The Sober Butterfly Podcast

Sober Fit Girl Kathryn Sauser

• Nadine Mulvina, Kathryn Sauser

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Nadine chats with Kathryn Sauser, aka Kat from Sober Fit Girl, about fitness, sobriety, and personal transformation.  Kathryn shares her sobriety journey, revealing how it has drastically improved her life, including mental health, relationships, and professional success. They also talk about the benefits of traveling, especially Kathryn’s retreats in Bali, and the supportive community at Sober Fit Girl, a program designed to help women explore sobriety in an approachable, non-judgmental way. The episode wraps with Kat answering audience questions about sober dating and socializing, and the future of the sobriety and wellness movement.

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the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Hello, and welcome to the Sober Butterfly podcast. I'm your host, Nadine and today we are joined with a very special guest, Kathryn Sauser, aka Kat from Sober Fit Girls. Welcome to the Sober Butterfly. I am so, so happy to have you here today. How are you?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I'm so good. I'm really excited for this episode with you? Nadine.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I wanted to kind of, do a quick, like, uh, icebreaker, if that's okay.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

do it.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

All right, cool.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

ice.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Let's break the ice, because I want people to really get a sense of who you are, what you're into, If you could do one workout for the rest of your life, what would it be? I know, this is hard.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Wow,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

No softballs. Oh

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

question than what my drinking was like. Um, definitely a heavy Weighted, booty, hip thrust. Like, if I had to pick one exercise for the rest of my life, put me in a hip thrust with extreme heavy weight.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

my gosh. So I'm imagining like you lie down, you put this huge weight over like your pelvic bone and you're thrusting. Thrust, thrust, right? Is that what it is?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

just sick. Just thrust that weight, girl. I, um, I, before I got into fitness, I did not have a booty whatsoever and so it is one of my biggest wins is? creating a butt for myself to feel more confident and it was through hip thrusting very heavyweight.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I'm taking notes. I recommend you at home.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Everyone take notes is that it can be that simple that exercise and then booty bands with hip thrusting

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

So just so we're clear and we're normed, it is possible to build a booty.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Oh, but if you could see my pictures from before and after it would blow your mind

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Okay. No BBL.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

petite person. I'm very petite and before I started my fitness journey. I was around 92 pounds

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Oh wow.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

now I'm around 120 and it's All muscles, but I don't look like extremely different. Um, I just look more fit and tone and I had some eating disorders prior to, to getting fully sober. If anyone's listening, like the scale sucks, and I've really worked through that. And now, I just lift really heavy weights and it's not like I look big or bulky or anything, but you do have to lift heavy weights and burn out that butt to make it grow.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Muscle failure. Okay. So it can be achieved without a BBL is what I'm hearing. And the key is weightlifting, heavy lifting. And don't be afraid because I think your point and myself, I've had the misconception that like, I don't want to bulk up I'm like a bigger, like, taller girl. So, like, my fear is that I'm going to look like, I don't know, like a wrestler,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

yeah. And of course, like females have different hormones than men. So it's almost pretty impossible to like get really bulky as a female unless there is some genetic background around that. So absolutely not. None of my clients and all of the thousands of women that I've worked with have gotten bulky. it's such a myth in the fitness industry that, you know, You just, it, it's like can't happen. Like I lift weights all the time and for me to maintain my muscle, I have to continue to lift heavy. So definitely, especially if you are a petite, like I'm, I'm coming from Polish background, so like they're very petite. like I didn't have any muscle on me, so you have to lift heavy. Like if you want like a strong glutes, you got, you gotta, you gotta thrust. the heavy stuff

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

You gotta thrust. You heard it here first. We're thrusting our way through 2025. Um, thank you. That's very helpful, Kat. So I want to now do a quick get, getting to know you around sobriety and lifestyle. what is your go to non alcoholic drink when celebrating a big win?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

So I'm a huge fan of the Lyres brand. I've done some promotional content with them, and there are non alcoholic champagne is absolutely amazing. I find that most of the non alcoholic roses and red wines, I have a few good red ones, um, just don't really taste. They taste more like juice, but the non alcoholic Lyres. definitely tastes pretty similar to champagne. Obviously it's never going to be the same because there's not that alcohol, but I, I'm a huge fan. I have lots of bottles. And I

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Okay.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

and I love them. Their whole brand and the, the people that work there are just so awesome. and they're all over now. I think they started in UK and stuff. I'm not sure. Have you heard of them?

