About

My name is Kilee Johnson and I am the founder of Whole Nutrition.  I help others to create health and happiness through educated food choices, exercise, and by setting goals.  I completed my nutrition training in the spring of 2011 with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and am Board Certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

I encourage my clients to discover what foods best fuel their bodies and bring them joy instead of counting calories and restricting entire food groups.  I practice a holistic approach to nutrition by looking at how the different areas of your life are connected.  I advise my clients on how to take small steps to overcome health obstacles. By creating a new way of looking at your food and lifestyle choices, you can lose weight, have more energy and create happiness throughout your life.

I struggled with minor health issues and a constant stomachache until the age of 23, when I discovered that gluten was the culprit behind them.  By removing gluten from my diet and incorporating more natural, whole foods, I was able to finally feel my best. I spend most of my free time educating myself about nutrition and learning how to cook delicious, healthy meals.  I am able to lead a balanced life centered abound  health and happiness.

I have put my focus into sharing my passion and knowledge of healthy foods with others.  My goal is to help those interested, balance health and happiness throughout their life. As a nutritional consultant I am able to offer guidance and support to those wanting to create a healthy lifestyle for themselves.

Please contact me is you are interested in taking charge of your health and happiness!

 

My Story

In order to better help you and other women, I think it’s best if I go back and share my personal story. This isn’t a weight-loss story or a tale of how I overcame substance abuse. It’s my story of how I took control of my health and happiness naturally.

I loved arts and crafts projects

I got started baking at a young age

Childhood

I was always a very creative and outgoing child. I loved to be in front of the camera, had a lot of friends and was always busy with my arts and craft projects. My life was idealistic and I was lucky to have such a great family and support system. Something changed when I was in the 5th grade; my best friend had recently moved to a new school and the friends that I had at school started to distance themselves from me and made fun of me. I didn’t understand why they suddenly didn’t like me and I started to feel alienated at school.

The following year, my family moved to a new town and I attended a new middle school. I felt like I was being “passed” around the playground by different cliques of students and didn’t really connect with any of my new classmates. I focused on my studies and was always in the accelerated learning classes. My 7th grade year, I was in a math class with all 8th-graders, the class above mine. I started to make a few new friends and felt like I connected with them a little better than with my fellow classmates. In my final year of middle school, the class above mine was already at the high school and I remember making some new friends within my class, but never feeling like I really “fit in” with everyone.

 

 

High School

Running cross country and track became my main focus outside of my classes at the high school. I loved running and dedicated myself to being disciplined when it came to training for races. I made friends right away with two girls on the cross country team, twin sisters. They were in the class above mine and we have been close friends ever since. I was even a bridesmaid in Laura’s wedding this past summer. Back to high school! The first three years went pretty smoothly. I excelled in school and always received “A’s” in my classes. My perfectionism was in full swing all throughout high school. I thought I had to be “perfect” at everything or people would not approve of me. I would get so stressed if I got a poor grade on an assignment, if I didn’t meet my goal time in a race or if my hair didn’t look good that day. I honestly thought that if I could be just like Martha Stewart, my life would be perfect! I now see the irony in this thought.

I had my two friends, Lindsey & Laura, and we did everything together. I still didn’t feel that close or comfortable with most of the other students, but it didn’t really bother me too much.

Sophomore year of high school, I had the BIGGEST crush on Blake, but never got up the nerve to talk to him. He now says that he had no idea I even liked him. Junior year, we somehow got hooked up to go to a formal dance together and I knew that this was my chance to test the waters to see if he liked me. We started hanging out and within a month or two, we were dating. Sometimes, I wish we started dating when we were older because he remembers all these embarrassing things that I said and did back in high school!

Fast forward to Senior year. I turned into a little stress ball! Lindsey and Laura moved to California for college, Blake moved two hours away to live with him mom and I felt like no one liked me. I now see this feeling as a theme that started back in 5th grade and continued up until a few years ago, but I’m over that now. All of a sudden I felt depressed. I started crying all the time. I felt sick to my stomach for weeks at a time. I had anxiety about how well I would do in my races, if I would get good enough grades to be awarded college scholarships and if Blake was dating other girls at his new school. I missed Blake, Lindsey and Laura so much and I honestly felt like no one else liked me.

