That’s the why. Now, I’ll share the how.

For the record, I’ve never seen another fitness coach put this information out for free. This is exactly how I set up a calorie deficit for my online coaching clients, so listen up.

STEP 1: BUY SCALES. Buy a bodyweight scale and a food scale. These are reasonably cheap and some of the best investments you can make for managing your body. Plus, there are two things humans suck at: estimating and remembering data. In fact, one study on daily food reporting showed even dietitians to be off by up to 800 calories. Some non-dietitians were off by over 1,000 calories! So, yeah. Buy the scales so you don’t do this.  

STEP 2: DOWNLOAD A FOOD TRACKING APP. I recommend FatSecret  or My Fittness Pal to my clients. Don’t use the macro calculator for any of them as that’s the point of this post ⏤ this way is more accurate. MFP might just be more accessible in terms of how to use the app for some people. However, another downside of MFP is their calories can be off with some of their foods due to user inputted data. Just make sure your total daily macros match up to your total daily calories and you’ll be good to go. Any tracking app or using a pad and pen (if you’re a neanderthal) will work just fine. We’ll cover your macros (proteins, carbs, and fats in a bit).

STEP 3: EAT NORMALLY AND TRACK EVERYTHING. Without drastically changing how you currently eat, track every single thing (very important this is accurate!) you put in your mouth for at least four days (preferably three weekdays and one weekend day). I say to eat normal because you want to find your current baseline. If you go changing everything you eat, you’ll skew your results. And when I say track everything, I mean EVERYTHING — alcohol, condiments, oils, drinks, supplements, butter, sauces, dessert, etc.

STEP 4: AVERAGE OUT YOUR BASELINE. After tracking at least four days, find the average number of calories you ate during that time period.

For example:

• Day 1: 2,300 kcals
• Day 2: 2,100 kcals
• Day 3: 2,300 kcals
• Day 4: 2,100 kcals
• 
  

Your average would be 2,200 kcals. (2300+2100+2300+2100=8800 ; 8800/4 days = 2200 kcals)

STEP 5: REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH TRACKING WEIGHT AND FOOD FOR 14 DAYS.Try to hit within +/- 50 of that average calorie amount (2,150 – 2,250) every single day for the next 2 weeks (including weekends!) AND weigh yourself every day in the morning – before you eat and after you take your morning dump. It’s important you try to mimic each day so you can get a realistic idea of what your “typical” intake and weight would look like, i.e., don’t do this during vacation.

STEP 6: ANALYZE WEIGHT TRENDS. Given that you followed step 5 correctly, we should now see a trend in what your weight does based off how much food you’re eating. If you’re eating ~2,200 calories per day and your weight is trending downward (not down every single day because weight fluctuates) over the course of two weeks — you’re likely in a calorie deficit. If your weight is staying about the same (within a pound or so), subtract 250 calories from your daily calorie goal and keep consistent. This means you are eating around your maintenance calories. If your weight is trending upward, take away 350-500 calories per day (you’re in a calorie surplus).

-Coach Kayli

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition affecting between 1 in 10 and 1 in 20 women of childbearing age. This condition causes the body’s hormones to become unbalanced, leading to issues like ovarian cysts, increased hair growth on the face and body (hirsutism), acne, weight gain or obesity, thinning hair, irregular menstrual periods, and even infertility.

It’s very likely you or someone you are close to suffers from PCOS.

You must have two of the three following criteria to be diagnosed with PCOS : 
Irregular Periods
Hyperandrogenism (Higher Testosterone) 
Polycystic Ovaries 

About 50% of people who have PCOS also suffer from obesity. 

Being diagnosed with PCOS is not a “death” sentence when it comes to being able to lose weight. 

Thankfully, more and more doctors are beginning to recognize the importance diet plays in preventing and controlling PCOS.

Insulin is thought to play a major role in PCOS. This powerful hormone, released by the pancreas, exists to transport sugar out of the blood and into the cells.

However, many women with PCOS are insulin resistant, meaning this process doesn’t work correctly within their bodies. As a result, high levels of insulin contribute to many of the symptoms of PCOS, such as weight gain, high cholesterol, diabetes, and ovarian cysts.

