Jamie Hoolsema

26 year old mother of four boys: Ethan (5), Isaak(4), Levi (2), and Jude (6 months), Langley, BC, Canada

Starting Stats - Final Stats – The  Difference
Age: 25 - 26
Weight: 153 pounds - 136.6 pounds: -16.4 pounds
Clothing Size: 10/12 - 6/8
Bicep: 11.75" - 11": -.75"
Bust: 39.5" - 35.5": -5"
Chest: 33" - 29.75: -3.25"
Waist: 32.5" - 28": -4.5"
Mom Belly: 38.5" - 35": -3.5"
Hips/Butt: 40.75" - 38": -2.75"
Thigh: 24" - 21.5": -3.5"
Calf: 14" - 13": -1"

I finished my first challenge.

And I don’t just mean that the date came where my twelve weeks was up: I mean I CONQUERED my first challenge!!

I have learned so much about myself in the last 12 weeks, and shown myself that I don’t have to accept where I’m at against my will. When I started Holly’s program on December 1st, I had spent that previous weeks getting into the groove of new food, new activities, exercise, etc. But felt that I wasn’t quite ready until I had an epiphany: I realised that I was preparing to try... and fail. I thought long and hard and came to the conclusion that I had resigned myself to the fate that I would never REALLY get my body back. I was convinced that my weight, my size, my lumps, all of that, would be my badge of motherhood. Then I thought some more... why do I feel not just that I couldn’t, but that I shouldn’t be able to return to my pre-babies body?

 I had categorized myself differently than the women whose bodies I envied. In my mind, I was to be rolly-polly, and they were the fit ones, the others... you know, THEM. And then it hit me: “Why the heck not?!?” How could I say all of these things to myself without ever having given myself a chance to prove ME wrong? So I started envisioning myself... defined abs, svelte figure, the works! And I found myself realising that there was no reason for me to NOT achieve these things, other than the fact that I was holding myself back!!!

Since then, I have jumped in. Yes, it took some adjusting here and there, I’ve had to be more creative, I’ve had to give meals more thought... but it’s not been in vain. Now, instead of looking at the people around me and wondering, “How does she do it?.. I wonder what exercises she does... I bet I can’t do them. She must have such will power to eat like that...” Would you believe that everyone is asking ME??!? Wanting to know what I’m doing, how I’m doing it... it’s incredible.

The best change for me has been in my family life... I am a stay-at-home mom to four boys, ages ranging from 6 months to 5 years old. I would just SURVIVE the days before... I would just make do. Now, I am raring to go in the morning. I greet my boys with “What should we do today, guys?!” instead of fixing them food and plopping on the couch to doze back to sleep. I think my favourite visual out of the past twelve weeks was when I moved the couches to the edges of the living room and had to set up an “exercise mat” for each of my three older boys, (5, 4, and 2) because they wanted to exercise like Mommy... it’s probably a memory that I hold onto for decades to come.

On top of all that, my husband had followed my example as well. He has started exercising regularly, eating more healthful foods, and we’re both in it together supporting each other in our quest for health now. I feel like this is shaping up to be the best year of my life.

Another observation that I had was that my sister-in-law, who was my friend long before I married her brother, had been really inquisitive about what I’m doing. The reason I find this so encouraging is that she has been one of THEM (see paragraph 1... hehe) in my mind for as long as I’ve known her. She was a track star at our highschool, she has always had a beautifully sculpted torso, and has seemed to me to be an incredibly healthy eater... Now, pregnant with her second child, she is asking ME if I’ll coach her after she gives birth... ME?!?! It blows my mind.

In the end, I think that Holly’s recent blog about a positive outlook is what sums up the secret to success... You can be handed every tool out there, but if you don’t change your mind-set and believe that what you desire is attainable, then you are stunting your own growth.

When I started the challenge, one of my concerns was that I was nowhere to be seen in photos because I was ashamed of how I looked... well, now I’m sneaking into pictures left, right, and centre! I have arranged to have family photos done soon by the woman who is photographing my sister’s wedding in June. I’m proud of how I look and am proud to say that I have achieved it in a healthy fashion, with a healthy mind-set, and a healthy support system which includes clubFYM.

This Challenge may be over, but I am challenging myself still every day, and will continue to do so because, as I told somebody the other day who incorrectly announced to a group of people that “Jaime is just doing some strict 12 week thing to lose weight”, I am “doing” a lifestyle change. And I am loving it.