It is considered a rough and tough battle for many Americans as they strive to live a healthier life daily and even stay in shape. Like many other couples, this one couple dealt with obesity, but they decided to write a different story about their life. Lexi and Danny Reed struggled with obesity, but they made the ultimate decision to alter their lives and actually kept it right through. They started the journey to alter their lives for the best and get the healthiest they knew how to. When you see the results of their mission…it will certainly inspire you! Let’s take a peek into their transformational journey…
Eating Out
Lexi and Danny lived their lives like most other American couples who fell in love with each other and then made the ultimate decision to spend the rest of their lives together. The couple spent a lot of time watching tv and going to different restaurants, and as you would imagine, the endless junk foods were their “go-to” option. Lexi never fancied the idea of eating healthily, and since the moment she got married, her eating habits seemed to have gotten worse.
Eating Out
Pushing Each Other
The couple started dating back in 2007, and the process brought a level of comfort to each other, but that, too, came with some unhealthy eating choices. As they went by, they never stopped noticing that their lifestyle was getting worse than they would imagine. It became a regular thing for Lexi and Danny to go for fast foods and most junk foods. In addition to the troubles, they watched tv while they ate – which didn’t make things any better. However, they would manage to lose some weight during the time, but before long, they would gain it back.
Pushing Each Other
Working On A Challenge Together
Lexi Reed weighed a whopping 485 pounds at the age of 25 – a weight that was quite unbelievable to imagine. Danny, on the other hand, was overweight himself even though he came in at 280 pounds. But, the sad part of everything was that they were both gaining more weight on what they already had with each passing day. Some of their daily activities, no matter how simple, became a real issue for the couple. They couldn’t go for walks or bicycle rides no matter how easy they were. However, after celebrating their first anniversary in 2016, they decided to make a positive change in their life.
Working On A Challenge Together
New Year’s Commitment
The couple was making many plans to ring in the new year 2016 and like many other people around the world, they made a New Year’s resolution. But, it was not similar to many that were made as they decided to take on a challenge that would change their lives forever – and for good! So many people make promises to themselves and others that they don’t really carry out but the Reeds were not about to do like the others. Theirs were destined to come to reality.
New Years Commitment
Prime Challenge
A friend of the couple heard about their mission to take on a New Year’s resolution challenge in doing something about their weight and chimed him with a helping hand. They made the initial decision to cut all forms of alcohol from their diet and eliminate every type of cheat meal for at least 30 days. They thought the whole process would have been a piece of cake (no pun intended!). As they pressed on, each passing day showed them that this challenge would not be a walk in the park. They went on to get a gym membership to help out.
Prime Challenge
ADVERTISEMENT
Stey By Step Process
The cardio lessons offered at the gym were not easy for Lexi and posed a real challenge for her. She admitted she tried a few high-intensity cardio but was unable to get through with them. Lexi was determined to keep motivated and improve her overall health while getting rid of the excess weight. However, she found out that it was a challenge for her because due to her weight, she could not keep at the pace of the other people in the class.
Getting A Partner
Lexi weighed a lot more than Danny, her husband, but they both knew they needed to accomplish the weight loss goal they set. There were times when the whole process was a bit challenging, but they had each other and worked to overcome the challenges. They worked as a team so none of them would fail, and they were on the journey to becoming healthy and living their best life ever. It was a mission to changing their lives for the best.
Getting A Partner
Danny
Danny, like Lexi, was in a really unhealthy shape and chose an unhealthy path to living before he met his now beautiful wife. He admitted that it wasn’t what they were too accepting of when the decision was initially made to start a healthy life. It was all good for them just to go home, relax, eat to their hearts’ content, and not worry about anything else. When the weight loss mission started, Danny was 280 pounds, but he is living through at an average of 190 pounds to date.
Going Viral
It was completely unknown to the couple that people were actually following them when they started their journey. Their mission attracted a lot of attention, and people cheering them on. Lexi kept her friends and family updated with her progress through Instagram, but they were yet to receive a major surprise of their lives. The couple initially found out that they were featured in a popular issue of People Magazine known as “Half Their Size.” Before long, the couple’s story had become a viral sensation.
Going Viral
They Were Couch Potatoes
In an interview on the Megyn Kelly Show, Lexi noted their real reasons behind deciding to start leading a healthy life. She noted both she and Danny had become tired of just laying around on the couch at night, binge-watching movies, and eating like there is no tomorrow. The whole reality of them spending so much time on the couch led to them becoming so unfit and found it hard to do many other things people their age could easily do.
They Were Couch Potatoes
Going On Rides
Lexi has a sweet passion for Harry Potter, and she always wanted to visit the Harry Potter World at Universal Studios. But there was a major challenge for her as the management at the studio set weight and size restrictions for most of the rides. This caused her to feel really bad about herself as she could not indulge in the things she loved, and that would give her lots of joy. This was one of the motivating factors that led her to start this weight loss mission.
