A Detox and Weight Loss Journey with Alexia Adams, Professional Athlete, TV Personality

The sky is the limit for Alexia Adams, a young, driven, television personality, health enthusiast, humanitarian and retired professional athlete. In the summer of 2021, Alexia made her television debut on season two of Own's “Put a Ring On It.”  She also appeared in “Uncle Drew,” a sports comedy film that aired in 2018 with Kyrie Irving, Shaquille O’Neal and other prominent athletes.  Alexia is now working on other film projects. Off camera, Alexia is a brand influencer for Drink2Shrink, a detox and weight loss drink. She also works as the marketing director and a brand manager for a premier global sports and entertainment agency, and as an Atlanta Hawks Player Development Program Affiliate.

This is the Alexia Adams story, a story that is still being written and is sure to inspire and motivate young people, especially young girls to go after their dreams and shoot for the stars just like Alexia Adams.

Vince Ferguson

Alexia, how are you today?

Alexia Adams:

I'm great. Long week.

Vince Ferguson:

Long week. I hear you. So let's start from the beginning. Where did it start for you, Alexia? Where did you grow up and what was your childhood like?

Alexia Adams:

I was born in Jacksonville, Florida, but we lived in St. Augustine. They moved up to Atlanta, Marietta, Georgia, when I was seven. So when I was a kid, the only people I really was around was my family, my dad's brother, which is my uncle. Our families kind of moved up here together. And then honestly, I just wanted to be like my dad and my brother when I was little. So I used to mimic and follow my brother everywhere. And then my dad threw in basketball. He was an ex-basketball player. Played football, baseball, ran track volleyball, he did it all. So I said, "Well, I want to do what he... I want to do it too."

Alexia Adams:

But honestly, when he first introduced basketball to me, I hated it. I didn't like it, but I wanted to do it because I knew he did it. I was probably like the worst my first year. But when I saw how bad I was, I worked that hard that Summer and the next I was the best player in the Youth League.

Vince Ferguson:

Really?

Alexia Adams:

Yeah.

Vince Ferguson:

So you attribute that to hard work?

Alexia Adams:

Yep. Yep. Because I used to... I would see my brother pick up a ball, go up the street to the basketball court. I would just go with him.

Vince Ferguson:

Really, really? So when you say your brothers or your father were your role models?

Alexia Adams:

I would say my father and my mom are my role models. I would say growing up, I wanted to be like my brother. But as we got older, he would just get on my nerve and I just feel like the way I think, me and my father we pretty much think just alike.

Vince Ferguson:

Really? Are you very close with your parents now, today?

Alexia Adams:

Yeah. I'm close with both of them. Probably more so my dad. But I pick and choose what I want to talk to. One of them about my dad is sports and men. My mom is business. I go to both of them. So, yeah.

Vince Ferguson:

Really. The best of both worlds there.

Alexia Adams:

Yeah.

Vince Ferguson:

And you can talk to your father about men?

Alexia Adams:

Yeah.

Vince Ferguson:

And your mom, you can talk to her about what? About girly things?

Vince Ferguson:

Oh, well just business. My mom, she's a Regional Director for Family Dollars all in Atlanta. They're all, she's overseeing all of them. So my mum, it's four kids. So it was my brother, it was me, it was my two little sisters. And the two little sisters were always with my mom. Me and my brother are a year apart. I'm 35, he's 36. Then my baby sisters are 30 and 29. So we were just kind of like, they would be with her, we'd be with my dad, even though we all lived together. So they didn't do sports. We did sports. And I think they're more of the book, the smart ones, you know what I mean? They're all into the books. My sister's she's the biggest on saving. Me and my brother we just think we lived that life. So me and my brother are kind of like. I don't know, it's weird. But we've all been pretty close.

Vince Ferguson:

Nice. Nice. One big happy family though, I would say.

Alexia Adams:

Yep.

Vince Ferguson:

With all the sports that you could have played, because again, I'm sure in addition to basketball, you've probably tried your hand at other sports as well. Why did you choose basketball above the rest?

