Woman Is Unrecognizable After Successfully Losing 420 Pounds
Six-hundred fifty-seven pounds. That's how much Amber weighed in 2014 at just 24 years old. If she didn't shed weight soon, she would die. How could she do it? And how did it get this bad in the first place?
Ever since her debut on My 600-lb Life, Amber Rachdi has become an internet sensation. From eating five meals a day and barely moving, to working out regularly and modeling for Instagram, Amber has inspired thousands of people with her life turnaround. Explore the story that everyone on social media is gushing over.
Meet Amber Rachdi At 600 Pounds
Amber Rachdi has lived in Troutdale, Oregon, all her life. She made her mark mainly through her size--at just 24 years old, she weighed 657 pounds. Housebound and isolated, she knew that something had to change. But to do so, she had to encounter her lifelong personal demons.
The excess weight made her self-conscious, and she struggled to exercise. Soon, she turned to more food for support. The result left her in a downward spiral that became life-threatening.
Overweight At Age Five
Amber's overeating stemmed from her early childhood. By the time she turned five, she had weighed 160 pounds (72.5 kg). That's four times the average weight of a five-year-old girl. As a child, she used to complain about never feeling full.
At a young age, Amber struggled to play with the other kids. Because her weight gathered in her lower legs, she struggled to run. As her anxiety increased, Amber resorted to emotional eating, resulting in a vicious early habit.
She Could Barely Move
As much as Amber wanted to exercise and lose weight, the fat deposits in her legs made movement nearly impossible. She could barely walk, and could not fit into a car, preventing her from going outside. When she did leave the house, it was on a motorized scooter. Amber couldn't even take a bath or shower alone.
Because it hurt even to walk, Amber dropped out of college. She remained unemployed and couldn't find an accommodating job, so she moved back to her parents' house with her boyfriend, Rowdy.
How Did It Get This Bad?
Amber suffered from an eating disorder, most likely Binge Eating Disorder (BED), one of the newest diseases recognized by the DSM-5. BED causes recurrent episodes of binge eating to the point of feeling discomfort, and feeling shame or guilt afterward. Amber ate about five huge meals a day, not including desserts or sweets.
"I could be stuffed sick, but I would still want to eat something if it was put in front of me," Amber told Daily Mail. "I'm at peace while I eat. I don't have to think about how I've let everyone around me down."
If Nothing Changed, She Would Die...Soon.
Concerned for her health, Amber's parents took her to several doctors. One doctor told them that if Amber didn't change her habits, she would die by the time she turned 30. At this alarming news, Amber was at her wit's end. She realized that she was only existing, not living.
In 2014, she decided to sign up for TLC's television show my 600-lb Life. The program has helped obese individuals drop weight since 2012. Although it wasn't her first choice for help, she was running out of options.
One Of Her Hardest Steps Was The Plane Ride
TLC sent Amber to Dr. Younan Nowzaradon, an Iranian-American surgeon known as Dr. Now. But to visit him, Amber had to fly to Houston, Texas. What seems like a simple trip for most people proved to be a difficult hurdle for the 650-pound girl.
Amber had to buy two plane tickets to fit int the seats, and she barely squeezed into the row, causing her to feel anxious and humiliated for the entire flight. Even worse, her wheelchair broke due to her weight. Her father had to drive her around the airport on an oversize luggage cart. "I feel like a sideshow," Amber admitted on the show.
The Real Root Of The Problem
When Dr. Now met Amber, he admitted that her prognosis was bleak. He revealed that Amber was surrounded by "textbook enablers," including her parents and boyfriend, Rowdy. Their influence impacted her so much that she gained over 200 lbs (91 kg) since dating Rowdy.
Rowdy admitted that he liked heavier women, but Amber's weight made it difficult to have intercourse, which frustrated him as well. "I feel guilty," he admitted, "but what else do you do when you love someone?"
Amber Confesses How She Really Feels
Amber admitted to Dr. Now that she already felt like a failure and that the feeling became normal. She suffered from infections from the folds of her skin, her anxiety, rarely moving--all these negative things were just part of her regular day. "I've tried so hard, so many times, to change the way I eat," Amber tearfully admitted. "But I can't."
Amber elaborated that she saw pity in her mother's eyes, and she "can't handle that." She also revealed that her father would make snide comments about her weight, crippling her already low self-esteem.
So, Could He Help?
Dr. Now told Amber that he could perform gastric bypass surgery. Being the "no-nonsense" weight loss doctor he is, he claimed that he would only perform it if Amber lost 20 lbs (9 kg) first. He understood that the procedure would only help people who fixed their obesity through diet and lifestyle changes.
During this conversation, Dr. Now asked Amber why she believed she could make the change after years of unhealthy eating. "I wish I could be self-sufficient...and show the world I am made of so much more," she said. "As long as I am obese, I will never be able to be that person."
What Is Gastric Bypass Surgery?
Gastric bypass surgery aids weight loss by changing the way your body digests and absorbs food. During the procedure, the surgeon makes changes to the stomach and small intestines to restrict the amount of food the stomach holds and limit the number of calories absorbed. The surgery helps patients feel fuller for longer.
Although the surgery mostly achieves long-lasting results, it comes with some risk. Obese people become prone to sleep apnea, which can interrupt the anesthesia. The recovery process also takes some time, with potential risks being high the first thirty days after the procedure.
Amber Fights For The Surgery
With Dr. Now's ultimatum in mind, Amber returned to Oregon to improve her diet. She was determined to qualify for the surgery, so she began cooking healthy meals consisting of vegetables and lean meat.
Amber reported that the first night was torturous. She ate her unconventional meal while Rowdy feasted on takeout right in front of her. But with her simple diet change, she managed to remove 17 lbs (8 kg) in three months. Although it was a slower rate than Dr. Now expected, he admired her progress and agreed to operate on her.
Her Gastric Bypass Surgery, And The Alarming Side Effect
Amber went into the risky surgery full of doubt and fear. But her determination to change guided her. "Everything hurts," she cried on the show. "I'm miserable. I don't like being this person, and I don't like being this size." Fortunately, her surgery was a success.
A few days after, however, Amber experienced severe chest pains. Dr. Now rushed her to the hospital, afraid that she was having a heart attack. But her pain resulted from an anxiety attack surrounding the procedure. Even so, she didn't give up.
Her Diet Begins
Over the next few months, Amber transformed her life. She tried walking again, which caused her great pain. But she pushed through it and soon felt little pain. She also cooked her own meals, focusing on healthy, home-cooked dishes and balanced snacks.
On top of her diet, Amber began seeing a therapist. She accepted that her eating came from chronic anxiet, and tackled her emotional trauma for long-term improvement. Instead of eating, she found another outlet for her emotions.
Amber's Outreach
After her surgery, Amber opened herself up to questions about gastric bypass on Facebook. She stressed that the operation is not a quick fix and that she was not a doctor who could advise individual cases. However, she provided plenty of information on how she coped with the event.
After receiving much support from family, friends, and strangers on social media, Amber decided to keep sharing her weight loss journey. She aimed to both inspire others and motivate herself by keeping herself accountable.
Seven Months In...
Seven months into her diet, Amber had lost 92 lbs (42 kg). That lowered her down to 565 lbs, and the fluid in her legs vanished. She could now walk, cook, bathe, and even drive a car by herself. Her newfound freedom motivated her to keep moving.
Amber also signed up to a gym for daily workouts. At first, she would only go when no one was around to gaze at her, but eventually, she felt more comfortable. She loved the adrenaline boost after an intense workout.
By Nine Months...
Nine months after Amber's surgery, she had dropped 145 lbs (66 kg). For the first time in years, she had to shop for new clothes (which she did herself!). "I'm now a 2X and not a 6X!" Amber beamed as she tried on clothes.
Seeing their daughter's progress, Amber's parents moved back to Oregon and allowed Amber to keep changing her life in Texas. A while after, she and Rowdy went on their second ever date to the zoo. Her freedom and new experiences inspired Amber to continue the diet.
Another Year, Another Goal To Fight For
Twelve months after her gastric bypass surgery, Amber checked in with Dr. Now. She nervously stepped on his scale and amazed herself--she weighed 390 lbs (177 kg), meaning she had lost 267 lbs (121 kg)--almost half her initial body weight. Dr. Now felt so proud that he challenged Amber with another goal.