Going On Rides
Being A Mommy
Aside from enjoying the entertainment side of life, there was a more serious issue for Lexi that she was worried about. She admitted becoming a mother would be really hard in her condition as it would not have been a healthy decision to get pregnant. Not only would it be hard, but it would pose a real danger for herself and her unborn baby. This, too, was another motivating factor for Lexi as she really desired the idea of becoming a mom and enjoying the benefits of motherhood.
Being A Mommy
Health Warnings
During her interview on the Megyn Kelly show, she was asked what her greatest challenge was living in that state, and without second-guessing, Lexi could easily answer the question. She noted whenever she would wake up in the mornings, it would be really hard on her as her joints were really sore, she would be exhausted, and losing breathe was the fastest thing she experienced in her life. For sure, at the age of 25, this was not how Lexi had desired to live her life.
Health Warnings
Altering Their Lifestyle
When it comes to Lexi and Danny’s mission, the smallest changes in the right direction were a big deal for them. They noted they started changing the foods they consumed, and instead of eating out for every meal, they opted to make healthier versions at home. The foods they crave the most were substituted for something healthier, which was more beneficial to their bodies. They started doing more physical activities, including moving and walking more and visiting the gym five times a week.
Altering Their Lifestyle
Instagram Fans
Instagram can reach a lot of people, but Lexi didn’t seem to be aware of just how many people she was about to reach. A huge amount of followers were inspired by her story and her account name, “Fatfirlfedup,” gave them the zeal to join the journey with her. Before Lexi was even aware of how much people were following her, her fan base grew close to 700 thousand followers. Right there and then, Lexi saw the opportunity to make her story known and inspire others who were feeling the way she was feeling.
Instagram Fans
A Good Feeling
Amidst just wanting to feel good about herself, some followers claimed they were just trying to lose weight for other reasons than they stated. However, Lexi always had nothing but a positive reply for those commenters. She noted she has always been happy even with the excess weight, but the whole idea of being limited in doing what she wanted and going where she wanted was putting pressure on her. For the first in her life, she never felt like a prisoner trapped in her own body. Of course, they loved the idea of looking good, but that was a bonus to the real mission – feeling good and healthy.
A Good Feeling
Love Doesn’t Discriminate
One of the best things about Lexi and Danny Reed is that, through everything, they had the highest level of love for each other and were not letting anything get in the way of that. Lexi noted Danny treated her with the highest love any woman could experience from her husband. Despite her size, he never used that to judge her or even asked her to change anything about herself out of selfish interest. He only made her feel like the beautiful woman she was. The same love and passion he had for her while she was 485 pounds was the same level he showed her at 182 pounds. This just goes to show that love does not matter about size or weight.
Love Doesnt Discriminate
Lexi’s Words Of Advice
Many people were intrigued by her weight loss accomplishments and were eager to find out what she did to accomplish this so good. After all, many of us wish to lose weight and would love to know the various steps she took to get these amazing results. So, what were her steps? Lexi gave one of the best pieces of advice anyone could ask for… “start small as the smallest changes add up to the biggest results.” The biggest fall is setting big goals, and when it becomes overwhelming, you quit.
Lexis Words Of Advice
Gaining More Than Losing
Many people believe the story of Lexi and Danny was all about losing weight, but it was way more than that for the couple. Lexi admitted the whole journey was a “gaining” process for both her and her husband as while they were losing the physical weight, they were getting something stronger for them. In a post on her Instagram page, she gave this amazing quote that many people found to motivate… “It’s not about the weight that you lose but the life that you gain.” That is indeed a great way to look at it!
Gaining More Than Losing
No Need To Rush
It is pretty easy for Lexi to talk about her transformation now that she’s at this stage, but she noted there is a hard side to everything. Losing weight is not an easy task, and one should recognize it is not a race to reaching your goal. She detailed in her Instagram post that she was only human, and everyone should realize that weight loss is a journey and not a sprint to the finish line. The whole process is a lifestyle and not just a diet one needs to follow.
No Need To Rush
Sticking Together
Lexi noted the whole journey boosted the relationship between her and Danny, and it was an excellent feeling. She noted being able to do things together has made the connection between them grow stronger. Their story and commitment only show that when couples work together with mutual goals, they can move mountains. They can make so much happen when they put their minds and heart together as they will help each other whenever they fall short in some areas.
Sticking Together
Addicted To Healthy Living
Lexi and Danny made a huge transformation in their life that is deemed a major health challenge. It has grown a lot on them as they have made it a point in their lives where healthy living is an obsession. Lexi was super excited about the whole thing, and when she saw how great the results were, she knew it was a mission she had to keep going. She saw it as an addiction going forward, and the weight journey was her new lifestyle.
