Summary
- Many cast members from My 600-lb Life season 5 have made significant progress in their weight loss journey and have improved their quality of life.
- Some cast members, such as Brandi and Kandi, Ashley, Cynthia, and Doug, have successfully kept the weight off and continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- However, there are also cast members who have faced challenges after the show, such as issues in their relationships, ongoing psychological effects, and lawsuits against the show's production company.
Content Warning: the following article contains discussions of sexual violence.Many cast members from My 600-lb Life season 5 have had major life changes. The 14-episode season premiered in January 2017 and followed morbidly obese patients with a desire to lose weight and improve their quality of life. My 600-lb Life weight loss expert Dr. Younan Nowzaradan coached, supported, and performed weight loss measures on each of the season 5 cast members.
The participants on My 600-lb Life all had an uphill battle to climb in order to get healthy and improve their quality of life. However, there is good news to report for some of the My 600-lb Life cast members and where there are now.
Brandi and Kandi Dreier
29-year-old twins Brandi and Kandi Dreier from Vancouver, WA both weighed in close to 600 lbs and were depressed and codependent their whole lives. Their weight gain stemmed from lonely and abusive childhoods where their parents would use food as a babysitter. Brandi and Kandi made strides during their weight loss journey in tackling their childhood issues with their mother. In total, Brandi lost 228 lbs, and Kandi lost 220 lbs. Both have continued to keep the weight off and are active on Facebook. Brandi has two kids now, and Kandi describes that she is in a relationship.
Ashley Reyes
Ashley Reyes was 30 years old and 668 lbs when she sought out Dr. Now's help to lose weight. The West Hills, CA native used food to cope with childhood trauma and described herself as "completely miserable." Ashley wanted to lose weight not only for herself but also for her supportive partner Daniel. She saw success losing weight before and after the bariatric surgery but struggled with the psychological effects of food deprivation.
After My 600-lb Life, Ashley has lost over 300 lbs but struggles with excess skin. It's not clear if Ashley has had the surgery to remove the excess skin. Ashley and Daniel are still together. However, Ashley seems to keep her private life off social media.
Cynthia Wells
42-year-old Cynthia Wells from Oklahoma City, OK started her weight loss journey at 603 lbs and complained of intense pain. Cynthia's weight loss motivation was to become an active mom for her then-11-year-old daughter. After failing to lose the initial weight needed to have the operation, Cynthia left the program. After regaining her purpose, Cynthia went on to lose 150 lbs.
Following her appearance on My 600-lb Life, Cynthia reportedly lost another 100 lbs. Cynthia is active on Facebook and shares many pictures showcasing her slimmed-down figure. Her quality of life seems to have greatly improved as Cynthia loves sharing posts and pictures related to her fitness, friends, and travel. Cynthia appeared on My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? season 6, which aired in May 2020.
Kirsten Perez
At 612 lbs and 38 years old, Longview, WA resident Kirsten Perez wanted to take back control of her life by giving in to the bariatric process. With severe pain in her hips and knees, Kirsten was close to being bedridden. Kirsten did a lot of self-deprecating, which was exacerbated by adolescent trauma. As a mother of two, Kirsten gave up control of raising her two kids to her parents while she was struggling with her weight and drug addiction.
Dr. Now gave Kirsten an ultimatum to attend therapy for her emotional issues before he would concede to do the surgery. Kirsten obliged and pushed through the process, losing over 100 lbs by the episode's end. Present day, Kirsten keeps a low profile on social media and has a Facebook page that was last updated in 2021.
Doug Armstrong
Weighing in at 682 lbs at the beginning of the episode, 36-year-old Doug Armstrong from Wichita Falls, TX dreaded getting up in the morning. Doug dealt with trauma from childhood abuse and his parents' abandonment, turning to food, and eventually drugs, to cope. Doug felt compelled to undergo bariatric surgery to become the husband and father he wanted to be.
During his My 600-lb Life season 5 journey and after, Doug lost over 400 lbs. He was approved to have excess skin removal surgery while on the show, which also improved his quality of life. Doug and his wife now have five children. Doug is very active on social media and is even thinking about starting a podcast on post-weight loss life.
Erica Wall
44-year-old Erica Wall from Lompoc, CA weighed 661 pounds when she started on My 600-lb Life. She complained of excruciating pain and severe lymphedema that kept her isolated. Food was uncontrolled when Erica was growing up, and she was teased and ridiculed about her appearance by her father. At 16, Erica was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend's friends.
She gained weight rapidly after that, and her mother took her to have her stomach stapled at 17. However, after short-term success, she blew the staples out. Dr. Now repaired the damage to Erica's stomach and performed a successful bypass surgery. At 12 months from the start of her journey on My 600-lb Life season 5, Erica lost 190 lbs. In 2018, TLC gave an update on Erica, saying that she lost 300 lbs and was starting a new life with her boyfriend, Jimmy. Erica has an inactive Facebook account where there are old photos of her and Jimmy.
Diana Bunch
55-year-old Diana Bunch began her My 600-lb Life experience at 601 lbs. The Seattle, WA resident's morbid obesity led to chronic pain, open wounds, and reliance on others to take care of her. Compounding her obesity issues, Diana ate to mask every emotion. Coming from a large family of chaos and crisis, Diana's issues were made worse by a sexual assault when she 11. She kept her food addiction at bay until her 20s, but after a series of job losses, she let her weight get out of control.
