Ellie Rodriguez, a Syntrax Ambassador, has battled being overweight her whole life. She constantly struggled with her weight due to medical conditions that made any weight loss an extreme challenge.
At the age of 16, she suffered a stroke. For years following, she lived with fear and anxiety of having another stroke. This led Ellie on a journey that totally changed her life.
“This journey has taught me that your mental health is JUST as important as your physical health,” said Ellie. “Undergoing such a huge transformation can take a major toll on you, but stay true to who you are and push toward your goals.”
In April 2016, at 345 pounds, Ellie decided to make a change and have a vertical sleeve gastrectomy. It was not just a surgery to help with her weight loss, but a complete lifestyle change.
"At this point in my journey, I didn't even know if the sleeve would work for me or if I would even lose weight," said Ellie. "Failure was not an option for me so I put my mind, body, and soul into transforming."
Following the procedure, Ellie began exercising on a regular basis and following a keto diet. In her diet, she lowered her intake of carbohydrates mixed with high volumes of protein and fat. This helps Ellie burn fat while building and maintaining muscle.
“There were days my depression got so bad I didn’t even want to get out of bed, but I kept pushing myself for greatness and that is what I am achieving,” shared Ellie.
Since April 2016, she has lost 9 pant sizes, 4 shirt sizes, over 70 inches and a total of 185 pounds! Through her health journey, she was able to completely reverse her pre-diabetes, PCOS, and fatty liver disease. All of these achievements greatly reduces her risk of having another stroke.
“Don’t stop until you get what makes you happy because anything is possible if you put your mind to it,” said Ellie.
Today, Ellie shares her journey on her Instagram page @sleeve_queen. She continues to push herself to reach her goals and inspire others to make a lifestyle change regardless of the obstacles they face.
Written by
