About Jessica Cooke

Hi there!

I'm Jessica Cooke and I help women over 40 get fit, feel great & find their inner peace and calm. This is a little bit about me...

Jessica is a fitness coach and podcaster. Jessica's been running her business since 2007. Orignally from Dublin, Ireland, Jessica now lives in Renville, Galway with her husband Joe of 11 years, two kids Arthur and Emily and two Miniature Schnauzers called Buster & Ozzy.

She primarily now runs her flagship program Thrive Coaching® which helps women over 40, get fit, feel great and find their inner peace and calm.

She has coached over 4,059 women through this program over her 14 years coaching women. She is a UL Accredited Fitness Coach & Personal Trainer and and holds a Bachelor of Arts from UCD.

Here’s my story…

I still remember that moment like it was yesterday. I had just finished another tiring shift as a pizza chef at Fat Freddies in Galway. Covered in flour, three stone overweight, and nursing a hangover, I found myself sitting on a bench by the Claddagh, getting ready to have a glass of wine. It was a hot day, and the city was buzzing with activity.

But inside, I was anxious, almost on the verge of a panic attack. I was drenched in sweat, feeling the toxins seeping out of my skin. My uniform was uncomfortably tight, and I felt like a mess. I had no control over my emotions. Panic attacks and anxiety were a big part of my life. I comfort ate and drank too much wine to escape how I was feeling. I was staying up late, struggling to get out of bed in the morning and was very negative in my thinking. I was unfit, so unhealthy and desperate to change.

In that moment, I knew I had to change. I wanted to break free from my unhealthy habits that were controlling me, but I had no idea where to start. I was so unhealthy and desperate to be healthy. I had dreams of letting go of all those unhealthy habits that made me feel terrible. My self-esteem was low, and my confidence was rock bottom. I had been in this situation before, trying countless things that never worked. I attempted diets, weight loss clubs, counting calories—you name it. Back then, I thought that restricting myself was the path to good health. It never worked. I always ended up back at the same place, overweight and unfit.

Then, sitting on that bench on that hot day, I made a decision. I was going to exercise three times a week and NOT work on anything else. I made a commitment to only work on that ONE habit.

The very next day, I went to the Claddagh and attempted to jog. I struggled to catch my breath and quickly realised it wasn't for me. Jogging in public made me uncomfortable, and it didn't feel good. Feeling defeated, I returned home and turned to YouTube. I came across a workout that was called 'Full Body Strength Training. I gave it a go. I grabbed some bottles from the fridge to use as weights, found a small space in the kitchen to workout and followed along. After 30 minutes, I was sweaty, hot and I feeling amazing. I felt so empowered. There was such a huge feeling of accomplishment. In the time it had taken to do my workout (30 minutes)  I had gone from sluggish, tired and feeling so unhealthy to calm, in control and feeling amazing.  A thought occurred to me ' If I do this, and focus on just this, I'm going to feel good. If I'm feeling good, it's going to be easier for me to get healthier in other areas of my life too, because I'll be feeling so good!'

I stuck to my commitment of exercising three times a week. I committed to that one habit. I didn't allow myself to get distracted with anything else. I just showed up to those workouts, that was my one and only goal.

That one habit transformed my entire life and brought me to where I am today.

I lost three stone, became fit and healthy, and my panic attacks ceased. I stopped using food for comfort, stopped turning to alcohol to unwind and my confidence soared. I started to feel amazing, inside and out. A sense of peace and calm washed over me as I started to break free from all of the unhealthy habits that had imprisoned me. 

That one habit of consistent exercise helped me break free from all of my unhealthy habits. 

Fitness saved me. It transformed me from within.

Now, my entire career is dedicated to sharing the tools I've learned. I empower women to get fit, feel amazing, and find their inner peace and calm —without counting calories, dieting, or spending hours at the gym. 

When you develop the habit of exercising consistently, you get physically and mentally strong. When you become mentally strong you make better choices. You're in a better frame of mind. You're clear, calm and focused, ready to take on the day. You are the best version of yourself, operating at a much higher level, with so much more energy and vitality. 

 I absolutely love the workouts and Thrive Time sessions I design for my clients. They transform you from the inside out, and I've been perfecting my secret sauce for over 14 years.

Sending you lots of love,

Jessica X