Alexia Adams:

Personally, just because my dad made me. Then I found a passion for it, but in high school because I just whatever didn't want to go home. I just wanted to be out with my friends. And I was quick on the court, I did track. So I tried out for the track team, ended up being the second fastest on the whole team. So I ran with track. Did triple jump, 4 by 100, 200, long jump, triple jump. But my actual biggest offers were from track. And I did volleyball too, but I had Division one offers from all of them. I was way better in track. I had offers like Clemson, Georgia, but my passion was basketball. So the original school I picked was Gardner-Webb. It was Division one. I actually took a Track's scholarship because the basketball coach heard about me late and he just kept calling my mom like, "Make her take the track scholarship. We need her on our team, blah, blah, blah."

Alexia Adams:

I go out to North Carolina. I feel like he tricked me. He didn't really explain that he had... I wasn't paying attention either. That he had a senior point guard. I'm thinking he's bringing us in to play together. Really, he just wanted me to, I guess, be a sit out and wait until she graduated. But I was already done with that school. So I was like, you know what? Let me just go D2. So I don't have to sit out and I transferred and finished that

Vince Ferguson:

Amazing. So you went from a division one to division two school?

Alexia Adams:

From a Track Scholarship also to Basketball Scholarship.

Vince Ferguson:

Basketball Scholarship? Wow. Now I know that... But in your wildest dreams though, could you even imagine that you would become a professional basketball player?

Alexia Adams:

I think when we're younger, we all have these big goals and we see television and I want to be like we Lisa Leslie or Cynthia Cooper. But as you get older also, you see like it start to diminish. Middle school, I stood out. High school even I stood out as a Freshman, but I also noticed that I wasn't getting as much help trying to get over to college. It was really me doing all out of work and not so much my school, like it is a powerhouse now. And I feel like once I got to college, once I transferred, once I went Division two and went to HBCU, I started to see like, "I don't know this is really going to go." But I still had this fire in me after I graduated. I went to Savannah moved, placed in my pro, that when I came home in the Summer, when that season was over. I got a call from one of my best friends, her name's [Jenise Trainer 00:06:45].

Alexia Adams:

And she was like, "Meet me at Georgia Tech and bring your basketball shoes." And I'm thinking like, "Okay, I'll go play. I'm thinking we better go play." I walk in the gym. And immediately a woman starts screaming at me like, "Hurry, put your shoes on, sign the waiver." It was the Atlanta Dream. So pretty much at the inner practice, she told me they were in the Eastern Conference finals. And that I could finish out on the practice team. They would give me tickets. They would give me gear to the games and I could put it on my resume.

Alexia Adams:

Once I was able to put that Atlanta Dream stamped on my resume, one of my best friends that I met in Savannah, this is how the world is so small, that played on the team. She played one game with me in Savannah, because she came from overseas. She called me and she said, "Hey, my agent's looking for a guard. Where's your film?" And I said, "Let me shoot it to you." And I updated my resume. Once he saw Atlanta Dream, they obviously did the background check to see if that was true. That's how I got my first job overseas. Wow.

Vince Ferguson:

Wow. Really? And you played in various places. I mean, what? Romania, Belgium, Serbia, Mexico. How was that experience playing overseas? How was that for a young African American woman?

Alexia Adams:

I would say I would never trade it for the world because I've learned a lot too. Nobody really knows this too much. My first contract overseas was trash. It was under a $1,000, 800 bucks.

Vince Ferguson:

What?

Alexia Adams:

Nobody knows that. So I tell people this story because I'm like, "I just wanted the opportunity." I came from a division two school, it was only three or four Americans on the team. And I was the only American that really didn't have a big resume like that. So I went out there, took the chance. I said, "Man, I just need this chance to prove I can do it." Played pretty good. The team even with that money had issues with pay. They were months behind on the cheque. So then at Christmas I switched teams. They saw me play from the first team, stayed in the same country.

Alexia Adams:

Still took some little money. But after that first year, I proved that I can obviously do this at a high level. That's when all my realistic offers started coming. So to be a black woman in a whole another country, and they barely try to understand you. They kind of really want you to learn the language because we're at practice. They're speaking Romania. I'm like, "I know y'all talking about me." So we would start... The Americans would kind of just hang, and then we started hanging with them a little that they would teach us the basics to where we were around them so much we started to comprehend, maybe not speak it so much, but understand what was going on.

