SoulCycle Star Kitty Terzo Explains Why She Thinks All Foods Are Good Foods - Exclusive

You may know Katherine "Kitty" Terzo from a SoulCycle spin class or through social media. Not so surprisingly, Terzo has a long history of being physically active, starting in grade school with dance competitions. When she wasn't dancing, she was playing soccer, which ultimately led to an obsession for running by the time she hit middle school. Thus track and field became her primary sport throughout high school and as an adult, she's turned her passion for movement into a career as a SoulCycle instructor.

But her passion for healthy living doesn't stop at movement. Food, she's learned, plays a critical role in fueling our bodies and her belief is all foods are good foods. Though she pays attention to what she eats, she doesn't avoid any foods, especially the ones she really loves. If a certain type of food makes her body feel strong and powerful during her workouts, she's going to eat it. While she's always intuitively known how to move her body in ways that support a healthy lifestyle, it took her a little longer to develop a food philosophy that resonated with her.

Terzo joked that it's taken her years to figure out how to fuel her body. "I am a bottomless pit — I can eat a whole meal and in an hour I'm just ready to eat again." Which is why she believes there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet. Because each body is different, it's really important to experiment and find what works for you — the foods that fuel one body might not work for another. 

For her, protein and carbs are crucial and she tries to incorporate them with every meal and snack. She's also found it helpful to eat protein before and after each workout to ensure she's giving her body the fuel it needs to replenish itself. And beyond protein, she's outspoken about the role carbs can play in a healthy diet. "Carbs are good! Please eat your carbs, everyone. They are our main source of energy. And so important. Pasta, oatmeal, rice, good fruits, vegetables. I love doing, for little snacks, some rice cakes with peanut butter or Nutella."

When people ask Terzo how they should eat to fuel their bodies, she stresses that all foods have a place in a healthy diet. And perhaps more important than food choice is how you eat, or rather how much you eat. "Eat things that you like, just be mindful about it, because even a "healthy food" can be bad for you if you eat too much of it."

When it comes to the advice she gives about food, Terzo walks the talk. While many health advocates avoid sugar, Terzo does not. However, she'll typically strategically save her sugar intake for after a workout in order to replenish glucose stores. It's clear by now she's not always going to hit up the smoothie bar post-workout and if a hamburger's what she's in the mood for, she's going for it.

Catch Kitty at SoulCycle Miami!