Because Amber still had her sketched-out excess skin, Dr. Now said that if she hit 250 lbs, he would remove the extra skin for her. Amber knew that she could do it. She had already lost this much weight, after all.
An Entirely Transformed Person
Eventually, Amber achieved her goal. She had lost over 400 lbs, and Dr. Now fulfilled his promise to conduct the skin-removal surgery. With a new body and new hair, Amber was barely recognizable. Her confidence had elevated significantly in only one year.
With her life back on track, she decided to fulfill every opportunity she had missed. She enrolled back in college and got herself a job. She stopped focusing on the scale and turned to non-scale victories, such as how her clothes felt and how she felt healthier.
Her Online Story Received Much Support...And Criticism
Following her episode on My 600-lb Life, Amber became an internet celebrity. She gained thousands of followers on both Facebook and Instagram, showering her with support and congratulations. She happily recorded her progress and answered peoples' questions about her lifestyle change.
Along with the support, however, Amber received many nay-sayers on her page. She always responded positively to their insults or anti-dieting attitudes. Her social media became an inspiration for overweight people or those suffering from eating disorders.
Why Did She Succeed, While Others Haven't?
When Amber appeared on My 600-lb Life, she never avoided the subject of her weight, and made no excuses. This was a drastically different attitude than other contestants on the show. Although she recognized that Rowdy and her parents were enablers, she took full responsibility for her weight and health.
Amber also continually refrained some denial and self-pity. She accepted her weight and the dangers that accompanied it. Her ability to take responsibility and trust her doctor's words made her a success story that others only dream of.
So, What's Her Diet Like?
Despite her openness about her experiences, Amber doesn't share her diet and exercise plan. She believes that nutrition and exercise goals vary for every person, and since she isn't a doctor, she doesn't want to recommend how people manage their health.
She does reveal that she eats regular healthy meals, often cooked at home, and goes to the gym regularly. She does not recommend gastric bypass surgery to everyone and emphasizes that the procedure needs to come with dieting. She also asserts that weight loss takes time and perseverance, and even more dedication to maintain the weight afterward.
Amber's Surprising Thoughts On Gastric Bypass Surgery
Amber's fame on social media made her a poster child for successful weight loss surgery. But when a Facebook user asked her if she recommends the surgery, her answer surprised many people. "No. I do not.
"I think it's a great tool for the temporary impact it has on the leptin cycle, stomach capacity, and insulin secretion processes of the body," she elaborated. "I think mostly what it does is buy an overweight person time to learn new habits, get into therapy, and learn to make better choices on their own," Amber added that she could require the surgery again if she isn't careful.
An International Sensation
Amber has over 57,000 followers on Facebook, and 95,000 followers on Instagram. She's been in interviews and documentaries. In February 2017, she even teleconferenced with students in Vietnam who wanted to interview her for a life science class. People started recognizing her on the street (less so when she dyed her hair blonde).
With all this attention on her, Amber acknowledges that she is not a doctor, nutritionist, or health educator. "I can't offer real advice about diet or exercise beyond this: Talk to your doctor. Talk to a nutritionist," she highlighted on Facebook. "Reach out. You deserve both personal and professional allies!"
...Who Won't Accept Money For Her Work
Many popular Instagrammers and Facebook users aspire to become "influencers," who accept money to advertise other company's products. Except for Amber. She refuses to endorse what she calls "your superfood botanical woowoo pill."
"Don't come to me with your woowoo supplements or fad diets either," she declared on Instagram. "I am not here for that, nor will I ever endorse that noise...Go away forever please." Amber highlights that one path does not work for everyone, which is why she refuses to share her diet or another person's.
Where Is She Now?
Eventually, Amber split up with her former boyfriend, Rowdy. Although the two remain close, she revealed in 2016 that she was engaged to someone else. The two are now married. Amber continues to attend therapy and keeps up her diet to prevent herself from slipping back into old habits.
