something we all struggle to manage and will be covering in great depth over the next 6 months.

4. Q: What have been your top recipe ideas, resources, cookbooks, etc. that focus on hitting protein goals while being substantiated with Whole Foods?

A:  I have compiled all of my favorite whole food and higher protein meals into a recipe guidebook  that is part of my NEW YOU program (value $50) that I am going to be sharing with the Inner Circle members for FREE. Go check it out, it’s under the 'resources' tab in your member's area.  You’ll find lots of inspiration there!

5. Q: What is the best way to carb cycle if tracking is triggering to you? In other words, if being super prescriptive/tracking macros is triggering but you otherwise have a pretty good handle on what foods contain what macros, what do you suggest as far as cycling goes? Would it be one week higher carb, one week lower? Switching off between days? Or alternatively, cycling throughout the day?

A: If tracking macros feels overwhelming or triggering, there are alternative ways to implement carb cycling without strict tracking. Here's how I would approach it. Instead of meticulously tracking every gram of macronutrients, focus on making broader dietary shifts. You can aim for higher-carb days and lower-carb days without needing to count every calorie. Here's how I do this without tracking or counting: During week 2 of my cycle (when hormones are less sensitive to stress and do better with more fat and less carbs), I add fewer carbs to my diet and prioritize fat and protein. This means eating less carbs than I normally would at each meal, especially breakfast and lunch, as carbs at dinner help with deep sleep. Then, during week 3, when progesterone is trying to build (and hormones are more sensitive to stressors like low carb, I am more careful to add in healthy carbs to each meal and also getting at least 1-2 servings of complex carbs with dinner. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to count every gram of carb or fat, either. In fact, I believe that counting macros and obsessively tracking everything you put in your mouth is VERY unhealthy for more reasons than one!

6. Q: How much protein per meal is safe?

A: Most females do well with about .8 grams of protein per pound of body or .8 grams of protein per ideal body weight. (Example: 130-pound female = 104 grams protein per day. 150-pound female wanting to lose about 20 pounds would also aim for about the same).

7.  Q: Can you give “guidelines” on how many carbs would be in an example of a high carb day or a range to shoot for?

A:  I don’t do more than about 200 grams of carbs on a high carb day or less than about 50 grams of carbs on a low carb day. This seems to work well for most female bodies.

8.  Q: Currently having adrenal fatigue, and high cortisol, I can’t seem to take the advice of three high protein meals without seriously hunger and irritation. Advice to get to that place where 3x meals a day is something my body can do?

A: If your adrenals are fatigued and your SHMEC (sleep, hunger, mood, energy, and cravings) are compromised, as mentioned in the workshop, you may need to eat more regularly, like having three meals with 1-2 snacks in between until your adrenals heal and your SHMEC comes back into check. Remember, when adrenals are stressed, your body will have a hard time burning fat and tapping into stored fuel sources like fat, making it harder to go very long without good, hence the reason you're struggling. Adrenal issues also cause big rises and falls in blood sugar, also making going very long between meals much harder. Work on getting your SHMEC in check and healing your adrenals. It's perfect timing for this because we are just kicking off a month-long series on how to heal from adrenal issues, nervous system dysregulation, and chronic stress! It's going to be life-changing!

9.  Q: I'm never hungry and can't eat much because I get full very quickly. So I eat too little and then reach for chocolate. How can I change that?

A: When we are not hungry yet have cravings, this can be a sign of both insulin resistance and poor metabolic health. The goal is to jumpstart the metabolism and restore function by eating adequate protein at least 3 times daily, which will help with cravings. Initially, you will need to eat even when you're not hungry; you don't need to eat much, but just enough to get things going. As we discussed in the workshop, a lack of hunger, especially in the morning, is a sign of a slow and rigid metabolism. That's why it's critical to prioritize taking in protein even when not hungry.

10.  Q: I have been following the fasting recommendations from some research (in the last 5 years) for perimenopausal women still with a cycle...longer fasts(beyond 14 hours) days 1-10 and 15-20 and no fasting week before period. Also days 1-10 are varied. Is this not what you recommend and do you have new research that says otherwise. 

A: Most of these “fasting experts” are not hormone or nervous system experts, nor do they understand how stress affects the female body in the way that I do. Also, the majority of the research done on fasting is focused on males, so it can also be very misguiding and problematic. If you fast too much in week 3, which is when progesterone is trying to build, you will absolutely overly stress your body, and it will backfire. I've worked with thousands of female bodies over the years, testing many aspects of this, and every single female body has done much better not doing much fasting in week three to build adequate progesterone. And, as mentioned in the workshop, proceed with caution in week 4 when it comes to how long you choose to fast. Personally, I don’t fast longer than 14 hours in week 4 because my SHMEC goes out of check, and this is the case for many!

11.  Q: In regards to regulating circadian rhythms, and getting morning sunlight, does the  exposure need to be within a certain time of sunrise?

12.  Q: It seems like the metabolic workshop was mostly for increasing metabolism to help with weight loss. What about for people that are underweight and trying to gain weight? Will all the info in the workshop pertain or do you have other suggestions on helping with gaining weight?

Hope this helps clear up some confusion! And, remember I will be answering more of your metabolic workshop questions in the next newsletter in 2 weeks, so if your question didn't get answered here, it may soon! :)

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO

Since we've been talking about metabolic health, it reminded me that I want to introduce you to  my buddy Jade Teta, who is a leading metabolic guru himself. So, here's an interview that I did with Dr. Teta a few years ago, as well as another podcast he did on metabolic health and understanding how to increase metabolic flexibility! He's a wealth of knowledge, however, I will say that he and I do not agree on EVERYTHING when it comes to metabolic health, as I have a better idea of what works for the female body and he for the male body, but you will still learn so much! Enjoy!