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I have, I've not tried their non alcoholic champagne, but I'm adding to this. Yeah. Okay. That's great. Like I, I'm obsessed with just different AF drinks and cocktails and things like that. I'm assuming, similar to me, not triggering for you. Like, if something mimics the taste of alcohol, you're okay to drink it still.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Yes, I'm totally fine. But I will say in my first year, three years of sobriety. I did not touch any non alcoholic, not even beer, no wine, nothing. I was just too scared around year three. I started traveling a lot with my friends who are all normal drinkers and then I started to and I did it with like caution. I was very cautionary about it. when I did start drinking non alcoholic, I will tell you the rose was a little triggering. Um, so I don't really like hit the roses and also they weren't that great, to be honest. Um, but yeah, no problem. But I will, if you're listening in your beginning, your sobriety, I would just be like, you know, how it feels. And that's why, like, having an accountability person or a mentor that you can talk about it and be honest with, because truthfully, like, be super honest with yourself. Like, why risk

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah, that is perfectly said. I am at the three year mark. And I would say after a year, I started to experiment more with non alcoholic drinks. But I was worried, I was worried that it would, Send me spiraling. I was worried that I might relapse. I was worried that it would obviously be triggering. But I found to your point, being transparent, being honest, and not letting something Make you regress to the beginning, like if you do find it triggering, talk to someone, connect, you know, I love that. Um, okay, my next category, getting to know Kat, travel and adventure. You are a wanderlust, I feel like I'm the same. so if you could design a dream sober vacation, or like even like a sober retreat, because you're a wellness girlie, anywhere in the world, and I know you're well traveled, where would it be?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

So I spent my first year and a half of sobriety in Bali and I actually do Sober Fit Girl Bali retreats and I have mine coming up in March. I do them every March and September. and I'm leaving for Bali, actually, tomorrow. in 10 days to stay there for a couple months again. I'm really excited because I'm celebrating my five year anniversary. And it's like, I want to go back and like feel where it all started. So the reason I choose Bali is actually because it was such a perfect place for me to start my journey. it was during the pandemic. So it was a lot easier for me to stay sober and being there. You're just so immersed in new things, new activities. I learned how to swim. I learned how to ride a motorcycle. I mean, all these cool things that to be? honest, like I got started getting sober in New York. I was only sober like 5th, maybe 30 days before I left for Bali. It's a lot harder, you know, there's just a lot of social things happening. It's very, you know, it's in society. So, um, the reason I like it there is because. The Balinese are very religious, too. So there's like, not a ton of alcohol. and so anyone that's, you know, new to sobriety and can go on trips. I mean, just being there and it's such a spiritual place to there's like, ton of healing things to do healers out there breath work. It's rare really got introduced to, like, my spiritual practice and things that. Really ground me and reconnect with myself. Um, that's, that's my place. Always, always, always.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Similar to you, I got sober after 30 days, around 30 days of sobriety. I went on like this six week trip to different countries and actually getting out of the familiar to your point really helped anchor my sobriety because I wasn't So tempted by like all of my day to day, like my routine, people, places, things like removing myself from that ecosystem actually really helped my sobriety thrive because I was a new place, like new place, new me kind of thing. And I was really able to lean more into my sobriety. So I absolutely love that. And you guys, we will plug that retreat in March and in September Bali. Oh, my God. Like I was there around September. The last time I was in Bali and I feel like it's their quote winter, but it's like perfect weather. It's mid, it's so beautiful

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

so busy to

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

that yeah, I felt like it was a good low season time to go. So like Bali high on my list too. Okay. My final question before we get into like the real nuances of your story is just about like, what's a fun fact or something about you cat that people may not know or realize? Upon meeting you or following you on social.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

my least favorite question

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Tell us something, tell us your deepest darkest secret. No, it's okay. Tell us something that we wouldn't be able to tell about you.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Um, I love pickles.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Ah, you love pickles. Did you do that Duolupo challenge where she like did the Coke, Coca Cola and the pickle? Have you heard of this?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

No,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

It was viral for a little bit.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

like a whole jar of pickles in one sitting.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Okay. Okay. Pickle girl. I love it.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I'm, I've been a pickle girl since a child.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I love that.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

like people have their favorite foods but they like go in and out? Like I will always be able to smash a pickle jar.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

