5 Minutes with...
This month’s guest on Rise and Vibe®, is the fabulous Jessica Rieger, Founder of the Soul Shape Fitness. Combining a nourishing mind and body approach her new 12 Week Transformation programme is a 360 approach that boosts body confidence, self love and self-esteem and includes support with fitness, nutrition and mindset. There are also special guests for extra support (I was honoured to be included to help tap away cravings and support with emotional eating).
Jessica has helped numerous women in Munich in person as well as around the world with her online Personal Training. Within 5 minutes with... we talk about body confidence, the importance of mindset and her 3 top tips for women who are looking to restart their fitness journey. Enjoy.
What inspired you to start Soul Shape Fitness?
Thanks so much for having me on your blog Jo!
Yes! I kind of just fell into it, I wanted to go into teaching, but it didn’t work out and I ended up trying personal training. I learnt how to move the body optimally and how to prevent injury. I learnt how much food can impact the results you desire but also your mood and energy. I loved how it made me feel and changed my life and the energy of training 1:1 and group session were just so much fun.
But I soon realised that it wasn’t just about the body, mindset coaching is also such a huge aspect of my job! My clients come to me for several reasons, to achieve their dream figure, to feel confident in their own skin again, pre-and post-natal or simply to have someone guide them and hold them accountable. I find it fascinating seeing my clients fulfilling their potential, realising their actual strength, physically and mentally.
Within your new 12-week Soul Shape Plan, you offer a 360 approach that combines fitness, nutrition and mindset. How important is a mind and body approach to a healthy lifestyle and body confidence?
I personally started my journey, as many other women do in our society and many of my clients, by training to change my body because I didn’t like it.
Through a toxic diet culture, that highlights our ‘imperfections’ and then feeds off of them to make money – I realised there is something so empowering in rebelling that narrative. Working out and eating healthily because you LOVE your body and all its perfect imperfections, and all that it does for you each day.
Self-worth and self-esteem issues are at an all-time high and I could see that in the way that some of my clients spoke about themselves. So I really wanted to be part of a movement in helping women realise all the things they love about their body, shifting that mindset, reframing certain thoughts and helping them to learn to love themselves again. I didn’t want the soul shape plan to be just another diet you do. So it became a plan that gives you the tools and education that you can carry with you lifelong.
This is why I incorporate not only my expertise of personalised training and nutrition to get you strong physically but also some mindset work to build that mental resilience because you simply can’t have one without the other. This also leads to sustainable habit change and not just another yoyo diet that works for 12 weeks and then you gain all the weight again.
Is there a special moment with your clients that you are most proud of?
I think with each client you have special moments. I love the aha moments when they get out of their own way and reach their goal. The realisations they have throughout my program and what they learn about themselves. Sometimes it’s simply remembering what makes them feel good and putting yourself first again instead of their partner or kids. Other times it’s relearning certain behaviours that they have been doing all their life that just simply no longer serve them or their goal.
What are your top three tips for women looking to restart their fitness journey?
1. Start small. A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. If you are overwhelmed contact someone who can guide you and support you through that journey – you don’t have to do it alone!
2. Realise your WHY – and not just the surface level why – there is usually a much deeper reason for you wanting change. The deeper and more meaningful that why, the more it will help you on your journey.
3. Consistency over perfection – life comes with ebbs and flows, and so will your fitness journey. So often we throw in the towel because we feel it isn’t going anywhere or it’s not a ‘perfect’ week. But nothing in life will ever be perfect. I say to my clients it’s not about the challenges, it’s about how you react to those challenges - as long as you’re always doing your best and you adopt a growth mindset you will get there.
Do you have a favourite quote that you live by?
I’m a perfectionist myself and used to be the ultimate procrastinator because of it …so ‘progress not perfection' is something I live by. And that progress can mean doing an extra 1km on your run that day or it can mean allowing yourself to have a day doing absolutely nothing. It’s whatever you need in that moment.
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Find out more:
Soul Shape Fitness is a 12-week online transformation programme that includes support with fitness, mindset and nutrition.
You can follow Jess
Instagram: @jess_soulshapefitness
Facebook: www.facebook.com/soulshapefitness