A woman who weighed nearly 16 stone was inspired to lose weight after receiving a cruel comment from a stranger on Tinder.
Alexandra Ulverich, 32, from Southampton, was once a size 16-18 weighing 15st 9lbs – but has since lost an impressive 6st 5lbs.
She said she would ‘comfort eat’, gorging on two takeaways per week and ‘share-size’ bars of chocolate.
But less than two years on, she now weighs 9st 4lbs and pole dances.
Alexandra began her weight loss journey after a shocking remark made by a man on dating website Tinder after she politely rejected him.
Alexandra Ulverich, 32, lost almost a third of her bodyweight after receiving a cruel comment from a man on Tinder (pictured as a size 6 after weight loss)
The law graduate from Southampton said she would ‘comfort eat’, gorging on two takeaways per week and ‘share-size’ bars of chocolate (pictured as a size 16-18 before her weight loss)
He shamelessly told her: ‘A woman as big you should be lucky that someone is showing interest’.
The international business law graduate said: ‘I’d always been slim, but really started to put weight on during my twenties.
‘I was miserable, and when and man on a dating website commented about my weight, I knew I needed to do something about it.
‘Now, I’m so much more confident.’
During her teens, Alexandra, who is 5ft 4in, weighed 9st 8lbs and wore size 8-10 clothing.
But she struggled with anxiety and emetophobia – a fear of vomiting or witnessing other people being sick.
At 24, she began comfort eating after her anxiety became ‘so bad that she couldn’t leave the house’ and said antidepressants prescribed by the doctor didn’t help.
Alexandra would gorge on two burger or pizza takeaways per week, share-size bars of chocolate – while even cooking from home meant huge portions of pasta and rice.
Alexandra was a size 16-18, weighing 15st 9lbs (left) – but has lost an impressive 6st 5lbs in less than two years (right)
As a result, she gained 5st 7lbs, and by the time she was 30, she weighed 15st 9lbs and wore size 16-18 clothes.
Alexandra, now a dress size 6-8, commented: ‘I hated my body. I couldn’t bear clothes shopping because nothing would fit me, and when I did find something, it’d just look frumpy.
‘I no longer recognised myself.’
Alexandra tried various diets, but found that she could never shift the pounds.
She explains: ‘I thought to lose weight, I’d have to eat nothing.
‘I was too restrictive and ended up craving unhealthy food even more. I had no idea about nutrition.’
After receiving the comment from a stranger on Tinder, she said: ‘I knew I was overweight, but hearing it from someone else was upsetting.
‘I stepped on the scales and when I saw that I was 15st 9lbs, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
She said she ‘hated’ her body before she lost weight and believed she looked ‘frumpy’ in clothes
Alexandra started meal planning and controlling her portions, and took on pole dancing and exercising with kettlebells
‘Enough was enough. I had to make a change for myself. I was fed up with being unhappy.’
In May 2022, Alexandra started walking 10,000 steps every day and restricted herself to 2000 calories.
After a couple of months, she reduced this to 1600 calories.
She meal-planned and made sure her portions were controlled, but ultimately ate what she wanted – never skipping dessert.
For dinner, Alexandra would often have homemade burgers and incorporated lots of protein and vegetables into her diet.
Within a year, Alexandra lost 5st and in May 2023, she started pole dancing and exercised with kettlebells at home five or six times a week.
Alexandra had previously tried diets and could never shift the weight, but made more changes after a cruel comment on Tinder (pictured before)
She started walking 10,000 steps every day and restricted herself to 2000 calories, which she later reduced to 1,600 (pictured after)
Alexandra says: ‘I was still struggling with my anxiety, but exercising really boosted my mood.
‘I started to feel so much fitter and working out became easier.’
Now, less than two years on, Alexandra weighs 9st 4lbs and is a size 6-8.
She added: ‘It took some time to see results, but when I did, it felt amazing. I now get lots of compliments from people, telling me how good I look.
‘I love shopping because I know I can dress however I like. When I look in the mirror, I feel happy.
