Dawson Flexible Fitness

Signs of high antibodies:
Difficulty losing weight
Hair loss
Anxiety
Low energy
Muscle mass wasting/difficulty gaining muscle

Per my previous post on food vs medicine, nutrition will ALWAYS be a *major* factor in healing. However, modern medicine is a beautiful tool we can also use. I am SO glad I took the time to go the natural route and learn new habits that will help me keep my antibodies down as I age.

I highly 👏 recommend 👏 everyone get their thyroid tested : TSH, free and total T4 & T3, reverse T3, T3 uptake and both antibodies. Anything less than that will absolutely not give you a real picture of what’s going on (most practitioners will only order TSH and T4 which is 💩. T4 isn’t even the active form of the thyroid hormone).

And whether your thyroid needs work or is humming along just fine, if you need one on one nutrition help, I’m always taking new clients!!

The last one just might be the most important…

The truth is, there’s no such thing as a 30 Day “fix”, or “shortcuts” to fast results (at least not sustainable ones). But cutting out/down alcohol, sleeping 7+ hours a night, and walking daily are three habits that make a LARGE impact.

If you immediately say “nope, I won’t do that” to these, then ask yourself WHY. What is holding you back from trying??

Before you get pi**ed at me…

1. I do realize we all have a budget. So $15 bands may be achievable but a $50 gym membership may not. And that’s ok; there’s so much you can do with bands and bodyweight.
2. I SEE YOU CHRONIC ILLNESS PEEPS!! The actual physical ability to workout is a privilege in itself. If you have a chronic illness, just getting out of bed some days is its own workout 👏

Moving on from that; if you really *truly* want to change something about your health/fitness, it may take sacrifices. Hopefully something small like putting off buying that new pair of expensive heels, doing your own pedicure sometimes, or eating more at home versus nights out.

There are other things you can do - choose frozen fruits/veg/protein if grocery prices are killing you. Check out places like Marshall’s for cheap at home fitness equipment. Take advantage of nice weather days and get a 10-15+ minute walk in.

I really do price my own services and courses significantly lower than what they’re worth. Because I personally live on a budget and know what it’s like to have to balance it. So ask yourself again - what is your health worth to you?!

Frustrated with lack of progress? Let’s do some self reflection.

While there are SO many factors to our health that we can’t plan for, we ultimately hold a lot of responsibility. Having very defined goals is step one.

Which of these do you struggle with the most? How do you see the next 6 months of the year unfolding?

Although corporate life has its perks…
Paid vacation
Health insurance
Regular paycheck

I actually worked in corporate for a long time, starting around age 21. First an auditor for a large restaurant, then into bank management/trainer. The level of anxiety, heart palpitations, gender discrimination and disrespect was not worth the paycheck for me.

Of course being a small business owner does mean I’m working a LOT (it’s not just one on one with clients), because I’m also my own billing, marketing/advertising, secretary and so forth. And honestly some days, especially recently, I feel like I should just give up and go back to an office for some stability.

I 100% understand the need for “regular jobs” for most of the population 😂 You have a family to feed and bills to pay. My job is to help you manage your stress from all of that in a HEALTHY and sustainable way. I joke I’m part trainer, part nutritionist and part therapist. So while you probably aren’t quitting or changing careers anytime soon, you can absolutely take charge of your health. And I’m here to support you any way I can 🫶

Are you stuck in this vicious cycle?

Emotional eating is complex and can be triggered by many factors. I created a free guide for you to explore your unique triggers, emotions and begin to game plan ways to cope in a healthier way.

