Kate Neudecker PT & Nutritionist

“Life lately” posts are out apparently. Here’s some good bits, proud bits, sad bits and everything in between from November 🤍 or I guess Lauren would call it “big bag of 🍆 s” which could also work.

Struggling to juggle a full time job, childcare, a social life, your training, eating well and getting body composition results? Well, listen up: you just don’t want it enough! 🙂

You don’t need permission from anyone to eat what you want this Christmas.
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Or be more mindful this Christmas.
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Or log every single thing on myfitnesspal if you so wish.
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Or just strike a happy medium of keeping the momentum going with the health behaviours you currently have in place, while also enjoying more 💫flexibility💫
(perhaps I’m biased)
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I am probably more cynical about the ‘treat yoself’ posts that come around every Christmas and Easter. Or when the pendulum swings in the alternate direction with the ‘how many burpees equal how many mince pies’ content. I understand that content is most definitely not meant for me, and that some may find it of interest. However, I can’t help but do an eye roll every time someone allows me to enjoy myself every year. 😅
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Regardless of how your Christmas looks, I hope you use your autonomy to make decisions based on your values, which make you happy. Without permission from anyone else.✌🏼

I don’t mean to come along and dash the hopes and dreams you have of achieving your fat loss goals, and I’m certainly not going to spout random statistics about diets failing. Far from it: I’m not saying fat loss is impossible.
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It’s about being realistic about the hands we are dealt, and working with them to put ourselves in the best possible position to succeed at something that is hard. Plus, it also depends on what we deem as ‘fat loss success’.
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Some will have very different responses to appetite depending on their experience and other variables like genetics. Yes, even if people take part in what is referred to as a ‘sustainable calorie deficit’ (a small reduction in calories).
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Again, this isn’t to say it has to be miserable or ‘won’t work’.
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But, you are making your body use its fat stores for energy, it might be uncomfortable. We can’t dish out promises about diets being completely enjoyable. You will feel hunger at points. And you will go off plan at points.
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100% dietary adherence isn’t realistic. Unless your plan allows for flexibility.
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And even then you’ll probably go off your plan here and there. It doesn’t mean plans are worthless.
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We have plans to give us rigidity and a course of action to get to where we want to be. We want to adhere to the plan as much as possible. But expecting 100% adherence from yourself isn’t realistic.
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It’s even less realistic if the plan is particularly rigid and includes drastic changes in behaviour without the support long term. This includes following up after the diet has finished to help encourage fat loss maintenance. And, even then, life happens.
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However, when creating a plan for you, a nutritionist will take into account your dieting history, lifestyle, current eating habits, activity, physiology, psychology, financial and time constraints plus many other variables.
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They will then fine tune your coaching experience to make sure you are set up for success without sacrificing the things that are important to you.
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Therefore we won’t promise you’ll achieve 100% adherence with 100% guaranteed long term success without ever feeling hungry, but we will help you get as close as possible.💫

💭Why can’t I stop snacking? 👆🏼
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It is a common misconception that a lack of willpower is the issue, but actually, more willpower isn’t necessarily the solution.
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People snack excessively for a variety of reasons.
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These could be:
• Actual hunger
• As an emotional response
• Out of habit
• Individual appetite levels
• Social or cultural celebration
• Just because eating is enjoyable
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🍪 Assess your situation and have a think about why you may be snacking. Of course this isn’t an exhaustive list of reasons.
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🎄 As there is more hyper palatable food around at this time of year with easy access, it’s super common to be consuming more foods that aren’t in your typical diet. But it’s not the time to increase stress and more rules around eating, and instead use this time to eat more mindfully.
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If you have found this helpful please do save and share.🤍

3 things I’d do differently if I’d just had my PCOS diagnosis ➡️
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I made a lot of mistakes with my nutrition when I first got my PCOS diagnosis. Here is what I would do differently:
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1. Get qualified help instead of googling for the answers. If possible, consult a recommended nutritionist who has real experience and testimonials from helping those with PCOS.
2. Avoid cutting out carbs. You don’t necessarily have to completely cut out carbs if you have PCOS. Most may benefit from lower or moderate levels of carbohydrates, however avoiding them completely isn’t necessary.
3. Avoid cutting out gluten and dairy. Unless you have tested intolerances or allergies, cutting out foods isn’t necessary. It may be tempting to assign the issue to one cause, but PCOS is incredibly complex and deserves an individualised approach to ensure you eat in a way that suits your body best.
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People tend to come for me whenever I post about PCOS 😅 so I’ll add a disclaimer: Of course this post is lacking the huge amount of nuance nutrition for PCOS deserves. If this post isn’t right for you and your lived experience with PCOS feel free to ignore the post and scroll on.🧘🏼‍♀️
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For a more detailed explanation of PCOS and other recommendations, you can listen to my podcast episodes 36 & 41. Link in bio to website -> podcasts, or search Apple or Spotify for ‘the fitness mindset podcast’ 👆🏼🤍

