“If I could just be more disciplined…”

Honestly? Most women over 40 have said this to themselves at least 4,782 times. Usually while meal prepping chicken they don’t even want to eat or promising themselves THIS is the Monday everything changes.

And look, I get it.

We’ve been taught that consistency comes from grinding harder, wanting it more, and somehow becoming the kind of woman who never misses workouts, never stress eats, and apparently enjoys drinking plain water while everyone else orders margaritas.

But here’s the thing:

If white-knuckling worked…
If more rules worked…
If blaming yourself into better habits worked…

You wouldn’t still be stuck on the same diet merry-go-round.

The problem isn’t that women aren’t trying hard enough.

The problem is that most women are trying to force perfection into a life that is wildly human.

Life Gets Lifey

One of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve had over the years is realizing that consistency is not about controlling life.

Because life will absolutely start life-ing all over your plans.

Hormones shift.
Motivation disappears.
Vacations happen.
Work gets stressful.
Parents need help.
Sleep gets weird.
Your schedule changes.
Your husband retires and suddenly there’s another human wandering around your kitchen 24/7 asking where things are.

And every time life gets messy, women think:
“Well… I fell off.”

No.
You had a busy week.
There’s a difference.

Women Don’t Need More Rules

Honestly, I think women have enough rules already.

No carbs after 7.
Drink the greens powder.
Track every bite.
10k steps.
Don’t eat too much fruit.
Don’t skip workouts.
But also don’t overtrain.
Protein at every meal.
Don’t eat late.
Don’t drink alcohol.
Sleep 8 hours.
Meditate.
Journal.
Dry brush your left elbow under a full moon.

At some point your wellness routine starts feeling like a full-time unpaid internship.

And then women wonder why they can’t “stay disciplined.”

Maybe it’s because no one can sustainably live like that.

The Missing Piece Is Usually Self-Trust

Most women think they need more discipline.

But what they actually need is self-trust.

Because years of all-or-nothing thinking quietly chips away at your confidence in yourself.

Every Monday restart.
Every “I blew it.”
Every extreme plan you couldn’t maintain.
Every time you quit because life got busy.

Over time, you stop trusting your own word.

That’s why small promises matter so much.

Not because they’re flashy.
Because they rebuild trust.

Going for the walk.
Doing the 20-minute workout.
Adding protein to breakfast.
Going to bed earlier.
Choosing “done enough” instead of quitting entirely.

Those tiny actions send your brain a powerful message:
“I’ve got my own back.”

And honestly?
That matters way more than another perfect meal plan.

Self-Worth Changes Everything

A lot of women approach health from a place of punishment.

“I’ll feel better about myself when…”
“When I lose the weight.”
“When I get consistent.”
“When I finally fix myself.”

But self-worth doesn’t work like that.

Your worth is not earned through suffering.

Not through shrinking.
Not through exhaustion.
Not through proving how much you can handle before collapsing on the couch with a protein bar and resentment.

Self-worth is the foundation.

And when women start building health from a place of self-worth instead of self-punishment, everything changes.

Workouts stop becoming punishment.
Food stops becoming morality.
Rest stops feeling lazy.
Consistency stops feeling impossible.

Real Consistency Looks Boring Sometimes

I think social media sold women this idea that consistency should feel exciting all the time.

Spoiler:
It usually doesn’t.

Real consistency often looks like:
Doing the basics.
Adjusting instead of quitting.
Returning to yourself faster.
Not turning one “off” meal into a three-week spiral.

That’s the stuff that actually works long term.

Not intensity.
Not perfection.
Not suffering.

Just learning how to support yourself through real life instead of trying to become some perfectly optimized robot woman who never gets tired or stressed.

Because the goal was never becoming perfect.

The goal was building a life and a body that can actually support YOU.

Links Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic

Tik Tok @kimbarnesjefferson

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kimjeffersoncoach/

Free Resources: https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/freeresources_podcast

Live FIT from the Inside Out https://nicolezapoli.com/book/

Instagram @‌nicolezapoli

The WellNZ Collective https://www.skool.com/nz-fitness-2016/about?ref=9e0fa28ba2fd46b8a5de12ca5193eb96The

The post Consistency Isn’t a Discipline Problem for Women Over 40 appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Trying to be consistent. Trying to “do the right things.”

And then out of nowhere…
your feed is like:

👉 you need a weighted vest
👉 you should be doing more
👉 walking alone isn’t enough

And suddenly your brain goes,
“Maybe that’s what I’m missing…”

So now you’re this close to buying something that, let’s be honest, might end up next to your resistance bands from 2020.

Let’s pause for a second.

Because the problem usually isn’t that you’re not doing enough.

It’s that you’re making something simple way more complicated than it needs to be.

Let’s Talk About Rucking

In my latest Fit Girl Magic podcast, I sat down with Kayla Girgen, and we talked about rucking.

Which, at its core, is just…
walking with weight.

That’s it.

Not CrossFit.
Not military bootcamp.
Not “if you’re not sweating, you’re not working.”

Just walking… with a little more intention.

And here’s what I loved most about the conversation:

👉 You don’t need to overhaul your life
👉 You don’t need perfect conditions
👉 You don’t even need fancy equipment

You can literally grab a backpack, throw in a dumbbell or a couple books, and go.

Weighted Vest vs Backpack (What Actually Matters)

This is where people start to spiral.

“Should I get the vest?”
“Is the backpack better?”
“What weight should I use?”

And suddenly something that could take 5 minutes to start… turns into a research project.

Here’s the simple breakdown:

• A weighted vest distributes weight front and back
• A ruck (backpack) keeps weight on your back and can actually help posture

The bigger difference?

👉 Vests are usually fixed weight
👉 Backpacks are adjustable (aka way easier to progress)

But honestly?

That’s not even the most important part.

The most important part is…
you actually doing it.

The Biggest Mistake (And You Already Know This One)

Waiting for the perfect time.

“I’ll start when the weather is nicer.”
“I’ll start when things calm down.”
“I’ll start when I feel more motivated.”

Sound familiar?

Meanwhile… weeks go by.

And nothing changes.

Here’s the truth:

The hardest part is the first walk.

After that?
It gets a whole lot easier.

How to Start Without Overthinking It

You don’t need a plan. You need a starting point.

Try this:

• Grab a backpack
• Add ~10 pounds (books, dumbbell, whatever you’ve got)
• Go for a walk

That’s it.

You don’t need:
❌ a specific route
❌ a perfect outfit
❌ a 60-minute window

Just start.

Let’s Talk About the “Do More” Trap

This is where most women get stuck.

You think:
“If I’m not pushing harder, it doesn’t count.”

So, you:

• add more workouts
• increase intensity
• pile on expectations

…and then wonder why you can’t stay consistent.

Here’s the reframe:

Some days you push.
Some days you hold the line.
Some days you just go for the damn walk.

👉 All of it counts.

The Part No One Talks About (But You’ll Feel Immediately)

The mental shift.

Yes, rucking can:

• help build strength
• support bone density
• increase intensity without wrecking your joints

But the real magic?

It gets you out of your head.

There’s something about walking—with a little load—that makes you:

• stop overthinking
• stop spiraling
• actually breathe

It’s simple… but it works.

Final Thought

You don’t need another plan.

You don’t need more motivation.

And you definitely don’t need to make your routine harder just to feel like it “counts.”

You just need to make it easier to show up.

Want the Full Breakdown?

If this hit… go listen to the full Fit Girl Magic podcast episode with Kayla Girgen.

We go deeper into:

• how to progress weight
• how to fit this into your current routine
• and how to stop overcomplicating your workouts for good

Go listen 

Links

Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic
Tik Tok @kimbarnesjefferson
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kimjeffersoncoach/

Free Resources: https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/freeresources_podcast

Tired AF quiz https://kimbarnesjefferson.lpages.co/metabolismquiz_podcast

Kaya’s links

Instagram,
YouTube,
TikTok,
Facebook
LinkedIn.

Please pre-order your copy of RUCK FIT here: https://amzn.to/3LZTMB2

The post Before You Buy a Weighted Vest… Listen to This appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

I learned this lesson the hard way, in Hawaii, of all places.

My Hawaii Meltdown

Picture this: paradise all around me, white sand, palm trees, the sound of the ocean, and instead of enjoying it, I was melting down inside my head.

I couldn’t stop the mental soundtrack:

• Did I earn this Mai Tai?

• Should I have worked out harder before this trip?

• Was my stomach flat enough to be here?

I wasn’t on vacation. I was on trial. And I was both the judge and the jury.

Then I looked around. The locals weren’t hiding under cover-ups or calculating their food. They were laughing, playing, living. It hit me like a coconut to the head: I was missing my own life because I was too busy being the food and body police.

The Birth of the Flip Flop Life

On the flight home, I started rage-writing in my journal. Out came what I now call The Flip Flop Life Manifesto. At the time, I shoved it onto a hard drive and forgot about it.

Fast forward six years, and I realized something powerful: every word I wrote still made sense. Women everywhere were exhausted from white-knuckling their way through diet culture. And we’re done.

Done with:

• Earning our food.

• Treating our bodies like fixer-upper projects.

• Believing we’re broken because the quick-fix programs don’t work.

The Flip Flop Life is about ease, flow, and living in the now — not waiting until we lose 15 pounds to finally feel good.

The Boring Basics That Actually Work

Here’s the part no one in the fitness industry wants you to know: real change doesn’t happen in 30 days. It doesn’t come from quick-fix detoxes, shiny supplements, or punishing workouts.

It comes from what I call the boring basics:

• Sleep

• Stress management

• Strength training

• Protein and fiber

• Consistency over time

Unsexy? Yep. Effective? 100%.

Why Letting It Be Easy Is Revolutionary

Diet culture taught us health is like building IKEA furniture: miss one step, and the whole thing is ruined. But your health isn’t fragile. One cookie, one missed workout, one skipped salad, none of that breaks you.

The magic happens when you stop overcomplicating and let it be easy. When you choose meals you actually enjoy. When workouts feel doable instead of punishing. When sleep becomes a flex instead of a badge of shame.

And here’s the kicker: no one’s handing out gold stars for suffering.

So Where Do You Start?

Instead of trying to master all the things, pick 1–3 habits that feel challenging but doable. Forget the 10-item checklist. Forget the punishment. Start where you are, with what you can actually stick to.

And then watch how much more space you create in your brain and your life. Space to enjoy dinner with friends, relax on vacation, even just notice the sun when you wake up.

