Who isn’t busy these days’ The busier you the more you need time to pull to the side of the road and rest. Back in the day there were these commercial from Calgon where the women was so busy she dreamed of a nice relaxing bath.

This is your Calgon moment. It’s crucially important that you find a way to make some time for you. Self-care is important for both your physical and mental health. So, here are some ways you can make time for self-care, even if you are very busy.

Get up earlier

You’ve heard the saying “early to bed, early to rise makes a women healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Here is where you get creative about fitting in self care. Set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier. Most of us have nothing to do at 5am. Sure a few extra hours of sleep sounds too good to pass up; but, once you get used to waking up early, you will be glad you did. Waking up early gives you permission to brew a cup of coffee and read uninterrupted, journal, make a healthy breakfast, get in a good morning workout, or do anything that makes you happy. Of course, this does mean setting a bedtime so that each night to get enough rest!

Set a schedule and stick to it

I am a calendar junkie!! Everything goes on my calendar. Each Sunday I sit down and map out my week. In my calendar are workouts, business and self care. I have a standing date with myself every night for reading at least 10 pages of any book of my choices and some meditation. At least 4-5 times during the week I’m working out.

One of the biggest reasons people feel like they don’t have time is that they don’t bother budgeting the time they have. If you make a detailed plan, then you will find that you can squeeze in some self-care, even at the busiest times. It’s all about priorities.

One of the best ways I find to get in my self is to buy Groupons, they always have massages, manicures, pedicures and a host of other self care things.

Ditch the distractions

Some days it’s all about the Netflix, Facebook and chill. This can be relaxing for short times okay long period of time too… Why not shift the focus to something that nurtures your mind instead. Give yourself a goal before you turn on the television. For example, you could pledge to yourself that you’ll do 10 minutes of meditation before your favorite show starts each day. You could do wall sits or planks during the commercials.

Focus on the little things

I use to be an all or nothing kind of girl when it came to working out. If I couldn’t get it all it, I didn’t count and I would spend the day festering! It can be difficult to make time for things like full-blown workout sessions, but it is much easier to make time for a small 15-minute walk or jog. If you are struggling to make time for self-care, try setting aside time for very small self-care activities. Instead of reading a book, try just reading a chapter. Instead of exercising for an hour, try and find time for a quick 10 to 15-minute workout session.

What’s one way you are going to make time for self care’

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Your Goal Should Be Realistic
One of the most important factors to success is working towards a goal that is achievable. With regards to losing weight, you want to pick a goal that is realistic. Now working out what is realistic is the difficult part. A great way to look at this is to think about your goals in stages. Instead of thinking about losing 100 pounds, think about creating milestones. Break the task down into smaller figures so that you are not faced with such a daunting thing. Instead of 100 pounds, why not set a realistic goal of 20 pounds. You can also break down your goals into days such as what do you want to accomplish in the next 30, 60 and 90 days. Seeing small progress is what will keep you motivated. Motivation is what will keep you moving forward toward hitting and finally achieving your goals.

What is Realistic’
You know that in order to lose weight, you are going to have to change things in your life. You are going to have to look at either starting or potentially increasing the amount of exercise you do. You are going to have to look at the types of food you eat, the choices as well as the portion sizes. Yes, you can change but it is rare for people to make drastic changes overnight. Be patient with yourself and give yourself time. Instead of having an all or nothing mentality, think of two things you can change this week. 

If you have never exercised before, it is not really realistic to say that you are going to exercise 2 hours every morning. Instead set a realistic goal of perhaps going for a 20 minute walk 3 times a week. Think about the things that you know will take a little adjusting to but are not impossible. You are more likely to stick to your goal.

