Esther teaches her clients how to cultivate a warrior mindset when it comes to healing their relationship with food and unconditionally loving their bodies. Why you need to be careful of the diet advice you are listening to What really makes you sexy

How to use the Big 3 question

Why a severely restricted diet doesn’t work
Understand sustainable dieting
How to start a coaching relationship that works How to heal old traumas
How to take care of yourself to take care of those around you
Where are you finding happiness
The power of your mind
Why you sometime have to go with your gut rather than advice
Good health lets you be present for life
Speak until you are heard

Resources DUTCH test https://dutchtest.com/
Website: https://estherblum.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gorgeousesther/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LivingGorgeous/,
Eat Drink and Be Gorgeous https://amzn.to/2KwjQjD
Cave Women Don’t Get Fat https://amzn.to/2YNTCy9

The post Being a Healthy 40 Something Today with Esther Blum|1 appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

I get it things come up that just make it hard for us to keep going, and keep us motivated. You will get back to it this month, then it’s the next month, and by the time you’ve skipped through the months, you are back to November and holidays, and you’ve lost an entire year. If you think about it there are only like 3 good months in a year that are “good months” to stay on track, right’ 🤷🏽‍♀️ If this is you, I got you! 😉

You don’t need to make it hard to lose weight, and I am telling you, the old way of dieting DOESN’T WORK anymore! If you are DONE chasing skinny, and you are ready to get the results that last and help make this a lifestyle change, then you are in the right place! I am going to give you 4 Alternatives to Dieting that you CAN do! And I am not asking you to diet, I am just asking you to not eat like a jackass!!

I am also not going to sit here and give you a list of the DO’s and DON’Ts, no sugar, no flour, no fun, etc.. I WANT YOU to be able to have a piece of cake guilt free, a glass a wine without sneaking it, have ice cream with your kids or stop dieting because you are going on vacation and want to enjoy it or wanna enjoy date nights. Ladies, dieting should not be a chore and it should not be a burden! It has to become a part of your daily and weekly routines and it will become as simple as breathing!

So… are you ready to hear what the 4 Alternative to Dieting are!’ They’re so simple I am telling you!
1. Mindset
2. Movement
3. Food
4. Exercise

I know!! That is, it! Yup!! And once you start implementing these into your daily routine and making these minor shifts, you will see a difference.

Alright, so Mindset, what do I mean by Mindset’ You have to change the mindset that tells you “I am not broken; I am ready and I am willing to do this.”. You need to get clear with exactly what it is that you want. Be clear with what you want and what you don’t want, but DON’T let the focus be on what you don’t want. Then you need to make yourself and your body the priority, and you have to STOP putting your body up on a shelf every single time life gets “too busy”.

How are you defining your success’ What does it actually look like’ Is success for you standing on a scale, is success fitting into a certain size, is success you sleeping better, is success just YOU feeling better!’ And this will all come from your mindset!

“My perception is my reality”.

Next, step 2 is Movement.. Now don’t confuse this with working out, that is something totally different. I am talking about getting up and moving! This is called non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), which is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. It ranges from the energy expended walking to work, typing, performing yard work, undertaking agricultural tasks and fidgeting. Movement for many people has a far more lasting effect on your weight then on the lasting bout of exercise. So how much are you actually moving during the day’

Find a way that you can keep track of your steps you put in in any given day, that way you can get moving more if you need to. Clean the entire house, go grocery shopping, get a walking desk, whatever you need to get you moving throughout the day do!

Step 3 is Food and what are you eating!’ The best way to keep track of things is a food log! I love a food log because you can go back and see what foods it for you did, what foods satisfied you long enough that you didn’t overeat. I want my clients to be hungry 3-4 hours after each meal, and to really be hungry, not just eat because it is time to eat. I want them to eat when their brain, and stomach, says they are actually hungry. And these meals have to have staying power! They need to satisfy the brain and they need to keep you going and stay with you for a long period of time.

So when you sit down to make a meal, think about these things. Is it satisfying through the eyes, does it give you fullness in the belly, does it have the MINIMUM number of calories and does it have the MAXIMUM amount of nutrition!’

