A 650-lb. woman's seven-year weight-loss journey is chronicled.
Two years after her surgery, Melissa struggles to get to her ideal weight.
Love motivates Donald to begin his weight loss journey.
A 750-lb man wants to lose weight in time for his high-school reunion.
Ashley wants to achieve her goal of owning a childcare facility.
Zsaylnn, once known as the "Fat Girl Rock Star" - married a man who loves large women. Now weighing over 600lbs, she urgently needs to lose weight to be the mother her daughter deserves. Can Zsalynn succeed with a husband who doesn’t support her goals?
A 46-year-old Chicago woman battles depression in the wake of a suicide attempt and hasn't left her basement in two years, but hopes that a surgical procedure in Houston can save her life.
A 46-year-old woman bedridden for four years moves from Maryland to Texas to have gastric bypass surgery, but is reluctant to make real lifestyle changes that could improve her health.
A 700-lb. man tries to take control of his life when his wife is ready to leave him and he's forced to downsize his business.
A 22-year-old married woman in Mississippi hasn't left her house in two years, but her family haven't done her any favors by enabling her terrible eating habits.
A woman who weighs more than 600 pounds experiences a sudden loss, and must think about her own life and what will happen to her children.
A 700-lb. man who has a family history of obesity vows to change his lifestyle to be eligible for a gastric-bypass procedure, and is determined not to die the way his father and sister did. If all goes well, he even hopes to date again.
A Louisiana Mom called Tara wants to have a gastric bypass to enhance her confidence and for her to finally feel like she can leave the house.
A 23-year-old woman who weighs more than 600 pounds is dependent on her family and her boyfriend for the simplest tasks, so she decides to have weight-loss surgery that will force her to move 2000 miles away from her loved ones.
Susan is 37 years old and has never lived on her own because of her weight.
Pauline's addiction to food has taken over the life of her son and primary caretaker.
A 24-year-old woman who's approaching 700 pounds is housebound and completely dependent on her husband, who worries that she'll leave him if she loses weight.
A woman struggles to make a positive change to be part of her partner and son's lives.
A 30-year-old man who weighs 800 pounds is faced with losing his job and his inability to leave home.
Laura has used food to cope with her emotions; relying on her husband and mother to survive.
An overweight woman struggles with flesh-eating bacteria and butterfly shaped fat deposits.
A 23-year-old man who developed an eating disorder due to a troubled childhood weighs nearly 600 pounds, but must find the strength to take control of his life after losing his emotional support.
A woman who cannot stand up and whose weight is estimated at 800 pounds must face the facts about her health and the toll it takes on her family.
Pivotal moments, whether tragic breaking points or ultimate triumphs, decide the success or failure of individuals struggling with extreme obesity. They must face the reality that weight-loss surgery alone is not the answer to reclaiming their lives.
A costume designer finds her career threatened when her weight increases to 650 pounds, so she prepares for gastric-bypass surgery and gets psychological help to uncover the causes of her lifelong secret eating habit.
Brittani married a man who loves large women, but at 600-lbs, she can barely contribute to their marriage, and gets surgery to try to have a normal relationship.
After gastric bypass surgery, Chad quickly sheds his dangerous weight but faces a medical crisis when he does not follow the doctor's orders.
600-pound June copes with the tragic death of her son by eating. After gastric bypass surgery, she must confront the emotional issues driving her food compulsion. If she can stay on track, she can become the mother she desperately wants to be.
A woman with two children weighs more than 600 pounds, so she agrees to go on an extreme new diet, but her weight-loss efforts are threatened by her debilitating habits and a child's health emergency.
A 650-lb. man is unable to work and must depend on his wife for everything, so he goes to extremes in hopes of bringing his family together again.
Weighing over 700 pounds at 26-years-old, the clock is ticking on Ashley’s life. Ashamed of her body, she hides at home. After bypass surgery, Ashley confronts medical setbacks & struggles to get past the trauma that ignited her eating disorder.
At over 700lbs, Teretha's life is confined to a bed which is far from her former job representing Detroit's healthy eating program. Her adoring family fears losing her and hopes a gastric bypass will provide the solution she needs to save her life.
