1) Who is Jess Krezmien? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc) I am the captain of the Tampa Bay Brigade, and have played for all 5 seasons! I am originally from Buffalo, NY (GO BILLS!). I moved to Florida in 2012 to be a high school Phys Ed & Health teacher and soccer coach. That lasted for about 6 years, then I got out before losing ALL of my sanity. Leaving the kids was extremely hard. However, it was a blessing in disguise because it got me to finally start my own nutrition company, OPB Nutrition, and I am very happy I took the leap! I do still get to coach kids and teens through our Kid's Grid League, and I LOVE it! I also coach at CrossFit Big Guava, and do a small amount of personal training.
2) How many years have you been training? (Including how you got started, etc)
I have been involved in sports my entire life. I played soccer since I was 4 throughout college and beyond, I also ran track in high school, and also played rugby in college. So I had always been aware of fitness and "bro stuff," but I got more serious with training in 2015 after I started CrossFit. That is when my fitness level and body composition changed dramatically. I started CrossFit kind of on accident from a groupon. I told myself I knew how to workout, and I did not need someone telling me what to do. I don't remember what made me get the Groupon, but I DO remember it only taking one class for me to be like, ok, koolaid drank, I'm sold. I started playing in the Florida Grid League in its inaugural year in 2017. I met Chris (my coach) at a friend's gym I was randomly at that day, and he said I had to try out. I thought he was crazy and I had no shot of making it, but I went to the combine anyway. I'm glad I did because it's been a crazy awesome experience!
3) Whats been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? and how have you overcome them (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome)
There have been 2 types of challenges. The first had been physical. In 2018 I had really felt like I was getting stronger and better at all of my weaknesses, with perfect timing for the CrossFit Games Open. Theeeen I tore my labrum from top to bottom 2 weeks before the Open started. I wasn't even working out, I was just goofing off - and I had surgery 2 months later. It was really odd mentally, because I remember feeling like I should have been more pissed off than I was. Don't get me wrong, I was LIVID at myself and the world for a while. But once I had surgery and realized being mad was useless, I turned it into a game of how well could I recover to earn back the barbell. As I progressed, I found a new appreciation for little things I was able to do again each week. And I was determined to prove my surgeon's assistant wrong when he told me I would never lift heavy overhead again. I have PR'd my push press, split jerk and overhead squat since then.
The other has been mental. Which I feel like a lot of athletes deal with, but are too "cool" or prideful to talk about it. Realizing other people's opinions don't matter has taken me a long time to truly believe. It's very competitive in the fitness world, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform at a certain level. So when things don't go as planned, or others make you feel less important because you have different strengths that they may not value as highly as their own, it can screw with you mentally. And of course, not falling into the comparison game. We are human, it happens. But it doesn't do you any good. It took a long time, and a lot of experience, but I realize that putting MY hard earned energy towards negative thoughts and negative people is only hurting ME and MY performance. And that sucks, because I am the one doing it to myself! Yes I still have bad training days, but I no longer let it define my day or who I am. And I try to figure out what went wrong to use it as data for next time. I used to be afraid to lift heavier in case I failed. Now, I am happy when I fail - because it means I found my limit to push past in the future.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like? (With any particular protocols you rate).
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like? (With any particular protocols you rate).
Most days I coach in the morning and then train right after for a few hours, doing my TaylarMadeMeDoIt programming and Grid assignments. If my schedule allows, I will go back to the gym at night to do the class workout because I really enjoy suffering with everyone else! I eat very clean. Not because I am a nutrition coach and I feel like I HAVE to, but because I ENJOY it and how it makes me feel and perform in the gym. I don't like how crap food makes me feel, and it's not worth it to me for it to take away from what I want to get done in my training. But I am by no means perfect! I would say 90% of my meals are very clean, and then 10% is "other stuff". I never feel like I'm "missing out" or anything like that, because I don't tell myself I'm "not allowed" to have certain foods. If I want it, I will eat it. If I don't, I won't. I also don't count macros for myself. Some of my clients enjoy it, and that's awesome! But I personally don't like being controlled by numbers... or math. I would rather go by how I perform, feel, and look, and adjust as needed.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition? (And How has it changed your focus for the future)
Most of what I have learned has definitely been through training. I have learned it is OK to take extra days off if my body needs it, to scale back, for things to not go as planned, etc. On the other end, I have also leaned to trust my training and take risks when needed (competitions, qualifiers, etc.). I am still not perfect at that part, but I am getting there!
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
Gotta be my mom's banana split cake or peanut butter squares she makes when I go home.
7) Whats one supplement that you could not live without?
It's a toss-up between my LMNT and protein powder. LMNT because it's the first clean option I've found to keep me hydrated with the proper electrolytes (especially during long training days in the heat), and protein cuz duh, gains.
8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with both your health & physique what would you do differently and why?
8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with both your health & physique what would you do differently and why?
I don't think I would change much, because I feel like I learn better from messing up. I think I'm as disciplined as I am now BECAUSE I was such a hot mess in the past and realized that didn't go too well. Like realizing eating like crap in college will only get me so far in my performance. I would however not give so much energy worrying about the high school neighborhood boys who made fun of me for how I looked, because my body then gave me a good foundation and strength for where I am now.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
Someone who refuses to listen to doubt from others and more so from themselves. Those who have the odds stacked against them, but refuse to use them as excuses. For where I am now, these people for me are Master's athletes getting fitter with age, and Games athletes who are new moms. Kara Saunders and Annie Thorisdottir are so ridiculously badass it hurts. They are not Master's yet, but they are both 32, had a baby, and made it back to the games the NEXT YEAR. They had every reason in the world to take time off and not work 10x harder to make it back so soon, and no one would have blamed them. But they chose to fight. Being 36, it helps me realize my fitness career doesn't end just because I am a Master's athlete or want to have a family. It's important for older athletes to realize they still matter!
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
DO THINGS RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. Don't be in a rush to get your first pull up/muscle up without having first built up the strict strength required. Don't prioritize heavier weights over technique. Trust me, I had to unlearn a LOT of bad habits. And be ok with progress taking time. Enjoy the day to day stuff, the small wins, the fact that you GET to work out and be healthy. It will be a lot more fun and rewarding that way!
11) What new goals do you have on the horizon?
I am smack dab in the middle of two of them. I qualified for the CrossFit licensed Legends Masters Competition in California next month, and for Wodapalooza. I do not want to put a placement on my goals. My goals are to leave those competitions KNOWING I put EVERYTHING I had into them. I do NOT want to leave any event saying "I could have done better." If I do those things, the leaderboard and placements will take care of themselves.
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
Instagram: @itsthegym_notarunway and @OPBNutrition
TikTok: @itsthegym_notarunway
