In this Fit Girl Magic podcast episode, I’m calling out one of the biggest midlife mistakes I see on repeat: Most women don’t have a fat loss problem.

They have a readiness problem. You might be sitting there thinking — WTF does that even mean? Stick with me. Because it’s not about how bad you “want” fat loss. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t? But here’s what nobody’s talking about: forcing a perma-diet when your body is already tapped out isn’t discipline. It’s just making things worse.

Your body might just need a breather before it can actually do the thing you’re asking it to do. If you’ve been running on fumes by mid-afternoon, white-knuckling your hunger, mentally negotiating every bite, or doing all the “right” things and somehow still feeling like garbage… this episode is your permission slip to stop pushing and start getting strategic. I’m talking about how to actually tell where your body is at and whether it’s time to push, pull back, or just hold the line. Because fat loss in the wrong season doesn’t just not work. It keeps you stuck in the same loop year after year. You are not broken. Your timing might just be off. I

n This Episode We Get Into:

Why wanting it badly isn’t your problem, the sneaky signs your body is running on empty, my 5-question gut check so you can stop guessing, why maintenance is actually a skill (and why it matters more than you think), and the 3-gear strategy that changes everything: Push, Pull Back, or Hold the Line.

Sometimes the most strategic move isn’t doing more. It’s doing less, on purpose.

Ready to Figure Out Where You’re At?

I made a quiz for exactly this moment: Is Your Metabolism Tired AF? It takes few minutes and tells you whether your body is ready to push, pull back, or hold the line. No more winging it.

Go take it, I think you’ll find it really eye-opening. If this episode hit home, screenshot it, share it on Instagram, and tag @kimjeffersoncoach. And follow the show so you never miss an episode.

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

Tik Tok @kimbarnesjefferson Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kimjeffersoncoach/

Quarterly Planning session https://kimbarnesjefferson.lpages.co/quarterly-planning

Is Metabolism Tired AF https://kimbarnesjefferson.lpages.co/metabolismquiz-podcast

The post Are You Ready for Fat Loss… Or Just Frustrated With Your Body? appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

For years, the solution we were sold was:
Eat less.
Cardio more.
White-knuckle your way to skinny.

But what if the real magic move wasn’t about eating less… but actually eating more?

I promise—this isn’t a prank. And no, this isn’t a license to go face-first into a pizza (though we’re not anti-pizza around here).

Let’s talk about the real strategy for healing your tired metabolism—especially if you’re a woman over 40—and it’s called: Reverse Dieting.

So What Even IS a Reverse Diet?

You know I love a solid definition.

If you’ve been chronically dieting—eating low-cal, skipping meals, doing workouts you hate—your metabolism is likely curled up in the fetal position, clutching a throw blanket, binge-watching trash TV, and ghosting your progress. Not broken… just burnt out.

A reverse diet is the slow, strategic way to bring your calories back up so your metabolism can function like it actually wants to help you again.

And no, it’s not a free-for-all.
It’s a calculated, gentle increase of about 50–100 calories every 1–2 weeks—starting with protein and veggies, and gradually adding back in those beloved carbs and healthy fats.

It’s like a spa day for your metabolism… but with snacks.

Why Should You Even Bother?

Let’s be real. If you’ve lived on rice cakes, “100-calorie packs,” and yogurt-for-breakfast since 2006, chances are… you don’t even know what “enough food” feels like.

Remember those contestants from that show “Biggest Loser” ? Six years later, they were still burning 500 fewer calories per day than before the show. That’s metabolic adaptation, and it’s real.

But here’s the good news:
Studies show that a proper reverse diet can boost your metabolic rate by up to 15% without turning you into the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Woman. Although your brain may try to make you feel that way.

And if you’re over 40? Reverse dieting is essential.
➡️ You’re losing muscle mass
➡️ Your hormones are shifting
➡️ Your metabolism is more reactive than ever

More food = more muscle = more metabolic mojo.
And let’s not forget: better sleep, a more stable mood, and the radical act of actually enjoying your damn life. Without the constant worry of “Am I doing this right?”

Okay, I’m In. How Do I Start?

Let’s break this down Fit Girl Magic style. Here’s how to actually do a reverse diet:

1. Find Your Starting Line

Track your food for a week—no shame, no judgment. You’ve gotta know where you are before you can make any power moves.