Lastly, step 4, is Exercise. So, like I said before, this is not movement, this is getting in 3-4 days a week for half an hour or more of an actual workout. Whatever you choose to do, whether it’s riding a bike or grabbing a workout on YouTube, you want to be breathing heavy, sweating and have your muscles burning! That is how you know you got in a good workout! Then, I want your cardio to be HITT (High Intensity Interval Training). And that is really it! Just make the time to do this!
Those are the 4 steps, and I KNOW that you can totally do that! These steps right here are the building block for great habits! Great habits build great routine, routines build consistency, and consistency is what gets you your results. That is literally the ultimate Fit Girl Magic Formula!!!

If you want all of this at your fingertips, grab the Free Guide Here!

The post Four Alternatives To Dieting appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

When I first start working with my clients to come up with a vision. It my job as a coach to help you see the importance of creating that vision. Now, here’s where beliefs come in. I work with women over 40 and some of them say to me, Girl, I’ve been dieting since I’ve been 15. How do I finally, break free’ Vision is a challenge for them, because for as long as they’ve been dieting, they know where they want to be. I get the frustration. I’ve been in that place where you want what you want, and you want it right frickin’ now.  

Now is the time for you to stop for 10 hot minutes and draw up a blueprint of where you want to be. DREAM BIG! Do you remember when you were a kid you dreamed so easily and no one told you your dream was crazy or impossible. Somewhere along the way though we started to believe that not everything is possible, and we can’t do it all. I’m going to start chipping away at that belief.

Not sure how to create one, I’ve mapped out the blueprint right here.  Click here to grab your copy 

Why Is A Vision’

A vision is what helps you set your priorities. So many women jump around from goal to goal and never really settle on one thing. When you don’t settle on something you can’t see progress and when you don’t see progress you get frustrated and you stop, or you are off seeking something else.  

To avoid that frustration keep it simple, though not often easy question.

How do YOU define success’

What does an ideal day look like for you’

Can you sustain that and live a happy life without that roller coaster that many of us have gone through‘ 

This vision helps you really stay focused on what matters most to us. It helps you define your why. My vision is I believe every woman should feel comfortable in their body.  

The best part about having a vision is that once you have a plan in place, you start to create this movie in your mind, and your brain starts to think, “I’m that girl who just knows what to do.” It makes you ask yourself things like, “What is the one small step I could take right now and feel like I can do that for the next week, next 30 days'”  Think big then bring it back to at least one small step you can take. 

 From there you focus in on your motivation. Maybe your why is that you want to be able to go into your closet and wear whatever the hell you want to wear. Awesome! But is that enough to motivate you’ When it’s freezing cold or raining outside, is wearing what you want to wear going to get you out of bed and to the gym’ And I’m not going to want to get out of bed and go to the grocery store. Is that enough’  I’ve been very honest with anyone who asked, there are mornings when the alarm clock goes off at quarter five, and I was like, sweet Georgia Brown. Not today. Sometimes what motivates you is your overall goal. Other times, it’s being accountable to someone else, someone that you don’t want to disappoint, who will hold your feet to the fire, and won’t cave when you start to bat your eyes and throw a pity party.  

 So now, you know your why and what motivates you, but do you know what to do if you run into a challenge’ It’s inevitable that somewhere, sometime along your journey, life is going to happen. We all have challenges. I want you to think about what could come up — childcare, work, spouses, other family members, sickness, etc. What are the obstacles that can come up’ Then, start thinking of plan B’s. Put contingency plans in place so when something goes wrong, you don’t get stuck in it. You always have a direction that you can move next whether that’s putting one foot in front of the other or you need to pivot to make progress.  

Using the action guide and planning out a blueprint for your vision is a great first step to reaching your goals. To gain and keep momentum, take the time to define your why, find your motivation, and tune in to the Fit Girl Magic Podcast.  

Want to learn more — listen to the Fit Girl Magic podcast.

The post Creating A Wellness Vision That Gets Results appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Micro Habits Lead To Consistency

What are micro habits’ They are tiny little habits that you create that are repeatable. Like all habits, they are the glue, the foundation for any successful and lasting change. They are going to help you create continuous momentum. That’s one of the few things I can guarantee is that if you take it slow, you do these small incremental steps, success is yours.