At 650lbs, Randy's food addiction led to the loss of his marriage and visits with his daughter. To regain control of his life, he endures a rigorous pre-surgery diet, surrounded by fast-food temptations. Will he be approved for a weight-loss operation?
At 700lbs, Milla is bedridden and dependent on her husband and five kids. Terrified each day will be her last, they still can't resist her unending requests for junk food. Can Milla stop a lifetime of unhealthy eating to qualify for gastric surgery?
26-year-old Sean weighs over 700-lbs with a massive growth protruding from his side and skin so stretched it is tearing apart. His mother is forced to change both of their lifestyles before he can be approved for gastric bypass surgery.
At 600 pounds, Lupe spent the last 10 years in bed & totally dependent on her husband. A cross-country move to save her life, may end up backfiring. Did Lupe wait too long to begin her weight loss journey?
Twins Kandi & Brandi have a combined weight totaling over 1100lbs. These inseparable twins fear losing each other to obesity, so they make a change together. But a life-threatening event during weight loss surgery recovery may separate them forever.
At 670 pounds, Ashley, who lives in her parents’ home with her husband, decides she must make a drastic change to save her life and her marriage.
A 610-lb. single mom with five kids fears for their livelihood if she can’t take care of them or something happens to her, so she’s determined more than ever to save her own life.
A woman has mobility issues while her weight tops 600 pounds, but she fights to get control of her obesity and save her relationship with her troubled son.
A 660-lb. man resorts to sneaking food as he recovers from a dependence on drugs and alcohol, but his addictive personality could destroy his marriage, his relationship with his three kids and his life.
A 661-lb. woman has siblings who are skeptical that she’s willing to change her habits, and worries that she’ll die alone and surrounded by food.
Diana, a once thin and active woman, is now a prisoner to her body and trades the comfort of her apartment for a weight loss journey under the strict authority of her niece.
Michael's massive body has left him dependent upon his family, and he must learn to control his anger issues around food, lose weight and address the root of his issues or risk losing everything.
Nicole is on the verge of leaving her two young children motherless, but commits to Dr. Nowzaradan's diet program to try to survive a family of addicts.
Tanisha desperately wants to survive for her kids and avoid the same fate as her mother, who died at age 50 from obesity, but she must make a drastic change to save her life.
James is bedridden, unable to stand and can barely move his legs, so his family takes a risky journey to Houston, Texas with the hope that bypass surgery can save his life.
Most of the extreme weight on Tracey's body resides in her shockingly misshapen legs, which are massive with severe lymphedema, and gastric surgery is her only chance of survival.
Steven Assanti weighs nearly 800 pounds and his brother Justin almost 600 pounds. Although they can't stand each other, their father packs up the family to travel across the country and seek help.
After a year on a weight loss program, Steven remains completely non-compliant and Justin focuses on a new career instead of his diet, but time is quickly running out for surgery.
After meeting and falling in love at a bariatric rehab center, Lee and Rena are battling health and anger issues while taking a desperate, second attempt to save their relationship and their lives.
Janine's extreme obesity has left her nearly immobile, and even the first steps on her weight loss journey may prove to be too much for her. She must overcome both her physical and emotional pain if she's ever going to live a normal life again.
A devoted girlfriend and loving aunt, Alicia is all smiles and laughter on the outside, but on the inside she is terrified that her addiction to food will kill her before she can marry her long-time love or watch her nieces grow up.
Liz is completely bed bound with severe lymphedema that makes it impossible to walk. Utterly isolated, with no friends, she battles depression, and lives with her mom who is too ill to take care of her. Liz desperately wants to become mobile.
Unable to stand for more than a short period of time, Karina's weight places a burden on her parents and drives a wedge between her and her sister.
James LB Bonner spent his early life trying to prove himself to his adoptive family, but after losing a leg and battling obesity, LB must take a new path to save his health and his family relationships.
Lisa's struggle with her weight begins as a child and significantly worsens after witnessing her brother's murder; now bedridden and unable to care for herself, she must lose the weight or she will never see her grandchildren grow up.
With the support of his fiancee, Kathryn, Robert turns to Dr. Nowzaradan in a desperate attempt to save his life. He tries to reverse a lifelong food addiction that has left him bed-bound, saddled with grotesque lymphedema and nearly 900 pounds.