2. Add Slowly

Bump calories by 50–100 every 1–2 weeks. Start with protein and veggies. Then slowly invite carbs and fats to the party.

3. Ignore the Scale (Seriously)

Your weight may fluctuate a few pounds. That’s your body adjusting—not betraying you.
Instead, focus on:

• Are you less cranky?
• Are your cravings chill?
• Are you sleeping like a rock?
• Are you not “hangry” by 3pm?

That’s progress.

4. Train Like You Love Yourself

Strength train 3–4x per week.
Walk more.
And cardio? She’s the sidekick now, not the main character.

5. Ditch the Diet Mentality

Eating more doesn’t mean you’ve “fallen off.”
It means you’re done with restriction and ready to rebuild.
This isn’t weakness. It’s your comeback tour.

How Do You Know It’s Working?

• Your weight stabilizes (within 3–5 pounds)
• You sleep like a you haven’t in years
• No more bingeing granola
• You’re not white-knuckling through every afternoon by chugging water or brushing your teeth
• You can enjoy a meal without guilt or thinking up a punishment workout

You’ll likely stay in reverse diet mode for 8–16 weeks depending on how long you’ve been in the diet trenches. If you’ve been stuck for years? Take your time.
This isn’t a 30-day crash plan. This is metabolic rehab.

And if you’re looking for fast weight loss and crash diets?
👋 I’m not your girl.
But if you’re ready to finally feel strong, energized, and actually at peace with food—pull up a chair.

Final Pep Talk: Your Metabolism Isn’t a Diva—It’s Just Tired

Your body isn’t fighting you.
It’s protecting you.

Let’s show it some love:
✅ Lift heavy
✅ Eat more
✅ Ditch the diet drama
✅ And start living like the strong, sexy, badass woman you are

Need Support?

✨ Take my free quiz: Is Your Metabolism Tired AF?
✨ Grab the Reverse Dieting Guide—it’s actually fun and NOT filled with bro science.
✨ Slide into my DMs or book a call—we’ll talk strategy, support, and snacks.

Because the season of sad Ziplock bag meals is over.
And this next season? It’s yours. 💜

The post Reverse Dieting Over 40: How to Heal a Tired Metabolism appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Jade is the Board Certified Physician Assistant turned Gut Health Consultant helping motivated women kick bloating, erratic bowel habits, and fatigue by focusing on nutrition, lifestyle, and nervous system regulation.

What made you say you wanted to dive into this gut stuff?
I was labeled with IBS when I was 14.  I had experienced a death quite young at 6, while my nervous system was still developing.  Secondary to that and not getting the help I needed during that time, I ended up developing diarrhea, constipation, and bloating at a young age.  I had gone through all of this testing and was labeled with IBS.  They told me that this was normal, and a lot of people had this.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to go into medicine and help young people not feel the way I did.  I then became a GP and realized that so many issues stem back to a person’s gut and the types of food they are consuming and the lifestyle they are living. It became very apparent, very quickly, that gut health was where I wanted to be and where I could make the biggest impact.

I was then diagnosed with Ulcer Colitis and Endometriosis and given immune-suppressing drugs, and IV meds every 8 weeks and that was when I decided there has to be another way.  Within 2 in a half year, I got myself into remission naturally and have been in remission since that time with no medications.

Do you feel that what you have experienced in the last couple of years has stemmed from what happened when you were a teenager or have other things in life contributed to that?
I use the bucket analogy with my clients.  We have a bucket that water gets put into.  Soon you start to take on so much water your bucket begins to overflow.  That overflow is the physical manifestation/symptoms.  By the time you are feeling symptoms so much water has been poured into the bucket as:
●      Your nutrition
●      Your lifestyle
●      Lack of sleep
●      Stress
●      Environmental toxins
When the symptoms started at 14, the water was being put into the bucket since the age of 6.  Then it progressed into an autoimmune disease because it wasn’t addressed in the inflammation and after a while that starts to activate genes in your body as epigenetics. The mismanagement of my IBS at 14 definitely leads to the autoimmune disease in my 20s!