It helps SO much to also have a solid support system that won’t judge you. Look around at your family, friends, or your coach. This is also something I work in depth with my nutrition clients, so please feel free to contact me anytime to work one on one.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcBM7u-2dpBt_N6EUHFdvaiZ-72GP_WuzG8XtNP_G9vtkj8A/viewform?usp=sf_link

You CAN improve your relationship with your body 🫶

I’m not saying it’s easy or that it happens in a few short weeks. You’ve likely had these thoughts and behaviors for years if not decades. In addition, hormones like estrogen and progesterone affect metabolism, hunger and appetite (and those hormones fluctuate on a regular basis), physiological factors, such as abuse, child neglect and poverty can affect stress eating, as well as sociocultural factors (marginalized groups such as LGBTQ+, BIPOC, Indigenous) may experience higher incidences of disordered eating due to stress dealing with racism and homophobia. This also includes people living in larger bodies who experience anti-fat bias.

In addition to what I listed on the final slide, you can practice things like social media feed cleanses (unfollow accounts that make you feel bad/encourage restriction), focus on adding healthy things rather than restriction, work towards learning a new skill, and build a healthy support system while setting boundaries with those who don’t support your mental health needs.

If you’re interested in taking this further, I’m happy to take you on as a client! Message me with any questions.

Feel like you are stuck on the hamster wheel with your health?!!

Stop spinning and start learning to love yourself. Waking up every day disliking your body, doing hateful body checks in the mirror, comparing yourself to someone on social media or IRL; all of these habits keep you stuck where you are.

When you learn to respect and NOURISH your body - I promise you, things change. Physically AND mentally. Working with a therapist, a trainer who understands your needs, and creating a healthy support system with family/friends are a few ways to get started.

HOW you approach nutrition can shift your results!

This means taking your mental health into account as well. How many times have you reached for food after an argument, bad day at work, after receiving bad news etc? Or rushed through eating lunch to get back to work asap, only to find yourself feeling starved even though you know you ate plenty of food??

Save this post and try at least one new habit until it becomes easy for you, then add another. See how you’re feeling after a couple months!! And anytime you want one on one guidance, I’m always taking on new nutrition clients ☺️

Day 1.

I’ve spent my entire life, literally, trying to focus on my health and fitness so I could avoid medication and surgery. So imagine my surprise when I found out birth control was methodically wrecking my body for about 20 years.

Your thyroid and s*x hormones are tightly linked, and your thyroid regulates your metabolism. So there can be a dramatic effect on your weight, sleep, mood, hair and MUCH more. So I’m here to say there shouldn’t be any stigma around needing medication. Even if you work in the fitness space. This doesn’t mean I stop working out, eating nutrient dense foods daily, getting great sleep and keep my stress low - those are still vital building blocks for any human. But at this stage in my life, my body needs a little help, so cheers to this new adventure!

Big thanks to for actually giving a s**t about women’s health and taking me seriously.

How often do you work towards your goals?

Look, no one is motivated 100% of the time. There are some stressors we can’t change, and instead have to find healthy coping mechanisms. I’ve been in my career for over a decade and have seen clients go through major injuries, surgery, divorce, miscarriage, and more. There will be times like that where your workouts and meal planning will and should take a backseat.

*Hopefully* those events are not something happening on a monthly basis. So it’s all the other weeks and months that add up to help you reach your goals (fitness or otherwise). We can’t plan for tragic life events. But we can plan for what our average week looks like and go from there.

What’s holding you back from working on your goals on a consistent basis right now?

You don’t need to feel miserable.

Have you experienced:
Brain fog
Hot flashes
Poor sleep
Weight gain (especially in the stomach)
Mood swings

Then it’s time to change your approach to nutrition and fitness based on this stage of your life!! Even if you’re not in perimenopause yet, it’s a fact of life. So learning what to do can be life changing and life SAVING.

If you click the link in my bio for cyclical nutrition/fitness and scroll to the bottom, you’ll see two options. The second one includes a one on one zoom call with me to ask specific questions regarding your health.

Pass this along to any woman you know!

First 👉 We all need a different amount of protein, HOWEVER, most people I start working with are barely hitting 65-75 consistently 😬 I don’t care if your goal is muscle gain, weight loss, healthier aging, less inflammation, control your PCOS, or something else, you NEED protein. I also have multiple vegetarian clients and even they hit their goals. It’s doable!!