That's a healthy thing to, like, pick at. Pickles, right? Like, that's a healthy thing to,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

so

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

oh,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

bloated body.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

oh, the sodium content. I didn't even think about that. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's not the best.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

it.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Were you, back in the day, a dirty martini girl? Like, is that your palate?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Mine is espresso martini.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

hmm. Yeah, like the bitter, the bitter.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

man, I

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

so many and that's probably why, like, alcohol didn't make me sleepy is I always had, like, a Red Bull vodka or an espresso martini. I liked to be.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yes. Also, I don't know if you ever caught the Huberman lab episode. He talks about if alcohol energizes you because it's classified as a depressant, that could mean that you have some kind of trait that leads towards like, being on the alcohol use disorder spectrum, like more on the high end. Yeah. Yeah, so, like, or it could be the fact that you were, like, or it could be the fact that you were drinking, like, espresso, martinis, or a combination.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I mean, that's one of the reasons I drank was over excitement

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Mm hmm, yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I was such a, call myself in my drinking days like a manic depressive. So whenever I felt sad, I just like had to be up. Like I didn't want to sit in the sadness. So it was always like a hundred miles per hour. And so I was more of like an upper girl.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Uh, yeah, I can relate to that so much. I just didn't want to sit with uncomfortable feelings. So I would love to now talk about what life looked like for you prior to getting sober five years ago.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I've lived in like, I think nine different cities. And I will say that I always came with me and, you know, when I was younger, I was, I mean, I've always been just the party girl. been the blackout party girl since I was very young. And I think, you know, it just got worse and worse and worse. Um, drinker. Every time I'd go out, I would drink something bad always happened. I never ever was an everyday drinker. I never woke up and had the hair of a dog. I mean, maybe on a brunch on a sunday. but that's how my drinking always was. There was a time in my life where it did get a lot Darker is when I lived in Los Angeles and I got really immersed in the party scene. but it was still like blackout drinking. It's just my drinking got a little more dangerous where I would end up in situations not even remember when I woke up where I was the previous night just just was getting a little bit scarier first. You know, the girl that. goes out, parties, and like drunk texts her ex. Like this, it was getting scary. And then I, moved in with my previous partner who I lived with in Canada. And our relationship kind of just didn't do well due to alcohol usage. And that's kind of where I started to get sober curious. I was 27 and I didn't have. A good career going or anything, and I was passionate about fitness. I started to do bodybuilding shows. That's how I got into fitness. Um, and then that's when I moved to New York, I, even though I was sober curious from 27 to 30 in New York, even though I had. Like longer stints of sobriety between like, you know, like a week or two my blackouts were starting to get worse So this is like the thing that I say to anyone who's sober curious like my sober curious journey was Almost harder than being fully sober because I was attempting moderation over and over again. And it's, there was a mixture of like, Oh, I keep drinking this, you know, I suck. I can't get this. So I would drink more. and just my blackout started to get again, very dark, very dangerous. And once you hit 32 and I find out a lot of women get sober at 30, it's like, wait, this isn't cute anymore. Um, So, you know, I just think it was a lot of trauma. Dad passed away from alcoholism, had a lot of grief under there. And when I would drink, I was obviously suppressing a lot of trauma and sadness. So, as I started to get closer to sobriety, that stuff started to come up to the surface of things that I needed to look at in my mental health, my family stuff, etc. And so when I would drink. The drinking really wasn't helping me escape those emotions anymore. It just didn't work. wasn't working

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Um, and so that's kind of when I was like, you know, it was kind of like a random Tuesday. I say, you know, this I'm done.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I'm really sorry to hear about your dad, Kat. I also lost my father and it was propelling me. I'm sorry to hear about your dad. Like, that really. Has such an impact and I think personally where the alcohol took a turn as well. Like, it was no longer like, oh, this is just fun. It became Oh, like, I'm leaning on this. I don't want to feel. And so now I'm going to. remove myself or try and remove myself from myself to escape some of the realities and the trauma and the inner work that needed to get done. To pick up, like you said, it was like a random Tuesday, five years ago. when you decided that kind of enough was enough, did you have a rock bottom or was it just a culmination of like recognizing the different red flags, beige flags, whatever color flags,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

The biggest thing that I started to realize is in the three years I was sober curious, I was actually starting to get to know the sober cat. I like to say this in my community, like ping pong backing forth from. Sober Cat to Drunk Cat, but when you first start to get sober curious, you really, I didn't really know who Sober Cat was, and I started to like, like her more than Drunk Cat, even though, like, I didn't like Drunk Cat at all. So I think for me, it just was, you know, feeling, feeling good. And realizing how bad I felt as drunk cat and going back and forth. And then this, like the drunk cat started to get, like, I just didn't like her anymore. I was sick of her. I was done with her. Um, and I really wanted to start leaning on sober cats. My, at the time my business was doing good. I was going to lose a lot of things. I was starting to, even though my business was doing good, like it could have done a million times better, you know? and it was the same. story over and over. My drunk escapades are always the same thing. I get blacked out. I do other substances.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Say, say, uh huh, uh huh. Insert.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

