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Lexi Reed already lost a whopping 312 lbs. — but these last 7 lbs. are just as big of a deal.

The weight loss influencer, who is best known on Instagram as @fatgirlfedup, underwent skin removal surgery on Wednesday to take off 7 lbs. of loose skin on her stomach, thighs and butt.

Reed, 28, documented every step of the experience on her Instagram account, from her pre-surgery appointments to the lengthy recovery that she’s going through now. One day before the surgery, she talked about what it will entail.

“Nine hours of surgery and a 360 bottom lift tomorrow. This is a major surgery and I will have to spend six weeks recovering before I am able to hit the gym,” she wrote. “This surgery is something that is not easy for me to do as it means I have to take off time from the things I love, my work, my workouts, my routine, my life, and my many responsibilities. However I know that it’ll be worth it.”

And on Halloween, Reed’s surgeon, Dr. Joseph Michaels, successfully took out a 3-ft. wide and 1.5-ft. tall section of skin from her abdomen, along with two smaller pieces from her outer thighs.

Reed said she was thrilled and ready for the surgery after dealing with the extra skin for so long, but admitted that the pain is worse than she expected.

“Surgery is even harder and more painful than expected but I know I’m in good hands,” she wrote on Saturday. “I’m in a lot of pain. I’ve never had surgery before and I’ve cried daily multiple times. I am determined to heal and give recovery my all.”

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In another post, Reed said that she knows it will take time for her body to heal.

“I spent the last few days sleeping but I am determined to show my body the care it deserves and heal at my own pace,” she said. “I am slowly able to use the bathroom on my own and getting better at walking daily. I am getting over my fear of needles and accepting the shots. I still can’t laugh or cough due to the pain in my abdomen from where it was repaired. If I do it hurts so bad that I start sobbing. However I know that I had to go through this pain to get to the other side. I know I have to be strong because there are too many counting on me for me to be weak. One day all of these struggles will be worth it.”

And by Monday, Reed said that she was feeling better, and was able to go for walks every two hours.

Reed first committed to losing the weight as a New Years’ resolution in January 2016. Along with her husband, Danny, the two ditched fast food, soda and alcohol, and started meal prepping and tracking their calories. Along with plenty of time in the gym, they managed to lose all their weight naturally — Lexi is now 312 lbs. lighter, and Danny has dropped 95 lbs.

Lexi told PEOPLE for the 2018 Half Their Size issue that the couple loves their lives now.

“It wasn’t about the weight that we lost but the life we gained,” she said.