Jama Oliver Fitness

Jama Oliver Fitness Echelon Fitness Instructor
Helping busy, overwhelmed people build strength, sanity, and sobriety through simple fitness and real-life grit.

AuDHD-friendly routines • real talk • community over perfection.

It’s my big sister’s birthday!! If you’ve followed me for a while, you know what I owe my older sister. So here’s your y...
09/13/2026

It’s my big sister’s birthday!!

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know what I owe my older sister. So here’s your yearly reminder to show up for those you love.

I was an addict, crashing on couches in Knoxville, TN. An old friend called my mom and said “you’ve got to come get her or she’s going to die.” My sister stepped up.

She was sick and certainly not feeling up to driving to Knoxville on a rescue mission. But she told her husband and they came anyway. I tried to convince her I was fine. I wanted to stay (because life was SO great 🤦🏻‍♀️). I didn’t know it at the time, but she later said leaving me there that night was one of the hardest things she’d ever done. She wasn’t sure she’d see me again.

When I was ready, I called her husband, crying, begging him to come get me. He did. Then he and my sister let me stay with them - me, a disaster drug-addict in their home with two small children. They fed me. They let me sleep. They gave me a place to land.

If not for their kindness, I would not be alive today. So if you’re glad I’m here, wish Lori a happy birthday and thank her. She was (and is!) my guardian angel.

Happy birthday to the BEST big sister anyone could ask for!

25 years. On 9/11 I usually share where I was when I heard (biology lecture), but this year I want to focus on the days,...
09/11/2026

25 years.

On 9/11 I usually share where I was when I heard (biology lecture), but this year I want to focus on the days, weeks, and months after 9/11.

While the morning of 9/11 was filled with horror and fear, that night I remember sitting in front of the TV watching President Bush’s address. I remember feeling hope. Weird, I know.

In the following days, my mom and I tried to find an American flag. We couldn’t. They were sold out everywhere.

I made plans to go to NY for recovery and clean up (I didn’t go - I was in school and my mom was like “absolutely not!”) So we gathered supplies to send. We supported our neighbors. We did what we could.

I remember feeling connected. There was a sense of community that I’d never felt before. People from all over the world showed up to support the United States. The act of terror made us scared for a little while, but ultimately it brought the world together - for just a little while.

Looking back is surreal. The vast majority of people just wanted to help. They were kind. There was definitely anger, hatred, and ugliness, but I remember seeing the best of humanity.

So today, remember those who lost their lives and then remember what it felt like to come together as humans. Loving, grieving, and supporting each other. 🖤

In the interest of keeping it real on the socials (more than just my weekly photo dumps!) here’s a regular old Tuesday…I...
09/08/2026

In the interest of keeping it real on the socials (more than just my weekly photo dumps!) here’s a regular old Tuesday…

I made an oil lamp! (With help from Eli)

Using tin cans to made candle holders. Eli was super excited about using the hammer.

Nicole Griffin told me that my pathos would get bigger and healthier if I let them climb and suggested finding a stick to hang. So I found a fallen branch, handed Owen a saw to cut off the ends, sanded it down, and had Jonathan help me hang it!

Reading break! (“The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State” by Jill Lepore)

Analog timer. Who needs Siri?

Got to work and found this. I went to add my answer and realized Ryn had already answered for me…and she’s right. 🤣

One class down…two to go!

Welcome to my evenings at home. It’s not glamorous. It’s not relaxing. It’s normal. Social media will have you believe t...
09/08/2026

Welcome to my evenings at home. It’s not glamorous. It’s not relaxing. It’s normal.

Social media will have you believe that everyone is living a better life than you, so I’m here to show you that my life is messy, fun, stressful, and perfectly average.

We had burritos for dinner and the only veg in sight was refried beans. We had ice cream for dessert. I’m STILL working on refinishing doors so everything is covered in sawdust. I had to do a quick load of laundry because we ran out of bath towels. And I didn’t even sit down to start working on class plans (for homeschool - Echelon class plans have been done for weeks!) until 7:30pm.

Do I wish I had a picture perfect home, an amazingly balanced dinner, and an evening sitting on my porch drinking tea? Sure. But I have kids and bills and mental and physical limits so…I embrace the chaos.

