Alexis, a mother of three recently revealed she lost half her body weight in 18 months after having Gastric Sleeve Surgery in Mexico.  She went from a size 18 to a size 6, losing over 100 lbs from 226 lbs to 121 lbs.
 
Before becoming a mother, Alexis used to eat a high calorie diet which caused her to become extremely overweight.  It wasn’t until she became pregnant that she began to pay attention to her diet.  During her first pregnancy, she overheard doctors referring to her as “morbidly obese”, which she admits was very painful to hear and caused her a lot of mental anguish.  
 
After the birth of her first child, Alexis felt even more uncomfortable about her weight and often tried to hide behind baggy clothing.  She often felt like people were staring at her because of her weight.
 
Through much of her life, Alexis struggled with severe anxiety and coped with her stress by binge eating.  She tried all manner of diets with little to no success.  Alexis also struggled with exercising.  She found that she often couldn’t do simple exercises, and after a few minutes, she was exhausted and embarrassed to carry on.  “I would attempt home workouts but after three or four minutes, I would be exhausted and embarrassed that I couldn’t do simple exercises,” she revealed.
It wasn’t until her third pregnancy that she found the motivation she needed to finally change her lifestyle once and for all.  Her health had really begun to decline, suffering from high cholesterol and diabetes.

Alexis visited her primary care doctor who advised her to undergo a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, or Gastric Sleeve.  However, she had lost her health insurance in the U.S., and was unable to afford the procedure.  After researching surgery options, she decided to have Gastric Sleeve Surgery in Mexico and pay for the procedure out of pocket.
 
Alexis underwent the 45-minute procedure in Tijuana in March of 2019.  After a week of recovery time, she was able to return to work. “Although I was tired, I believe that was due to the lack of food.  When I returned to work, I felt better than ever,” she recalled.  
 
However, Alexis knew she had to begin making some major changes to her diet and lifestyle.  She could no longer consume large portions of food, and knew she needed to focus on new, healthy options.  
 
Priority to surgery, Alexis’ diet consisted of high carbs, sugars, and a host of fatty foods.  She now begins her day with a coffee, protein shake, followed by fruit or a protein bar or snack.  For lunch, she eats a low-carb wrap with meat and salad.  Her dinner usually consists of a high protein, low-carb dish with lots of vegetables.
 
Just 18 months after surgery, Alexis has gone from a size 18 to a size 6.  She has shed half her body weight of more than 100 lbs.  
 
She admits her weight loss journey has not been without its challenges.  After losing weight, Alexis was left with excess skin.  She admits undergoing a procedure to remove some of the excess skin.  Her transformation also took a toll on her husband, who struggled to come to terms with all the attention she began to receive after her weight loss.  
 
Alexis believes that losing weight has given her a new sense of freedom and confidence, while also allowing her to become a more involved parent to her three children.  “Losing weight has given me freedom to enjoy wearing whatever I want, play with my kids for hours without getting tired, and has freed me from picking myself apart constantly in the mirror.  Im an overall happier person now that my health and weight are no longer holding me back.”