ABOUT Coach Jen

Hi, I’m Jen Kates.

I’m different than most nutrition and fitness coaches because I work to help you make nutrition and fitness a sustainable lifestyle, not a quick-fix, even for busy people — like you — who feel like they don’t have the time or energy to focus on themselves. In fact, I’m much like you – let me explain:

Back in the late 2000s and 2010s, I was in a VERY different career.

I worked in biotech research, and I traveled almost every week for work, hopping around the world to visit hospitals and clinics. Sure, I made a high salary, but the “cost” was even higher for my health.

High stress, high blood pressure, high anxiety. 

I hardly slept. It was rare for me to get more than 5-6 hours of sleep a night because I’d wake up in the middle of the night in a panic, unable to fall back to sleep.

I was moody. My workouts were falling apart. I wasn’t doing enough of the things I loved, like mountain biking and CrossFit.

I hurt. In every way.

But I came to the realization that something had to change.

I had to take a step back.

I had to shift the focus to myself.

I made small changes. I prioritized sleep and recovery, sometimes opting to skip a workout if I was exhausted or stress was overwhelming. My priorities changed.

I fueled my body with plenty of food, increasing my fat intake to support my hormonal health, along with increasing my carb intake to support my energy needs.

I meditated more often. I slept. I recovered.

Wow. So different from the hustle culture mentality of leaders with a large Instagram following.

By focusing my attention on myself, I gained more energy to focus on other people in my life. This helped me see improvement in my life and better help others. Crazy how that works, right?

I didn’t succeed until I focused on the things that really worked, which are the BASICS. When I focused on the basics and keeping it simple, I built the body and life that I needed in order to succeed in the other parts of my life, and I want to help do the same thing for you.

Simple steps bring you greater success. Let’s make these sustainable changes for your goals, together.

MY CERTIFICATIONS + TRAININGS INCLUDE:

– Master Health Coach (Level 2, the highest level) from Precision Nutrition

– ACE Certified Health Coach (American Council on Exercise)

– Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) 

– Pain-Free Performance Specialist Certification (PPSC) with Dr. John Rusin

– Pain-Free Performance Specialist Certification in Programming

– Certified Level 1 Mountain Bike Coach, PMBIA (Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association)

– Certified Mindfulness Instructor, MNDFL

– #Moderation365 Certified from JillFit (focusing on the physical and behavioral approaches to moderation in eating)

– CrossFit Level 2 Trainer since 2016

– CrossFit Level 1 Trainer since 2012

– Spinning Instructor since 2010 (let certification lapse since I no longer teach classes)

– ~20 credit hours of Master’s graduate coursework in Public Health from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

– BA from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro

– Countless continuing education credits and courses from a variety of educational providers including Precision Nutrition, ACE, NASM, and others.

IN PROCESS:

– Pain-Free Performance Specialist Mobility Certification

– National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (in collaboration with the National Board of Medical Examiners)

CONTACT ME

Drop me a line here and I will be in touch shortly. If this form isn't working or you don't hear from me, drop me an email at jen@shifthumanperformance.com.