Back in 2014, no one would have imagined that Amber Rachdi would look so happy and healthy. Now, she promotes positivity and healthy dieting. "I have hope," Amber claimed on her last episode of My 600-lb Life. "Now the world is open to me."
Lexi's Weight Was An Uphill Battle Since Birth
Lexi Reed struggled with her weight since childhood. The battle to lose weight never went her way. When she would manage to lose some, it would always come back. Still, she never let her appearance keep her from being social and happy.
When she turned 25, her weight began to take a severe toll on her life. She weighed 392 pounds, and her happiness was fading. The hardest part for Lexi was that her body was holding her back from achieving her dreams. Things looked bleak, but love was waiting just around the corner.
Lexi Meets Danny And Falls Madly In Love
Lexi and Danny Reed were always meant to be together. When the couple began dating, it was clear Danny didn't care what Lexi looked like. He had fallen madly in love with the amazing person she was. Luckily for Danny, Lexi felt the same way about him.
Of course, our story doesn't end here. Danny struggled with his own weight issues, and together they made bad food choice after bad food choice. They may have been happy together, but they weren't healthy together.
The Downward Health Spiral Continues
Danny and Lexi knew they had a problem, but didn't deal with at the time. Danny was 280 pounds and encouraged gluttonous eating. When it came time for meals, they never cooked, preferring to order in massive amounts of food or eat out.
Sadly, the couple has even admitted they used to spend hours at buffets eating until they were stuffed. Eating was easily their main activity and most shared interest. It was also ruining their health. They might not have realized it at the time, but if they hadn't changed their lives, they might not be alive today!
Lexi Admits She Has A Problem
Lexi Reed knew she had a problem and talked openly about it, hoping to help others with the same issues. Growing up she said, "we never had a lot of money and my parents never cooked. Processed foods were always easier to purchase than healthy foods."
When she started dating Danny, things didn't change. They actually got worse. When they weren't at restaurants Lexi said they would binge eat and watch TV. She added, "no matter what the mood, food was always there for me."
Watching TV Was As Active As The Couple Could Be
Being overweight together, Danny and Lexi had a limited active life. Unable to go on hikes or go biking, they stayed in most nights and watched TV. It wasn't the healthiest lifestyle, and they realized they needed to make a change.
Lexi was first to realize that a change in her lifestyle needed to happen. She was a happy and positive person and was determined to lead a long life. The problem was she had spent so much time being inactive, she had zero motivation to become active.
Danny Gets Down On One Knee
When Danny proposed, everything changed for Lexi. She said, "He never saw me as my size, asked me to change, or made me feel as anything other than beautiful." Feeling like a queen on the inside, Lexi was devastated trying to find a wedding dress that would fit her.
Lexi, who has never been shy about her size, admitted she weighed 485 pounds at the time, "Nobody knew how to make me feel like a bride and not my size." At her lowest point, she questioned if she would be able to find a wedding dress. Spoiler alert, she did!
The Wedding Goes Off Without A Hitch
Lexi found the perfect wedding dress and the couple had a perfect wedding. If they wanted their happiness to continue, however, they needed to work a few things out. After getting married, the couple began to look at life ahead, including having children.
At Lexi's weight, having a child was a huge health risk. If she were to get pregnant, there was a strong chance both her, and the child wouldn't survive. Having a child wasn't the only reason Lexi put her health first, though.
Lexi Worried She'd Never Be Able To Travel
Aside from the danger of having kids, Lexi knew that if he didn't get healthy, she would never be able to travel. Going to Universal Studios to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was one of her dreams. The bigger she got, the more she saw that dream fading.
At almost 500 pounds, she knew she wouldn't be able to fit on the rides, let alone a plane. She lived in Indiana and was desperate to go to Florida. If flying was her only option, then she knew what she needed to do!
When Doing Nothing Finally Became Unbearable
One year of marriage flew by, and nothing changed. Lexi and Danny still spent most of their time in front of the television eating. Danny was content, but Lexi was slowly becoming fed up. She had big dreams and needed to lose weight to accomplish them.
Thinking about change and actually changing are two different things, though, and she still hadn't found the motivation to move. Then New Years came, and a fresh start brought a new attitude.