That’s the Flip Flop Life. And it’s available to you right now.

👉 If you’re tired of the mental gymnastics and ready to try a different way, stick around — this is exactly what I help women create.

Free Resources: https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/freeresources_podcast

Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic

Website:  http://www.kimbarnesjefferson.com 
5 Days To Break Free Of The All-Or-Nothing 

The post Midlife Weight Loss Without the Hustle appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

For years, I lived by the rule: if I wasn’t in the gym for two hours a day, six days a week, it didn’t count. Body part splits were life. Chest and back. Buys and tries. Legs. Repeat.

And if I wasn’t drenched in sweat or crawling out of the gym half-dead? Forget it, I thought the workout was a waste.

Sound familiar?

Why That Doesn’t Work Anymore

When I hit 40, my body staged a full-on rebellion.
The same workouts that used to keep me lean started leaving me exhausted, inflamed, and frustrated. That magical progesterone buffer that helped me bounce back? Gone.

Here’s the reality:

• Hormones shift, recovery slows, and stress hits harder.

• More hours in the gym don’t equal better results.

• Crunches won’t flatten your belly (yep, I said it).

Midlife isn’t about punishing your body—it’s about training it to keep up with life.

Train for Life, Not for Likes

These days, my workouts look totally different.
Instead of endless cardio or “bro splits,” I focus on:

• Mobility first. Foam rolling, dynamic stretches, and prep work that make my body happy.

• Power moves. No, not circus-style jumps. Think kettlebell swings, jump rope, or anything that mimics real-life speed and strength.

• Functional strength. Pushing, pulling, squatting movements that make carrying groceries, chasing kids, or tossing a suitcase in the overhead bin easier.

• Balance and stability. Because losing your footing on an icy sidewalk shouldn’t mean a trip to the ER.

• Smart finishers. Ten-minute blasts that rev the engine without wrecking me.

Let’s Talk About Crunches

Here’s the thing: crunches won’t give you abs.
They won’t get rid of belly fat. And over time, they can actually put unnecessary strain on your spine (think bending a credit card until it snaps).

The truth? Belly fat in your 40s+ is way more about hormones, inflammation, and gut health than sit-ups. And those six-packs you see on Instagram? 80% genetics.

Strong doesn’t have to mean shredded. Strong means you can live your life without your body holding you back.

Quality Over Quantity

A killer workout isn’t about clocking endless hours. It’s about moving smart, lifting heavy (for YOU), and walking away feeling energized, not beat down.

Some of the best workouts I’ve done? Fifteen minutes. No joke.

Because it’s not about how long you train, it’s about how well you train.

Ready to stop doing workouts that fight your body and start building strength that actually lasts? Tune into the full episode of my podcast right here [insert podcast link].

P.S. Want even more support? Join my FREE 5-Day Challenge where I’ll help you ditch the all-or-nothing cycle and create a routine that actually works for your midlife body. Click here to join!

Links

Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic

Free Resources: https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/freeresources_podcast

Website:  http://www.kimbarnesjefferson.com 

The post Why Weight Loss After 40 Isn’t About Discipline appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

If you’ve been feeling puffy, bloated, achy, or stuck with stubborn belly fat that won’t budge, you might be asking yourself: “What is happening to my body?” For many women over 40, the answer isn’t another diet or a harder workout—it’s inflammation.

What Is Inflammation?

Inflammation is your body’s natural defense system. When you cut your leg or fight off a cold, the body launches an inflammatory response to heal and protect you. But in today’s world, our bodies are on constant high alert—exposed to stress, processed foods, chemicals, and lack of sleep. Instead of occasional healing, inflammation becomes chronic, acting like a slow-burning house fire inside your body.

Dr. Shivani Gupta, inflammation expert and Ayurvedic practitioner, describes it perfectly:

“It’s like putting a smoldering candle in the attic. You don’t notice it at first…until one day the entire house is on fire.”

That hidden fire shows up as brain fog, joint pain, fatigue, stubborn belly fat, bloating, and feeling like you just don’t recognize yourself anymore.

Signs It Might Be Inflammation (Not Just Weight Gain)
Puffiness in the face or around the middle
Belly fat that doesn’t respond to workouts or dieting
Brain fog or forgetfulness
Achy joints or unexplained fatigue
Blood markers like cholesterol, A1C, or HSCRP creeping up

If this sounds familiar, the problem may not be lack of discipline. It may be chronic inflammation weighing you down.

Why Women Over 40 Are More Vulnerable

Between perimenopause, hormone shifts, stress, and the pressure to “do it all,” midlife women are especially vulnerable to inflammation. Add in nutrient-poor diets, poor sleep, and the constant comparison trap of social media, and our bodies are left begging for calm instead of chaos.

As Dr. Gupta says:

“We’re trying to live ten different women’s amazing lives in one body, in one lifetime—and it’s fueling chaos instead of peace.”

3 Simple Habits to Calm Inflammation

The good news? Reducing inflammation doesn’t mean overhauling your life. Start with these small but powerful daily shifts:

Prioritize Sleep – Going to bed by 10 PM helps your body repair, detox, and reset.

Add Turmeric – A proven anti-inflammatory spice that supports gut health and reduces oxidative stress.

