An Australian personal trainer has opened up about her dramatic weight loss after starring on a popular American reality series.
Alexa Towersey, 42, from Sydney, was a contestant on the 2024 season of the US series Naked and Afraid on Discovery Channel, where she had to survive naked in the Colombian jungle for 21 days.
In a lengthy Instagram post shared on Thursday, the fitness influencer shared a video of herself showering for the first time after completing the grueling challenge, revealing that she lost 20 pounds during her time in the jungle.
She then explained the steps she took to survive the full 21 days.
“I have been asked many times since then how I prepared for this challenge. To be honest, I mostly prepared to be unprepared,” she wrote.
“The only promise I made to myself was that I wouldn’t stop unless I absolutely had to. Worst case scenario, I’d just lay low and suffer the whole time. S**t TV, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”
Alexa added that the “one thing” she did that was a “game changer” for her was gaining weight in the lead-up to the challenge so she had enough stamina in the wilderness.
“My biggest concern going there (besides being eaten by a crocodile or a wandering puma) was that I wouldn’t have enough body fat to withstand the hunger or the cold for that amount of time,” she added.
Alexa Towersey, 42, from Sydney, has opened up about how she prepared to take part in a hit US reality series where she lost 10kg in 21 days
“So I decided to gain weight, and in the next four weeks I gained almost 18 pounds.”
Alexa admitted that gaining weight was uncomfortable because she built her fitness empire on looking a certain way.
“I’m not going to lie and say this was a comfortable process for me. It wasn’t,” she said.
‘As superficial as it sounds, I’m very aware that I’ve built a brand, a business and a following on having a certain body type. And of course, you want to feel like you look fucking amazing for a naked TV debut.
“My brain and my body were at war, but eventually I addressed all of my body image issues and came to the conclusion that I was absolutely not ready to give up because I was too afraid of gaining weight.”
‘And I think that’s THE BEST PART of this whole process. It allowed me to shift the focus from what my body looked like to what it could do. And that was F*CKING LIBERATING.
The fitness influencer was a contestant on the 2024 season of Discovery Channel’s American series Naked and Afraid, where she had to survive naked in the Colombian jungle for 21 days
Alexa said the “one thing” she did that was a “game changer” for her was gaining weight leading up to the challenge so she would have enough stamina in the wilderness.
‘So let’s take a moment to appreciate these resilient little meatsuits we live in. These strong bodies that give us the chance to do the craziest things, pursue the greatest adventures, and live the lives of our wildest dreams.
“Ultimately, the appearance of your body is the least interesting thing about you.”
Alexa was paired with fellow survivalist Milo Miller to survive in the wilderness for three weeks, with stunning footage showing the dramatic physical transformation she underwent during the show.
In 2021, Alexa told Daily Mail Australia that she struggled with a debilitating alcohol addiction between the ages of 15 and 27. She explained why people feel much happier and healthier when they quit drinking after Easter.
In 2021, Alexa told Daily Mail Australia that she struggled with a debilitating alcohol addiction between the ages of 15 and 27. She revealed why people feel much happier and healthier when they quit drinking after Easter.
Alexa has been sober for 15 years since she turned her life around after her father died from alcohol addiction.
Today she works as a personal trainer and lifestyle coach, putting her principles about the benefits of a life without alcohol into practice.
Alexa suggests that the week after big events like Christmas and Easter is a good time to skip alcohol.
“Finding the ‘right’ time to stop your drug of choice can seem like an impossible decision,” the beauty told Daily Mail Australia.
“But Easter is one of the best times to begin your journey, because the beginning of spring represents renewal, rebirth and growth.”
According to Alexa, the best way to start developing a “more mindful relationship” with alcohol is if you feel like you can’t completely quit cold turkey.