I’m a Yoga Instructor Who’s Training for Broad Street. Here’s Everything I Eat in a Week.

A week in the life of Kristen Koton of @completelykristen.


Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

Welcome to Sweat Diaries, Be Well Philly’s look at the time, energy, and money it takes to pursue a healthy lifestyle in Philly. For each Sweat Diary, we ask one Philadelphian to spend five days tracking everything they eat, all the exercise they get, and the money they spend on both. Want to submit a Sweat Diary? Email ccunningham@phillymag.com with details.

Who I am: Kristen Koton, 33 (@completelykristen)

What I do for a living: Yoga instructor at Grace & Glory Yoga Fishtown and a home health coordinator

What role health and fitness plays in my life: My body craves physical activity and food that is going to fuel it. If I don’t give it what it wants, it’s noticeably reflected in my mood and energy levels. Living a balanced life is a daily intention of mine and I strive to help others discover that through movement and nutrition. I prefer not to count calories/macros or follow a specific diet. My body tells me what it needs — and if that’s pizza, then so be it.

Health memberships: I have Classpass’ one-class-per-month membership (used at Flywheel 100 percent of the time). I also have a free teacher membership at Grace & Glory Yoga Fishtown.

Monday

Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

5:30 a.m. — Up and at it. First thing I do every morning is drink a big glass of water while the Keurig does its job. I enjoy a slower start to my mornings by drinking coffee, watching the news, and reviewing my planner for what I need to accomplish for the week.

6:45 a.m. — Time to start the 90-minute commute. All food for the office is packed in my favorite lunchbox, a Lululemon bag. To make the Schuylkill Expressway traffic tolerable, I listen to the audio book The Year of Less by Cait Flanders while drinking hot green tea with honey.

9:30 a.m. — I grab a banana and Justin’s Honey PB squeeze pack and re-fill my water bottle.

12:45 p.m. — Starving after back-to-back meetings. I need to run to Whole Foods for groceries, so I heat up my lunch for the road: Roasted cabbage, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and carrots on a bed of spaghetti squash with a Beyond Meat plant-based burger with green peppers and onions mixed into it. All of it is drizzled with some Tesse Mae’s Ranch (being from West Virginia, ranch is practically in my DNA.) At WF, Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are two for $3 so I treat myself. It’s gone before I’m back at the office. ($22)

3:30 p.m. — I’m feeling an energy slump. Knowing I need to run later, it’s time for a cup of coffee and a Square Organics Toasted Coconut Crisp Bar.

5 p.m. — Prepared for the 90-minute commute home with a full water bottle and an apple to snack on.

Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

7 p.m. — A six-mile run is on the agenda for the Broad Street Training Program I’m leading for GGY. Sometimes the hardest part is getting out the door and that is true today. My #ggyrunsbsr Spotify playlist gets me through.

8:30 p.m. — Showered, comfy clothes on, gigantic post-run smoothie in hand topped with granola and almond butter. Not super hungry tonight (probably from the coffee) so this will be my dinner.

10:30 p.m. — After my weekly dose of Vanderpump Rules, it’s off to bed with a large glass of water, my Chapstick, and phone on my nightstand.

Daily total: $22

Tuesday

Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

7 a.m. — Slept in. Water, coffee, catching up on the news about today’s Nor’easter. I try to remember every morning to add Vital Proteins to my coffee or a smoothie throughout the day.

8 a.m. — A second cup of coffee is the motivation I need to dive into my emails. I’m working from home today.

9:30 a.m. — I put two of the waffles I prepped on Sunday in my toaster, then top them with almond butter, sliced banana, and honey. Back to work.

11:45 a.m. — It’s time to make some yogis sweat. I grab an orange and hot water with lemon and honey before heading to GGY.

3 p.m. — Back home and back to work, but I need food. After looking through all of the cabinets and the fridge, I grab a Siggi’s vanilla yogurt and put a heaping spoonful of almond butter and granola on top. I want to wrap up the work day so I can make it to hot yoga at 6 p.m.

7:45 p.m. — I’ve got post-yoga, post-shower hunger. This is the perfect weather for tomato soup and grilled cheese. After roasting tomatoes, onions and carrots in the oven, I toss in the Vitamix with almond milk to blend.

Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

9:30 p.m. — I add some tasks to my planner, mark off what’s completed and update my Broad Street Training Program progress while watching RHOBH.

10:30 p.m. — Good night.

Daily total: $0

Wednesday

Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

6:30 a.m. — My eyes open before my alarm sounds. My morning is water, coffee, news, and waiting for the snow to arrive.

8:30 a.m. —  SNOW DAY = working remotely again. I grab a second cup of coffee before opening my laptop.

