Hi, I'm Jaime “Jme”. — Just Jme Allison

Jul 7

Jul 7 Hi, I'm Jaime “Jme”.

Hi, I’m Jaime “Jme”. Here is my story to becoming healthier. I can’t pin point the day and time that I began my struggle with my weight. It’s crazy to think that it started in middle school. I can remember obsessing in the mirror over my body. Struggling with wearing the same outfits the other skinny girls did. I wanted to be “skinny” to look like the popular girls. Thinking if I just looked like them I would fit it. Be one of the “cool kids”. I wanted to eat like everyone else. All the junk food and still be “thin”. Starving myself just to lose a pound. Why did my friends not have image issues or struggle with their weight? I never remember talking to them about it. Did we? Did I block out the fact that all the girls struggled too? I was not alone. Why did I act and feel like it?

Growing up I would drink slim fast, take diet pills, try crazy fad diets. I did it all. Tried it all. Always searching for that quick fix. I wanted to just be tiny not healthy. That was never my goal. Why? I grew up with amazing parents. My mom and dad were always there for me. My biggest support system. They struggled with their weight too. So did my brother. I always joke we grew up the healthiest fat people around. Because one thing my parents always did was exercise and eat well. We had family dinners. We ate our veggies. We did love fast food. A lot. Oh wait? Yep. We were always on the go with sports. Always involved. Outside. Playing till dark. Active. Still each of us dealt with being overweight.

In high school I finally maintained a healthy weight at 135ish. Of course I remember. I always remember that number on that box. Still. I never looked at myself as thin. Skinny. Healthy. Because I still wrestled with my reflection. My vicious cycle continued on into my adult life. Gaining. Losing. Up & Down. Never satisfied with Me. Completely unhealthy. After my pregnancies finally gained some kind of control and got back to my happy weight of 141 with WW in 2002. Didn’t last long. Again. I gained over 90 pounds back. How could I gain it all back. It was never enough. That number. I wanted it to be lower. I was healthy finally for the first time in a long time. Although still discontent. Always. Grappling with the thought of if I was thin enough I would finally be happy. Not. Going. To. Happen. I never dealt with my heart. Gaining back every pound plus more. I don’t remember my heaviest. I blocked that number out.

When was the breaking point this time around? My friend Court invited me to Trussville Gets Fit Jazzercise. I started taking classes after much debate. I always had an excuse to commit to something. I loved my gym time. Even at my heaviest at 251, I loved to workout. But this dance/Jazzercise thing. Scary. I would be in front of people, overweight and unhealthy. What would they say? I was embarrassed. None of that happened. My Jazzercise tribe welcomed me with open arms and no judgement. It was the best decision I had made in a very long time. So in January for my millionth “New Years Resolution” I committed to Jazzercise. It felt good to be in control. Now the food thing was a whole new story. That thing 80% nutrition 20% fitness. It’s TRUTH. I had to get my eating in check. So after 6 months of working out consistently I decided I had to get back to WW after seeing my parents reach goal and make lifetime. So on September 17, 2016 I walked into WW Trussville workshop. This time it was different. I stepped on the scales weighing 241.2. Not my highest. But the painful truth. Knowing I had allowed once again to allow food to control me. Stepping on that box. Knowing the nitty-gritty. That moment I knew I had to commit to change. During the next 10 months I would finally reach goal weighing in at 150 with WW. I can’t describe that feeling. It was by far one of my biggest accomplishments. Knowing I had stuck to a program. Finally. Consistent. Strong. Determined. Becoming a lifetime member on August 26, 2017. SUCH. AN. AMAZING. FEELING.

Today, I can say the hardest part of my journey has been maintenance. Almost 2 months away from my 3 year anniversary of taking back my health I still battle. Daily. After hitting goal I continued to lose. Not sure why I never set a personal goal (Today I will ). Losing was what I knew. What I was used to. I never really committed to maintain. I got as low as 131. Thinner than I ever remember being. Slowly my weight started to go in the opposite direction. Just a couple of pounds. But this scared the crap out of me. Not enough though. I started a new workout lifting weights. I used the excuse of working out more I could eat more. This mentality has helped me gain 26 pounds over the past year and a half. Let me be honest. I’m not mad about it. I was not at a manageable weight for me. Still disappointed. I realize some of it is muscle gain but it’s not 26 pounds of muscle. Let’s just get real. Most of it is being undisciplined and inconsistent. Unhealthy snacking. Just sloppy eating. I know what to do. I just have to get back to the basics. No, It’s not always fun to meal prep, weigh, measure and track your food, workout, drinking the recommended ounces of water, etc. It does get overwhelming. I get tired of it. I lose my motivation. Nevertheless I will not allow myself to go back. Back to my heaviest. PERIOD. Taking the time to do the things that help make you and I successful is what it is all about and it’s so freaking worth it.

It makes me sad to think that all my teenage years and now adult life I have continuously battled with my weight and self image. I don’t remember to many days I woke up and said, “I’m ok with me”. I truly believe that it’s something that I will have to take one second at a time. Realizing that reflection is ME. Perfectly imperfect beautiful me. Continuously reminding myself that I AM ENOUGH. YOU ARE ENOUGH. We all struggle. battle. Deal with fears. worry. self doubt. We are human. Falling short everyday. It’s up to you and I to own it. Right now. This second. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Next month. NOW…

You might be where I am. Or just starting. In the middle. Deciding today is the day. Enough is enough. I’m with you. It starts by deciding that you are worth the fight. Our health. Our lives. Our story. It begins with committing to living differently. Healthier. Stronger. So we can be HAPPIER. SATISFIED. CONTENT. Let’s do this together. We are truly BETTER TOGETHER.

Today. Write down your dreams. goals. prayers. fears. accomplishments. victories. strengths. weaknesses. Start a journal. Commit. It’s never too late. It’s your time. To start. Continue. Writing the pages of your story.