While most people would take the slow but sure path in losing weight, Lexi Reed, 30, and her husband, Danny Reed, 33, did a total lifestyle reset.
For their 2016 New Year’s resolution, the couple agreed on a five-part rule: no eating out, no cheat meals, no soda, and no alcohol. They also committed to doing five 30-minute workouts per week.
The couple tied the knot in October 2015. Lexi weighed 485 pounds at her heaviest, while Danny’s peak weight was at 280 pounds.
They agreed to stick to their resolution for a month and ended up adhering to them for good. Today, Lexi and Danny have lost over 400 pounds combined!
Danny’s “click moment” came when he fell behind while hiking with some friends. They kept looking back at him to ask if he was okay and if he could keep up.
“I was trying to, he recalled. “That moment really stuck in my head. It was a big reason I wanted to change.”
For Lexi, it came while she worked at a law firm, helping people get Social Security disability benefits. They would listen to them talk about their health problems and realized she would be the one calling in if she didn’t take care of herself.
Although she wasn’t diagnosed with any health problems related to her weight, she had a lot of joint pain and struggled to breathe.
Lexi has been overweight all her life. Whenever she tried losing weight, she would just gain it all back because of unsustainable dieting habits. She would often skip breakfast and have a huge lunch.
On days she ate breakfast, she would grab a sausage, cheese biscuit, egg, hash browns, and a large Coke at Mcdonald’s.
When he was younger, Danny used to skateboard and engage in other sports, allowing him to maintain a healthy weight. But once he stopped doing all those things, he started putting on weight. After he and Lexi got comfortable in their relationship, the pounds just kept adding up.
Before 2016, the couple spent most evenings on the couch, watching Netflix, drinking soda, ordering pizza, and eating junk food.
“We were just sitting, watching TV, not taking care of ourselves. We were this 765-pound couple,” Lexi said.
Starting and sustaining their weight loss journey was hard, but having an accountability partner made everything easier. They started to see progress, and that motivated them to do more.
“We both realized we needed to lose weight and to get healthy for our future,” Danny said. “We fell in love with taking care of ourselves and working out, and the positive effects that came with that. We’re seeing results.”
Lexi and Danny ate more protein and lots of vegetables. They also reduced their carb intake and made healthier versions of their favorite foods. Instead of having stuffed crust pizza, they will make it on a tortilla. Instead of grabbing Taco Bell, they will whip up their own healthy taco salad at home.
They go to the gym together six times a week. Danny does 20 to 30 minutes of cardio workout and follows that with weight training while Lexi gets on the elliptical for 30 minutes. She also attends a Zumba class two or three times a week and uses the stair climber and the weights at the gym.
To build accountability—and to not annoy Facebook friends with her posts—Lexi started an Instagram account. It became a hit as many people were inspired by her success in losing weight. Now, her page has garnered over 1.2 million followers!
So far, Lexi has lost 312 pounds since 2016, while Danny has dropped 95 pounds.
The couple’s lives have changed for the better with their massive weight loss. Lexi can now fly in an airplane, ride in a roller coaster, drive without her stomach touching the steering wheel, and go kayaking and canoeing—things she still wouldn’t be able to do had she not lost weight.
“I can do all these activities with my husband,” she said. “Before, we just sat on the couch. I could hardly walk a block or climb a flight of stairs without being out of breath. Now we’re experiencing all these new things. This is a whole new life.”
Danny doesn’t have any trouble keeping up with his hiking buddies anymore, and he can ride his mountain bike for long distances.
“Everything is better and easier,” he said.
Congratulations on your incredible weight loss, Lexi and Danny! Follow Lexi on @fatgirlfedup and Danny on @discoveringdanny to see more of their inspirational posts.