A young woman has lost more than 100lbs after spending years in denial about her weight and being disgusted by her reflection in the mirror.
Heavy duty equipment operator, Jamie Mckersie, 27, from Calgary, Canada, never believed she was heavy as she could still do things that ‘skinny’ people did.
But she was secretly hiding her insecurities behind a confident persona – and in reality, was disgusted by how she looked and hated every item of clothing she tried on.
Before and after: Jamie Mckersie, 27, lost 133lbs in less than a year despite suffering from painful rheumatoid arthritis
Hiding her insecurities: Before her weight loss, Jamie felt insecure and hid behind a confident persona but she now feels much happier and healthier
At 355lbs and a size 22, Jamie’s body would ache all over just walking up a few steps, so she decided to have gastric sleeve surgery to finally get her happiness back.
And in less than a year, she lost 133lbs, despite being diagnosed with painful rheumatoid arthritis.
Regardless of suffering from the chronic disorder, she still works out three times a week, currently doing 12,000 steps per day with an aim of reaching 20,000 once she is in remission from the painful condition, and is now a happier, healthier 223lbs and a size 10.
‘I was disgusted and hated how I looked in the mirror and everything I put on. I had no self-esteem but I knew how to put a face on to look confident but inside I felt like that little girl sitting in the corner with my knees to my chest hiding my face so no one would look at me,’ she said.
‘I woke up one morning and just had enough because I wasn’t happy anymore and was always so angry because I didn’t like who I was, and I lost some good people in my life for it.’
Life-changing choice: She decided to get a gastric sleeve because she ‘wanted to get her happiness back’
A big achievement: Jamie wanted the feeling of accomplishment and knew this was the way to carry out her weight loss journey
Jamie said she was tired of being sore after walking a couple stairs and telling friends she had plans when they asked if she wanted to go for a hike because she knew she would just slow them down.
So she decided to get a gastric sleeve because she ‘wanted to be healthy again and most of all get my happiness back’.
‘I chose this treatment because it’s not permanent you can re-stretch your stomach and put weight back on and you will only lose so much and the rest is up to you. I still wanted the feeling of achievement of losing weight,’ she said.
‘Losing weight has changed my life in so many ways that not enough words can explain the feeling. I’m so incredibly happy again and proud of who I am and being that confident person I was meant to be.’
‘I want to always be a curvy woman but this time I’m proud of it. I can walk in a room with my head up and smile and actually mean it and that feeling alone says it all.’
Ever since her operation, Jamie has had to re-educate herself about food and completely change her portion sizes because she can only eat around half a cup of food at a time. For a month after the surgery Jamie had to live off of nothing but Ensure shakes – something she found difficult.
Proud and happy: Jamie said she is now ‘incredibly happy again and proud of who I am’
Goal weight: Jamie is still working toward her goal weight of 200lbs and hopes to be a support to others struggling with their weight
‘I had to relearn food again and the portion sizes to eat and which foods help me stay energized because I can only eat half to three quarters of a cup of food at a time. Exercise was a hard one because I lost a big hunk of weight and was working out hard but became in pain which lead to be being diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis,’ she said.
Jamie is still working towards her goal weight of 200lbs and now hopes to be a support for other people struggling with their weight and says that her Instagram is always open if people need advice.
She said: ‘This has changed my working out habits a little until I am in remission so I do a lot of walking and swimming but no weight lifting.’
‘The hardest thing about my weight loss was having to drink only ensures for thirty days. That was just nasty and still until this day eleven months later I still struggle with just the smell never mind trying to drink one.’
A few hiccups: Jamie said she had to retrain herself to eat again which was a huge learning experience
Taking the first step: The hardest part about weight loss is making the first move which Jamie said is a lot easier if ‘you yourself believe in it’ and have a support system
‘I did have a couple hiccups with reintroducing food to my body but in time I was able to eat those things again. I had to retrain myself to eat again which was interesting but a huge learning experience.’
And now that she’s in a happier and healthier place, people say she has her glow back and comment on ‘how incredibly happy I look again and say they didn’t realize how much of a struggle I was having.’
‘The hardest part about weight loss is that first step in trying to do it and having a support system and if you don’t have one, message me on Instagram and I’ll be your support.’
‘No one is ever alone in doing this, people will try to push you down and say you can’t do it but that’s not true, you can be anything or do anything you want, you yourself just have to believe in it and anything will happen.’