Katrina went from never working out to running, and over time, she had lost nearly 60 pounds. She explained that it was difficult to maintain her weight loss and she eventually gained all the weight back. After getting married, Katrina said, she wasn't as active, and she knew it was time to get back on track. She signed up for the Precision Nutrition coaching program, and in the span of a year, she lost 40 pounds. To find out Katrina's approach to losing weight in more depth and the tips that helped her along the way, continue reading.
What Motivated Katrina to Lose Weight
Image Source: Katrina McKinney
"At age 30, I found myself at my heaviest adult weight," Katrina told POPSUGAR. "I was completely sedentary, and at a friend's suggestion, I took up running." Over the next couple of years, Katrina said, she was able to lose nearly 60 pounds, but she struggled to maintain her weight loss. "Eventually, over half of those pounds came back on, and it seemed like no matter what, I couldn't get the scale to move much."
After getting married, Katrina and her husband stopped exercising, but then they decided that it was time to get back on track. "I knew it was only going to get more difficult to lose weight as we got older," she said. "I also knew that a quick-fix solution was not going to give us the long-term results we both really wanted."
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How Katrina Lost 40 Pounds in One Year by Changing Her Approach to Nutrition
Image Source: Katrina McKinney
Since July 2018, Katrina has lost a total of 40 pounds with the help of the Precision Nutrition coaching program. "Even though I felt like I had a pretty good handle on what eating 'healthy' looked like, I realised that I had come to rely heavily on foods that were either highly processed or some form of already prepared, which always comes with hidden calories," she said. Katrina also realised that she was eating too much for her daily needs, eating too fast, and eating when she wasn't hungry — all out of habit.
With the Precision Nutrition program, Katrina learned how to improve her eating habits like slowing down the speed at which she ate and not eating past the point of fullness. Another major change she made to her nutrition was eating "real, nutrient-dense foods" and substituting less-nutritious foods with ones that would help her feel full and give her energy.
"I also learned how to listen to and rely on my hunger and fullness cues to tell me when to eat and when to stop," she said. And as unpopular as it may be, Katrina said she was more selective about when she had a glass of beer or wine. "Over time, I learned how to prioritise my choices in the moment to better align with my long-term goals, which really helped [me] avoid the fear that I was missing out."
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Katrina's Nonscale Victories
Image Source: Katrina McKinney
By changing her nutrition and getting back into exercise, Katrina experienced a lot of nonscale victories. "My glucose went from a borderline high of 110 down to 86, and my LDL cholesterol went from 161 down to 99," she said. Another nonscale victory is her digestive system is "much happier." In the past, Katrina said, she would experience persistent bouts of having an upset stomach, which she believes was caused by the speed and amount of food she was eating. Katrina also ran a 25K trail race, and now she's training for a 50K trail race. Arguably the biggest nonscale victory for Katrina was winning the $25,000 Precision Nutrition challenge grand prize.
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The Challenges Katrina Faced and What Keeps Her Motivated
Image Source: Katrina McKinney
One challenge Katrina had was figuring out how to balance the foods she was eating with the foods her stepchildren preferred to eat. "My weekly meal-prep ritual became so important. I tried to find meals that still had the flavour profiles they liked but could be prepared with high-quality ingredients and work those into our shared meals," she said.
She also realised that if she didn't plan out her meals or her workout routine, she was more likely to sacrifice the quality or, in the case of training, skip the workout altogether. To prevent this from happening, Katrina said she would write out her meals, grocery lists, and food-prep lists every week. She also planned her workouts in a Google doc and put all of her race training dates on a calendar.
To stay motivated, Katrina said, "I have to think about maintenance as the next step of the journey and start by acknowledging that maintenance is work in itself." She also likes to try new activities like indoor climbing or yoga to "keep things interesting," adding, "that keeps it fun and gives me a chance to push myself in new ways."
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Katrina's Advice For Starting a Weight-Loss Journey
Image Source: Katrina McKinney
If you're feeling inspired to make any lifestyle changes, Katrina said, "Take things a little bit at a time." She recommends starting by eating more quality foods, moving daily, and making sure you're sleeping enough. Another tip Katrina has is to be consistent no matter how big or small the changes you make are. "Focus on the process, not the outcome," she said. And even if you don't think your progress is big, "Celebrate those small victories."