1️⃣ Dairy free Greek yogurt mixed with .hq vegan chocolate high protein MRS (code dawson10) + collagen = 42g

2️⃣ Tuna on a salad (just used two packets of tuna, SO QUICK), PBJ sammie = 50g

3️⃣ “Cookie” (crumbled up rice cakes mixed with same Greek yogurt and protein powder) = 20g

4️⃣ Frozen salmon (toss in air fryer 15-20 min), quinoa cooked in bone broth = 38g

💪 Protein helps build muscle and repair tissue. The more muscle mass we have, the more calories we use even at rest (important for weight loss). And as we age, getting more protein helps with muscle retention and atrophy.

I CHALLENGE YOU: this week count how many grams of protein you are getting and see if you need to increase it. And if you’re struggling, start working one on one with me as a nutrition client!!

Some things my clients have told me literally made my jaw drop…

Maybe it’s because I’ve always been surrounded by enough supportive friends and family that when people say dumb crap to me, it’s easy for me to ignore it. But when it’s the people who are the closest to you saying it, that can be incredibly damaging and hurtful.

Maybe they think they’re helping you. Maybe they have their own insecurities and are taking it out on you. Maybe they just really aren’t a good friend 🤷‍♀️ Regardless, you need to set boundaries 👏

Working on improving yourself already comes with hurdles and challenges, so having people say unhelpful things only makes it harder to continue. Talk to them. Tell them CLEARLY how it’s affecting you negatively. Tell them how they can support you instead. When someone cares about you, they’ll realize their mistake and change. And if they don’t…well maybe that negativity doesn’t need to be in your life anymore.

Every single person I work with one on one knows that fruit is a more nutritious choice than chips. They know five slices of pizza might be too much. They’re not stupid. But they are human, and will have some less than ideal food choices some days, but as long as they continue to learn and work on changing habits, they will see success. So don’t be that A-HOLE that says these things to them and holds them back mentally.

What are some things you’ve heard? What did I miss?

Aging shouldn’t have to suck.

Despite what some practitioners may have told you, you absolutely don’t need to just “deal with” weight gain, anxiety, brain fog, hot flashes, and all the other lovely symptoms of perimenopause.

Some day, your ovaries will completely retire, and let’s face it- they’ve worked hard and deserve it. Until you’re post menopausal, you CAN make lifestyle changes that impact the severity of everything you’re feeling!

Come join me via Zoom on Thursday April 11th at 4:30 PST to improve your health. Cost is $45, and it will take about 45-60 minutes depending on how many questions everyone has at the end!

Message me to get signed up and secure your spot!!

Weight loss and muscle gain takes TIME. Keep pushing people!

There’s 5 years between these photos, eating 1500 or less ( 😱 not good) in the photo on the left, and close to 3000 with the photo on the right. The photo on the right is also now about 1.5 years old and my muscle mass has gone up more.

If you’ve gained weight over the last years, stop trying to make it disappear in a month or two. Get your hormones tested, thyroid tested and get a GOOD training and nutrition plan. One you can actually follow that doesn’t involve random ass workouts every week and eliminating foods that you know you’ll end up craving and overeating later because you denied yourself any portion of them.

I have another year or growing and eating ahead of me, and regardless of what the scale says, I’m laser focused on what my future self will look like and can accomplish.

You in????

Do you suffer from 1+ more of these symptom every month? 🎙️ PMS IS NOT NORMAL!!

While it may be common, you do not have to live with it! Join me LIVE on February 22 at 4:15pm via Zoom to learn more, get nutritional AND exercise help, as well as a Q&A with me and a chance to win some really amazing prizes. DM or email me at [email protected] to register. Cost is just $45 and it will help change your life!

PS - check out my post from a few weeks ago regarding the giveaway and what you can win!