There are so many health issues that stem back to your nutrition and lifestyle.  It all comes back to how we are detoxifying our bodies and the digestive tract is the number one source for that in addition to sweating and urinating.  And if that is not working correctly the toxins are just getting passed back into your body.  It is medically acceptable to only go to the bathroom every 3 days, but I don’t agree with that. We need to be going to the bathroom every day to remove toxins from our bodies.

Everyone here has heard of gut health.. How would you in a nutshell say what is gut health?
Gut health is life!!!  Your gut is a hollow tube in your body and really your gut is deciding what is essential for life and what is not.  We as beings are made up of what we absorb in our gut.  Think of it as a cheesecloth and it’s allowing the good nutrients, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and amino acids to come through into the internal environment and everything else stays external and doesn’t end up in the system and goes all through the digestive tract which eliminates it in a bowel movement.  The digestive tract is your life and protective barrier as to what is internal vs external.  It’s a multi-party system that performs different functions and roles but all of which are necessary to keep us healthy!

What are some things people can do if they are suffering from constipation?
One of the biggest things is assessing the bacteria that are present.  When you increase your fiber, it creates more methane and slows down the gut and increases constipation. Sleep is a big one, drinking enough water, and allowing for enough time in between meals. You don’t want to be snacking and grazing. Allow at least 3 hours between meals to clear out to help out system function.

When we talk about the bacteria, most people think it’s in the stomach, but you said no.. most of the bacteria part happens in the small intestine. Yes, most are in the small intestine and colon. But the majority is the colon.  Your stomach is very acidic which kills most bacteria that is on foods.  But when you make your way down the PH becomes more basic and when you get to the colon it’s a 7/7.5 which is optimal living for bacteria.

Many of us have been told we need to be focusing on probiotics, prebiotics, etc. What are the varying things and should people be self-prescribing?
Probiotics mean pro-life; Probiotics mean bacteria, living organisms. The same bacteria that are living in your gut to help you create these wonderful things to stay healthy.  Prebiotics are fiber and you can think of this as pre-life. So, what do you need to keep life alive, you need to give them food. This is the food for the living bacteria.  I recommend taking them together so you can feed that bacteria. Feeding is both good and bad, but when your gut is healthy, the good bacteria out-compete the bad. Our gut microbiome is created in the first 3 years of life, so it’s so important to have children around a lot of people and touching things, playing outside, etc to help build up that bacteria.

Should people take probiotics and prebiotics?
I am a food-first gal. So, I always say we can always get it through our nutrition vs spending money on supplements.  We have to be careful because there are so many different types out there.  So, it all depends on our microbiome. Everyone is different.  You may do better on one that I would feel terrible on.

What are probiotic foods to incorporate into your diet?
●      Sauerkraut
●      Kimchi
●      Pickles
●      Olives
●      Pickled red onions
●      Pickled beets
●      Sourdough bread
●      Kiefer
●      All fermented foods are a good place to start!

How do you know if you have bad gut bacteria, or they have problems?
Look at the physical manifestations and symptoms.  Not just bloating and diarrhea, but bloating, fatigue, brain fog, diarrhea or constipation, acne, eczema, allergies, and food sensitivities.  Think about, “Are these symptoms I am experiencing actually normal?”

A lot of the things you described can be attributed to menopause… How can we distinguish which is which?
As you go through menopause and feel those hormonal fluctuations, the estrogen, and progesterone affect the digestive tract differently.  Progesterone slows motility so when you are aware of that you can see the changes in the bowels that can drive some of those symptoms.  Any symptom related to menopause is not normal, our bodies were not designed to have dysfunction.  We should be able to make that transition and not be inflamed and everything just went to hell.

As you age, your digestive fire starts to extinguish… acid.. Some people lose acid in their stomachs. Is there something they can do… or is it a fact of aging or modern life?
The threshold is 65. So, when they reach that, across the board we start to see the stomach acid reduce as a process of aging.  Up to that point, we see it accelerate loss when it’s linked to chronic stress.  The second leading cause of low stomach acid is having an H-pylori infection which is a bacterial infection that lives in the stomach, and it survives but reduces the acid in the stomach.  Symptoms are a wide range from nausea to nausea on an empty stomach to even excessive vomiting in pregnancy.

Heartburn
PPI (proton pump inhibitor) is widely OVER prescribed especially for those 65 and older when it comes to heartburn.  It’s such a disservice because they actually have the opposite issue.  They are experiencing the symptoms because they do not have enough acid and when we put them on PPIs, we are only further perpetuating the issue they already have.  Putting them at an increased risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, weakening of the bones, osteoporosis, restless leg syndrome, and hair loss.

