- Tuft came out as a transgender woman in 2021 and announced a return to wrestling
- She weighed about 280 pounds and ate a huge 10,000 calories a day
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Former transgender WWE star Gabbi Tuft has revealed the grueling steps she had to take to lose 190 pounds of weight and muscle during her transition into a woman.
Tuft, known as Tyler Reks during her first four years in WWE, was released from the company in 2012 and retired from competition in 2014.
But three years after coming out as a transgender woman in February 2021, the 45-year-old recently expressed her desire to return to the ring on social media.
On her first run, Tuft weighed about 280 pounds and ate 10,000 calories a day to build a physique that made her the “alpha male of alpha males.”
Now she reveals the steps she took to go from “a man who had dreadlocks down to his ass” – and someone who drew comparisons to the mountain from “Game of Thrones” – to a woman.
Trans wrestler Gabbi Tuft reveals she lost 190 pounds of weight and muscle mass while transitioning
Tuft, known as Tyler Reks during her first four years in WWE, weighed about 280 pounds
She admitted that taking estrogen during her transition was “like a second puberty.”
“That was me.” I was the protector. “I was the alpha male of alpha males, and everything I did was about that,” Tuft told Fox.
“But when I made the decision to make a medical transition. It was so powerful that I was truly ready to let it all go.
“God, is it hard to get rid of so much muscle?” It's a chore.
“I was shocked at how much muscle I retained.” I forced my body to burn muscle with these long, extended, high-intensity cardio workouts, stayed on the keto diet for a very long time, and stopped lifting weights lift. That's the short version.
“It's been a sobering year to six months.” She also admitted that taking estrogen was “like a second puberty.”
Tuft also revealed that her wife, Priscilla, no longer felt sexually attracted to her during this time. The couple are now separated and are divorcing amicably.
She added: “I had this moment where I stopped presenting theater for a few months because [my wife] had mentioned that she wasn't sexually attracted to me at the time because she only saw visions of me in disguise.
Tufts' wife, Priscilla, supported her transition, although the two are currently divorcing
“And once again, this is me, still 265 pound man in all my manly glory.” So at that point, it was like cross-dressing was really happening.
“We're separated now and in the middle of a divorce that we don't want to end any time soon.” She and I are still best friends. We are co-parents. We see each other every day.
“There is so much love between us.” We had our ups and downs when we broke up. But we've brought me full circle.'
Tuft trained at The Dungeon 2.0, which is run by WWE wrestler Natalya and her husband TJ Wilson.
Tuft did not win a title on the main roster during her WWE run, but did hold three championships with the company's former developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling.
As Reks, Tuft won the FCW Heavyweight Championship and was a two-time FCW Tag Team Champion.