CheekyChicago

We spend an average of eight hours a day, 40 hours a week and some 94,000 hours of our lifetime at work. Finding balance between work, family, friends and our health can get tougher and tougher! Chef, Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer, Katie Simmons, has some tips on how to do it all and stay healthy.

A recent graduate of culinary school, Kendall College, Katie has been teaching, training and cooking for ten years. “I started cooking for other people while working full-time as a personal trainer. I started by doing personal chef cooking and catering for clients who wanted healthier options, both for special events and weekly meals,” she says. Katie now works at the Lincoln Park Whole Foods Market Wellness Club where she oversees recipe development and testing for sale. This program educates people on how to eat and work out right. She also plans and tests menus for Whole Foods Market Supper Clubs, a nightly meal service.  “We aim to get back to the foundation of healthy eating with a plant-strong whole-foods diet,” she notes. Since Katie herself changed to a more plant-based diet, she has lost 30 pounds and gained incredible energy! By training her clients and helping them eat right, she says it “evolved into a full-fledged passion for the love of delicious food without feeling guilty from overindulgence.”

Especially around the holidays, it’s so easy with family functions and holiday parties to overindulge. Time-crunched? “Workouts can happen anywhere and anytime,” she explains. Katie wants Cheeky readers to know that it’s all about finding a workout that speaks to you. “Want to feel energized? Go for a walk outside. What to feel open and lifted? Do some stretching or yoga at home. Want to feel powerful? Take a muscle definition class. Katie keeps Cheeky fit by kicking butt in her Cardio Kick, Tabata, Strength and Cardio Core Ball classes at Equinox Gyms and at Lakeview Athletic Club.

For people who work out more than an hour a day, she reminds us to not skip the carbohydrates. Complex carbohyrdates are to be eaten as fuel for your workouts. Eating whole, natural foods keeps her running eight-minute miles without needing more food or sugary sports drinks to keep her going. “Diet is your medicine. More important than fitness, diet has a huge impact on our health, your weight, your energy level and how you feel daily.”

If you have any pressing or Cheeky questions, contact Katie at katie.simmons@wholefoods.com!