dudes that I don't even, haven't spoke to in years. Um, you know, wake up, horrific hangover. And the last time I drank, the last like three to four times I drank, Um, I was starting to get a PTSD and started to, um, not, I, I was seeing things like I really wasn't seeing things. It just was really high, high, high paranoia and PTSD that I was starting to get really scared of how I felt after just because I did do other substances almost every time I drank. I think because of the, the drug usage while partying. started to just make me really, really scared of how I was starting to feel mentally. I never was, like, setting myself up to, like, commit suicide or whatever, but I did realize, like, this is going really dark and if I continue to drink, there could be know, something bad, bad happened and you guys can all like, figure out what that bad is without me saying it. But I, it was just, I was sick of it. Same thing over and over It was so predictable.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Insanity is doing the same thing, expecting different results. I would like to describe my drinking as the threshold completely being lowered, which would allow me in my drunken state, compromised state, to experiment with other substances. Um, and it became Another additional problem, but like the funny thing is removing the alcohol really reduced or removed my desire to try any other substance. It was only ever when I was drinking that I wanted to

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Same.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

do, Oh, like you have Coke. You have like, what do you have? What's over there? Let me go to the bathroom.

And now a quick word from our partners.

the-sober-butterfly_25_12-24-2024_142305:

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the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

So you moved to New York, you were doing bodybuilding competitions, but yet you were still kind of like in the throes of your drinking. Explain to us. What life look like?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Yeah, so my cycle pretty much looked like, you know, work out really hard during the week. Overdue cardio. I'm almost starved myself. Then Friday would hit and I would reward myself with alcohol, but my calories rarely came from alcohol because I was like a vodka soda girl.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Okay,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

and after I, cause I would freak out and be like, I can't have those sugary drinks. And then,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

while I was blacked out or the next day I would binge eat probably. over 2000, 3000 calories. Um, so that was my cycle for many years due to like, I never missed a workout either. I always, you know, was obsessive about my body. Um, because I have had serious eating disorders. so I just think that the fitness was just fueling the eating disorders. And then the alcohol was. Also fueling it too because I had a lot of you know, I had a lot of body like issues and um, I drink over them. I just had a lot of insecurities. I came from a home where like weight was so big and like on food and commenting on bodies, and it just had transpired years. You know, if anyone comes from eating disorders, it's from mostly childhood or, um, like through high school bullying and stuff. So, yeah, the alcohol just fueled my insecurities. Um, and then I would, you know, punish myself,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

yes,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

time though, like, through sobriety, using the tools that I give my clients and stuff, I've really worked through that, because being in the cycle of, starving yourself, overdoing cardio, and then, you know, rewarding yourself, and then more punishing, you're just making it so hard on yourself.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I would drink and then binge. late night or the next day and then punish myself by restricting and then the cycle would start all over again or if I ate too much then I would over exercise to compensate so it was just like this constant exhausting cycle connected to my drinking and specific to drunkorexia it would literally be me like I wanted because my tolerance was so high I wanted to Have the most impact and I also wasn't drinking like mixed drinks. Never that I was like, give me zero chaser I want to get straight to the point so I was I would take I know i'm serious. I would take shots. I wanted to feel it so like removing the alcohol really forced me to take a closer look at like my relationship with food and exercise and to stop punishing myself.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Probably eat more and work out less and you look better now.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

exactly. Thank you for bringing that point up. It is crazy. I was working. I was fighting against myself. Basically. I was literally like just fighting to maintain the mid I'm gonna say mid. I had a good body but like mid middish body compared to now Um, and yeah, I work out less. I eat more and I feel better how did your life start to change once you gave up alcohol

