Defining moments tend to alter one’s path. JJ Smith can attest to that. At one point, she saves her own life by changing what she consumes. This led to her becoming a best-selling author, a certified nutritionist and a weight loss expert.
Her current path is a far cry from her lengthy career in the tech sector and the idea of her being a schoolteacher at a young age. However, Smith has been passionate and committed to educating and inspiring others on the natural ways to stay slim, restore health, and look younger for the past ten years.
Smith was born and raised in King George, Virginia, about an hour and a half south of the District of Columbia. She grew up in a household where everyone helped cook meals. She never found interest in it. However, her contribution was cutting and dicing ingredients.
On Sundays, the family attended church, followed by a southern dinner of collard greens, macaroni and cheese, candied yams and other classic dishes. With all that lusciousness, she did not struggle with weight as a kid, nor was she taught the importance of healthy eating. “I associated a good meal with a good time and fellowship,” Smith says.
After high school, she attended Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, and majored in mathematics. She loved the subject and wanted to become a teacher. Her mother, an educator for over 30 years, informed her that math teachers do not earn big bucks. “That’s when I decided to minor in computer science.”
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After graduating, Smith pursued a job in technology and built a career in the field for over 20 years. At 29 years old, she became the youngest vice president to work for a Fortune 500 company. She honed her skills in consulting, speaking and writing. Skills that would come in handy on her next adventure.
Getting Sick
Over time, Smith became ill. Bedridden. She felt mentally and physically exhausted. She shares, “It kept getting more debilitating” After visiting six doctors to no avail, she went to the dentist. She learned that she had swallowed four of her silver dental fillings. They sat in her system. As a result, she had high levels of mercury in her kidney, liver and stomach which caused them to start shutting down.
She took about 24 medications to get them to function. They didn’t seem to work, so she began reading about green smoothies. This sparked more interest in nutrition and food science. She was able to cleanse her entire system by drinking green smoothies. “I started feeling better. Mercury poisoning is how I ended up writing the ‘10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse.’”
Then, she came up with her own regiment to do them for ten days. She asked about 15 relatives and friends to join her. Then, she formed a Facebook group to stay connected. She ended up with 100 participants. It impacted their blood pressure, blood sugar, energy levels, and the amount of weight lost.
In addition, it caused them to crave healthy foods and greens. It also helped Smith get off her meds. She figured this would be a great way for others to jumpstart their health journey. Plus, it was easy to maintain.
Writing Her First Book
As a first-time author, Smith faced some challenges. The “Big Five” publishers would not consider her book, “10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse.” She says, “They dismissed me quickly.”
That didn’t stop her. She self-published through CreateSpace, an on-demand publishing service owned by Amazon. The Facebook group grew to about 100,000 by word of mouth in the first year. Before the book launched, she had given away nearly 160,000 PDF copies for free. Once it became available in print, Smith told people to purchase it for ten dollars. It included everything they needed, for instance, tips, recipes and a shopping list.
Her next hurdle; getting on the New York Times (NYT) Bestsellers list. A challenging feat for an indie author. “My numbers justify me being on the list,” Smith says. At this point, all the sales were coming from Amazon with overwhelming figures. Her business partner wrote a letter to NYT stating this case.
Eventually, the book was added and hit the list at number three. Every publisher in New York wanted to buy the book. It went to auction for 12 hours, with Smith selecting Simon & Schuster because of its distribution and marketing.
However, medical professionals didn’t respond favorably to the book. They said the green smoothie cleanse was like a fad diet because people drank it for ten days. However, according to Smith, it wasn’t just about the beverage. Consumers were supposed to incorporate high protein snacks, for example, tuna, nuts and seeds.
The smoothie was meant to jumpstart the weight loss journey. It was never intended to be used for more than 14 days. Once doctors and the community understood the premise and saw the positive results, she says, “It was really hard to dispute.”
“10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse” has sold millions of copies and stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 54 weeks—a testament to Smith’s perseverance, accomplishments, and expertise.
Now, on her seventh book, Smith works with the same publisher and maintains a Facebook page with over a million followers. Furthermore, she continues to create helpful weight loss content like “The 14-Day New Keto Cleanse: Lose Up to 15 Pounds in 2 Weeks with Delicious Meals and Low-Sugar Smoothies.”
What is Keto
The ketogenic diet or “keto” is a weight loss program that consists of high fats, moderate proteins and low carbohydrates. It restricts certain foods such as starchy vegetables, breads and pasta. Smith explains ketosis is the state in which the body burns fat instead of storing it. She says, “The plan will work.” However, she feels as though keto contains too much fat, potentially contributing to heart disease and high cholesterol.
Still, her Facebook group, the “10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse,” wanted to know how to make smoothies fit into the keto diet. So, Smith developed a healthier version of the diet. Then, she wrote the manuscript.
“The 14-Day New Keto Cleanse: Lose Up to 15 Pounds in 2 Weeks with Delicious Meals and Low-Sugar Smoothies” debuts April 19 in bookstores and online. “This is like doing keto the right way, the healthy way,” Smith says.
The keto cleanse allows people to combine the nutritional benefits of green smoothies and fat-burning. Readers get the best of both worlds without the limitations of the keto diet. The smoothies contain low carbs, less sugar and little to no fruits. “You get to cleanse and detox the body because of the transformative effect of the greens.” In addition, the plan lets individuals mix and match recipes and eat their favorite healthy foods. It will contribute to better health, mental clarity and boost energy.
Before You Start a Keto Cleanse
Though the “14-Day New Keto Cleanse” is something everyone can follow daily,” Smith shares three tips to help weight watchers succeed. First, she recommends “detoxing” family and friends. In other words, remove the naysayers. Keep the supporters. Find your cheerleaders, perhaps Smith’s Facebook group. “Be diligent about the company you keep.”
Second, keep in mind that “you don’t have to be perfect to get great results,” Smith says. Of course, preparation is the key to success. However, some people still waver after organizing and getting their meals ready. The difference? “Those who have great success are the ones who continue despite the little setbacks.” Keep going!
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Third, address emotional eating. “If every emotion requires food to feel better, we are going to constantly struggle to be healthy.” Smith stresses the importance of this in the book. Also, she suggests acquiring her paperback, “Think Yourself Thin: A 30-Day Guide to Permanent Weight Loss,” dedicated to processing feelings that have prevented men and women from reaching their goals.
What’s Next for JJ Smith
On May 9, she’s hosting a 14-day New Keto Cleanse Group Challenge for her members in the Facebook group, 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse. Approximately 50,000 to 75,000 will participate in the keto cleanse together. They will spend a couple of weeks doing the cleanse and helping people transition so that they can continue to get great results.
In addition, Smith plans to add new supplements to her existing line available on her website. Expect to see them in the spring or summer of this year.
To learn more about JJ Smith, her books, supplements and the programs, go to her website at www.jjsmithonline.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @JJSmithOnline.
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