Think about a snowstorm. Here in New England we have snowstorms, and we don’t get 30 inches of snow in an hour, we get an inch of snow an hour, so that amount over 30 hours, that amount over a few days, that builds up to snow. Five years ago, six years ago we hit 100 inches of snow. That 100 inches of snow didn’t happen overnight; it took a month for us to get to a hundred inches of snow.

It’s these little things that add up over time that is going to give you the results that you want, and the results come from consistency.

Let it be easy

Why do you want these incremental changes’ It’s easier to start. I hear a lot of excuses when it comes to starting now. “In order to get healthy and fit maybe I need to get a gym membership, so that means I have to shop around, so that pushes my starting working out off.” Or “I have to get new sneakers.” Or, “I have to wait till Monday because I can’t go to the grocery store till Saturday or Sunday, blah, blah, blah, blah. When you pick a small change, you can start it right now.

Let’s just make it simple. I’m going to use my real example – I wanted to get back into meditation; I lost the habit and now I want to get back. I can set this big goal like meditating for 20 minutes, but instead I’m starting small. I used to be up to 20/30 minutes, but you know what, let me own where I am right now. Five minutes. I’ve been doing it and it feels great.

For you the big goal might be following the Whole30” or doing Paleo or Keto. That’s a lot of change all at once, so then you crash and burn. So, you start small – maybe it’s you saying to yourself, “I’m going to drink one less cup of coffee,” or “Maybe I’m going to drink one more glass of water.” They key is to start small.

Here’s the kicker. Five minutes passes by quickly and I think to myself, ” Oh, five minutes have already passed. Maybe I should up it.” Nope. I’ve only been doing it for three days; I’m not going to push myself. I’m going to say stick with it, five minutes for 30 days, and if I can sustain that then I can take the leap.

Start Simply. Simply Start.

The other thing I like about micro habits is they are fearless, painless really. I don’t have to rearrange my whole life when I make small goals. It’s not badass but it’s more than you’re doing right now. It’s those incremental steps. Start simple; it’s that simple.

When I was trying to start small with my food my weakness was DaVinci syrups. I used to always have it in my coffee, it was heavenly. My favorite was the gingerbread — yum, yum gimme some year-round. But I was trying to cut back on my sugar intake and they do make it sugar-free, but I wanted to cut back on my Splenda intake, too,but it wasn’t an overnight thing. I have two cups of coffee per day so I started just having it in every other cup. Then, I turned to having it every other day, to only on the weekends, just on Sunday, and eventually it was once a month. I haven’t had DaVinci’s in about three or four years. Now, am I sugar-free’ No. Will I ever be sugar-free’ Hell no. But I made a small step in the direction I wanted to go.

That’s where I want you to start. When you take these little small baby steps you don’t have to think about all the things. You can go nice and small and feel more in control. You’ll feel that you can manage things way better and with less stress.

Half-assed but motivated

The final piece to micro habits is to stay motivated. You have to keep the motivation going. Motivation dwindles down just like willpower when you’re trying to do “all the things.” There is an episode of The Simpsons, (if you don’t know, he works at a nuclear power plant) and Homer Simpson’s boss says, “I’m sick of you guys half-assing it around here. We’re going to start using our whole ass.” Here is where I want you to half-ass it, here is where I want you to take off the ‘all the things’ hat and say, “What is 50%’ Here is my list of 100%, what would get me 50%'” And do that. And if you feel like you’re stumbling with that 50%, scale it back.

I’m an A++ personality, and the best thing I heard was… I always want the A+, who doesn’t’ I want to be the gold star, the teacher’s pet. But what if instead I went for the B+’ It’s still passing, it’s still pretty outstanding, but it’s not stressing me out, it’s not making me cuckoo for cocoa puffs. It’s keeping me on pace, it’s keeping me sane.

