Jennifer Lopez Has a Doppelg?nger, and She’s a Bodybuilder in Texas

Women's Health Editors
·5 min read
Photo credit: Instagram / Jay From Houston
Photo credit: Instagram / Jay From Houston

From Good Housekeeping

They say everyone has a doppelg?nger, and for bodybuilder Janice Garay, aka Jay From Houston, that doppelg?nger is none other than Jennifer Lopez.

Jay went viral in 2017 after one of her photos was featured on Instagram’s Explore page. “It was just normal selfies I had taken in my restroom, and people were assuming that I was Jennifer Lopez, commenting, ‘Are you J.Lo?’ No...I’m Jay From Houston!” she told her local ABC affiliate soon after. These days, she has 230,000 followers on the ’gram.

Although her facial structure is extremely similar to J.Lo’s, she is noticeably more ripped than the star and competes in bodybuilding competitions a few times a year. Otherwise, her look is classic J.Lo—big hoop earrings paired with activewear, fierce eye makeup, and long hair with loose curls.

Originally from Brownsville, Texas, she moved to Houston when she was 6 years old. Now, she’s mom to tween Amerie, who sometimes accompanies her to the gym and started doing strength workouts. “As a mother, I think that it is important to talk to your kids about exercising because it’s a habit that you want them to form early,” she wrote in an Instagram caption.

View this post on Instagram

LIFT YOUNG, GROW STRONG. ??????? We spent our afternoon outside working out together & we decided to film it! I’ll be posting some time this week ??The benefits of strength training for children: 1?? will increase their muscle strength & endurance 2?? helps protect your child’s muscles and joints from any sports injuries 3?? improves your child’s performance in sports 4?? strengthens your child’s bones 5?? helps promote healthy blood pressure & cholesterol levels 6?? most important- helps your child’s confidence & self esteem ?? Making a healthy lifestyle more of a priority for your family starts with parents leading the way and setting good fitness examples for their kids. As a mother, I think that it is important to talk to your kids about exercising because it’s a habit that you want them to form early . I don’t really think you need to approach them about it. It’s one of those topics that you need to show the importance of by leading by example. If your kids see that you’re making a conscious effort to be healthy regularly, they will eventually notice the importance without you ever having to talk to them about it. The most important thing for parents to realize when trying to encourage a child to work out is that it has to be their decision. If you try and force fitness into their lives and it’s not their decision, it will become a chore and that isn’t how it’s supposed to be. Find a way to make it fun for them and I promise that it will stick. Take the time today to make fitness a priority for you, your kids and your family. By supporting your children to live a more healthy and fit lifestyle, you’re dedicating yourself and your family to living better, stronger and more fulfilling lives. ???? #GIRLMOM #FITMOM #Health #Fitness #LeadByExample | Outfit - @vqfit @vqfitwomen #vqfitwomen #vqfit

A post shared by ?? ?? ?? ?? ? ?? ?? ? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ? (@jayfromhouston) on Apr 5, 2020 at 3:34pm PDT

On the exercise front, Jay doesn’t post a ton of workouts on Instagram—instead, she asks followers to subscribe to a 30-day fitness challenge—but she clearly lifts, as she’s launching a company in 2020 called Lift Within. She also does cardio and dances on TikTok (because who says that isn’t exercise?).

Back in 2017, she proposed meeting up with J.Lo and taking a photo with her, and who knows? It could happen! You know, after quarantine is over.

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