By Scott Thompson
THIS WOMAN says dieting and going to the gym are USELESS and puts her stunning transformation down to an unapproved WEIGHT LOSS DRINK.
Keto coach, Jessica Smart (36) from St George, Utah, USA attributed her weight gain to numerous attempts to have children after her first four pregnancies sadly ended in miscarriage.
After a difficult divorce in 2011, she met her current husband Andrew (36) that same year through online dating and by 2012 they wanted to start a family. However, they had a huge battle ahead of them due to infertility and Jessicaâs hormones and thyroid were not functioning how they should.
With each miscarriage came up to a stone in weight gain but Jessica fell pregnant for a fifth time, and then finally, on Christmas morning of 2014 she gave birth to her son Dash (5). By the time she left the hospital Jessica was 7st 2lb overweight and weighed 17st 2lb and was a UK dress size 16. Although she tried to look in the mirror with nothing but self-love and patience, subconsciously she was self-deprecating.
Determined to be the best mother she could, Jessica tried numerous diets to lose the weight like counting calories and exercising for hours on end. But she never got the results she needed. When Dash was just one-years-old Jessica found out she was pregnant again. Although it was an uncomfortable pregnancy, she felt incredibly blessed. And in September 2016 she conceived her second son Duncan (3), feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.
Jessica went to the doctor to see if there was a medical reason why she couldnât lose weight but when all her tests came back clear, her doctor encouraged her to join Weight Watchers which left Jessica feeling disheartened.
Then, Jessica discovered a slimming drink that puts the body in ketosis and helps melt away the pounds. Although sceptical Jessica decided she would give it a try. At this point she was willing to try anything to be happy and healthy for her children.
She is now 10st and wears a UK dress size 6.
âAfter a crushing divorce in 2011 I met my incredible husband Andrew through match.com. We decided to start trying to have our own family and quickly struggled with infertility,â Jessica said.
âI felt betrayed, like my body was going against me. My hormones, thyroid and everything else just stopped functioning properly. I became pregnant four times and had four miscarriages. Four times I got excited and hopeful and struggled in the early stages just to be devastated by another loss. Four times I had to say goodbye to a child I never got to meet.
âEvery time I put on about 10lb to 1st 1lb and was left with at least 2st 12lb excess weight and little hope of having my own child. But then I got pregnant again and I thought I couldnât even keep a pregnancy when I was healthy, how is it going to be possible now?. But, fast forward all the nausea and discomfort throughout my pregnancy, come Christmas day of 2014 I gave birth to my now five-year-old incredible, beautiful little boy.
âWhen I left the hospital with my wonderful little gift, I was 7st 2lb overweight. I was adapting to being a new mum and trying to embrace the changes I saw when I looked in the mirror. I told myself to be kind to me, to be patient, but I was actually spiralling down a dark hole of self-hate and wasnât even aware of it.
âI felt guilty as a mother and a wife for feeling the way I did about myself. I wouldnât wish those feelings on anyone. I believe they call it âbaby bluesâ it was the hardest time of my life. So, I decided to do everything I knew I could to lose weight, but I wasnât getting any results.
âWhen my first born turned one I was shocked to find out I was pregnant again. A surprise pregnancy and now our second boy Duncan is two years old. Talk about conflicting emotions. Although I was beyond grateful for my children after the long journey it took us, I still freaked out because I was still carrying that extra 7st 2lb.
âI didnât have the determination or energy to play with my boys. I was so stuck in my way of thinking. I was trying so hard then to lose weight. I was counting every calorie and working out for hours at the gym – but nothing worked.
âFinally, I went to the doctor hoping they would find some answers for me. I wanted to know why I was broken. But he told me all my levels were normal, adding âyou should just join Weight Watchersâ. He had no idea how much I was already doing to lose weight.
âI left that day feeling devastated and hopeless. I didnât know where to go from there, but I promised myself that no matter what I would keep going. I would keep looking, keep trying, stay open minded and never ever give up. I would never quit. I had to do this somehow, not just for me but for the millions of other women who found themselves feeling how I did that day leaving that doctors office.
âI felt like the system was failing so many women. Here we were trying everything we could and nothing working and seeing our doctor, hoping something is wrong with us and who then tells us to âjust join Weight Watchersâ. I completely understand why people just give in because they feel there is no other option.
âRight around that time one of my clients in a very similar situation to me introduced me to a simple technology. A drink that would put me into ketosis. I had no clue what it meant at the time. She told me that if we drink it, we will lose weight. At first I laughed about it and thought, OK if itâs that simple why arenât we all drinking it?.
âIt seemed too good to be true, but I thought Iâd give it a try and you know what? Right away I started to feel better, I noticed a small change in my mood, energy and drive. Within a few weeks my negative thinking changed, and I was starting to âwake upâ and I wanted to learn everything I could about keto and how it worked. I realised I couldnât lose weight because I wasnât giving my body the right fuel and as soon as I made the switch within ten months I managed to lose the entire 7st 2lb.â
Since losing weight Jessica now works as a keto coach and she loves being able to share with others how she lost her weight and supports them to do the same.
âNow I just spread that hope, hope that thereâs something better. That there is a different lifestyle that is so amazing and freeing. Thereâs a better fuel that your body needs that you can run on to lose weight youâve struggled with all these years. Itâs a pretty simple change and anybody can do it,â Jessica continued.
âSharing that message and helping others helps me feel like Iâm giving back. It helps me feel like Iâm living in gratitude for the second chance I was given. Supporting others when they are too broken to believe lights a fire inside me so big that I want to shout it out to everyone that they can believe, they can fight like hell and break every single chain that has ever held them back.
âIâm just really excited to spread love, to share hope and create a ripple effect of better everywhere I go. Thank you so much for listening to my story.â
You can continue following her story through Instagram
