Most major dramatic weight loss transformations consist of a before and after picture with an incredible difference between the two side-by-side pictures. Rarely do you see an "in between" or "in progress" picture. But that's not true for fitness inspiration Jessica, or @JessKeepGoing_ as she goes by on her social media.
Jess shares her workout, her struggles, her thoughts and her spirit for not giving up. Jess is a true, real-deal inspiration that is inspiring many women and men who follow her. When we first learned of Jess from some of her fans recommending her for a Transformation Tuesday feature, we knew we had to do something on her.
Starting off at 490 pounds, she's lost more than 60 pounds and over 10 inches with pure determination. She had no trainer, nutritionist, no special shakes, just a will to change her life. Here's how she did it and continues to do every day.
You May Also Like
"[This is] what hard work looks like. What determination looks like," says Jess. "No shortcuts over here! Nothing was ever handed to me. Anything I wanted I had to go and get it. I look around me and I always had to work twice as hard as everybody else. But it is what it is! Eff excuses✌🏽Eat right and work your ass off. Find that mental focus and apply it in every area of your life!"
"Do you know how difficult it is to unlearn and then relearn everything!? I was an extreme binge eater. I was an emotional eater. I was addicted to fast food. I ate at obscene hours of the night. I never had vegetables on my plate. I never drank water. There was no such thing as restrictions to me. To then be able to relearn how to eat better, eat smaller proportions on my own, know when to stop on my own, and avoid crap foods on my own, and no longer rely on food as a drug is NOT EASY. No gym membership, no trainer, no coach. Someone who ate like crap for years, who struggled for YEARS and who’s finally getting it right NOW is a blessing. This is what mental toughness and mental clarity looks like. If you don’t get your mind right, you will never make it. Late is better then never. I just wanna make it crystal CLEAR to those who are struggling right now, to WAKE UP. You already know better, now it’s time to do better. You do not need ANYTHING but YOURSELF to start and finish this weight loss journey! I know you’re struggling and I know it’s hard. I KNOW. But as you continue on, I promise you, you will get stronger!! What seems like a sacrifice to you right now will be a breeze one day."
You May Also Like
"I sit back and take time to write this because I know what it’s like to feel like you’ve lost yourself. I know what it feels like to not feel good enough and to feel stuck at rock bottom. Day in and day out. It SUCKS. But this is not the end. I just want to put some light out there that anything you want to achieve is closer than you think. But I gotta tell ya, it’s gonna take a whole lotta commitment AND EVEN MORE HEART, but it’s absolutely possible! Hold on, keep your head up, and please, we must then KEEP GOING."
"When I start coming off as super confident and speaking highly of myself some may mistake it for arrogance & may even be put off from me a bit & that should not be the case. The same attitude/outlook I have in myself I sincerely wish for everyone to have. I would’ve never gotten as far as I have now had it not been for my “number one” attitude. the way I see it is once you put that expectation out there for yourself you must then actually get to that level of what you speak so highly of yourself about!"
"This mentality that I now have took years to build and no one can ever knock down anything I’ve worked so hard for myself. It took countless self-talks in the mirror, daily prayers, multiple setbacks and failures, moments of triumphs as well as defeats, mental, physical as well as spiritual growth, for you to see the woman in front of you today. Even at close to 500lbs, a prediabetic with a list of dangerous health problems and all: I started to still tell myself I was capable. I told myself I was the best, even though in actuality I WAS FAR FROM IT. I told myself I could do anything I put my mind to. I told myself I was untouchable. I believed I was an athlete as crazy as that sounds who was strong and capable of doing and accomplishing ANYTHING as long as I put everything I had into it. And THAT kind of mentality is what took me to the next level! It all starts from within!"
"Be mindful of everything you say to yourself because your body is listening! Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy and our toughest critic. So speak out everything that you want to be and then MAKE IT SO! My come up is gonna be glorious."
"Not exercising to punish myself. But training to become the best possible ME. Not a fad diet. But a...
... lifestyle change. Not for him, or for her or for them, but for me!! Not just to look good but to FEEL amazing!"
"There is a long road ahead of us and there will be bumps, detours and roadblocks along the way trying to fuck us over. Trust and believe. But we must not let it stop us. People always ask me how do I always stay so motivated all the time but I'm not. I struggle just like you. Screw up just like you & have second thoughts and doubt myself sometimes just like you. I came from being 490lbs and completely lost. I had no surgery, no personal trainer, no coach or gym, and no sense of direction. This is not me knocking someone if they DID have any of those things, I am simply telling MY STORY. What I DID have though was a whole lot of will & determination and even more heart! Do the fighting because no one else is gonna do it for us.