Ladies, you’ll be glad to hear that controlling your diet can play a huge part in helping reverse insulin resistance. Firstly, stick to a balanced diet consisting of whole grains, fruit and vegetables, healthy fats, and protein.

Losing just 5% to 10% of body weight can improve symptoms of PCOS and reduce insulin resistance.

Physical activity has been shown to play an important, if not essential, role in the treatment and prevention of insulin insensitivity, meaning it’s central to the management of PCOS.

At least 30 minutes of aerobic activity is recommended a week. Aim for strength training twice a week, as in order to improve insulin levels and aid weight loss, lifting weights is thought to be an important aspect of exercise for those with PCOS.


Let’s have a look at the best dietary choices to decrease insulin resistance and therefore manage PCOS symptoms.

While standard guidelines recommend that we get 45% to 65% of our daily calories from carbohydrates, women with PCOS should strive for the lower end of this range.

If you’re already insulin resistant, a lower carb diet is typically a better option.

I promise you won’t have to starve yourself to get the benefits of a lower carbohydrate intake.

Even switching to a diet consisting of 43% carbohydrates has been shown to reduce fasting insulin levels, and therefore improve insulin sensitivity, in women with PCOS.

Choose high fiber, whole grain carbohydrates like brown rice, oatmeal, whole rye, and whole wheat pasta in small amounts. Not only do whole grains have a lower GI rating, which improves insulin sensitivity, but they also help improve cholesterol levels – another PCOS-related complication.

And don’t forget the vegetables. These are always your best source of carbohydrates, so eat plenty of them.
This has to be one of my favorite topics – the importance of fats.

Dietary fat is vital in a PCOS diet as it slows the release of glucose, ensuring your blood sugar levels remain relatively stable. Fat can also be important in weight management as it helps you feel full and stops overeating.

One fat you can safely cut out is trans fats, which are unhealthy and now banned in the US. Trans fat raises LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), while reducing HDL cholesterol (the good kind). Since you’re already at risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol from PCOS, you don’t need to add to the risk by eating these fats.

Then you can turn to other healthy fats, namely monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from nuts, seeds, and avocados.

No discussion on fats can leave out the importance of omega 3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids prevent or reduce symptoms of multiple conditions, and PCOS is no exception.

They don’t just decrease cholesterol and lower blood pressure, but they have also been shown to be effective in improving hirsutism and insulin resistance in patients with PCOS.

The Role of Exercise 
Physical activity has been shown to play an important role in the treatment and prevention of insulin insensitivity, meaning it’s key to the management of PCOS.

At least 30 minutes of aerobic activity is recommended a week. Aim for strength training twice a week, as in order to improve insulin levels and aid weight loss, lifting weights is thought to be an important aspect of exercise for those with PCOS.

In addition to regular exercise, eating whole grain carbohydrates, healthy fats, limiting sugar, and supplementing with vitamins in order to manage your PCOS, there are a few other things to consider.

• Make sure to round out your diet with protein-rich foods at every meal such as beans, nuts, eggs, fish, and lean meat.
• The GI of a food is different when eaten alone than it is when combined with other foods. If you must eat a high GI food, make sure to combine it with low GI foods to lessen the impact on blood sugar levels.
• Watch your calorie intake and exercise portion control in order to maintain a healthy weight.

Here’s an idea of what a typical day looks like on a PCOS friendly diet – pretty good wouldn’t you say?


Just make sure to adjust your portion size based on your calorie needs.

• Breakfast: Breakfast quiche made with spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes.

• Snack: Some low GI fruit like cherries, or a grapefruit.

• Lunch: A spiced lentil and vegetable soup – full of flavor and protein.

• Snack: A mixed berry smoothie with almond milk & whey protein.

• Dinner: Grilled salmon with pineapple mango salsa served with a side of wild rice.

Are you struggling with symptoms of PCOS? 

Need help on finally losing that weight for good?

