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About IIYA
IIYA's mission is to simplify and activate holistic life transformations so you can stop surviving, and start thriving.
Meet Jaelynn
Heyyoo! My name is Jaelynn Zewde. I am a Christian, model, health coach, and healthy lifestyle expert. Born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, I grew up on the "cheapest" & "fastest" food. Diabetes, obesity, PCOS, cancer, heart complications, and mental health issues have run rampant in my bloodlines. I knew I didn't want that for my future, but the overwhelming amount of contradicting misinformation online when it came to wellness drove me insane. I went down many rabbit holes in wellness-topic research. I'd study Harvard PDF documents about cells and their interactions with others, etc. I made Excel spreadsheets on random things like amino acids.
I started modeling at 17. When I hit 19, there was much more pressure to "lose inches."
Copy from an actual email:
"If you look at your most recent set of digitals that I’ve sent (and I’ve deleted a ton where your arms and thighs look really soft ) you’ve also added on a half of an inch on the hips since a month ago)...you also have to stay on top of your body at all times. Think of modeling as if it was a competitive sport and yourself as a competitive athlete.. Your skin and smile has improved so much since you first came in through our door – it looks amazing – I need your body to match that. I know you can do it! :)”
Even though I was already underweight, my mindset was, "I can do anything I set my mind to, whether or not it is a healthy choice." Well, I tried. My mindset changed from intrinsic motivations (strength, feeling good, etc.) to extrinsic motivations (body image, for my agents/clients, etc.). I had no idea what I was doing. I followed misconstrued advice, a super boring, $1000 workout pdf I bought from a suggested "model trainer" (eye roll) who wanted me to eat the calories of a toddler and next to 0 protein.
I spent hours at the gym daily. I tried to eat as little as possible during the week; then, I would binge on my missed calories from non-nutritious sources over the weekends. I was burnt out, fatigued, and lost of all motivation.
I eventually would go to the gym and take a nap right there on a mat on the gym floor.
Yup. I completely ruined my relationship with exercise/fitness. On top of that, I went in the complete opposite direction of my goals.
I developed fatigue, slow metabolism, brutal sugar cravings, constant bloating, joint pain, brain fog, digestive issues, acne, etc. After being overwhelmed with shame, insecurities, and losing my clients from gaining 20 lbs, I wanted to spend time fixing my relationship with fitness, I wanted to enjoy it. I purposefully took a break from exercise and stopped counting calories, the whole joint. I worked on what I now know is called “intuitive eating.” When I returned to the gym, I decided I would only do what I wanted and spend no more than 1 hour.
In this way, a long story made sorta short, and finding my identity as a child of God, I grew to enjoy fitness again. I found myself having reached my old goals without even realizing it! I kept sharing the lessons I learned with others and sought out more fitness truths.
Even though I learned how to fix my relationship with food/exercise/body through trial and error, this obsession with wellness only grew and grew, so I decided to attend IIN - Institute of Integrative Nutrition in the US. I became a certified holistic health coach and continue my education out of passion, for quality. Now, it is my joy to try to create a potential career out of it!
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