Alexia Adams:

So it was a gift, a curse, a blessing all at once because I didn't have much money and I just wanted a chance travel the world, do what I love. And then after that first year, I pretty much set the standard that I could do this. And I was good after that.

Vince Ferguson:

Oh, most definitely. Did you have doubters? People who doubted your ability to make it?

Alexia Adams:

I will say before I ever went overseas, yeah. And it's crazy, my college basketball coach, his name is Robert Skinner. He would always tell me specifically, like, "You're not going anywhere after college. You might as well hang it up, give it up." And he would say that, that when I finally went overseas, he was one of the first people I think I talked to after that year. I think he called me, I can't remember if I called him. And he said, "You know Alexia, I was wrong about you." And he was like... And it kind of felt good because I felt like he always had a target on my back.

Alexia Adams:

He felt like, I thought I was better because I came from a division one school, which I was. But at the end of the day I was at a HBCU school. It was a lot favoritism going on and I was just like, "Man..." Kept wanting to transfer. But I was like, "Man, let me just stick it out. Let me just play through it." So it's crazy that out of all the players that pretty much went overseas, I was pretty much the first one to go from that university to play professional.

Vince Ferguson:

Nice, nice. Did the money start to kind of like roll in where it's kind of comfortable for you at that time?

Alexia Adams:

After my first year when I took that trash paycheck, yes. And then I started building relationships too. So I would have friends on the girls team, on different girls teams that I would stay in touch with the coaches. And I would just tell them about my friends. So it came to the point, maybe I want to say my second year. The team that I went to Tiger Morse. I'm really cool with the president now we stay in touch. That he let me pick all the foreigners. So I pretty much put two of friends on. And then we needed two bigs, they knew somebody. And we had a legit team now. So I started, while I was playing that's when I was like, "Maybe I should be an agent." But I started placing. I placed while I played 34, 35 girls and guys in Europe and Latin America.

Alexia Adams:

But it just became a headache because people, players, I saw both sides. I saw it from the management standpoint. I saw it from the coaches standpoint. I saw it from the recruiting standpoint. It just became too much while I was playing. So I remember one of the teams that I went back to, which was Tiger Morse it was kind of like, I was a player coach because, I'm showing the coach plays he was new. He came from a junior program. We all were showing him plays, but they kind of really took me in. I was the captain of that team. And I feel like that's my second home, which is Romania.

Vince Ferguson:

Really? Really though. From here, I'm talking to you and listening to you. It sounds like you of an eye for talent too.

Alexia Adams:

Right. Yeah, I do. I think I do. Because I feel like I wanted to always make that bridge between division two and going overseas because they don't know what to do. My coach had no idea on how to try to get me to go to the next level. And overseas was never an option. I never even knew really too much of overseas. It wasn't until I was like, "Man, I ain't going to make it to the WNBA. I'm too little coming from a small school." And then that's when countries started getting involved. "Well, you can play in Finland, Germany." Right when I graduated, I want to say it was before I... Or it might have been after. It might have been before, I can't remember. Before I played in my pro, I want to say that when I graduated, I went to Germany first, just on a whim.

Alexia Adams:

I had all my friends put in money to buy me a plane ticket to try out for this, it was kind of like a combine. And obviously I didn't really hear much from it. I thought it was going to be so many agents, it wasn't. But what it did do for me, it gave me updated film against people who were playing at division one schools, at high division, two schools, that when that was the film that I used, when I gave it to my friend to pretty much stamp. Obviously the Atlanta Dream too, but to go overseas. So it worked out in my favor, really.

Vince Ferguson:

Amazing. Yes, it sure did. How long did you play professional basketball?

Alexia Adams:

Six years, 2011 to 2017.

Vince Ferguson:

Okay. So why did you move away from that? You were still very young at that time as you are now, but why did you leave?

Alexia Adams:

Being honest, Social media is not how it now, it's Instagram and stuff. Instagram came later, but we were all on Facebook, my space. I started to see a lot of my female friends getting married. I started to see a lot of my friends, having kids. I started to see a lot of my good friends get married. And for women, it's a whole lot different because we play year round. We play those eight months overseas, and if you're good enough to play in the WNBA in the Summer. So I was really only home in the Summer. I passed up on a lot of relationships. I tried to deal with people when I was there and it just never worked out. And it came to the point where I missed home. It was a lot of teams that I played for. I couldn't go home for Christmas.

