In 2003 my life had reached a point where my misery and depression had taken a firm grasp on my emotions and self esteem. I had allowed myself to reach 297 pounds, and at 6’ tall and only 23 years of age, I was the heaviest I had ever been in my life. I had never experienced the treatment from others that I was at that point experiencing and dealing with because of my size. After a life of low self esteem and lack of confidence, I thought that the treatment was normal. I felt as if I were undeserving. Early 2004, I decided to be rid of those that had such an effect on my emotions, my self esteem, my confidence, my well-being…. my life. I began to run and cut calories. I started to gain some self worth back and realized that I had to love me before anybody else would. In 10 months, I lost 100 pounds and started to be treated a bit nicer by those that I was around. I began to get comfortable and thought that I wouldn’t get any smaller in size (I was then a size 14/16, down from a size 28) so I settled with my weight at just under 200 pounds. After all, I was 6’ tall and big boned… right? That’s what I was always told when I was growing up. I stayed in my comfort zone for 4 years, only fluctuating about 20 pounds. 2009, my grandfather grew very ill with heart problems in which would take his life later that spring. My grandfather was a mentor, a hero and someone I held very close to my heart. Watching him fight with all his might to get through the battles with his heart was taxing on my soul. Earlier that year, I had made a New Year’s resolution that I would feel better about myself, no matter what it took. Seeing my grandfather go through the illness made me realize that if I didn’t get in full control of my health, I too would have that same fate. At that point in my life, my self esteem was so beaten and bruised that I knew in order to be happy with me, I had to work hard and be proud of my accomplishments. I started to slowly get back into working out and getting stronger. In May 2010, I was asked to join a “Biggest Loser Competition” at work. At that point, I made the decision that has changed the rest of my life. I took it seriously, I learned more about the glycemic index and how it had an affect on my body. I started eating more often and more balanced foods. I started to work out more often and set smaller goals that I knew I could achieve. I did the work outs in my basement alone and worked very very hard. I managed to drop 11% body fat and won the competition. But why stop there? I decided that I needed to keep going… for me, for my future, for my health and happiness. So I kept working. By fall of 2010, I gradually managed to drop another 60 pounds, getting down to my original goal weight of 155 pounds. I was now a size 5 and teetering on being a 4. I kept at it and worked hard, lifting the dumbbells that I had in my collection that I had slowly acquired over the years. But my weight wasn’t changing. By this time I had created a community on Facebook that was based on my journey in the attempt to let others know that they aren’t alone in the feelings they were experiencing, and the hurdles and speed bumps that they had to overcome. I started to follow fitness models and competitors with the dream of one day becoming one. I knew at this point that if I ever wanted to make that happen, I would need a bit more guidance and help on my nutrition. I understood how a lot of it worked, but I was at a point where I needed someone to help guide me. I stumbled upon Jessica Ryan Jordan’s site and just looked at how much work she had put into herself. Just wishing to one day have the tone, definition and confidence that she had accomplished. I became her follower. I shared my Facebook community with her and to my surprise, she responded. One day she sent me a private message offering to help me with nutrition. When she mentioned the cost, I was unsure and thought I could do it on my own. At that point, I declined and became even stronger willed to figure it out on my own (some might call that being stubborn). A few months went by and my desire inside for that muscle definition and self confidence that she exuded in her photos, took over and my stubbornness had not accomplished anything. She posted on her Facebook page that she would offer her help to those that wanted it. I finally took her up on it. I was plateaued at 155 pounds, and had reached a size 4. I needed guidance. I wanted defined abs more than anything. I had come so far… I had conquered so much both physically and mentally… I knew that I could do it. She wrote my nutrition plan and gave me guidance on my work outs. Kept after me about checking in and cutting my calories for a new goal of my first photo-shoot. Between the first part of September 2011 and October 30, 2011, I had dropped down to 138 pounds (the lowest of my life), went from 22% body fat to 14% and was 118 pounds of lean mass. I completed that photo-shoot, and couldn’t have made it to the size I got without Jessica. I’ve lost a total of 159 pounds since 2003. I’m not big boned… I’m beautiful, and worth every second of time I spend on me. My journey had many paths, many bumps, obstacles and U turns, but I can say that without her guidance and nutritional knowledge, I’d still be at the fork in the road wondering which direction to go. So I’m very grateful for her guidance and hope that whomever reads this will utilize her knowledge and expertise… Take that path at the fork that gets you where you WANT and have always WANTED to be. I’m glad I did.
Jessica Crow, Salt Lake City, UT
“I came to Jessica at a time when I was completely lost in the nutrition aspect of the whole competition prep. I was undergoing a training program, but I just didn’t feel confident with the nutrition side – which is really 80% of the whole package. I allowed too many ‘cooks in the kitchen,’ which left me completely confused as to what I should be doing with my diet. With it being my first competition, I wanted to get it right. I needed someone to put me on the straight and narrow, someone with experience, someone with a killer body that I wouldn’t mind emulating. Jessica was that person. After my first phone consult, she devised a nutrition plan that made sense, didn’t leave me too hungry, and was easy to follow. Each week she would tweak my diet a little as necessary, to where changes were progressive and quite noticeable. It was not a one-size-fits-all diet. She tailored the diet to my body type and to how my body was responding to the changes she was making.
Jessica got me in top shape in just 3 weeks. I was amazed by how much my body transformed through nutrition alone. I ended up taking second place in 35+ Masters at the Border States NPC Championships. Then went on to compete at Excalibur, where I placed top 5 in Masters 35+! I have Jessica to thank for that. Not only is she very educated when it comes to fitness and nutrition, she is also very personable and truly has her client’s best interest at heart. Jessica was always available to me with any questions I had at any given time – even in the midst of her competing in Nationals! She was very patient with me throughout the process, and I was very appreciative to her for that. Jessica was a pleasure to work with and I look forward to working with her again in the future!”
-Erin Pitcher, California
