New Lease on Life! A Look Back at the Most Inspiring ‘My 600-Lb Life’ Success Stories
In Touch Weekly
Justin McSwain
1 of 18
Justin, who first appeared on the show in 2019, updated viewers on his progress on a 2021 episode of My 600-Lb. Life: Where Are They Now? The South Carolina native has lost more than 450 pounds from his original weight of 687 pounds. At a speaking engagement for the Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America, which was shown on his episode of Where Are They Now?, Justin said he hoped to "inspire other people with how far [he's] come."
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Diana Bunch
2 of 18
As of 2023, the cast member of the TLC reality show had dropped 425 pounds from her original 2017 weight of more than 600. After undergoing weight loss surgery, Diana was also cleared by Dr. Now for skin removal surgery, further helping her achieve her goal weight and body.
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Samantha Mason
3 of 18
Samantha weighed in at a whopping 800 pounds when she made her debut on season 9 of the show in December 2020. She provided an update on her weight loss on January 1, 2023, ?revealing that she had lost more than 700 pounds total.
TLC ; Courtesy of Samantha Mason/TIKTOK
Lucas Higdon
4 of 18
TLC fans first met Lucas on season 10 of the series when he weighed more than 619 pounds. After implementing Dr. Nowzaradan’s strict 1,200-calorie per-day diet, he lost 80 pounds within three months. The computer enthusiast lost a total of 218 pounds following his weight loss surgery. After his time on the series, Lucas has continued his wellness journey and shares updates via his personal Facebook page.
TLC; Lucas Higdon/Facebook
Annjeanette Whaley
5 of 18
When viewers were introduced to Ann, she tipped the scales at 679 pounds. "Food is the best part of my life," the reality star revealed during season 7. "To eat something I’ve been craving is like little pieces of heaven. When I’m eating I don’t feel all the pain of my life." While appearing on the show, she dropped a staggering 274 pounds. Since then, Ann has been enjoying her newfound confidence! "Everyday I start to look different. Everyday I notice something new like OMG I have elbows lol who knew," she wrote on her Facebook page in November 2019. Way to go! She and longtime girlfriend Erica are set to tie the knot in October 2022.
TLC; Facebook
Susan Farmer
6 of 18
Susan also had an uphill battle as she weighed 607 pounds during her first appearance on the TLC show. To look and feel her best, the star opted for a combination of gastric bypass and skin removal surgery. She also had lymphedema surgeries to help with her medical condition. "I’m going to fight," Susan declared after opening up about her difficulties when it came to working out. "I’m going to do everything I possibly can to get better.” After sticking to Dr. Now's plan, the Texas native shed over half of her body weight and she looks amazing!
TLC; Facebook
Sarah Neely
7 of 18
She's a fighter! Sarah began her journey at 642 pounds. Even though she faced some trials and tribulations on the series, the Ohio native eventually qualified for a gastrectomy. The reality star later documented her mind-blowing body transformation, having dropped 260 pounds to get to 393 pounds. It was later reported she dropped even more weight. In December 2019, she shared a heartwarming update. "I was in such a dark spot exactly a year ago today and some. I'm in the light now. I'm so grateful for the people in my life," she wrote. Sarah got married in June 2020 before welcoming a baby girl later that year.
TLC; Instagram
Lupe Donovan
8 of 18
Still making strides. Lupe has come a long way since we first saw her on the show. She once weighed 642 pounds, but managed to stay on her grind. "The biggest setback for me in the last few months has been my hip pain that keeps me in bed," the TLC alum shared amidst her journey. One year after the surgery, she shed 300 pounds — and continued to exceed her goals. In March 2020, the star revealed she lost even more weight, despite going through personal hardships.
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James Jones
9 of 18
James also had to do everything in his power to get in shape. The season 2 participant initially weighed 750 pounds when he flew to Houston to get some help from Dr. Now. The reality star revealed he was shocked to find out how much weight he gained during a previous doctor visit. "They brought these big scales in," he said. "I stepped on ’em, and my first thought was, 'Can’t be. No way.'" In a January 2019 interview with Starcasm, James told them he only weighed 239 pounds!
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Melissa Morris
10 of 18
Talk about goals! Melissa's weight loss story definitely inspired fans. When she appeared on the weight loss show, the star weighed 653 pounds and ended up losing nearly 500. Now, the reality TV personality has the family she always dreamed of. "Thank you @younannowzaradan 14 years ago I had my first 8 hour appointment with him," she captioned a photo with her kids in November 2019. "14 years later, these three are his biggest fans!"