Alexia Adams:

There was a lot of teams that I played for. I couldn't go home for Thanksgiving. I couldn't go home for holidays. And it began to "Ugh, I want to be home." And then really my last year when I feel like the money problem started happening again in Romania, I told myself, "This is my last year." Not even that it was small money, but it was that they were behind. And I was over it. I was like, "Look, this going to be my last year. We're just going to go ahead and finish it out." And that's what I did. I just kind of really missed home. I'm sure there were other places, even old teams who had the money to bring me back. They asked me to come back, bring more players, but I was just kind of... I felt like I'd proved my point that I could play at a high level.

Vince Ferguson:

Oh, most definitely. And now it's time to move on or come home for other challenges, I guess, right?

Alexia Adams:

Correct. Yes, sir.

Vince Ferguson:

Are you still involved in the game? And if you are, in what capacity?

Alexia Adams:

Yeah. I do Player Development for the Hawks. So I do it part-time just to kind of stay in the loop. So I might work with them once or twice a month. And Player Development basically is with their junior program. We'll have camps or events and we have to either go to the camps and put them through drills or go to certain events and be present. And it's also to stay in touch with the network. Some of the people that I'm really close to now, like Tony Deal, I met him through the Hawks. So I've built a lot of relationships. So I do it from that standpoint. And when I first retired, I still kind of had a little love for the game as far as playing. So I would come home, have camps in the Summer. When I was playing and I would come home, and then after I was like, "I'm going to do this every Summer. "COVID hit, and that's when I just kind of backed up from it a little bit.

Vince Ferguson:

Wow, wow. So, when you're working with kids now. You're talking about guys, boys and girls?

Alexia Adams:

Boys and girls. And I was just trying to do anything I could just to figure out what I was. I never really knew what the plan was when I retired from ball. It's just that I had so many relationships. I was just calling people, "What y'all got going on boo, boom, boom." I said, well, let me start out with this camp. And then also a lot of my friends are mainly guys. So people like Josh Powell, some NBA, Iman Shumpert. I would help work them out in the Summers really. And I would just use that as that relationship. Help work them out, put them through drills or whatever. And that is how I ended up getting a job with the Hawks.

Alexia Adams:

And then once I did that, TV stuff started just coming out of nowhere. People were looking for... They were looking for a basketball player in Atlanta and everybody knows me. So it was like over 35 tags on Instagram with my name. Then people-

Vince Ferguson:

Really?

Alexia Adams:

Yeah. They reached out to me said, "Hey, can you send some current basketball pictures?" And I was like, "Okay, I didn't understand what it was for." They hit me back and was like, "Hey, would you like to be in a movie?" And I was like, "Yeah, what movie is this? I really thought it was a joke. And it ended up being Uncle Drew. So that's how I got to be on that.

Vince Ferguson:

Amazing. Absolutely amazing to hear that though. Now, what advice would you give to other young kids trying to come up in the field of sports like yourself and being a professional? What advice would you give to them?

Alexia Adams:

Oh, it's so different now because all the rules have changed. You used to be able to, if you transferred, you have to sit out depending on what division, depending on... Now, kids are transferring after one year. Kids are doing what they want. They're able to get paid, which makes it better. They're able to get paid at a university while they're in school. Before we were all going to the cafeteria, taking the fries. I would say now, because I feel like the world is just open. Social media back then, I was sending VCS tapes just to get on a team. Now, all you got to do is do one highlight, post it on Instagram. You're going to division one.

Alexia Adams:

I just feel like it's so different. I just think that if anything, because it's a little easier now, they will find you and you just got to be the first one in the gym and the last one to leave. Whether it's track, you just got to run a certain time. But really just staying in the public, being noticeable, have a highlight take post it, because they will find you now. If you're good, they will find you.

Vince Ferguson:

Huh? So using Social media now to your advantage. That's a benefit they have today that you didn't have when you were starting out?

Alexia Adams:

Exactly.

Vince Ferguson:

Wow. Now how did you parlay your success on the court to being on Own, on that TV show?

Alexia Adams:

That came out of nowhere.

Vince Ferguson:

How did that work out?

