- Alexa was always an overweight child often snacking on carby and fatty foods through the night
- She made serious effort to lose weight multiple times, but sadly the attempts never stuck or worked
- At her heaviest, Alexa weighed 121 kilos and then came a shock diagnosis of MS
- She knew she had to make a change and in less then a year, her life changed for the better
Here Alexa Deliman, 25, tells her story in her own words
Blowing out the candles on my 21st birthday cake, I felt elated as my family and my high school sweetheart Mike, then 24, cheered.
But later, as I gazed at photos of my celebration, my stomach dropped.
Is that really me? I fretted. I didn’t look how I’d imagined.
I’d always been a bigger girl but now, stepping on the scales, I couldn’t believe it when they read 121 kilos.
Growing up in an Italian family, I was always surrounded by food such as homemade spaghetti and gnocchi, cooked with love.
It was super nourishing, and I’d always eat the same portions as my older sisters, Jenna and Gabriella, and parents, David and Christina.
While I used up lots of energy playing soccer and cheerleading, I was a serial snacker, munching on everything from fruit and vegies to leftover takeaways including pizza and tacos.
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By 13, Mum had become concerned about my weight, and we’d tried Weight Watchers together.
I didn’t have much luck though, so turned to unhealthy fad diets, and did things such as trying to stay super hydrated, hoping I’d pee out the water weight.
None of it was sustainable or sensible.
At 14, I started suffering from tingling and numbness across my body, as well as brain fog.
‘That’s not good,’ said Mum, who took me to a GP. They just dismissed us and told me it was due to my weight. Thinking I’d already tried everything, I didn’t feel spurred on to try to lose the kilos.
Once I got my license, I’d drive to fast food outlets after dinner with Mike.
I’d inhale carby and fatty foods into the night, often consuming a full day’s worth after dinner.
READ MORE: Aussie woman lost over 130kgs: ‘Docs told me I was going to die’
At 20, Covid hit and I wasn’t going out much so I stopped getting steps in and my weight crept up more. And I’d routinely order UberEats all the way into the wee hours of the morning.
By my 21st birthday, at 121kg I was at my biggest ever.
But no matter how much I exercised, or what I ate I couldn’t shed the weight.
When Mike lovingly proposed in January 2023, when I was 22, I was desperate to wear my mum’s wedding gown. It was six sizes too small – but instead of trying to slim into it, I had it made bigger.
‘You’re gorgeous,’ Mike told me on our big day.
Really happy and proud, my weight was the last thing on my mind.
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Five months into married life, the numbness was back in my toes. It spread across my body and, after eight days in hospital with tests and scans, I was given a diagnosis. ‘You have multiple sclerosis,’ a doctor revealed gently.
A chronic neurological disease, I had 43 lesions covering my brain and spinal cord, so doctors thought I’d had it for possibly 10 years, perhaps since I was a kid.
It explained the symptoms I’d had.
MS is dubbed the snowflake disease, as no two cases are exactly alike.
Faced with the scary news, Mike and my family were so supportive.
And I was so touched when my gorgeous grandparents – my nonno Robert, and nani Fortune – drove 18 hours to see me.
That’s when my nonno hit me with exactly what I needed to hear. ‘You are one tough girl. It’s time to start fighting,’ he said.
He was right. So I researched everything about MS, and looked into an anti-inflammatory diet that could perhaps help reduce flare-ups and slow its progression.
With medication to help manage my symptoms, by January 2025 the numbness had finally subsided, and I started swapping my bad food habits for healthier options, munching on vegies, fruits and protein at appropriate meal times.
As the weight began to drop off, I gradually eliminated sugars and saturated oils.
My new day on a plate was chia seed puddings, fruits, and baked vegies for brekkie and lunch.
For dinner I’d eat BBQ chicken or a Mediterranean salad, and I was careful not to snack. I didn’t ditch my all-time favourite foods – I just had healthier versions.
For instance, my beloved French toast was now with Ezekiel bread for extra fibre and protein, and using almond milk for the batter.
Of course, it wasn’t an easy transition, but Mike made the same changes in solidarity, and joined me at the gym for weight training.
In the first three months, I lost a whopping 20.4 kilos, and felt super determined to keep going.
As I kept at it, I also got fewer MS flare-ups.
Nine months after setting my goal, I reached a svelte 71 kilos. I’d lost 50 kilos in less than a year!
And Mike lost 13.6 kilos too. I was so proud of him.
‘You look so healthy and happy!’ my family smiled.
Having developed a love for fitness, I also trained as a PT and wellness coach.
I hope to spread awareness about MS along the way too.
I’m proud of the changes I’ve made for myself, and blessed to help others on their health journeys. If I can do it, anyone can!
Follow @living.withalexa on Instagram