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

you know, sobriety is hard. It's hard. But drinking is harder. is harder. And sobriety is a different kind of hard because when I got sober, I started to have to look at this stuff that's underneath why drink insecurities, fear, resentment, family trauma, dad's death. I mean, body insecurities, eating disorders. I mean, it was all there. and so it can feel very overwhelming. And I will say my first year of sobriety, I cried almost every single day and I'm talking like weeping. Like full blown. Um, but it was good. And any client I ever have in my community, I'm like, let, keep crying, go, like, let it out. Um, because that's just like, suppress trauma and grief. that's why I believe having a support system is really important in your first. for I still have a support system like I'll never not have a support system. so it's a different kind of hard So my first year I was on the pink cloud though Like I was in bali living my you know, learning how to surf and doing all these things Um, and I was hitting new levels of feeling good physically and mentally even though I was going through that stuff. Um, I Started to realize I didn't know how bad I was feeling until I started to feel good The trees looked different, the colors of the sky look different. I looked different. My face looked different. My skin looked different. My bank account looked different. I mean, you know, there's so many and it happens fast and I see this in my community a lot. I ended myself, but when I see it through someone else, it's like I couldn't see it in myself, but people change within two weeks. I mean, it is wild. You know, I have some clients that hit 60 days and I'm like, who are you? You're completely different person. You're like glowing. so things changed really fast for me. I started to have more time. I already had a business. It was sweat with cat at the time. I was doing online coaching with and it was doing good with the pandemic. So my business started to go really, really fast. Because I was tapped in, like, keep in mind, I've always been an entrepreneur. I've done e commerce. I've done a ton of, um, online work, but imagine not drinking, not having a hangover. Cause I was either always drunk or hungover. So take all of that time away. It's like, let's go. And so I, my business started to take off. Um, just, you know, what I've accomplished in five years of sobriety would have taken me 30 years drinking.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

wow.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

plus, um, and you just had this insane momentum and, and the biggest reason I stopped drinking, obviously, was, you know. the embarrassment stuff was, again, because of my mental health, like, It was scaring me. Like, I was starting to get scared. So that was the thing I felt the most was like, Oh, my God, I never have to feel a hangover again. Like, and of course, like, yeah, there's times in my, in my You know, sobriety where I'm like, Oh, didn't I say something wrong on that date, but nothing like being drunk on a day. And what did I see last night?

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I know.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

gone. So everything changed. Like, I even have a great relationship with my mother now, which is shocking. You know, I think that it just opens up opportunities that, you know, you just don't know what you don't know. And I had, if someone were to say, I'd be on this podcast with you, or I'd be five years sober, have sober think I'll be crazy, like, you're smoking something. So I just think that, like, it's given me this life that could have never imagined, but it still is hard. Like, I don't want anyone to think, like, it's all rainbows and butterflies, but a different kind of hard and each year has. Gave me something new to look at, you know, like the first year you're like, I want to fix my weight I want to fix this. I want to fix this and if I can give any advice to anyone It's just like it will deliver to you what you need to look at at that time Not try to fix everything right now because I went crazy Like let me fix my you know relationships with my mom everything at the same time But, like, this year was a different type of hard for me. You know, I was looking at my relationships with the opposite sex, was like, oh, I don't want to look at that. Um, so, you know, it just, it gives you a chance to, like, become the person you always were supposed to be, if that makes sense.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

It 100 percent makes sense.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I just went on a long

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

No, I know we're following you. Like you're peeling back layers. I love when you were breaking down like the different iterations of your sobriety like you're five years in year one I'm sure looks drastically different from this past year and the same for me In that first year, I was very much obsessed with, okay, well, I stopped drinking. So now everything in my life needs to change. And it's like, no, you're already doing something really hard. Just focus on the here and now. One day at a time.

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the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

What sparked the idea for Sober Fit Girl and how did you make that shift from sweat with cat to like rebranding into Sober Fit Girl and helping other people?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I believe in higher power. So, from my experience, like, things just like. Happened if that makes sense 1

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

there wasn't like a pivotal moment where I was like, I'm going to do sober coaching. It just happened naturally. So sweat with cat was during, um, like, 4 years before the pandemic and a little into the pandemic and I was doing body transformations, helping women get on bodybuilding stages. You know, build better butts and all of, you know, eating disorders, binge eating, all of that stuff. And then I got sober and, you know, I think just me starting to share on Tik TOK, things just kind of happened where I put in my, like Catherine Souser coaching. I got rid of sweat with cat. Started getting more in the mental health. So it just didn't really align with, um, the, the name didn't really align with where I was going. So I just went to Catherine Souser coaching. And then on Catherine Souser coaching, I put sober conscious lifestyle because I wanted to start calling in women who were wanting to reduce alcohol to get fit. And things just took off. Off. I mean, my, my brand that just took off. Like, I mean, I think I 10 times my clientele within like 2 months, because I put that in and it is a niche, you know, so, um, things just started to take off and I now have, uh, for sober coaches underneath me. And I felt from my experience, I was getting tired. I was getting tired emotionally with helping a bunch of people. And I was like,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

obsessed with collaborative collaboration. That's one of my words for the year. is collaborating and having people help me do this mission and like connecting with you and things like that. So I was like, I want to make this a brand. I don't want to make this about me because truthfully, like having other coaches underneath me, their journeys are also different than mine. And I truly believe that everyone's perspective is super important to see because there really is no one way a day counting could be good for someone, a challenge could be good for someone like the calendar method of reducing could good for someone, and all of my coaches have completely different experiences, and I think that's so important. so then SoberFitGirl happened, and I was like, you know, I'm just gonna do SoberFitGirl, like one day. It was a random Tuesday, I swear. It was a random Tuesday, I was like, I'm gonna get this handle, we're just gonna do it, and