Alexia Adams:

Actually, I was dating someone else the year before. Me and my ex, we were back and forth more often on when I was overseas. Because like I said, I tried it, it just wasn't working. That we actually reconnected January of last year, 2021. And this is before a show ever came to me about an opportunity or anything. I got a DM from obviously someone that was in casting and said, "Hey, do you know anyone in a relationship?" Basically, asking me questions. And I said, "Well, yeah, I've been in a relationship." And they said, "With who?" And then I sent them his information. She hit me and was like, "Hey, are you interested in doing a show?" I was like, "What's it about?" And then she told me. So she called him. Obviously, they interviewed us, sent them pictures and stuff. And I think they just liked how our dynamic was in our interviews. And that is really how we got picked to be on that show. They scouted us. They vetted us.

Vince Ferguson:

They vetted you guys?

Alexia Adams:

Yeah.

Vince Ferguson:

Was it a good experience for you?

Alexia Adams:

Uh-uh (negative).

Vince Ferguson:

Really? You said, "No." You said, no.

Alexia Adams:

Yes and no.

Vince Ferguson:

Really? Why no?

Alexia Adams:

Because someone that I had relationship as far as even friendship. Friendship is big to me. I value my relationships with my friends and family. Knows all my business. We reconnect, we're trying to figure our situation out and he goes on national television and sleeps with someone else. And I just felt like it was the biggest disrespect at the most high. I understand, and it sounds crazy like people cheat, people do whatever. But my thing is, don't have me on National Television and you're telling... And it all played out because one thing the camera don't lie. So a lot of things that pretty much I saw when it was seen on television, I didn't witness that stuff. I'd never saw it. People said, "Well, did you see red flags?"

Alexia Adams:

And I would say, "No." Because I'm not around him 24/7. Now when I would have questions about things, I'm not going to other people I'm going to him. But I think for me, that probably was obviously needed because there was a lot of things that I didn't know. But it wasn't the best experience because as it played out on National Television, I just felt embarrassed every week to have even went on television with him.

Alexia Adams:

So in the end I felt like I chose myself and everything. I feel like things happen for a reason. People are in your life for a reason and the season. And I felt like all the dots started to align when I was done with that show, when I was leaving him. I started meeting other people and seeing how genuine they were. And certain people that I've already knew, I kind of stopped messing with some people. I started to really pay attention to everybody's red flags, friends, family, folk, whoever. I just want to be around good energy. If it's not good energy, keep it away from me.

Vince Ferguson:

Yes. So that's a good learning experience, right? Going forward.

Alexia Adams:

Yep.

Vince Ferguson:

Excellent. I'm glad to hear you say that. But I want to also now talk about the fact that you're no longer playing professional basketball. What are you doing to stay in shape? Because you're an athlete. You got to stay in shape.

Alexia Adams:

I will say when I started filming that show, I probably picked up 15 to 20 pounds, because we were going nowhere. And me probably being a little lazy after that too because we couldn't go nowhere. And I would say right after the show, even a little bit before the show I had already started my business, which was Drink2Shrink. A detox and weight loss. And it started to do really well as the show was ending or whatever, as it was airing. But I'm pretty much now, I do this thing to where I have a trainer now.

Alexia Adams:

Before I had a trainer, I did this thing with Robert Rushian and Toya called, Weight No More. If I can't make it to the gym or because of COVID, everything's closed down. It's an app that pretty much you download and you could do workouts from home. And then certain days during the week I would meet up with them and we would work out and its different things. So you have a cycling class, you have a track, we call it Track Fit. It's like you're dancing and working out at the same time.

Vince Ferguson:

Nice.

Alexia Adams:

You had different types of classes. And I started to see like that would be the only way that I would be motivated to go to the gym, because talking to any other retired player, they'll tell you, that's the last thing they want to do.

Vince Ferguson:

To work out?

Alexia Adams:

To just go to the gym. No, but when you're doing it for fun and you're doing it to get better. Then as I told you, I feel like people started coming and coming in at the right time. I was trying to lose weight. I said, "Let me take this serious. Let me drink my juices. Let me watch what I'm eating." I met another good friend of mine, his name Tobias. And he introduced to me about... I don't know, we just started talking. He introduced me about like getting negative energy off of you. And kind of focused in more on yourself. So every morning for 15 minutes I'd meditate. I'd this thing called Tai Chi.