⚖️ 3 Markers of fitness progress that have nothing to do with lifting numbers, your step count or scale weight👇🏼
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We get so hung up on numbers week to week that we can completely overlook the small signs we are making progress that have nothing to do with PBs. Yes, it’s important to have numerical gauges of progress to keep us accountable, but there’s plenty of other milestones to pay attention to:
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• It’s in no way accurate or precise, but I recommend to make a mental note when an exercise or programmed workout doesn’t suck as much as it used to. This is of course a far cry from using the RPE or RIR scale. Because while these scales are useful, sometimes it’s also helpful to take note of when Bulgarian split squats don’t send you to a place of existential dread.
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• Along with this, noticing times you’re looking forward to your next session. Yes, motivation is fleeting and we shouldn’t rely on it. But I’m not talking about motivation. I’m talking about the excitement and gratitude we feel to get out and get moving. It won’t happen every day, however you may find it happens more frequently than it used to. This is huge.
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• And, on the note of motivation - taking stock of the times you’ve trained when you really didn’t want to. The ones that you nearly sacked off completely. These are the sessions that you just go through the motions and tick them off your programme, but they are the most important. Even if you just did 10 minutes. When you complete these, make sure you roll out your own marching band to celebrate.🏆

A very on brand photo of 8 year old me ⚽️
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Not that I’ve touched a football in years or have any plans to in the future.
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I usually dig this one out because it serves as a good reminder that not everyone has the same access and active encouragement to take part in exercise as I did.
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Especially young girls.
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My grandad was in the commandos so would have me doing assault courses most days after school. I was one of two girls in my entire year - so being the only girl on the football team wasn’t even mentioned. It was just the norm.
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There were no pink dumbbells. There were no “girls push ups”. Or “be careful”. There was just ‘“crack on with it and try to be faster than the boys”.
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Exercise comes easy to me. But for many it doesn’t for a whole range of barriers and variety of reasons.
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Our language is so important when introducing exercise into people’s lives. It’s our job in the fitness industry to help minimise those barriers (as far as we can) and encourage movement without shame.✌🏼

✨ 3 ways to move forward after a heavy weekend 👉🏼
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☀️ Having a big weekend here and there is totally normal and we are not robots. During summer months (even if the weather is a tad grim) socialising and being out and about is a bigger part of our lives.
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If you feel like you’ve had a weekend on the heavier side, move forward by:
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1. Not beating yourself up
2. Understanding that there is no “on and off” track
3. Being realistic
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Beating yourself up only makes you feel worse and slows down the process of moving forward.
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Instead try to be aware of these negative thoughts and challenge them.
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When our nutrition and training goes wrong and we put too much pressure on ourselves it can feel like the end of the world.
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Truthfully, it's such a small facet of our lives and not worth getting down on yourself about.
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If you found this helpful please share with someone who might do too. 🤍

💭 What should I eat before training?
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🍚 Pre workout nutrition is very individual. Some people prefer to train on an empty stomach, some prefer to eat before due to GI problems.
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🎯 It's important that the choice is in line with your preferences and goals. However, the addition of pre workout nutrition can enhance performance. In the context of fat loss, overall daily calorie intake is the main priority over fasted or fed training.
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🍞 Including some carbohydrates in the meal or snack before you train would be beneficial. If it is fast releasing or easy to digest, then this would be even better.
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🕰️ Eating 1 hour - 15 minutes before the start of training is ideal.
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⭐️ Of course it's important I emphasise that you should do what's right for you. If you are looking to improve energy levels and performance, then a pre workout snack could help!

