Well, hello! Since much what’s around here is in fancy pants third-person, I figured I’d get a little more personal by introducing myself as… myself.
My name is Jasmin.
If you’re into astrology, I’m a Virgo Sun – Scorpio Rising – Cancer moon.
If you’re into Chinese horoscopes, I’m a boar.
If you’re into Meyers-Briggs personality types, I’m an INFJ & enneagram type 9.
If you’re into meme humor, this one gets me every time.
You will likely find me in one of three things: sweet leggings, vintage garb, or dressed like a 5-year-old.
If you’re into being awesome… well, that’s obvious, since you’re here and all.
Just kidding (okay, somewhat kidding).
Amidst all of the above, I’m a natural helper, nurturer, and lover of arts (I like to think I get that from my mama). I’m also a ridiculously research-driven and experience-loving creature who thrives off learning, writing, meeting new people, and feeding my curiosity (that’s where my dad comes in). As for the love of super squeezie hugs, dancing, and spending time in the kitchen – you can thank both of my super cool parents for those.
As for the pandas, I honestly have NO recollection where that stemmed from. All I know is that I love them.
Growing up, I was always more of an observer than anything. I have always loved to sit back and absorb everything around me; remaining quiet only to inquire about why things worked as they worked, how things came to be, or why people acted how they did.
I had a habit of wandering off and getting lost underneath the clothing racks in department stores, collecting the little plastic clothespins like they were some high-end currency. I also once wandered off in Mexico at about 7 or 8, where my parents found me dancing on stage with a Mariachi band.
Needless to say, my mother invented the child-leash before it was actually invented.
As a child, I also really loved playing outside. I would hang out under canopy bushes for hours, making the squirrels “nature burritos” out of maple leaves, onion grass, tree sap, and wild berries. To this day, I am convinced they devoured and appreciated my concoctions since they were always gone from the tree stump “plate” whenever I returned to check. This could also probably be considered the start of my culinary prowess.
From dancing with my dad after dinner to putting on grandma’s knitted slippers and “ice skating” with my brother in the slippery hallways of our home, I was always active and moving. If I wasn’t sleeping (and I’m pretty much a professional sleeper), I was climbing something or wandering off in the woods. This continued on with ten years of soccer, 4 years of dance and track & field, and numerous other exercise experiences well into my adulthood.
Although I did always love sports and dancing, it wasn’t until a couple of years after high school (and a summer of joining my mom at her 30-minute Curves workouts) that I first stepped foot into a gym. I honestly can’t recall ever being nervous or self-conscious of the big, bad weight room when I started out, probably due to growing up surrounded in testosterone as the only girl in an extended family full of boys (in case you needed proof, you’re welcome).
I began training “bodybuilding”-style with free weights, some resistance machines, and by building up my own simple routine. I honestly never noticed such improvements and change in my body as when I began weightlifting. I had more strength, lovely lean muscle, and was feeling healthier all around.
Nutritionally, I grew up in a household filled with homemade dinners and lots of cooking with fresh foods, both cultural and ‘Merican. I did admittedly fall into a junky, crappity-crap period during the latter of high school that involved daily lunches of Burger King combos (can’t forget the side of a cookies ‘n crème pie), bagels, breadsticks, frozen chicken pot pies, hot dogs, Hungry Man dinners, and the like, which I simply attribute to growing up and testing out my freedoms (including food choices) as a curious and independent teenager.
Needless to say, it didn’t take long to realize that those kinds of foods didn’t do my body, mind, skin, energy, or overall health any favors; so getting back into a better routine with the more wholesome choices didn’t prove to be difficult and went hand-in-hand with the exercise.
By this year (2022), I have spent nearly twenty years researching, experimenting, implementing, and studying hundreds of different nutrition protocols, workouts, supplements, natural treatments and herbs, philosophies, psychological factors, and ideas within the health, fitness, and nutrition industry. I set myself out as a guinea pig for most of it, taking note (literally, notebook upon binder upon notepad-full) of how my body would react, change, and feel accordingly. Having a constant fascination for the body’s ability to change; as well as being in tune with the effect of lifestyle and food on moods and mindset; mixed with a natural passion to nurture, teach, and help others grow and succeed, all proved to be the perfect storm for where I am and what I do today.
Having the opportunity to use my insight and knowledge to help so many others understand their bodies better, figure out the best route to achieve their goals, feel more confident and gain a sense of inner peace and balance, and (most importantly to me) build some pretty amazing relationships with some pretty amazing people is definitely what I love most about where my life has lead me.
If you asked what I’m most proud of, it would be just that.
That said, I have always been one to dig a little deeper. I am obsessed with creating, productivity, progression, people, and gaining all that I can from each and every experience. After a few years of involvement in the fitness industry, I quickly realized that there was a huge factor missing in a sea of seemingly aesthetic preoccupation – the emotional factor. For so many people, the biggest issue in obtaining goals – and I mean ANY goals, not just in health, fitness, or weight-loss – isn’t simply the lack of working out or knowing what to eat. It is something more mindful and more psychological.
Losing weight won’t “make” someone happy. Getting a six-pack alone will definitely not fill any voids of insecurity, lack of confidence, or low self-image. As a matter of fact, I learned that many people who do end up getting the body they dream of actually end up questioning their self-worth even more.
Here is what I believe: You inherently know what food is generally better for you, or generally worse for you. You know that movement – in general – is vital to optimal health, and that sitting all the time isn’t exactly ideal. For every study that shows a food or diet is beneficial, there is another study to completely contradict it. (And don’t worry, because I will certainly remind you of these things and help you navigate through the overwhelming piles of poo that are the science of nutrition and fitness…)
Ultimately, my goal through this website and through my books, videos, writing, and posts, is not just to share workouts or nutrition tips, the latest trends or fads, or promise that changing your body will make you a happier person – but to go well beyond that.
What matters here is you – your thoughts, your success, and your goals. What matters most to me, through my work and through TrueHealthTrifecta.com, is helping as many people as possible realize the true potential (and reality) within themselves to achieve anything they freakin’ want.
Listen. Life is precious. It is too short to stress yourself out and take everything too seriously, too often. Feeling good and being healthy, inside and out, isn’t supposed to be a chore. It’s a favor to yourself by caring for yourself in the way that you deserve. It’s about processing any crappy emotions or insecurity that may come through, but letting them pass, and returning to a default of happiness once it does. It’s about nourishing your body with the foods that provide the nutrients to allow and fuel that processing. Most importantly, it’s about doing the best you can.
If my experiences, knowledge, and plain old weirdness can be any factor in brightening just one person’s day and helping that person realize something beautiful and strong within themselves, then dawgonit, I am seriously the happiest panda in the world.
I am so glad you are here, and I am sincerely, ridiculously determined to share all that I learn, experience, and know with you. Welcome to the True Health Trifecta :)
