Over a year ago, Kaitlyn’s life was a relentless cycle of busyness that left her feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from her personal wellness goals. She was embarking on a Masters degree that included classes at 4am, while working a full time job with a lengthy commute, as well as seeking promotion in her career. As a Registered Dietitian, she knew the ins and outs of nutrition, but the lack of accountability and structured support left her struggling to stay committed to her health plan.
That’s when she decided to join our classes at The Lair and pair it with Mission Nutrition.
We decided to dig a little deeper on what prompted her to join the program, and loved what she had to say:
“A year ago life was a lot different for me. I was very “busy” but in all the wrong ways. I would get through the work day hustle with no focus and find myself at home without a plan. Every day was on repeat and I wasn’t focused towards a goal.
The Lair had a program with a 6 or 8 week gym component and I decided to join that and sign up for mission nutrition at the same time. I wanted accountability for my daily habits and an outside perspective on what I was eating.
As a Registered Dietitian myself, I already knew a lot about what to eat and how to prepare meals, but I was finding I didn’t have a lot of desire to stick with a plan by myself without any accountability.”
Achieving Focus and Setting Goals
One of the most significant outcomes Kaitlyn has experienced is the newfound focus on aligning her daily actions with her long-term goals. Juggling a new job, a demanding Master’s degree, and continuing responsibilities from her previous role, Kaitlyn needed solid habits to rely on during busy times.
We were curious what results have she had seen, and asked where are you at with your goals?
“I think the biggest result I have seen is the focus I have on ensuring what I am doing on a daily basis aligns with my overall goals. When I joined Mission Nutrition I had just started a new job, was 1 year into a 2 year Masters degree and was still supporting my old job while doing my new, very busy job. I wanted to get some solid habits over the summer months that I could fall back on in the fall when my school ramped up and I was working full time.
Lindsey helped pick goals each week that aligned with my goals of falling back on the right habits in busy times to help me get through the weeks with focus and still working towards my long term goals. Some weeks we tweaked things and some weeks we talked about how just having those priorities helped shift my week to being successful. I eat way more than I did before, have enjoyment out of all foods and still am reaching my overall wellness goals.
I didn’t join this program to lose pounds, I joined the program to have a more holistic view of my overall health and wellness and with Lindsey’s support I exceeded these goals.”
Even though she had no intention of losing weight and even increased the amount of food she was eating over the period of time on the program, she still lost 6-8lbs, but gained a lot of really solid habits that became so easy by the end, the accountability was no longer needed – which is mission accomplished!!
Valuable Lessons and Unexpected Insights
Kaitlyn learned that success is less about just sticking to a diet and more about creating a plan that works for her unique lifestyle.
Even as an expert around diet and nutrition, she benefited from the accountability and guidance a nutrition coach had offer! We asked what lessons she took from Mission Nutrition:
“That with intention, you can come up with a plan that works for you.
That everything can fit when you start to look at the bigger picture and where you want to get in life!
I had weeks where things were not my best, but I use Sundays as my day to reset and refocus for the next week.
I never let those weekend slides get me down, I looked at them as opportunities to learn about what I was missing out on and how to incorporate some of those things in moderation down the line. “
A few other surprising lessons also presented themselves:
“My god, I have learned what a difference breakfast can make! Note: I often would drink a well balanced (perfect macros) protein smoothie for breakfast, but dang, do I feel much better eating the same macros in an egg, hash brown, turkey sausage combination. Not all foods are equal, and how we put them together and when we have them make a difference.
Don’t be afraid to eat! Often it’s how you’re pairing things together over a day or a few days that makes a difference, not one meal in isolation. Having someone else look at your week as a whole, really can shed light into what you need to increase or decrease.”
Not everyone’s life and tendencies are the same, which is why our program is coaching, not just a meal plan. What works for some doesn’t work for others. We worked with Kaitlyn to try things and find what worked for her that felt like the path of least resistance.
What are some unexpected take-aways?
“How important taking care of your mental health is. Through connecting with Lindsey, being coached, and doing the check-ins, I noticed how mentally exhausted I was with certain areas of my life and the impact it was having on achieving my goals. Through those check-ins, I got comfortable working with a separate counsellor, who has made a big difference. In addition to that, I can fully appreciate how much I need a ‘checkout’ day. Constantly taking in information and data, etc, leads to a lot of brain fatigue. So now, usually every two weeks, I have a complete checkout day where I do mostly nothing but read and hang out and check out. That works for me to reset and get ready for the next busy week ahead.“
Finding Joy and Balance
What did you like most about Mission Nutrition?
“I liked having someone to bounce ideas off of and having someone hold me accountable to my previous weeks plan. It was through nutrition coaching that I came to the perspective that I do really well with meal prep for breakfast and lunch during the week. So, I follow a few blogs that make meals that meet my goals, and those are some of the best weeks I have. I am not sure I would have found these resources had I not been working through this program and noticing how much easier things can be if I prep my week better on Sundays.
I liked having another perspective being shared regularly that is extremely passionate about a holistic approach to wellness. Lindsey shares many things she has heard or learned or seen other people try so its like having a filtered google that is taking what you are trying to achieve and helping you sort through the data to get to a strategy that will work.
You get out of this what you put into it.
These habits I have built are just a natural part of my life now, I am not perfect with the goals, I don’t always get them all in, but I keep focusing on them and working towards them as I want to have a well rounded life, a life where I eat the cookies when a cookie is what I want, I don’t let foods control me.”
Kaitlyn’s journey through Mission Nutrition has been about more than just achieving a set of goals—it’s been about embracing a balanced approach to wellness.
Kaitlyn’s story is a testament to the power of combining personal expertise with structured support to achieve a holistic approach to health. She not only found a path to wellness but also rediscovered the joy in the process.
Are you ready to find your own path to a healthier, more balanced life? Join us at The Lair and explore how Mission Nutrition can help you achieve your wellness goals.
Book a FREE Nutrition Consult HERE