A New Year's Resolution Worth Keeping
On New Year's day in 2016, Lexi put the brakes on her and Danny's binge eating ways. She resolved to change her diet and exercise habits, and Danny was coming along for the ride whether he liked it or not!
Convincing Danny to change his life turned out to be easy. His lifestyle habits were just as unhealthy, and he was ready to restart his life. If the couple were to have kids, what kind of father would he be if could play with them? With his participation and support, the couple began the long road to a new life!
Danny Fully Commits, For Better Or Worse
Danny admits he was never excited about the idea of working out and eating right. In his own words, "At first the idea didn't sound great because it was always good going home, sitting down, eating and not having to worry about anything." Good thing for him he cared about supporting his wife more than his bad habits.
Being a supportive husband meant making sacrifices for the greater good. To help Lexi change her life, Danny changed his too, "It’s a new year and something to work toward while helping Lexi out as well." To stick to their goals, the couples made a few simple rules. Keep reading to learn what they were!
Rules Are Rules For A Reason
Because reversing bad habits is hard, Lexi and Danny laid out some rules for their new lives. They also placed bets with their friends they wouldn't crack. For the first month, they vowed, "no eating out, no soda, no alcohol, no cheat meals, and working out for 30 minutes five times a week."
Going cold turkey wasn't going to be easy, but the couple was determined to prove they had self-control. They were taking back their lives and had no idea they would become an inspiration to others dealing with weight problems worldwide.
In Her Own Words
If you don't believe us about how determined Lexi was, take it from her, "We were fed up with the life that we were living and all the things that we weren't able to do together as a couple." There was so much she wanted to do, including going on romantic walks with her husband.
Of course, they planned to start a family at some point too, "we also feared if we didn’t get our health under control, we would never be able to start a family." To track their progress, Lexi took pictures, eventually posting them on social media to show the world that change is possible.
The Trouble With The Gym
One of the best ways to lose weight is to go to the gym regularly. Finding a gym turned out to be to a tough task for Danny and Lexi. They needed to find a place with the equipment they needed and a regimen that would work for them. Because of her weight, Lexi suffered from severe joint paint and needed a gym that would support her.
The couple didn't have the money to pay for a personal trainer and didn't plan to, either. This journey was one they were taking together; they just had to find the right place to go first! Next, the search for the perfect gym comes to a perfect end!
The Perfect Gym For The Perfect Plan
Lexi had a long list of demands for the perfect gym. To go along with her joint pain, she was incredibly self-conscious of other people watching her exercise. It took some hunting, but they found a gym that had the equipment Lexi needed that wasn't overcrowded.
At this wonder gym, Lexi even fell in love with one of the machines, " I found a machine called the CrossRamp that didn't hurt my joints at 485 pounds — I fell in love with it." With exercise taken care, food came next.
New Food, New You!
Going to the gym once a day was a good start, but there were more fish to fry. Or not fry actually, probably bake. Baking is exactly what Lexi and Danny began doing. They stopped going out to eat and starting making their meals, controlling everything that went into their bodies.
It would have been easy to bake a frozen pizza and call that cooking, but then nothing would have changed. Lexi and Danny loved food, and now they were learning how to make it for each other.
Don't Call It A Diet
So far, we've used the word diet a lot. If you asked Lexi and Danny what they called it, they would tell you it was a new way of life; not a diet. Lexi strongly believes that diets are temporary, and what they were doing was going to be permanent.
To make things easier, Lexi made a list of foods she loved eating, then found healthy recipes to make them. This way she wasn't sacrificing flavor for belt sizes, "I started taking the foods I loved and making healthier versions, so I no longer felt like I had to give up something or deprive [myself]."
Support Means The World To Lexi
Without the undying support of Danny, who knows if Lexi would have been able to turn her life around. The same can be said about Danny and the support he received from Lexi. Together, the couple was proving how strong they were.
Using the support of each made the start of the journey easy to handle. But there was still a long road ahead of them. As they continued to work out and push themselves to new heights, something absolutely amazing happened!
New Friendships Are Made At The Gym
Going to the gym turned into a blessing for Lexi. As she lost weight, she gained more confidence and started taking classes. At these classes something she never expected happened, she began making new friends at her Pulse class!
