Tarek El Moussa Recounts His Battle With Alcoholism in His 20s, Gaining 50 Pounds

Tarek El Moussa is opening up about his past struggles with alcoholism and weight gain in his 20s, penning a thoughtful note on Instagram. 

“I will never forget this day… or this kid,” the Flipping El Moussas star wrote on Tuesday beneath a photo of his younger self on a boat. “I was 20 years old fishing for King salmon in Alaska. Unfortunately, all I remember was the terrible hangover I had. I had drank over 30 shots of vodka and whatever else I could get my hands on. I can still feel the throbbing in my head and the pulsing vein on my temple.” 

El Moussa went on to reflect that he was “drinking my life away” at that time, writing that “at 19 my life went downhill in what felt like overnight. I gained 50 pounds, lost my confidence, lost my hope, and became a raging alcoholic. All my drive was gone.” 

Though El Moussa noted “most people don’t know this about me,” he shared the story now to reflect on how far he’s come. “It’s crazy to think today I sometimes wake up at 3am to start work, when at 20, I would wake up at 3pm to start my day,” he wrote. “We all deserve a second chance.” 

El Moussa ended his note with a message to anyone struggling with similar issues, directing them toward his new self-help book. “If any of this sounds like you, it may be time to Flip Your Life too!” he wrote. “I know you can do it, because I did it. And if you are looking for the help I desperately needed at that time, check out my new book Flip Your Life. I wrote it thinking about 20 year old Tarek and what could have helped him.” 

At the end of his post, El Moussa noted fans can preorder Flip Your Life now. It will be released Feb. 6, 2024. 

The reality star first revealed plans for Flip Your Life in September, when he announced the book would focus on how he developed a dependency on alcohol after his baseball career ended due to a shoulder injury.  

El Moussa split from his ex, Christina Hall, in 2016 and then later married his now-wife, Selling Sunset alum Heather Rae El Moussa. Heather is a stepmother to El Moussa’s two children, and the couple shares a third child whom they welcomed in February 2023. 

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