Written by Kathryn Lekas, Editor-in-Chief
Photography by Paul Buceta
Hair & Makeup by Monica Kalra
As one of the fitness industry’s top one percent of trainers, Jac Cordeiro is recognized for expertly guiding notable celebrities, and everyday people alike, through successful transformation programs to improve their overall well-being and change their lives. But this impressive Cover Athlete, Fitness and Lifestyle Coach, and Founder and CEO of JacFit 5am Club, says her current role, which she’s receiving much acclaim for, is simply a natural extension of what she’s always wanted to do: help others with their health, in one capacity or another.
“I studied Nursing at university and started my career working as a Nurse in the ER,” shares Jac, who was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. “That was quite the leap, going from being a nursing student to my first job in critical care. I discovered quickly though that I loved the adrenaline rush delivered by the urgency of providing that type of immediate care,” she explains. As her career evolved, Jac had the opportunity to then apply her passion for aid with a different pace. “I went into Oncology, end-of-life care. I helped terminally ill cancer patients by carrying them through their journey, trying to make them feel peaceful and comfortable.” Experiencing such duality in her role as a Nurse spoke volumes to Jac, a mom of two girls committed to exemplifying a strong lifestyle. She knew she had gained invaluable experience helping such an array of people, but once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, like many, Jac felt a shift within to pursue her purpose in a new way. “I just felt like I needed to do something a little different to feed my soul, but I wanted to keep that part of me as a Nurse, so I combined my professional background with my passion for fitness and created JacFit.” That pivot, to become an entrepreneur, signaled the start down a path that feels truly authentic for Jac. And it shows. What began as a simple fitness coaching business naturally evolved into an in-demand full-service mission, providing whole body, mind, and soul transformations recognized around the world.
“When you’re consistent with working on yourself physically, it allows you to get rid of negative energy within your body, and make room for more positive.”
“The most popular program is my six-week transformation challenge for women and men,” shares Jac. “I help people find their foundation, through nutrition and fitness training, and then help guide them into expanded self-care concepts as this seems to really be what most people end up losing throughout life—because we may have children, or life just gets busy with the roles we take on as adults. I reintroduce people to those concepts so they become a better version of themselves,” she explains. Success, says Jac, is always rooted in a commitment to her 5am Club—a lifestyle approach in which she encourages an early start to your day to get in workouts, meditation, and other self-care, in order to be healthier, happier, and more successful.
“The concept of my 5am Club works for me, and for a lot of mothers that have young children, because you can put that time in—investing in yourself—without the worry or anxiety of getting it in after your day,” says Jac. “When the whole world is sleeping, or when our children are in bed, that’s the time that we are guilt-free. We can be more mindful. It’s our time for solitude, reflection, and harnessing the concept of building that intimate relationship with ourselves,” she explains. “It really does work, when you get up early.” Which of course also means getting to bed earlier at night so that you can get these musts in without having to sacrifice another—sleep. But Jac emphasizes that you can still be in the club without adhering specifically to 5am. “Your ‘5am’ could be 7am, if that’s what’s suitable for your home life or whatever you have going on. If your life presents where you have the ability to sleep in a little bit more, then your ‘5am’ could be later. It’s really just about committing to making the time first thing in the morning to invest in your health, set the tone for the day, and be better for everyone else around you.”
“It’s about progress, not perfection.”
For Jac, it’s a natural approach. “I’ve always been really mindful of my eating, and I’ve always been very active. I was an athlete as a child and throughout my young adulthood, and even until now,” she says. “So, I know the importance of getting up and investing in myself, and because I’ve been doing that for years, I know that I’m no different than any other woman walking the planet—but I know that consistency of putting in that investment every single morning.”
Jac says there’s a reason it works. “When you consistently invest in yourself, especially physically, you have this endorphin release. You’re able to feel a natural high, and that feeling that you get when you walk out of the gym. It doesn’t matter if you broke world records that day, did your heaviest lift, or ran your fastest, what that does is prove to yourself time and time again that the feeling you get for investing allows you to carry a positive energy throughout the day. It really does set the tone. It really does set your mind mentally, to be able to take on more. You’re more patient with your children, you’re happier, you’re more positive and that energy, it’s infectious—people take to that, it spreads like wildfire.” Jac admits this is what has carried her through all the difficult times she’s experienced. “Sometimes life throws us quite the bag of tricks, so we have to find our way through that. If you wake up and the motivation isn’t there, you just have to maintain a sense of discipline, because without that you can find yourself spiraling really quickly.” As someone who walks the talk, Jac says teaching her clients to master this piece is paramount. “The transformation process really starts with the mentality. Mental strength is what’s going to pave the way for your physical strength, at least to be sustainable, or permanent. When we work on ourselves mentally, really learn how to be consistent, the physical will follow suit.”
Prioritizing progress over perfection is also a pillar in Jac’s programs. “Most people jump into it thinking that they have to be perfect with their nutrition and the training plan, as if it’s zero to a hundred, an all or nothing kind of mentality,” she says. “I help them dial that back and understand that even if they’re doing just one percent better than they were yesterday, it’s still progress. It’s a step closer to their goal.” And that is everything to this helper who, through alignment with her passion and profession, has found a feeling of balance, and her true strength. “I want people to know two things when they look at my cover: one, their goals are attainable, with consistency, and two, it really has to do with how they feel in their confidence within. I hope that younger women and older women alike understand that this could possibly be them, too. It’s just a matter of showing your face, being true to yourself, and being vulnerable—just letting go. That’s really what matters in life, being authentically yourself.”
What was your experience like, doing your STRONG cover shoot?
“OMG, so much fun, and you guys were all so great! I’ve done several photoshoots, but I can say that this experience was great because I felt like I was able to celebrate all the facets of who I am and what I’ve become. Celebrating the fact that I can be a mom. I’m strong. I can be sexy. I can be the boss and the CEO of my life. I think that what we did with this shoot was a reflection of all of that, and it’s just really going to set the standard for women coming up behind me, knowing that you can be everything—that’s really what strength represents. At least that's my definition of it.”
