By Savannah Young, Daily Mail Australia
Updated: July 5, 2024 02:31, July 5, 2024 02:31
A personal trainer has revealed how he prepared for a role on the hit US reality TV show.
Alexa Towersey, 42, from Sydney, was a contestant on the 2024 season of Discovery Channel’s US series Naked and Afraid, where she had to survive 21 days naked in the Colombian jungle.
In a lengthy Instagram post on Thursday, the fitness influencer shared a video of herself taking her first shower since completing the gruelling challenge, revealing that she lost 10kg during her time in the jungle.
She went on to explain the measures she took to survive for 21 days.
“Since then, I’ve been asked many times how I prepared for this challenge, and to be honest, for the most part, I just prepared myself to not be prepared,” she wrote.
“The only thing I vowed to myself is that I wouldn’t quit unless I absolutely had to. Worst case scenario, I’d curl up in the dirt and suffer the whole time. TV’s a crapshoot, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”
Alexa added that “the one thing” that was a “game changer” for her was putting on weight before the attempt so she would have enough stamina in the wilderness.
“My biggest concern going out there (besides getting eaten by a vicious alligator or a roaming mountain lion) was that I would not have the body fat reserves to withstand the hunger and cold for that amount of time,” she added.
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“So I decided to gain weight and by four weeks ago I had gained almost eight kilos.”
Alexa admitted that the process of gaining weight was uncomfortable, as she has built her fitness empire around looking a certain way.
“I’m not going to lie and say it was a comfortable process for me. It wasn’t,” she said.
“It may sound superficial, but I am very aware that my physique has earned me a brand, a business and a following, and of course I want to feel amazing when I make my naked TV debut.”
“My brain and body started to fight, but I eventually resolved all of my body image issues and came to the conclusion that I was never going to be ready to give up competing for fear of gaining weight.”
“And I think that was the best part of this whole process. I was able to focus on what I could do with my body instead of what it looked like. That was really liberating.”
“So let’s take a moment to be grateful for these tough little bodies we live in. These strong bodies give us the opportunity to do the craziest things, pursue the most epic adventures, and live the lives of our wildest dreams.”
“At the end of the day, what your body looks like is the least interesting thing about you.”
Alexa was paired with fellow survivalist Milo Miller to survive in the wild for three weeks, with incredible footage shown during the show showcasing the severe physical transformation she underwent.
In 2021, Alexa told Daily Mail Australia that she struggled with severe alcoholism from the age of 15 to 27, and revealed why quitting drinking after Easter made her feel happier and healthier.
Alexa has been sober for 15 years, having rebuilt her life after losing her father to alcoholism.
Now she works as a personal trainer and lifestyle coach, practicing what she preaches about the benefits of a sober lifestyle.
Alexa suggests that the week after big events like Christmas or Easter is a great time to consider giving up alcohol.
“Finding the ‘right’ time to quit your favourite drug can seem like an impossible decision,” the beauty told Daily Mail Australia.
“But because the beginning of spring signifies renewal, resurrection and growth, Easter is one of the best times to begin the journey.”
Alexa said that if you feel like you can’t quit completely, the best thing to do is to develop a more “conscious relationship” with alcohol in the first place.
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