We’re so excited to welcome Kim Kelly back to the blog. You may have met her here, here or here, but today she’s giving us her simple tips to help you stay consistent with diet & exercise.
If you have yet to meet Kim, she is a trainer based in San Deigo and has known Lauryn FOREVER. Lauryn has said many times before that Kim is a bright light, and she has the best energy about her. Now that Lauryn lives in Austin she still does virtual classes with Kim and loves every second of it.
In this post Kim is going to tell us a little about her journey as a trainer, tips that make all the difference when you’re trying to keep fit, plus she’s telling us about her new fitness app, that just sounds too good to be true.
With that, let’s welcome back Kim Kelly.
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Hi y’all! I’m Kim Kelly, and I’ve been training Lauryn for the past 12 years or so. Lauryn and I actually met at Pure Barre in Solana Beach over 15 years ago. That was my first “leap” into the world of teaching group fitness. I stayed with Pure Barre about five years before transitioning to Pilates- Lagree Pilates specifically. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of these machines, and my choreography “freedom” really flourished here.
Although Pure Barre was VERY strict on choreography, rep counts, queuing, music, teacher involvement, etc., looking back I now realize that was probably the ideal way to dive into the fitness industry, as it gave me incredible structure and a very good foundation. From Pilates I segued to yoga. Wait a second though, not just any yoga – crazy-ass HEATED YOGA SCULPT!
I say crazy because I worked for a very independent studio who gave us lots of “freedom” on everything from the temperature of the room, to the volume of music, and our style of teaching. I truly thrived there, people started coming to my classes knowing that it was going to be HARD AS HELL (in a good way), challenging, FUN, high energy, good vibes, great music, leave with an incredible post workout high, and of course gain a banging’ bod & happy mindset. I mean really, what else could you ask for?
I must say those were some fun years, but as with anything in life, you need to stick with it, learn from it, take that knowledge and MOVE THE HECK ON. It was time for the next challenge.
That was when I started my own personal training business with outdoor park workouts and beach bootcamps. This was GREAT. My very own business, doing what I loved, making people fit, healthy, & happy. Life was good.
A couple years into that and practically living out of the trunk of my SUV, pulling weights, med balls, bands, mats, etc. out and loading the wagon up, rolling it across the parks/beaches was getting a bit old. Still loved it, but I could hear that voice inside, “You’re not there yet, time to change it up, take that next risk.” Well, the next step was searching for a studio, signing a lease, doing the buildout, buying the inventory, branding it, marketing it, and hoping people would come. I opened the doors to my very own fitness studio, Kim Kelly Fit on December 10, 2018.
The road is not flat, it’s not straight, it’s very bumpy with lots of hills, ups and downs, but that is life, and that is entrepreneurship, and I feel grateful to be on the journey. My plan is to continue to take risks, expand my knowledge & experience and ultimately reach millions of you so I can positively impact more lives through the power of my workouts & knowledge of health & fitness.
Now that you know who I am, what I stand for, and my goals, I want to share with you my top tips for health & wellness:
How To Stay Consistent With Diet & Exercise:
♡ START! Just pick one thing.
If you’re looking to add fitness into your life or be more consistent with your fitness, CHOOSE ONE THING you can COMMIT to, and I mean COMMIT and then SCHEDULE it out.
I’ll give you an example. Let’s say you decided you want to start group “circuit training” classes. Pick a studio. Immediately pull up their schedule. Then, go to your phone and decide what 2-3 times during the week, you can schedule those classes. BUY THE PACKAGE. Sign up for the classes, put it in your phone/calendar as a non-negotiable appointment and DO IT.
Yes, asking a friend to join is a great idea, but let’s face it, coordinating schedules nowadays is like herding cats. Talk about it, tell friends what you’re doing, (and by the way, they’ll notice regardless, because your state of mind will be elevated, happier, positive etc.) and yes POST about it! Social media can be used for so many positive things. You’ll be holding yourself accountable and possibly inspiring others to level up their fitness regimen too.
♡ Consistency.
I know I’m not the first one to preach this. I will tell you the one reason I have stayed this fit and healthy in my life is the fact that I am a VERY consistent person.
I may have a bit of an addictive personality, but I thrive on things that make me happy, healthy and fit. I make it an ABSOLUTE NON-NEGOTIABLE to exercise. In other words, I do not miss my workout or my run/walk for ANYTHING. I do this by looking at my week ahead every Sunday (I do it weekly, while others might prefer monthly), and I find the “pockets” in my day where I’ll have time to get that in. I immediately schedule it in my phone, and I won’t adjust it for clients, a phone call, anything other than an emergency. Consistency feels good. It becomes our “schedule,” and I believe just like children, adults thrive off schedules & structure too.
♡ Nutrition.
We all know there are like 48 (or more) types of nutritional lifestyles out there – Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Raw Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescaterian, Carnivore, Intermittent Fasting. I kid you not, I even heard of a man swearing by eating meat and salt ONLY in his diet. Geez.
So, I’ll tell you what works for me. I am a Vegan, but I don’t necessarily recommend that for everyone. What I do recommend is 20-25 grams of protein at each meal and sneaking it into your snacks. I also believe in healthy carbs and healthy fats.
