A woman who shed over 300lbs in just 18 months has celebrated her incredible weight loss achievement by posing in a picture with her boyfriend.
Not just any picture, though. The image in question shows her husband holding her up in the gym, taken from the same angle as an image which shows them before their weight loss.
Only two years ago, Lexi Reed, 26 of Terre Haute, Indiana, weighed 485lbs and her husband Danny 280lbs.
They were determined to shift those pounds together, and began a mutually supportive weight loss journey together at the beginning of last year.
In an inspiring story of positivity and perseverance, Lexi’s Instagram following has grown to 450,000, with whom she shared the incredible photo.
The couple have been subject to much media attention, but their sole goal remains on supporting each other through the weight loss plan they have set out.
In her post, Lexi said that in 2016 they set a New Year’s resolution to lose weight for good.
She wrote:
We didn’t have a meal plan, surgery, personal trainer, but what we did have was each other and the motivation within to work hard every single day.
We wanted to be parents in the future and live a longer life together…
We may have lost the weight but we have grown closer together. Pound by pound, step by step, day by day – we have transformed our lives and molded our bodies into the people we’ve always wanted to be.
The couple have been supportive of each other since the beginning, though in her tribute Lexi was sure to explain that Danny had always loved and supported her no matter what her weight.
She said:
This man has been by my side for the last 10 years and treated me no different at 485lbs than he does at 182lbs.
We all deserve to live a life we are in love with and have people around that make it worth living. We hope others will hear our story & decide not to give up!
Before their change of lifestyle the couple were whacking 8,000 calories down them every single day – they cut their intake and shed half of their body weight in just 12 months.
Lexi wrote on Instagram a recollection of what she told herself the night before she started her journey of weight loss.
Lexi said she thought:
Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life. Are you going to just keep talking about losing the weight or are you just going to do it? No more excuses. No more fear.
You don’t have to live that way for the rest of your life Lexi. You are in charge of your future so go in that gym and show every single person that stares or doubts you what you’re made of. Prove them wrong & let’s do this once and for all.
And for the future? Lexi is determined to end 2017 on a high note, pushing herself ever further in achieving her weight goals.
She wants to drop another 7lbs before the end of the year.
She wrote:
I’m ready to finish what I started in 2016 & hit my next goal of 175! Get comfortable with being uncomfortable & always push yourself to step out of your comfort zone! Lets finish 2017 strong.
At a time when most people – myself included – are thinking about taking a few weeks off and stuffing our faces, Lexi and Danny are the inspiration we all need.
fatgirlfedup/Instagram