Plant Sumo Interviews - ted kallmyer

Ted Kallmyer

Healthy Eater

Ted Kallmyer, BA, M.Ed., Certified Nutrition Expert & Coach is the author of HealthyEater.com and The Macro Solution. His energized approach to weight loss and fitness coaching focuses on the unique needs of each client as he challenges them to feel exhilarated through discovering exciting new ways of eating healthy and still enjoying the foods they love, all the while achieving their fitness goals. Ted provides coaching services and resources through his website and is a sought-after media guest. For more information visit www.healthyeater.com.

Company Profiles

When You Feel Overwhelmed Or Unfocused, Or Have Lost Your Focus Temporarily, What Do You Do?

When I feel overwhelmed or unfocused, I take a step back and ask myself. "What do I have to do at this moment, which things can wait, and which things can I say no to?" This helps me prioritize and focus on the task at hand. If it's a creative task, I never force myself to do it in unfocused moments. I simply put it on the back burner until my mind has space for creativity. I've learned that if I'm not in the right headspace my work won't be as creative as it could be and it will take me twice as long to do the task

What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?

I work in the diet and fitness industry so there are countless! The most common issue that I deal with is people (especially women) have been told that they need to practically starve themselves to lose weight and that they must eat 1200 calories or less if they want success. This bad advice leads to a slower metabolism and an unhealthy attitude towards food and eating. People should eat in a deficit to lose weight, but only a safe one that takes into account the person's unique stats, lifestyle, and exercise level.

Where do you see your industry in the next 5 years?

Unfortunately, the obesity epidemic isn't going away any time soon. The diet and fitness industry will still be relevant, although I hope that the trend toward sensibility contiues. It's been great to see the focus shifting and there are more and more companies offering a sensible approach that focuses on food and the mental aspects of losing weight in a healthy and sustainable way.

In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life?

Counting macros to reach my personal fat loss and muscle gain goals. Prior to this, I used a lot of guesswork as to what my body needed nutritionally and I could never quite get to where I wanted to be physique-wise. Focusing on my unique energy expenditure and then tracking macros gave me the tools that I needed to finally get my nutrition dialed in for success and removed the guesswork.

Tell us about your business. What does it do and what value do you add?

I'm a nutritional coach and fitness trainer as well as a published author. I love to help people think differently about nutrition and teach them to fuel their bodies in the right way. With all the misinformation out there, my mission is for clients to return to sensible eating. Eating that centers around healthy whole foods but makes room for some indulgent foods too. I offer personal coaching, self-guided nutritional plans, and a ton of free resources and articles on my website.

How has Covid-19 changed your industry?

Covid 19 has had a big impact on diet and fitness. First of all, people have become more sedentary which hasn't helped people move towards better health and with gyms closing people either quit exercising or have had to greatly adapt their workouts. This has been good for companies that sell at-home fitness equipment but really hard for brick and mortar establishments. The emotional toll Covid has tends to drive people towards comfort foods and emotional eating. It will take many people and businesses some time to get back to where they were pre-Covid.

What's your favourite vegan meal?

My favorite vegan meal is lentil curry and brown rice. I love the Indian flavors and because it combines legumes and rice, I know I'm getting all the essential amino acids my body needs. It's easy to make, frugal, and a big batch provides a lot of quick meals throughout the week.

If You Could Have A Gigantic Billboard Anywhere With Anything On It — What Would It Say And Why?

"You are not your weight" So many people find their identity in what the scale says. This leads to poor self-worth and perpetuates unhealthy attitudes towards food. People are worthy, valuable, and special period no matter what they weigh. Everyone is deserving of better health and a healthier diet and weight loss should be approached from this aspect. "I want to lose fat because I'm worthy of better health and a longer life".

What Careers Advice Would You Give To Your 21-Year Old Self?

You will not be doing the same thing 30 years from now and that's ok. When I was 21, I was just starting my first career as a teacher. I thought that I would be doing that for the rest of my working life. This troubled me because I thought that I had too since that's what I went to college for. I also observed that so many older teachers were so miserable concerning their work and place in life. I didn't want to be like them. After 12 years of teaching, I was no longer enjoying it, and luckily, through a series of events and influential people, I found the courage to go a different route, which led me to what I'm doing now. I now have the wisdom to know that life changes and it's ok to change with it and pursue your passions wherever they may take you. Being fulfilled professionally is more important than a good pension plan.

What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made?

The best investment I've made is to invest in myself. This means learning to value, respect, and honor my uniqueness. I spent many years hiding who I was and afraid to be me. Taking the time to work on my self-worth and to be comfortable with who I am has changed my life in so many ways.

Are you vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or something else entirely?

I'm more of a flexitarian. My diet centers around plant-based foods but I still eat some animal products. I love vegan food and recipes and I'm thrilled how this eating style has evolved over the years. It's never been easier to be vegan or mostly plant-based and it's great that the trend is growing. The more plants a person eats, the healthier they will be.

What's your favourite vegetable?

Organic Spring Salad Greens Mix - I eat so much of this. It makes preparing salads so easy, has a lot of flavor, and is highly nutritious. It can be used as a salad as part of a "bowl" or even in smoothies for a greens boost.

About the Author

Heather-PS

Heather Wilkinson is a globe-trotting content creator and PR enthusiast who’s finally put down roots in her native UK. When she isn’t working, you’ll find her pretending to care about Minecraft for her son’s sake, while secretly reading the latest Ace Atkins novel (or sleeping – her second favourite past-time).