The '1000-Lb. Sisters' lost 616 pounds. What they've learned about health and weight loss

TLC viewers were first introduced to Amy and Tammy Slaton in 2020 when the reality TV series "1000-Lb. Sisters" first premiered. Since then, the sisters' weight loss journey has been chronicled for the world to see, and they've made some pretty impressive progress.

At the start of the show, Amy Slaton, now 36, weighed 406 pounds and Tammy Slaton, now 37, weighed 608 pounds. Through a mix of dieting, exercise and surgery, the sisters have lost several hundred pounds each.

Tammy Slaton's fans recently applauded the reality star when she posted swimsuit photos after losing 440 pounds. Amy Slaton also made headlines in December 2023 for revealing that she's focusing more on her mental health than losing weight.

Curious to know more about how the sisters have made progress? Here are some of the lessons they learned over the years:

The Slaton sisters recognize where their weight struggles originated

While talking with People in 2023, the Slaton sisters shared the origins of their weight struggles.

“I’ve always had a weight issue,” Tammy Slaton said. Amy Slaton echoed her sister's sentiments, "Our whole family's big."

The sisters said diet played a huge role in their weight gain over the years. Since their mother worked three jobs when they were children, they had to cook for themselves.

“And at 10 and 11 you really couldn’t prepare healthy food and stuff,” Amy Slaton said.

“The microwave was our best friend,” Tammy Slaton said. “Ramen noodles, bowls of soup, things that were quick and easy — stuff that adds on carbs.”

When their grandmother died in 1999, Tammy Slaton said she and her sister "turned to food for comfort."

Amy’s desire for children inspired her to lose weight

Amy Slaton was motivated by her desire to become a mom. After she lost nearly 100 pounds following her bariatric surgery, the reality star took the first steps toward motherhood (she now has two sons).

“Now that my weight is getting under control, I went to the OB/GYN because I want to see if there’s anything that can keep me from getting pregnant. Being a mother is, like, the world to me. Like, seriously. I can’t express how much I want to be a mother. So I got bariatric surgery,” she said in an episode of “1000-Lb. Sisters.”

Tammy entered rehab to lose weight

As part of her weight loss efforts, Tammy Slaton entered a food addiction rehab center on several occasions. In order to qualify for surgery, her weight goal was 550 pounds.

Tammy Slaton's rehab experience was somewhat tumultuous and she initially left the facility weighing more than when she first entered, per People. And the next time she went to the rehab center, she lost 115 pounds in one month.

After regaining the weight, the reality star entered rehab once again and then was able to reach her surgery goal weight.

Both sisters had bariatric surgery

To kickstart their weight loss, the Slaton sisters both turned to bariatric surgery, which doctors may recommend when diet and exercise have not worked. Weight loss surgery may limit how much a person can eat and/or reduce the body's ability to ability to absorb fat and calories, according to The Mayo Clinic.

In order to qualify for the surgery, the sisters first had to reach a certain weight. Amy Slaton was the first to reach this milestone and underwent surgery in 2019.

In an episode of “1000-Lb. Sisters” that aired in 2020, the reality star showed off her 100-pound weight loss, revealing that she started out at 406 pounds.

After reaching her weight goal, Tammy Slaton underwent surgery in July 2022. Per People, she was down to 285 pounds as of December 2023. At her heaviest, she weighed 725 pounds.

The Slaton sisters have approachable dieting tips

In order to maintain her weight loss after surgery, Amy Slaton has a go-to meal plan.

“As far as eating habits go, I eat small meals with high protein and low carbs,” she told Us Weekly in 2023.

The mother of two also planted a vegetable garden at home to ensure that her family had access to healthy foods.

“Gage (my son) will eat Brussel sprouts. He’ll eat broccoli. He’ll eat cauliflower. He’ll eat all of that,” she told People in 2023. The proud mom added that her son Glenn is always willing to try different foods.

Tammy Slaton's approach to maintaining her weight loss is also quite simple.

“Oh, you (eat) proteins, low carbs, no sugars, no pop, portion control,” she commented on Instagram in response to a fan, per People.

Tammy curbed her soda intake

In an early episode of "1000-Lb. Sisters," Tammy Slaton said she usually drank eight to 12 cans of soda a day. In 2023, the reality star told her TikTok followers that she'd cut her soda, aka "sodies," intake significantly.

“Actually no, I don’t drink sodies that often anymore,” she said. “I mean, maybe two 12-ounce cans a day, sometimes not even that. Sometimes just one, sometimes not at all.”

Tammy Slaton also said she now mostly drinks water.

“Or if I do drink something else it’s tea — diet tea — or sugar free Gatorades. I do like drinking Crystal Light packets and stuff like that sometimes, but (I mostly drink) plain, ordinary water,” she said.

The Slaton sisters have tried several workouts

Amy and Tammy Slaton have tried several methods of exercise, including swimming, virtual reality workouts, personal training sessions and group workout classes.

Tammy Slaton also talked about her go-to workouts with Us Weekly, saying, “I like chair exercises, lifting weights, running, the bike and walking.”

The sisters know the importance of a support system

The Slaton sisters rely on each other for support in weight loss and in life. In an episode of "1000-Lb. Sisters" that aired after Amy Slaton's weight loss surgery, Tammy Slaton called her sister "my everything."

"She's been there for me whenever I need her (and) whenever I don't need her. But Amy needs me right now, so I'm going to help her as much as possible. Whatever she needs, I've got her back," she said.

Before her husband Caleb Willingham passed away, Tammy Slaton spoke to Us Weekly about his loving support.

“We support each other wholeheartedly. On our weight loss journeys, when he’s having issues with wanting to eat because he’s bored or because he’s an emotional eater, he comes to me and we talk about the situation,” she said. “It’s the same for me and I talk to him. We talk about our issues and why we feel this way. We are true partners.”

Amy prioritizes her mental health over weight loss these days

In December, Amy Slaton opened up to People about her ongoing weight loss journey and revealed that she'd lost 176 pounds since her surgery in 2019. After going through a divorce, however, she said she's prioritizing her mental health over dwelling on her weight these days.

“You can’t have weight loss without mental health,” she said.

After recognizing that her mental health was "the worst it’s ever been," the reality star began attending therapy sessions and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, acute stress disorder and depression.

To manage her mental health, Amy Slaton still attends therapy and is now on medication.

Tammy celebrates her weight loss milestones

Tammy Slaton's weight loss journey has been a marathon, not a sprint, and she's learned to celebrate her milestones along the way.

“I remember the first time I got a picture that she sent me of her riding the front seat in a car with a seatbelt, things that we may take for granted,” her doctor, Eric Smith, told People. “That was a huge accomplishment for her when she used to be coming to my office in the back of a minivan with the seats removed because that was the only way that they could transport her.”

“Just being able to walk without a walker or be pushed in a wheelchair, and no oxygen. I don’t even sleep with it at night anymore,” Tammy told People. “Then it was being able to fit in a regular vehicle, front seat, and then the belt buckle, and not have to use an extender now. So I mean, just what seems minor to some people is giant for me.”

Tammy appreciates the impact her weight loss has had on her mental health

After losing over 400 pounds, Tammy Slaton's mental and physical health has changed drastically. She went on TikTok in February 2024 to explain how her mental health has improved.

“My quality of life has changed so much. Before I went to rehab, I was bitter, unhappy, very, super suicidal, depressed and just mean. Everybody hated me, and they still do. Oh well,” she said. “I had this I don’t care attitude back then. I still do but it’s not as bad. I’m working on myself still.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com