Tamy's eating addiction has caused her weight to balloon over 500 pounds. She has become a hermit after years of shame, and hopes to restart her life so he can take better care of her son, Zachary.
Fearing that he'll suffer the same fate as older brother David, who is now 700 pounds and unable to work, Benji hopes to be able to support both himself and his brother on their life-or-death weight loss journey.
A former plus-size model and "big is beautiful" advocate, Renee now realizes the mortal mistakes she has made as her weight swells to 600 pounds and her health deteriorates.
A 24-year-old woman weighs more than 600 pounds and is fighting for her life after a difficult childhood with an abusive stepfather and drug-addicted mother.
Devastated by two miscarriages due to her weight, Schenee is desperate to start a family and stop relying on her husband, Freddie, to take care of her; she hopes weight loss surgery will be able to fix her fertility issues as well as her marriage.
Jennifer and her daughter, Marissa, are stuck in a co-dependent relationship that puts both of their lives in jeopardy, with a combined weight of more than 900 pounds; Jennifer strives to regain control before it's too late.
The Perrios struggle with different stages of their weight loss journey, but the revelation of a past tragedy explains their resistance to recovery, and the siblings must now come together to overcome their fears and forge a path towards a healthy future.
The Perrios struggle with different stages of their weight loss journey, but the revelation of a past tragedy explains their resistance to recovery, and the siblings must now come together to overcome their fears and forge a path towards a healthy future.
Octavia has been bed bound for nearly a year when she decides to make a trip to Houston to get help from Dr. Now, but when it turns out that her best friend is also her worst enabler, Octavia will have to choose between old habits and a new life.
At over 700 pounds, Brianne undertakes a weight-loss journey to save her own life; she faces an unexpected challenge to her fragile progress when her husband suffers a heart attack on a birthday she will never forget.
Robin and her brother Chris are both obese and already lost a sibling to obesity. They plan to visit Dr. Now together when Chris suffers a stroke and can't go. However, Chris's son Garrett, already 600-lbs at age 20, may join the journey with his Aunt.
A college graduate with a once-promising career, Justin has eaten his life away to the point of never leaving the house for anything but food; only the help of Dr. Now's weight-loss program can restore his hopes of living a happy, productive life.
Holly already has one failed weight loss surgery, so to succeed this time, she must do more than change her eating habits, she must address the childhood issues that continue to plague her.
Lacey ballooned up over 600 lbs on pizza and ice cream and knows Dr. Now is her best hope for success; she must now rally her divorced parents around her for support and find a way to modulate her moods that won't include binge-eating.
Brandon is a talented musician with a beautiful voice and a run-away weight problem; he wants to lose weight and embark on a career; he also wants to take the next step with his girlfriend, Taylor, whom he risks losing if he can't make a change.
Maja moves to Houston to undertake a difficult weight-loss journey with the support of her boyfriend, Christian. However, when Christian decides he's had enough and leaves Maja high and dry, she will discover that the only person she can count on is herself.
Tiffany finds it difficult to break the cycle of depressed eating when her two roommates don't join her diet and leave the house every day for work.
Born as "Matthew," Destinee never felt like she fit in; now, having come out as a 600-pound transgender woman, she likes her curves, but she will need to say goodbye to them if she wants to be approved to transition completely.
Jeanne lives in an unhygienic household with her mother and schizophrenic father; at well over 600 pounds, Jeanne might never get weight-loss surgery as she runs into several obstacles, especially after an unexpected death in her family.
Since the death of his mother, Aaron lives at home to care for his aging father, but due to his food addiction, Aaron has to heavily rely on his father for help instead; Aaron must learn to care for himself to avoid eating himself to death.
Kelly is on the verge of immobility when she decided to make the trip to Houston to visit Dr. Now; Her journey gets off to a painful start when a long travel day grows longer as Kelly gets stuck in a cab on her way from the clinic to the hospital
When Annjeanette was 9, a campaign was established to send her to fat camp. She hated that her weight had become a source of public shame and she has struggled to overcome her food addiction. Now, she must change her habits to save her life.