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Look at it now.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I love sobriety, is because it just like, things just happen. If you just one day, let it, let it flow.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

It's not about you. It's about your mission. It's about helping other people It's about collaborating and bringing those

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

you

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

board who have other gifts and different perspectives so I I I am with you for all of that,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

all

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

think that's so powerful, and you're doing amazing work. talk to us a little bit about what Sober Fit Girl does just in case they're wondering, oh, should I be a part of this community, or how can I benefit from this community?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

So the biggest thing that I would like to say about sober fit girl, it is not a recovery program. I do not say, um, you know, the word alcoholic in my program. This is not a recovery program. This is a sober curious program. anyone who comes into the program is still allowed to drink and explore the relationship with alcohol. I will tell you most do get sober. I think that the best thing about this community is there is absolutely no judgment for whatever your goal is and how you're doing it, even from someone who's five years. I just had a strong desire to create a place where you didn't. It's so approachable. This program is so approachable because it doesn't feel like if someone's struggling with, you know, saying I'm an alcoholic and going into a recovery program, it's really that gray area where they can figure it out of where they wanted to go. Um, and I always like to say this to when someone joins. Sober fit girl, they end up in the program at like the end or if they continue or whatever how they want to be so sober, they like to be sober. And I think that's such a huge thing. Like today, want to be sober. I like being sober. I don't have to be sober. I want to be sober.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I love it.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

this group is just so I have a ton of moms in there and, um, So it's really if you're exploring your relationship with alcohol and you don't know what that looks like, it's a place for you to figure it. out. Um, but what you get is, I am huge on support. Like, for me, I could have not just joined a community. I needed to have one to one mentoring on every single day basis. And that's what I love about Sober Fit Girl. is because you get two mentors in your one to one private chat on a daily basis. And I'm telling you, we are there all the time.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I love

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

if you're feeling you want to drink at night or, you know, any, any sort of craving that comes up, we are here for you. I give everything. I needed to get sober in this community. And then you get six zoom calls a week, the community calls, as well as community inside of the app on the fitness side of things. So the whole app is actually a whole entire customized workout plan videos of how to do the exercises. You get recipes, you can do physical check ins in the app. So it's a whole customized. like for fitness. And

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Sober Fit Girl.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

stuff is the community. It's approachable because you're, you're replacing this negative habit with something positive. And so let's say you're seeing amazing results in your fitness goals, your financial goals. I even get like, give you this like cute budget tracker and all this stuff. It's like, why would I drink? I'm feeling so awesome. So. That's the perspective of like more empowering verse. Oh, I have to give up alcohol. And like, it just feels sad.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

of am I gaining when I don't drink? Um, and I want to give them tools to see that in themselves verse, you know, feeling like they're always missing out because they do feel like in my first year, it just kind of felt a little Dreadful? Like,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Ugh, I'm so sad, I have to be sober.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Oh, girl, of course I can relate. I was in mourning in early sobriety. I'm not going to lie. Like as much as I did see progress and growth, I was still like FOMO. Oh my God. Like who am I? Because I think so much of my identity was connected to. Not just drinking, but being this persona that had to bring the party and be the party girl and like, you know, always one for a group.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

girl.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

was grieving that, like, chapter, cessation or closing of my life, and it was hard. It was a hard transition. But once I started to reframe, okay, well, what am I really losing? So I love that your approach is like it's not a recovery program. It's it's a place to connect. And it seems like the connection is with community beyond community. It's a connection with an accountability person or partner. And then it's the mind body connection, right? Working out, I'm not going to lie. I can be a little vain. I like, I like to look good naked, but the thing

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

what?