TLC;Facebook
Benji Bolton
11 of 18
Do you remember Benji and his brother, David? The morbidly obese siblings weighed 582 pounds and 747 pounds when they started their fitness journeys. Their weight had become such an issue that both of them said it was "destroying" their lives. By the end of their episode, David and Benji proved they were serious about getting healthy. Both were able to drop over 360 pounds in the following weeks after their weight loss surgeries.
TLC; Instagram
Paula Jones
12 of 18
Hard work pays off! Paula originally tipped the scales at 542 pounds when she started filming the popular show in 2013, but nowadays, she looks like a new woman after dropping 400 pounds. Not only does she feel wonderful, but she also welcomed her first grandchild. On top of that she's been paying it forward. In January 2020, she wrote, "Just registered for the SE Bariatric WLS Conference in Orlando in April [2020]. I’m not speaking this year. I am just going to support my peeps." Paula often documents her health journey by sharing photos of her meals to Instagram.
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Chuck Turner
13 of 18
When we met Chuck on the TLC series, he was 693 pounds and struggling to have a normal life. "Back when I was heavy I couldn’t move around," he explained on the reunion special. "I couldn’t function the way I needed to because of the weight. I was too heavy to do my job, so I used to rely on my [tow truck] competitors to help me." Since then, he’s shed most of his body weight — and by that, we mean a staggering 433 pounds.
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Olivia Cruz
14 of 18
And the next glow-up award goes to ... Olivia! The My 600-Lb Life star weighed 578 pounds and had big aspirations for the future at the start of her health and wellness journey. After her time on the show, she’s reportedly managed to get down to around 200 pounds! But that's not all: she also landed her ideal job. The TLC alum has reportedly been working two chef’s positions. "I’m so excited that my dreams are not just hopes for the future, now," she previously dished. "They’re literally starting to happen."
TLC;Facebook
Amber Rachdi
15 of 18
There was no stopping her! Amber was 660 pounds when she made the decision to change her life for the better. On the show, she opened up about her struggles with anxiety and an eating disorder, but she didn't let that stop her. The TV personality has reportedly since lost over 400 pounds. She posts on her Instagram regularly and fans are blown away by her progress.
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Milla Clark
16 of 18
Go, Milla! The star has lost the weight of "about 3 to 4 people" after kicking off her weight loss journey at 751 pounds. The reality star dropped down to 155 pounds, making her one of the biggest weight loss success stories on the show and she couldn't help but shout-out Dr. Now while celebrating her accomplishment. "You gotta love this man. He is such a blessing to me and all morbidly obese people," she wrote.
TLC; Facebook
Janine Mueller
17 of 18
When dedication meets preparation. Janine also wowed viewers with her unbelievable progress. When she first appeared on the show, the Seattle native had spent almost 10 years being immobile. The TV personality later did a follow-up and shared some very exciting news. She lost 431 pounds, and had a new beau in her life!
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Christina Phillips
18 of 18
Nostalgia alert! Christina was 708 pounds when she first appeared on the show in 2014. It became such a struggle for her on a daily basis that she didn't leave her house for two years. After getting gastric bypass surgery, the Mississippi native dropped to 183 pounds! Even though she had a tough time keeping the weight off, the TLC alum has tried her best to stay positive and challenge herself in new ways. "My 2nd 5k is done," she wrote in 2019. So inspiring! Christina welcomed a son named Ethan in February 2021, followed by baby No. 2, a son named Ezra, in September 2022.
TLC;InstagramNo pain, no gain. My 600-Lb. Life has captivated viewers with its powerful episodes, documenting the true stories of morbidly obese people who are committed to losing weight. Every person embarks on their own diet and fitness journey with the hopes of getting healthy, reclaiming their independence and becoming the best version of themselves. Over the years, there's been a lot of incredible weight loss transformations on the show.
Renowned surgeon Dr. Younan Nowzaradan leads patients on their weight loss journeys. In order to be approved for the high-risk gastric bypass surgery, most of the patients must abide by his strict 1200-calorie diet plan and lose a certain amount of weight on their own. That means they must battle their food addictions and stick to his low-carb, low-fat, high-protein program.
After they undergo weight loss surgery, patients continue to drop weight and meet their goals with consistent exercise.