A ‘morbidly obese’ mother-of-three who began binge-eating to cope with her stress and anxiety has revealed how she shed half her body weight after traveling to Mexico to undergo $4,800 weight loss surgery in the hopes of transforming her postpartum figure.
Before becoming a mother, Alexis Fish, 25, from Florida, used to eat more than 2,500 calories per day, which caused her weight to soar to 226lbs – however it wasn’t until she got pregnant that she began to pay attention to her diet and size.
During her first pregnancy, Alexis overheard doctors describing her as ‘morbidly obese’, a term that she admits ‘mentally hurt her’ and left her ‘so upset about her weight’.
After giving birth to her first child Carter, now six, in October 2014, the social media influencer felt even more uncomfortable in her postpartum body and says that she would try and hide her frame behind baggy clothing.
Transformed: Florida-based mother-of-three Alexis Fish, 25, has revealed how she shed half her body weight after flying to Mexico to undergo bariatric surgery
Before: She spent six years binge eating to cope with anxiety, however it wasn’t until doctors labeled her ‘morbidly obese’ during pregnancy that she knew she needed to make a change
After: Alexis attempted multiple fad diets but was unable to stick to any of them for longer than a week, so she decided to kick loss her weight journey by undergoing surgery
Step by step: In March 2019, Alexis flew to Tijuana to undergo a vertical sleeve procedure, and one year later, she had surgery to remove her excess skin from her weight loss
‘I was very self-conscious and hid myself under baggy clothes and constantly felt like others were staring because of my weight,’ she said.
‘Although I never got any comments directly about my weight, I would hear the doctors saying that I was morbidly obese which would mentally hurt me more than anything and I would take these words to heart which made me so upset about my weight.’
Having spent six years struggling with a binge eating disorder, Alexis decided it was time to take action – and she began researching different weight loss methods and diets in the hopes of overhauling her lifestyle once and for all.
However, despite finding dozens of fad diet options, the mother-of-three says she was never able to commit to the strict regimen for more than a week, and would always end up falling back into her unhealthy routine within days of starting a new program.
She tried all manner of diets, including a ketogenic regimen, a no-carb plan, a beach body program, and a juice cleanse, but found the crash plans ‘exhausting’ and could never commit to one for more than a week.
‘I would do all the fad diets that you see on the internet that would be amazing for a week, but then I’d slump back into old habits,’ Alexis recalled.
Struggles: Before her weight loss surgery, Alexis was eating 2,500 calories a day, and at her heaviest, she weighed 226lbs
Procedure: After the birth of her third child, Alexis was advised by her doctors to undergo a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, which restricted her food intake and helped her to lose 100lbs
Ouch: The initial weight loss surgery lasted 45 minutes and had only a week of recovery time, however in 2020, Alexis underwent a second procedure to remove her excess skin
A new woman: The mother-of-three says she looks and feels better than ever – however she has had to completely change her lifestyle in order to maintain her healthy new figure
‘It was exhausting for me and I knew my weaknesses – chocolates and soda were huge for me and I would have this mindset of I am not strong enough.’
Alexis also attempted to add regular workouts into her daily routine, but she found herself unable to do more than three minutes at a time – which left her feeling too embarrassed to carry on.
‘I would also attempt home workouts but never put the full effort in because three or four minutes after exercise, I would be exhausted and embarrassed that I couldn’t do these simple things,’ she revealed.
It wasn’t until Alexis gave birth to her third child, Chandler, in July 2018, that she found the motivation she needed to finally change her lifestyle once and for all – particularly as her weight had started to take a serious toll on her health.
‘After breaking promises to myself repeatedly I knew I had to finally put myself first,’ she said.
‘I was done having children due to medical issues such as high cholesterol and diabetes, so this was the perfect time for me to lose weight once and for all.’
