All language subtitles for My 600-lb Life S08E01

John: THIS IS THE LAST OPTION
FOR ME AND LONNIE

BECAUSE WE'VE TRIED
EVERYTHING ELSE

AND WE'VE ONLY GOTTEN BIGGER.

Woman:
SOMEWHERE IN ME

IS THIS LITTLE GLIMMER OF HOPE.

I JUST WANT TO BE
A NORMAL PERSON.

YOU CAN'T DO IT,
AND THEN I JUST GET MAD.

Woman #2:
IF I DON'T MAKE A CHANGE NOW,

I'M SCARED
IT'S GONNA BE TOO LATE.

IT HURTS!

Woman #3:
I REFUSE TO STOP FIGHTING.

I HAVE TO DO THIS
FOR MY CHILDREN.

I'LL SEE YOU
WHEN I GET OUT.

ALL RIGHT, BE SAFE.

I WILL.
I LOVE YOU.

LOVE YOU, TOO.
DON'T DIE.

--Captions by VITAC--
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

John: EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE
STARTS WITH THE SAME THOUGHT --

THAT I CAN'T BELIEVE

THAT I'VE LET THINGS
GET THIS BAD WITH MY WEIGHT.

AND I AM DISAPPOINTED

THAT I LET MY LIFE
END UP LIKE THIS.

I'M MISERABLE ALL BECAUSE
OF MY SIZE

AND HOW BIG I AM NOW.

I CAN'T EVEN SLEEP NORMAL

BECAUSE I CAN'T SLEEP
LAYING DOWN.

I CAN'T BREATHE.

MY WEIGHT SMOTHERS ME.

SO FOR ALMOST EIGHT YEARS,

I'VE SLEPT IN A CHAIR,

AND THAT'S LONELY

'CAUSE I CAN'T EVEN SHARE A BED
WITH MY WIFE ANYMORE.

GOOD MORNING.
HI.

I'M GONNA GET READY
FOR WORK.

Amber: IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE,
I DO A LOT OF THINGS,

TAKING CARE OF JOHN

BECAUSE HE CAN'T DO
THE SIMPLE THINGS FOR HIMSELF.

IT'S A LOT, BUT IT IS WORTH IT
TO ME BECAUSE I LOVE JOHN,

AND I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HIM.

John:
HOW MUCH I HAVE TO STRUGGLE

AND THE WAY I LIVE NOW
EMBARRASSES ME

BECAUSE I CAN ONLY GO
VERY SHORT DISTANCES ON MY OWN.

BUT I REALLY DON'T
WANT THEM TO SEE THAT.

SO I WAIT UNTIL MY FAMILY LEAVES

BEFORE I TRY TO GO TO
THE RESTROOM AND CLEAN MYSELF.

MORNING.
MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, DAD.

MORNING.

BE GOOD AT SCHOOL.OKAY.

MAYBE WHEN YOU GET HOME FROM
SCHOOL, WE'LL PLAY SOME BALL.

OKAY.ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO.

OKAY.

BYE.

I LOVE Y'ALL.

LOVE YOU, TOO.

John: I NEVER WANT TO ASK AMBER
AND CALEB FOR HELP,

SO I WANT TO DO IT MYSELF.

BUT I CAN'T DO MUCH.

WHEN I FIRST STAND UP,
I GET A LITTLE DIZZY,

AND THE FIRST STEPS
IN THE MORNING ARE HARD.

MY LEGS JUST CAN'T REALLY
HANDLE MY WEIGHT ANYMORE,

SO IT'S EXCRUCIATING TO WALK.

AND EVERY STEP I TAKE IS, LIKE,
SHOOTING PAINS THROUGH MY LEGS,

MY KNEES, MY FEET, MY BACK.

I DON'T WISH IT ON ANYBODY.

BATHING IS ONE OF THE HARDEST
THINGS IN MY DAY.

AND IT'S NOT JUST HARD --
IT'S SCARY

BECAUSE I REALLY DO NEED HELP
TO TAKE A SHOWER AND GET AROUND.

BUT TRYING TO DO IT
ON MY OWN STILL MEANS

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS,

AND I FALL OR SLIP
AND HURT MYSELF,

THEN I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I
WOULD HAVE TO WAIT TO GET HELP.

MY WIFE'S AT WORK
AND MY SON'S AT SCHOOL,

AND BY THE TIME THEY GET HOME,
IT COULD BE TOO LATE FOR ME.

