An Australian personal trainer has opened up about her dramatic weight loss after taking part in a hit US reality TV series.
Alexa Towersey, 42, a resident of Sydney, was a contestant on the 2024 season of the Discovery Channel’s American series Naked and Afraid, where she had to survive for 21 days naked in the Colombian jungle.
In a lengthy Instagram post shared on Thursday, the fitness influencer shared a video of her first shower after completing the grueling challenge and revealed she had lost 10kg in her time in the jungle.
He went on to explain the steps he took to survive the full 21 days.
“I’ve been asked a lot since then about how I prepared for this challenge, and honestly, for the most part, I just prepared to be unprepared,” she wrote.
“The only promise I made to myself was that I wouldn’t leave the show unless I absolutely had to. Worst case scenario, I’d curl up on the floor and suffer through the duration of the show. It’s shitty television, but a girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do.”
Alexa added that the “one thing” she did that was a “radical change” for her was to gain weight in the lead-up to the challenge so she could have enough stamina in the wild.
“My biggest concern going out (aside from being eaten by a crocodile or a cougar) was that I wouldn’t have enough body fat reserves to allow me to deal with hunger or cold for that period of time,” she added.
Sydney resident Alexa Towersey, 42, has told how she prepared to take part in a hit US reality show, losing 10kg in 21 days.
“So I committed to gaining weight, and in the four weeks leading up to it I gained almost 18 pounds.”
Alexa admitted that the weight gain process was uncomfortable due to the fact that she had built her fitness empire on looking a certain way.
“I’m not going to lie and say that it was a comfortable process for me. It wasn’t,” he said.
‘As superficial as it may sound, I am very aware that I have created a brand, a business and a fan base thanks to my physique. And of course, I want to feel amazing to make my debut naked on television.
‘My brain and body went to war, but in the end I overcame all my body image issues and came to the conclusion that I was not at all ready to give up because I was too afraid of gaining weight.’
“And that’s what I think was THE BEST PART of this whole process. It allowed me to stop putting the emphasis on what my body looked like and instead focus on what I could do. And that was FUCKING FREEING.
The fitness influencer was a contestant on the 2024 season of the American Discovery Channel series Naked and Afraid, where she had to survive for 21 days naked in the Colombian jungle.
Alexa said the “one thing” she did that was a “radical change” for her was to gain weight in the lead-up to the challenge so she could have enough stamina in the wild.
‘So let’s take a moment to appreciate these tough little meat suits we live in. These strong bodies that give us the opportunity to do the craziest things, pursue the greatest adventures, and live the life of our wildest dreams.
‘At the end of the day, the least interesting thing about you is how your body looks.’
Alexa was paired with fellow survivor Milo Miller to survive three weeks in the wild, and stunning footage showed the punishing physical transformation she underwent during the show.
In 2021, Alexa told the Daily Mail Australia that she battled a crippling alcohol addiction between the ages of 15 and 27, and revealed why quitting drinking after Easter will make people feel much happier and healthier.
In 2021, Alexa told the Daily Mail Australia that she struggled with a crippling alcohol addiction between the ages of 15 and 27, and revealed why quitting drinking after Easter will make people feel much happier and healthier.
Alexa has been sober for the past 15 years since turning her life around after losing her father to alcohol addiction.
She currently works as a personal trainer and lifestyle coach, practicing what she preaches when it comes to the benefits of an alcohol-free life.
Alexa suggests that the week after big events like Christmas and Easter is a good time to consider giving up alcohol.
“Finding the ‘right’ time to quit your drug of choice can seem like an impossible decision,” the beautiful actress told Daily Mail Australia.
«But Easter is one of the best times to begin the journey, as the arrival of spring symbolizes renewal, rebirth and growth.»
Alexa said the best way to start if you feel like you can’t quit cold turkey is to develop a “more conscious relationship” with alcohol.