I ended up not doing track my senior year because I felt so miserable and didn’t want the added pressure of competing in track meets. I graduated as one of our class valedictorians and remember feeling embarrassed to speak in front of all my classmates. However, I was thankful to be headed off to college and leaving my small, hometown behind.

My “Core” friends: Courtney & McKenzie

College

I told myself before I took off for college that I was going to a) make lots of new friends and b) be more easy going than I had been throughout high school. It’s amazing what what you can achieve when you make yourself believe things because I made some amazing friends my first day there and felt a little more relaxed about things than I had in high school.

My new friends, challenging classes and fun social life made college a lot more enjoyable than high school. Though, one thing was missing from new life: Blake. Seriously! I think I had to tell every guy that I dated in college about him and I ended up visiting him a few times throughout college. Finally, right before my senior year of college, we got back together and I traveled to Maui any chance I got to visit him. This is also when my anxiety hit an all-time high. I was so convinced that I had to look like a super-model for Blake to want to keep me as his girl friend. (Long story, but I got over it.) I also started to stay in at night instead of going out to parties with my friends. I felt like I didn’t “deserve” to go out and have fun because I didn’t look good enough or feel good enough about myself. (Again, I got over this.) The year drug on as I cried and cried, resorted to anti-anxiety pills and started to see a student counselor to help me work through some of my issues. I’m also lucky because Blake was so supportive of my craziness throughout the whole year.

 

On one of my many hikes on Maui 

Layla got all wet from going in the water during this hike.

Post-College

I made it through my senior year of college (I’m seeing a theme with these rough senior years in school) and moved to Maui as soon as I graduated. I thought that my life would be perfect now that I was living with Blake in a tropical paradise. I got a rude awakening! Yes, I was so happy to be with Blake and the sun and beaches were amazing, but I started to experience some major issues within my life:

PMDD

I finally started putting two & two together. I was an emotional wreck the week before my period. I would spend my days off in bed crying all day. This leads to a very puffy face and unproductive day! I felt like I didn’t deserve to go to the beach or go shopping in the cute shops. I didn’t know where these feelings were coming from. My mind would race about all the things that were “wrong” with me. Some mornings, I felt so bad about myself that Blake would sit down and try to “coach” me through these feelings before leaving for work. Let’s just say that the week before my period was especially dreaded each month.

Poor Body Image

I’m like every other girl out there. We look at the celebrities and models in the magazines and wish that our body looked more like theirs. I was working out less and less and my stomach was becoming more and more bloated from the foods that I was eating. I was so embarrassed of how I looked and didn’t want to be seen in my day to day attire let alone a swimsuit. I’d sometimes cry before we went kite boarding and make Blake promise that I looked good enough to go to the beach with him.

Bingeing and Purging

I had bouts of time where I would feel so overwhelmed with my negative emotions and feelings that I would crave the comfort of sugary foods. I remember eating a bowl of ice cream or a plate of cookies and then feeling so bad about myself that I would make myself throw up. I later learned that I was lacking healthy coping skills and this practice was my way of trying to make myself feel better. Luckily, my experience with bingeingand purging was off-and-on and there were oftentimes months between my episodes. I have felt so embarrassed by this piece of my past, that I almost chose not to share it. However, I know that there are other women out there who are going through the same struggles that I have gone through and I want to help them see that they can overcome anything!

Low Self Confidence

There were times when I lived on Maui that I felt like I was just following in the shadows of Blake. He had a successful helicopter tour company, he was a pilot, he knew a lot of people around the island, he was my boss at work and he had a whole life set up for himself before I moved there. I gave up on my passions in life and this lead to me forgetting my strengths and what I’m good at. I lost a piece of myself by choosing not to follow my own dreams, stay creative and pursue my own passions. I started to feel worse and worse about myself.