Making new friends who were also into working out meant Lexi's support system began to grow. She even started having fun working out, "I love dancing to my favorite music and not feeling like it's a workout. We can do a song full of squats and even though my legs are burning, it’s so much fun that I don’t even notice."
The Results Become Visible
One of the hardest parts about working out and eating right is it can take awhile for the results to show. Lexi had achieved so much that results came instantly. She lost 20 pounds a month when she started. You can see from the picture above she'd have no problem finding a wedding dress today.
At a certain point losing weight became more difficult. Lexi stayed undeterred. She kept going to the gym every day and turned to calorie counting to watch her food intake even more. Without much thought, her new diet became a permanent lifestyle!
Danny's Life In The Spotlight
Danny never weighed as much as Lexi, but his body changed significantly too. He supported her on every step of her journey, and you can see the amazing results he got above!
Two years after changing his lifestyle. Danny went from 280 pounds to 190! He lost a majority of the weight in the first year, but as his wife kept the fight going even when his progress slowed down.
Lexi Is Literally A Different Person
As of May 2018, Lexi has lost an incredible 312 pounds! Peaking at close to 500 pounds, she is literally a different person than when she began her journey! The transformation has been incredible for Lexi, and you'll never guess the first big change she noticed!
Lexi says the first time she noticed a difference in her body was when her stomach stopped resting on the table when she sat down at restaurants. She now has plenty of wiggle room on the rare occasion she doesn't cook for herself! Noticing the extra space was the first big prideful moment that let her know the fight was worth taking.
Instagram Fame Followed
To track her progress, Lexi posted daily pictures of her at the gym to Instagram. She started the account "Fat Girl Fed Up," to show herself, and everyone around her, how much her life was changing for the better. She followed each picture with a motivational quote.
Before long, she had a huge following! At last count, "Fat Girl Fed Up" had over 750,000 followers. Those who followed her journey were inspired every day. We can only imagine how many countless lives she has helped make their battles to health and happiness feel easier!
Stardom Wasn't Far Behind
Lexi and Danny's story spread like wildfire, and they quickly became famous. New stations worldwide ran their story, increasing their following and spreading their inspirational tale. They were even featured on an episode of Rachael Ray to talk about healthy eating and cooking.
Stardom hasn't changed the humble couple one bit. They credit the media attention for adding another support system on their incredible mission. Being on television is fun and all, but sometimes it's nice to just go on a hike with the person you love. Don't forget, taking walks with her husband was one of Lexi's goals.
Taking Things Back To Where They Began
When Lexi and Danny started exercising and eating right, they weighed close to 800 pounds together. Since then, they have lost over 400 pounds together! To celebrate their epic achievement, they ran along the waterside of the beach where Danny proposed.
When Danny proposed, a short walk on the beach would have exhausted Lexi. The fact that she can now run along it without losing her breath makes every step she took to become healthy worth it. Of course, she still needed to go to the Wizarding World!
Lexi Becomes A Wizard!
Fit enough to fly, Lexi finally got to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter recently. Just look at how happy she is! Not only did Lexi fit on the plane to Florida, but she and Danny fit on every single ride. Who needs a honeymoon when you have Harry Potter?
The couple has never been happier. Going through this incredible experience together has made their love stronger than ever. If you're looking to change your lifestyle, having a loved one do it with me might just save your life! It did for these two lovebirds.
No Longer Trapped In Their Bodies
At a healthy weight for the first time in her life, Lexi says she no longer feels trapped, "I am grateful for every single day, and I am enjoying the journey." We hope she continues documenting her life of bliss for us to follow for years to come!
Even when she was bigger, she loved herself. Life is just more fun now, "I loved myself even at 485 pounds, but just to be able to wake up and do whatever I want to do and go wherever I want to go… I don't feel like I’m a prisoner in my own body anymore."
She Constantly Reflects On How Far She's Come
Lexi hasn't forgotten how far she's come and often looks back on all of the hard work she's put into getting to where she is today. Her Instagram followers are always eager to hear what's on her mind, and Lexi is open to sharing. in August 2018 she posted about how everyone's fight is different, but you just need to start.