SO THIS IS THE WORST
AND SCARIEST PART OF MY DAY,

AND I JUST WANT TO GET IT OVER
WITH AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE

SO I CAN REST AND EAT.

BUT AT THIS POINT, I'M DYING
TO EAT MORE THAN EVER,

AND THAT'S ALL
I'M THINKING ABOUT.

THE MORE I HURT,
THE MORE I JUST WANT TO EAT.

I'M CONSTANTLY CRAVING
SOMETHING,

SO MOST OF THE DAY,
I JUST MAKE FOOD AND EAT.

CHILI DOGS IS
ONE OF MY FAVORITE MEALS,

AND I COULD PROBABLY EAT IT
EVERY DAY AT LEAST ONE MEAL.

NOTHING BEATS MY FIRST MEAL OF
THE DAY 'CAUSE, AT THAT POINT,

I'VE HAD TO WORK SO HARD
TO START MY DAY,

AND I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD
TO THE SATISFACTION

OF THE FIRST BITE.

AND I FEEL LIKE NOTHING ELSE
MATTERS WHEN I'M EATING.

AND I CAN FORGET ABOUT
ALL THE THINGS

I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT,

ESPECIALLY THINGS
OF WHEN I WAS GROWING UP,

BECAUSE THAT TIME WAS
THE HARDEST PART OF MY LIFE.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS
I JUST WISH I COULD FORGET.

GROWING UP, IT WAS JUST ME
AND MY OLDER BROTHER, LONNIE.

MY DAD WAS A TRUCK DRIVER.

HE GOT ADDICTED TO SPEED

SO HE COULD STAY AWAKE
AND DRIVE THE TRUCK.

AND
HE CHOSE DRUGS OVER HIS FAMILY,

AND HE LEFT US,

AND MY PARENTS GOT A DIVORCE.

WITH MY DAD GONE, THOUGH,

IT MEANT MY MOM HAD TO START
WORKING A LOT TO PROVIDE FOR US,

SO SHE ENDED UP
NOT BEING AROUND EITHER.

SO WE OFTEN ENDED UP
AT MY GRANDPARENTS'.

I COULD HAVE NEVER RAISED JOHN
AND LONNIE WITHOUT MY PARENTS.

I WORKED TWO FULL-TIME JOBS,

AND I DON'T HAVE NO "MOTHER
OF THE YEAR" AWARDS ON THE WALL,

BUT I LOVE MY KIDS,
AND I WORKED HARD.

AND THEY NEVER MISSED NOTHING

BECAUSE NANNY AND PAW-PAW
TOOK THEM EVERYWHERE.

John: BUT HOW THEY SHOWED US
LOVE WAS BY FEEDING US

AND MAKING SURE WE HAD
WHATEVER WE WANTED TO EAT.

SO WHEN I WAS REALLY UPSET
WITH MY DAD

AND ABOUT ALL THE THINGS
HE HAD DONE TO OUR FAMILY,

FOOD MADE ME FEEL GREAT.

SO IT BECAME MY BEST FRIEND.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHEN MY
WEIGHT GAIN STARTED PICKING UP.

AND I KNOW IT WAS
THE SAME FOR MY BROTHER.

Lonnie: MY LIFE IS NOTHING LIKE
I THOUGHT I WOULD BE.

AND EVERY DAY, IT SEEMS
LIKE THINGS GET WORSE

AND WORSE FOR ME 'CAUSE I JUST
KEEP GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER,

AND I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE'S
AT AN ALL-TIME LOW.

MY BODY MAKES ME FEEL LESS
THAN HUMAN,

SO I TRY TO AVOID
MIRRORS AT ALL COSTS.

I FEEL LIKE
IF I IGNORE THE WEIGHT,

I CAN JUST PRETEND
LIKE MY WEIGHT'S

NOT GETTING THAT OUT OF CONTROL,

BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY
WORKING ANYMORE

BECAUSE THE LIMITS
OF WHAT I'M ABLE TO DO

KEEP GETTING WORSE AND WORSE
EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I STILL TRY TO WORK, BUT THAT'S
GETTING TOO HARD FOR ME.

BUT IF MY WEIGHT
GETS TO THE POINT

WHERE I'M TOO BIG TO WORK,

I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

BUT I KNOW I'M NOT TOO FAR OFF
FROM THAT HAPPENING

BECAUSE WHEN I HAVE TO STAND
FOR MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES,

MY LEGS FEEL LIKE
THEY'RE GONNA GIVE OUT.