When Angela's family is unable to accompany her on her weight-loss journey to Texas she is unsure what to do. At the last minute, she reaches out to an old flame, Eric, who still has love for her and is willing to make the trip.
A mother of 4, bed-bound for 2 years, Lashanta relies on her kids to keep her cleaned and fed. Her last chance to break the cycle of food addiction that's killing her is to join Dr. Now's program, but it will take a village just to get her out the door.
Cillas' food addiction is getting in the way of his ability to be there for his fiancée, Jessica, and her three daughters. If he doesn't lose weight soon, he knows he'll lose either his girls, or his life.
With severe lymphedema, Mercedes can barely stand and cares for her 2 small children with the help of her extended family. Dr. Now can give her the tools to lose weight, but to succeed she must face the trauma inflicted by her late abusive father.
At over 600 pounds, Angie is trying to get to Houston to see Dr. Nowzaradan, in hope of getting life-saving weight loss surgery. But family conflict and a disagreement may stop her from being able to do what she needs before she even gets the chance.
Weighing over 600 lbs. each, Vianey and Allen are locked in a codependent relationship based on a shared love of food. As they head to Houston, they will soon find out if their relationship can handle the strain of growing healthy together.
John and Lonnie are two brothers from opposite ends of the spectrum; estranged for years, the brothers are now brought together by a common need to lose weight while they still can.
Lindsey has a white picket fence, a loving husband and a great job, but her food addiction threatens to ruin everything; as she embarks on a weight loss journey to save her life, her husband may provide more harm than support.
Bethany has two daughters who live in fear of losing their mom to her food addiction. Once an addiction counselor, Bethany has gotten so big that she can no longer work. Now she risks losing her life, if Dr. Now can't help her curb her own addiction.
J.T. is almost 900lbs with a 100-lb lymphedema mass on his leg and a food addiction that is bound to kill him if he doesn't change; his girlfriend takes him to Houston, but when his behavior drives her away, J.T. is left with only Dr. Now to help.
Gina and wife Beth live with Gina's mother, but she and Gina's sister blame Beth for Gina's spiraling weight problem; it will take all Gina's will to leave home for Houston to get Dr. Now's help, to save her life and her marriage.
When Travis gets too big to walk down the aisle, he promises to give his wife a proper wedding. But he gains more weight, leaving Dr. Now as Travis' only hope to get the life he and his wife dreamed of having together.
Joyce needs home health care and hasn't left the house in three years; getting to Dr. Now in Houston is just the first step and when he prescribes therapy where Joyce must revisit an unhappy past with her mom; it might be more than she can handle.
Shantel's brother Carlton lives downstairs but she hardly ever sees him because at 600 lbs each, neither can do the stairs safely. To break free from a death spiral of codependent eating they need Dr. Now's help to reforge their sibling relationship.
Seana is 23 and nearly 700lbs, living at her mom's house, depressed and anxious, her weight gain threatening to take her last breath; Dr Now can give her the tools she needs to live, but until she chooses life, on one can save seana but herself.
At 600 pounds, Ashley has to move home so her mom can help her care for herself and her newborn daughter. Ashley must overcome a lifetime's worth of unfortunate circumstances and get Dr. Now's help in Houston.
Tommy wants to lose weight so he can marry his fiancée and have the life he always dreamed of with her, but to break the cycle of pathological eating that left him nearly bed-bound, he'll have to face a piece of his past he has always kept secret.
The four best reasons for Coliesa to live are her daughters, but after a heart attack and losing the love of her life in a car crash, she eats non-stop to escape from reality; unless she can stop that, the next heart attack will be fatal
Dominic's life is falling apart due to his food addiction; at over 600-lbs, living in a van with his brother, Dominic decides to leave California for Texas, where only Dr Now can help him learn to face life's challenges without using food to cope.
At 24 years old and over 600 lbs, Megan lives at home with her mom, who cooks for her, since she can't do much on her own. Megan must travel to Houston to meet Dr Now and change her eating habit or her life may end before it ever begins.
Ashley is 24 and lives alone. Her only sources of comfort are food and the relationships she has online, but not a single one of her profiles is real. Ashley learns that Dr Now isn't someone she can lie to like her online friends.
