Now standing strong as a WWE Women’s Tag Team champion, thanks to a victory on the last Monday Night RAW alongside partner Nikki Cross, Alexa Bliss is very much winning at life. She’s the youngest female to earn an IFBB Pro Card, and the first woman to capture both the WWE Raw and SmackDown titles, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that “Little Miss Bliss” doesn’t have a care in the world.
But, just like the rest of us, the talented athlete suffers with her own insecurities and the champ sadly fell victim to a serious eating disorder growing up. Her touching real-life story, that of a young girl struggling with acceptance, later earning fame and fortune thanks to a positively balanced lifestyle and a passion for fitness, serves as valuable inspiration for us all.
In her iconic (September/October, 2016) cover edition of Muscle & Fitness Hers, Alexa Bliss (real name Lexie Kaufman) openly shared how she learned to battle body confidence issues by empowering herself. The exciting performer now uses her own experiences to provide encouragement to men and women around the world who may be facing similar challenges.
Talking exclusively with Muscle & Fitness in Pittsburgh, hours before her Tag Team Championship win in a Fatal 4-Way match on Monday Night RAW, where she earned gold by pinning Kairi Sane, Alexa gave us an insight into her hectic WWE lifestyle, positive outlook, and sensible attitude toward fitness and mental health.
Your WWE schedule can be pretty crazy. How do you manage to make training sessions, and eat healthy foods?
Honestly, I try to find the time that I can, because a lot of times it’s either choosing to work out, or choosing to sleep [and recover] on the road because sometimes you get to the hotel and you have to be up early in the morning, after getting to the hotel room at 2 or 3 am [after a show]. Sometimes you need sleep, and sometimes you can workout. Sometimes you choose sleep, because if you haven’t had enough sleep you won’t get a good workout.
But I actually have a gym at home that I am working on. So, when I’m home on those days, I definitely try to utilize the time. But I try to find healthy foods on the road like Whole Foods and grocery stores. I get in a quick workout when I can, and I have multiple gym memberships so wherever we are at in the country, there’s gonna be a gym that I have a membership for, and you have to find the time and make it happen.
How important is it for people to team-up and talk about body confidence issues these days?
I think it’s very important. I remember being younger and not really having anyone that I could look up to, who was actually open and honest about it. It’s a thing that people deal with through all stages of life and people have insecurities, especially now with social media it’s one hundred times worse.
So, I try to be very open and honest about body positivity and that type of thing on social media because people take it to heart. People destroy themselves trying to get elevation from people they don’t even know on social media.
A post shared by Lexi Kaufman (@alexa_bliss_wwe_) on
So, I try to be open and if I’m struggling, I’ll be honest about it and show how I get through. That’s kinda why I have the certain tattoos that I do and I’m actually getting another tattoo on my shoulder with a recovery symbol on it, and I love that. But I try to keep positive and send a positive message out there because not everyone can feel good about themselves every day, but you are worth more than what social media says.
In terms of the WWE, if you could get in the ring with a female legend, who would you choose?
Trish Stratus, because I didn’t have my match with her at Evolution.
Alexa missed out on her the dream-match with Trish Stratus due to injury last year, but will no doubt be watching closely when Trish battles Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam on Sunday night.
For further insight into the life and career of Alexa Bliss, watch her ‘365’ documentary streaming now on WWE Network. SummerSlam 2019 will be broadcast live via WWE Network also, on August 11th. For more information, and to get your first month FREE, visit WWE.com.