SO I HAVE TO SIT A LOT,
AND I'M A HAIRDRESSER.

I CAN'T SIT AND CUT HAIR.

I HAVE TO BE UP TO DO MY JOB,

BUT THE PAIN GETS SO BAD
THAT IT'S ALMOST UNBEARABLE.

I KNOW IT'S KILLING ME NOW,
BUT FOOD'S WHAT SAVED ME

FROM EVERY BAD MOMENT
SINCE I WAS A KID.

IT ALL STARTED AT 6
WHEN I STARTED HAVING SEIZURES

AND GOT DIAGNOSED
WITH A BRAIN TUMOR.

THAT'S A SCARY THING FOR ANYONE,
BUT AS A 6-YEAR-OLD,

I WAS TERRIFIED.

I KEPT HAVING THESE BAD
SEIZURES, AND THEY HAD TO PUT ME

ON THIS EPILEPSY MEDICINE
THAT KEPT ME REAL SICK

'CAUSE MY IMMUNE SYSTEM
WAS ALL OUT OF WHACK,

SO I STAYED KIND OF THIN
FOR A LITTLE --

LIKE, TOO THING
FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

I DEFINITELY GOT SPECIAL
ATTENTION FROM MY MOTHER

BECAUSE I WAS SICK.

AND HER PAYING
SO MUCH ATTENTION TO ME

REALLY PUT A WEDGE BETWEEN MINE
AND JOHN'S RELATIONSHIP.

Patricia: ME AND LONNIE WAS
A LOT CLOSER THAN ME AND JOHN

BECAUSE I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
AND DOCTORS' OFFICES

ALL THE TIME WITH LONNIE.

Lonnie: THINGS STARTED TO GET
BETTER WHEN I WAS 8

BECAUSE AFTER A FEW YEARS,
WE FOUND OUT

THAT MY TUMOR WAS BENIGN,

AND THE SEIZURES
KIND OF DECREASED.

THEY JUST KIND OF TAPERED OFF,

AND THEN I DIDN'T
HAVE THEM ANYMORE.

SO THAT MEANT I WAS ABLE TO
GET OFF THE EPILEPSY MEDICATION

THAT MADE ME SO SICK,

BUT MY APPETITE
CAME BACK WITH A FURY,

BECAUSE ALL I WANTED
TO DO THEN WAS EAT.

John: ONCE ME AND LONNIE
REALLY STARTED GAINING WEIGHT,

IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR US
TO BOTH BECOME

THE BIGGEST KIDS
IN OUR GRADE.

BY THE TIME I WAS 8,
I WAS OVER 200 POUNDS,

AND LONNIE WASN'T
TOO FAR BEHIND ME.

HE WAS 9 THEN.

BUT AT THAT TIME,
WE BOTH STARTED TO LOOK TO FOOD

EVEN MORE FOR THAT HAPPY
AND SAFE FEELING,

BECAUSE THINGS GOT
A LITTLE HARDER

WHEN MY MOM GOT REMARRIED.

SHE MARRIED
OUR STEPDAD KENNETH,

SO NOW WE HAD THIS NEW PERSON
WHO DIDN'T LIKE US

ALL OF A SUDDEN
TAKING CARE OF US.

Lonnie: OUR STEPDAD GAVE ME
ALL KINDS OF HELL

'CAUSE I WAS ALWAYS DIFFERENT.

WHEN I WAS 15, MY BROTHER
CAME OUT AND SAID HE WAS GAY.

AND WHEN I FOUND OUT,
I DIDN'T REALLY AGREE WITH IT

BECAUSE MY MOM HAD RAISED US
TO BE RELIGIOUS.

SO BECAUSE OF THAT,

ME AND LONNIE
HAD STARTED TO GROW APART.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP
FOR A LONG TIME.

I REMEMBER TELLING MY MOTHER
I WAS GAY,

AND SHE BASICALLY
JUST BRUSHED IT OFF.

Patricia: I THINK LONNIE WAS 16
WHEN HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS GAY.

I SAID, "NO, YOU AIN'T."

"MOM, I'M GAY.
I WAS BORN LIKE THIS."

I SAID, "NO, YOU WERE NOT."

I MEAN, WE WAS RAISED
IN A VERY CHRISTIAN HOME,

AND I WAS DEVASTATED.