WHAT I'M READING

WHAT'S COOKIN'

As you all know by now, getting adequate protein at each meal is absolutely critical for optimal metabolic health. So, I wanted to share two of my favorite high-protein dinners that I have been absolutely loving these past few weeks:  

Lunch idea:

* I swap out the peanuts for almonds because it's much healthier, but either way, it's absolutely a delicious, nutrient dense, and high protein meal.

Dinner Idea:

* I use a gluten free soy and usually do half the honey and add monk fruit instead.

I consume electrolytes daily to help support my adrenals and replenish depleted minerals, which is entirely too common!

Paleo Valley makes one of my favorite electrolytes with potassium from coconut water and sodium, calcium from sea water. I love the Lemon Lime and recommend them daily for optimal adrenal and cellular functioning. Enjoy! 

PS- I love to add fresh squeezed lemon or lime into mine to cut the sweetness and provide extra vitamin C, which as you will be learning, the adrenal glands LOVE!

CLEAN HOME & BEAUTY FAVS

When it comes to optimal metabolic health and nervous system health (which we will be talking about next month), there is NOTHING more important than getting deep and repetitive sleep. NOTHING! I have struggled with this over the years, and there's ONE thing that has helped more than anything else, and this is having white noise in my bedroom at night. In fact, when I don't have it, it's so hard for me to sleep well. I've tried so many white noise machines, but nothing works as well as my Air Doctor, which is also an air filter. Indoor air is one of the things that contributes to our toxic burden most, and I sleep so much sounder with the nice little background noise that it provides and knowing that my air is clean and filtered is a bonus too! 

Here are a few reasons why white noise may help increase deep sleep:

1. Blocks Out Distractions: White noise acts as a constant background sound that masks sudden changes in noise levels, such as traffic sounds, conversations, or household noises. By masking these distractions, white noise helps your brain stay focused on sleep and reduces the likelihood of interruptions that could disrupt deep sleep.

2. Promotes Relaxation: The consistent sound of white noise can have a calming effect on the brain, similar to the sound of ocean waves or a gentle breeze. This relaxation response helps your body and mind transition into a deeper state of sleep more easily.

3. Stimulates the Brain: While white noise itself is consistent, it can stimulate the brain's auditory system in a way that prevents it from becoming overstimulated by other sounds. This stimulation without distraction can help your brain enter and maintain deep sleep more effectively.

4. Improves Sleep Continuity: By providing a consistent background sound throughout the night, white noise helps maintain sleep continuity, meaning you're less likely to wake up frequently during the night. This uninterrupted sleep can lead to longer periods of deep sleep.

I cannot sleep without it! My sleep as improved so much since getting and Airdoctor! You can save on one here if you're interested.  The link below will save you some money! :)

Living in today's world means being exposed to numerous toxins on a daily basis, putting a strain on our liver's detoxification process. From pollutants in our water to chemicals in personal care products, alcohol consumption, and prescription medications, our liver bears the brunt of filtering these toxins out of our system. This overload can lead to sluggish liver function, impacting our metabolism and overall health. *REMEMBER, the liver regulates the metabolism and when it's not working well, the metabolism will take a hit!

That's why I prioritize minimizing toxin exposure by opting for clean and non-toxic personal care products like Truly Free. By making conscious choices about what we use in our homes, we can support our liver's ability to function optimally and maintain a healthy metabolism.

Truly Free makes the best clean laundry detergent on the market! It smells amazing and cleans so well! I also use their dishwasher detergent and cleaning products.

Right now, when you buy 5 products, you get 2 free, you save 40% and ANOTHER 30% with code LIFEWITHKATE.

This stuff is the absolute best! ENJOY!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I just want to drive home the fact that we're going to be moving on to nervous system health and how to heal the nervous system over the next 6 months, and NOTHING will improve your health or the quality of your life more than healing the nervous system! BUT it's critical that you understand that a huge part of healing the nervous system is removing PHYSICAL stress from the body like undereating, chronic blood sugar imbalances, too much fasting, chronic carb restriction, overexercising or not exercising enough, etc. Basically, the reason that we covered metabolic health first is so that we could get this in place before we begin the nervous system healing journey. So, I encourage each of you to listen to the workshop again and fully immerse in this aspect of your health because not only will you lose weight and have more energy, but you will be able to heal your nervous system so much easier with these things already in place!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Our next workshop is scheduled for Thursday, May 30th at 11 AM PST. During this workshop, I will be answering any health-related questions that you've had up until this point! I look forward to answering those and providing you with all the answers and guidance you seek. I will be sending out an email closer to the workshop that will include a form for you to submit your questions. Please keep in mind that all live workshops are recorded and can be viewed at your convenience. :)

MEMBER'S CORNER

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the members that have taken the time to share their success with myself and the group! There is nothing that brings more hope and empowerment to those on their healing journeys than hearing messages of success and healing. Dozens of you have reached out to me sharing how you've been implementing what you learned in the workshop and how helpful it's been. THANK YOU!

This is just the beginning, my friends. Stay the course and keep up the good work! So much more healing and breakthroughs to come! And, again, thank you so much for sharing with us all!

REMINDERS

For this month's workshop, we will be having a Q&A, so start thinking about what question you want to submit (submission form to come). Each member will get a chance to ask ONE question and although not all can be answered, I will be covering a wide array of questions and topics that most will benefit from! I can't wait to see what you have!

Last, I'm beyond excited for these next 6 months as I will be sharing my story and the things that helped me heal the most over the next handful of months! It's going to be absolutely incredible! I'm so glad you're all here! Cheers to this incredible community! :)

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123 Clean Road
Bozeman, MT 59715
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