Instagram influencer who lost an incredible 312lbs has 7lbs of excess skin removed
Making a drastic lifestyle change is no easy feat, especially when your eating and exercise habits have been ingrained and consolidated over a number of years.
And even if you're able to shift the weight, you often have to deal with a multitude of side-effects, including excess skin.
Case in point: Lexi Reed has been documenting her weight loss journey on Instagram, and so far, she's lost an astonishing 312 lbs. over the course of two years. But her last 7 lbs. are just as big of a deal.
The influencer, who is known on Instagram as @fatgirlfedup, underwent skin removal surgery earlier this month to take off 7 lbs. of loose skin from her stomach, thighs and butt.
Reed documented every step of the experience on her Instagram account, from her pre-surgery appointments to the considerable recovery that she's currently going through. And one day before her surgery, she explained what it would entail:
"Nine hours of surgery and a 360 bottom lift tomorrow. This is a major surgery and I will have to spend six weeks recovering before I am able to hit the gym,” she wrote. "This surgery is something that is not easy for me to do as it means I have to take off time from the things I love, my work, my workouts, my routine, my life, and my many responsibilities. However I know that it’ll be worth it."
On the 31st of October, the 28-year-old's surgeon, Dr. Joseph Michaels, successfully took out a 3-ft. wide and 1.5-ft. tall section of skin from her abdomen, as well as two smaller pieces from her outer thighs.
While Reed was ready for the surgery after dealing with her excess skin for so long, she did admit that the pain was worse than she expected.
"Surgery is even harder and more painful than expected but I know I’m in good hands," she wrote on the photo sharing platform the following Saturday. "I’m in a lot of pain. I’ve never had surgery before and I’ve cried daily multiple times. I am determined to heal and give recovery my all."
In another post, Reed acknowledged that it will take time for her body to heal;
"I spent the last few days sleeping but I am determined to show my body the care it deserves and heal at my own pace. I am slowly able to use the bathroom on my own and getting better at walking daily. I am getting over my fear of needles and accepting the shots. I still can’t laugh or cough due to the pain in my abdomen from where it was repaired. If I do it hurts so bad that I start sobbing. However I know that I had to go through this pain to get to the other side. I know I have to be strong because there are too many counting on me for me to be weak. One day all of these struggles will be worth it."
Reed first committed to losing the weight as a New Years' resolution made in January of 2016. Along with her husband, Danny, the pair banned fast food, fizzy drinks and alcohol in favour of meal prepping and tracking their calories. This, combined with a strict exercise routine, helped them lose all of their weight naturally.
Reed is now 312 lbs. lighter, and Danny has dropped 95 lbs.
It's now been two years since Lexi started her weight loss journey, and the results are there for all to see.