New lease on life: Prior to her weight loss and excess skin surgeries, Alexis’ diet consisted of pizza, burgers, McDonald’s, soda, and sugary cereals, but she has now given those all up
Healthy: Now, Alexis focuses on fresh, healthy foods and she follows a high-protein, low-carbohydrate plan that has helped her to maintain a healthy weight of 121lbs
Ups and downs: Alexis admitted that her weight loss journey was not without its struggles – and said that it took a toll on her relationship with her partner Chris, 27
Issues: Chris initially struggled with the extra attention Alexis began receiving as a result of her weight loss and her new-found confidence
Resolved: However, the couple were able to work through their differences, and in March of this year, they tied the knot
Fairytale ending: ‘I am an overall happier person now that my health and weight are longer holding me back,’ she said
In order to kickstart her weight loss journey, Alexis decided to pursue surgical options, and when she visited her doctor in August 2018, she was advised to undergo a vertical sleeve gastrectomy – a bariatric procedure that removes part of the stomach and restricts how much food is digested.
Alexis described the surgery as ‘permanent portion control’ and says she was thrilled at the prospect of a solution to stop her struggling weight loss journey.
However, she had lost her health insurance in the US shortly before being referred to a bariatric surgeon, and was unable to afford the procedure in her home country. So, she made the decision to look at cheaper alternatives in Mexico, where she found that she could undergo the same surgery for just $4,800.
Alexis underwent the 45-minute procedure in Tijuana on March 13, 2019, and after just one week of recovery time, she was able to start moving around, and even returned to work.
‘Although I was tired, I believe that was due to the lack of food and as I returned to work, I felt better than ever,’ she recalled.
However, Alexis had to start making major changes to her lifestyle and diet; she could no longer consume the same large portions of food that she once had, and knew that she needed to focus her meals around clean, healthy options.
‘You have to enforce some new habits with this surgery,’ Alexis said, noting that – while the procedure forced her to eat smaller portions – it wouldn’t stop her from consuming high-calorie foods.
‘Calories are calories and you’ll put on weight if you eat too much of the wrong food,’ she explained. ‘I had to force myself into making better habits for my life which have stuck.’
Prior to her surgery, Alexis’ diet consisted of a host of fatty foods, with the mom admitting that a typical day would see her eating sugary cereal or McDonald’s for breakfast, fast food for lunch, and then pizza or burgers for dinner.
Now, the influencer’s diet couldn’t look more different; she has ditched sugars, breads, pasta, and soda, and now begins her day with a coffee protein shake for breakfast, followed by fruit or a protein bar as a snack.
Change: Alexis says her weight loss has left her looking and feeling better than ever – and she is also able to be a more involved parent for her three children
Business is booming! Alexis has also found fame social media influencer with over 48,000 followers on Instagram
Inspiration: She hopes that by documenting her own weight loss journey, she will help other women to see that they are not alone
‘My advice is to start now and ask your doctor about how to lose weight as this is your life and you deserve the absolute best,’ she said
For lunch, she eats a low-carb wrap with meat and salad, while dinner usually consists of a high-protein, low-carb dish ‘with lots of vegetables’.
18 months after her surgery, Alexis says she looks and feels better than ever, having dropped her weight from 226lbs to 121lbs and gone from a size 18 to a size six.
However her weight loss journey has not been without its struggles.
After her weight loss, Alexis was left with lots of loose, excess skin, and last year chose to undergo surgery to remove it – which she admitted was more painful than all three of her C-sections.
Her transformation also took a toll on her relationship with now-husband Chris, 27, who struggled to come to terms with the extra attention that she started receiving after her weight loss.
‘I think the hardest part of my weight loss journey was losing sight of my partner Chris for a little while as we both struggled with me feeling extra confident and getting lots of attention which put a strain on our relationship,’ she admitted.
Thankfully, the couple were able to overcome their issues, and in March 2021, they tied the knot.
Alexis also believes that losing weight has given her a new sense of freedom and confidence, while also helping her to become a more involved parent to her there children.
‘Losing weight has given me freedom to enjoy wearing whatever I want, play with my kids for hours and (have) a mental health release from constantly picking myself apart in the mirror.
‘I am an overall happier person now that my health and weight are longer holding me back,’ she said.