Prizmi Tripathi
‘My 600-lb Life’ is a reality television series that follows morbidly obese individuals, weighing around 600 pounds, as they decide to take charge of their lives with the help of Iranian-American Houston-based surgeon, Younan Nowzaradan AKA Dr. Now. Over eight seasons, it has showcased transformation journeys of several patients, wherein they work towards losing weight to achieve a healthy body goal.
Some gave up along the way, while some were determined enough to stick to their respective diet plans and managed to reach their goals. Although every patient who has ever been a part of the show deserves a round of applause for their efforts, here’s a list of the most shocking and inspiring success stories (in no particular order) of the patients from ‘My 600-lb Life’ who are now enjoying their new lease at life!
Melissa Morris – Season 1
Back in 2012, Melissa D. Morris appeared on the debut season of the reality series weighing a staggering 653 lbs. Melissa and her husband Chris Morris hoped to start a family but were unable to because of her excessive weight.
The show documented how Melissa strived to lose weight and after following a strict diet and instructions, she managed to drop 447 lbs in her first run. Melissa returned for the follow-up spin-off ‘Where Are They Now’ in which she explained how she continued her journey post-show and lost nearly 500 lbs in total.
Not just that, the Texas-resident is now a mother of three beautiful children – Allona, Elijah, and Austin, whom she co-parents with her husband, Chris. Although Melissa has gained some weight back following the birth of her babies she is confident that she will lose it again.
Susan Farmer – Season 3
When Susan Farmer appeared on the third season of the show, she weighed 607.6 lbs. From age 17, Susan began using food to escape the traumatic childhood memories inflicted upon her by her abusive father. Susan was scared for her life as she suffered from troubled breathing and walking because of which she had to take baby steps to prevent herself from falling.
Following her gastric bypass surgery, Susan fell prey to Neuropathy and had little to no sensation left in her legs. After some walking sessions in rehab, Susan rediscovered her life. She lost a total of 267 lbs. Since then, Susan hasn’t looked back and continues to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Amber Rachdi – Season 3
Amber was 23-years-old when she made an appearance on the show, weighing 657.6 lbs. Amber has struggled with her weight since she was 5. A chronic anxiety disorder caused her to eat excessively and at the age of 16, Amber was wheelchair-bound because of her weight and couldn’t enjoy her life as a normal teenager.
Fearing a premature death at 23, Amber decided it was time to turn her life around. By combining exercises, a strict diet, and a gastric bypass surgery, Amber was able to shed 267 lbs and weighed 390.5 lbs by the end of the show. She has since been taking care of her body and has now turned into an Instagram diva. Her account is packed with tons of selfies that accentuate her changed body and new-found confidence.
Sarah Neely – Season 6
At the beginning of her journey, Sarah weighed 642.3 lbs. Her path to a healthy lifestyle was filled with a lot of roadblocks but she overcame it with her determination to lead a normal life and dropped 260 lbs, following Dr. Now’s dietary instructions and gastrectomy.
Her weight at the end of the show was 393 lbs. However, Sarah didn’t stop there, she lost even more weight after the show, and on the spin-off, she revealed her weight to be 197 lbs. Sarah is now married to Jonah Carpenter and the couple has a baby on the way.
Milla Clark – Season 4
Milla’s fitness journey is undoubtedly one of the most inspiring stories on the show. The Fayetteville resident came in weighing 751 lbs. She obediently followed all the steps Dr. Now asked her to and managed to lose 153 lbs, which was far away from her goal. However, Milla decided she was not returning to being bed-ridden.
Milla didn’t give up and a few weight-loss surgeries, multiple skin removal surgeries and a double knee replacement later, Milla achieved her goal of 155 lbs. On the spin-off titled ‘Where Are They Now?’ she revealed she has lost a total of 600 lbs, which is the aggregate weight of “three or four people” and is now healthier and happier than ever.
Christina Phillips – Season 2
Christina was 22-years-old when she decided to consult Dr. Now for her deteriorating health issues which had not allowed her to get out of the house for over two years. She weighed 708 lbs and struggled to even get up from the bed. But Christina was hellbent on turning her life around and with the doctor’s help, she managed to get approved for gastric bypass surgery and lost 183 lbs.
Despite a tumultuous journey, Christina used her second lease at life and lost more weight by resorting to healthier eating options, running marathons, and working out. In 2019, Christina revealed that she has achieved her desired weight of 172 lbs.
James Jones – Season 2
Frankston native James Jones tipped the scale at 728 lbs when he appeared on the show. Throughout the show, James showed immense dedication to shedding the extra pounds and managed to lose more than half his weight. At the end of the show, James weighed at 376.7 lbs.
In 2019, James revealed that he didn’t give in to temptations and lost more weight after the show by sticking to the right path. In totality, James has lost a staggering 511 lbs, shocking all the naysayers.
Paula Jones – Season 2
When she started her journey in the second season, the Jonesboro resident Paula Jones weighed over 533.8 lbs. She strictly followed all the dietary regulations and workout plans designed for her by Dr. Now and dropped 160 lbs on the show. But wait, her story didn’t end there. After the show, Paula continued to follow a healthy diet and hit the gym.
In 2016, Paula inspired a lot of people when she revealed that she has achieved the target goal of 142 lbs. In March 2020, Paula shared another update that stated that despite the shutdown of her gym, Paula hasn’t stopped exercising at home. She now takes family walks and kicks balls with her grandsons to make sure she stays healthy.
Nikki Webster – Season 4
Nikki weighed 649.7 lbs when she joined the show. She was dejected and depressed about her weight and desperately desired a healthy and normal life. She was even barred at family functions because of her appearance. Dr. Now weaved his magic and gave her customized diet plans, coupled with tips to stay healthy and avoid deviating from the path.
After the gastric bypass surgery, Nikki left the show weighing 443.4 lbs but she carried on the motivation and lost even more. In 2017, Nikki revealed she has lost a total of 450 pounds and is now blissfully married to the love of her life, Marc.
Brittani Fulfer – Season 4
The Tualatin resident has had one of the most remarkable weight loss journeys in the show’s history. Brittani weighed 605 lbs when she enrolled in the program. She underwent a lot of issues from depression to anxiety but Brittani managed to lose 230 lbs and underwent surgery.
On the follow-up episode, she revealed that she has lost over 333 pounds in totality. Brittani has got her confidence back and she continues to battle physical or mental problems to lead a happy life.
Read More: Where Is Susan Farmer Now 2020?