It’s not so bad. See that puppy curled up next to me? He follows me everywhere. He thinks I hung the moon. That’s pretty great. ☺️

This week’s workout plan! Grab some HEAVY dumbbells and squeeze this in when you have a few minutes. Remember, a little ...
09/07/2026

This week’s workout plan! Grab some HEAVY dumbbells and squeeze this in when you have a few minutes.

Remember, a little each day is better than nothing at all!!

Not a single pic of me in this week’s photo dump! ☺️ The things that have brought me joy have very little to do with me,...
09/06/2026

Not a single pic of me in this week’s photo dump! ☺️ The things that have brought me joy have very little to do with me, and everything to do with serving others, kitties, and books!!

Jonathan’s birthday gift box - some of his favorite things.

I’ve realized that the cakes I make for my boys don’t have to be perfect…they love my messy attempts just as much as the fancy cakes I spend days on. 🥹

Milo’s quick transition from “Sleepy Kitty” to panther

The last book I finished. Last year I read TONS of books - easy reads so I could say “I read THIS MANY BOOKS this year!” Lately I’ve been going for quality over quantity. This one was dense and took me a solid week to get through it, but man did it work my brain!

My Milo and my hubby

The book I’m currently reading. This pic was taken on the farm while Jonathan was working - me settled in my car with my feet sticking out the window. 🤣

A sneak peek into what I’ve been working on for Subscribers!! I always have such a hard time asking for people to pay for content, but my time is valuable and the work is worth it (what I’ve been repeating to myself as I keep asking folks to subscribe 🤣)

ANOTHER nice, normal week. 😎Come hang out with me on the leaderboard…and no matter what that chick on TikTok says, feel ...
09/06/2026

ANOTHER nice, normal week. 😎

Come hang out with me on the leaderboard…and no matter what that chick on TikTok says, feel free to come late, leave early, or just lurk. I’m just happy when you show up!!

Echelon.

SNEAK PEEK!!!This is one of the things I've been working on - an all-in-one meal plan, workout plan, and grocery list, a...
09/05/2026

SNEAK PEEK!!!

This is one of the things I've been working on - an all-in-one meal plan, workout plan, and grocery list, available as a PDF so you can print it out!

This week (and maybe next week...I'm feeling generous!) everyone will be able to see the smaller photo version on Facebook and Instagram, AND print out the PDF on Substack. Then it will only be available to subscribers!

So, check it out, see if its helpful (and if its not, what could I do to make it more helpful?), and SUBSCRIBE! If you become a Substack subscriber, the link to the PDF will be sent to your email each week. Meals. Workouts. Grocery lists. Done for you. 😍

Just when I was struggling to find direction on social media and wondering if what I share really matters…Someone just r...
09/04/2026

Just when I was struggling to find direction on social media and wondering if what I share really matters…

Someone just recognized me and mentioned how great my Instagram is. 🥹

I often wonder if anyone sees or cares what I post. Does it matter? Am I making any sort of difference?

And that one person was put in front of me at just the right moment to say “yes. It’s matters.”

YOU matter. YOU are making a difference. Just by being kind, sharing truth, and spreading joy each day, you are making the world better. Don’t give up. 🖤

Yes, I’ve been a little quiet on the socials the last couple of weeks. 😉See, we’re not meant to produce constantly. Noth...
09/03/2026

Yes, I’ve been a little quiet on the socials the last couple of weeks. 😉

See, we’re not meant to produce constantly. Nothing in nature blooms all year, but we’ve set this standard of ALWAYS doing, always going, always forging ahead. Sometimes we need to pause.

The algorithm doesn’t reward the pause. Engagement goes down. I lose followers. What little extra income I get from Meta drops. And for a long time that forced me to keep at it. Keep posting. Don’t have anything to contribute right now? Post anyway!!

Well, no more.

Right now I am revamping my subscriber content. I’m creating ways to make your life easier. I’m making sure that what I do share is valuable and not just noise.

So stay with me. ☺️ Silence means I’m creating things that matter and to do that I need to focus on the real world for a bit.

If you want to support my work, become a subscriber! You’ll be the first to see what I’m working on (and be able to offer feedback on what’s helpful and what isn’t!)

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605 Chestnut Street
Chattanooga, TN
37450

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