A woman who used to weigh 34 stone has showed off her extreme ‘battle wounds’ after losing 22 stone.
Weight loss influencer Lexi Reed, 34, from Indiana, often documents her eight-year weight loss journey, which began after her friend challenged her to a 30-day reset in 2016, online.
In video shared on IGV, Lexi showcased her transformation and revealed she is ‘lucky to be alive’ after she was diagnosed with calciphylaxis in April 2022 – which left her with 30 open wounds and an uncertain future.
The influencer, who was left with calcium deposits and scars from the condition and her extreme weight loss, revealed she ‘loves her battle wounds.’
The rare condition occurs when calcium and phosphate build up in the body’s small blood vessels, causing painful skin ulcers.
Speaking the clip, she said: ‘Everyday I am reminded how lucky I am to be alive, at one point I had more than 30 excruciating open wounds on my body. I used to 485 Ibs, I love my battle wounds that tell a story of how I survived.’
At her heaviest, Lexi tipped the scales at 219 kgs (or 34 stone), struggled to fit into restaurant booths, was too big to ride on rollercoasters, and couldn’t buy clothes in the stores she wanted to shop in as they didn’t stock her size.
She would binge on junk food and weighed 34 stone at her heaviest, but now has shed two-thirds of her body weight – despite battling the rare skin condition that left her in a wheelchair.
Weight loss influencer Lexi Reed, 34, from Indiana, who used to weigh 34 stone, showed off her extreme ‘battle wounds’ after losing 22 stone
Taking to her Instagram page she wrote: ‘My journey hasn’t been easy, but I’m so grateful everyday to still be here fighting to be the best version of me.
‘I’m grateful to still be alive despite any scar, skin, or calcium that I’ve been left with! This body has carried me through being 485lbs, healed me when I got sick, & I refuse to not love myself & my battle wounds.
‘My scars tell a story of all the battles I’ve fought and all the battles I’ve survived. I’d rather have a ton of loose skin than be 485lbs on my deathbed & I’m so grateful for my scars because that means my wounds are closed.
‘Tomorrow is never promised & I don’t know what the future holds for my skin, or if my wounds will ever return – but I do know I’m not wasting any days in fear.
‘I’m just taking remission day by day & focusing on the things I can control & enjoying my life pain free again. We speak to ourselves the most, so speak kindly to yourself because you’re always listening!’
Lexi now weighs 74 kgs and slips into a size 10 with ease; she had a 360 bottom lift in 2018 to have some excess skin removed.
In 2016, her best friend, Cheyenne, 34, a customer service rep, challenged her to 30 days of no eating out, no cheat meals, no alcohol or soda – encouraging her to exercise and change her eating habits.
She weighed 34 stone at her heaviest and has now shed two-thirds of her body weight – despite battling a rare skin condition that left her in a wheelchair
The influencer, who was left with calcium deposits and scars from her extreme weight loss, revealed she ‘loves her battle wounds’
Taken to her Instagram she wrote: ‘My journey hasn’t been easy, but I’m so grateful everyday to still be here fighting to be the best version of me’
Lexi now weights 74 kgs and slips into a size 10 with ease; she had a 360 bottom lift in 2018 to have some excess skin removed.
While losing weight, she also battled a rare condition called calciphylaxis – that occurs when calcium and phosphate build up in the body’s small blood vessels, causing painful skin ulcers
It proved to be the motivation Lexi needed and she shed about 23 pounds in her first month before going on to lose 312lbs in the following two years.
Now confident in her body, Lexi shows off her slim figure to encourage and inspire others who might be struggling to lose weight via her Instagram account @fatgirlfedup.
‘I ended up losing over 312 pounds in two years,’ Lexi, the weight loss influencer from Terre Haute, Indiana, said.
‘I battled a rare disease and put over a hundred pounds, then I’ve recently lost over 120 pounds again.
‘In total, I’ve lost 320 pounds – all with diet and exercise.’
After being diagnosed with calciphylaxis she said her ‘skin turned into a blackish color, opening up into wounds,’ adding it was a separate health condition than her weight gain – although ‘that didn’t help.’
‘It actually has an 80 per cent mortality rate,’ she explained.
She was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with an unexplained kidney failure and had to be put into a medically-induced coma.
She underwent dialysis and spent a significant amount of time in a wheelchair.