Alexia Adams:

Yeah. And when I started doing this stuff, it's like I'm woke now. I'm starting to see and feel different just about how I'm moving. I'm paying attention to what I'm eating. I'd take this Sea Moss but starting to take Sea Moss and the benefits from it. Whereas I could do and party before in college, next day I'm up and popping. But now it takes me a day or two to recover.

Vince Ferguson:

Yes.

Alexia Adams:

And I started eating Key lime because they're pretty much good for your... It's a super food. It's good for your teeth. It's good for your health. It's good for everything. So I started really to pay attention instead of just doing stuff to be doing it, but why am I taking this? What benefits is it for me? What can it do for my health? I really started to pay attention to what I was putting in my body because you can work out all you want, but if you're eating the wrong things and doing things in high qualities instead of moderation, you're going to get the same results.

Vince Ferguson:

Most definitely. So with that in mind, you are exercising on a regular basis?

Alexia Adams:

Yep. Especially now. I have a coming up actually February 1st, I have a challenge that I just want to do on YouTube or on Instagram for people who are trying to lose weight, trying to be physically fit. Basically, a 30 day challenge. Like let's make it a goal. My goal is to try to work out two times a day, but at least once. And drinking my juice and trying to pay attention to what I'm eating. Eating no more than 1200 calories a day, just really trying to pay attention to what I'm doing. That my goal is to see how much weight I can actually lose in 30 days being consistent. Before I would work out here and there, but I wasn't consistent. And anybody will tell you, "It's just like shooting Fritos." It's repetition, repetition, repetition. Like I got so much muscle memory of me, if I go to the court tomorrow and I probably haven't touched the ball on who knows when, it's going in.

Vince Ferguson:

Yes, yes, yes.

Alexia Adams:

But it's just basically being more consistent, being more aware, taking my juice. With the juice, it's lose five pounds in five days. Like that's the overall objective, but you want to keep taking it. And with me, I'm detoxing inside and out the negativity, the everything. I just wanted to be open. So you want to take the juice 30 minutes before each meal. If you eat three times a day, three times. If you eat two times, it's going to last you for seven days, twice a day. But it really works. I have people who are repeat customers. I have people who say, "Hey, Alexia you really change my life. I need to keep doing this, thank you." And then I have people who obviously, they want to be an entrepreneur. I give them my advice as far as what they can do to make residual income.

Vince Ferguson:

Yes, yes. And you're talking about Drink2Shrink?

Alexia Adams:

Yes. You're still talking about that weight loss on juice that you are selling now, are you the owner of the company?

Alexia Adams:

No. So it's more so like an MLM and my friend who introduced me to it is the owner of Drink2Shrink, the name. And then it's kind of like you take that name and then you add yours to it. Like Drink2Shrink with Alexia. So I'm the owner of that Drink2Shrink with Alexia. But I think now, I'm going to end up moving more in a different direction as far as actually trying to get the best of the best and patent it myself, to where it's just all solely mine. So that's the goal.

Vince Ferguson:

Will you have a different name? Would it be the same name?

Alexia Adams:

I'll probably keep the name because I own the name Drink2Shrink with Alexia. You know what I mean?

Vince Ferguson:

Okay.

Alexia Adams:

He just owned the name, Drink2Shrink, my friend who put me on it here.

Vince Ferguson:

Yes, yes. Now that's amazing because I run a non-profit organization, a health and fitness organization. We focus on obesity prevention. And obviously I love hearing stuff like this because I would love to also promote it, let people know about it. But what is it about Drink2Shrink though that you feel is different from the other products out there?

Alexia Adams:

When you play overseas, there's a lot of things you can't put in your body because they could be tested as a positive for like a steroid, even like a red bull. Certain stuff they've put in it, If they drug test you, you would get a positive result. So then you'll either get sent home, lose your job or whatever. The thing about Drink2Shrink is it's all natural, it's all organic, it's herbs. And I pretty much take a detox juice or detox drink a tea and I turn it into a juice. So the fact that it's all natural, it comes with a meal plan. Yeah, and it's good for you. It's good for you. It has a lot of benefits too. It's good for your bowels. It's good for just weight loss, detoxing. You can really feel the difference even after two days. You can feel your body different. And then it gives you energy too. So I think just the biggest thing about Drink your Shrink is it's all natural. And that's pretty much why I'm an advocate for it.