It’s 2024 and we are *STILL* believing you can:

Spot tone
Lose weight and build a ton of muscle at the same time
Ignore hormones
Cut carbs to lose weight
Fear monger oats and fruit

The list is ENDLESS. Sadly. Changing your habits takes a lot of time. Not just weeks. And usually not just months. How long did it take you to get in the habit of skipping breakfast (or whatever other habit you want to change)? And how long have you been doing that habit? That’s right, years if not decades. Making smaller, sustainable changes over time is where progress shows up. Not in “quick fixes” or “hacks” 🤦‍♀️

All that time you spend looking for those hacks, not to mention sometimes money, and you could have already started making progress the “hard way” (aka changing habits one at a time…not s*xy but it works). I know it’s challenging, but we could all use some practice in patience and consistency 😉

Instead of dreading your period, make it your SUPERPOWER.

I’ll say it for the 100th time : PMS IS NOT NORMAL

Should we feel different during each phase of our cycle? Yes, but NOT to the point of extreme fatigue, cramps, headaches, acne, big time food cravings, out of control mood swings, waking up during the night, spotting and so forth.

Leaning about your cycle and how to harness the power of it through nutrition and fitness can unlock a new life for you. This isn’t an overnight process. But it’s worth it. And using makes it even easier with an all in one dashboard that syncs up to your health apps. As a trainer, this gives me invaluable insight to real time changes in my clients’ health. The women behind have given all of us an opportunity to change our health for the better.

If you want to get a little deeper in your knowledge, join me live via Zoom on 2/22 4:15PST to learn what symptoms are linked with which hormone and how to start fixing your PMS! DM to sign up.

In the meantime, what questions do you have about that I can answer? 👇

Calories matter, but SO DO YOUR HORMONES!!

As a competitive bodybuilder builder, I am actually very good at losing weight when the time is appropriate, staying focused on building muscle mass during off seasons, logging my food, sleeping well, etc. So when weight loss suddenly screeched to a halt even though I was “doing all the right things”, I KNEW something internally was wrong.

I developed an autoimmune disease, Hashimoto’s, because of longe term birth control (that’s a whole other post 😭). Your thyroid is a major factor in your metabolism, and therefore your weight. Once I got off BC, I had no more PMS, building muscle was easier and so was maintaining weight. However, stress can easily trigger it and this year has been extremely extremely stressful.

This is where lab testing comes in. I need to know what levels are off so I can figure out the root cause and treat it. As a small business owner, I don’t have your typical insurance, so I use (you can still use insurance however!). There’s a link in my bio for you to use that helps me out as an affiliate!

Understanding your hormones and how they relate to your weight, skin/hair, sleep, PMS, etc can be overwhelming. Especially when your doctor gaslights you and says “just eat less and move more” or “your labs look normal to me”. QUESTION THAT. You know your body - if something feels off, it probably is. I’m here to help with one on one training!!

Please drop any comments or questions 👇

Hormone supporting protein snack 🤤

Have you ever heard of seed cycling? All month long, our hormone levels rise and fall. Seed cycling uses flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds to support your hormones, because YOUR PERIOD SHOULD NOT SUCK. Common does NOT equal normal 👏👏👏

And whether your cycle is normal, abnormal or even in perimenopause, seed cycling will benefit you. And by adding protein, we can help balance estrogen (true for women of ALL ages) and support healthy body mass.

IN MY BOWL:
Greek yogurt (you can use any yogurt, but Greek has significantly more protein)it.wellness seeds (if you’re new to seed cycling, check them out! Code katie10)
protein pumpkin bread (code katied)
Apples (feel free to add any fruit!)

Sometimes life really turns you on your head…

To say this year has been a struggle would be an understatement. Leaving my state that I love, leaving my dance studio, Pilates studio, and all of my personal training clients (at least in person - BIG THANKS to all of you who’ve continued online or zoom 🫶🩷🫶); all of it was heartbreaking and stressful. Top that off with car trouble, things breaking in the new house over the last several months and topping it off with getting Covid for the first time 🤦‍♀️.