If you would like help on figuring out your portion sizes for your specific goals, reach out to me and apply for a free, no pressure, 15 minute coaching call. During this call we will discuss your fitness and nutrition goals and see if I can help you see that success faster. 
​
-Coach Kayli

I began Phase 5, the Nexium cessation phase on December 2nd.  With this phase, I am moving through what was supposed to be a 4 week titration phase off of Nexium.  We are currently on Week 6 of this process, which means I have definitely hit some snags and we needed to slow the process down.  This is perfectly normal.  Some people can complete the process in 4 weeks and others need more.  Since I’ve been on this medication for 15+ years, I require some more.

During this phase, I have continued to take Zinc Carnosine at 75mg every morning on an empty stomach.  I have also continued to take peppermint oil capsules before my morning and evening meals.  Zinc carnosine reduces gut inflammation and helps protect the gut lining, which will be integral while my gut acid levels increase to their normal levels after being repressed for so long.  Peppermint oil soothes the gut and helps prevent cramping and discomfort. I have also added DGL chewables and Betaine HCL.  The DGL chewables are taken after my morning and evening meals.  3 tablets after each meal.  The DGL chewable is Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice Root.  I have used this supplement in a capsule form earlier in my journey.  DGL is often used to soothe the stomach and support healthy digestion by encouraging mucin production.  The Betaine HCL will be added in as needed, but I have not needed it yet.  Betaine HCL helps protect the gut wall and strengthens it throughout the process.  It will also help increase your stomach acid levels when you are struggling to recover with low stomach acid, which is common after long term use of a PPI.  I will be using it as needed should I begin having acid reflux symptoms.

After week one of this process, the withdrawal symptoms started.  Week one consisted of reducing my Nexium to every other day rather than daily.  After about day 4, I began noticing some mild diarrhea and headaches.  I also noticed some weakness and dizziness.  I am also having some reflux which is a most common and expected side effect.  The reflux has been causing some nausea for me.  Based on this, rather than moving to week 2, we decided to repeat week 1 again to see if my body would adjust.  I continued to have symptoms so we decided to repeat week 1 for a third week to see if my body adjusted to the titration.  My gut did regulate during the last 2 weeks of that process, so I then moved the Nexium to once every two days.  I didn’t notice any reappearance of symptoms every two days, so I progressed to once every 3 days to see how my body tolerated that before we completely stopped the PepZin GI and the Nexium.  After no noticeable symptoms or side effects, I took my last Nexium tablet on January 11th.  Subsequently, I took my last PepZin GI tablets on January 13th.  I have noticed that some meals seem to cause a slight acidic feeling in my gut.  It does not feel like full heartburn or acid reflux, just a sensation that I am acutely aware of and it is manageable.  One noticeable change was my bowel movements became more regular and more normal.  This was something that I have not experienced in many years.  Even after healing my gut I was still having a bit of constipation and this was apparent in the frequency and consistency of my bowel movements.  On January 16th, I had a day of terrible heartburn.  This was the first time that I have struggled with it since we started the process.  The heartburn persisted for most of the week.  On Tuesday, I decided to go ahead and try Betaine HCL with dinner to see if it would help.  I noticed a reduction of the acidy, burning feeling shortly after taking it.  The next morning I took another with my protein shake.  I believe I may have taken it too soon because I felt very ill the rest of the morning.  I struggled with reflux and nausea.  Betaine HCL should be taken in the middle of your meal or immediately after your meal for the best effectiveness.  If taken too soon or before a meal, you can get a false heartburn feeling.  I took the Betaine HCL after only one drink of my protein shake and I believe this to be the cause.  That same day after I ate lunch, some of the symptoms seemed to subside a little. The following day, I waited until my protein shake was complete before taking the Betaine HCL.  I noticed the symptoms were greatly improved and easy to manage.  It does seem that the Betaine HCL is helping increase my stomach acid levels and which is keeping the reflux to a minimum.

I have noticed as the weeks progressed that my bowel movements became more regularly occurring.  They also seemed to be moving toward the normal range on the Bristol Stool Scale.

As always, I will provide a case study update in 4 weeks, when I should have completed this final phase if my body responds well.  My body has responded exceptionally well the last few months so I am hopeful this temporary struggle will be the last and I will bounce back to normal.

