While body positivity is a good thing, there’s a whole lot more to being overweight than just appearances. Danny and Lexi were becoming increasingly frustrated with all the things they just couldn’t do because of their weight. While they knew they were beyond lucky to be in such a happy, supportive relationship, it was painful to see other couples going biking together, hiking mountains, and even just enjoying long romantic walks. Meanwhile, Danny and Lexi had their life on the couch and empty calories to look forward to.
Over time, these visions and experiences were building up in the back of Lexi’s mind. Her weight was dragging her life down and holding her back. This image was becoming more and more clear and with it, a determination that she needed to turn things around. The problem was that she lacked both the knowledge and the motivation to get started. That was until a monumental event turned her life upside-down and changed everything.
Sharing Is Caring, but Not When It Comes to Bad Habits
While the loved-up couple was undeniably cute, Danny and Lexi simply weren’t comfortable with the extra weight they were each carrying around. Danny weighed about 280 pounds around the time this photo was taken. At this point in time, they were still feeding each other’s vices and, as many people do when they’re under love’s spell, they threw caution to the wind and ate whatever their hearts desired. So long as they were together, what did it matter, right?
This self-indulgence was something secret and special that the pair shared. They would sometimes spend hours at all-you-can-eat buffets, each one sounding that comforting little voice for the other that says “it’s okay to have more, you deserve it.” With unhealthy takeouts becoming the norm when they were at home, and treats indulged in whenever they went out, the pounds just kept piling on.
Caught in an Endless Cycle of Unhealthy Eating
For Lexi, breaking her unhealthy eating cycle was an overwhelming concept because it had been with her for pretty much as long as she could remember. As she explained to PopSugar: “Growing up, we never had a lot of money and my parents never cooked. Processed foods were always easier to purchase than healthy foods.”
This is a habit many people can sympathize with and it can be a particularly difficult one to break. Even when Lexi started dating Danny, the happy love chemicals weren’t enough to break her old comfort-eating habits. Quite the opposite in fact. Binge eating while binge-watching TV became the norm, and any uncomfortable emotions could always be pushed out of sight with food.
The Proposal
This right here is a picture of pure joy. After taking her on one of those romantic walks she felt she was missing out on, Danny dropped down on one knee and proposed to Lexi in the most beautifully old-fashioned way. Obviously, Lexi said “yes”. While she was over the moon, a lurking concern started to creep into Lexi’s mind. Finding a wedding dress to fit would not be an easy task, as by that time her weight had crept up to 485 pounds.
Lexi shared the difficulty she faced in a post on Instagram: “Nobody knew how to make me feel like a bride and not my size. Thank god I was strong enough to know my worth and kept searching for my 34W dress even though I questioned if I would ever find one.”
The Beautiful Bride on Her Wedding Day
While it was an emotional rollercoaster for her, Lexi did eventually find a stunning dress that fit her just right, allowing her to look and feel like the beautiful bride she was. Unfortunately, while their married life was only just starting, so was their biggest trial. The Danny and Lexi you’re looking at here had no clue as to the challenges that lay ahead of them.
As many of you know, with marriage comes talk of children. While parenthood was something both had dreams of for their future, both Lexi and their unborn child would be at risk if she were to get pregnant. While this was a big issue, it wasn’t the only dream that was in jeopardy for the newlyweds.