My Favorite Plant-Based Proteins: black beans, quinoa, nutritional yeast, almond butter, hemp seed, chia seeds, cashews, tofu, oats, almonds, amaranth, pumpkin seeds, peas, Vegan protein powder.
My Favorite Healthy Carbs: whole grain pasta, sweet potatoes, broccoli, blueberries, cherries, sprouted bread, spinach, cauliflower, tomato, mushroom, cucumbers, asparagus, apples, banana, celery.
My Favorite Healthy Fats: almonds, walnuts, avocado, dried seaweed, olive oil, coconut meat, hemp hearts, nut butters.
In every meal I try to include the 20-25 grams of protein with a small amount of healthy fat and a handful of healthy carbs. I also believe in having light healthy snacks every 2-2.5 hours throughout the day. I am a BIG believer in a hearty breakfast and a good dinner, but because my teaching/training schedule is pretty stacked throughout the day I have less time for lunch, so I make sure I bring 2 protein shakes to work, snack bag of nuts and a huge container of chopped celery, cucumber with berries and coconut meat. It’s satisfying, covers all my non-negotiables (protein, healthy carbs and healthy fats) and is loaded with water content. Win-win.
♡ Sleep.
Lack of sleep, bad sleep, interrupted sleep can literally throw your entire day off. The long term effects of sleep deprivation are real. They range from memory loss, mood changes, weakened immunity, risk for diabetes, low sex drive, trouble with thinking & concentration, accidents, high blood pressure, weight gain, risk of heart disease, poor balance – I mean that’s a REALLY LONG LIST OF NEGATIVE EFFECTS. So, how can you get better sleep?
I am very strict on my sleep. Now, I wasn’t always this way, but when I got serious about it, I noticed so many positive changes in my life from better mood, glowing skin, pep in my step, coming up with more ideas and ability to EXECUTE them, increased intensity in my workouts and even my creativity expanded. I wasn’t exhausted or slightly hungover, I could focus and function, grow my business & my mind and actually enjoy time spent with family and friends. I don’t think you need more reasons than that.
You just need to get STRICT and SERIOUS about your sleep schedule. I go to bed no later than 9:30 PM and get up between 5-5:30 AM. I enjoy the quiet time I have in the mornings to myself before my hectic day starts. And I love waking up. I love my morning routine. I have my greens, my chia parfait, make my snacks and shakes for the day, get my son’s breakfast ready and even have 10-15 minutes of meditation before I head out. This is CRITICAL for me.
In order to give to other, I need to take care of me – my nutrition, my sleep, my mind. Please look at your schedule. What time do you need to get up by? Make sure you’re in bed at least 8 hours prior to that. I have a cool dark room with no TV or phone in it. I usually have a cup of herbal tea 1-1.5 hours before bed & spray lavender around my pillows. I do a five minute meditation in bed. This can be just drifting away with happy thoughts about one of your favorite vacation spots or something else you like thinking about. As you can see, I don’t mess around with sleep. This also means you really have to limit your alcohol, because we all know alcohol disrupts sleep 100% of the time.
♡ Balance.
Of course I need to wrap it up with this one, I am a Libra after all.
By now, you get that I am consistent & committed to a healthy, fit lifestyle, but I do like to have fun and every so often indulge. I do not believe in “I will NEVER eat ____,” or I will “NEVER stay up past midnight,” or I will “NEVER have a lazy day.”
We need balance. I’m sure you’ve heard of the 80/20 rule. I like to live by that as well – I might lean a bit more 85/15, but for the most part do the right thing for you, your health, your longevity, for your family, then the other 15% of the time, go on that girls trip to Cabo, go dancing at the cowboy bar downtown, or go see a live concert where the opening band goes on at 10 PM. Enjoy, but put you first.
Make your non-negotiable list, commit to it and stay consistent. Sometimes people think it needs to be harder than that or they want one pill to fix it all. Put the work in, get the results, feel better, happier, stronger and then show others how you did it.
I love sharing my passion for health & wellness with others so thank you for reading. You can find me on Instagram @kimkellyfit or in studio at www.kimkellyfit.com, and my latest venture: the NEW Kim Kelly Fit App.
I am offering all TSC followers 20% for a lifetime! Use this link to sign up and then download from the app store. You do get a 7 day free trial period, but I’m convinced you will love these workouts and become addicted to the fun, happy, fit lifestyle we promote at Kim Kelly Fit.
I have over 60 videos already loaded on that app ranging from 10-45 minutes. I suggest trying out my signature class Fit Factor for the best full-body sweat. You’ll also find the following categories: Abs only, Arms only, Lower Body, Booty, Barre, Yoga Sculpt, Fit Factor Express, Fit Factor Full Body – there’s so much to choose from.
I am also still offering virtual private training sessions, and for TSC community I’m offering buy 3 get 1 FREE. Choose from 30 minute sessions for $75 and 1 hour for $150. Please email [email protected] to inquire.
Sending strength, courage and positivity to you all.
Love, Kim Kelly
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Hope you found this post as inspiring as we did. Kim Kelly is a master motivator! Let us know what you think of the app and be sure to follow @kimkellyfit for quick tips & inspo.
x, The Skinny Confidential team.
+ try this quick & easy strawberry milk recipe.
++ stalk Lauryn’s post partum weight loss experience here.
GET FIT:
