Kate Conder

09/10/2024

September is Su***de Awareness month.

If you have lost a friend or family member to su***de, I want you to know that you do not have to bear your grief alone.

It is never a burden to reach out to the people around you for support. You do not have to keep your pain private. In the same way that we long to have been able to help the people we lost, there are people who love you and want to walk with you through your loss.

You are not alone.This FREE group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. In-person Group will meet in the Willow room of the Hope Bereavement Center located at 5400 MacArthur Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661

09/10/2024

Please know, you do not have to face the battle alone.

There is no length that the people in your life wouldn't go to, to see you through the darkest valley, no matter how long it takes. Your life is the most precious treasure to the people who love you.

If you are struggling, please, reach out. Please don't lose hope. I will sit with you however long it takes. You are worth so much more than any sacrifice.

I know that it doesn't feel like it sometimes, but you are so deeply and greatly loved. You are worth the fight.

There is no shame in fighting this battle, or in asking others to carry you when you can no longer walk. There is only love waiting for you on the other side of crying out.

08/30/2024

Hey! I am so excited to share my newest guide with you! Simply Balanced Basics will help you take the first steps to get started living a healthy life that is balanced! This is not your average fitness or nutrition advice. The simple steps in this guide are based on scientific evidence, proven behav...

05/08/2024

Stop.

Granted, some sores have better quality produce. Some people only have one option. Some stores are more affordable than others.

We cannot assume that others have the same access or affordability of options to choose from. We don’t need to shame people for doing their best with what they’ve got.

Wherever you shop, buying fruit is a healthy option.

If you want to educate, it is best to do so without shaming, and if you really want to make a difference for other people, get involved in helping improve access and affordability.

💕

05/03/2024

Our friend Andy has waited a long time for this, and we are so excited to share the release of his first children's book with y'all!

Go check it out and pick up a couple copies for the kids in your life.

The Stickle Maker's Love: An inspirational story of love and redemption for readers of all ages.

05/03/2024

BALANCE

Are all processed foods bad for you?

No. In moderation they can actually be beneficial. Satiety is partially influenced by whether or not you enjoy the foods you are eating. Taste, texture, appearance, aroma, all contribute to your enjoyment of the food you eat.

While we all know that a steady diet of highly processed foods can be unhealthy, including them in your diet in moderation can actually help reduce cravings, overeating and binging.

Remember: when diet culture tries to sell you on their special bars, shakes, supplements, prepackaged lower calorie snacks, etc. those are processed foods too. They just cost more.

Is organic food 100% pesticide free?

No. Certain pesticides, protectants and fertilizers are allowed. While there may be lower amounts or certain types might be excluded, they are not free from all agents, and often greater quantities of pesticides are used because they are less effective than conventional pesticides.

Remember: the dose matters. The dirty dozen list is deceptive. They intentionally omit data that does not suit their claim. For example, you would have to eat over 400 servings of strawberries in one sitting to reach unsafe levels of residue consumption. While growing your own food gives you better control over what is used, not everyone has the time, money or space to grow food.

Is sugar addictive?

Not according to current evidence. Sugar makes foods more palatable and increases the reward response in our brains. Which certainly makes foods more enjoyable, and thus increases our inclination to eat them. However, it is not addictive in the same sense as to***co, alcohol and narcotic drugs. We do not develop a physiological dependence on it. In animals the addictive behaviors were present in cases of intermittent access, which is similar to what we see in restrictive diet in humans. If sugar itself was addictive, we would see more people eating sugar straight, but we do not.

Remember: when highly palatable foods, including sweet foods, are classified cognitively as “allowed”, and they are not restricted, you are less likely to over consume them.

Request your FREE Simply Balanced Basics guide @ the link in my bio.

05/02/2024

Sugar Addiction

How can you break your sugar addiction, stop binging, & feel more in control around food?

The answer might not be what you think…

If you’re thinking that it requires cutting out all of the “bad” foods, increasing your willpower, or finding supplements that suppress your appetite…

That will probably only make things worse. Here’s why:

1. Foods are not moral or immoral. They are not “good” or “bad”, unless you are referring to whether or not they have spoiled. Having this mindset increases the likelihood of bingeing followed by compensatory behaviors.

Did you know? This attitude about food actually promotes disordered eating & eating disorders.

