Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Jae.
Hi Anna, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey into coaching started in college, when I got pregnant and gained 65 pounds. I went from being a confident young woman to not recognizing the person staring back at me in the mirror.
After having my daughter, I struggled for years with postpartum depression and self-image. I hated my body, and instead of healing it, I punished it. I tried every shortcut, every detox tea, every extreme diet and “quick fix” I could find but each one left me feeling more broken, more disconnected, and more defeated than before.
Eventually, I hit a wall. I realized that the constant hustle, restriction, and self-criticism wasn’t a reflection of my strength but an approach rooted in self-hate. What I truly needed wasn’t another diet it was a softer, more feminine approach. One that honored my body instead of fighting it. That’s when I found Zumba. It started as just a fun way to move again, but something about it lit a spark in me and helped pull me out of depression. I felt free, confident, and alive in a way I hadn’t in years. That joy in movement became my gateway back to myself and the catalyst that set my soul on fire for fitness.
One class led to another, and before long, I was teaching my own Zumba classes at several gyms.
Then I started personal training women in person, and that’s when I realized this wasn’t just about losing weight.
It was about helping women, especially Black and Brown moms like me, heal from the inside out.
I saw how many of us were carrying generational weight not just on our bodies, but in our spirits. The pressure to do it all, the stress, the emotional eating, the silent suffering. Ultimately, repeating the generational cycles of obesity and disease that so many of us want to break free from.
That’s why I transitioned into online coaching to reach women not just in my state, but across the country and the world. Today, I coach internationally, guiding women to transform their bodies and their lives through sustainable, empowering systems that actually fit their reality. My mission is simple: to help Black and Brown moms reclaim their energy, confidence, and health without dieting, deprivation, or guilt and to remind them that taking care of themselves isn’t selfish, it’s revolutionary.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road 1. due to my personal battle with clinical depression and anxiety it can make it really difficult to get out of bed some days, coach and show up on social media when the desire to retract is so strong. 2. Running a business is never easy because you’re responsible for all of the moving parts even when you successfully delegate it all falls back on you so the responsibility can weigh heavily somedays. 3. The time and energy commitment is much bigger than on a job I’ve worked before so it takes a lot out of me. Lastly, I’d say the biggest struggle along the way was becoming a self-made business owner I had no background in business, marketing, accounting etc so I had to learn it all to make sure I would build a business on a healthy foundation that would last many decades to come.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m the founder and head coach of The Baddie Body Project, a holistic weight loss coaching program designed to help Black and Brown moms reclaim their energy, confidence, and health without dieting, deprivation, or guilt. What I specialize in is weight loss and improved health but by simplifying the process for the mothers and women I work with.
My mission was born out of my own journey. When I got pregnant in college, I gained 65 pounds and spent years struggling with postpartum depression, low self-esteem, and the cycle of quick fixes that left me feeling more disconnected than ever. It wasn’t until I embraced a more feminine, self-honoring approach to fitness through movement, joy, and nourishment that everything changed.
That shift began with Zumba, which helped me reconnect to my body and sparked a passion for helping other women do the same.
Today, I coach women internationally through sustainable systems that actually fit their reality. My approach focuses on mindset, metabolism, and movement because I firmly believe that real transformation starts from the inside out.
What sets my brand apart is that it’s not about perfection or punishment; it’s about healing. I teach women how to rebuild their bodies and their confidence in a way that honors who they are, what they’ve been through, and the busy lives they lead.
What I’m most proud of is the community and legacy this brand represents. The Baddie Body Project isn’t just a fitness program it’s a liberation movement for Black and Brown women breaking generational cycles of stress, obesity, and disease. I want readers to know that there is a way to feel strong, sexy, and healthy again without losing yourself in the process or turning your back on your lineage and culture. And that black women and mothers DESERVE to feel their best.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
My morning routine I would say is my main resource to do my best in life – I practice self-reiki healings in the mornings, meditation, journaling etc. the app that I love using for all my spiritual work is called INSIGHT TIMER.
For podcasts I listen to Joel Osteen’s
On YouTube Jay Shetty, Joe Dispenza, Pastor Mike Jr.
Books: any by Wayne Dyer, Atomic Habits
I’m a Christian so sermons and the word in general is always helpful
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.annajaefit.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna_jaefit/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annajaefit/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnnaJaeFit and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muDIfSv7x4Q
