HI, I’M KATE!

 
 
 

MORE about me

I am the KL behind KLN and the wife to a wonderful and supportive husband who plays a big role in KLN. We met at a Crossfit gym in Utah in 2013 and now live in Oaxaca, Mexico with the mountains right outside our front door and trails aplenty. I’m Mom to our son Milo, owner of an ugly cat named William, an avid Spikeball player, a loyal Dave Matthews Band fan, and an unreasonably competitive person.

I grew up in a family focused on health and fitness, on outdoor adventures, and on working hard but playing even harder. My love of the outdoors, fitness, health, learning, and doing everything with intensity propelled me through competitive high school sports, years of working in the fitness industry, years of demanding schooling, and also an intense relationship with diet culture.

Personal experience and education brought me into the nutrition coaching world in 2015. KLN started as just a “side gig” as I offered nutrition coaching to my gym clients who (thankfully) trusted me to help them work towards their aesthetic and fitness goals. A few years, a real website, and an abandoned PhD program later and in 2017 KLN became my full time job.

Now I work alongside some of the most incredible, knowledgeable nutrition coaches in this space as we provide the best, most supportive coaching possible to every single individual we work with.

My experiences, studies, and research in nutrition education and behavioral health have made me a better coach, and my personal experiences and growth in my own health and nutrition have given me empathy for all those battling the overwhelm of nutrition misinformation and the restrictive cycle of the dieting world.

For me, working out and focusing on my nutrition is about being as healthy as I can in order to live a life full of intensity and as many adventures as possible, and coaching is about helping my clients do the same. 

I believe in good workout buddies and big and scary physical challenges, a daily diet coke, a 9 pm bedtime, making nutrition information more accessible, and sharing evidence-based truths with those who are also striving to live a well-fueled life full of adventure.


 

certifications + experience

  • BS in Exercise Science

  • Masters in Public Health, focused on health behavior change and nutrition education

  • Certified Health Education Specialist

  • Certified in Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism 

  • Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist

  • CrossFit trainer since 2011: CF-L2

  • Completed Chrissy King's Anti-Racism for Wellness Professionals Course 

 
 
 
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MY NUTRITION JOURNEY

Despite my involvement in fitness, I struggled for years to figure out my own nutrition. I was a vegetarian for 10 years and also experimented with Paleo, Whole 30, Keto, and just about every other fad diet you can think but struggled to feel like my hard work in the gym was paying off. I ran, lifted weights, and ate “clean,” but was so frustrated with the lack of change I was seeing no matter how strict I was with myself. I felt like more was better, so added diet after diet on top of weeks of over-exercising and under-eating.

I was eating very little during the week as I tried to fuel intense workouts with meals made of kale, almonds, and lettuce wrapped veggie burgers. By the end of the week I was left miserably sore and too tired to make it to the gym. When the weekend came around I found myself binging on cookies and peanut butter because I was starving and the willpower I was relying on during the week was gone.

I was a poor, 20 year old college student in 2014 when I became fed up with this frustrating cycle and finally took the leap of working with a coach. It was $50 — an entire week’s grocery budget for me at the time — but to say the experience was life-changing is an understatement. It not only brought awareness to my own inefficient and ill-informed eating habits, but also gave me better awareness and understanding of how to navigate my nutrition through different phases of life. Since then, tracking my macros has become a temporary and occasional tool that I am able to lean on when working towards specific goals or just looking for more alignment in my nutrition.

The process of tracking my macros allowed me to see beyond popular nutrition fads and fuel my body with what I needed to both look better and feel better and has set me up with long-term habits that allow me to navigate nutrition regardless of what life throws my way. 

 
 
 

WHAT MY CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT ME

 
 
ASHLEY, 40  YEARS OLD

ASHLEY, 40 YEARS OLD

My journey with Kate has been one of the most important parts of my life. If only I had all of this knowledge 20 years ago. My experience has been nothing short of amazing. Has it been hard... you bet. At times it was frustrating, of course. But, it was from those times that I learned the most. So what did I learn exactly? NEVER AGAIN WILL I GO ON A DIET. I have a lifestyle, I guess you could say! Learning about macros and flexible nutrition is only a portion of what I will take away. I know how to manage my nutrition for weight loss, fat loss (there is a difference and I know what that is now), for just maintaining what I have achieved, for holidays, for vacations. I will never label food as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Food is an experience, food creates memories. I will never feel like I have to do all the burpees to make up for that large fry I ordered. I also know how to make the most of what I eat by choosing nutrient-dense foods, and how good I feel when I am getting what my body needs. I have learned that the scale is not a big deal for me. Body composition, the way my clothes fit, that healthy glow that I radiate - those things are much higher on the list for me. I have learned to love my curves, and to be proud that I can lift heavy and that you can see that muscle I have worked so hard for. I have a new love for ME!! Thank you for that, Kate!!
— Ashley, 40 years old
FEMALE, 38 YEARS OLD

