Inspiring Women Through Fitness: Jessica Ciampini

BY: KRISTINA RAMCHARRAN 

Jessica Ciampini is more than just the average young lady in today’s society. Hailing from Toronto’s Jane and Finch community, a community commonly associated with small beginnings and rough times, Ciampini learned the importance of being humble as she grew up.

Most of the inspiration she gained as a young girl sprouted from her father’s words. “My father is a man of few words but he once said that “Jealousy is a sickness of the soul because it eats your spirit up slowly to the point where you don’t recognize who you are” and this stuck with me, as a result, I don’t waste my energy comparing myself to other people– -whether it’s financially, intellectually or physically.”

Ciampini noted that she channels her energy towards positivity thus resulting in a constant influx of happiness and support into her life. “People don’t realize that while they’re too busy being jealous or hating other people for what they have, life is passing them by. If you let jealousy become the centre of your life, it’s almost impossible to achieve your goals because your dominant thoughts are about other people and you begin to think less of yourself.

Her positive mindset then sprouted her journey into starting JC Fitness. JC Fitness is Ciampini’s way of living her clean and healthy lifestyle to the max: by giving other’s the opportunity to live a clean and healthy lifestyle as well. Ciampini grew into a healthy lifestyle after struggling with weight loss when younger, which eventually sparked an interest in fitness and eating healthy.

She prefers to refer to herself as a coach, rather than a personal trainer because she believes it distinguishes her as an educator, and that’s what’s most important to her. Ciampini explained the breakdown of her job titles and said, “Kinesiologists help individuals cope with physical injuries also work to manage, rehabilitate, and prevent disorders that impede movement. As a fitness coach, I don’t refer myself as a personal trainer because I go beyond expectations, I empower my clients not to look at the physical but rather, how they feel. Feelings are so powerful in all that we do. It’s important I educate them to the future and understand why they’re doing something.”

Apart from pursuing this career path, she also works as a social media/marketing manager for a company based in Montreal. She hosts a women’s community in North York, and while she is looking to expand her fitness business in Markham, she is also working on starting up a tea business.

In her spare time, she looks forward to her personal time including walks with her dog, as well as the time she uses to help the community, like with her women’s group and spending evenings at community temples she is involved with. Causes she keeps closest to her heart are Ernestine’s Women Shelter, a shelter for women who are abused, depressed or alone, and Toronto’s Covenant House.

Ciampini credits much of her success to her various role models. In this shout out to them she noted each of them added a new kind of value and change to her life. “My role models in my life are the women I have in my life, who I gained during the hardest times in my life. If you’re reading this, then I’m assuming that you’re either getting ready to cry or you’re wondering when the hell you’ve inspired me. You women inspire me to become a better version of myself, to stand up for what is morally right and to protect ourselves just as I protected myself from growing up but exposed to the dangerous life out there.”

After overcoming many challenges like sickness and depression, Jessica Ciampini is just at the start of building her empire of inspiring others through healthy lifestyle choices. Her advice to other women who are also making their dreams come true is, “don’t be afraid to fail, you will only fail if you don’t even try. Be yourself even when you have had the hard times of suffering or maybe you haven’t fit in just yet. Embrace the journey because that makes YOU unique!”