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

The main thing is, it's mental health for me. Like if I don't work out, if I don't move, I feel sick. I truly feel sick.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

too.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

So I figured you felt the same. So it's like now I've rebranded or reframed how I see my workouts before I think it was unhealthy, the obsession. But now it's like, no, I feel. feel good when I move. It's very cathartic. It's a release to sweat. Oh my gosh. Like I'm just getting rid of toxins and you pent up. I love those. I love those videos where it's like you see the girl and she's like in yoga or Pilates and her internal monologue is like, and what would I care if a stupid rat thinks about like, that's, I'm that girl like in my head, like, just like, I have to get this out. Like some people journal, you know, I, I run, I sweat. So just to kind of bring that all together, like for me, fitness is mental health and it sounds like your platform, your app, sober fit girl is a mental health support or resource for people beyond just the physical. So I want to wind down. I pulled my audience just to get some questions around

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Yes, it is

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

to know Kat some more. And I'm just pulling up my phone here. Um, while I pull up these questions, Kat, I want to hear from you. What has been the greatest gift of sobriety

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Mean, obviously, the greatest gift is creating sober fit girl, but personally, I think it is my mental health.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Same, same.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Like, it just. there's moments, I like have to catch up with where I'm at where so go go go and

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I'll be five years sober January 17 So it's like this is I'm starting to come up on like a half a day decade So it's kind of like

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Crazy.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

did I get here?

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Wow. That's

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

you know, it's like very disassociating of

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

how am I here? Um, and it's always like mental health, but really helping people.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I love it so much. Um, it like makes me feel like I'm high on a drug.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah. You know what? It is that it is the high you get from like talking to someone,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

a different kind of

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

a different high to distinguish a very different high, a real high and authentic high.

And now a quick word from our partners. It really feels like you're having a moment, pun intended, when you're sipping on the lovely and refreshing moment. Now what I love about moment is that not only does it taste delicious, I have my favorite flavors. I love the blood orange, I love the spicy mango, but it's also good for you, which is exactly what I need in my life right now as I'm in my early 20s. 30s. It's infused with L theanine, which is great for mental clarity. It also is packed with ashwagandha, which is great for helping to fight stress. It's made with all of these natural botanicals, which really enhances your vitality. It does not contain any added sugar. It's caffeine and of course alcohol free and you can purchase it in still or sparkling. I love a good sparkle moment so that's typically the route I take. In the morning it's great for a boost to start the day versus in the afternoon if you want to beat that afternoon slump and enhance your mental clarity or if you just need like a simple pick me up like for me I love to have a moment after the gym versus going into the gym because it just really helps. Reenergize me. And then in the evening, if you want to wind down after a long busy day and enjoy a delicious mocktail without the hangover, then Moment is great for that too. One of the best parts for me with Moment is I feel like it's a really conscientious brand. They donate 1 percent of all their sales to mental health non profits, so you can feel good about supporting greater causes as well. Head over to drinkmoment. com and use my code TSB23 to receive 12 percent off your very first order. Let's be moment bunnies. We can both have moments together.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Um, okay. So winding down here, JC asked you, how do you deal with dating slash being intimate sober? I'm three months in and so scared,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Okay, wow. What a question. Um,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

mention cat last year.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

is the year.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yep.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

is the year.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Mm hmm.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

so from my experience, you know, I, let's start just talking intimacy, like sexually from my experience. I, I, In my drinking days, I mostly, when I was, being intimate with someone, was under the influence.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Okay.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

will tell you that in sobriety, it was scary. Very scary. But I have found out, the more I get sober, the more I'm in tune with myself, my body, my feminine energy. And it's the best. Best ever now, and it just takes time for you to, of course, doing it with someone that you really trust, um, has been, you know, something that's really helped me, and I'm actually way more better sober, to be honest, like, I'm so much more confident, like, during it. Oop. In my drinking days, when I was intimate with someone, I never looked in their eyes. Ever. This is actually something I've never shared before, so here you go, Nadine! Um, now I can look in someone's eyes!

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

hmm.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

that's so big. And then dating, okay. So, dating, I didn't really, you know, I took a lot of time off dating, and I spent a few years celibate in my sobriety, which really helped me, like, go into the stuff that's why I was attracting not the greatest people, dad stuff, of course.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Always.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

you know, I have a Very anxious attachment. So first I would suggest JC to really work on your relationship with yourself and find out what you want in a partner and then when you are dating, try to get information if he is good for you versus Can I, can I get him to like me? And that is the gift of sobriety, is being able to see if you like the other person, verse, I want to get this guy to like me, I want to get this guy to like me, and my favorite tip of all time in sober dating is be interested instead of interresting. So, asking them all the questions, verse, Puking out everything, you know? Oversharing. So that's helped me so much, and I promise you, sex will get better sober. Just keep going! Mm