For 23 years, Leneatha has worked as a pharmacy tech at a local hospital; now, she has a young daughter to support, but she's so big that it's hard to move; if Dr Now can't help her stop eating, losing her job could be the least of her worries.
At nearly 1,000 pounds, Samantha is dangerously close to dying.
Thederick is housebound and only goes outside to greet the ice cream man.
Carrie is on the brink of eating herself to death.
Cindy is resistant to change and has spent years creating a world that makes her feel safe. When her friend notices Cindy's health declining rapidly due to her size, she pushes Cindy to move to Houston and see Dr. Now. But Cindy isn't so easily persuaded.
Melissa has isolated herself at home and lost many friends to avoid feeling the shame of what her food addiction has done to her body. Now, the only way to get her life back is to leave it behind to start a new one with Dr. Now's help in Houston.
Kenae's weight gain skyrocketed due to her grief after her mother's death.
Krystal began overeating to shield herself with a protective layer of obesity after suffering years of abuse. Once a means of protection, her pathological eating now threatens to destroy her life if she doesn't get help.
Isaac helped raise his siblings after his mom suffered a debilitating stroke when he was 10. While learning to cook for his family, he began comfort-eating. Now to avoid eating himself to death, Isaac must learn to take care of himself for a change.
A lifetime of abuse and ridicule has left Michael anxious and afraid to leave the house. Now with the help of his devoted wife he must follow Dr. Now's program to keep from eating himself to death.
Shannon's husband loves her, but he is perpetuating a toxic cycle.
Irene had to move back in with her son because her weight made it unbearable to live on her own. When Dr. Now can't get through to her, the only thing that might help her break the cycle is a once-in-a-lifetime turn of events.
Through tough times, food has always been Tammy's friend. But now she has gotten so big that her daughters and mother have moved home to care for her, and unless Dr. Now can get her to confront her grief, food might be her killer.
Having her daughters help bathe her is not how Chrystal pictured parenting, but she is so large now that there's no other option. Chrystal wants Dr. Now's help, but she didn't know that bringing her childhood trauma to light would be part of the deal.
When Nathan's weight gets in the way of the only healthy thing in his life - his job as a drama teacher - it's a wake-up call for him. But changing his life might mean a falling out with his wife, Amber, who is also overweight, unless she can lose, too.
For Julian and his wife, Irma, it was love at first sight. But in order to grow old together, Julian will have to overcome the food addiction that made him more than 800 pounds, and Irma will have to hold on no matter how difficult the journey may become.
Bianca is all in for a move to Houston with her boyfriend and two young kids to get Dr. Now's help with a second weight-loss surgery. But just when the coast is clear, her boyfriend's change of mind could undermine her progress.
Mike was born with a talent for sports -- and an omnivorous appetite to match. After his football dreams were dashed by multiple concussions, he packed on over 700 pounds. Now he must find a new purpose in life to avoid succumbing to pain and regret.
Lacey is so big from overeating that she can barely leave the house, but that hasn't stopped her from finding love with Ricky. Her weight isn't the only thing between her and a happy husband, however, with Ricky's sister Sharon in the picture.
Paul weighs in at 700 pounds, and his girlfriend struggles with how this limits their ability to live a normal life; he thinks their relationship won't survive if he moves to work with Dr. Now, but prioritizing his own health is the only option.
Ryan moved to Montana to keep himself from going down a dark path of drug addiction. However, his new path may be no less lethal than the last if he can't find a way to curb his eating habits before they kill him.
For James B, food means family. He grew up eating rich Haitian food and loves it with a passion. Now, James needs Dr. Now's help to diminish that love in order to survive, but a death in the family sends James retreating back to the comforts he knows.
Living on a homestead with his family, Lucas wants to spread his wings and fly, but at 600 pounds, he can't take off. All he does is eat and game, and if he wants to leave the nest and live a normal life, he needs Dr. Now's help to lose over 400 pounds.
Margaret's life at 700 pounds is in need of a jump start. At age 35, she is a mama's girl. Now, it's time for Margaret to get out of bed, overcome her food addiction and break away from the comfort of her mother so she can finally live her life.
