🏁NKO Club | the real reason I left my dream job...

01 OPINION:

THE REBOOT: ep. 1 “I Quit My Dream Job”

It’s been over a year since I left Peloton and it’s taken me all these many months filled with recuperating from burnout, dealing with consistent set-backs and pivots (not-compete clauses truly are special) and having the courage to finally go INWARD and get really honest with myself to start the true work of healing that I am writing today: ready to speak.

Now before anyone perks up thinking there will be some big bombshell I am dropping as to why I left, I hate to break it to you but that’s not my style. Sure there were challenges, frustrations and differences in ethos that did help determine my decision to not renew my contract but those details, I have decided, should stay private for the time being. There have been many moments I’ve felt as if I just WISH I could share my full experience but I had to ask myself “who would this help?” and the truth kept coming back to me that if it would not help anyone or anything beyond validating my ego, it has no place. Part of maturing in life is realizing that if your experience could seek to cast shadow on someone else’s positive connection and perspective, then the right thing to do is keep your mouth shut. Shocking, I know, in a world filled with salacious headlines and cancel culture rampant but I would rather focus on CREATING something of true value and empowerment to others, rather then divulging for a quick burst of attention that would serve only social media views and headlines. See, TWO THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT THE SAME TIME and I can be deeply grateful, honored and proud to have been apart of Peloton for 5 years through a global pandemic that helped me evolve and provided the opportunity to reach millions but I can also walk away with my head held high, confident in my value and ready to deepen my drive to impact this beautiful community we all are apart of in a multitude ofways.

INSERT: “THE REBOOT” A new short video series in which I will share weekly some of the most honest, vulnerable and no-bs lessons learned in this year of “in-between.” Since July 2024 I have moved (twice), traveled on more planes and to more cities than my head can fathom, gained new certifications, questioned my entire self, started weekly in-person therapy again and am in the process of building two MASSIVE businesses that have kept myself and Alex on a schedule and stress-filled journey that makes it feel as if we have been married a decade and paid our dues together. This year has made me confront the shadows in my head I kept avoiding and revealed some core-belief threads that needed to be purged and reconnected (a la Pixar’s Inside Out 2…ikyk). My hope, is that this series, which is the "lead-up” to the BIG launch, will be helpful. I hope sharing these lessons of self-doubt, reclaimation, discovery, and true growth leads to ideally some conversations in your own circles or even simply acts as reminders to yourself. Growth is scary and difficult and non-linear but it’s also the only route to living a FULL life, something I promised myself I would do a decade ago after almost choosing to close my story early.

So here’s to The Reboot, to deprogramming and upgrading to a new operating system and recognizing that the best stories begin right in the messy middle.

Thus week 1 I ask:

What would you choose if FEAR wasn’t running the show?

xx Kendall

02 NUTRITION:

NEW! PROTEIN-FORWARD RECIPE ACCOUNT: @nkokitchen

If there is a way I share my love with people it’s often through food, particularly food that can be both DELICIOUS and nutrient-dense. So while I’ll continue to share recipes here, some of the favorites, the snack tips and more will also live on the NKO Kitchen IG account so you can easily save and share your favorites (*cough* until one day I have the time to finally put it all in a cookbook for y’all cough)

15 min Bell Pepper Boats

 INGREDIENTS:

-1 lbs ground beef (93% lean 7% fat or a close alternative)

-1 cup asian slaw mix

-1 packet siete foods Spicy Taco Seasoning

-3-4 large bell peppers

-½ red onion finely chopped

-2 tbs favorite jalapeno lime dressing (optional)

-2 jalapeños finely chopped

-1/4 cup of feta or cotija cheese

-1 fresh lime

-1 tsp black pepper

-1 tsp salt

 INSTRUCTIONS:

pre-heat a nonstick pan on medium. Add your ground beef and mash/ to fine pieces while cooking. once cooked through (all small bits are brown in color) strain the beef to remove the excess fat and return to the pan. on low heat, add your taco seasoning with 2-3 tbs water and mix throughly so all of the beef is covered in the seasoning mix. let simmer on low to thicken and not overcook.

in a mixing bowl combine the asian slaw mix with a jalapeño lime dressing of your choice, optionally you can mix with a little olive oil, fresh lime juice and lime zest for a similar an lower calorie option. set aside.

wash and chop off the stem of the bell peppers and then chop into two half-pieces. remove the seeds so a hollow core is left. set aside.

chop ½ red onion into small pieces & de-seed and chop the jalapeños into fine pieces. set aside.

***OPTIONAL: carefully place the cleaned and halved bell peppers directly onto the stove top flame (if you have a gas cooktop) so a little char appears on the outside of the bell peppers. Watch carefully and remove once they blister. repeat for all and set aside***

assemble the bell pepper boats. take half of a bell pepper, place a small layer of the dressed asian slaw at the base. next, add a layer of the cooked and seasoned ground beef finally add crumbled cheese, chopped red onion & jalapeño to taste. finish with a squeeze of fresh lime or even some lime zest!

with this truly 15 min, high protein, low carb recipe with lots of color and fiber you are sure to be feeling good and satisfied. add bone broth rice or quinoa if looking for a little more healthy carbs on the plate!

TAG @nkokitchen & @nkoclub next time you make this recipe!

03 SHOPPING:

is it possible to travel to europe to three very different locations (cannes, rome, myknonos) with three very different purposes (work, exploration, relaxation) and only use a small carry-on & a tennis bag with packing cubes? well, i can proudly say: YES it is possible. below is ALL the outfits for every location (swimwear and upscale looks included) and the essentials I never travel without for my slick-back bun that can beat ANY Roman humidity or even Grecian wind!

Moving all my links to ShopMy check it out 🙂 

04 YOUTUBE:

WEEKLY VLOGS + COOKING/ GROCERY HAULS & MORE COMING SOON!

Subscribe to my NEW YouTube channel here as we begin to build community with longer formats and more chances to truly connect.

WHAT CONTENT WOULD YOU LIKE? Email me back and I’ll hop on creating more feel-good, health & wellness focused content to keep us all locked in and in the fight… trust me you want to be locked in and subscribed for whats to come!!