For people on these meds for heartburn for years… is there a way off?
Yes, absolutely but you have to start digging into the root cause of why.  Why are you experiencing these symptoms in the first place?  Why do I have acid reflux in the first place? What is in my nutrition or lifestyle that is driving that? I have helped so many individuals get off this medication or rat race.  Calcium carbonate can help with the temporary relief of acidic foods.  This is basically Tums just without all the ingredients, so a more natural alternative.

If I do have a slow digestive fire, there have been talks about taking bitter herbs as a way to help get things going.
I have my clients consume bitter foods! This is much more sustainable long term. So, arugula, beets, etc, bitter herbs, sprays, or drops will send signals from the brain to the digestive tract to turn on bile production.  They are actually more helpful for stimulating the liver and gallbladder to secrete bile. Which can help with the overall digestive process.

A more natural route is apple cider vinegar and lemon. Lemons and apple cider vinegar mimic the acidity of the stomach. So, for someone who has low or not-so-great stomach acid, it helps to give another layer of acidity with the breakdown of food.  If you take ACV and you feel very unwell after, then it’s an indication that you shouldn’t be taking it, and over the production of acid is the issue not under.  If you do this with the ACV you need to drink A LOT Of water with this and chase it down

Another great thing is to drink water in the morning, but warm water or room temperature water in the morning is good because it stimulates peristalsis which is the movement and contractions in the gut before we start any lymphatic movement or flow.

So much research has come out as the gut is the second brain and so many other things that we have never thought of have stemmed from what happens in our gut. There is a reason why this is such a conversation and have gone head-first into this work.

The microbiome (gut) is so complex.  We actually have the enteric nervous system which functions separately from the brain. That is why it’s called the second brain. Not only is the brain talking to the gut, but the gut is also talking to the brain, and there is a very intricate relationship happening there.  Every process in the body is dependent on the gut.  Your gut is what is absorbing everything that is essential to keep us alive and functioning!  There is research now that the gut is linked to Alzheimer’s and Dementia, autoimmunity, hormonal imbalance, infertility, allergies, and joint aches.

This is why people should care because a lot of the symptoms they are facing can be chased back to the gut being out of balance.  Because of the food people are eating or not eating and the lifestyle they are living and a lot of it is driven by society. Convenience is what drives a lot of individuals. We live in such a fast-paced society, and it feels very unnatural for people to go back to the way our ancestors lived and be more intentional, eating whole foods that we are growing ourselves. It’s a lot easier to take a pill and guess what they are taking the pill and still not feeling better!

The brain and the gut are all connected, we cannot separate the two!!

“You making the decision to focus on yourself has a ripple effect on the people living around you and has the potential to make generational changes.  Generationally the things we go through, we can pass on to our children.  You are at a pivotal moment right now where you can make a difference from a biological standpoint for your children, the environment they grow up in, and the nutritional things you feed them.  With all these practices you have the chance to change the life of someone else and that is very powerful!  Children cannot self-regulate; they are co-regulated by their parents, so the environment the parents get to choose in the home and their surroundings is pivotal in the microbiome development and the brain development of the children.” – Jade Etter

What is one thing that makes you feel magical?
Number 1, I just feel like my soul is on fire when I get to educate people that there is another way.  I am energized by my passion and being able to do this, speak to people, and advocate for themselves just lights me up.  I’ve been there and I know what it’s like to be on the other side.

Number 2, having my hands in the dirt.  I am a flower gardener and love fresh cut flowers and that just helps to recenter me.  I feel very much connected to everything that is when my hands are in the dirt!!

LINKS

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

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

5 Days To Consistency challenge – This 5-Day challenge will help you create a personalized plan and develop habits for long-term success in just 5 days.
https://kimbarnesjefferson.lpages.co/5-days-to-consistency/

Jade Etter Website:
http://www.jadeetterwellness.com
Determine Your Gut Dysfunction Root Cause Quiz: https://www.jadeetterwellness.com/ibs-root-cause-quiz-assessment
Jade’s Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/resilientgutco/

The post What Every Woman Ought To Know About Gut Health appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Today’s conversation about habits is that stop being an information collector, and start being someone who actually takes action with all the information that we have. I recently saw a statistic from a study, that said 67% of the people who have gotten some sort of a DNA tests, telling what you are sensitive too or allergic too. Well only 67% of people have made no change whatsoever to their diet or exercise.

