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Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your health and fitness journey so far?
I am a twenty four year old graduate student getting my master’s in public health (I graduate this May!). I am engaged to my high school sweetheart, Nick and we are getting married this October. I love peanut butter, triathlons, reading, and spending time with my family and friends. My personal journey of weight loss began back in 2009, when I was a junior in college. Having never put much thought or interest into my health behaviors, I started to feel the effects of treating my body poorly in college. In March of 2009, I signed up for Weight Watcher’s with my then roommate and college best friend. I slowly started learning the tools for treating your body right, and picked up running soon after. As they say, the rest is history. To date, I’ve completed 4 triathlons, 2 half-marathons, and countless other races, and I couldn’t be happier with my body and it's ability to conquer such feats.
What motivated you to start “Keeping up with Katie”?
When I graduated college, I had just begun the maintenance stage of my weight loss journey. I was preparing to move, attend graduate school, and be long distance from my fiancé. My world was undergoing huge changes, so I wanted to start a blog to document those changes and to keep me accountable through it all.
What are some of your biggest challenges with weight loss maintenance and how do you overcome them?
My biggest challenge with weight loss maintenance was settling into my "happy weight". While I lost close to 51 pounds total, my happy weight falls about 5 pounds higher than the lowest I got. Another challenge with weight loss maintenance is understanding that maintenance is all about how you balance your habits. It’s hard to not get caught up in self-guilt after an indulgent day, but if you let the guilt overcome you, you won’t be able to bounce back and resume normal habits. To overcome this challenge, I try to not beat myself up over times when I overeat. If I focus on the negative, I lose sight of all of the positive things in my life and it’s harder for me to get back on track.
Can you share your top three tips on how to stay motivated with diet and fitness?
Treat each day as a new day. Remember that the hardest part of the workout is starting it. And along those same lines--it’s never too late to start!
How did you become a runner and what has been your biggest accomplishment so far?
As I previously mentioned, I became a runner as a tool to help me lose weight faster. I never dreamed that I could run half a mile, let alone 13.1 miles. I started out running by training for a 5k which included intervals of walking and running. Slowly, I started to decrease my walking intervals and increase my running intervals until I could run 3 miles. It took a while, but I kept at it. There were certainly days where I doubted I would ever be able to run more than a few minutes, but as I always tell every new runner, it’s all about consistency!
Can you share some of your favorite healthy pre-run snacks?
ANYTHING WITH PEANUT BUTTER! A banana with peanut butter, toast with peanut butter, apple slices with peanut butter… It leaves you feeling satiated without being weighed down so that you can go accomplish your workout.
What gear would you recommend for someone who is new to running, to help them get started?
First and foremost, the number one non-negotiable is a pair of shoes that have been properly fitted for your feet. Check out your local running store to see if they do shoe fits where they will analyze your stride, balance, and other factors that play into getting you into the right shoes. After that, you can hit the road! The great thing about running is that you don’t need much. I would recommend wearing wicking type shorts, socks, and shirts to prevent chafing. If you want to get a little more technical, you can try out a GPS watch that instantaneously tracks your speed and distance. I recommend the Garmin 305. I have had mine for over 2 years, and it still works perfectly!
To stay up to date on all of Katie's fitness adventures and pick up other healthy tips and motivation, visit keepingupwithkatie.com!
