Lexi Lost 50 Pounds in 8 Months Using This $20 Amazon Purchase

"I knew I was gaining weight at a fast pace. Every season I went up an entire pant size," she told POPSUGAR. "I didn't like what I was seeing in the mirror, I hated going shopping for clothes, and most certainly didn't want to be in any pictures. I knew I needed to change because I was simply unhappy with who I was becoming."

Lexi's journey began on Jan. 1, 2018, at 178 pounds. It was the first New Year's resolution she has ever successfully finished. "It was originally to just lose 10 pounds by summertime, and look how far it brought me."

"I bought some $20 bento boxes from Amazon to use for meal prepping," she said. "Even if I didn't have time to prep, I put my food in the box instead of on a plate because my biggest struggle was overeating. These boxes really helped me with my portion control."

Lexi also started eating clean and stopped buying foods that were in a box, frozen dinners, and fast foods. She did rough estimates on calories and macros, consuming about 1,500 to 1,700 calories a day (her calorie intake is higher now that she works out more). Lexi added, "Protein was the macro I focused on the most. I tried to eat half my bodyweight and sometimes more in grams of protein."

Breakfast: Two slices of Dave's Killer Bread with one mashed avocado and boiled egg spread on top. She adds a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of chia seeds to finish it off. "Weird, I know, but it is delicious!"

Lunch: She likes to make a salad with a bag of StarKist tuna since it's a big time-saver for protein. "I normally have spring mix, blueberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, almonds, light feta cheese, and top it off with some light balsamic vinaigrette dressing."

Dinner: Chicken breast stuffed with asparagus, red peppers, and feta cheese cooked on the grill. "I normally pair this with cottage cheese or a sweet potato."

Snacks: "I love anything made by the brand Kashi. I love their bars, cereal, and of course the cookies are amazing!"

Lexi's workout schedule started in baby steps. "At first, I went to a local gym and left within minutes. I then decided I would walk in the evenings. Walking led to cycling and cycling led to me setting up a home gym." She added that she tries to work out three to four times a week. "It has taken me months to get to where I am."

Lexi was able to lose 50 pounds in seven to eight months. "My significant other was deployed for the duration of my major weight loss. His homecoming was my drive to keep pushing myself to do better. Talk about a surprise when he finally came home! Now, we both keep each other balanced and motivated. Our relationship is stronger than ever before."

Apart from being able to move from a size 14 to a size four, "I have more self-confidence and self-love," Lexi shared. She's more positive, and her glass is always half-full now. She has energy to do anything, and her sleeping schedule has improved dramatically.

Another bonus? "No more acne! My face has become so clear." What's more, the issues she had with her digestive tract are no longer there — all amazing things!

These are the biggest lessons Lexi told us she learned: