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.

Tip 1 – Listen To Your Body

If you‘ve followed me for any time, you know this is my number one rule! Your body has the ability to tell you everything that you need to know to understand how it is feeling at any given time. This means working to figure out what it needs and what it doesn’t need.

By paying close attention to it, you can ensure that it gets the right kind of nutrition to keep you in top shape and feeling well. Listen to your body when it tells you that it needs food, and when you hear it calling, don’t just reach for the nearest snack. This is where planning comes in big time. When you have healthy foods and snacks in the house so when you are hungry you have healthy options at your fingertips. Plus you let go of that potential crashing when relying on sugar and caffeine.

It’s just as important to listen to your body when it tells you that it is full. At the very moment when you know your body has had enough to eat, stop eating and don’t over-indulge. If you continue to eat even when your stomach is full, you will become bloated, lethargic and your body will struggle trying to digest all the extra food. Being mindful of your body will make sure that your body works for you instead of against you.

Tip 2 – Mindful Eating

Take your time to eat mindfully at every meal that you have. When you pay attention to the food that you eat, while you are eating it actually allows you to understand what the body needs and what it doesn’t.

When you slow down to eat it allows your body to function at its very best when it comes to digesting and absorbing food. Slowing down your eating will release more serotonin (this is the feel good drug our body produces).

It takes about twenty minutes from when you start eating for your brain to release that chemical telling your body to stop eating. Slowing down will help you hear that signal.

Tip 3 – Smaller Is Better

Start with smaller portions. Remember, if you are still hungry after eating the smaller meal, you can always go back and get a second serving, but if you pile the food up right from the start, you will be more tempted to eat the whole plate of food, even if you already feel full, simply because it is sitting right in front of you.

My husband makes fun of my but I can’t sit with food in front of me at home or at a restaurant it has to get out of my reach. I take my plate off the table, move it out of reach and the best one I’ve heard is that you put pepper all over the plate so you aren’t tempted to eat it.

Tip 4 – Five Small Meals Instead Three Big Meals

More and more people are beginning to experience the benefits of eating four – five small main meals throughout the day as opposed to five large ones.

Eating smaller meals lets your body to digest and absorb food more effectively and more efficiently.

I’m a fan of smaller meals because large meals can place stress on the internal organs and cause bloating.

Plus after eating big meals, do you feel energized or do you want to take a big ole nap!

Tip 5 – Effective Planning To Avoid Binge Eating

Plan your diet this holiday season. Take a look at your schedule and map good routine. It’s okay that your routine may be scaled back the key here is to not stop because of the holidays. Take the time now to start figureingout a healthy and balanced approach to your diet,

The easiest way to do this is to sit down and plan your week ahead, figuring out a holistic diet and while giving yourself wiggle room in your plan to have some treats. Life would suck without Italian cookies =) Having some fun foods and drink will help you from overindulging.

Follow these simple guidelines as best as you can and be sure to stay safe, have fun, and enjoy the time with friends and family. Happy Holidays!

Looking for a few more ways to enjoy the holidays without counting calories” Grab my 21 Ways To Crush Your Holiday Goals Without Counting Calories. 

The post 5 Ways To Be Mindfully Eat Between Thanksgiving and New Years appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

I’m a person who like rewards how about you’ Instead of focusing on a number on a scale, let’s work on another measure of success. Pick milestones that take the focus off of the number. Your weight will fluctuate a lot and isn’t really the best indicator of how your overall health is improving.

Think of milestones like losing inches on your waist, going a certain amount of days without skipping your workouts, being able to walk longer without being out of breath, or making it through a harder workout. When it comes to rewards, the best are ones that further your fitness goals.

Here are some great ideas for rewards to give yourself. Some may take time, others take money, others don’t take much of either. Pick something that you can really look forward to.

1. Buy a new fitness gadget that you’ve been interested in. Once you’ve been making it to your workouts regularly, how about investing in a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker‘ They can be great motivators and make for an awesome reward.
2. Sign up for a fun new exercise class. Maybe you’ve been wanting to do Zumba or bootcamp but couldn’t justify spending the money if you weren’t sure you were going to make the most use of it. Well, that makes it a great prize for making some progress because once you see that inch come off of your waist you’re going to want to keep pushing through.
3. Get a massage. When you’re new to exercise your body is going to get sore. It’s to be expected. Reward your hard work with a professional massage. Who knows’ Maybe you could make it recurring gift every time you go a certain length of time without skipping a workout.
4. Plan a family fitness activity. You could go for a walk, bike ride, hike or sign up for a 5k. It’s a great way to have fun with your kids or significant other but also stay active. Look at this as both a reward and a workout in one!
5. Sign up to do something you’ve always wanted to do such as rock climbing, sky diving, or kayaking. Getting adventurous is fun! You’re already doing something you never thought you’d do – losing that extra weight. Why not give something new a try’ I’m sure you’ve already got some great ideas in mind after reading this list. Pick something that moves you closer to your goals not further away but make sure it’s something you’re excited to work towards earning.

The post Savvy|Smart|Sexy People Do Rewards Without Food.  appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

1. Crunches give you flat abs. I’m not sure who started this, but crunches aren’t they way to flat abs, in fact if done the wrong way they will cause your tummy to protrude. There was also a great article written years ago about how crunches may hurt your lower back. If you really want to work all of your abs, you are better served doing a plank or long slow full extension bicycles.
2. I’m sweating buckets I must be burning more a calories. Sweat is not an indication of caloric burn. It’s an indication of your body trying to cool itself down. Some folks are predisposed to be a heavy sweaters regardless of what they are doing. I’m married to one, I lovingly call him sweatball. Sorry ladies, I know you like your hot yoga and your spin class, but you aren’t burning more calories by taking those classes. If you love them keep going, but not because you think you are burning more calories.
3. Running is bad for your knees. Many people shy away from running because they think it will hurt there knees. What typically causes knee pain is a number of factors, not having the right shoes or having the same shoes for too long, body alignment issues (aka hip and ankle) or tight muscles. If you truly love running and stopped because of pain issues, I highly recommend you seek a great posture person who can help you. I suffered from sciatica for over 7 years and stopped running I saw posture person and BOOM I was back.
4. You need to workout for at least 45 minutes to have any health benefits. The ACSM has stated that you can get benefits from doing cardio just 10 minute bouts at least 3 times/day. These are just the bare minimums, but we all have to start somewhere.
5. Rest days are important. Back in the 80s it was all about no pain no gain. In order to get the physique of your dreams your muscles need time to rebuild and repair themselves. When you don’t take a rest, you are likely to pull something or have some other form of injury. Overtraining may also keep you from sleeping and cause your immune system to go into overdrive. You should build in 1-2 rest day/week. This means complete rest. Days where you don’t work out at all.
6. Yoga burns a ton of calories. Not sure who started this rumor, but Yoga is a great restorative and flexibility building exercise. Two separate studies in 2005 and 2007 found that a 90 min yoga class burns about 288 calories. Yes, some classes turn up the heat and you sweat, but that’s not you burning calories, this is your body’s reaction to heat.
7. You will bulk up by lifting weights. For women, we don’t have enough testosterone to make us grow muscles the way that men do. In order to grow muscles like that you need to take some Arnold Schwarzenegger era steroids. Lifting heavy weights will help us to get the lean tone physique that we strive to have.
8. To lose weight, you must workout more and eat less. That is the classic diet mindset, you overeat and then you want to burn off those extra calories or you deprvie yourself of foods so that you lose the weight. This is a cycle that you can never break free from unless you learn new habits.
9. You should prioritize cardio over lifting. Many women head to the gym and just do cardio, they believe that breaking out in a sweat is a workout. Cardio is has it’s place, but it’s the lifting that will really take your physique to the next level. I want you to think of cardio as a gas stove. Once you turn off the gas the caloric burn is done. Strength training is like an electric stove, even though you turned off the stove you are still burning calories.
10. No pain no gain. Every workout shouldn’t be “beast mode”. Sure you should challenge yourself, but at some point you may want to be able to walk and lift your arms to wash your hair — just saying. The way I program clients is that they have 2 strength training days one day is a more strenuous than the other so that when they do them multiple times/week they aren’t dying.

If you’ve heard of any others, please leave them in the comments below.

The post 10 Facts About Fitness Everyone Thinks Is True appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training – as the name suggests, HIIT is a program that works you hard to produce the fitness results you desire. HIIT is becoming the “go-to” method for athletes and celebrities who want to restore their fitness levels and look and feel better. Come one who doesn’t want to button their pants OK look good naked  =)

HIIT has long been used by professional athletes and Olympians to increase their endurance and fitness in a shorter amount of time and for the best results. Here are five of the main benefits of HIIT workout routines:

1. Fast and Convenient – In our fast-paced lifestyles, who has time for an hour long workout at the gym’ HIIT exercises allow you to get the same or even better results in less than half the amount of time.
2. Super-Charges Your Metabolism – The interval training in HIIT causes EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption) which means that your metabolism will enjoy a boost of up to 48 hours after a HIIT routine.
3. No Equipment Needed – You can use equipment such as a treadmill or other equipment you’re used to, but you can also perform HIIT when running, swimming, body weight and other cross-training exercise routines.
4. Do It Anywhere – You don’t need a gym membership or a special place to exercise. If you’re pressed for time, you can simply do a number of body weight exercises for a certain amount of time and then rest.  As long as you’re giving the intensity portion all of your effort, HIIT will work.
5. Challenging – If you’re ready for the workout routine of your life, get involved in HIIT. It’s difficult, but the results you’ll see in so short an amount of time will make you a firm believer in HIIt.

HIIT is one of the top fitness trends of the year, and is only poised to grow in the next year. Because it’s fast and you don’t have to spend hours in a workout routine, it works for most of us with ultra-busy lifestyles.

It can also be performed with a variety of exercises, including those you enjoy most. Any type of exercise that lets you get your heart rate up to a high level will help you burn more fat in a much shorter time. The intervals involved with HIIT tend to increase your body’s demand for oxygen and actually cause an oxygen shortage.

This demand for oxygen increases your metabolism so that your “afterburn” will be burning calories long after the exercise routine is over. HIIT workouts are all about saving time and getting the same results as those exercises that last for an hour or more. Click here for a sample HITT workout.

The post 5 Best Benefits of HIIT appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Join the 30 Day FitOber Fest Challenge to create healthy habits.

The aim of this challenge is to inspire you to build healthy habits that can fit into YOURS and YOUR families lifestyle. It’s free to join and at the end of the 30 days my goal is that you have a healthy living plan you that will help you to lose weight, feel great and look fabulous.  Drawing on healthy topics and insights from various fitness sources you’ll have access to fitness tips, recipes, workouts and knowledge to apply to your new healthy lifestyle.

Want to join in the fun this year” Just click the link.  Starting on Wednesday, October 1st you’ll receive a daily email

FitOber Fest 2014

1. No purchase necessary.

2. You do need to link to this page, tweet or Facebook each daily challenge. How else will I know you are participating.

3. Plus — fitness is a team sport. By posting you will get support not only from me, but others who are taking the challenge.

4. You will have a private Facebook group to share your insights, questions and ahas.

5. FitOber Fest runs from October 1st – October 31st

The post Fitober Fest 2014 appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

1. The Squat — This workout focuses on the legs. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and planted firmly on the floor. 

You can use 2 dumbbells holding in each hand OR 1 dumbbell holding it in the middle.
2. Dumbbell/Kettlebell Swings — Dumbbell/kettlebelll swings are great as they incorporate a variety of different muscle groups. To do this exercise you will need to stand with your feet a little bit more than shoulder width apart.
3. Bulgarian Split Squat — To do this exercise you will need a bench and a pair of dumbbells. Be careful, this exercise requires balance, it might require some practice depending on your fitness level. Stand perpendicular to the bench and place one of your feet on it.  Your other foot should be on the ground in front of you. There should be a dumbbell in each of your hands. Do a squat with your one leg. Make sure your posture is maintained throughout.  Your front toe should always be in line with your front knee.  Your foot should not extend further out than your knee cap nor should it fall short of it.
4. Dumbbell Curl & Shoulder Press — Start with your hands to your side with a dumbbell in each. The first move is a traditional curl. Once the dumbbells reach your chest you will turn them and continue on to a shoulder press. It is one continuous movement.

Give this workout a try. Let’s start simple. You will do 3 sets 8-10 reps. Try this 2-3 times this week. In the comments below let me know how you did.

Turn your body into a fat burning machine by lifting weights.