Addicted To Healthy Living
No Liposuction
Many people thought she had done a liposuction surgery, but Lexi stood tall and strong to admit she had never undergone any form of medical procedure. She noted there was no need to spend all that money when needed is just a lifestyle change. Eating healthy and having a trainer while you move is all it takes to get your desired results. Lexi also suggested starting with a simple walk, and even though it is no secret that liposuction causes weight loss, there are much healthier options to choose from in shedding all that excess weight.
No Liposuction
Lots Of Followers
To date, Lexi has well over 750,000 Instagram followers, and there are lots of them who have taken a form of inspiration from her story and journey. She admitted that she would be delighted if only a few people followed her, like friends and family. Lexi said she never expected so many people would actually follow through her journey, and it was a crazy yet amazing feeling. After all, she was on a mission that many people would love to know the outcome seeing many of them, too, are trying to do the same.
Inspiration To Others
She was overwhelmed with the extensive support she was getting. For people to say to her, “you have been a real inspiration to me, and because of your story and journey, I went to the gym today,” or others saying, “I have started a diet plan that has shed 20 pounds already.” Many followers admitted because of her, they can feel confident to start their journey as well. But, for Lexi, she’s not taking the glory but is happy that she could leave a positive impact on others.
Inspiration To Others
Mere Numbers
Many people believe that whatever a scale produces is the determining factor if a person is healthy or not. However, Lexi does not believe in that idea. She reminds everyone that whatever the scale produces is nothing more than a number, and one ought to accept that they are worth much more than that. Amidst all of that, self-love is essential, and everyone needs to accept themselves no matter what and never let a scale determine how they feel about themselves.
Mere Numbers
Home Cooking VS Going Out
No matter how disciplined you are, having habits is not the easiest thing to break, especially if they are bad ones. The moment you break it off and dump it from your life, best believe, it will feel as though a huge burden has been lifted from you. Lexi and Danny admitted the biggest challenge in their weight loss journey was breaking off their bad relationship with bad food choices. Cutting their eating out habits and starting preparing every meal from home was a heavy task for the couple.
Home Cooking VS Going Out
Living Without Caution
When Lexi and Danny started their YouTube channel, they never expected it would reach the stage where they would have to answer some questions from curious fans. One particular fan asked her how she managed to let her weight get out of control so much while they were dating. Lexi admitted they overlooked the whole reality of them gaining the excess weight, and each time she looked back at the pictures, she kept asking if that was really her. She joked the persons in the before photo didn’t look like them and said at the time, it didn’t feel like an issue for them.
Living Without Caution
Their Channel
The couple named their Youtube channel “Fatgirlfedup” and currently has over 30,000 subscribers. They do a lot on their channel, including posting their weight loss journey and progress and every result they accomplish. They also use the platform to help motivate others looking for the confidence needed to start a similar journey to live a better life. The Reeds post a lot of motivating videos to help viewers get inspired to become fitter.
Their Channel
Hard Work Required
There are no doubts that we have come in contact with a commercial that promises fast weight loss with an easy process at least once in our lives. However, the reality is that weight loss journeys are no easy tasks and require a lot of work. Lexi and Danny are here to prove that it is not easy, and it doesn’t take a single pill to get all the weight gone overnight. The complete journey has many hiccups and hurdles that one must successfully overcome to achieve their set goal.
Hard Work Required
This Touching Story Of A Couple Losing 400 Pounds Will Inspire You
Comparison
For sure, if you match the before and after images of the couple, you will be an incomplete shock at what you are seeing. Sure enough, we were shocked when we got the opportunity to compare both photos. If you didn’t personally know them, you couldn’t tell the persons in both photos were the same. They say a picture tells a story and Lexi and Danny’s own do that and more. It shows just how determination and persistence can get you the answers you need.
Comparison
Overeating
Each time Lexi and Danny remember their days of eating bad food choices and living unhealthily, they feel good about their new reality. They noted every time they got the chance to go out to eat, they would be given the advantage to pack their plates with whatever they wanted. For instance, when the couple got Chinese food…it meant they would eat as much as seven plates. It means they would have many choices, including chips, ribs, chicken, and meats – all of which would be deep-fried.
Overeating
She Was Loved
Danny and Lexi met when they were just 16 years old and felt the connection right away and knew they were meant for each other. Danny didn’t make Lexi’s weight deter him from loving the woman who she really was and never yet had an issue with it. Lexi, in an interview, noted that when she and Danny started their friendship, she weighed an average of 300 pounds, and he never let that bother him or asked her to change anything about herself. That was real and unconditional love.
