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Struggling with a digestive condition when the world got uncertain, Kim turned to Trifecta to keep her diet and busy life on track. We talked to her about managing life with a busy schedule, navigating health issues and approaching an unpredictable world.
Meet Kim
Kim has been a co-owner in a spray foam insulation company for three years. She plays hockey, works out and keeps an active outdoor lifestyle with her dog. Finding time to cook and eat well wasn’t fitting into her schedule, even while being mindful of a years-long battle with her digestion.
“Prior to Trifecta, I was prepping my own food, usually rice, chicken, steak, and frozen veggies because it’s easy and I don’t have a lot of time to spend cooking meals. Or I would get home from work and make another omelet for dinner because I had no energy to actually make a full meal.”
“I’ve had a lot of digestion issues since college so I’ve been very aware of what I eat and learning how my body reacts to different things. I have been lactose intolerant for over ten years and gluten-free for about three. Learning those two things had a huge impact on my quality of life.”
Life Takes a Turn
I managed my digestion issues but kept them to myself. Eating well and avoiding certain foods was allowing me to live a normal life. Without notice though, things changed.
“Starting last October my digestion issues got significantly worse. No matter what I ate it would go right through me. I wasn’t digesting food, I had no energy, I had to plan meals around whether not I would be near a bathroom. I couldn’t eat before work because most places don’t have bathrooms for us to use. And anybody that knows me knows I eat enough for a small family.”
”My doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Blood work was normal, colonoscopy was normal.”
Managing work, hockey, and preparing nutritious meals with a medical condition in mind, I knew that I needed some help. My best friend, a personal trainer, introduced me to Trifecta.
“I had a few meals at her house and really liked them. The biggest thing for me was that they were meals I would never cook myself due to time or knowledge of cooking. It’s also the easiest way to eat healthy with a hectic schedule.”
My doctors, after eliminating other risks, put me on hormone treatment while I started eating Trifecta.
“They put me on some crazy hormone which after about a month finally started to help. After three months of being on that, they weaned me off it and I have been fine since."
The entire time since January I had been eating Trifecta twice a day.
I figured that even if I’m not digesting it I should at least be trying to eat healthy because maybe it will help if I keep with it. I'm on the paleo meal plan so it’s always different but my favorites are the salmon meals, which always have so much flavor.
Ready to dial in your nutrition? Find the meal plan that's right for you.
Another Twist
In the middle of my therapy, the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading in the US, and businesses, including my own temporarily, closed for quarantine. Fearing the world and my progress might hit a standstill, I prepared and got committed.
“I stocked up when all this COVID craziness started because I was worried they would stop mail service too...thankfully they didn’t.
I was supposed to go to Slovakia with the women’s US ball hockey team in June for the World Championship but it was canceled. And all of our ice hockey tournaments have also been canceled. The season ended without being able to say bye to our teammates for the summer. It’s been rough.”
Making it Count
With social and athletic outlets gone overnight, I was afraid my fitness and medical progress could be lost as well.
“My health goals have always been to maintain a healthy weight while working out and playing hockey. Everything was going great until they closed the gyms and I was worried that I would become a huge blimp. But sticking with Trifecta meals and counting calories on my fitness pal I have actually lost weight during COVID."
Even with the gym closed, I know that 80% of my fitness comes from diet and by staying focused I am hitting goals I haven't in years.
I’ve only worked out a handful of times due to gyms being closed. I get my step goal of 10,000 steps a day and make sure my calories are in check. I haven’t been under 150 since high school--heaviest was 170 a few years ago--and now I’m consistently 145-148!"
"With Trifecta and logging my food I have managed to lose weight, feel better, and sleep better, and be more lean.”
Before I started using Trifecta, I was hitting the gym hard but with my gut issue going on, I was not digesting food, had no energy, not sleeping, poor health. With Trifecta and logging my food, I have managed to lose weight, feel better, sleep better, and be leaner.
Getting Through Together
For me, part of handling difficult situations where one might feel alienated or helpless is finding the courage to share.
“It is very uncomfortable talking about the types of issues I was dealing with. It was even hard to explain to my parents what was going on because it was embarrassing. But the best thing I did was start talking to everybody about it, and surprisingly a lot of people had similar issues and gave insights or ideas of different things to try and what worked for them.”
Helping Others
Now I am spreading the word. Thanks to my best friend and now my own experience with Trifecta, I have been showing my colleagues how it’s done. Even out of the office.
“With people being home more than ever, we’ve been fortunate to stay busy during these times. I got my business partner onto Trifecta as well, and we put a microwave in our rig so that we can heat up Trifecta for lunch.”
“One hot day doesn’t make a summer.”
My advice to others is to not let yourself be overwhelmed and to look for opportunities where others may see obstacles.
“Make realistic goals, and take everything day by day. A favorite quote of mine is, “One hot day doesn’t make a summer.” Just like one bad day won’t ruin an entire diet or a missed gym day won’t ruin an entire program. Life happens but every day is a new chance to reach your goals.”
Even for a competitive athlete with a decade of closely managing my diet, I know that what you don’t know can be the biggest factor holding you back.
“I think one of the hardest parts about dieting or losing weight is not knowing what to do or where to start, what to eat, or how much to eat. I would tell everybody that wants to lose weight and feel better that they should use Trifecta, it is so easy...it takes the guesswork out of everything.”
To see how Kim’s sticking to her healthy lifestyle and enjoying adventures with her dog, you can follow her on Instagram. And to take the guesswork out of your own diet, find the plan that’s right for you, here!