Pause + Reduce Stress – Even a mindful tea break or chewing your meals slowly can pull your body out of fight-or-flight mode.

These simple practices can help your body finally cool the fire and get back to balance.

The Role of Gut Health and Ayurveda

Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old system of medicine, teaches that gut health is the foundation of overall health. When your digestive “fire” is strong, your body can process foods, toxins, and stress more effectively. Supporting your gut with nutrient-dense foods, mindful eating, and seasonal rhythms can transform how you feel day to day.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been doubling down on diets and workouts without results, it’s time to consider inflammation as the missing piece. Your body isn’t broken—it’s sending you signals that it’s overwhelmed. By focusing on sleep, stress, and gut health, you can put out that hidden house fire and finally feel like yourself again.

Your Turn: What’s one small habit you could add this week to calm inflammation—better sleep, mindful meals, or stress reduction? Share it in the comments!

Resources + Links Mentioned in This Episode:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheShivaniGupta
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.shivanigupta  and use #turmericlife
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivaniguptafl/ @‌shivaniguptafl and use #turmericlife
JOIN the 7-Day Inflammation Detox Challenge https://www.7dayinflammationdetox.com/optin1641313075014- ( Free videos everyday and resources ) FREE GIFT: Anti-Inflammatory E-Cook Book https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ItNJ1DV3XsOn5MwBbSpeTFH8o3KFu2qk/view?usp=sharing
Turmeric Supplement use code FGM Facebook group

Free Resources:
https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/freeresources_podcast

Flip Flop Life Waitlist 

The post Inflammation or Fat? How to Tell (and Fix It!) appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Ever feel like your body has ghosted you?
You’re doing everything “right”—cutting carbs, logging your food, fasted cardio, workouts on repeat—and STILL nothing’s changing?

Let’s cut through the noise:
You’re not broken. You’re just following rules that no longer work for the version of you today.

This blog is your real-talk permission slip to stop chasing the perfect plan… and finally start building a strategy that fits your actual life.

Plateaus Aren’t Personal — They’re Just Math

So many women tell me, “I’m doing everything, Kim. Why isn’t it working?”

The truth?
Your body isn’t punishing you.
It’s adapting.

That plateau you’re frustrated with? It’s not a sign to go harder or eat less. It’s your body saying, “This strategy isn’t working anymore.” That doesn’t mean you’re doomed. It means it’s time to get curious, not frantic.

Let Go of the Fantasy Routine

If I had a dollar for every time I heard, “I just need to get back to what I used to do…”

But let’s be real:
Your life looks NOTHING like it did 5, 10, 15 years ago.
– Maybe you have kids now.
– Maybe you’re taking care of aging parents.
– Maybe your job is 10x more demanding.

Your body, your time, and your energy are different now. So why are you still expecting the old plan to work?

Let’s build a strategy that fits this season—not some fantasy version of your life that only exists in your head.

The Power of 1–3 Non-Negotiables

You don’t need a 12-step system or a full-body detox to see results. You need consistency with the basics.

Here’s where I want you to start:
Pick 1–3 non-negotiables. That’s it.

Think:
– Protein at every meal
– Walking 8,000–10,000 steps
– A bedtime that doesn’t involve doom-scrolling
– Lifting weights 2–3x per week

They don’t have to be fancy. They just have to be doable—even when life gets lifey.

Because sustainable results come from repeating what actually works for your life.

You Don’t Need to Try Harder—You Need to Train Smarter

Stop dipping your toe in and out of the latest trends.
Stop chasing fast results that burn you out in two weeks.
Stop restarting every Monday.

You’re not lazy.
You’re exhausted from doing too much of what doesn’t serve you.

What if—hear me out—you gave yourself an entire year to build a strong, resilient, energized body instead of trying to force 30-day transformations?

That’s what real change looks like.

Pick Your Pace (And Make Peace With It)

Your results don’t come from doing more.
They come from doing what you can actually maintain. And that’s going to look different in each season of life.

Every 90 days, check in with yourself:
– What’s working?
– What’s draining me?
– What do I need to adjust?

And if you find yourself saying, “I know what to do, I just can’t stay consistent,”—you don’t need more willpower. You need a new strategy.

Final Word: You Are the Magic

You don’t need to earn your food.
You don’t need to “undo” anything.
You don’t need another detox, reset, or 75-day bootcamp.

You just need a plan that works for YOU.

The name of my podcast is Fit Girl Magic for a reason. Because the magic?
It’s not in the scale.
It’s not in the plan.
It’s in YOU.

Links

FREE alcohol resource guide https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/alcohol_evergreen_2025podcast

Help me build your Flip Flop Life Era (complete the survey and I’ll give you a free cup of coffee)  https://forms.gle/dx1EPdE3dmfZeX6V7

Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic

Free Resources: https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/freeresources_podcast

The post Why Your Old Diet Tricks Are No Longer Working appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Let’s be honest: Most women over 40 have been living in diet jail for decades.

You’re either “on” the plan, or you’re deep in a bag of chips wondering what went wrong. You’re counting carbs, avoiding sugar, slashing calories, and somehow still not seeing results. Sound familiar?

In this post, I’m breaking down why fat loss isn’t meant to be a lifestyle—it’s a phase. And if you’ve been dieting since the days of thigh masters and low-fat yogurt, it’s time to shake things up.