FEMALE, 38 YEARS OLD

Thank you!!!! I am so grateful for you and how happy I am with my performance and nutrition and mindset with all of it! I have realized recently how prevalent misinformation and disordered thoughts about food and exercise are and cannot express how grateful I am to get to work on that relationship every day and to not get caught up in thoughts like having to earn my food or like I have to restrict myself and be miserable to eventually be happy with my body. Tracking is a good bit of effort at first and still can at times feel difficult, but ultimately it has helped me feel free of judgment and guilt and anxiety related to food and my body and I am just so grateful.
— Jess, 30 years old
CICI, 29 YEARS OLD

CICI, 29 YEARS OLD

Working with Kate has taught me that food is fuel and my body needs that fuel. My relationship with food has completely changed, and I have been able to reach the aesthetic goals I have been wanting for years! I love to eat and I love CARBS! I’m finally happy with myself and my body.
— Cici, 29 years old
Working with KLN has given me the flexibility to enjoy foods that I love without restricting myself entirely. I have so much more knowledge of nutrients and what I need to feel my best and what I need to stay away from to keep from feeling my worst. During my time working with Kate, I went from a bloated, inflamed 131 lbs to a lighter more toned 123 lbs! I still have a little more belly than I would like, but hey, not too bad for an almost 57 year old lady. The most noticeable improvement has been the absence of inflammation in my joints. I have been pain-free and I feel better than I have ever felt.
— maria, 56 years old
KLN has not only educated me on what my body needs but has helped me to love my body for the first time in my life. My goals are to build muscle and increase strength. I have been counting macros for almost a year and have made SERIOUS strength gains in the gym and big changes in body composition. When I started this I weighed 155lbs. I am currently 147lbs. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but what numbers don’t tell you is the strength I have gained, the changes I have seen in my body, and the confidence I now feel.
— kara, 21 years old

My goal in working with KLN was to lose weight and improve my performance in the gym. Kate gives you all the tools to succeed: weekly check-ins, online support, and cookbooks. She is available with questions and will help you plan for eating out or vacation trips. Also, the flexibility of being able to eat your favorite foods or desserts helps to stay on track without feeling totally restricted. I dropped from 251 to 210 pounds. I went from size 38 jeans to 32-33. My energy levels in workouts in the gym are much higher. I have faster times and much improved gymnastic skills in Crossfit workouts. If you follow Kate’s guidance, be consistent, and hold yourself accountable you will be successful.
— jared, 41 years old
JARED, 41 YEARS OLD

JARED, 41 YEARS OLD

RICHARD, 42 YEARS OLD

RICHARD, 42 YEARS OLD

When I first approached the KLN team I’d been doing Crossfit for about a year and a half. I hadn’t seen any real progress in my workouts and my body was a mess. I consumed way too much sugar and I was taking a handful of pills everyday because I had diabetes and hypertension. There was a legitimate disconnection between what I was eating and how it affected my health. I knew what I wanted: no more pills! and to look good naked! But I had no clue, no real clue on how to get there.

Working with Kate has completely changed the way I look at food. The guilt associated with eating “bad stuff” is totally gone and I’ve learned to be kinder to myself. I went into this expecting strict meal plans not realizing, Kate was getting my ready for life. My body is much leaner, more toned, my workout energy is the highest it’s ever been, and I’m (TMI) as virile as a 20-year-old.

I cannot think of a part of my life that hasn’t been affected by my time with Kate. I am no longer diabetic, I’m well on my way to the body of my dreams, and while I still struggle, my workouts are much more productive. To put it simply, Kate saved my life and I am forever grateful.
— Richard, 42 years old
FEMALE, 39 YEARS OLD

FEMALE, 39 YEARS OLD

Before working with KLN, I had been trying to cut weight for over 6 months with the scale dropping but then climbing back up again. I was feeling frustrated and burnt out. Working with Kate was amazing. She helped me figure out some of the key things I was missing with tracking on my own, made sure that I was eating enough, and helped keep me accountable in a safe and supportive environment. In our time together, I went on a few vacations, multiple holidays and parties with friends or family and she helped me stay the course without feeling like I was depriving myself at all.

She also helped me see that progress isn’t always seen on the scale - I lost multiple inches in my waist, hips and legs and the progress photos do not lie! I am so confident now that I can continue working on my goals on my own and I’m grateful to Kate for all her support and guidance.
— kate, 32 years old

KATE, 32 YEARS OLD

 

get to know me


 

ROLE

Owner and nutrition coach, outdoor explorer, & avid spikeballer

BORING CREDENTIALS

B.S. in Exercise Science; Masters in Public Health; CHES; CFL1

GO-TO DRINK

Diet Dr. Pepper (with fresh lime if I'm feeling fancy)

NON-GUILTY PLEASURE

Pink frosting sugar cookies with sprinkles

WALK OUT SONG

Semi Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind (this has been my pump up jam since age 10)

FUN FACT

I love my teeth. I have an obsessive need to floss my teeth every time I get in my car & I can't sleep without my retainers in.

COACHING SUPERPOWER

I'm a great coach, but an even better teammate. I meet my clients where they're at & together we work through old habits, limiting beliefs, and the restrictive diet rules they've believed for far too long. Nothing is more fulfilling than showing clients that working towards their goals doesn't mandate misery or restriction.

on instagram: @klnutrition

 

 

 
 

WORK WITH KATE