Vince Ferguson:

Great. And they say non-GMO and no sugar?

Alexia Adams:

No sugar.

Vince Ferguson:

No sugar. Is it safe for children?

Alexia Adams:

It's safe for children. Yep. Yes sir.

Vince Ferguson:

Awesome. Awesome. How long have you been using the product?

Alexia Adams:

About a year now. Well, more so last year, not as consistent. But consistently now, I would say about, consistently now about three months. Even my first week, I think I lost six or eight pounds or something like that. I ended up losing like a total of 12, but the difference with me is, I'm trying to lose weight in my midsection. But I'm actually trying to get my athletic build back. So not only am I losing weight, I'm trying to put my muscle back together. So my weight's going to fluctuate because muscle weight is more than fat. So are

Vince Ferguson:

Are you also weight training?

Alexia Adams:

Yeah. Like I said, I started training with this guy now. He's my trainer, Justin. So what he does is, like Monday is leg day. I work out with him four times a week for the month or whatever. So 16 sessions in a month. And we have legs day, glute days, arms day. And that's me getting back in there trying to get that muscle together. Whereas people don't get it, but when you are an athlete, we really can train ourselves. That's the truth. Because you know what to do. But if you don't have a goal, if I know I don't have practice or a game, I not about to just... If I don't feel like going to the gym, like you know what? I'll do tomorrow, I'll do it tomorrow. I'll do it tomorrow. But the difference is when you actually pay someone to train you. You are trying to get your money's worth. So you're trying to show up every day. And then when you're not doing what you're supposed to do, he's going to be on your head. You really need a coach and then incorporate the drink too.

Vince Ferguson:

Nice. And you've notice a difference. You've lost weight. You're building muscle all within the last three months, wherever it is, right?

Alexia Adams:

Yes, sir. I can see a big difference, period. I want to say like being honest with you. As far as the meditation and the taking Sea Moss and key lime, that's probably been with almost a month, within a month. Because I just got introduced to that. As far as training, I just started training with them. But before all that, even now I still do the training with Robert Rushian and them, but I was only doing that moderation because of my schedule. I work eight to five, Monday through Friday at my actual job, which is where I sell advertisement for golf courses. I don't know if you even know about that one.

Vince Ferguson:

No.

Alexia Adams:

Yeah. I do. I just don't talk about it. And then that's my main job, that's my breadwinner. And then what I do on the side is, obviously Player development, Drink2Shrink, and then I work the marketing company where our job is pretty much to get players. What would you say? Sponsorships outside of basketball or outside of the court or off the court. So like the first people that I signed was Tiffany Mitchell who plays for the Indiana Fever. So my job is pretty much to get her deals. Like whether it be a shoe deal or whether it be a, a Nike contract or Converse or whatever. But that's what I do on the side as well.

Vince Ferguson:

On the side, are those contracts more lucrative than their actual salaries when they're playing?

Alexia Adams:

Not necessarily, but money is money. Or I would say like for instance, like Fashion Nova with some of our football players that we have that are in NFL. They don't necessarily just with certain players now. They don't necessarily fork out money, but they're giving you consistent top of the line clothes, as long as you post. So at the end of the day, saving a dollar is saving a dollar or you're making a post, you might get paid $500 to make the post or to promote this. It's just so different now to pretty much make money. I feel like now if a guy cannot bring anything to the table, it's just an excuse because it is too many ways nowadays to make money.

Vince Ferguson:

Wow. Most definitely. Wow, wow. You are also involved in charity work, am I correct?

Alexia Adams:

Yes, sir.

Vince Ferguson:

What type of charity work are you doing

Alexia Adams:

Different, it just depends on who I'm talking to. One of my friends, his name is Zach Graham. Typically, every Christmas we go to one of these places around here, if it's in Atlanta. I can't remember the last place we went to, but we would feed the homeless, or we would feed the people in that center. And they're not paying for anything. That's some charity work I do. I coach celebrity basketball games. The money always goes to either... When I did bowling, Sickle cell, if I did basketball, it goes to that organization. As far as giving to, I help with my friend Reese. He has different events, whether it's giving book bags.