You had to know this info, yet you haven�t done a damn thing with it. So many people want the �information� but then take no action on it. I teach class, and I see people like looking at their Apple watch, do you take that information’ And do you apply it to make decisions’ Or are you taking that information and just storing it in your brain’ I ask because we are our habits. Did you know that 40% of our day is done habitual’ There are things that we do that we don�t even think about it. Think about driving home’ Do you really think about it’� You just know you right at the stop sign left at the tree. Do you ever wonder, �How did I get here’� That’s because it’s just become a habit. Another habit that I use regularly is coffee. Do you put the creamer before the sugar’ Or the sugar before the cream’ Or you just drink your coffee’ You don’t remember, unless you’re someone who’s always going to Starbucks ordering a half pump, no Cafe half Cafe blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

It�s our habits that are going to drive us to be successful or not successful. Habits, work for and against us. Here is where you identify habits the ones you want to change, and the ones you want to improve.
I know many of us want to dive right in, but there is a small amount of people who can, you know, dive into the deep, and with a rock. Most will find success by choosing smaller goals. �If we just slow our roll, we just backup a little you are better able to focus. When you focus on one thing, it could be the domino that just moves the rest of your goals along. One of the best books I’ve ever read in my life is called The One Thing and it basically says the reason why so many of us don’t get results with most things in our lives is that we are trying too hard to be great a many things at once. You may be trying hard to be a good employee, lose the weight. Be a great wife, spouse, girlfriend, or partner.

You�re focused on doing so many other things all at once. As the book starts if we just boiled down our actions, we�d accomplish WAY more than we thought.

Many of you think you need to go hard. Hard is overwhelming!

So instead of choosing hard work, choose, what feels challenging, but doable right now. I know you think you won�t hit your goals with this approach but guess what when it comes goals if you are someone who is a A+++ type person, you will never arrive, there’s always going to be another challenge there is always gonna be another bar another level that you always want to go to.

So how do you choose this one thing, right’

Maybe it�s telling yourself that you will drink more water. When I do that I will have less cravings. , I have a client who wants to get more sleep, she knows that if she got more sleep she�d be more consistent with waking early and hitting the gym. Great. I have another client who wants to stop stressing out.

Do you see where I�m going’ I have my clients looking at their behaviors to see what habits could possibly be the lead domino. Let�s use the sleep example. �Let’s just talk setting a bedtime. If you are a night out, and stay up to 12, one o’clock in the morning, don�t think that you will automatically, go to bed at 10. Instead Focus on moving up your bedtime by 15 minutes. Tell yourself, that you�re going to bed at quarter 12. Set an alarm on your phone. And that�s going to be my alarm to go to bed.

I’ve shared this before, and maybe you haven’t, but I am a big fan of good, better best, right’ Because it was the new habits, we’re gonna feel like, you know, like a baby calf like trying to walk for the first time, Pick a good, a best and a better.

It looks like this I’m gonna go to bed on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, this would be the best week. A good week, Monday and Wednesday. A good week would be Wednesday

This will be your focus for 30 days.

The comedian Jerry Seinfeld, starting this thing, don�t break the day. When he first started, he said a good comedian has a whole cadre of jokes. He challenged himself to write one joke every day, I’m not going to judge if it’s good or bad, I’m just going to get into the habit of everyday writing a joke. He put up a calendar on the wall and every day, he would put an X when he wrote a joke.

James Clear, he wrote a book Atomic Habits. Many things you are going to start and sustain a habit right off the bat, that would be amazing. However, human nature tells us that’s not gonna happen. So, one of the things he said is, don’t try to miss two times in a row. Very similar to don’t break the chain, do your best to not miss two days in a row, you know, because it’s easy to do easy not to do.

If you miss one day that�s okay, life happens, but I�m going to pick back up and if I did miss, ask what happened’ Or what was it that caused me to miss so that I�m able to take that information and turn it into something that I can take put into action. And that leads into a plan for slip ups. We live in the real-world shits gonna happen. You might have to work late, a kid might get sick, you might get sick. It might snow something just life might happen. The key is to have to plan.