At 700 pounds, Ontreon has managed to keep going thanks to his faith in God, and he's training to become a minister. But if he can't find a way to believe in himself, he'll never be able to stop eating.
Dolly has gotten too comfortable at 600 pounds. There's physical pain all over, and the skin apron pulling on her abdomen is miserable, but with her mom and others waiting on her hand and foot, she manages to avoid ever taking responsibility for her life.
For Larry, a second weight loss surgery would mean a second chance at a career as a gospel recording artist. But a beautiful singing voice doesn't pair well with a 600-pound eating habit. If Larry can't make the choice to change, then no one can help him.
Lisa wouldn't have made it this far without the help of her chief enabler, her boyfriend Randy. But Randy falls ill, and Lisa is about to find out if she has the will and determination she needs in order to turn her life around.
Growing up in foster care, David suffered from a lack of attention and didn't develop a sense of self-worth. Now he weighs 800 pounds, and he's relying on his favorite foster mom to support him as he finds the motivation to change and save his own life.
As an Italian American, Geno was raised with lots of love, family and food. Now, he's still living with his mom and eating himself to death, and it's time to make a change. Geno's cousin, Nico, joins the cause, and they pledge to lose weight together.
Latonya found the man she wants to marry. The only problem is that, at almost 700 pounds, she can't walk down the aisle. Latonya doesn't want to give up the food that she's used to, but will she do it for love?
Wess gets off to a great start in Dr. Now's program, but when the cravings continue after surgery, Dr. Now sends him to therapy to confront his demons. Now, Wess must ask himself whether he is ready to live his truth as a gay man in small town Texas.
Syreeta thinks that anyone trying to help has an ulterior motive, but now she's gotten so big she desperately needs help. She's learning to let down her guard for her husband, but weight loss surgery will be tough if she can't learn to trust the surgeon.
Mark sets out with a goal for weight loss surgery, but as weight loss gets easier, he turns down medical advice and decides to do it on his own. Now, Mark thinks he can lose 500 pounds by himself, but Dr. Now sees this as another excuse not to change.
With her weight spiraling, Stephanie needs her mom's help to care for her three kids. Now, she's at the point where she'll have to lose weight or risk not having the chance to see her kids grow up.
Nothing means more to Chris than his relationship with his daughter, Zoey, but now he feels he is failing her as his weight gain begins to limit his mobility. Chris turns to his mother, whom he hasn't seen in seven years, to help get his life on track.
Patrick's weight has never been a bother -- not to him, nor to his wife, Amanda. Now, however, he's so big that it's getting in the way of his relationship with his daughter. If he wants to see her graduate high school, he'll have to reverse course.
Krystal S. has finally met the man of her dreams, but she won't let herself marry him until she can be sure that she won't become bedridden and force him into the role of caretaker.
William was always mobile and fairly athletic -- that is, until he wasn't; it's been years now since a knee injury derailed his sports career, and he's ballooned up over 600 pounds; now, to lose weight he'll have to face up to how bad it's gotten.
When a regular trip to the grocery store turns into an emergency for the EMTs, Delana must admit how badly she needs Dr. Now's help to lose weight; hopefully her road to recovery will lead her to reconcile with the daughter she's grown apart from.
Abi was struggling with his weight before a fluke accident left him mostly paralyzed. Bedbound for seven years since then and topping 700 pounds, Abi's only hope for a future with his wife is to get Dr. Now's help to lose weight and find a way to stand up.
At age 58, Rose had almost given up and eaten herself to death, but it turned out her family needed her too much for her to go. Now she has more than 400 pounds to lose if she wants to get healthy for them, and she'll do it if it's the last thing she does.
Shakyia was always chubby, but now she has stopped leaving the house and makes no effort. Her older sister rallies her to Houston to meet Dr. Now and lose weight, but she'll be in for a shock when her mom decides that caring for her is just too much.
Charles replaced one addiction with another after he stopped using heavy narcotics. His BMI is now above 100, and he is unable to stop eating. He needs Dr. Now's assistance, but with his brother providing everything for him, is he too comfortable to make the trip to Houston?
The aftermath of Steven and Justin Assanti, following them after the weight loss.