Negative Mindset & Complaining

This lack of confidence, poor body image and overall negativity on my part manifested itself into me becoming a huge complainer. I was always able to stay positive and kind at work and in public, but behind closed doors, I was a complaining machine. I complained to Blake about everything. “All we do is stuff for you and your business. I look fat. I don’t want to go here or there. I just want you to come home and spend time with me.” This behavior went on for a good year or two, I’m very embarrassed to report. Looking back, I now understand that it was all because I wasn’t happy with myself and my choices and I was taking it out on poor Blake.

Gluten-Intolerance

I had always had an upset stomach. Like literally, every single day my stomach would hurt. I also had a bloated stomach that got progressively larger as the day went on. I had really bad, embarrassing gas. My anxiety was starting to flare up. I had this weird mental fog (that I didn’t even realize until I cut the gluten out and my mind became so much clearer.) I was crying all the time. My facial acne was getting worse each month. Let’s just say that I was not cute or fun to be around. I was eating what I thought were healthy foods: whole grain cereals, turkey sandwiches on whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta dinners. I had heard about gluten-intolerance from a friend and even tried a gluten-free diet back in college. What I didn’t know at that time, was that gluten is a tricky little bugger that is in tons of unsuspecting foods. My health and well-being were getting progressively worse as I continued to consume gluten.

Lack of Life Passion

I have always known that I was meant to accomplish great feats. I’m a hard worker and will bust my butt to get the job done. What was going on back then was that I wasn’t pursuing any of my passions. I wasn’t making homemade cards or creating new workouts. I didn’t know that I could inspire and help other women to feel their best and live their healthy, happy life. I was literally just plugging along, working for Blake’s company and not making an effort to do the things that bring me joy.

How I Turned My Life Around

 

Started to Do Things I’m Good At

I have always had a passion for cooking and started to research recipes online and create delectable dinners for Blake and I each night. I would look at all types of recipes, go to the store after work to buy the necessaryingredients and race home to make our elaborate dinner night after night. I don’t remember having too many left-overs because we would almost always eat up whatever I cooked and I wanted to try a new recipe the next night. I was so happy cooking in the kitchen!

At work, I utilized my graphic design skills and started to develop magazine AD campaigns for the company. I remember feeling so proud of my work and knowing that my skills were helping the company attract new customers. I started seeing myself as a valuable employee and possessing skills that not a lot of people had. This boosted my self esteem and gave me a greater sense of purpose.

 

Signed Up to Work With a Personal Trainer

I truly believe that my self confidence took a turn for the better when I started to work out with the lovely, Suzie Conney of Suzie Trains Maui. I have always loved to work out, but found myself skipping workouts or not knowing what to do to shed fat and build lean muscle.  Suzie did more than just show me what exercises to do at the gym. She introduced me to stand up paddle boarding (which is one of my favorite activities ever,) she helped me see myself as a capable, strong woman and she encouraged me to do the things I love. I am forever grateful for her kind heart and inspiring presence.

 

Began Listening to Personal Development Audio Books

I love to read and have many, many health and nutrition books. However, there is such convenience that comes with audio books. You can listen to them in the car, while you work out or in bed at night. I credit Blake to introducing me to the amazing works of Anthony Robins, Brian Tracy and Napoleon Hill. I started to see the connection between what you think and what happens in your life. I also started reading books by powerful female authors including Louise Hay, Debbie Ford and Gabrielle Bernstien. Reading about how these authors had overcome challenges and created their best life inspired me to start creating mine.

 

Learned New Coping Skills

Something that I didn’t realize was that I had never developed healthy coping skills. I had such a sheltered childhood that I rarely had anything to get upset about. I remember a few occasions where I did something wrong and ended up sobbing uncontrollably. Fast forward to being 22 years old and feeling really upset and unsure about your life. I didn’t know how to cope with issues that would come up or feelings that I had. I instantly wanted sugar to numb whatever pain I was feeling. What helped me adopt new coping skills was first recognizing that I was feeling upset. Telling myself that I could choose to accept that these emotions were coming up and then try to work through them.