10 a.m. — Time for breakfast. Two pieces of avocado toast with one egg, Everything but the Bagel seasoning, and Yellowbird Sriracha. I’ve had enough coffee for now and switch to hot green tea with lemon and honey.

12:30 p.m. — My group text thread about whether or not it’s smoothie weather makes me want one. An orange creamsicle smoothie, it is. I make an extra serving for my Thursday morning drive.

3:30 p.m. — All GGY evening classes are cancelled due to the snow so the 4:30 p.m. is my only chance to yoga today. My body is telling me to eat something before sweating in a packed room for 60 minutes. I decide on a yogurt bowl using Siggi’s Banana & Cinnamon yogurt, half a banana, granola, and almond butter. (Is there such thing as too much almond butter? Nope.)

Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

6 p.m. — I’m getting an extra arm workout in today cleaning the heavy snow off of my car.

6:30 p.m. — I’m showered and ready to cook dinner when I realize there is no pasta. I’m off to Riverwards Produce for pasta, more vegetables, and of course, Tate’s Chocolate Chip Cookies ($13).

7:45 p.m. — Dinner is served. Whole wheat pasta, spicy chicken sausage, banana peppers, sautéed spinach, and broccoli, all tossed in Simply Organic Alfredo Sauce.

9:45 p.m. — Kitchen is clean. Thursday’s lunch is packed. I’m exhausted. I’m heading to bed, but not before eating three cookies for dessert.

Daily total: $13

Thursday

Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

5:30 a.m. — Water, coffee, and news to check out the traffic post-nor’easter before starting the 90-minute commute.

6:30 a.m. — My office is opening late due to the snow. I decide to begin my drive anyways and to spend a few hours at Whole Foods finishing up some blog drafts. During the drive, I catch up on one of my favorite podcasts, “Straight Up with Stassi,” and drink the second half of my orange creamsicle smoothie.

8 a.m. — More caffeine? Don’t mind if I do. I order a hot latte and park it at the Whole Foods Café in Exton ($4.50).

10:30 a.m. — Let the work day begin. My quick breakfast of Siggi’s Mango yogurt is finished and my water bottle is re-filled before going into a meeting.

12:30 p.m. — Lunch is roasted veggies, spaghetti squash, and a Beyond Meat burger with Yellowbird Sauce. (I carry a small, travel-size hot sauce in my work bag.)

2 p.m. — I grab an Origin Almond Goji Ginger Antioxidant-Ade as it’s nearing snack time.

4:30 p.m. — Knowing I’ll need the energy to run when I get home, I reach for my banana and Justin’s Honey PB squeeze pack.

5 p.m. — Ready for the drive home with a full water bottle and apple.

7 p.m. — Out the door for six miles.

Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

8:30 p.m. — I make a post-run chocolate PB cup smoothie with more almond butter and granola on top for dinner. I’m creating a restorative sequence for a yoga class I’m leading tomorrow. Typically my classes are fast-paced and challenging, so this will be a great opportunity to switch it up.

10:15 p.m. — Struggling to keep my eyes open watching the news, then it’s off to bed with my Chapstick, phone, and water on my nightstand.

Daily total: $4.50

Friday

Photograph courtesy Kristen Koton.

6:45 a.m. — Alright, alright. I’m up after hitting snooze a few times. Water, coffee, news.

8 a.m. — Time for emails. I make another cup of coffee and tackle my inbox.

9:30 a.m. — Before heading out the door to GGY, I make a piece of Ezekiel toast with banana, almond butter, and honey.

12 p.m. — I’m home to change and then headed to my local office to work the remainder of the day. I make a quick salad before leaving: spinach, cucumber, Beyond Meat burger, avocado, shredded mozzarella cheese, and Annie’s Thousand Island dressing. I’m never without snacks so I pack a yogurt and granola to take with me.

1 p.m. — So much Easter candy in the office. I grab my Chobani Blackberry yogurt and refill my water bottle.

4 p.m. — After walking past the Tootsie Roll Easter eggs a million times, I grab a few. Not that great; I’d rather have a PB egg.

5:30 p.m. — A quick change back into yoga clothes. I’m off to GGY with a handful of granola to hold me over until dinner.

7:15 p.m. — The post-yoga, post-shower hunger is real and I’m craving mac ‘n’ cheese. For a healthier version, I make a box of 365-brand white cheddar mac ‘n’ cheese and add the roasted sweet potato, eggplant, spinach, and cabbage leftover in my fridge.

8:30 p.m. — I’m creating the HIIT portion of Saturday’s GGY FIIT class and a new playlist.

10 p.m. — A cookie for dessert, then bed.

Daily total: $0

Weekly Totals

Money spent: $39.50

Cups of coffee: 10

Yogurts: 5

Hours spent commuting: 6

Miles run: 12

Yoga classes taught: 2

Yoga classes taken: 3

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