The last tip I’m going to give you it’s gonna be the hardest part. PATIENCE. = You didn’t put the weight on overnight. It’s not gonna come off overnight. Your body isn’t like Amazon, we�ve gotten so use to ordering something on Monday and have it on my doorstep by Friday, you know the little blue van shows up at my door, I challenge you to give yourself you know, stay the path for at least 30 days, because over 30 days� time, you’re going to see your pitfalls. And when you know your pitfalls, you’ll be able to better plan for them and better able to circumvent them if and when they do pop up again.

So, let me ask you, you know, do you want to be this person just collects all this information knows all this shit about yourself, and just stores it away’ Or do you want to be that person who’s an action taker takes all that information says what feels actionable right now, what feels a little challenging, but also feels doable’

Because you can have all the information at your fingers and remain stuck and overwhelmed with not knowing where to go. Or you can just zero in and say, Okay, this is what feels good for me right now. And this is what I’m going to focus on.

So let me know I’d love to hear like what is that one habit that you feel is like your domino that’s going to knock down the rest for you.

Last piece of this series I going to talk all about your environment, and I don’t mean that environment outside. I’m talking about your physical mental environment and your physical living space.

The post You are your habits appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

If you haven’t read that blog, please go back and do that now.

When I first started coaching, in was common practice to just hand out meal plans. You had them based-on calories, weight loss and muscle building. They were all about 12 weeks and this plan or die!

Now raise your hand if you did this. Now raise your hand if followed this until you would stick with a meal plan until you wanted to cheat on it’

I started to think to myself. I need to help women learn how to eat so that you’re not always getting caught up in looking for the good food bad food list. So that they are able to break from being a desperate dieter who thinks that the only way to lose weight is to find the perfect meal plan, however, how often have you fallen off track with said meal plan. When you do, you are then off to the races trying to find another meal plan to save you from yourself’ Yeah, that was me. I thought that that’s all I had to do.

Follow a meal plan till the day you died!

Are you anything like me and could always find a way to always cheat on it or justify a cheat and say it’s this one time and you’ll get right back and then weeks fly by and you are still on said diet break! .

That is why today, while I’m sharing with you what the fuck to eat, I want you to know that it’s all about nailing the basics. When we learn the basics, think about math’ We all know that one plus one equals two. And we always can go back to that no matter how advanced math gets, we all know that one plus one equals two. And that’s what today is all about. Let me just start with the basics.

So many of you want to sprint, like you are an Olympian before you learn to walk. For those of you who are parents, your kids, when they learned to walk, they fumbled, pull themselves up a few times went back and forth for a while. As your kids were going through this, you didn’t rush them or judge them. You let them work it out on their own timeline.

Don’t fear being a beginner’ It’s okay, everybody was once a beginner including me. you’re going to shift the focus so that we’re no longer overwhelmed. And you’re going to focus on doing what feels easy right now vs always choosing the hard path. .

It’s all about taking responsibility for your choices. And breaking up with that perfectionism. So that you can focus on what I call good, better best. At any moment in time, there is a best choice, a better choice and a good choice. And I’m going to live with those things. You know, if I’m at a pub, I’m going to choose the best choice that I can to honor my health or be comfortable that I chose to have the burger and fries and a beer.’ It is what it is, and I’m going to move on. There’s no thought of, oh, I got to go to the gym and burn this off or do 5 million squats.

No, it’s like I’m owning my shit. I’m owning my choices. The second piece here is that I want you to really look at your liquid intake, you know, what are the beverages that you’re taking it’

Are you downing fancy venti coffee drinks’ What about kombucha and green juices all those things add up over time as far as calories are concerned’ In the #foreverfatloss course I go into greater detail. I share with you how to calculate your calories. I also talk that calories aren’t about set it and forget it., Calories are can get nuanced.

In the Fit Girl Magic Society, I regularly work with my clients to retool their calories, so they are always eating optimally.

In the society, we are regularly looking at how their body responds to them’ I know that many of you think that all you need to do is calculate your calories and/or macros one time and your good to go. I’m ready to rock roll.

