Background of the PFL: Interview with Kristy Jo

Dear Body Buds,

This is an interview conducted by Heather Godfrey of Ringmasters Publishers. I hope you enjoy hearing more about myself and the Power Foods Lifestyle!

Why the Power Foods Lifestyle was Started

Kristy had struggled with disordered eating and low self-esteem since the time she was nine. As a senior at Dixie State University studying dance, Kristy was thrilled to be pursuing to her dream of becoming an artistic dance director for a university. Unfortunately, severe back pain forced her into a doctor’s office, where she found that her mild scoliosis had become much more severe. After being advised to place a rod in her spine, which would end her dancing career, she decided against having this surgery after much prayer and contemplation.

Opting out of the surgery, she was told she would most likely be in a wheelchair by age 40, and that her spine would move into her lungs before she was 60, most likely ending her life. At this point Kristy threw herself into researching her own solutions, where she discovered and created the Power Foods Lifestyle.

She was able to heal emotionally, physically, and spiritually through this lifestyle change from years of poor self-esteem and self-abuse, and her doctors have even decided that she may be able to stay out of a wheelchair, permanently. Her new clarity was something that a lot of friends, family, and even competitors noticed. After getting constant requests for advice, she started a Facebook group called “Body Buddies,” but quickly realized a lot of people needed more than just a support group- they needed her knowledge that she had gained from painful experiences and over two years of thorough research.

“I didn’t mean to start a business!” she laughed during a phone interview. “It finally came together when enough people started saying ‘I need to know how you eat and how you live.’ Well, this was something I could relate to.” Kristy said, referencing the disordered eating she had struggled with for so long. She wanted everyone to have the peace and clarity she had finally gained that enabled her to overcome those negative cycles. “I finally felt good, and people were asking how they could get to this high. ‘This isn’t something I can just tell you,’” was what she would answer. That’s when she finally realized that she had knowledge, and it was something she wanted to share.

Fast forward one year, and Kristy finally released her book in January 2014. “Nearly every morning since then I wake up and think ‘Who are you? Who are you to help people? Who are you to think you can do this?’ But then the question comes, ‘What if there is one more person that you can help? Would it be worth it?’ and always, it’s a yes.”

The Power Foods Lifestyle

So what exactly is this plan about? Kristy starts by telling us what it’s not. “It’s not a diet,” she states emphatically. “It isn’t calorie counting or a quick way to lose weight. It’s a lifestyle that focuses on your physical, mental, and emotional health. This plan is about strategically eating so you have control and discipline over your life, instead of being a punishment for years of poor eating habits.”

Instead of focusing on calories, Power Foods Lifestyle looks at what makes up the food we eat, in particular the macronutrients which are proteins, fats, and carbs. Each meal looks at balancing out those three macros until you have a complete Power Meal. Protein is essential in helping to maintain even blood sugar, which prevents cravings and promotes fat burn. Carbs and fats are also necessary, but a lot of diets cut out one of those. By focusing on the nutrients, you can come to understand how food is a fuel for our body, and you can strategically eat to promote fat burn and increase your energy. The Power Foods Lifestyle helps you understand these concepts, while Kristy’s two recipe books helps you apply them. “I’m not teaching anything new,” she says. “It’s just more systematic and doable. I like to think of myself as a bridge between science and actual real life.”

So where do these recipes come from?

“I have no idea,” she laughs. “I just look in my fridge and look at the Power Foods I have, then it’s just intuitive. I only have time to cook very simple recipes with very simple ingredients, and I hardly ever make the same thing twice. I’ll usually make something, taste it, and if I think ‘yes!’ I’ll hurry and take a picture, then write the recipe on a post-it note,” she explains. Kristy also says that she’ll look at family-favorite mom recipes, then change it to better balance the macronutrients.

Success from the Power Foods Lifestyle

The success that Kristy has seen from her lifestyle plan is astounding. Aside from weight loss in her clients, she’s been amazed by the reduction of cholesterol and high blood pressure. “I’ve actually had doctors refer patients to me,” she said. “A lot of patients with high cholesterol and high blood pressure have used this method and returned to their doctors within the healthy limits.” She also explains how people with Type I and Type II diabetes have been able to successfully manage their diseases.

When asked what she hoped people would gain from reading The Power Foods Lifestyle, Kristy had some answers ready. “#1 to feel motivated. I haven’t heard of anyone just thinking ‘Oh that was nice.’ People come away thinking ‘I need to take a look at my life’ and only then can they begin to apply changes.” She goes on to say how most of the publicity of her book spreads through word of mouth. Each person that reads the book generally passes it on to 3-4 people. “THAT’S how you know you have a good product! It makes me happy when people pass it on to their friends. After all, we all just want the same things- to feel good about ourselves, and feel like we are in control.”

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