Hey! I’m Cate.
A fitness & nutrition coach who believes you can pursue health without obsession and still feel confident in your body while enjoying taco pizza.
Where I Started
I’ve always been very petite. The kind of skinny people felt oddly comfortable commenting on. Nicknames like “skinny minnie” were usually meant as compliments, but they never really felt that way.
And while I know how that might sound to someone who’s struggled with their weight, this phase taught me something important early on: thin doesn’t automatically mean healthy, confident, or content.
At the time, I lacked confidence more than anything. I felt confused in my body and assumed I needed to lose fat because I wasn’t “defined.” So I tried sprint workouts I hated (and quit), free 30 day challenges that I never stuck to (21 Day Fix LOL), and fat-burning supplements that promised results but never delivered (Advocare anyone?!).
Then came the phase many people quietly relate to.
I was going to the gym 4–5 days a week and eating well during the week. On paper, I was “doing everything right.” But weekends told a different story. Binge drinking, staying up too late, and repeating the cycle week after week.
Even though it was only a couple days, it was enough to undo my progress. I looked inflamed, slept terribly, made poor food choices (hello, 2am Taco Bell), and spent every Monday trying to start fresh (again).
Eventually, that discomfort pushed me into my strict phase.
I tracked my calories religiously and lived to see how lean I could get. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, but I was rigid. There was no room for spontaneity or real life enjoyment.
No matter how lean I got, there was always more to chase. More to tweak. More to improve. I wasn’t content and I also wasn’t fully living.
Looking back, every phase had something in common: extremes.
Not caring…then caring too much.
Drinking too much…then not at all.
Carelessness…then control.
It was a swinging pendulum. And what I was missing, in every single phase, was balance and connection. I wasn’t connecting my actions to how they made me feel beyond the moment. I didn’t see that my habits were slowly shaping a life I wasn’t enjoying, even when the outside looked “good.”
Today, my life looks very different. Not because I’m trying harder, but because I finally stopped chasing extremes.
I no longer strive to be as lean as possible. Not because I can’t, but because I’ve learned that the level of effort it takes to maintain that look isn’t worth what I have to give up to stay there. And more importantly, it isn’t required for feeling good in my body or confident in my skin.
Now, I live in a place of balance and connection.
I remember going out to Indian food with friends and realizing, “oh… this is different now.” I wasn’t worried about it being a low-protein meal or how I was going to “make up for it” later. I was simply present. Enjoying the food, the conversation, and the people I was with, trusting that my everyday habits naturally balance out the occasional meal that’s meant to be enjoyed.
That same ease shows up everywhere else, too.
I can enjoy a spontaneous pizza night on a Tuesday without spiraling. I can have a drink or two without feeling the pull of just one more and not because of rules or restrictions, but because I genuinely feel good where I’m at.
I can say yes to seconds.
And I can just as easily say no when I’m satisfied.
The biggest change, though, has been how I experience my life.
Weekends feel fulfilling now, not something I recover from. I no longer live for Saturday just to waste it drinking or nursing a hangover, and I don’t dread Mondays anymore because my life actually aligns with what I value.
And yes, I still savor the finer things. Happy Joe’s taco pizza (elite). A vodka sour (egg white on top, please and thank you). Because learning how to enjoy these things without guilt is part of building health that lasts.
This is what health looks like to me now: feeling strong and confident, prioritizing my health without obsession, and building a life that feels full, not one I need a break from.
If any part of my story resonates, know this: you’re not behind, you just need the right guidance to move forward.
fun facts about me
An underrated life pleasure: iced coffee with a good pastry
Coffee order: iced latte (whole milk obvs) w/ 1 pump of caramel sauce, not syrup
What I live for: summertime in the midwest & boating on the river. Heaven.
How I stay active outside of the gym: hiking (yes, even in the winter!) & biking the Heritage Trail
My Human: Met Anthony in May of 2024, engaged in April of 2025, & married in September 2025. When you know, you know.
education
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach
Pure PROgramming Certification – Annie Miller
Thyroid Health Masterclass – Nutrition Coaching Institute