Once you calculate I’m asking questions, how is your hunger when I eat the number of calories I calculated’
Am I still frickin hungry’ How is my energy and how are my cravings’ Because you learned how to calculate your calories you are no longer following some rando on the internet that tells you should eat 1200 1300, 1500, 500 calories. It’s you saying okay, this is me. I know where I want to go, and this is what I want to do. So let me just wrap this up here.

There’s gonna be two schools of thought after hearing this, right’

Calories really don’t count as long as I’m eating good whole foods. Well, let me tell you that they do. Think of calories like your bank account, right’ Is your account set up so that you get a text message anytime something comes out of their bank account’ That’s the same thing when it comes to calories. Now, I’m not asking for you to track for the rest of your natural born life, I encourage the members of the Fit Girl Magic Society every now and then to track calories, when your weight starts to creep back up, when the body composition start to change. It’s your way of doing a check and balance to see what’s going on.

It’s really easy for what you ?think is a tablespoon? but it could be more like 2-3 tablespoons.
It’s taking an inventory of what’s going on’ What am I eating’ What am I drinking’ Am I above my caloric level am I below and then I can start to make some smarter decisions’

Today’s homework is all about calculating your calories. Grab the #foreverfatloss Mini Course and I will walk you through how to do this.

If you are thinking to yourself, that it seems like too much of a pain in the ass to figure out your calories. I get that. But let me ask you. Do you want to continue to spin your wheels ‘ Or do you want to start focusing on your food bank account so that you can finally get to the place where you want to be with your forever fatloss’

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Let me explain. I’m going to share with you what it’s like to feel hungry again and acknowledging what you are eating.

For years, the diet industry told us that we couldn’t be hungry. When I first started in this industry, I was told to get the results that I wanted I had to five meals a day to stoke my metabolism. I had to eat every 2-3 hours regardless of if I was hungry or not. So thousands of women started eating by the clock and basically turned ourselves into Palov’s dogs. When the bell rang you ate regardless of if you were hungry or not.

What we’ve found in the last I don’t know, let’s say 20 years is that is utter BS. It caused many women including myself overeat my way to weight gain. It didn’t move the weight loss dial the way we thought it would or help us get to where we wanted to go.

What research now shows is that you want big gaps between your meals giving your body an opportunity to rest and digest.

I’m going to ask you to break up with the five meals a day and really start to reconnect with how you feel when you are actually eating and focus on the difference between being satisfied and satiated.

What is satisfied’ It is that it you you’re eating something, and it was visually appealing as well as tastes really good. You ate something and you’re like this. Your eyes were like yeah, this is good. Your stomach was like yeah, this is good. Your taste buds are saying the same thing. That’s what most meal should look like.

Now comes the satiated part. Is actually your belly got full’

Let’s put this in to real like action.

How many times do you think about pizza’ Then you tell yourself no, I can’t have pizza. It’s not on my plan. I can’t have pizza, and then you don’t have the pizza. And then all day long. You are seeking something that’s going to replace the thought of pizza in your mind. Instead of the pizza you have boiled chicken with broccoli and brown rice and brain says nope not it and you’re off seeking a taste of pizza and end up eating WAY more calories than you would have had consumed had you just had the freaking pizza! .

The second thing is that satisfaction, you want to eat until you are about 80% full. There’s a hunger scale on a scale of one to 10. You want to be finishing your food that you still have about seven, so that your stomach isn’t like, oh my gosh, I should have borrowed my friend’s maternity pants or you feel like you need to unbutton your top button. Today’s goal is help you master your hunger.

Want to learn more of the #foreverfatloss system. Grab my mini course right here.?

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You DECIDE which action to take.

The key is to plan it at least one day in advance.If the actions you take had the potential to help you earn more money, lose weight, build stronger relationships or just help you to feel better about yourself.

Imagine how that could change your life.

You see it’s possible to do just that. You take your daily actions and apply it to your goals.

Here is where you come up with a set of actions that you want to accomplish. Each night brainstorm about the actions you’ll take the next day.

Instead of doing this daily, you could also plan your actions weekly.

I like to take a look at my goals every month and make a big plan and then break it down weekly.

For me this is how I continue to take committed to taking action. Committed daily action is the most important aspect.

To get where you want to go setting up a system of taking daily actions, will begin to become second nature over time. In the beginning it will feel a little weird and awkward, you may miss a day or two. Just try to get back to taking actions the next day.

