1000-lb Sisters: Tammy Slaton's weight loss journey explored 

When TLC's reality show 1000-lb Sisters first aired in 2020, viewers met Tammy Slaton at a staggering 608 pounds. Too large for conventional scales, she had to visit a junkyard to weigh herself during the premiere episode. What followed was a rollercoaster journey of weight gain, health crises, and eventually, remarkable transformation.

After reaching 725 pounds, Tammy faced a life-threatening health scare that became her wake-up call. Following bariatric surgery in 2022, she has shed an astonishing 500 pounds, completely reinventing her life in the process.

Now, as Season 7 of 1000-lb Sisters unfolds, viewers are witnessing a dramatically different Tammy facing new challenges, including loose skin removal surgery and navigating personal relationships. Her story has become one of the most dramatic weight loss transformations in reality television history.

1000-lb Sisters star Tammy Slaton’s weight gain and weight loss explained

The initial seasons of 1000-lb Sisters portrayed Tammy's struggle with weight management in stark detail. Rather than losing weight, she consistently gained more with each passing season. Her situation seemed particularly concerning compared to her sister Amy, who qualified for bariatric surgery earlier in their journey.

During that period, Tammy's lifestyle took a nosedive — fast. She ditched any attempts at eating healthy and dove headfirst into partying, drinking, and putting her health on the back burner. Naturally, this set off alarm bells for her family and doctors, who were watching her spiral with growing concern.

By the time the scale hit 725 pounds, it wasn’t just the audience that was worried; even her loved ones feared she’d given up. Tammy’s mobility was severely limited; she needed oxygen to get through the day, and she had to rely on others for even the most basic tasks.

Then came the wake-up call no one saw coming: a terrifying health scare that landed her in the hospital and led to a medically induced coma. For a full week, everything hung in the balance, and that moment would become the turning point that changed everything. This brush with mortality fundamentally altered her perspective.

"I decided to save my own life," Tammy later explained about her mindset after waking from the coma.

Tammy’s turning point on 1000-lb Sisters wasn’t just dramatic, it was the real beginning of her no-nonsense commitment to getting healthy. After years of starts, stops, and “maybe next Mondays,” she finally qualified for bariatric surgery in 2022. And this time, she showed up with the grit it takes to actually make it work.

The payoff? Nothing short of jaw-dropping. Thanks to the surgery and some serious lifestyle changes, Tammy has shed nearly 500 pounds, which is close to two-thirds of her peak weight.

Even her doctor, Dr. Eric Smith, couldn’t help but cheer her on, recently posting a set of before-and-after photos that had fans doing double-takes. It’s a transformation that’s as inspiring as it is impressive.

"I've watched @queentammy86 fight hard for her health and her future," he wrote.

Elaborating:

"500+ pounds lost, but what she's gained—confidence, freedom, and joy—is even greater."

The visual evidence of her transformation has amazed longtime viewers of 1000-lb Sisters. Recent episodes feature a Tammy who bears little resemblance to the woman first introduced in 2020. Beyond the physical changes, her energy levels, mobility, and overall outlook have dramatically improved.

What’s next for Tammy Slaton?

Despite her incredible progress, Tammy's journey continues with fresh obstacles. 1000-lb Sisters Season 7 focuses on her desire for skin removal surgery, a common need for those who experience massive weight loss.

The rapid shedding of pounds has left her with substantial loose skin that affects both her comfort and self-image.

However, her medical team has established clear conditions before proceeding with additional procedures. During the season premiere, doctors informed Tammy that she must quit vaping nicotine before they will consider performing skin removal surgery.

This requirement presents yet another test of her commitment to complete health transformation.

Beyond her physical journey, Tammy's personal life has taken unexpected turns. 1000-lb Sisters Season 7 reveals that she has begun dating a woman, a relationship she has kept hidden from her family. This aspect adds another dimension to her story of transformation and self-discovery.

1000-lb Sisters now balances coverage of her ongoing weight management with these emerging personal narratives. After mostly concentrating on the physical parts of her journey, viewers are now seeing hints of how Tammy's social and emotional lives are developing in tandem with her changing physical appearance.

One of the most striking physical transformations ever shown on reality TV is Tammy's journey. Her journey from needing a junkyard scale to weigh herself to shedding 500 pounds is a compelling illustration of how perseverance can produce transformative outcomes.

As 1000-lb Sisters continues documenting her progress, viewers witness not just weight loss but a complete life reinvention. The challenges she now faces – skin removal surgery, relationship dynamics, maintaining her progress – represent a new chapter rather than the conclusion of her story.

For many viewers, Tammy's transformation provides inspiration while acknowledging the very real difficulties of extreme weight loss. Her ongoing journey suggests that transformation is rarely simple or complete but rather a continuing process of growth and adaptation.

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You can watch 1000-lb Sisters Season 6 on TLC every Tuesday at 9 PM ET/PT, or stream it anytime on Discovery+, Hulu, Max, and Amazon Prime Video.