We all start somewhere. I remember how hard it was the first MANY times that I went to my local pulse/Zumba class at over 450lbs. It never gets easier, you get stronger! 1 hour done, another sweaty shirt covered, and another day reminding myself how far I've come from that girl in the back row. You don't have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great. Start today!
She Shares Her Meal Choices And Her Thought Process
Lexi can take a great deal of pride in the fact that she lost all of the weight without opting for surgery, diet pills, or other extreme measures. By making smart eating choices and keeping her gym routine consistent, she dropped the weight.
On Instagram, she documents some of her meals and explains to her followers why she chose them. She said: "I aim for the less sodium filled rolls (salmon roll), limit my carbs, and pair with salad while he gets the rest with Miso! Sushi is a food that can be healthy depending on how its ordered, topped, and as well as in moderation."
She Shares Her Fails
The problem with role models is that sometimes they can seem so perfect and flawless that trying to be like them is absolutely impossible. Of course, these celebrities and other people in the spotlight have personal struggles and failures like the rest of us, we just don't see them. Lexi wasn't trying to hide anything.
Even now that she's dropped 312 lbs she doesn't want to erase the images and videos of when she was struggling at over 400 pounds. She shared a video of herself trying to do a push up in the gym, and falling to her stomach when her body couldn't lift its own weight. She's not ashamed, she's empowered.
Lexi Talks About The Mental Game
In the Summer of 2018, she told her followers, "Speak nicely to yourself because you're always listening." While she went through different stages of her weight loss journey, Lexi kept her self-talk and mental state positive, and she knew it made all the difference in achieving her goal.
"Weight loss is just as mental as it is physical," she posted. "The way that we speak to ourselves and our thoughts are so important. If we're constantly negative, full of excuses and complaining it's only going to affect ourselves. If you don't believe in yourself, constantly put yourself down, or believe you won't ever lose weight - then chances are your thoughts will match your actions."
Her First Concert T-Shirt
It's the little things in life that can make you happy, and it's also the little things in life that can really get under your skin. One of the areas in her life that Lexi was constantly let down was when it came to clothing. Weighing in at over 400 lbs, her wardrobe options were extremely limiting. She couldn't even wear a t-shirt from one of her favorite bands.
So when Lexi and her husband Danny went to the Vans Warped Tour in Summer of 2018, she was elated to be able to purchase a concert tee. " In all honesty, I attended Vans Warped Tour for 8+ years and this was the first time I could EVER buy a t-shirt! Not being able to wear the clothing I wanted was one of my many reasons for losing weight. I felt like I could never express myself."
Lexi Doesn't Let Fear Define Her
Lexi continues to challenge herself to this day. In a recent Instagram post, she shared that she enjoyed a brand new experience: kayaking! She wrote: "Today I overcame my fear of lakes (aka snakes, etc) and got in a Kayak for the first time ever. You know what? I didn't die, flip, get eaten by snakes, or anything else I was scared of but I actually enjoyed myself."
She also stressed the importance of quality of life over weight loss alone. “It's not about the weight you lose but the life you gain!” Lexi inspires us all with her bravery and determination.
Exercise For Mind And Body
Lexi and Danny like to mix up their workout routine and frequently share photos of themselves at the gym. In this post, Lexi reminded her followers to keep things fun and that you don't have to "live at the gym" to get and stay healthy. On this particular evening, the couple had done the stairclimber for 10 minutes, followed by weightlifting and a walk with friends.
“10 hard minutes can be just as effective as an easy 30 if you push yourself! You don't have to live in the gym! Make it fun and start where you can. MOVE. Remember at the end of the day diet is key and we all start somewhere!”
You Can Find Exercise Anywhere
Some people might be daunted at the prospect of going to a gym and working out in front of people, especially if they're just starting out on their journey to better health. Lexi likes to remind everyone that you don’t have to be a gym rat to get in your daily activity.
She shared a photo of a picturesque hike she went on with a friend and said "I encourage you to get out, spend time with nature, and explore! Some of my favorite memories with my husband are our adventures together definitely not the ones spent just existing on our couch!" She also talked about how tough this same trail had been for her to hike just a while back.