What I want to do is give you a little structure for you to start kind of making this on for yourself. I want this to be actionable for you. The big thing is you’ve got to make a choice. What is it that you want to change’ It could be several things, just brainstorm, just sit down and write it all down. Then figure out what are the challenges around that’

A simple thing to start with is water. I’ve been giving you the example of meditation, but I want to give you something a lot of my clients come to me about. They often say that they want to drink more water. One of the big things I tell people about water is habits sometimes need triggers. The trigger could be maybe you drink a glass of water when you first get up, maybe you drink a glass of water when you first get to work, maybe you drink a glass of water before lunch, maybe you drink a glass of water before dinner. But you find some interval, something you do on a regular basis that you will always do that will remind you to drink the water. You could also set alarms on your phone to drink the water.

But that’s how it all starts, it’s those little habits. If you’re ready to embrace the new you, create some micro habits. Then drop me a comment. I want to know what’s your new micro habit. I look forward to hearing about it.

The post Want Big Results Build Small Healthy Habits appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

1. Decide what it is that you want. Pick one thing because that way you stay focused. Pick that goal and I’m going to see it through to the end. Whether it’s “I want to run a marathon,” be it “I want to start a business,” be it “I want to find a relationship.” Whatever it is, this applies to all, but I’m going to focus in on fitness because that’s what I do. So for instance, if I told myself I was going to lose my muffin top, is that something I’m going to stick with’

2. Get clear. What is it that clearly defines what you want’ What do I have to do to get rid of that muffin top’ And trust me, it isn’t a thousand abs a day. This is like punching the address into GPS so that you know… you’re like, “We’re going to 123 Main Street. We’re going to Lose That Muffin Top Village; that’s where we’re going.”

3. Make a Connection. Once I have my GPS locked and loaded then I have to connect to that goal. I want you to think about what it is that you want, so if I want to lose that muffin top, I want to be so connected and say, “Why do I want this'” Because it’s your why. Your why is you own internal motivation. We can’t always look for external motivation because it’s short-lived. Unless you hire someone, who lives with you or you have an amazing live-in support system like a spouse, kid, whatever, you need that internal motivation to get you going. So, for trying to lose my muffin top I’d say, “I don’t want to lay down on my bed to stuff myself into it’ I want to be able to like look in the mirror and be like, ‘How you doing” to myself.” External accountability is awesome, but internal motivation is key and that is your why.

4. It takes Commitment. This is where you put your money where your mouth is. Here is where you write out your initial plan, and not this rigid structured plan but a plan with flexibility. Take some time to think about what are your non-negotiables. Everyone has those non-negotiables. Maybe for you it might be you need to have a glass of wine every night, but I’m going to tell you, keep those non-negotiables in and there might be some wiggle room if you’re not hitting your goals, but always decide that what are your non-negotiables.

To help you keep your commitment, find a support system. Do you need someone who is going to help you map this out’ Are you going to need someone who is going to help hold you accountable to what you’ve just written out as your non-negotiables’ And what does commitment look like for you’ Some people are commitment-phobe, some people are afraid of failure or success.

5. Have the courage to change. Here’s where a lot of people get stuck. You might have got clear, you might have made the decision, you might have found your why, and you might be like, “Yep, I’m ready.” And then you’re ready until stuff gets hard, and stuff is going to get hard, stuff is going to get unclear, stuff is going to get messy, because I know that for many people at this age we’ve been on umpteen diets, we’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt and the shaker bottle for it.

6. Then create new habits. I’m big on habits because habits will keep you going. It’s stronger than just having a plan, it’s stronger than willpower, it’s stronger than discipline. When you create a habit, it’s going to last. One of the habits that I’ve created over the last year is I wanted to increase my water or make my water more consistent, and like I said, I have coffee, so I have my first cup of coffee and then I have a glass of water. And once I have that glass of water then I can have my second cup of coffee. I teach group fitness classes and so I fill up my water bottle during the group fitness class and then I make sure that I drink that whole bottle of water either by the time class is over or by the time I get home of teaching that class, so two triggers that force me to drink water.

7. Be consistent. In Pulp Fiction, Samuel Jackson and John Travolta are looking for this… I think it’s a either a box or briefcase, I can’t remember, but every time they come across it or someone comes across it, they open it up and there’s this giant glow. Well that glow is consistency, that’s what we’re always looking for because when we get to that point where we’re doing things on a consistent level, boom, bang, boom, results are not far behind.

