The world of reality television often showcases dramatic relationships, career aspirations, and personal transformations. Bravo's Southern Hospitality offers a glimpse into the lives of young professionals working in Charleston's vibrant hospitality scene. While workplace dynamics and romantic entanglements often take center stage, the cast members' individual journeys of self-improvement and wellness also resonate with viewers.
Maddi Reese's Decade of Sobriety
Maddi Reese, a VIP manager at Leva Bonaparte's Republic Garden & Lounge, has become an inspirational figure on Southern Hospitality due to her commitment to sobriety. Despite working in an environment filled with partying and alcohol, Maddi has maintained a sober lifestyle for nearly ten years. This remarkable achievement has not only transformed her own life but has also inspired viewers who are navigating their own challenges with addiction.
Maddi was 16 when she decided to quit partying in April 2014, after four years of abusing alcohol. “It saved me,” Maddi said of her decision to give up drugs and alcohol. “I look back at my life then and yeah, I don’t know where I would be had I not gotten sober." Maddi has been open about the ups and downs of her sobriety journey, but she is currently in a very strong place.
Maddi embodies "enthusiastic sobriety," navigating the party scene without indulging in substances. “Believe me, on a nightly basis at work, I’m much more worried about trying to navigate my anxiety than I am my sobriety,” Maddi revealed. “It’s a lot of pressure, you know what I’m saying? And I’m always trying to figure out who I can trust, how to deal with the drama, stuff like that." She shares her story to maintain accountability and inspire others.
The response to Maddi's story has been overwhelmingly positive, with many viewers expressing their admiration and seeking her advice. “People always ask, ‘What it’s like, going through the program and meetings and steps and everything?’ And I feel it’s really about doing that work on yourself to be better, but also leaning on the people around you for strength. And that community, that’s the most rewarding part. Learning about others, giving back - that’s what fills my heart,” Maddi concluded.
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Leva Bonaparte's Perspective on Relationships and Body Image
Leva Bonaparte, the owner of Republic Garden & Lounge and a prominent figure in the Southern Charm universe, offers a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of balancing career, family, and personal well-being. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity and self-acceptance, particularly for women who often face societal pressures to achieve an unrealistic ideal of perfection.
Leva Bonaparte is married to Lamar Bonaparte, who was born in Charleston. Leva met Lamar on her 29th birthday and his wife was immediately drawn to him. Lamar and Leva have been married since April 2013.
Leva's insights into the relationships of her employees, such as the surprising romance between Maddi Reese and Joe Bradley, add another layer of intrigue to Southern Hospitality. Leva was shocked when she heard about it, but she did want them to get together. She notes that Maddi and Joe have some troubles they need to work out, personal stuff they need to work out, which comes with being young and being so in love, but also not working on yourself.
She also weighed in on Emmy Sharrett and Will Kulp's relationship amid another round of cheating rumors, and how she feels to be in her Lisa Vanderpump era.
Leva also addressed her own journey with weight loss and body image. After experiencing weight gain during her pregnancy and the COVID-19 pandemic, she made lifestyle changes and incorporated exercise into her routine. Leva shared that "my weight after COVID was at its highest ever in my life." The Charleston mom revealed that through lifestyle changes and exercise - like doing cardio for 40 minutes, five days a week and cutting all carbs from her diet - she lost a "good bit" of weight, but she still had some "stubborn areas" she couldn't lose.
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Ultimately, she chose to undergo plastic surgery to address stubborn areas that were resistant to diet and exercise. "He exceeded my expectations! My new tweaked Dr. Clayton Crantford bod looks more natural than I expected and I’m over the moon!" she wrote. Leva advocates for making informed decisions about one's body and prioritizing personal happiness.
Leva has had no problem in embracing her body. And although she might have had plastic surgery to lose weight, Leva defended herself against body shamers in November 2020 who had told her that she looked “chubby on TV.” “When you become a mom…you appreciate the body that gave you the beautiful life, no matter how it looks," she wrote in the caption of an Instagram post. "And maybe I love how I look? Maybe I want to gain more?"
Emmy Sharrett's Fitness Journey
Season 3 of Southern Hospitality highlights Emmy Sharrett's dedication to fitness and health. Her journey reflects her sense of control and self-worth. As Emmy gets more dedicated to her health and fitness in the latest episode of Southern Hospitality, fans are left divided.
Emmy has always been vocal about her dedication to fitness and health. However, the first episode of this season highlights how important fitness is to her identity. She has also been sober for the past eight months.
A Wisconsinite's Weight Loss Journey and Encounter with Southern Hospitality
The journey of personal transformation extends beyond the Southern Hospitality cast. One individual from Wisconsin shared their experience of significant weight loss and the lessons learned along the way. This person's story highlights the importance of focusing on progress and self-acceptance rather than solely on achieving specific goals.
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This person tried out for the show The Biggest Loser back in 2007 when they had an open casting call at the Mall of America. The Biggest Loser was a constant reminder that IT IS POSSIBLE. It really is possible to be a morbidly obese person and to change your life and make yourself a healthier you. For me, I would watch The Biggest Loser any time that I was exercising. It was motivating for me to see these big people who were just like me exercising as hard as I was.
After achieving significant weight loss, this individual underwent surgery to remove excess skin. After I became more mobile and more flexible with the incisions, I decided to actually measure the amount of incisions I truly do have. I measured three times and I came up with 89, 92 and 91. So I decided to call it an even 90. With 90 inches of incisions and seven pounds of skin removed from my arms and stomach, I feel like a new guy!
This person also had the opportunity to attend a live taping of The Biggest Loser, where they encountered the Wright family, known for their "southern charm and hospitality." Like any adorning fan, I made sure that I got a photo with Momma Karen! She responded that she was and we made arrangements to meet her and get a photo.
This individual emphasizes that each day is a new battle, and to not define myself by the battles that I lost, but to be defined by the war I’m winning.
Aging Gracefully: A Personal Reflection
Beyond weight loss and fitness, the journey of aging and maintaining overall health is a universal experience. One individual shared her personal reflections on navigating the challenges of aging, including managing health issues and adapting lifestyle choices.
This person shared this post 5 years ago about my workout routine. It hasn’t changed a whole lot, I still try to get to the gym 3 times a week and get outside and walk when I can. I have gone down to a 20 lb. bar instead of the 30 lbs. mentioned in that post, since I have a shoulder that bothers me sometimes. My weight routine at the gym is about 20 minutes and I usually do 35 minutes on the recumbent bike and it’s low impact on my joints which is good.
She also shared this post about what I eat almost 3 years ago. I get questions periodically about what I eat, so I thought I’d do an update here. I’ll share more below about that and I so hope you aren’t bored with this post!
I have been very fortunate to not have to go to the doctor very often in my life. We went very minimal times as children.
This person also shared what she typically eats for breakfast. I still love these Paleo banana pancakes that discovered a few years ago and eat them at least twice a week. One thing I’ve been doing more of is eating avocado on regular basis. I probably eat 3 of them a week, they have the good fat that we all need, so I’ve added them to my diet and I really have grown to love them.
This person is on a whole host of supplements to help with bones and joints.