Diana was very receptive to Dr. Now's weight loss program and has gone on to be one of the most successful patients ever, having lost 425 lbs. She seems to have maintained a healthy lifestyle but does not actively post on social media. Diana's Twitter profile picture shows off just how drastic of a change she made to her physical appearance.
Michael Dominguez
At 32 and with a weight of 632 lbs, Michael Dominguez from Glendale, AZ relied on his wife, daughter, and son to take care of him and suffered from a long-term open wound. Michael was an angry food addict who threw fits and took his anger out on his family. Michael's wife Roni joined him in the weight loss journey, and the pair supported each other on-screen. However, despite losing 287 lbs on the show and becoming visibly happier, there were issues between Michael and Roni after My 600-lb Life.
On My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?Roni detailed the distress Michael's continued anger issues caused. Michael's anger got out of hand during an argument with Roni, and he slammed her finger in a door. Michael moved out soon afterward. Neither Roni nor Michael have social media accounts, so it is unknown whether they stayed together or separated.
Nicole Lewis
23-year-old Nicole Lewis from Marion, OH weighed 684 lbs at the beginning of her My 600-lb Life season 5 episode. Nicole's parents, her two kids, and her devoted boyfriend Charlie helped with caretaking. Nicole developed an attachment to food as a toddler. Dr. Now performed gastric sleeve surgery on Nicole, and she lost 163 lbs by the episode's end when Charlie proposed to her.
During My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?, Nicole revealed that her father went back on drugs and was also diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Despite her family problems, Nicole stuck to her diet and exercise regimen and lost a total of 326 lbs. Nicole is not active on social media at this time, so it's unclear if she and Charlie tied the knot or if she continued her weight loss success. In 2020, it was reported that Nicole sued My 600-lb Life's production company for fraud over claims that she was left with unpaid medical bills. She also alleged she filmed another My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? episode and that Megalomedia promised they would pay for her skin surgery, move her to Houston, and cover her rent for six months.
Tanisha Cleveland
Tanisha Cleveland from Silsbee, TX weighed 589 lbs at 32 years old and said that she was disgusted with herself. Tanisha's husband Troy was her only source of help. Tanisha had a troubled childhood with violent, drug-addicted parents before she went to live with her grandparents. During her childhood and early adolescence, she survived molestation and rape. Tanisha found peace in food and started putting on significant weight after her second pregnancy at 25.
Tanisha struggled to lose the initial weight Dr. Now required to perform the bariatric surgery and quit the show after losing only 11 lbs and going through a divorce from Troy. A while later, she joined the program once again but quit a second time. Tanisha sought the help of Dr. Now a third time and got into therapy. She stuck with it and ended up losing a total of 119 pounds. She even got a new boyfriend. Tanisha's last social media update was in 2020 when she looked happy and slimmer than when viewers first saw her on My 600-lb Life season 5.
James King
James King from Nashville, TN went on My 600-lb Life at 46, bedridden for the last three years. James' girlfriend Lisa and daughter Bailey were his primary caretakers, but he also got help with bathing from friends and family. James was one of the heaviest cast members on My 600-lb Life, coming to Dr. Now weighing 791 lbs.
Unfortunately, while under his care in the hospital, Dr. Now called Adult Protective Services on Lisa for sneaking him food. That situation, coupled with James' inability to do the work in the program, meant his time on the show came to an end. Sadly, James passed away on April 3, 2020 from kidney failure.
Tracey Matthews
45-year-old Tracey Mathews from Lorain, OH weighed 605 lbs when she first appeared on My 600-lb Life. Tracey's lymphedema and her infected cellulitis caused extreme leg swelling and pain. Tracey's husband Anthony was her caretaker. Tracey had a rough childhood of physical abuse and molestation which caused food to become her safety net.
Tracey initially lost 90 lbs under Dr. Now's care but gained half of it back shortly after. She recommitted to the process and lost a total of 197 lbs. Dr. Now removed 201 lbs of excess skin from Tracey's legs, and she got a better quality of life afterward. These days, Tracey has maintained her weight loss and is active on Facebook where she shows off her family and posts regularly. Tracey was also among the My 600-lb Life cast members who accused Megalomedia of shady treatment.
Steven and Justin Assanti
Rhode Island native Steven Assanti was 33 years old and 700+ pounds when he appeared on My 600-lb Life season 5. His story was told in two parts alongside his 27-year-old brother who weighed 604 lbs. Having come from a volatile household, Steven and Justin developed food addictions. Steven is a negatively renown My 600-lb Life cast member for his aggressive attitude and resistance to treatment. Steven got kicked out of Dr. Now's program for his substance abuse issues and alleged verbal abuse of the staff. Justin lost the weight necessary to have bariatric surgery and went on to have the operation.
Steven was able to restart his weight loss journey with Dr. Now but ultimately plateaued at around 550 lbs. Justin successfully lost 200 lbs. Steven married Stephanie Sanger after his My 600-lb Life season 5 journey, and the pair maintained that Steven got a bad edit on the show. Steven and Justin's historically estranged relationship has remained that way, and Justin is focusing on running his store, Hobby Haven. There was a false rumor that Steven had died in February 2023, but Justin clarified that was not the case.
Source: Kandi Dreier/Facebook, Brandi Dreier/Facebook, Cynthia Wells/Facebook, Doug Armstrong/Facebook, Erica Wall/Facebook, Diana Bunch/Twitter, Tanisha Cleveland/Facebook, Tracey Matthews/Facebook, Justin Assanti/Facebook