The bulk of the framework is about staying in control rather than having a diet or the struggle to diet control you. And what I love about the framework is that it doesn’t cause me to suffer or struggle, because been there, done that and that just stinks, it stinks, and no one wants to do that.

I’d love your feedback. I want to hear what you think about the framework and if it’s something that can help center you when you feel like you’re spinning out of control. Let me know.

The post 7 Steps To Getting Healthy And Staying On Track appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

On this episode, I share exactly the steps to make weight loss effortless.  

This episode walks through the importance of  

• Starting with a plan
• Not letting temptations get the best of you
• The power of a good night sleep
• Does mindful eating really work
• The importance of chill time
• How to stop being chronically dehydrated
• Bring on the veggies
• How to pick your battles

Resources

Four Different Alternatives to Dieting 

Effortless Meal Prep Masterclass 

Virginia Tech water study 

Social Instagram @kimjeffersoncoach

Facebook @kimbarnesjefferson

The post The Secret To Effortless Weightloss Revealed appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

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.

Lucky that I’ve found this recipe that lets me have BBQ back in my diet. This homemade BBQ sauce uses less sugar and instead focuses on spices and onion to get an amazing BBQ flavor without packing in more calories.

• 1 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 4 white onions, chopped
• 1 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/3 cup ketchup

*I like my spicy so I’ve added in some crushed red pepper flakes or Sriracha.

Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients besides the ketchup to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn to low and simmer for around 25 minutes, stirring every 3-5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add ketchup.
3. Serve warm or store in the fridge for later.

Love recipes — me too, grab 30 more right here!

The post I Love Me Some BBQ appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

Well you can still have these types of food and drink even if you are trying to lose weight. All you need to do is be armed with the right information about the types of goodies that are not too high in calories.

You do not have to cut out all these foods, you just need to cut down.

• Eat Well Balanced Meals
  When you eat a well balanced meal, there should be less need to snack. A good meal should leave you feeling full and satisfied. Snacking can sometimes occur if you have not eaten enough during your mealtime. So the first thing you want to ensure is that you are eating enough during the day. Make sure all your meals have a protein element. This is a lean protein — chicken, fish, beef, shellfish, eggs, greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
• Choose Alternative Snacks
  I’d be lying to you if I said go it, and have all the cookies, candy and chips you want. While I don’ t believe in an all or nothing mentality. There are plenty of alternatives that you can eat so that you still get the same satisfaction but not the weight gain. One of my favorite things to do is go through Pinterest to find new recipes to keep it interesting. Make sure you set your timer, this could be a time suck.
• Choose The Mini-Size Options
  Sometimes when you are craving a snack, like a candy bar or a bag of popcorn, you might not actually need that much in order to feel satisfied. This would be a great time to actually look at buying the mini-size options of your favorite snacks.

Any one of these three options will give you a way to enjoy snacks without packing on the pounds. If you have any other suggestions, please leave me a comment below.

The post How To Enjoy Snacks Without Piling on The Pounds appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.

We are all on the go! What can you bring with you, leave in your car or desk when you are running…
Tweet This

1. 1/4 c Hummus with veggies
2. 1/2 cup of cubed cantaloupe and 1/2 c of cottage cheese
3. No sugar added fruit pop and a 1/2 protein bar 
4. Protein bar and veggies
5. 1/2 c tortilla chips and 1/2 c salsa
6. Celery sticks with cottage cheese add in some dried cranberries
7. Celery sticks with hummus
8. Protein shake and a handful of almonds
9. 1/4 c couscous with a chopped protein source and veggies
10. 1/4 c applesauce and chopped nuts
11. mini cans of tuna and wheat crackers
12. mini cans of tuna on cucumbers
13. rice cakes with nut butters and some veggies
14. baked sweet potato, topped with greek yogurt and cinnamon
15. whole wheat waffles with coconut oil and cottage cheese
16. any fruit you want, nuts and dry Kahshi cereal

I’d love to hear about your go to snacks. Just leave me a comment below.

The post 16 Easy Snacks appeared first on Kim Barnes Jefferson.