Step 1: Know the Difference—Weight Loss vs. Body Composition

Let’s start here: Do you actually need to lose weight… or are you chasing better body composition?

For most women I work with, it’s not about the scale—it’s about how they feel in their jeans. It’s about belly bloat, hormonal fluff, or not recognizing their body anymore. The number might not change, but your shape will.

Body composition = more muscle, less fluff. And yes, that can happen without the scale budging.

Step 2: Fat Loss is a SEASON, Not a Forever Plan

Your body isn’t designed to be in fat loss mode 365 days a year. That’s a one-way ticket to burnout, broken metabolism, and cravings that hit harder than a 90s boy band comeback.

👉 Enter the 12–16 week fat loss phase.

This is your focused window to tweak your food, tighten up your habits, and gently guide your body to let go of fat. After that? You must reverse out of it. Think of it like cleaning up after the party—if you skip that part, you’ll pay for it later.

Step 3: Stop Slashing Calories. Start Tweaking Strategically.

I see you, eyeballing almond butter with your heart instead of using the tablespoon and wondering why nothing’s changing. I get it, I mean come on it’s almond butter!

Real fat loss doesn’t require starvation. It requires strategy. That means taking stock of where you’re at and trimming back gently—think measuring the oil you cook with or swapping almond milk for water in your shake. Small, unsexy shifts add up.

When you go too hard, too fast, your body panics. Hunger goes up, energy crashes, and your metabolism waves the white flag.

Step 4: Track the RIGHT Wins (Spoiler: It’s Not Just the Scale)

Here’s where most women trip up: they treat the scale like it’s gospel. But progress can show up in better sleep, more stable moods, improved cravings, looser jeans, and photos where you think, “Damn, I look GOOD.”

Zoom out. Celebrate the non-scale wins. They’re often the ones that stick.

Step 5: Know When to Pivot—Maintenance and Reverse Matter

If you’ve been dieting forever, your metabolism is probably waving a red flag. That’s why maintenance and reverse dieting are non-negotiable.

Maintenance = staying within 3–5 lbs of your current weight and living your damn life.
Reverse = slowly adding calories back in without regaining fat, so your metabolism recovers and starts working for you again.

This is where your hormones can finally exhale. And so can you.

The Bottom Line

Fat loss can be part of your strategy—but it shouldn’t be your entire life.
The scale doesn’t define your worth. Your metabolism isn’t broken—it’s just tired AF from years of diet chaos.
And there’s a smarter, more sustainable way forward.

Want to know which phase your metabolism is in right now?
Take this quickt metabolism quiz to find out. 

Psst…. You don’t need another diet. You need a plan that works with your body, not against it.

Because fat loss isn’t forever… but food freedom can be.

Links

Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic

Free Resources: https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/freeresources_podcast

Website:  http://www.kimbarnesjefferson.com 

Is Your Metabolism Tired AF? — Free Quiz

Guilt Free Alcohol Guide

The post Fat Loss Should Be a Phase, Not a Lifestyle appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Challenges help us to build perspective. They teach you how to appreciate the gifts and blessings we are given! Because without the lows, how can we compare where we come from’ So, I want you to start thinking about how far you have come from who you used to be in the past. Those challenges help you to become stronger because you are going to confront a problem and solve it, and THEN BOUNCE BACK!

I challenge you to recognize that there are certain things that always seem to trip us up. What exactly are they’ When you are going for a goal what are the things that TRIP YOU UP” Let’s pre-think about options and work on If – then thinking.
—– If I am unable to work out on Monday, I will work out on Sunday. If I am unable to work out on Wednesday, then I will work out on Saturday.

Let’s take a look at mindset as well. A mindset shift has to happen. Look at the 4 pillars of weight loss. It is not just about counting calories and doing a workout It is also about your mindset. Every challenge that you face is an opportunity for you to learn.

Challenges can help us build up our emotional reserves so when you face obstacles, you can tap into this well of resources. When you hit obstacles, you know what you need to do to push yourself up the hill! You know what resources you can tap into to get yourself out of this place.

I want to take a minute in between talking about challenges to talk about rest. You could look at this as a challenge because of your negative self-talk by saying you are giving up just because you are resting and then you fall off the wagon. But RESTING doesn’t mean you are giving up. If you need to rest sometimes, that is ok!! Rona has taught me so well, that I don’t always have to be busy. And prior to Rona I was always busy, and everything scheduled. Then the world stopped, it caused me the ask myself why am I always running around’ It caused me to be more reflective, get into the quiet and helped me see things clearly!

Challenges help us to extend out our comfort zone! Challenges force you to do and try new things! Things that you don’t want to do, but know you need to move on or get to another point in life. This forces you to think in new ways you thought didn’t exist before! When you step out of your comfort zone it forces you to accept your problems and decide how you are going to face them and builds you a resilience tank!

Guys, I want you to overcome anything that comes your way. Enjoy that challenge and make it easier. DEAL WITH IT! The only way to deal with a challenge is to actually deal with it! The more we ignore it, it will then grow. So, deal with it while you can! What do you have to work with to deal with these challenges and work through them’ Whatever is in your reach, deal with it!