Your Time-scale Should Be Manageable
Once you have set a goal to aim for, you need to set a time-scale that will make it possible for you to reach your goal. It is no good saying that you want to lose 50 pounds in 2 weeks. I say good luck with that!  This is not a healthy time-scale, especially if you are aiming for long term results. Quick fix programs are a dime a dozen, but they don’t last. You’ll have great success in the beginning but then all that weight returns and sometimes even more. Sounds familiar’

If you have armed yourself with the right information, you will be able to work out healthy weight loss goals. For some of you it will be a bit of a surprise as to how long it may take. I say this not to discourage you to be sure you go into this entire process with an open mind. It is much better to make slow and steady progress than to do things too quickly and in an unhealthy or unnatural way.

Starting January 5th I will be starting a 6 month program that will teach you how to set realistic goals and become your own fat loss coach.

The post Set Your Goal & Time-scale For Your Weight Loss Success appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

This is book is filled with interesting statistics and facts. I’m a sucker for that kind of thing.

Our bodies are constantly bombarded with toxins that our livers can’t process. These toxins stored in our fat are called obesogens and can interfere with the way our bodies process and use nutrients.

Dr. Greenlaw talks about a nutritional cleansing system that helps you to get rid of the toxins. No.. you wont’ be running to the bathroom. It’s full body cleanse that gently removes excess toxins. I’ve tried the system and it’s pretty amazing. It helps to crush cravings and just makes me feel lighter. Got 10 minutes, take a listen here.

My Detox and Fuel program feeds right into this books thinking.

Next month I will be reading.

Have any other suggestions’ Leave me a comment below.

The post Fabulous Fit Squad Book Review — Why Diets Are Failing Us appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Leave a comment below to tell me your favorite one(s).

Listen here

Next month I will be reading

Why Diets Are Failing Us: The New Way To Be Healthy And Lose Weight, Peter Greenlaw, Dr. Dennis Harper, Drew Greenlaw

The post Book Review: 50 Ways To Soothe Without Food appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Next month I’ll be reading 50 ways to soothe yourself without food.

The post Little Book Of Thin — Fabulous Fit Squad appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Give a listen and give me your feedback in the comments below.

Next month I will be reading: The Little Book of Thin: Foodtrainers Plan-It-to-Lose-It Solutions for Every Diet Dilemma

Want to be kept in the loop about book reviews’ Join my mailing list below. (I hate spam, so I won’t spam you)

The post Book Review: Hungry For Change appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Blum is a RD and a holistic nutritionist which I love, she looks at both how to solve the problems of weight loss both clinically and holistically. Cave Women Don’t Get Fat focuses on the needs of women and works to help them learn how to burn more fat and reduce their cravings while healing their bodies.

Most people who consider going on a Paleo diet are like I can have as much bacon as I ant, but she advises to still keep it lean and be selective about your fats.  Blum also talks about women and our hormones and gives guidance about how to keep them in balance or re-balance them.

I’m a big believer in sleep and minimizing stress and she talks a ton about what stress and lack of sleep do to your hormonal system causes us ladies to keep on the weight. I’ve also been doing a lot of research on toxins in your environment, Blum spends an entire chapter talking about them and how to minimize them in our food.

Got a sugar craving’ According to the USDA Americans consume more than 47 pounds of sugar. Blum suggests replacing sugar with proteins and good fat. Here’s a sugar buster she recommends

Sugar buster cocoa — 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder (the stuff you bake with, not the one with the Swiss Miss on the front) 8oz water, dash of cinnamon or nutmeg.

Give it a try and let me know how you make out. One of my favorite ways to bust my sugar cravings are Isadelights. I’m a fan of the milk.

In the back of the book she gives a ton of recipes  and makes recommendations for supplements. She feels the same way that I do, yes, you can get a ton from food, but you will need supplementation because our food supply has lost their nutrients.

Give it a listen. Once you are done, I’d love to hear your feedback, please leave in the comments below.

Next Month book is Hungry for Change (Enhanced Edition): Ditch the Diets, Conquer the Cravings, and Eat Your Way to Lifelong Health

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• less colds
• slept better
• better medical numbers
• less aches and pains
• consistent energy

Who doesn’t want one or all of those side effects.

