New year, same you! We are all on this health journey and though the new year is a great time to re-dedicate to the practices and habits you know make you feel your best, we still think you’re pretty perfect just the way you are. To help us feel good about where we are and give us some advice on how to make the week’s go a little more smooth as the year presses on, we partnered with our friend Katie Brown of@realfoodwithgratitude for our first A More Perfect takeover to get the year started with a healthy bang! Katie is a health coach, fitness instructor, food photographer, and meal prep expert.

Prepping yourself for the week ahead can feel daunting if you don’t know where to start, but, as we all know, it makes the week go so much easier from both a physical and emotional standpoint. Katie helps us navigate our way through meal prepping with some quick and easy tips to keep you on track all week long. Follow along on our Instagram story here.

We got to chat with Katie about her own health journey, love of meal-prepping, and at-home self-care practices.

Get To Know Katie Brown of Real Food With Gratitude

Let’s start with your own health story – what has it been like?

I was a big partier in college who did not sleep much, hardly ever worked out and ate at the dining hall (french fries, grilled cheese and everything in between) for every meal aka #college. After I graduated, I still struggled with my weight and did lots of diets and yo-yo-ed with my weight but never was happy with where I was because I never felt good. After a few years, I got fed up with working out all the time and restricting myself and never actually losing any weight or feeling better that I made a change, started an Instagram to learn as much as I can, share my recipes and hold myself accountable.

Over the last 18 months, both my Instagram and business have developed into more of a ‘healthy food lifestyle’ centered around a busy life but able to eat well and feel good as well (and it became less about ‘recipes.’) I love showing people it’s about what is IN your food aka the ingredients, not the numbers associated with it, that matter. Also, a big takeaway for me and I think for a lot of people these days is that we don’t have to fear fat like we were once told to do. Also, there is so much more to life than counting numbers.

What has been the biggest challenge turned lesson you’ve learned along the way?

Do not compare yourself to others. You are the ONLY you out there and that is something to be proud of.

What’s one ingredient you couldn’t meal prep without?

Avocado oil or olive oil I definitely could not go without!

What is your number one piece of advice for people trying to meal prep more consistently?

Don’t over complicate it, don’t cook foods you don’t like and to be creative (don’t make 5 containers of the same grilled chicken, steamed broccoli and dry brown rice) because…yuck, I wouldn’t meal prep either if that’s what I had to eat.

What is your must-do self-care practice that helps you stay balanced with your busy schedule?

Water first thing in the morning then make bulletproof coffee and due to working at home, if I feel overwhelmed and need a change of scenery I go take a 15-minute bath. When I was in an office, it would be a 10-minute walk outside.

And finally, what is your favorite Perfect Bar?

Mocha Chip is my favorite!