Body By Jess Fitness

If you know me, you know I am an open book and honest as the day is long. I have no secrets here and my mission is to 100% teach you all I know, learn and what I do.

I get asked the question all the time wondering if you can "lose weight" and build muscle at the same time. So I wanted to break this down for you.

In order to "lose weight" ie: lose body fat, you must be in a deficit of calories from where your maintenance level is. This could be anywhere from 10-30% less calories from your maintenance. Typically when women are exercising and lifting weights in deficit you are not "building muscle" because you are eating LESS calories then what your body needs because the #1 goal is Fat loss.

But while in Maintenance & NOT In deficit one can still burn fat, while building muscle gains at a slower rate. You wouldn't necessarily see the scale drop like you would in deficit, but rather you would notice inches dropping, improved biofeedback; better moods, sleep, energy, stronger in your workouts, lifting heavier, etc.. Burning Fat and "losing weight" to me are two different things. Look at the image of the two picture of me above. The left is a 5 week Deficit (which in all honesty I hate being in deficit) and the right is maintenance coming out of surplus. Looks so different right?! One might say I was "too skinny" on the left, but it served a point. Deficit Is for weight loss which doesn't always equate to just fat loss. But on the right side picture is where I notice the fat loss happening, but my pants are tighter in the b***y and thighs. I am lifting heavier weights with focus. I am resting more and doing less intense cardio.

Bottom line depending the goal, depends on the approach. One goal at a time. You want weight loss, deficit! You want strength, power & to feel amazing Maintenance with Muscle Building goals! Eat for your goals! Eat for your body! Pay attention to the way you feel and tap in to that! Your body will tell you what it needs more of and less of, I promise! It is a pretty amazing work of art and no matter your age you have the ability to transform it to whatever desire you'd like.

For me I love maintenance and listening to the way my bodies responds to various things. As I get older (I mean I am still young but.... 😆) our bodies respond different. Listen to them! Less Isn't always more and More Isn't always the answer.

Change brings change. Like they say...nothing changes, if nothing changes. ❤

Ugh....I try to explain this so often in posts and my stories. My clients know, but I cannot over emphasize this enough. You also can’t be selfish with that fat loss number and hanging out in deficit for too long because eventually your body makes the final call!

Please believe me when I say quick fixes often never lead to a long term solution. It I’m usually leads to gaining it all back PLUS some. Be patient and learn how to do things the right way. The right way is not easy because it takes time and we all wanted results yesterday, but trust me when you do it this way you can sustain it and keep it off for life! Stop wasting your time and screwing with your mind and body so much. Eventually your body will of had enough and there will be more healing a no repair that needs to happen. Jump off the hamoster wheel please! ♥️🙏🏻

It’s self reflection time. I am living the life. A life I envisioned as a young girl. The wonderful hubby, being a mama and so, so much more.

I share this because often times like many of you too, I am not satisfied with things in my life for one simple reason, I want to BE BETTER and DO BETTER in all aspects. It is good because it keeps me driven. However, most mornings of the week in my morning routine I spend time in gratitude for all that I am and all that I have been blessed with.

When I take a moment to reflect on my own life, I am literally living my dream. I don’t share this to sound like I have it all together because I am so far from that, and I never ever would assume anyone has it “all together” because life is hard. But what works for me is preserving the storm and staying focused on my vision. I have a lot of faith and I may not be be the best at praying but every damn day I pray to god morning and night that he uses me as an instrument to do his will. To guide me and lead me. I am very driven, very motivated but very purpose driven. I love to see people make change that is real and life long and serves them well and their families.

I work hard, love hard, pray hard and show up every single day.

People see from the outside and make comments like “you’re so lucky” but no i am not. There is no such thing as luck in my book....it’s called freaking hard work! No one sees the work that goes on behind closed doors. The work it takes to have success in weight loss, relationships, building businesses, raising children, etc... We all can live live by ours and his design but it takes a lot of work! Something I never have been afraid of and love to do!

It’s a mindset....

A. Something happens in your life that is negative. You can either think “woah’s me” or “I will get though this!”

B. Starting from the bottom of the totem pole in a career? You can think “UGG I’m never gonna get to where I want to be “ or “i got this! If she can do it so can i!” And understand success takes time.

Success looks different to everyone and you have to define that for yourself to me, success is time freedom with the ones I love and financial peace to do for others, make memories with the ones I love and not live financially stressed. I could give two sh*ts about monetary stuff. Not much for shipping or having all the latest trends, my vice over here is doing all the things and traveling all the places with the ones that i hold nearest to my heart. Time is invaluable and that lesson was taught to me at 11 years old when my grandma was killed in a car accident. A phone call no one in my family will forget, but one that left an impression on my Life forever.