As a way to further heal her body she talks about maintaining a healthy Ph balance. In our bodies balanced is 7. < 7 is very dangerous and our body functions start to come to a halt. Believe it or not it’s easier to become acidic. We can change our diets by adding more alkaline foods.

Karr is a big believer of green veggies. They have chlorophyll to help build your blood and detox our bodies. Veggies and fruits have phytonutrients to help fight free radicals. Free radicals cause use to age faster. She gives tons of recipes in the back of the book.

She also goes into great detail about food intolerances and to discover what intolerances that you may have. You can work with your doctor or a naturopath to find what food intolerances you may have.

Through out the book, Karr talks a lot of self care. Be it through meditation, exercising, yoga or bounding on a trampoline. Which of these do you think you can implement’

Have you ever wanted to start something and wanted a checklist of how to get started’ Well Karr gives you a list of what you should have in your pantry to get started. She also gives you a 21 day guided cleanse.

Overall, I loved the book and believe you will as well. It’s a quick read, a wonderful host of experts that break down the information without big words.

Give it a listen. Once you are done, I’d love to hear your feedback, please leave in the comments below.

Next Month book is Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat: The Paleo Chic Diet for Rapid Results

Want to be kept in the loop about book reviews’ Join my mailing list below. (I hate spam, so I won’t spam you)

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One of things I like about Fly Wheel Boston is the scoreboard, now it’s not on all the time which is nice as I would become a little fixated and not really focus on my ride or form, but it’s flashed just enough so you see if you are challenging yourself.  They also will send you and email post class to give you your results. I love that so I can see that while I’m not the best cyclist in the world, I’m on my way. This journey is me vs me and not me vs the class. I will admit in the back o f my mind it would be nice to be at the top of the leader board. Hmm..

Now I’m not one of those cycle class junkies. I actually really don’t enjoy biking, but I needed to mix things up. FlyWheel Boston is what gives me just that, I’m able to get out of my fitness rut and push myself out of my comfort zone. The times of the classes are at convenient for me and I also like that you can sign up 1 week in advance. I block out my exercise times 1 week in advance and this is perfect. I treat these classes as an appointment I cannot break and in fact, I can’t if I don’t cancel before 5pm the day before my class I lose $$ now that’s an incentive! I also like the fact that when I register I can register a friend.

I took a second class this week this week with Melinda.  She was just as motivating and Jessica but she had a humorous edge, which I love. It reminds me not to take myself to seriously when working out.  At the end class we were doing a race and she was encouraging us to break out of our comfort zone and said we should be pedaling so fast that we should be scared that we will pee our Lululemons. Now that’s my kind of humor and yes I did pedal faster and no I didn’t wet my lulus =) If I did pee my Lulus I’m lucky there is a Lululemon in the Prudential Center so I could easily replace.

When you get about 30 min into class you pull out 2 different weight bars and we will do a nice upper body strength training session. Now don’t turn your nose up with you are pulling out 2 pounds and 4 pounds. With the number of reps we do and the static holding.. Boy your upper body feels it.

The bikes have torq and RPM so I like that during class you know where you should be. I LOVE that becasue in the past when I took cycle classes I  never really knew where I should be. With that said, the instructor is reminding that this a range and you should listen to your body.

I almost forgot the best part. They give you cycle shoes. I’ve never in my life worn cycle shoes and I’m still struggling to “clip in” and “clip out” but they made a huge difference in the ride. I had never invested in a pair becasue I was a casual cycler, and really didn’t see the point, well.. now I do… I felt I was able to pedal faster and really climb hills much easier than when I just had on sneakers. They also provide you with self locking lockers — so no need to bring a lock with you. FlyWheel  Boston is so smart there is also a board where you can write you name and locker name in case you forget. I’ll admit I haven’t used this, I play guess the locker game, but I’m sure that will soon wear on my patience. =) There are also nice white fluffy absorbent towels and filter water for the ride of your life.