🌱 8 Tips for vegetarians and vegans in endurance sports 🏃🏼‍♀️🚴🏾‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️
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Exclusion of animal protein sources from your diet when training for endurance events can pose as an additional challenge, however with organisation and an awareness around the obstacles - it is entirely possible to support your training and performance goals adequately. Here are some tips and things to be aware of:
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1. Energy needs: Meeting energy requirements is critical in order to fuel your training to support performance goals. The combination of the high fibre and low energy density of plant-based diets along with high training output can mean it can be difficult to meet high energy requirements. Those with higher energy needs may need to focus on eating regular meals, snacks and limit high fibre foods in favour of more calorie dense options to meet energy requirements.
2. Protein: Protein requirements are typically higher for endurance athletes in comparison to those who don’t exercise: 1.2-2g protein/kg BM/day. This can be challenging for those who don’t eat meat as it’s not as easy to consume good quality complete protein and in enough quantity. Keep an eye on your total protein intake and the quality of those protein sources to ensure you get the full range of amino acids. Plant based supplements can help you do so.
3. Carbs: Recommended intake for endurance athletes is 5-12g/kg BM/day depending on training volume. Carbohydrates are super important for optimal performance, they refuel your muscles post exercise and ensure adequate adaptation to training. The amount you need varies depending on sport, intensity and your body mass. Again, if you struggle to meet carb goals, lower fibre options may be preferential.
4. Fat: The recommendation for fat intake is 20% of total caloric intake. Dietary fat is necessary in order to provide energy and support health. Vegan and vegetarian diets are typically rich in omega-6s but limited in omega-3s so focussing on foods that contain them or supplementation can be beneficial.
5. Fibre: The goal to increase plant based protein with a drive to include more whole foods can increase the amount fibre in the diet. Fibre is associated with many positive health outcomes and improved digestion. However, it’s important to find the sweet spot. Too much or too little can equally cause GI distress. Aim for 25-35 grams a day and roughly no more than 10 grams in your pre workout meal.
6. Micronutrients: Vegetarians and vegans may need to pay particular attention to a handful of nutrients which are found less in plant based foods or are less bioavailable (absorbed well) compared to animal sources. These include iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, iodine and some of the B-vitamins (B-12 and riboflavin). Focussing on foods high in these or supplementation can support health and performance.
7. RED-S & LEA: There is some evidence that RED-S and LEA (relative energy deficiency in sport and low energy availability) may be more common with vegetarian and vegan athletes. However, there is also evidence that this could be associated with the desire for food restriction and a preoccupation with food, rather than the vegetarian or vegan diet itself.
8. Contact a specialist: Have relevant blood tests with your GP or a sports medicine professional if you are worried about deficiencies and contact a sports nutritionist or dietician to get specialised support.
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“Vegetarian athletes are capable of reaching their needed energy and nutrient intakes with planning” (Melina et al., 2016) ✌🏼🌱

References:
- Low-energy density and high fiber intake are dietary concerns in female endurance athletes. (Melin et al 2015)
- Vegetarian Sports Nutrition. Food Choices and Eating Plans for Fitness and Performance. (Larson-Meyer 2007)
- Protein Requirements Are Elevated in Endurance Athletes after Exercise as Determined by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method. (Kato et al 2016)
- Carbohydrates for training and competition. (L.M. Burke et al 2011)
- American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement. Nutrition and athletic performance. (L.M. Burke et al 2016)
- Optimizing Performance on a Vegetarian Diet. (Larson-Meyer, D.E. 2018)
- Vegetarian diets and disordered eating. (Barnard, N.D., and S. Levin 2009)

☀️ 5 tips for keeping your cals up when your appetite is down in the heat.
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(If you have performance goals)
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🥵 it’s hot. And it’s common that our appetite is suppressed during hot weather.
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Now that doesn’t mean your metabolism magically slows down and you don’t need to eat.
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While the heat can make us more lethargic, this may have an affect on our non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). In which case, should fat loss be your goal, perhaps it is an opportunity to eat a little less in order to reflect your sedentary activity levels.
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We by no means want to force feed ourselves. But even though it’s hot, we still need to eat.
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For those who are still on their feet, training and being fairly active, you may find it difficult right now to eat the amount you need to feel your best and get the most out of your training sessions.
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No one wants to eat a dense hot meal when it’s 28 degrees out. We naturally opt for lighter meals.
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I recommend at times like these you maximise on eating foods you enjoy. If you still have a pretty high training volume, perhaps now is the time to introduce some of the denser calorie options.
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I’m talking about long runs, long gym sessions, intense crossfit sessions and bike rides with high mileage etc.
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You still have energy demands that require you to eat despite not wanting to as much.
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Also you might find using the mindful eating hunger scale a little harder than usual with no obvious hunger signals.
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Ample hydration, cold shakes, smoothies and bars are your friends to keep energy up in the heat.
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I know sometimes it feels like “oh great, I’m not hungry, lets skip meals” but actually no matter your training goals, this is unlikely to be the answer.
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Less is not always more when it comes to food.💪🏼