Fitness Influencer Lexi Reed Lost over 300 Lbs – Her Incredible Transformation

Once unable to walk a quarter mile, Lexi Reed has made a staggering transformation — reclaiming her health, surviving a rare and terrifying disease, and now proudly sharing proof of just how far she's come. Her posts now carry a bold message of self-love, resilience, and recovery.

In March 2025, Lexi Reed bravely posted a video of herself wearing a swimsuit — something she hadn't dared to do publicly in years.

Standing tall and poised in front of the camera, she marked a deeply personal victory, quietly stepping back into a piece of her life she once thought was gone forever.

Just a few summers earlier, the idea of swimming was unimaginable. Reed was fighting for her life, battling a rare and agonizing disease that left her in unimaginable pain and stripped her of mobility.

Even before that, swimsuits were a source of stress, as she endured unwanted stares about her size and, later, harsh judgment about her skin after losing more than 300 pounds.

Healing Beyond the Physical

Her post, defiantly titled "Scars, Skin, Self Love & Swimsuits," captured the enormity of what she had overcome—not just in terms of pounds lost or physical recovery, but in reclaiming her right to live fully. In a caption brimming with strength and self-confidence, she declared:

“This summer I'm taking my power back & i refuse to hide my body, take it for granted, or not wear the swimsuits!”

Life on the Sidelines

When she was just 24, Reed tipped the scales at 485 pounds. She couldn't walk even a quarter mile without needing to stop. Stairs were impossible to navigate. And she had to avoid entire categories of fun — canoes, roller coasters, airplane seats — because her size made them dangerous, or flat-out impossible.

She wasn't just physically restricted — she was emotionally shackled. She had to watch others live their lives while she stood still. "I felt like a prisoner in my own body," she confessed, words that reflect a soul desperate for freedom.

The Start of a Reluctant Fitness Journey

Then came 2016. A single New Year's resolution changed the trajectory of her life. She and her husband joined forces, pledging to cut out cheat meals, fast food, soda, and alcohol for one full month. Together, they started a war against the lifestyle that had held them back.

"I was as far from a fitness enthusiast as you can get, but I was fed up with the life I was living," she admitted. A supportive friend stepped in to help build their new routine, pushing them into the gym five days a week. What began as an act of desperation turned into something much deeper.

Those early weeks were brutal. Reed had spent years relying on fast food, eating in front of the television after long days at work. She didn't enjoy cooking and had no real interest in meal prep until she began learning, one healthy recipe at a time. That simple shift cracked open a new world she never expected to love.

Instead of giving up her favorite flavors, Reed reimagined them with healthier twists — lettuce-wrapped tacos replaced greasy fast food, cauliflower crust stood in for traditional pizza, and sweet potatoes took the place of fries. Her approach wasn't rigid — it was realistic and sustainable.

By sticking to high-protein, low-carb meals and tracking her calories, Reed discovered she didn’t have to deprive herself. One treat meal a week — often Chinese takeout — kept her grounded. Planning and preparation became her new secret weapons.

Pushing Past the Pain

Exercise was foreign and humiliating at first. Joint pain turned every step into a struggle. But Reed pushed through, aiming for just 30 minutes on the elliptical at first. Her husband became her rock, holding her accountable on days when her body begged her to quit.

As the weeks went on, her endurance began to improve. She could walk farther, hike longer, and eventually fit into booths and movie theater seats, milestones that marked real change in her daily life. The gym wasn't punishment anymore. It was a lifeline.

Over time, Reed began to enjoy working out, treating it as a way to manage stress and stay grounded. She exercised six days a week, mixing cardio with strength training to keep things varied. Her routine included walking, biking, Zumba, running, and even canoeing.

Finding Her People and Her Purpose

Alongside the physical changes, Reed built a sense of accountability that extended beyond her home. She launched an Instagram account to document her transformation and connect with others going through similar experiences.

She also joined a program, where participants commit to short-term weight loss goals with a cash incentive. Over time, she hosted several of her own games, building a community of followers motivated to reach their goals together.

A Health Crisis That Nearly Claimed Her Life

But in early 2022, Reed's health crashed without warning. She began feeling sick and was unable to keep food down. Soon after, her behavior changed noticeably, prompting her husband to take her to the hospital.

There, doctors admitted her to the ICU, placed her in a medically induced coma, and put her on a ventilator. Her organs had begun to fail, and medical staff warned that had her arrival been delayed, the outcome could have been fatal.

A Rare and Terrifying Diagnosis

The diagnosis was grim: calciphylaxis, a rare and serious condition in which calcium builds up in small blood vessels, restricting blood flow and leading to painful skin lesions and open wounds.

In most cases, the disease affects individuals with advanced kidney issues, and it can lead to infections, sepsis, and in some cases, death. According to medical experts, calciphylaxis is extremely rare, especially outside of dialysis patients, and occurs more frequently in women.

Reed's case involved more than 30 wounds across her body. She required dialysis, was unable to walk, and faced a long and uncertain road to recovery. Without health insurance at the time, the situation placed additional strain on her family as they focused entirely on getting her stable.

Her priorities shifted dramatically. This wasn't about the scale anymore — it was about staying alive. The physical limitations returned, but this time they came from medical trauma rather than size. Even simple movements became difficult again, and activities like swimming were no longer possible.

Rebuilding a Body and a Spirit

After months of medical intervention, dialysis, and physical therapy, Reed began to regain her strength. The wounds took time to heal, and even as her body recovered, she faced a new reality — living with visible scars and the physical effects of both the disease and her dramatic weight loss.

Now in remission, Reed has returned to parts of her life that were once off-limits, including the ability to swim. Her decision to post swimsuit photos was not about appearance but about regaining access to everyday experiences.

As she stood in front of the camera, she wasn't begging for approval. She wasn't waiting to meet anyone's ideal. She was standing in her truth and refusing to hide what her body had survived.

Turning Criticism Into Fuel

Reed acknowledged the cruel remarks she's received over the years — not just about her size before her weight loss, but also about her skin afterward. One of the most memorable came from a family member, who told her to cover up her legs when she first tried on a swimsuit post-weight loss.

But instead of letting that moment define her, she used it as fuel to step further into her own space and set the tone for how others would view her. She said:

“I didn't expect to learn just how strong and capable I am and how beautiful life can be.”

Today, Lexi Reed shares one central message: gratitude. Gratitude for her body, her recovery, her freedom to move again. Her scars are part of that message, and she's made the powerful choice not to hide them.