TO THIS DAY,
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

Lonnie:
I BASICALLY DECIDED TO STAY
IN THE CLOSET AFTER THAT.

ONLY MY BROTHER KNEW,
BUT I TRIED TO HIDE MY SEXUALITY

SO I WOULDN'T
DISAPPOINT MY MOM.

SO EATING IS WHAT GOT ME
THROUGH THAT TIME.

IT WAS THE ONLY THING
I COULD CONTROL IN MY LIFE

AND THAT MADE ME HAPPY
AND FELT NORMAL.

SO I JUST KEPT EATING
AND GETTING BIGGER.

AND IT GOT WORSE WHEN I WAS 17

BECAUSE MY MOTHER
DIVORCED KENNETH,

THEN NEEDED HELP
PAYING THE BILLS.

SO BEING THE OLDEST, I HAD
TO GET A JOB AND DO MY PART.

I STARTED WORKING,
AND I GAVE EVERY PENNY

THAT I MADE TO THE FAMILY.

EVERY SINGLE PAYCHECK.

AND AROUND THEN,
MY MOTHER GOT REMARRIED AGAIN

TO OUR NEW STEPDAD, DAVID,

AND HE WAS EVEN WORSE
THAN KENNETH.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO PROVIDE
FOR MY FAMILY ANYMORE,

SO I DECIDED TO GO TO SCHOOL
AND PURSUE MY COSMETOLOGY DREAM.

BUT THAT DIDN'T GO
AS I PLANNED

BECAUSE I WAS STILL
IN THE CLOSET.

SO I FELT LIKE
I WAS LIVING A LIE.

AND ALL THE STRESS OF THAT

AND EVERYTHING CAME
CRASHING DOWN ON ME.

I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY I LOOKED.

I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY I FELT.

I DIDN'T LIKE --

I LITERALLY HATED
EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT ME.

I JUST BURIED ALL THAT PAIN
AND KEPT EATING.

AND BY THE TIME I GRADUATED
FROM COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL

A YEAR LATER AT THE AGE OF 19,
I WAS WELL OVER 450 POUNDS

AND PROBABLY GETTING CLOSE
TO 500 AT THAT POINT.

John: ABOUT THAT TIME,

I DECIDED TO REACH OUT
TO MY BIOLOGICAL DAD

TO TRY TO RECONNECT WITH HIM,

AND HE EXPLAINED
TO ME EVERYTHING.

HE HAD BEEN CLEAN
FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS,

AND HE FELT GUILTY
BECAUSE HE LEFT.

AT THAT MOMENT, I FELT LIKE
I'D FINALLY GOT HIM BACK.

SO RECONNECTING WITH MY DAD

WAS THE BEST THING
I PROBABLY HAD EVER DONE.

Lonnie: WHEN JOHN REACHED OUT
TO OUR BIOLOGICAL FATHER

AND GOT BACK IN TOUCH WITH HIM,

MY FATHER REACHED OUT TO ME,
TOO,

SO WE STARTED TALKING AGAIN,
BECAUSE HE HAD A MESSAGE FOR ME

SINCE HE KNEW I WAS GAY.

BUT I DIDN'T TELL
MY FATHER I WAS GAY.

JOHN CALLED MY FATHER
AND TOLD HIM I WAS GAY.

SO, MY DAD CALLS ME UP.

HE SAID,
"I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU.
I LOVE YOU, AND I ACCEPT YOU."

AND HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON
WHO EVER SAID THAT TO ME.

AND THAT CHANGED MY LIFE,

BECAUSE I DECIDED TO COME
OUT OF THE CLOSET THEN

AND NEVER HIDE
MY SEXUALITY AGAIN.

HE ALSO TOLD JOHN
THE SAME THINGS HE TOLD ME.

AND THAT HELPED JOHN TO START
SEEING ME IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.

AND SINCE THEN, WE'VE BEEN ABLE

TO START
REBUILDING OUR RELATIONSHIP.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S
STILL HARD FOR JOHN.

HE DOESN'T
COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.

HE'S NEVER LIVED IN A WORLD

WHERE THERE ARE VERY MANY
GAY PEOPLE, BUT HE'S OKAY.

John: I STILL STRUGGLE WITH
HIS LIFESTYLE A LITTLE BIT,

BUT I KNOW I LOVE
MY BROTHER NO MATTER WHAT.

SO, MY DAD ENDED UP
HELPING ME ACCEPT MY BROTHER.

