If you want to know why we’re crushing on Jessica “Jess” Pack, look no further than her book title: Planking for Pizza: The No BS Guide to Getting Fit and Reaching Your Body Goals. Here at HealthyWay HQ, we do love pizza. More importantly, we love to prioritize fitness, reaching goals, and, of course, a BS-free life.
Jess’ health and fitness journey all started with her self-diagnosed “quarter-life crisis,” and girl…we’ve all been there (some of us more than once). For Jess, this quarter-life crisis soon led to what she calls her “butterfly moment,” when she took ownership of her life and began actively working toward transforming herself for the better.
You’re probably wondering how exactly she did that. Jess experimented with different exercise routines and diets to find what made her feel good inside and also made the decision to go to therapy to work on her mental health. This period of self-reflection led to lifestyle changes that resulted in a new life filled with self-discovery. Lucky for her social media followers, Jess began to document her journey, and thus, Planking For Pizza was born. Since then, Jess and her brand have grown and evolved, and her followers have gotten to see it all—from the struggles to the successes. It’s an ongoing journey, but Jess has recognized that you have to approach health from all angles: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
Jess’ huge following is no surprise. She’s incredibly relatable and knows how to speak to the average woman. She works a nine-to-five job. So do we. She’s had moments of doubt. Same. She rushes to get out the door in the morning. We don’t all get up with sun. She’s gotten stuck in a rut. Everyone’s got to switch it up once in a while. She orders a trenta at Starbucks. Uh, we have a cold brew keg at HealthyWay HQ.
We could go on, but you get the idea.
Most importantly though, Jess helps others find the same self-love and confidence she once struggled to find herself. She wants women to feel good in their bodies, no matter where they are in their wellness journey, and she is proud to embody the belief that you don’t have to look a certain way to find happiness and health. Nourish—that’s Jess’ advice for success. Nourish your body, but also your mind, heart, and soul. Jess recognizes that’s not always easy. Her Instagram posts are very open about the natural ups and downs of finding health, happiness, and self-confidence. She’s not shy when she’s struggling, but she’s learned how to put things in perspective and tries to help her followers do the same. Currently Jess has been getting into weightlifting and has even created an 8-week program for beginners. She’s “empowering women to build confidence in the weight room,” and we’re here for it!
In the social media world, where filters and strategic posing often blur reality, Jess’ candor provides a much-needed breath of fresh air on the ’gram. She might not have intended to become a #fitspo influencer, but we’re sure glad she did.
A Day in the Life
What does your daily routine look like?
A typical day for me starts at 8 a.m. as I am rushing out of bed to get ready, take care of my dog and cat, and be out the door by 8:20 a.m. so I can be at work by 8:30 a.m. I work a desk job and am there from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Spending 40+ hours in a sedentary state always has me craving a good sweat sesh. So after work, I go to the gym for my powerlifting training and am there for about an hour to hour and a half. I get home around 8 to 8:30 p.m., shower, eat, play with the fur babies, and then hustle until about midnight working on my passion projects. Go to sleep. Wake up. Repeat.
What are your favorite ways to practice self-care?
I am currently working really hard on some passion projects that occupy all my free time. It can be hard, and I don’t always feel like I have a good life balance, but I know it will be worth it for the reward of living my dream life. So self-care for me is being gentle on myself when I don’t accomplish all that’s on my to-do list. It is allowing myself flexibility to go with the flow and not always be in hustle mode. It is allowing time with friends or giving myself a Saturday to do absolutely nothing.
How do you stay inspired?
We live in a content-consumer world, so I find when I consume too much content from others, it bogs me down and makes me feel inadequate. So for me, inspiration comes from shutting down from social media and allowing myself to get lost in my own thoughts and inviting space to just be with myself. I often do a lot of brain dumps and brainstorm ideas with good friends and just let all my thoughts and ideas flow. Sometimes they become something, or other times I leave them to come back to at a later time when I am ready to invest more time and energy into developing an idea.
Disclaimer: Just so you know, if you order an item through one of our posts, we may get a small share of the sale.
Loving Lately…
What are the best products you’ve discovered recently?
I recently got into essential oils! I love diffusing them at night to help me unwind and relax.
What are your favorite apps?
Instagram, Audible, Asana, Over, Unfold
Whose Instagram is on your radar? #squadgoals #gramlove #hashtag
Katie Crewe will forever and always be someone I look up to for her drive, dedication, inner and outer strength, and beauty!
What’s your go-to healthy snack?
I love just-cut-up veggies and hummus or plain Fage yogurt with fruit and almond butter.
What are you reading, watching, or listening to?
Reading: Crushing It, Unfu*k Yourself, The War of Art
Listening: Novo Amor, The Receiving End of Sirens, Freya Ridings, Rob Bailey & the Hustle Standard, Breaking Benjamin, SMYL, “Everything is Love” by the Carters
Jess IRL
What is your bucket list travel destination?
Bali!
What woman in history would you love to take to brunch?
My great grandma! She was locally famous for her hellion nature—always fighting for what was right—and everything I have heard about her is everything I aspire to be!
What’s your coffee order?
Trenta iced coffee with toffee nut 🖤
Sometimes I add cream, but most of the time I drink it black.
What piece of advice has impacted you the most?
“Treat others the way you want to be treated,” and “Say what you mean, but don’t say it mean.”
Whether you’re interested in learning how to lift or just looking for some down-to-earth words of encouragement, we recommend taking a look at Jess’ website and Instagram.