“I looked at myself in the mirror and saw a photo of myself with some friends, and I didn’t recognize myself at all,” Parent, now 31, told Best Life. “It was like I blinked and two years had gone by.” In late 2017, with New Year’s Eve quickly approaching, Jasmine and Jeremy—who was also significantly overweight—decided it was time to commit to turning their lives around. In order to be the best parents possible to their two young girls, they needed to get serious about their health. So, they did what millions of people every year do—they made a resolution to lose weight. But, they’d made resolutions in the past and tried an array of trendy diets. What would be different this time? After all, according to a survey by Statista, only 4 percent of people who made New Year’s resolutions in 2018 reported keeping them for any reasonable length of time.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “We made a point of emphasis to say that this wasn’t going to be like other New Year’s resolutions before. We need to make this real,” Parent said, adding that having two children to think about gave the couple the extra edge that had been lacking in previous attempts to change their lifestyle. “Instead of just making some short-term changes, we want to make life-long changes.” And that’s exactly what they did. On the morning of Jan. 1, 2018, Jasmine and Jeremy rid their house of any and all junk food deemed to have the potential to prevent the couple from achieving their goal. That was the first step of their plan, which also included cutting out all beverages besides water, getting regular exercise, and, perhaps most importantly, tracking their food with Lose It!, a popular weight loss app that allowed them to monitor their food and water intake. “We didn’t have a clue how much food we were actually consuming,” Parent said. “You don’t have to starve yourself. We decided to eat cleaner and track our foods. That’s how you make long-term changes.” That’s not to say that there weren’t challenges along the way, but based on trial and error, they figured out what worked for them. When two cheat days a month seemed to be pushing them too far off track, they narrowed it down to one day per month in which they allowed themselves to indulge in some less restrictive diet decisions. A few months into 2018 and already showing signs of success, on a whim, Parent began documenting her weight-loss journey on Instagram. Though she hoped her story would inspire others in similar situations, she never thought it would take off the way it did. After quickly growing her following on social media, by the time Dec. 2018 rolled around—just a year after the couple made their resolution to get healthy—Parent had not only dropped more than 100 pounds, but she was also able to leave her job and start her own business, I Am Worthy Wellness. Now a certified nutrition coach and behavior change specialist, Parent helps people overcome the hurdles standing in their way of achieving positive lifestyle goals, especially those posed by mental health issues, which she has a personal passion for. “I had been on anti-anxiety medication for five years,” Parent told Best Life. “And before this all started, my anxiety had reached the point of crippling.” But after talking with her doctor, she was able to get off medication only a year after beginning her weight-loss effort. “I’m thankful to say I’ve never had to go back on them,” Parent said. Armed with their health and a thriving business, Jasmine and Jeremy—who also lost 100 pounds since making the resolution—are expecting their third child any day now (she was 37 weeks pregnant when she spoke to Best Life). Though theirs is an incredible story, Parent swears it’s not an unrealistic one for those who want to make a similar change. And just like that I am #37weekspregnant 🤰🏽 The jeans in this picture were my goal jeans AFTER giving birth to Jurnee. It took me 10 months to finally get them buttoned up again.. but I did it ☺️.. And here they are today .. a whole new chapter in my life 🤎. Years pass by and I think far too often we take for granted the power we truly have to cultivate change within our own lives. 🦋 This year began with the initial shock of this unexpected little bundle, and has been a whirlwind ever since.. But with everything going on in 2020 I have been reminded of a few things: ❶ Don’t ever compromise when it comes to your morals 🙅🏽♀️ ❷ Life can change at any given moment .. so make sure to LIVE in the moments you do have🤗 ❸ Surround yourself with people who add to, (not disrupt) your peace 🧘🏽♀️ ❹ Stay true to who you are .. your heart will thank you later ❤️ A post shared by Jasmine Carmele • PN1, BCS (@jasminelosingit) on Sep 2, 2020 at 3:21pm PDT RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. “Set a concrete goal and lay out exactly how you are going to do it,” Parent told Best Life, comparing the process to training for a marathon. “Break it up in small increments and take it one day at a time.” And for things you need to be aware of to protect your well-being, check out the 30 Signs of Deadly Health Conditions Hiding in Plain Sight.
