Making a change in lifestyle is no mean feat, especially when you are trying to turn hard ingrained habits on their head.
Eating habits are often built up over childhood and into adult life, and thus can be extremely difficult to break.
And now, perhaps more than ever before, a premium is placed upon the way we look. The rise of Instagram has allowed the genetically-blessed to profit from their good looks in hitherto unprecedented fashion - simply by endorsing the latest in charcoal toothpaste, or detox teas held strategically next to their washboard abs.
If you're fit - both literally and in abstract - then Instagram has quite literally made life a beach for you.
Of course, there are many more important reasons to get yourself fit and into shape than Instagram followers or the meaningless comments of strangers on your beach selfies, of which health is surely the chief one.
Well Lexi Reed, an Instagram influencer who has been documenting her weight loss journey on the photo sharing app has managed to combine the two in spectacular fashion, after losing an astonishing 312lbs over the course of two years. She has been sharing her journey with her followers, and recently underwent surgery to remove 7lbs of excess skin from her butt, thighs and stomach.
Commenting on the surgery, Reed 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,”
She later described the surgery itself on Instagram, writing;
"Drain life. I'm not going to tell you I've felt great because to be honest I've been in pain the last few days more than in my entire life. The surgery I had was a major surgery and I am so swollen plus so sore over my entire body that I cant pull myself out of bed without being lifted by @discoveringdanny.
"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 cant 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. Thank you for all your support and dealing with me while I heal!"
Losing a considerable amount of weight is a long journey that requires a lot of hard work. Lexi Reed is two years into her journey, and the results are there for all to see.
