A 272lb woman who gorged on pasta every day and even ate spaghetti for BREAKFAST has undergone a stunning transformation after cutting out the carb.
Mum-of-one Ashley Holliday, 20, wolfed down two large bowls of spaghetti and meatballs every night and tucked in to the leftovers first thing the next morning.
Her unhealthy habit worsened when she became pregnant with her daughter at 17 and she rapidly gained more than 70lbs ahead of her baby’s arrival.
The size 23 mom’s weight shot up to 272lbs during her pregnancy with daughter Adelinn, as she munched on leftover spaghetti and greasy fast food in bed.
To make matters worse, Ashley’s doctors ordered her to take bed rest for the final three months as she had developed pre-eclampsia, a life-threatening condition that is up to three times more likely to occur in overweight women.
The aspiring radiographer and her partner Elijah Stringham, 20, were relieved baby Adelinn Holliday arrived safely in December 2015.
After her birth, Ashley made a pact to get her health in check and began dieting and taking juice cleanses but “nothing seemed to work”.
In September 2017, Ashley read an article about type two diabetes and realized she was suffering from the tell-tale symptoms, including thirstiness, low-energy and dizziness.
In a last-ditch attempt to lose weight, Ashley, of Port Orange, Florida, decided to try a high-fat, low-carb regime known as the ketogenic diet in October 2017.
She shed almost 100lbs in five months after swapping her nightly pasta with steak and veggies and her leftover breakfasts with eggs and avocado.
Once she began losing weight and kicking off a jogging routine, Ashley saw the symptoms she had been experiencing disappear.
She said: “My family have always been food-obsessed and big lovers of Italian.
“For dinner I would almost always have a big bowl of pasta, using ready-made jars of pasta alfredo or my favorite spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread.
“I was never much of a breakfast food girl, so I used to just eat dinner’s leftovers first thing in the morning, even if it was spaghetti.
“For lunch, I would have a burger or a sandwich always with French fries. The weight just piled on and I gained 70lbs during my pregnancy.
“When I was pregnant, I had really bad pre-eclampsia which was scary.
“My doctor prescribed bed rest and for last three months all I did was lie down, shower, eat and go to my doctor’s appointments.
“I remember stepping onto the scale and 272lbs coming up.
“I was shocked at how big I was and disappointed in how much I had let my weight get out of control.
“A few years later I got scared because I read an article about diabetes and I actually noticed I had a lot of the symptoms.
“I was always thirsty, and I was always tired. I would get dizzy spells every single day.
“I was too afraid to go to the doctor to confirm it, I just wanted to see if I made some life changes would my situation change.
“I decided to try the keto diet and in the first month I lost 30lbs. In five months I have lost almost 100lbs.”
Ashley, who now wears a size 14, said gaining control of her weight has allowed her to experience confidence for the first time.
“I haven’t known what it feels like to have confidence since I was in the first grade.
“I never wanted anyone to see my body. I would hide it behind giant sweatpants and unflattering clothes. I finally feel comfortable in myself now.”
The mom, who now weighs 179lbs, said she feels so much healthier and was relieved to see the worrisome symptoms she was experiencing completely disappear.
“I really thought after reading that article that I was on the verge of diabetes, which scared me to my core.
“Once I started losing weight those symptoms started disappearing, thank God.
“I will eventually get myself checked out but right now I’m feeling fantastic.
“I want to be around for my daughter for many years to come and I know that finally dealing with my weight was the step I really needed to take for my family.”