The post 4 Best Workouts With Weights To Burn Fat And Build Strength appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

1. Stay Positive with The Support Of Others — if you know that you find it hard to go to the gym on a regular basis or if you find it difficult to fight the temptation of a cookie, then being able to talk to others could help you to stay focused on your health and diet. If you know that there is a group of people who are there cheering you on, you do not want to disappoint them. They can help you see how well you have been doing and how unnecessary it is to go back to your old habits.  A support group will be there for you to celebrate the highs when you hit your weight loss milestones. They will also be there to build up your spirits if you happen to falter at some point.

A weight loss support group will be there to celebrate highs and pump you up through the lows.

1. Other People Know Exactly What You Are Going Through — sure you have friends and significant others who mean well, but some times they don’t really understand what you are going through. They might not understand how hard it is to change your eating habits or to stick to a regular exercise plan.  By joining a weight loss group you will find members who have similar hopes and dreams to you. They know exactly how difficult it is to make changes to the way you live your life.
   

   Members of a weight loss group will know exactly what you are going through and will be able to empathize with you. 

   They will be able to share their own stories and their own coping strategies, which could help you when you are finding things hard to deal with.

2. Make New Friends — Joining a weight loss group is a great way to meet like minded people.  You will all have one thing in common at the beginning. This will be the desire to get healthy and lose weight.  The more time you spend with these people, the more opportunity you will have to find out other things you have in common.  This could ultimately lead to really strong and meaningful relationships.

Starting a weight loss journey can be made a whole lot easier if you surround yourself with people who can help you to stick to your goals. I just started a new group Lean and Sexy. The program starts on Monday, September 1st.  For more information about this group weight loss program, click here. Lean and Sexy may just be the group you need.

The post 3 Reasons To Join a Weight Loss Group appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Choosing Something You Love Tweet this
If you choose a form of exercise that you love, you will not think of it as a form of torture or something that you are being forced to do.  Instead, you can look forward to the event and put even more effort into it.

A great example is if you love to dance.  Find out about classes in your area and commit to going each week.  It doesn’t really matter what form of dance you choose.  The most important factor is that you are getting involved in an activity where you are burning off calories.

If you are going from a completely sedentary lifestyle and you start attending two or three dance sessions per week, you will notice a difference in your health and energy levels in no time at all.  The weight will fall off slowly but surely.
Try your best to pick dances that require a little effort on your part.  Something that will get your heart beating a little faster is perfect. This means that your body will be actively burning off energy.

If you are a little shy about venturing out in public, you can still get your exercise done through dance. There are plenty of dance and fitness DVDs that you can choose from. You can order a set of DVDs, which are graded at different levels, so they are suitable for absolute beginners as well as people who have danced before.

Set a date on your weekly schedule to put the DVD on and dance along with the instructors.  Xbox, Wii and Playstation all have dance videos you can use as well.

These are all great options if you like the idea of dancing but can’t find suitable dance classes in your area. These are also excellent if you do not want to or can not leave home at the moment.

Choose an Exercise You Can Get Used To
Sometimes you have to face the fact that exercise might not be fun but it is good for you. If this is the case for you, then pick something and do it for a short space of time. For example, make up your mind to go for a short walk. Go for just ten minutes. Do this 2 or 3 times in the week. Then increase the time to 15 minute sessions.  Over the next few weeks, start to increase the time that you are out until you are walking for at least 40 minutes each time.

What you are trying to do is to create a habit.  The more you can get used to doing something, the easier it will be to carry on doing it.  To get a better workout, you can add hand weights to your walk or you can increase your speed.

Instead of walking, you could try this with cycling or jogging or going to the gym.  If you can get used to a regular routine, you will be able to see the benefits after a while.

Hook up with a friend. When you find something you like invite a friend, this way it becomes an appointment and you are less likely to skip it.

Do you have any other suggestions for how a beginner can get started’

The post What’s The Best Exercise The Lose Weight’ appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

What is the one thing that keeps coming up that you say I wish or someday’

When are you going to take action’

When will you go for it’

For me this year has been about going for it. Not playing small. I’m kicking some tushy and taking names on some goals that have been hanging around far to long!!

Listen to my latest video blog where about about your burning desire.

Want to get started. Check out my 30 day fitness sprint challenge. Click here

The post Will You Go For It’ appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.