​

I began Phase 4, the reintroduction phase, on July 7th.  With this phase I started 2 new supplements Flora Protect and a supplement called PepZin GI.  These two supplements are to repopulate the gut with good bacteria and to protect the gut barrier and gut immunity.  I will maintain the S. Boulardii with these two supplements and I have continued the peppermint oil.  I am reintroducing foods on a 3 day cycle.  The first day, I will consume half a serving of a certain food.  If I don’t have symptoms, I will continue to day two where I will consume a half serving twice per day.  Assuming there are still no symptoms, I will eat a normal serving on day 3.  Day 4 is a rest day, to make sure that I don’t experience any delayed symptoms.  Sometimes delayed symptoms can occur if you’re experiencing constipation so we’ve built in a rest day to allow any symptoms to subside before we start a new 3 day cycle with a different food.  After the end of the cycle, if there were no symptoms, I have been waiting a week or so and then reincorporating those foods back into my normal diet.  

Since the last update, I have reintroduced: salsa, amino energy (inulin) and alfredo.  All have been a successful introduction. There were no noticeable symptoms with any of those items.

Upon the completion of the 3 day cycle for these remaining foods, I had successfully completed a 21 week reintroduction phase.  I did not have any foods that stood out as terrible triggers for my gut.  I had some questionable issues with garlic, however I believe those to be dose dependent.  This Phase ended on November 29th.   

I have discontinued all the supplements, including S. Boulardii, with the exception of the PepZin GI and Peppermint Oil.  I will be continuing those through Phase 5, the Nexium cessation phase.  

We have now moved onto Phase 5, effective December 2nd.  During this phase, I will move through a minimum 4 week phase where I titrate off of Nexium to discontinue its use.  Long term use of a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) can be very detrimental to your health.  You should be using these PPIs (Nexium, Prilosec, etc) for 3 weeks at the most to treat a temporary flare up.  Long term use of PPIs can lead to increased risk of cancer, risk of fractures, pneumonia, Clostridium difficile diarrhea, hypomagnesemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.  If you have been using these medications long term, you should not stop abruptly.  You should use a step down method to gradually decrease your dose.  I have been taking Nexium for over 15 years so the process will take at least 4 weeks, but could potentially last longer.

During this phase, I will continue to take Zinc Carnosine at 75mg every morning on an empty stomach.  I will also continue to take peppermint oil capsules before my morning and evening meals.  Zinc carnosine reduces gut inflammation and helps protect the gut lining, which will be integral while my gut acid levels increase to their normal levels after being repressed for so long.  Peppermint oil soothes the gut and helps prevent cramping and discomfort. I will also be adding in DGL chewables and Betaine HCL.  The DGL chewables will be taken after my morning and evening meals.  3 tablets after each meal.  The DGL chewable is Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice Root.  I have used this supplement in a capsule form earlier in my journey.  DGL is often used to soothe the stomach and support healthy digestion by encouraging mucin production.  The Betaine HCL will be added in as needed.  Betaine HCL helps protect the gut wall and strengthens it throughout the process.  I will be using it as needed should I begin having acid reflux symptoms.

After week one of this process, the withdrawal symptoms started.  Week one consisted of reducing my Nexium to every other day rather than daily.  After about day 4, I began noticing some mild diarrhea and headaches.  I also noticed some weakness and dizziness.  I am also having some reflux which is a most common and expected side effect.  The reflux has been causing some nausea for me.  Based on this, rather than moving to week 2, we decided to repeat week 1 again to see if my body would adjust.  I continued to have symptoms so we will repeat week 1 for a third week to see if my body adjusts to the titration before moving to the next step of the process which will be reducing Nexium to once every two days.

Withdrawal symptoms from a PPI are common, especially after long term use.  Symptoms frequently include acid reflux and indigestion.  There are, however, less common side effects that include: anxiety, depression, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, constipation, headaches, dizziness and more.

As always, I will provide a case study update in 4 weeks, when I should have completed this final phase if my body responds well.  My body has responded exceptionally well the last few months so I am hopeful this trend continues.