The biggest challenge I hear from people is that they feel like failures. They have tried all of these things and they say they don’t make it and don’t last on all these diets.
Okay, so what was that failure’ How do you take that failure and turn it into a lesson’
Work from the REPS formula. What is realistic’ Were you excited’ Can you make a plan for it in your life’ Was it sustainable’ If any of those 4 things weren’t in play, then of course you are going to fail They all have to be aligned.

We need to recognize that change is inevitable. You can’t escape it and you can’t always control it. You have to roll with the punches and be able to push away the fearful thoughts of when you can’t control it!

I want you to think about why you don’t have the motivation to take action. Why do you keep procrastinating on something, because when we analyze the source of the problem, then we can start to devise a plan to see how things get made’ Also, stop and see what success looks like for you. The more we can define success, the more we get excited about it and start to plan around that!!

What are the traits to help you out in this process of finding motivation and take action’

1. Clarity – Get clear on what it is you are trying to accomplish
2. Courage– I have to know that I can bounce back from my setbacks and obstacles. Think the resilience tank.
3. Creative – Live in the present moment and stop worrying about what happened 2 years, 2 months 2 hours ago. Because that helps reduce the stress so you can deal with the challenge right in front of you today.
4. Get Curious– Ask yourself so many questions. Seek information that will help overcome the obstacles
5. Calm The place it took me to get to this place. Take that breath, balance out my emotions, and try not to come from an emotional place with things.
6. Resilience – I believe that things are going to work out. I have what it takes to overcome that situation.

Sometimes I get stuck in these endless loops, as I know many of you do too. And when I do, I always come back to this poem. It’s called Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson. The first time I heard it, I knew that I had to hear it over and over again. Part of it goes on to say, I walked down the street, there’s a deep hole in the sidewalk, I fall in, I’m lost, I am hopeless, it isn’t my fault, it will take forever to find a way out. Then It goes on to talk about this hole and all the various things about this hole…
This is exactly what being stuck in a loop is like. We follow the same program over and over again and expect different things, but we fall into the same damn hole!

Have the courage to BREAK FREE and have stronger habits that will create better routines. Those routines will lead to that consistency and that consistency will lead to your results!!!

This is how we face our challenges. And we start to build that grit, that exemplifies a character so that you know that you can overcome any of life’s challenges!!!

LINKS
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FabFitSquad
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic/
Website: https://kimbarnesjefferson.com/
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fit-girl-magic-healthy-living-for-women-over-40/id1476883661

Stages of change: A poem

Are You Ready For A Mindset Overhaul’

What’s your fitness persona’ fitnhttps://content.leadquizzes.com/lp/TwzI1audgA

The post To Women Over 40 Who Want To Beat Life Challenges But Can’t Get Started appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

My most recent guest on the podcast, Katie Spada, has actually built her business and brand around this! She helps former athletes get back to feeling good after sports and showing them that there is a healthy life outside of competing.

Katie is a registered dietitian and former athlete. She is the owner and founder of Spada Strong Nutrition LLC, a nutrition coaching business focused on helping former athletes transition their nutrition in life after sport. Katie competed as an elite-level synchronized swimmer on the national team and collegiate levels for 11 years. Because of her experiences in sport, and her own battles with food and body image as an athlete and in life after, Katie founded her business with the goal of helping athletes understand how to fuel their body’s in life after sport, work through body image struggles, and develop a healthy relationship with food as a retired athlete. Katie believes every former athlete deserves to feel good in their retired athlete skin and enjoy the foods they eat, guilt-free!

I know we are not all ex-athletes I know some of us are still wrestling with that former person that had the time to go to the gym 2 hours a day. So ex-athlete or not, how do we transition out of that, so we don’t go from those wild extremes of restricting to eating whatever the 12, you please’

Within this country, we are so big on identities and labels. And this career as an athlete, that is your label, that is who you are. BUT when you lose that label, you start to question who you are without it. Our identities tend to provide stability in our lives and allow us to continue moving forward and giving us purpose, and when it’s taken away, you almost lose your purpose and it can be a very hard road to navigate. So often athletes go from structured sport to body-building work to craving structure, but it’s all the same thing. There will be a time when your body or mental space says they can’t do it anymore.

When you take it to that extreme, and you’re searching for control or a solution in food, that’s when you start to have an unhealthy relationship and food starts to control you. It’s not going to solve the problem. Once we’re done with the binge or the overeating or whatever it may be The problem is still going to be there.

What do goals look like then for clients’ What is your goal, big or small’ You are living a different life now, so what do you want that goal for this new life to be’ It is imperative to recognizing coming back to the identity, you are doing enough, you are worthy enough, and you are deserving enough. Too often we lose track of how impressive small goals are. We think that in order to celebrate it has to be a climbing Mt. Everest kind of goal.

Think of your life as dominos What is it I want to accomplish’ What is one thing that I can do right now, today at this moment that is going to be the domino that is going to take me to the next domino and the next’ Think of Mount Everest You don’t climb Everest overnight. It takes small steps, many days, and time. You can take on this huge goal, but the small steps to it ARE STILL STEPS! They still matter. So, celebrate the small steps!!