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Okay. What I'm hearing is a, do I actually like them versus do they like me? Yeah, that is so crucial. Like I think so much of it. Before, for me, it was people pleasing tendencies, a lot of people pleasing, a lot of like, oh my god, like, what if they don't like me, insecurities, deeply rooted, around textbook daddy issues too, yeah, just wanting to be the desired girl for this person, whether I like them or not, I couldn't even discern if I liked them, to be honest with you, because usually I was under the influence, I would pregame, I would drink at said date or on said date, and the whole time I would just be trying to, campaign. I'm campaigning for them to choose me, vote for me.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

choose me, pick me.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

And then also like, I think something that's resonated with me that I recite often is intimacy versus intensity. I think so much of my past was spent around conflating the two, like mistaking intensity, like, Oh my God, like mostly because I'm under the influence of substances. Like this is such a connection. This is such a vibe. And then Like, feeling naked, feeling vulnerable, feeling exposed and empty when that person didn't live up to the expectation of that high moment that we had and shared together, usually physically. Um, it's like, yeah, like, that's not love. That's lust and love very different, you know? So I think you gave JC amazing advice. Another viewer question that came in, cat, how do you handle situations where alcohol might be present like social events or celebrations? I'm under a year sober and really struggling to still hang out with friends who drink

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

One, always have an exit plan. Like if I ever feel triggered to drink I always leave. And I always ask myself before I go to any social situation, like, do I have a high chance of drinking? it's yes, I don't go, but the number 1 tool is a sober mentor. I cannot stress that enough. Having someone to message before, during and after an event or a sober buddy, um, is the only way I'm sober is is checking in because from my experience, I'm not going to drink. I'm not going to drink. I'm not going to drink. And then I'm at the party and I'm drunk is a human connection.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Hmm

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

that's the only thing that's ever worked for me. Like, I could have the biggest toolbox ever, play the tape forward, play the tape backwards, but I have to have a person, not an app,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Accountability person. Accountability buddy. Do you think that person should be sober? Like, should they understand the struggle or some of the pitfalls? Yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Course, like my best friend, she would be a great accountability buddy if I wanted, but it's different. It's completely different. She's a normal drinker,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah. Yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

there could be a high chance. I'm like, I'm going to get drunk. She's like, okay, know,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I'll be fine. We're checking tomorrow.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

yeah.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Okay, and the final question how do you see sobriety and wellness evolving in the next few years?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I mean, I think that it's going to just get bigger and bigger. I think from my experience 5 years? ago, being sober curious and sober was not cool. Like now it's getting cooler. Um, I feel a lot of people are getting sober curious. You know, it's, there's so many non alcoholic brands out and we're just getting started like sober curious movement. In my eyes, didn't really start until, like, 2 years ago in from my eyes. Like, I saw a huge change from year 3 to now drastically different, especially with the new stuff that's coming out. Like, they might put like, um.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Labels?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

cancer on bottles

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Yeah.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

it's just only going forward, which is great, especially if you're new to sobriety. Like it's, I literally think sober people like so brave and so cool that they can sit. I can go to a nightclub and have so much fun over caffeinate and dance my ass off. Like that to me when I was getting sober is cool. Like, someone who's drunk and blacked out and sloppy at, like, 35, in my eyes, is not cool.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

That's not cool.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

perspective, and I do think it's also who you hang out with, too, you know? Um, but it's, it's only getting started, I believe.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I agree. To your point, a big shift from when I first got sober three years ago to today, like even Rihanna recently announced that she hasn't,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

right? before I got

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

right? I'm like, bad girl, come on, join us. Who, who's next? Thank you for that question and thank you Kat for coming on

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

This was

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Mother's Live. You were so fun. I'm going to plug everything so people can hear. Connect with you. And so we're fit girls. Is there anything else you want to share? Anything else you're you're working on?

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

No, yeah, just reach out. If you go to my website, you actually get a free discovery call to see if the program's a good fit for you. Um, so if you go to soberfitgirl. com, you'll have a call with one of my team members, um, and just see if it's a good fit, you know. Um, and every Bali retreat is March and September. This one is sold out, um, but I'm opening the September one in a few weeks.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

Exciting. Thank you so much, Kat. And I will plug all of that below in the show notes.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

Thanks, Nadine!

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I just kind of want to unpack some of that. So

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

let's unpack,

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

unpack, grab a drink guys and non alcoholic drink. That is,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

I'm

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

uh,

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

my sweatpants right now. You just can't see it.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

I have tea down here.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

it so funny being a content creator? Like you can look really cute On

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

the top.

kathryn-sauser_2_01-08-2025_154227:

half.

the-sober-butterfly_2_01-08-2025_164227:

business up top, party or sweatpants. I'm wearing shorts underneath.