She Was Loved
Fast Food At Home
One of the hardest parts of the weight loss journey for the Reeds was that they had to stop eating out all the time. Lexi admitted that they didn’t eat out any at all for the first month, and she chose the alternative option to cook all her meals at home. She didn’t love to cook but knew what the mission was about, so she learned her way around the kitchen. Lexi said she started making foods she loved and what she used to desire. It didn’t lose the flavor or excitement it brought them when eating out, so it was a welcome for the couple. You could say Lexi was now making “homemade fast foods.”
Fast Food At Home
Walking Was Hard
There is no way any of us will understand how hard it was to be overweight for Lexi or even overweight in general. Lexi was really saddened by the fact that everything was a struggle for her. She imagined the fun it would be to walk with her husband, go on hiking trips, riding the bike, or rollercoasters. She wanted to do so many things, but being overweight posed a real challenge for her to accomplish these tasks. Lexi noted going for a walk seemed like a strenuous chore for her.
Walking Was Hard
Awaiting The Results
Lexi knows the challenges associated with losing weight even if you plan for it, but many people fail to accept this reality. With this, Lexi thought it would be a great idea to share some words of inspiration with her followers and those who were trying to lose weight. She noted just as how one didn’t gain all their weight overnight, it wouldn’t be possible to lose it all at once. It takes time to get the results, so patience is also a part of the process.
Awaiting The Results
A Sign Forthcoming
When Lexi began her new journey to healthy living, it was certainly not easy, and her first results took three weeks to really show up. Each time she talked about it, she mentioned that she didn’t see her first result until three weeks. Let us be real? How many people would be willing to wait so long for the first results? Sure enough, many people would have given up and forfeited the reality of getting the desired results they need.
A Sign Forthcoming
A Relationship Strain
Danny and Lexi were spending a lot of time with each other, but that didn’t mean the connection in the relationship was getting as deep as they wanted. But, how was this even possible when they had so much love for each other? Well, they were always sided by the side on the couch, but being so caught up in eating and binge-watching movies, they barely spoke to each other. It was just the routine of getting their food, sink on the couch and eat away.
A Relationship Strain
Limited Knowledge – More Will
The couple’s decision to change their lifestyle was not an easy one, and the different stages were challenging. Lexi noted she just felt everything was enough, and she had to get up and do something about it. She was ready to alter her life for the best and set out to work hard at accomplishing her goals each day. Lexi said she was clueless about dieting, and she never had a trainer, nor did she know how to cook and what proper nutrition was all about. With no surgery or pills to get rid of the weight, she was that girl who was fed up with everything and needed a change.
Limited Knowledge
A Step-By-Step Process
Lexi saw the whole weight loss journey as an experience for herself as she learned a lot in the process. She admitted she took on the mission on a “day at a time” basis and made it a point of duty to focus on what each day would bring. It was not a matter of focusing on the 300 pounds she had at hand, as that alone would make her feel too overwhelmed. Looking at it daily made it seem like she didn’t have much longer to go to achieve her goals.
A Step By Step Process
Lexi’s Dieting
Many people get that Lexi spent time in the gym, but what many people are focused on learning is what was included in her diet. Well, here is a little bit of what Lexi went through…BREAKFAST: 2 large eggs, 3 pieces of turkey bacon, and a Protein shake as a snack; LUNCH: Cottage Cheese, Salmon patties, asparagus, broccoli, and almond butter and banana as a snack; DINNER: turkey burgers made with honey wheat thin buns and fat-free cheese, steam mushrooms, cauliflower, and broccoli. A 30-minute cardio workout accompanied both breakfast and lunch breaks on the Elliptical Machine.
Lexi S Dieting
Working On Their Lives
Whenever a person gains so much weight, their lives are in danger as that is a health risk. When the Reeds made the ultimate decision to lose weight, they were actually working on saving their own lives. Lexi admitted saving one’s own life is relatively unexplainable and entering 2018 with a new look and feel was a great feeling for her. It was as though she was no longer a prisoner in her own body and was living her own life and one she was comfortable with. She was finally alive and saw life as a real blessing each morning she woke up.
Working On Their Lives
Pursuing A Career In Nutrition
Every knowledge Lexi acquired during her weight loss journey inspired her to look a lot deeper into the whole world of nutrition. It was a mission for Lexi and a learning process as she kept wondering about all the factors that were associated with the topic. Interestingly enough, Lexi developed the idea that she would love to pursue a career at the university level in nutrition and everything involved with it. That is not a bad idea for someone who had such a great success rate working around nutrition to live a healthier life.
Pursuing A Career In Nutrition
Busty
Lexi has a great sense of humor, and every time she looks back at her before pics of when she was close to 500 pounds, she finds her bust size to be a little funny. Since her weight loss, she admits it is a whole lot easier to find bras to fit her – ones that are pretty regular sizes. Back in the days when they were much larger, it was difficult to source bras to fit her bust comfortably. There is certainly a lot of positives coming from Lexi’s weight loss journey.