2. You are not addicted to sugar, & no, sugar isn’t poisoning you.
a. Dose matters.
b. People are not mice.
c. Not all studies are created equal, nor are they all accurate. It is important to learn how to read & understand research reports, & be able to tell if a study is scientifically sound. It is also important to remember that correlation does not mean causation.

Did you know? Water can poison you if consumed in copious quantities. That doesn’t mean you should completely avoid water.

3. Restricting entire food groups, unless medically prescribed by a registered dietitian who specializes in your specific health conditions, is a driving factor in perpetuating the diet cycle & disordered eating behaviors.

Did you know? The best way to reduce cravings, stop binging, & feel more in control around foods is to allow yourself eat them & enjoy them without shame, compensating, or having to earn them.

The majority of health coaches & influencers who promote poor quality research as a means of food shaming & fear mongering, are really trying to sell you their “healthy”, processed, products.

If you believe the science is corrupt because of the influence of the big food companies & pharmaceutical industry, but you don’t question the science being used to sell you expensive, in many cases placebo, products, you are probably being sold a bill of goods by the diet & health foods industries. They are two sides of the same coin.

Learning how to listen to your body & find a sustainable, healthy, balance isn’t about fixating on the “right” foods. It’s about understanding what works best for your unique body.

05/01/2024

Fear and Gratitude.

You may be wondering what fear and gratitude have in common.

This may seem like an odd post to begin this page, but anxiety is one of the fastest growing mental health issues since the beginning of the pandemic, so this is where I want to begin.

The limbic system, colloquially referred to as the "Survival" part of your brain, responds to potential threats. The amygdala is the part of the brain where fear is initiated. Fear puts our bodes into "fight, flight, or freeze" while our brains try to determine where the threat is coming from, what we need to do to survive the threat, and how we can avoid the threat in the future.

In our culture there are fewer actual threats to our physical safety than there used to be, and our brains often confuse daily stressors as threats to our safety. Something as simple as a job interview, or social interaction, can trigger the survival response in our brains. The amygdala is also responsible for learning and connecting emotions to behavioral responses. Being in a continual state of heightened alert takes a toll on our physical, mental and emotional health. It can lead to physical symptoms like weight gain, hair loss, change of appetite, unhealthy compensatory behaviors, anxiety, depression, and can contribute to various health problems.

So what does that have to do with gratitude?

The hippocampus is associated with feelings. Gratitude is a feeling that is processed by the hippocampus. It is also processed by the amygdala. The fascinating thing about that is that while our brains are processing and responding to gratitude, it cannot also be processing and responding to fear.

Gratitude has the ability to override fear.

We can initiate the emotion of gratitude in several ways. We can reflect on the things we are thankful for, journaling is a fantastic way to do this. My personal favorite is prayer. We can perform acts of service for people we care about. Making a charitable donation can even trigger the emotion of gratitude.

What is so special about gratitude?

Gratitude is associated with "happy" neurotransmitters and hormones, including dopamine and serotonin. This can produce feelings of peace, contentment, and happiness in us. Gratitude is one of the most effective ways to begin managing stress, and it helps reduce feelings of anxiety, depression, and fear.

Which brings me to the reason for this post. One of the first, and easiest, steps we can take toward living simpler, more peaceful, balanced lives, is practicing gratitude regularly. In a world that is consumed with "self", and is smothering our peace with comparison driven discontent, focusing on what you are grateful for and helping others is an incredibly effective way to bring peace into your life.

While the physical health benefits take longer to develop, the psychological and social benefits can be experienced immediately.

You do not have to wait until you are feeling stressed, anxious, or fearful. Practicing gratitude functions as a form of preventative care that can reduce the impact of future stressors when they arise. So I would encourage you to start making expressions of gratitude a regular part of your daily life.

- Kate xo

04/18/2024

Hello there!

I'm Kate.

I am a Jesus freak, wife, and mom of three. I am working on my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and have a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology. I have over ten years of experience serving women as a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist, with certifications in behavior change, recovery support, relapse prevention, and group instruction. I am a missionary with Greater Europe Mission, a travel ju**ie, and theology nerd. I enjoy reading, art, all things vintage, and spending time with my family.

I am really excited to be starting this new page! This is something I have been wanting to do for quite some time. This page is just a small piece of what is to come and I cannot wait to share with you all! You can follow my account on Instagram .and.lowly and .honest.fintess for health and nutrition information that is simple, sustainable, and evidence based.

I hope that this page will glorify God, encourage you as your grow in your love for His Word and in relationship with Him, and add value to your life.

- Kate xo