It’s only nine days into 2019, and Lexi Reed of @FatGirlFedUp is more committed to her health than ever.
Last year, Lexi turned heads when she and her husband Danny lost a combined 407 pounds in three years. Lexi spoke to Women’s Health in November about her decision lose weight. “I was honestly just fed up with being 485 pounds,” she says. So, she took on a 30-day health challenge that a friend suggested, and when she made it to the final day, she just kept going.
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After Lexi lost weight, she was hit with an unexpected obstacle: loose skin.
Lexi lost 312 pounds by eating more protein and veggies, and fewer carbs (along with lots of strength training and cardio). But her weight loss left her with painful loose skin. Removing it surgically was her only option (a lower-body lift, to be exact, to remove excess skin from her abdomen and outer thighs, and to contour her butt).
The surgery took nine hours, and Lexi had seven pounds of skin removed. Now, a little over two months later, Lexi’s body has contours she would have never imagined. “It’s insane to me that I can look down and see my feet or feel [my] hip bones for the first time in my life,” Lexi says about her results. “It was never about having a flat tummy, but to be healthy and out of pain.”
Lexi didn’t bounce back from surgery right away, and her recovery took a toll on her mental health.
Sometimes there’s no words even I can say about my own transformation because it literally blows my mind just how much the human body is capable of and how far I’ve come. The fact of just how much can change when we decide were going to take care of our body the way it deserves. Less than 6 weeks ago I took the photo on the left and the world told me no anytime I posted a stomach picture since my body wasnt perfect BUT I kept showing up in hopes it would show others we all have skin and beautiful battle scars. It’s sad to me some will only accept my skin now, but even on the left I was still worthy of love. They told me no, and I told them YES. Speak kindly to yourself because you’re always listening! This is me. ——————————————————————————– Ready to transform in 2019? NEXT DIETBET STARTS 1/6/19!! I joined my first dietbet in January 2016 when I started my journey & it helped me change my life! Plus if you play 4 games in 2019 I’m giving away huge prizes to the best transformation! Time to change your lif2 too & make those resolutions stick! Lose weight, share tips/recipes, giveaways including a week getaway to @hiltonheadhealth, @fedupfam tees, an airfryer, & MORE! Plus get paid to get lean in 2018! Link in bio or dietbet.com/fatgirlfedup #weightloss #weightlossjourney #fedupfam #fit #fitfam #fitspo #motivation #tummytuck #fattofit #obesetobeast #workout #dance #diet #dietbet #fatgirlfedupsdietbet #fitness #losingweight #fitnessmotivation #buttlift #fitfam #plasticsurgery #plussize #looseskin #excessskin #effyourbeautystandards #extremeweightloss
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After her surgery, Lexi was forced to slow down—something she hadn’t done in a long time. “To have to actually sit down, not be able to post, and not be in my place of comfort—the gym—was really hard for me,” she says.
“There were days I questioned if the surgery was worth it, but now that I’ve basically recovered, I see it was the best decision I’ve ever made.” She’ll go under the knife again to remove loose skin from her legs and breasts, which will alleviate her neck pain. But for now, “the results I do see are amazing and surreal,” she says.
When Lexi finally got back in the gym (one-month post-op, no less), it felt like she was starting all over again. “I was frustrated,” she says. “I lost muscle and my endurance was low.”
Despite the struggles, “I just had to remind myself the same thing I did in the beginning: that we all start somewhere,” she says. “It never gets easier, you get stronger.”
Lexi knows her 1.1 million Instagram followers are always watching.
WE BACK. 🙌 I may not be the fastest, or the strongest, but you better believe I will try my hardest. I was cleared by my doctor @drjosephmichaels to start walking more so I got to come with @discoveringdanny to the gym today! I have another two weeks before I can do anything other than walking but excited to just be back and helping my body heal. I went from running an 8 minute mile to it taking me almost 30 minutes just to walk one today. You know what? We all start somewhere. In the beginning it took me 30 minutes to walk half a mile and everyday I pushed myself to walk further, to beat my time, and that’s what I’ll do again. It all counts. Listening to my body and 30 minutes is complete! ——————————————————————————— Get paid to get lean in 2019! Fedup & ready to start 2019 fighting back for your health? Next dietbet starts 1/6/19! I joined my first dietbet in January 2016 when I started my journey & it helped me change my life! Time to change yours too & make those resolutions stick! Lose weight, share tips/recipes, giveaways including a trip to @hiltonheadhealth, @fedupfam tees, Skype with me, AND A TON MORE! Link in bio or dietbet.com/fatgirlfedup #goals #motivation #fit #fitfam #obesetobeast #weightloss #weightlossjourney #motivation #fattofit #swolemate #dietbet #diet #plussize #fitspo #countingcalories #motivation #fitness #gym #anytimefitness #fitspo #losingweight #weightlosstransformation #fitnessmotivation #fatgirlfedupsdietbet #extremeweightloss
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And she’s fully aware of her influence: “I feel responsible for a million people on the internet daily.”
With that in mind, she’s got plans to serve her followers even better. “I’m writing a book, and I’m getting certified as a health coach and group fitness instructor,” she says.
She’s also hosting DietBets, the same challenge that got her started two years ago. Participation requires betting money that you can lose a certain percentage of your body weight in a designated amount of time. And if you do? You and everyone else who meets this goal will split all the money in the pot.
“Money is something that motivated me, and since I was already losing weight the whole idea of a DietBet just made sense to me,” Lexi says about her first experience as a participant.
Now, as a host, she’s offering those who drop 4 percent of their body weight in a month a chance at a trip to Hilton Head Health (a weight-loss resort), apparel from her own brand, an air fryer, and workout gear in addition to the cash (over $500,000).
Three years ago I started today. At the time I was 485lbs and I told myself that even if I could just get under 300lbs I would be happy. Once I hit that milestone I decided to keep going and keep setting new goals. This was never to be skinny, but to be healthy, and to honestly have saved my own life. Three years ago I set a resolution and even though I had no idea where it would lead me, I had a vision of a greater life than the one I was living. This year have a vision of who you want to be and where you’re going. Started the New Year off with a @pulsefitonline class and you can check my story for behind the scenes. Happy New Year, 3 year anniversary to me, & lets Rise & grind! ——————————————————————————– Ready to transform in 2019? NEXT DIETBET STARTS 1/6/19!! I joined my first dietbet in January 2016 when I started my journey & it helped me change my life! Plus if you play 4 games in 2019 I’m giving away huge prizes to the best transformation! Time to change your life too & make those resolutions stick! Lose weight, share tips/recipes, giveaways including a week getaway to @hiltonheadhealth, @fedupfam tees, an airfryer, & MORE! Plus get paid to get lean in 2019! Link in bio or dietbet.com/fatgirlfedup #weightloss #weightlossjourney #fedupfam #fit #fitfam #fitspo #motivation #tummytuck #fattofit #obesetobeast #workout #dance #diet #dietbet #fatgirlfedupsdietbet #fitness #losingweight #fitnessmotivation #buttlift #fitfam #plasticsurgery #plussize #looseskin #excessskin #effyourbeautystandards #extremeweightloss
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What began as a social media account to hold her accountable quickly became bigger than just Lexi. “I started documenting my journey on social media and thought I’d have 10 followers, now I’m trying to show the world that there is nothing special about me,” says Lexi.”Anyone can change the same way that I did, and I want to show others how.”
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