Jena Richter

Pemberville OH

I am a Registered Nurse and mother to three beautiful little girls. I’m married to the love of my life, Bradley. I grew up in a small town in Northern Ohio on a small farm. I came to Cincinnati for nursing school and along the way I met my husband.

I started out a size 14 and 29% bodyfat when I first started my online training transformation with Julie Lohre. I told her that I was interested in competing some day and she didn’t bat an eyelash. She gave me my plans and believed in me. Eight months later I stepped on stage for the first time and won my first show!

Nearly two years later with lots of hard work and dedication in Julie's Online Personal Training programs,

"I have lost 40 pounds going from a size 14 to a size 4.  BUT, my greatest accomplishment ultimately was learning to love myself. Loving who I saw in the mirror, embracing my imperfections. Fitness forced me to take a look at myself both inside and out. Learning to trust the process and not to listen that quiet thought in my head telling me I can’t do it."

First, my health. I was overweight and exhausted all the time. I didn’t have the energy to even play with my children. I felt sick all the time. Now I can play with my girls and I wear them out! I wake up full of energy and ready to tackle the day. Second, my children. Knowing that my three daughters are watching me, I will not give up. I strive to set a good example of living a healthy lifestyle and making good food choices. If you make a commitment, you follow through.

Fitness keeps me focused mentally. It keeps me motivated, energetic, and feeling strong. Fitness for me just isn’t about physical strength. It forces you to stay cognizant in your life. I have learned so much about myself in this journey, and for that I am grateful!

I have learned that our mind is a very powerful thing. I will go to do a set and think there is no way I can lift this weight, it’s too heavy. Once I learned to push that thought out of my head, I started breaking my personal records. I have been able to apply this to my career as well. The sky is the limit!

I cook on Sunday for my meals for the week. I take my food everywhere I go. I keep protein bars in my handbag for emergencies. Tracking my body stats once per week helps me figure out how to adjust my nutrition plan. I also have one “off meal plan” meal on Saturday. If I start to get tempted during the week, I’ll just start planning my off meal plan in my head. It keeps me on track. Also, Julie Lohre has so many good recipes that are clean but taste like a cheat meal!

She lays out the meal plan for me. I thrive on structure but at the same time her plan has so much variety in it that it never gets monotonous. I love that I can email her and she is quick to respond, and very easy to approach. I feel like I can tell her anything, she makes me feel comfortable. I love the FITBODY community too! So great to have the support of other women in a similar position to me!

While she is extremely nice, she definitely holds you accountable! I’m always thinking “What would Julie say about this…” Haha!