Jennifer Joy

Jennifer Joy - "My name is Jennifer and I am a former NASM Certified Personal Trainer who holds a lifetime diploma in Personal Training from the National Personal Training Institute in Orlando, FL. Currently, I’m a full-time student studying Linguistics at the University of Florida, making videos when I can!  My YouTube channel started in 2014 with my Weight Endurance journey, where I gained thirty pounds in three months and spent the following three months losing the weight as I took you along on the adventure. Subscribe for content that will motivate you, so that YOU can start your own journey too..." via facebook.com/weightendurance  (SISS)  Hi Jennifer. Where are you from and where are you currently spending your time?  (Jennifer)  I am from Naples (South Florida), now living in Gainesville (North Central Florida).  (SISS)  What was one of the hardest things that you had to go through? What advice would you give someone going through the same struggle?  (Jennifer)  The hardest thing I’ve ever gone through, by far, was the aftermath of surviving a speedboat accident that killed my whole family. When you’re the only survivor of a five-passenger accident, you’re left with loads of questions, such as “Why me?” and “How can I possibly go on after sitting in the front row of a four-casket funeral?” My advice for anyone who’s grieving the loss of a loved one or loved ones: People will tell you that time heals all, but time, alone, won’t heal you—it’s what you do in the course of that time. Find every morsel of good that exists in the bad and cling to it. Don’t hold anything in. Don’t put a timer on your healing, and above all: travel. Open yourself up to the amazing, beautiful things this world still has left to offer you, and offer the world all the love you have left within you.  (SISS) Fitness | youtube.com/weightendurance #SISS Tell us more, who is @weightendurance and what are you most proud of?  (Jennifer)  I am just a woman who loves to lift weights. I am most proud of what fitness has done for me. It has given me a strong body, a healthy mind, goals to work toward, and a reason to wake up every morning. It has truly saved my life, and I want to share my passion for it with others so others can share the experience and feel as great as I feel.  (SISS)  Finish this sentence, I have a dream ...  (Jennifer)  That all the world’s people will come together and put an end to climate change.  (SISS)  What makes you the happiest? What is fun for you?  (Jennifer)  Fun, for me, is anything productive. I love weight training—it’s my torture therapy (haha), but nothing makes me happier than lying in bed on a rainy day, staring out at the canopy of green in my beautiful backyard, listening to the birds with my three cats cuddled around me.  (SISS)  How do you deal with disappointment? How do you keep going?  (Jennifer)  I deal with disappointment by reminding myself that it could always be worse—that it has been worse—and that this disappointing moment is just a blip in the big scheme. I keep going by refusing to let myself dwell on things that can’t be changed or negative thoughts in general.  (SISS)  What is your superpower?  (Jennifer)  I’d say my superpower is the positive lens through which I view the world. By consistently focusing on the positive and refusing to let any negative thoughts infiltrate my mind, I ward off stress and depression and the mental and physical side effects triggered by both. A healthy mind functions optimally.  (SISS)  What is your weakness and what do you do to overcome it?  (Jennifer)  A blessing and a curse is how busy of a place my mind is. It is a blessing when it comes to creative projects and a curse when it comes time to wind down and sleep. Sleep is such an important part of an active lifestyle. If I don’t get enough sleep, my workouts suffer and so does my body’s recovery process. To battle the insomnia, I limit caffeine to mornings and occasionally listen to guided meditation as I try to shut my mind down and fall asleep.  (SISS)  Can you tell us four things people might not know about you?  (Jennifer)  (1)  I am fascinated with falconry.  (2)  Except for when taking photos or videos, I typically train in long-sleeves and ankle-length leggings—despite the Florida heat!  (3)  I am signed to a literary agency in NYC.  (4)  I have a chronic inflammatory disease called EoE (eosinophilic esophagitis).   (SISS)  Can you tell us where else our readers can follow your daily inspiration?  (Jennifer)  Instagram: @weightendurance  YouTube: YouTube.com/weightendurance   (SISS)  What’s your favorite quote?  (Jennifer)  Gosh, I have too many. One great one I live by is “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” - Albert Einstein  (SISS)  At Smart is so sexy we love to see women who are thriving in their career or business.  What are you most passionate about?  (Jennifer)  I am most passionate about connecting with my audience and watching individuals within that audience connect with each other. Weight Endurance isn’t about me—it’s a positive space for people to come together, get fit, and share their goals, progress, hopes, and frustrations with each other. There is nothing more satisfying than sharing my knowledge with others and helping them grow.  (SISS)  Who was the most influential person in your life and why?  (Jennifer)  My mom was the most influential person in my life. She gave my siblings and me the best care imaginable despite financial hardship. I have retained all the good she taught me and have learned from her mistakes. I am who I am today because of the foundation she laid out for me.  (SISS)  Where were you five years ago? What advice would you tell your five years younger self?  (Jennifer)  Five years ago I was relocating from California back to Florida. I would advise my younger self to practice patience and more self-love.  (SISS)  Can you take us through a typical day? From waking up to going to bed, can you give us a play by play of a typical day for you?  (Jennifer)  A typical day as of lately goes like this: Wake up, weigh and cook my fiancé’s breakfast (he is prepping for bodybuilding nationals so his diet is very strict and specific), eat my own breakfast while motivating my online clients via text to get them off to a good start to their day. Then, I’ll attend multiple classes, eat meal number 2, cook all remaining meals for my fiancé and me, study, eat meal 3, go to the gym, eat meal 4, clean my apartment and run any errands, eat meal 5, stretch thoroughly, study some more, and possibly fit in a meal number six before bed. Ha! Not very exciting!  (SISS)  What is your favorite book and/or the latest one you’ve read?  (Jennifer)  My favorite book of all time is Angela’s Ashes. Frank McCourt is/was a genius and his voice will never leave you.  (SISS)  When do you feel the sexiest?  (Jennifer)  I am an introvert. Most of the time that I do spend away from the house is spent at the gym. Therefore, I’m typically dressed in gym clothes—sweaty or about to get sweaty. On the rare occasions when I get dressed up and spend time on my hair and make-up is when I feel the sexiest.  (SISS)  Is there someone on social media that inspires you and is a great follow?  (Jennifer)  Definitely Auxane Micheneau! (@auxane.micheneau) I am inspired by her strength, flexibility, dedication, naturalness, and beauty.  (SISS)  What does Smart is so Sexy mean to you?   (Jennifer)  “Smart is so sexy” is a fact, for starters, and what it means to me is that being smart is not just sexy, it is very sexy; The smarter you are, the more self-aware you are and the more open-minded you can become. The better you are at understanding yourself and the world around you, the more compassionate you can be, and so intelligence leads to many other traits that make a person desirable and respectable. Overall, being smart is a choice.  (SISS)  Thank you so much Jennifer for sharing something so personal with us, you are awesome, you are amazing, you are a rockstar Keep Going #SISS