P raise - Thank him
R epent
A sk
Y ield or surrender

♥️

Our bodies are incredible and very adaptive. Under eating might get you some fast weight loss, but unless you quickly start adding back in some calories gradually and over time you won’t sustain that fat loss NOR will your body hold up long term

Under eating can be so I credibly damaging over time and many diets and dads just keep repeating the less is more and it is not always true! Many time’s wine that come to me as clients have been under eating for so long that they are no longer losing Weight but gaining it....and still at the low calorie level. You cannot stay low cal long term! You have to begin reversing to heal and still the adaption process, as well as to sustain your fat loss. Every phase has a purpose. Fat loss/deficit = Get in and get out ASAP

Reverse 🔄 Slowly adding back in calories so your body doesn’t adapt and you can keep your metabolism work for you not against you while sustaining your fat loss.

“We have a trip coming up and I don’t know what to eat? I don’t want to ruin all my hard work!”

These are words I hear often from clients and I want to put your worries to rest and tell you to enjoy your vacation. Losing weight or achieving a certain goal is a journey. We will all experience Birthday parties, Holidays, Vacations, Beach trips, Dining out etc....and the goal of a diet should never be a lack of something but rather a mindset of I can have what I want, when I want with in reason. So here are my tip tips:

1) Know and trust you have all the tools and know-how to get right back on track when you return.
2.) Remember 3500=1 lb and unless you ate 3500 OVER and beyond your daily TDEE intake, any weight gained is water retention.
3.) The more you deprive yourself of experiences and food, the less you enjoy the moments and the more binging you will do later.
4.) Diets are only ever successful when you can change your mindset around food and allow yourself that food freedom with in reason.
5) So you have lost 25+ lbs from tracking calories and eating a well balanced macro diet for the last three months, go enjoy vacation and live it up! The most important part is getting g right back at what you know works for the long haul of life when you get back and that is Macros and eating properly and enough for what your body needs.

And last but not what I do is pick my shake with me everywhere as it is nutritious and has extra protein. Then when at the buffets I hit up the protein and make sure I get a good amount on my plate and fill up on that before other foods as I know I will have a cocktail or two and dessert which would be more sugar and carbs and fats. I live exercise so I still exercise each morning 5-6 days a week and just stay active with my Fam, having fun!!! No tracking just mindfulness and trusting everything I know I am implementing while enjoying this time and trip!

You got this girl!!! Go enjoy that cocktail and dessert!! I know I will be! 🙌🏼🏝🏖

When and where is your next family vacation? I love to travel so would love to hear all the places!!!

Many want to lose weight and see the scale drop fast. But the only way I have ever seen the scale drop fast is with unrealistic diets that are not sustainable and reek havoc on your body long term.

If your only focus is seeing that number drop on the scale or seeing a certain number even on the scale you will likely never be happy and you will miss all the magic along the way.

The scale can be exciting and of detriment all in the same time.

There is a reason why individuals are on “diets” there whole life. It is because we get too impatient and wanted to see certain results like....yesterday. We let that stop us at times and then start the cycle of old way that never served us back in. The funny thing is not everyone is an all of none mindset. Many don’t live well with “you can’t have x”. Some bodies burn hotter and faster then others, so a “general” calculation of your TDEE is not always a place for you to stay calorie wise.

If you are losing weight fast more then 3+ a week roughly consistently you more then likely are under shooting your calories way too much and will do more long term havoc then good. Is the quick weight loss for x months really going to bring you a life long of happiness? Something more needs work and that is the approach.

There is no finger pointing here nor need for shame, but sometimes we just are sick and tired of feeling stuck and ick. But girl....when you do it right, the strong, slow and steady wins every time! That is where true success comes from. You don’t teach you kids to cheat to get what they want do you?! So why would you?

There is so much more progress to measure then just the scale. I have some clients who struggle to see the ins on the scale but she’s inches and pant sizes first! Sometimes the scale is the last to show up for you, but girl I will always be the first to show up for you and root for you on this path through the end!

I have my 1:1 clients take before pictures and. Measurements and often times it is the body composition that looks night and day. I cannot tell you how beautiful a women looks with strength training and eating enough for her over time vs under eating and only doing cardio. The physical health, well being and confidence that comes from this takes time, effort and work and girl I was never afraid of work and don’t know anyone that has achieved ANY level of success in life that didn’t take work.

Are you doing things you never did before? It’s also about changing your mind. Proving to yourself that you can set goals and accomplish them will make your confidence sore. I encourage you to take a moment and focus on the positives. How quickly people forget sometimes where they came from and where they started. Stop focusing on the things you have not accomplished yet and stay laser focused on where you were going! Be kind to yourself! ♥️ You often times achieve what you believe, alongside the work 😉

Happy Saturday!!