I was first introduced to Body by Jeanai by a friend of mine who was in her boot camp class. I was told about this class in the Winter of 2009. I did not start then; I had every excuse not to, mainly because it was cold outside and snowing. I first spoke to Jeanai in February 2010; we spoke for about 45 minutes! I told her, “I don’t like sweating. I don’t want to mess my hair up. I don’t want to lose weight…I just want to lose my stomach.” In order for me not to talk myself out of attending boot camp, I paid almost a month in advance for boot camp!! I attended my first Boot camp class at the end of March 2010. It was such killer and an eye opener at the same time as I was a smoker when I started and I quit cold turkey. I convinced myself that nothing would be cute about oxygen coming out of my fabulous handbag!!! I have not smoked in over 7 months. Now that “MEAL PLAN”…that is another story. When I first saw it, I called Jeanai and asked her if she was trying to starve us!?!?! I am hypo-glycemic with chronic low blood sugar; Jeanai took the time to explain to me the healthy options of keeping my blood sugar at its normal levels. During my first session of boot camp, I lost about 7lbs., but I lost inches all over. I dropped from a 10/12, weighing 177lbs to a solid 10, weighing 170. From there, I was on a serious mission. I definitely knew I could do better than that!! I joined Core Stability Training on Tuesday evenings and began Personal Training on Thursday evenings. So here I was a girl who did no exercising whatsoever to faithfully 3 days a week. This has become my constant regimen. I am now in between a size 6 and 8 and my weight fluctuates between 165lbs and 167lbs, depending on the time of the month. Body By Jeanai has truly changed my life and that’s when it occurred to me that I too could change the lives of others by promoting healthy eating and exercise. I actually brought the idea to Jeanai in May 2010 and she was on board, taking time out of her ever-so-hectic schedule to provide me with information and direction to become a successful trainer. My regimen also intensified as I continued exercising 3 days a week but incorporated running up to 3.5 miles on my off days, when I can. Not quite Jeanai’s record, but one day I will get there.
With all of the gyms and fitness clubs out there, Body By Jeanai has worked the best for me. The inspiration that is provided to me is something that I had not experienced in the past from other trainers. I did NOT want Jeanai calling me about why I was not in class - - because I knew that she would. Body By Jeanai forced me to be accountable to and for myself because when I did not perform, I was letting myself down. In the first session of Boot Camp, I realized that the Body By Jeanai system was the most effective and I am truly honored to become part of helping people become more healthy and physically fit.
It was April and the year was 2008. I was feeling good, looking good, and on top of the world! I was three months into a 70 lb weight loss and had just transitioned into a new career with Abbott Laboratories.
My professional life had under gone a huge metamorphosis going from ten years of clinical practice to the fast-paced pharmaceutical industry. But little did I suspect that trading my white coat for business suits would garner such profound changes.
After six months of training and two months in the field I was adapting to my new career in the corporate world. Or at least I thought I was. By December 2008 I was 40 lbs heavier and no longer able to wear the size six suits I had recently purchased just a few months prior. What could have happened, I thought I was in control?
Well my predictable and well-planned clinical life was no longer. Now I was traveling, talking science with Physicians, attending WebEx meetings and conference calls. I was doing everything possible to ensure that the next chapter in my life was secure. But personally I was struggling; struggling to balance travel, exercise, and healthy eating. In essence I was unable to blend my once healthy clinical lifestyle into my new corporate lifestyle.
My introduction to the Body By Jeanai family came during this time of struggle at which time I registered for my first Bootcamp phase. Although it was the toughest group physical fitness class I had ever endured, there was something about this business woman and fitness expert that made me want more. Jeanai’s passion, spirit, and penetrating smile connected with me as she somehow knew what my heart and soul needed to change my life, even though we had never had a prior interaction.
My short-lived experience in that phase of Bootcamp made me realize that there were more challenges for me to endure from this passionate trainer in order for me to be guided back to living a healthy lifestyle.
So I signed up for personal training and yes I did question that decision several times. Why go from blending into the group at Bootcamp to inviting such personal attention where every repetition is carefully scrutinized?
Well I knew what I needed to reach my healthy lifestyle goals but was I ready to commit to them? Jeanai, with her knowledge, expertise, charisma, and empathy was certainly ready for me and she knew what I needed to succeed in my personal training to reach my fitness goals even if I didn’t always know.
Fourteen months into the personal training sessions I still struggled and suffered more lows than highs while trying to attain complete health & wellness. But Jeanai remained positive, consistent, and ever so tireless. I used to say why does she care so much? But the question really should have been why didn’t I care more? I wanted to live healthy; after all I knew my impending family health risks and of course I knew the results of poor mental and physical fitness combined with poorer eating habits. But even still I was not consistently practicing the things I needed to do to prevent such deadly health consequences.
I have always been a woman of few words but many actions. Except in this instance, and this was out of my character. My desire to live healthy was not translating into meaningful actions. But that didn’t stop my spirited trainer. Jeanai was a guiding light of positive energy, fortitude, and unwavering resolve. I had stood in front of her twice a week for more than a year and watched this woman be a true professional and a model of how to live a healthy lifestyle.
I realized Jeanai’s commitment to helping me achieve my fitness goals were stronger than my own commitment to myself. Once I accepted this sad but realistic truth I was ashamed and embarrassed.
But I reached deep into my soul’s core to ignite my strengths; pride, resiliency and self-discipline and matched them to her strengths; passion, infinite spirit, and positive attitude. Then fed off her efforts each week to MENTALLY (not just physically) commit to this journey.
What happened as the months passed was a shocking revelation. No, not so much the tangible results (after all I had lost 70 lbs recently), but it was the intangible transformation that I witnessed and was experiencing. Here was a woman I saw give me her untiring efforts each week. Yet every time I matched her effort for effort and passion for passion, she raised the bar again and again and again! The more she challenged me, the hungrier I became. The harder I worked, the more passion, fire, and energy I witnessed from her and the more intensely her flame burned.
If I didn’t witness this or live through this I wouldn’t believe this was possible. Jeanai’s fire was intense, her will strong and infectious and I was so drawn to this display of unyielding resolve that I wanted to reach my goals more feverishly than ever.
What does it say about someone when you can lean on their strengths week after week to fulfill your goals? When you can feed off their energy, passion, and spirit no matter to what heights they make you climb? I can certainly answer those questions for me but can you?
The Body By Jeanai experience is not just about registering for a class or personal training session, then going through the motions each week. It’s about living a healthy lifestyle by connecting with Jeanai on whatever level she guides you to. She will smile at you, engage you, and be as tough on you as she needs to be. But she will never give up on you even if you give up on yourself.
My advice for you all is to find a way to connect with Jeanai’s passion and spirit to achieve your personal fitness goals whether it’s through group fitness, personal training or both. If you are fortunate enough to reach that level of mutual connectivity you will undoubtedly experience a life altering path to complete health and wellness; spiritually, physically, and emotionally.