It was not easy. I still sometimes have a tendency to want a cookie when uneasy feelings start to emerge. But, I’ve now mastered new coping skills to work through these fears. I also like to get out of my fearful mindset by calling a friend on the phone, taking a bath, reminding myself of all the wonderful things I have to be thankful for or taking out my journal and writing about any feelings or thoughts that come up. Also, becoming more forgiving of myself and others has been very helpful. As I started to accept my faults and not hold others to such high standards, I started to be okay with things not being “perfect.”

 

Telling Myself That I Am Amazing

As corny as this statement sounds, it has done wonders for my self esteem and poor body image. When I first heard about positive affirmations, I thought that they sounded ridiculous and self-absorbed. I decided to try them anyway. I would tell myself, “I am beautiful inside and out. I am so talented. I am happy and healthy, etc.” At first, I thought I sounded silly and didn’t think much about them. Then over time, I started to believe these statements that I was telling myself. One of the best, easiest, and cheapest ways to start feeling better about yourself is to tell yourself three positive affirmations while standing in front of the mirror each morning. You are amazing! Now, go tell that to yourself.

 

Quit Eating Gluten

This was the single best decision that I have made for my health. I know that not everyone has a difficult time digesting gluten, but I had multiple ailments that were healed by removing gluten from my diet. Daily stomach aches that started around 10 every morning, a bloated stomach that resembled being 4-5 months along, anxiety and overwhelming feelings that something was wrong with me, mental fog, acne, embarrassinggas and about 10-15 unhealthy pounds of fat.

The first day that I stopped eating gluten was the first day in ages that I didn’t get a stomach ache! A few weeks later I realized my stomach wasn’t bloated and I wasn’t gassy like I used to be. A few more weeks went by and my anxiety and fearful thoughts stopped. A few months later I realized I had lost 10 pounds without dieting. After six months had passed, I was amazed at how “clear” my thoughts were. This was so such a weird feeling to experience. It literally felt like my thoughts were behind a fog that had slowly lifted. By this point, I knew there was no way that I could go back to eating gluten. It just didn’t agree with my body chemistry.

 

Getting Out of the House to Go Have Fun

It seems so simple, but when you feel so low and bad about yourself, pulling yourself together to get out of the house can be such a challenge. I was always able to get up and go to work throughout the week, I’m thankful for that. But, on my days off, I could not bring myself to get dressed and go out to enjoy myself. I felt like I didn’t “deserve” to have fun and go do new fun things. I was able to work through this by reminding myself that we all deserve to have fun and enjoy ourselves on our days off. I’d make plans to go for a walk with a friend or rent a board and go paddle boarding. I knew that I would have fun and feel better about myself if I got outside and did something. By reminding myself of how good I would feel later on if I just got out and did something, I was motivated to slip on my flip flops and head out the door.

 

As you can see, it was not one thing that helped me overcome my issues. I had to start being kind to myself, learn to love myself the way I was and continue to work on overcoming my struggles. It didn’t happen overnight, but day by day, I started to feel healthier and happier. I think when I realized that I was in control of my thoughts and could create my best life, I stepped up to the plate and started to make positive changes in my life. I know that if you are struggling with any of the issues that I had, you too can overcome them. I have faith that you have the power to work through any negative traits starting today. You can choose to overcome them.

One of the best ways to start working through an issue is to first admit to yourself that you have one. You’re not a bad or damaged person. You’re real. We all have negative issues that weight us down. Then reach out and learn how you can work through it. Buy a book, talk to a mentor or someone who has overcome what you’re going through, hire a counselor or coach. Whatever you do, don’t sit around and wallow in your own self pity!

I feel a lot better and more open with you now that I’ve shared how I was able to overcome these negative issues and live my best healthy, happy life. My life purpose is to help other women create their own happy, healthy life and I feel lucky to get to share my life and the lessons I learn with you through this blog.