If you are in the Prudential Center give FlyWheel Boston a try, you will not be disappointed.  My goal is to be there every Monday and Wednesday on my favorite bike which is bike 14. Why bike 14, don’t ask I”m not sure why.

The post I’m So Fly!! appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

• Eating whatever you want (and as much as you want) has its consequences. One of the biggest negatives is the endorsement to eat without restraint for five days of the week. The book does provide readers with some healthy eating guidelines, but with the main attraction being Eat anything you want!, Let’s get real we know how the average person will take that, they will  grossly overeat greasy hamburgers, French fries, and sugary sodas as much as possible! Even two days of intermittent fasting can’t undo a lifetime of eating like that.
• Another problem is potential muscle loss. During intermittent fasting your body it may cause your body to go into a catabolic  state.  Catabolism is fine for the breakdown of fat, but if calorie-deficient bouts are not followed up with the right type of muscle-building protein in the right amount, the result can be breakdown of muscle. Studies have found that during weight loss, a diet higher in quality protein preserves muscle mass more than a diet higher in carbohydrate (2). Research has also found that protein from dairy, such as whey, may be the superior protein for increased fat loss and muscle retention during weight loss (3).
• Not getting enough macro nutrients . Americans already eat too much, yet do not receive adequate amounts of macronutrients (vitamins and minerals) from their foods for optimal health. Mainly, this is because too many people don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables or may not know how to properly choose foods for adequate amounts of macronutrients. Even those who think they know what foods to eat in combination for better health haven’t fared well in achieving weight loss and improved health. One study compared weight loss groups consuming either fresh, healthy foods for the majority of their diet or nutrient-rich meal replacement shakes and found that meal replacement shakes resulted in more weight loss, better improvement to health biomarkers, and better adherence based on the convenience of the shakes (4).

So, how can you take advantage of the benefits of intermittent fasting without the drawbacks of the Fasting Diet approach that include eating too much, losing muscle, and not getting enough vitamins and minerals’ Look to Isagenix for the perfect program that takes the guesswork out of intermittent fasting and how to do it right.

What you get with Isagenix is intermittent fasting fully prepped for as Cleanse Days, which are part of a fully guided system that won’t leave you eating everything in sight one day followed by wanting to eat your arm off the next. An Isagenix system means moderate calorie control on Shake Days and appropriate fasting with nutritional support on Cleanse Days.

The Isagenix system, unlike The Fast Diet, is also backed by clinical data showing that it leads to healthy weight loss, fat loss (without the muscle loss, especially if exercise is included), and better cardiovascular health. The end result is curbed food cravings, successful weight loss and maintenance, preservation of muscle mass, and finally, a long-term lifestyle that will get you healthier than ever before.

What to learn more about the power of cleansing’ Read more here.

References

1. Mosely M, Spencer M. The Fast Diet: The Secret of Intermittent Fasting – Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, Live Longer. Short Books, 2013.
2. Wycherley TP, Brinkworth GD, Clifton PM, Noakes M. Comparison of the effects of 52 weeks weight loss with either a high-protein or high-carbohydrate diet on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese males. Nutr Diabetes 2012;2:e40.
3. Josse AR, Atkinson SA, Tarnopolsky MA, Phillips SM. Increased Consumption of Dairy Foods and Protein during Diet- and Exercise-Induced Weight Loss Promotes Fat Mass Loss and Lean Mass Gain in Overweight and Obese Premenopausal Women. J Nutr 2011;1[41:16]26-34.
4. Klempel MC, Kroeger CM, Bhutani S, Trepanowski JF, Varady KA. Intermittent fasting combined with calorie restriction is effective for weight loss and cardio-protection in obese women. Nutr J 2012;[11:98].

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