You could also set up themes for particular weeks. For instance, suppose you are trying to eat more veggies. You could set aside the first day to find recipes. The next day can be dedicated to prepping the veggies.  You could do this for a full month if you think you need that much time.

You don’t have to take major actions all the time. It could be something simple, like trying a new class at the gym, drinking one more glass of water or setting a bedtime. The awesome thing about this method is you get to decide what actions to take.

You may argue that this is simply goal setting with tasks and you would be partially correct in thinking that. However, this is more simplistic as helps you to devise a day-to-day action plan.

The key is not to get too hung up on the details. By simplifying it down to daily actions, you will accomplish what you desire.

These are the types of techniques I will be sharing at my Summer Mastermind program.  Will you join me‘

The post Want a healthy life you gotta take action! 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.

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The truth is that it’s okay to have a bad day, a day that doesn’t fulfill all of your daily needs. Most times our other meals during that week will have the nutrients that we are missing. Now..if you continue to miss certain nutrients there can be problems. Eating well helps you to have:

• Stronger Immune System
• More Energy
• Longer Life

Now a days most people want to just take a pill/supplement. I’m not one of those real food zealots. I do see the advantages of vitamins, supplements and/or meal replacements shakes and bars. On those occasions when you can’t eat a traditional meal.

One of the best ways I know how to make sure you are getting all that you need is to do a little menu planning. Menu planning is exactly what it sounds like. You create a plan for what you’re going to eat during the week, including your meals and snacks. Now no eye rolling. I know that some of you have tried to do this in the past and may have thought it took too much time. Hated what you cooked and then tossed it. Or maybe you never have and or never took the time to learn how. If you are willing in just 5 days I could show you that healthy meal planning can save them time and money, provide you with the nutrients that you need to lose weight.

Jack Lalane said it best nutrition is queen. The better the food you take in the better your physique results. So meal planning becomes an important piece of the puzzle. If you don’t have a plan for what you’re going to eat, you may end up grabbing whatever is fastest and most readily available.

This often means you’re consuming processed food or junk food. It’s a missed opportunity to get at least some nutrients into your system.

Meal planning is simply deciding in advance what you’re going to have to eat. In most cases people plan several days’ worth of meals and snacks. It makes shopping, cooking and preparing food, and eating, a much simpler and healthier process.

Here are eight steps to make meal planning fun and easy.

#1 Decide how often you can shop.

I shop every Saturday. I keep a running list through the week so that I’m running blindly going through the store. My goal is to get in and out of the store in less than 30 minutes. .

#2 Plan for snacks too.

Here is where most people slide in their healthy lifestyle. Making sure you have some healthy nibbles around will keep you from making unhealthy choices.

#3 Make it tasty.

Everyone thinks eating healthy has to be boring and bland. Not at all, add different herbs and spices make it and interesting as possible.

#4 Identify recipe sources.

I sit down every Saturday and go through Pinterest to find great new recipes. I also have a ton of great cookbooks that I go through too.

#5 Create a system.

Create systems to organize and plan. Sit down at your table and make a full meal plan before you shop. Add ingredients from each recipe to your shopping list so you go to the store knowing exactly what you need to buy.

#6 Have contingency plans.

It always makes sense to have some backup food. You might not have leftovers that you expected from last night’s dinner and now you have nothing for lunch. If you have some backups then you’re ready to go.

#7 Make ahead.

We all can get “crazy busy” from time to time. The best way to handle this is to have make-ahead recipes. You can make on the weekend, freeze, and thaw and heat for dinner. When I travel and don’t want my husband living off pizza and Chinese food I make a bunch of easy to heat and eat meals. I’m also a sucker for the crockpot toss everything together in the morning and come home to delicious dinner.

#8 Try something new.

It’s easy to get into a meal planning rut. Meatless Monday, taco Tuesday, noodles on Wednesday and so on. While that does provide a framework to make planning easier, it can also start to feel limiting. Try to include one new recipe each week. You want to feel excited about your food.

Meal planning can take some getting used to. It requires you to create a few new lifestyle habits. However, once you’ve gotten into the swing of things, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. For me meal planning is the only way to make sure that each meal is nutritious and delicious. Plus I don’t have to do any thinking during the week. I can just go in the fridge and have something simple and easy to eat.

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