Q: Why did you decide to join No Bull Nutrition?

I decided to join after Steph hosted a Nutrition challenge at my Crossfit box. I was skeptical at first- I didn’t think it was worth the money or that my diet really needed that much changing. Week by week I saw the people at my gym leaning out, getting more cut, and overall increases in their athletic performance. I knew then that this was a system that really worked, and I needed to give it a try, so I emailed Steph and one year later here I am.

Q. Was there anything about the program that surprised you?

First and foremost, it’s really for everyone. It’s for Crossfit Games hopefuls, people looking to be a little more fit in the gym, first time gym goers, and for people looking to live a healthier lifestyle overall.  I was really surprise by the flexibility of the whole program. Even if I plan my all of my foods for the next day the night before, if I end up going to lunch or having an unplanned snack, it’s really not hard to adjust your day midway through and stay on track. Also, once you got used to tracking foods and planning that little bit ahead it really makes life that much less stressful. It’s just one less thing you have to worry about knowing what foods you are going to eat, and that they are already prepared.

Q. How have you managed to stay on track while balancing your work and social life?

I try to plan in advance as much as possible dinners, brunches, and happy hours. That way I can make sure I’m eating on track the rest of the week and even that day of. I use an app called MyMacros+ and to me it is a godsend. If I have already had my cheat meal for the week and have a work lunch, I try to get something at least somewhat trackable and do my best from there to log it and adjust. But honestly, the most key thing is I try not to let myself get beat up over having more than one cheat meal a week, or if I have an unplanned drink at a happy hour. Life happens and I just try to do better next week.

Q. How has your performance in the gym (or outside of the gym) been affected by flexible dieting, if at all?

Flexible dieting has truly made all the difference in my performance!! I look back on my progress since I’ve started and it really is crazy how much my strength has increased as well as my conditioning. Now that I know how to properly fuel my body, my athletic performance has, and continues to, go up. It has also made all the difference in how I feel day to day outside of working out. I now know when to eat and what to eat so I am fueled and focused all day long.

Q. What has been the biggest change you have made in your lifestyle and/or relationship with food?

I have definitely become more conscious of the types of food I am eating. It’s funny- I give myself one cheat day a week, but it really ends up being only one cheat meal because even when I have the freedom to eat all the junk I want, my body doesn’t really crave it anymore. I still love doughnuts, don’t get me wrong, but now I am satisfied with eating only one as opposed to like 4 or 5 in one sitting (true story, don’t judge- I really like doughnuts). Like I said before, I have definitely reconditioned my mindset so now I am eating for performance and energy. I have learned to enjoy foods more because of what they can do for my body and my athletic performance and not so much because they are super fatty or sugary and may taste good in the short term.

Q. What advice do you have for other people considering joining No Bull Nutrition?

A Couple of things

• JUST STICK WITH IT…It’s not a magical fix that takes days or even weeks. Nothing worth having is. It may take a month to see results; it will most likely take more. If you stick with it and give it 100% you are not wasting your money. The results will come!
• Don’t lie on your check-ins, your daily weights, or about the macros you hit that day. It makes it so much harder on Steph to help you get to where you want to go, and it just keeps you from getting there as well. You are wasting your money if you take that route. Steph is so nice and understanding, there is no penalty for missing your macros one day. Life happens and regardless just keep yourself honest.
• If something is wrong- just talk to Steph. She actually cares about what is going on with you. It is really nice and refreshing to have someone sort of on the outside of your everyday interactions you can vent to and who can offer advice and support. Also- people don’t realize that things going on in your life can so greatly affect your eating habits, which can then affect your day to day and especially athletic performance. Keeping Steph in the know that something may be going on can help her help you better.
• Keep a positive mindset! Approaching this as an opportunity to get healthier and fitter as opposed to a chore or daunting task that’s going to take up all of your time makes all the difference. This program really is for everyone, so thinking you aren’t going to try it because you “can’t do it” or that it’s “only for serious athletes” is such a misconception.

Q.What has been the greatest reward for you, and the greatest struggle since you started with No Bull Nutrition? How have you managed to overcome?

I have been doing this for a full year now. I started in April and through July I was spot on. I leaned out over the summer and my confidence was at an all-time high, I looked good, was performing better than ever. It was all good. Starting in August I started my first full time job, in addition to going to grad school and trying to keep my workout schedule somewhat consistent. Ohh, and still have a social life. It was tough. (Adulting is hard, right?!)

I had a period from about August- December where I was not committed. I was stressed out, not in a job I liked, not making enough money, and looking to move– everything in my life was up in the air. I was going to a lot of concerts on weekends where I just wouldn’t get any sleep. This all caused me to have an irregular sleeping pattern, miss meals, miss workouts, binge on junk, and just not stick to my goals, which drove me into a further funk about failing.

I gained weight, lost muscle, and just overall didn’t really care about missing a workout or if I ate a half a pizza at like 9pm (which is VERY unlike the usual me.) There were points literally every week where I would be typing my check in and I would be thinking that this was my last check in. Though I was feeling frustrated and down, Steph was always there to let me know that I was going to work though my funk and get back on track. She let me know it was going to be ok, even if it wasn’t at the moment, and that I could only control so much in my life. Having someone else hold me accountable was really the thing that helped get me back on track. I knew I didn’t want to keep telling Steph that I had no real excuse for missing my macros, workout days, or tell her that I just wasn’t happy. I also knew if I wanted to feel better, I had to be proactive about it. I tried not to get caught up in the craziness of life but focus in on the things I could control, like my eating and working out, which definitely helped me overall. I was eating better and feeling better; I was working out more so I had more energy and was in a better mood. Sure enough, I moved in with some friends, got a great new job, joined a new Crossfit box, which renewed my drive for lifting heavy things as well as let me meet a bunch of awesome new people.

I know there are going to be times in the future where life gets in the way; even now my daily routines are far from routine. But I think learning how to work though life’s craziness and do it with a positive attitude is something I have actually gained from this whole experience. My biggest challenge ended up turning into my biggest reward. My mindset and attitude are overall so much more positive and I feel like I have grown up a bit also. It sounds silly that changing how you eat can change your entire outlook on how you approach life, but it has certainly done so for me! I would recommend this program for ANYONE whether you are looking for athletic performance goals, or just looking to live a healthier lifestyle. Moreover, I recommend working with Steph specifically. She’s knowledgeable; she’s easy to talk to, and most importantly she cares about what she does and who she works with. Having that support system factor makes her program priceless.