Athletes & bodybuilders.. you just remember getting to the top, you don’t remember the years of training and practice that got you there. Then you retire or step away and now it’s like everything needs to just happen But it doesn’t just happen! Think about the other areas of our lives where we are going to step out and be a rock star! You have to stop thinking things will shift overnight. It’s not a light switch that can turn on and off. You practiced all of these things and rules you made up so now you have to practice and deprogram to not do those things. YOU HAVE TO RETRAIN YOUR BRAIN!

Don’t let things build up inside your head. If you eat that cookie, you aren’t going to gain 15 pounds. You wonder if the cookie is going to make you gain weight. You wonder how that cookie is going to impact you. Well, it is not going to do anything! Just eat the dang cookie. Food is supposed to be satisfying and satiating. Not a constant battle.

So many times, we pick the  path, still keeping the cookie in your head and that thought takes over. Then you begin to over-romanticize this cookie. What would have been just 1 cookie if we had let ourselves have that 1 cookie and turns into an entire sleeve of cookies! Then it turns into binge eating if you don’t have just that 1 cookie or extra fat for dinner or even a desert You have to give yourself unconditional permission to eat all foods. If it is too much, just re-introduce 1 food at a time. Allow yourself to have that food. Then the food becomes less exciting because you can have it all the time!

All of us are guilty of this, but so often we attach our identity to our physical appearances You attach who you are to that physical body and who you are in that moment. You FORGET that you are dynamic beings and you are fluid and you will continue to evolve and change. Yet you are placing your identity on something that will not stay the same. You are setting yourself up for disappointment when it does eventually change. But guess what”’ The physical body doesn’t determine who you are!!

So how do you break up from the diet restrictions’ How do you break up from the negative talk about our bodies’ How do you break up from the unrealistic expectations you put on yourself’ How do you retrain your brain and body after stepping off the field or court or gym after years of doing things a specific way’ THISSS is where Katie’s P O W E R program comes in to play! These are the 5 pillars she uses with all clients to work past everything they have learned in their lives and change to have a life after sport.

POWER stands for:
Personalized
Optimize
Work On
Evaluate
Rediscover

Personalized.
I believe everyone has something unique or personal that works best for them. Take a look at your life and what is going to work for your life. Or the life you want to have. Personalize what you want your life to be, not what it was supposed to be like while you were an athlete.

Optimize.
This is where we take a look at what are you eating right now’ What are your day-to-day eats’ And how can we start to improve upon that immediately, so you’re feeling better’ So that’s kind of where Katie’s nutrition science background comes in. How do carbs serve your body’ How do fats, proteins, serve you. Let’s talk about micronutrients. If you’re only having a black cup of coffee for breakfast, how can we improve upon that so that you’re having energy throughout the day’

Work On.
This is where we are working on body attunement, hunger fullness. Coming from sports and body-building work, you often have to ignore your hunger and your fullness. And this can be confusing to trust those signals again once out into the . So being able to trust your hunger cues and self-trust is a huge step.

You rely so heavily on these external tools to tell you how much to eat when in reality, your body knows best how much it needs. The diet industry tells you that you can’t trust your body and you need to manipulate how much you are eating.

Evaluate.
Evaluate nutrition beliefs. Often, you have beliefs about food. No white foods or white sugar, no carbs before a workout, only half a banana. Just things you’ve been told, and most of which isn’t scientifically proven. It’s bro science. One person told another person and now it’s become the rule! Over time this mis information can be very detrimental.

Here is where Katie works with her clients to ask the question, what does science actually say about bananas’ How do these foods nourish your body’ Let’s look at this scientifically to debunk what was told to you and teach you the right things about how that food is sustaining and nourishing your body.

Re-discover.
Let’s re-discover the JOY of movement. For so long working out had a specific purpose of winning or succeeding in some way. And most athletes never knew that moving the body or working out could just be done to feel good. What kind of movement and working out feels good’ Retrain your brain to recognize that all movement counts. Walking counts as exercise, yoga counts as exercise, any time you are moving your body, IT COUNTS AS EXERCISE!

You have this unrealistic expectation of the extreme, again, coming back to the extreme level that your workouts have to meet these expectations. And when you retire, they don’t have to, because walking is more than sufficient. As an athlete, days are structured. You are told how much equals a workout and told how much is enough. But what is your goal and how do you want it to serve you’ What is the purpose of movement in your life now’ What are you trying to get out of the health’

Now that you are no longer an athlete or a bodybuilder or a fitness competitor or a gym rat, what does success look like to you!’ Can you make moving your body fun’ Can you allow yourself to nourish your body with good food and good nutrition’ Can you break up with that robotic life of doing the same thing every day because you HAD TO vs. doing the same thing every day because you want to and because it’s fun’ What does this look like to you’

And magic makers. You don’t have to be one of these above to use these pillars. Anyone can use these pillars as a way to realign your mind and body in a way that works better for your life and what you want out of your life!

What is one thing that makes you feel magical’
To be honest this is going to sound so simple if you will. But a slow Saturday morning with a fancy coffee sitting on my couch, I just feel like the most amazing person in the world. The simple pleasures just make me feel so magical. And a nice fuzzy robe. I am all about relaxation. Then when it’s warm it’s sitting outside at a pool with a drink in my hand is perfection! – Katie Spada

LINKS
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FabFitSquad
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic/
Website: https://kimbarnesjefferson.com/
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fit-girl-magic-healthy-living-for-women-over-40/id1476883661

@fueling.former.athletes
www.spadastrongnutrition.com

The post How do You Shift Your Hardcore Fitness Identity| 86 appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

In order for you to move past the same blocks that always seem to pop up against, you have to focus on what’s working and what’s not. And when it is not, you need to figure out where there is a kink in the process’ many of you don’t even have a process. You resort to the process of just CUTTING out everything you love and then you are going to go hard as hell and fast as hell!