Alexia Adams:

I've had my own where we were giving free book bags with one of my buddies, J.T. Tiller. We would give free book supplies, free book bags, just trying to give back to the community. Or more so, especially around the holidays this past year for Thanksgiving, I worked with, Wait no More, as far as partnering, giving turkeys away to people who couldn't afford it. So given, obviously, sides away, the people who couldn't afford it. Anything that I can always do to give back, I'm always probably the first one to try to be involved.

Vince Ferguson:

No. That's beautiful. Kudos to you for that. That's amazing. Now you played professional basketball. As we know you appeared on Owns TV Reality Show, Put a Ring On It, and you're an entrepreneur, but what's next for Alexia?

Alexia Adams:

What's next for Alexia is obviously my juice taking off. I actually have a movie coming out this Summer in the theaters. It's called Wide Open. It's the Andre Rising story. About Andre and Lisa Left Eye. And it was just another situation by luck. I went to Andre Rising's book signing through an invite, Zee Mullen. The people who were there recognized me from the show. They came up to me, "Hey, we're going to put you in this movie." And I really thought they were just talking.

Alexia Adams:

And then a month later the guy called me, his name is Big D. And he said, "Hey, pull up. I got a role for you." I'm not an actress. I don't know how to act. But at this point, I'm open to it. And he was like, "Here, learn these lines real quick.' I said, "Why do you think I could know these lines?" He said, "You're smart, just learn them." So within five minutes I probably learned the lines and I got some lines in the movie. Yeah, I play Left eye's best friend. Yeah, really.

Vince Ferguson:

Really? I'd love to see that. That's going to be amazing when that comes out. And that's going to come out when? This year?

Alexia Adams:

I think right now they're talking about June, but it is definitely coming to the theater. I believe Tyler Perry is the one that funded it. Don't quote me, but I think that's what that is. So I got that going on. Obviously my challenge coming up, lose. Pretty much I'm trying to make it like lose whatever the deal is. How much can you lose that month? And whoever loses the most weight obviously give them some type of prize.

Alexia Adams:

I got me more, so just focusing on myself. I'm starting to want to take acting classes. So maybe by the time the movie comes out and I get a little buzz, I'll start auditioning for things and see what the future takes me. But as of right now, just focusing on myself, put myself first, working on my health, my fitness, my family. I want to open up twist franchise. I got a lot of things I'm trying to put my hands on. So I'm just trying to do it the smart way. Yeah.

Vince Ferguson:

The smart way. Not the easy way, but the smart way, right?

Alexia Adams:

Right.

Vince Ferguson:

And it all depends on your health, health first. Putting yourself first, good for you. Now where can my listeners and viewers find out more about Alexia Adams?

Alexia Adams:

Okay. Instagram, it is AlexiaAdams24, that's A-L-E-X-I-A Adams, A-D-A-M-S 24. Also, if you go to my Instagram page and you click in the bio, it'll take you to my website or to my business page, which is Drink2Shrink, Alexia's Drink2Shrink. So that's A-L-E-X-I-A-S, Drink2Shrink, the number two. Facebook, Alexia Adams. Twitter, Lillex. And yeah, you can order the Drink2Shrink online. If you're not in Atlanta, I do ship just charge for a shipping fee. Also what comes with the Drink2Shrink, we have other products. If you want to really dive into losing this weight and working on it. We sell drops where it kind of suppresses your eating and you go with the drink. And it's just more so the level of weight you're trying to lose. So all of that can be found on the website though, it is Alexia's Drink2Shrink.

Vince Ferguson:

Right. And that's also, you said it’s on Instagram, right?

Alexia Adams:

Yep. Yes sir.

Vince Ferguson:

Amazing. Awesome. Now all I'm going to say is this has been great. And Alexia, I really appreciate you coming on my show today.

Alexia Adams:

I appreciate the invite. Thank you so much.

Vince Ferguson:

And to my listeners, I truly hope this program was informative, encouraging, and inspiring. And that you will continue tuning in to our, Six Weeks to Fitness Podcast. And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the show, please leave them in the comments section below, or email me [e-mail]. And please don't forget to subscribe, so you don't miss any future episodes. And remember we don't stop exercising because we grow, we grow old because we stop exercising.