Last year I finally qualified to compete in a national competition, and the plan was to do it this November. I was so excited, had a great off season and felt ready to go. What I wasn’t ready for was the excessive stress leading to my hashimoto’s flaring up. So last week I made the gut wrenching decision to pull out of the competition so my health wouldn’t take a dive.

While having specific goals for competing, your physique, doing a race, etc., is fantastic, at the end of the day your health and wellness should take priority. I knew if I kept pushing myself to get ready for this competition that my internal health would suffer for it. In the long run, it isn’t worth it.

I also know everything I’ve gone through this year is very small in comparison to what others are going through, and I also have a very good support system. So now the focus shifts to bettering my hormones and rebuilding my business.

2024 is right around the corner, and I plan on making these next two months COUNT so I can go into the new year ready to go. How are you getting ready for the new year?







***ir ***irphotography

12 weeks of the year left! Can you commit to adding these habits over the next twelve weeks?

So many people tell me they want to lose weight, gain muscle, be less stressed, have more energy, etc, but aren’t doing any of the basics. It’s awfully hard to consistently workout and/or plan nutritious meals when you’re tired from lack of sleep and too much stress.

Which habits can you focus on until the end of the year? Comment below what you’re working on or struggling with!

Salted Caramel mini muffins 😍

I currently don’t have a microwave, so when I wanted to use one of my single serving instant banana bread packets, I figured I’d try my air fryer! I used the same tray I use for mini egg white bites and it worked perfectly.

This is literally just one banana and one packet of Salted Caramel mix. Don’t like bananas? Use yogurt, eggs/egg whites, pumpkin, applesauce, tofu, etc.

I put these in my air fryer for 20 minutes at 380; adjust the time based on texture preference. As always, use code dawson10 for a discount at

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER…

Half way through the year already…how are your daily/weekly habits looking since January??

Basic habits = RESULTS. Results come from being CONSISTENT with these habits. Start with 1-2, and then add another one in when you are doing the other ones without even thinking about it.

STOP LOOKING TO SWEAT TO GET RESULTS. Sweat means nothing.
If you feel like you're stuck or need guidance, sign up for personalized online training and nutrition help with me!

What have you been working on?

🗣️ This is not me telling you to eat a bunch of processed foods.

Over time, an excess of less nutritious foods (processed meats, candy, chips, etc) can cause weight gain, usually because of the amount of calories.

When we gain weight (regardless of the food we eat), our inflammatory markers increase. When we lose weight (regardless of what we eat), those markers are reduced. An intake that is consistently high in sugar may be linked to insulin resistance (a trigger for diabetes). There are varying studies on it, and the outcome depends on the diagnostic criteria. And again, we are talking about eating it almost everyday/multiple servings; not that one cookie you wanted to have.

A very simplified way of looking at this is that more nutritious foods sustain us for longer (not hungry again in 20 minutes, sustained energy all day, etc). 200 calories from chips won't fill me up, but 200 calories from oats will!

🚨 Keep in mind things like diabetes, PCOS, thyroid disease/hashimoto’s, etc, all have caveats to them when it comes to weight loss. What I’m referring to here in this post is more generalized, although the same principles do help those special populations!

Look, if you find a "diet" that you love AND you can sustain in long term, year after year, AND YOU DON'T FEEL DEPRIVED OR BINGE EAT BECAUSE OF IT...then yay!! You're on the right track. If not....may be time to rethink your approach.

Want one on one support from someone certified in fitness nutrition? Let’s get started this week!! 👋

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31067015/

https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/ S0016-5085(1635229-5/abstract
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31179163/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31179163/

To my family…
Thank you for the surprise yesterday 💗 Thank you for supporting and believing in me for the last 6+ years. I’ve learned so much from each and every one of you.

From 3lb weights to 20lbs, having “fun” with TRX, and surprising you with mobility challenges, I’ve loved every second. You probably loved the last seconds of the workout when it was over 😆

Forever grateful to have you all in my life.