WEIGHING in at 14 stone – Alexa Nicole Robles was beginning to struggle with her job as a teaching assistant.
She could no longer run after the kids and was constantly anxious about standing in front of a class full of students and teachers.
However, the final straw that kick-started the 22-year-old's weight-loss journey was when her then-boyfriend made a cruel comment about her physical appearance.
Determined to do something about her weight, Alexa, from North Carolina in the US, decided to try the keto diet and has since lost an impressive six stone in one year.
She is now happier than ever in her trim eight stone figure, and is hoping she might inspire others to follow in her footsteps.
She said: "Being overweight was impacting my life in major ways, so this weight-loss journey has changed everything.
"I am no longer afraid, and I no longer suffer from anxiety."
Alexa had always struggled with her weight ever since she was a little girl – which in turn affected her friends and her social life.
She told Women's Health Mag: "For as long as I can remember, I've always been on the heavier side.
"I always felt like hiding because I was uncomfortable with being overweight—so my social life suffered."
And as well as her social life, her weight also began to impact her professional life as a teaching assistant.
She couldn't keep up with the children she was teaching and felt self-conscious the whole time about how she looked in her work clothes while stood in front of a room full of people.
However, it was a harsh comment from her then boyfriend that really made Alexa realise she needed to lose weight.
#transformationtuesday . . 190➡️111.8 . . Happy to say the girlie on the left no longer exists and I am SO much happier! I used to wear norts (Nike shorts, if you’re from NC you see this everywhere LOL) and over sized T-shirt’s because COMFORT but also because I was very insecure with my weight BUT I am no longer hiding myself behind baggy shirts and comfy clothes (comfy clothes ily) LOL anyways a little update…Since I have reached my goal weight I am strictly maintaining the weight and no longer trying to lose weight. I am still living a ketogenic lifestyle just because I SWEAR by this lifestyle and could NEVER see myself going back to binge eating carbs and over eating! Anyone in the NC area keto? Comment below? . . . #keto #ketodiet #ketotransformation #ketogeniclifestyle #intermittentfasting #lchf #lowcarb #lchfdiet #ketofam #ketocommunity #ketoweightloss #ketosis ketofam #ketomealplan #ketolunch #ketostyle #ketojourney #intermittentfasting #keto #ketodiet #ketotransformation #ketogeniclifestyle #intermittentfasting #ketodinner #ketoaf #ketolifestyle #ketofood #ketofoodporn #ketorecipes #ketobreakfast #ketogirl
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She said: "I knew I was overweight, and I knew I was unhealthy.
"I knew my weight was impacting basically every aspect of my life. But his comment really hurt. It was the final straw.
"So instead of crying and sitting on my bed and eating my feelings, like I might have previously, I channeled that rage into kickstarting my weight-loss journey.
"I was determined to figure out how to love myself, and I wasn’t going to let anyone make me feel that way ever again."
Being overweight was impacting my life in major ways, so this weight-loss journey has changed everything. I am no longer afraid, and I no longer suffer from anxiety
Alexa started googling different weight loss programmes and stumbled across the keto diet when a friend posted her own results on Instagram.
"I was intrigued, so I Googled the keto diet right away and fell in love with what I saw. I jumped right in," she said.
The keto diet involves eating lots of "good" fat, to curb hunger pangs, while cutting out carbs and eating moderate amounts of protein.
It's said to boost energy levels and help speed up weight loss.
To start with, Alexa limited herself to a total of 13 grams of carbs a day.
She did this for the first six and a half months and then transitioned into eating 20 grams of net carbs per day.
Alexa managed to drop six stone in just a year by doing this – and allowing herself the treat of dark chocolate for dessert every day.
And sooner rather than later, Alexa also began to see her regain her confidence.
Alexa's top weight loss tips
- Research, research, research! I can’t stress this enough. What works for others may not work for you, so definitely do your own research and find an approach that seems like it will work with your lifestyle.
- Track your macronutrients. You'll definitely need to log how much fat, protein, and carbs you're eating if you’re on the keto diet. I couldn't have seen the results I did without tracking.
- Keep your eye on the prize. There were so many times when I wanted to give up, but I just stayed focused on that end goal and thought about how far I had come already.
#transformationtuesday . . 190➡️111.8 ???? . . . When I look back at my old pictures I don’t get embarrassed. It’s silly to hide who you were from people. Yes, I was overweight and loved food but HEY I decided I wanted to change that and 6.5-9 months later i did it!!! I got to my goal weight and now live the best ketogenic lifestyle ever! It’s possible? . .oh and best of all I still love food only now I have the BEST relationship with it? . . . #keto #ketodiet #ketotransformation #ketogeniclifestyle #intermittentfasting #lchf #lowcarb #lchfdiet #ketofam #ketocommunity #ketoweightloss #ketosis #ketofam #ketomealplan #ketolunch #ketostyle #ketojourney #intermittentfasting #keto #ketodiet #ketotransformation #ketogeniclifestyle #intermittentfasting #ketodinner #ketoaf #ketolifestyle #ketofood #ketofoodporn #ketorecipes #ketobreakfast #ketogirl
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She said: "I no longer cared what anyone said about me because this journey was about me and loving who I saw in the mirror, seeing how far she had come.
"I loved the feeling of being able to get up and look forward to getting a workout in, the feeling of not being afraid of walking into a room or that I'd get terrible anxiety."
Once Alexa got the hand of eating low-carb, she then started going to the gym every day.
She added: "I’m still only doing cardio, using machines like the elliptical and the treadmill, and will be incorporating weights and other things to help tone my body soon."
Alexa is now documenting her weight loss journey on Instagram in a bid to help inspire other slimmers.
In particular, she is keen to remind others that weight loss "takes time".
She says: "This is a journey, not a race. Don't compare your path to anyone else’s.
5️⃣ MONTHS‼️‼️ . . Thought I’d update y’all and let you guys know I’ve LOST 6️⃣0️⃣ pounds in 5️⃣ months‼️‼️ I started keto in July of 2018. I came in this VERY determined to lose the extra weight and was hitting the gym everyday HARD for the first 3 months. I am now 130, I came in weighing at 190..VERY embarrassing , I know LOL, but 120-115 here we come?? . It is possible!!! Don’t EVER let anyone tell you that you can’t do it!!! I had several people tell me that I couldn’t do it, or that keto wasn’t “right” for me but I suggest doing whatever works for you. For me keto, IF and working out has helped me the most. Keep going y’all and thanks for all the support. . . #keto #ketodiet #ketotransformation #ketogeniclifestyle #intermittentfasting #lchf #lowcarb #lchfdiet #ketofam #ketocommunity #ketoweightloss #ketosis #ketofam #ketomealplan #ketolunch #ketostyle #ketojourney #intermittentfasting #keto #ketodiet #ketotransformation #ketogeniclifestyle #intermittentfasting #ketodinner #ketoaf #ketolifestyle #ketofood #ketofoodporn #ketorecipes #ketobreakfast #ketogirl #ketoweightloss
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"Weight is something that so many women struggle with, but know that you have the power to do something about it.
"The confidence I lacked, I finally I have now.
"I worked through the obstacles that were holding me back from living my best life—and I’m so happy to say that I did this for me, not anyone else."
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