BUT here is the thing.

You can go hard, and you can go fast, but you can’t go hard and fast for long!

I see this as a coach all the dang time. You are literally sprinting towards a brick wall. And I don’t want you to hit that wall, I want to stop you. But sometimes you just have to crash into the wall and know that I am here to help you pick up the pieces. Many of you overlook how important mindset is when it comes to weight loss because you can’t just transform your body if you don’t have your head in the right space. Hard does not get you where you want to go, so stop making it so dang difficult.

So, what are the 5 things that get in our way when it comes to weight loss and reaching goals’

1. You don’t have goals.
2. There is no plan.
3. You aren’t excited.
4. Breaking up old habits and installing new ones.
5. Looking at your obstacles.

So, you don’t have any goals” GOALS for me are like punching in an address into a GPS and finding out how I am going to get to where I want to go. YOU HAVE TO punch that goal into your GPS.A lot of people don’t set goals because they are afraid, and they don’t want to fail.

It’s our goals that drive our behaviors.

It’s our goals that give us that to-do list.

It’s our goals that are our blueprint of where the hell we are driving this bus.

The clearer you are about what is going to happen, the more likely you are going to achieve your goals, and the more you will be able to connect with them. And don’t get caught up in negative self-talk. If something bad happens or an obstacle pops up, are you likely to see it as sign and decide it’s the end of the road. We are programmed to look for the negative, we aren’t programmed to look for the positive. The diet industry programs us to go for hard instead of easy. Why”

Get out of your head and stop taking things away, stop setting goals that make you give up everything. Instead, make a habit of adding things. Like adding more water to your diet and adding vegetables and adding protein. How about focusing on ADDING as much of that as you can to help you fight cravings and fight hunger.

Alright, how are you going to plan” What makes you feel good and what can you plan into our life’ First, you want to look at your week. Most of you are at home working with the kids doing virtual school at least some part of the week. For the most part you know what is going to happen in your week and there is not too much spontaneity in our lives anymore. You can make a plan for your food.

Meal prep. I am not one of those people that will say you need to cook on Sunday all dang day. What I do is plan 24 hours in advance and I am not caught without food or not getting my workouts in, because I have a plan. This is where habits come in, think about what you are good at’ What is it that makes you great at it’ Is there something that you want to be great at that we can start to slide into that already established behavior’

Grab a meal prep guide here

I like people to start with exercise. It makes you feel good and when you feel good you start to think of things in a better, more positive way. So how do we build upon that’ Take the same traits you are good at and put them into what you are trying to master.

Are you excited about what you are doing’ If you’re not excited, you are not going to do it If you sign up for a class and you hate it, you are not going to do it! You are not going to jump out of bed in the morning to do it So, you have to be excited about what you are doing so that you don’t drop off the wagon a few weeks in!! Listen, if you hate kickboxing, don’t take a kickboxing class because they  you will lose 30 pounds. DON’T DO IT!!! Be truly excited about what you are doing and how it will affect your health because we want it to be exciting and we want it to be healthy.

Set realistic expectations magic makers. Who do you surround yourself with’ This plays a huge role in this. I am not saying don’t go out… Just when you are there can we make subtle shifts in what we buy’ I am never going to say don’t go. I am never going to say just have water when your friends have ice cream. BUT how do we have fun with a little more restraint” Inside of going for the belly buster, have a scoop of ice cream.

Let’s set goals and break down those goals. If you want to lose 50 pounds, scale it down and start with 10 pounds, and then repeat it 5 times. Focus on 10 to start. By doing this, you will have something to celebrate sooner when you hit those 10 pounds.? Instead of waiting for 50 pounds go with 10 at a time.? You may think you need to lose 50, but as you see your body transform, you may be happy at 25.?

Magic makers, stop sitting on the sidelines waiting to find the perfect diet, the perfect time the perfect program, the perfect coach. Your gut knows what it is. All you have to do is just get started! Something is better than nothing so even if you do 15 minutes of walking a day that is better than not doing any at all.

As the great Dr. Dre would say, check yourself before you wreck yourself!!!

When I do this, it helps me to just realized that all the noise inside my head is keeping me where I don’t want to be. You have to push past them and not listen to the negative. Not think about what the worst thing is to happen.

Ladies it’s the small efforts done repeatedly over time that get you the greatest results! Think of a snowstorm, it doesn’t snow 30 feet in an hour. It is repeatable and it’s a gradual change An inch an hour is more realistic. But this is the same thing with change. It’s a slow process but it works overtime as long as you stick with it.

Get your mind right, head in the game and if someone needs to hear this, tag them!

This mindset thing is never going away. It is going to continue to be the boogeyman that keeps you from where you want to be in life if you don’t get it right!

LINKS

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FabFitSquad

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic/

Website: https://kimbarnesjefferson.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fit-girl-magic-healthy-living-for-women-over-40/id1476883661

The post How Your Mindset Improves Your Body appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.