Lexi was diagnosed with calciphylaxis in April 2022 – which left her with 30 open wounds and an uncertain future
Now confident in her body, Lexi shows off her slim figure to encourage and inspire others who might be struggling to lose weight via her Instagram account @fatgirlfedup
Lexi credits small, sustainable changes – like exercise and diet – with helping her achieve her goals
Although she’s not sure what caused it, the doctors believe it might be related to the dialysis she was receiving for her failing kidneys.
She had sodium bisulfate infusions for 59 weeks along with wound care every week where professionals cleaned the wounds.
‘I’m currently in remission. I’ve been in remission for a year as of August, so I’m very lucky to still be here and still be alive.’
Lexi credits small, sustainable changes – like exercise and diet – with helping her achieve her goals.
She previously wore a size 28 and now slips into a slender size 10.
‘I just started counting calories with MyFitnessPal and I started taking the foods that I enjoyed, like Chinese food and fried foods, and making my own healthier versions at home,’ she said.
‘Before I always ate thousands of calories of fast food, fried foods, never cooked, and now I eat meal preps at home, count calories, and try to eat foods higher in protein, vegetables and less carbs.’
For breakfast, Lexi typically opted for McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches. Lunch usually included fast food like Taco Bell or Burger King, while dinner comprised more fast food like Pizza Hut or hamburgers.
In 2022, Lexi was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with an unexplained kidney failure and had to be put into a medically-induced coma.
Her best friend’s initial challenge – 30 days of no eating out, no cheat meals, no alcohol, and no soda – helped set the foundation for her new lifestyle
Collectively the couple lost 28 stone between them and still are in love as ever
Snacks often included chips, candy, and cookies , along with cans of Mountain Dew throughout the day.
Her best friend’s initial challenge – 30 days of no eating out, no cheat meals, no alcohol, and no soda – helped set the foundation for her new lifestyle.
‘I started going to the gym, I started tracking my calories, drinking water, and completely changed my habits,’ she said.
‘It ended up completely changing my life.’
At her heaviest, Lexi said, ‘I struggled to breathe. I struggled to walk even a block’.
She recalled: ‘I spent most nights just sitting at home on the couch. I was never really active.
‘I worked a sit-down job, ate out every single meal, and didn’t really care to focus on my health.’
Now, she lives a dramatically different life.
Lexi says she’s ‘more active’ with her husband, Danny, 36, a social media influencer
‘I go to the gym almost every day. I enjoy working out compared to where I never hardly did anything active,’ Lexi explained.
‘I cook food at home. Instead of going to Taco Bell or getting fast food, I’ll make healthier tacos at home. I drink water instead of soda.
‘I eat meals like salmon with asparagus, chicken with sweet potato fries, egg omelettes, oatmeal with peanut butter.
Lexi starts her day with a nutritious breakfast of eggs, vegetables like broccoli, and turkey bacon.
For lunch, she enjoys grilled chicken with sweet potato tots or a taco salad.
Dinner typically features lean beef hamburgers with a focus on high protein.
When it comes to snacks, Lexi opts for hardboiled eggs, almonds, bananas, and peanut butter. Her drink choices are water, coffee, and unsweetened tea.
‘I get off the couch. I don’t watch TV all the time,’ she said, noting she still watches movies.
Lexi has also noticed how others treat her differently since losing weight
Lexi says she’s ‘more active’ with her husband, Danny, 36, a social media influencer, adding: ‘We do more things together instead of just sitting at home.’
‘We do a lot more hiking and traveling, which has helped us bond more.’
Lexi has also noticed how others treat her differently since losing weight.
‘I would say that people are a lot more friendly to me now that I’ve lost weight,’ she said.
‘I don’t feel so judged as I did when I was at my heaviest. I think I’m also not as shy and a lot more confident in myself now.’
Although she and Danny don’t have children yet, the idea of starting a family motivated them to embark on their health journey together.
‘When we weren’t motivated to go to the gym, we would have a mantra of ‘Baby Reed’ because we knew we wanted to be parents one day,’ she said.
‘But since I did get sick and wasn’t sure if I would be here in the future with my phylaxis, things have kind of been put on hold.’
Lexi hopes her story inspires others to take small steps toward better health.
‘Small changes add up to big results,’ she explained.
‘They are going to add up and make a difference more than you could imagine.
‘It’s not about the weight you lose, but the life that you gain. I’m able to do so many more things than I was able to before.
‘I couldn’t ride a rollercoaster. I couldn’t fit in a booth at a restaurant.. I couldn’t shop where I wanted to. By losing weight, I’ve pretty much taken back my health and my life.’
