Featured Fitale – Joy Stewart

Please introduce yourself to our readers:

Hello My name is Joy Stewart and I am a Ketogenic Lifestyle Accountability Coach here in Atlanta Ga. I’m also a hairstylist by trade, and have a small salon in midtown ATL. I moved to Atlanta from Miami FL in 2010 and it was right around that time that I decided enough was enough. 

What sparked your weight-loss transformation journey?

My weight for me was out of control. I had been struggling with my weight since being a teen. In my mind at that time I was considered “overweight” because I was really curvaceous as a pre-teen.

After a series of horrible incidents such as being molested by my uncle, going into foster care, and even battling homelessness. I began to look at food as a comfort and as the years went by I gained. By the time My daughter was born I was 23 and about 210 pounds.

That was a lot for my height. I’m 5”2!

I got married and was happy for a while, but then infidelity destroyed our relationship, that made me sink deeper into a depression. I was mentally on auto pilot. In 2006 My mother was diagnosed with AIDS after being addicted to cocaine my entire life the responsibility of taking care of her fell on me. 

To add insult to injury, I found out my younger sister had passed away, and my husband and I were officially separated. I looked in the mirror just exhausted from all that life had given me, and I did not recognize myself. I was 299 pounds and so uncomfortable and unhappy. I felt desperate, for someone or something to help dig me out of this muck.

I went to my doctor to seek a nutritionist and they told me I had PCOS, which I knew. It was a miracle I even had a daughter. 

They also told me that I was a candidate for a full knee replacement, as well as being pre-diabetic.

More devastation, I went home and my baby asked me “mommy, why can’t you come outside and play with me”? I did not have the heart to tell her, that It hurt me to go up and down the stairs, because my knee’s were full of fluid. 

It was that day, I decided to fight back! 

At first I tried every single diet known to man. “Jenny Craig”, Weight Watchers”, Slim Fast” Atkins, Paleo, South Beach, Military, cabbage soup, Quick weight loss, HCG, Phentermine,and Adipex.

Hell, I even flew to Belgium to try acupuncture. One night I saw a YouTube about Keto, and it sounded easy enough so I tried it. Keto did for me what nothing else had been able to do!

I had never been able to lose past that first 10 pounds of “water weight” ever! This time, I was not hungry. I had energy, and It was affordable. Keto also gave me a lot of variety. I lost 120 pounds in a little over a year.

I wasn’t strict keto, and it was really considered an Australian diet at the time so my trainer and Dr. advised me against it and told me I was going to fail because Americans did not understand it. I successfully kept my weight off for about 4 years. 

After the weight loss then what?

After I lost all the weight I decided to have lipo to get rid of a small pocket of fat on my tummy.   At least that’s what I thought.

The doctor at that time informed me that I had a hernia, as well as I could only benefit from a tummy tuck, because my muscles had been cut from a previous cesarean, so essentially no matter how much I worked out it was just skin and I need to remove it.

So I did!

And I looked and felt great. I felt like I had completed a big step in my transformation. That did not last long, I then had a car accident and a small cancer scare along with a crazy divorce and I gained 46 pounds.

This time I knew exactly what to do and I got right back into my keto and dropped the 46 pounds in 90 days! I started helping my family and friends, and talking to women and giving them support. We so desperately need to support each other. 

How was KETOPRINT born?

We always have to appear to be so strong and not show any weakness, yet we are dying inside. As I started looking around at the network of women I had assisted, I prayed and asked the lord to show me how to help more women, especially women of color live healthier lives.

Women of color have the highest rate of death from cardiovascular disease in this country, and no on is talking about it. That is how The KETOPRINT was born. I am more than just a machine that automates a one size fit all way to losing weight.

I get personal with my clients and identify their challenges, and we work together to find solutions. I always put myself in their shoes.

What’s your life like now?

A lot of our challenges are the same, and it brings me joy to be able to help others feel the happiness I feel knowing that I lost over 150 pounds when everyone told me it could not be done.

Today I am still living a clean diet, do eat what I want mostly because I no longer have a desire for fast food, processed food, or sugar, however I have maintained a steady weight without even thinking about it for many years.

I will be 40 on September 5, 2019 and this year was the first time in my life I walked on anyone’s beach in a bathing suit!

I am trying to be in a thong on somebody’s beach By September! I am enjoying this new phase of my life where I am in love with myself, and I am teaching other ladies to experience this love as well! 

How can readers learn more about your transformation and journey online (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)?

For more info on my journey you can follow me on my Instagrams at @glamluxestudios and @queenof_keto for coaching you can sign up at: Theketoprint.com