BUT WHEN I WAS 26,
MY FATHER DIED,

AND THAT ALMOST DESTROYED ME

'CAUSE I FELT LIKE
I'D FINALLY GOT MY DAD BACK.

BUT I LOST HIM AGAIN,

AND I'D JUST GOT HIM BACK.

SO I GOT REALLY DEPRESSED,

AND THE ONLY THING I KNEW
TO DO WAS TURN TO FOOD.

Lonnie:
ALL I KNOW IS, MY WEIGHT'S
OUT OF CONTROL AT THIS POINT,

AND IT'S WHAT'S DESTROYING
MY LIFE NOW,

JUST LIKE IT IS FOR JOHN.

AND I'M HAPPY ME AND JOHN
HAVE A RELATIONSHIP AGAIN,

BUT I DON'T WANT IT
TO BE SHORT-LIVED,

LIKE THE SECOND CHANCE
WE HAD WITH OUR FATHER.

BUT I KNOW WE'RE BOTH
IN A REALLY BAD PLACE,

AND WE HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE

BEFORE ONE OF US
LOSES THE OTHER.

John: WHEN I WAS 32, I DECIDED
TO SIGN UP ON A DATING SITE,

AND THAT'S HOW I MET
MY CURRENT WIFE, AMBER.

Amber: WHEN I FIRST MET JOHN,
HE WAS REALLY NICE,

AND I FELT LIKE
WE HAD GOOD CHEMISTRY.

I DIDN'T REALLY CARE
WHAT HIS SIZE WAS.

I COULD SEE HE HAD A GOOD HEART,
AND SO I FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM.

I KNEW, LIKE, MEETING JOHN
THAT WE COULDN'T BE INTIMATE.

AT FIRST, IT WAS HARD

BECAUSE I REALLY WOULD LIKE
TO BE INTIMATE WITH MY HUSBAND,

BUT THAT WASN'T GONNA STOP
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

John: WHEN I MET AMBER, IT WAS
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT FOR ME.

AND WHEN I MET CALEB,
IMMEDIATELY I LOOKED AT HIM

AND SAID,
"THAT'S GONNA BE MY SON."

IN MY HEAD, I SAID THAT.

CALEB.
YES, SIR?

YOU WANT TO GO PLAY BASKETBALL,
TURN THE GAME OFF.

OKAY.

GO GET YOUR BALL.

OKAY.

AND WHEN ME AND AMBER
GOT MARRIED,

I ENDED UP ADOPTING CALEB.

AND IT IS THE GREATEST DECISION
I'VE EVER MADE IN MY LIFE,

BECAUSE I LOVE
BEING HIS FATHER

AND I LOVE
BEING MARRIED TO AMBER.

HEY.
WHAT?

THE ONLY THING I REGRET IS THAT
I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BE THERE

FOR THEM LIKE I WANT
BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT.

HOW CAN I WHEN I'M TOO BIG
TO STAND AND WALK?

AND I CAN ONLY GO PLACES
ME AND MY SCOOTER CAN FIT.

SO I CAN USUALLY ONLY MAKE IT
DOWN THE STREET TO THE PARK

IF I TRY TO SPEND TIME
WITH CALEB.

WHOA!

I FEEL LIKE I'M MISSING
MY SON'S LIFE,

AND ALL I WANT IS TO BE
A GOOD FATHER TO HIM.

Amber:
CALEB LOVES JOHN SO MUCH.

HE LOVES HAVING A DAD
THAT LOVES HIM,

BECAUSE HIS BIOLOGICAL DAD
HAS NEVER BEEN IN HIS LIFE.

AND JOHN'S REALLY STEPPED UP
AND TAKEN THAT SPOT IN HIS LIFE.

I LOST MY BALL.

I GUESS
WE'RE DONE FOR TODAY.

Caleb: OKAY.

AND WATCHING CALEB AND JOHN
AND THEIR BOND

HAS BEEN SO AWESOME TO SEE.

BUT I AM SCARED THAT CALEB
IS GOING TO LOSE JOHN

BECAUSE OF HOW BIG HE IS.

I DO THINK THAT IF JOHN
CONTINUES TO KEEP

EATING MORE AND MORE,

MY WORST FEAR
IS THAT IT COULD KILL HIM.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD
GET THROUGH

OR HOW CALEB WOULD GET THROUGH
SOMETHING LIKE THAT

HAPPENING TO JOHN.

John: ME AND LONNIE ARE TAKING
A BIG RISK TODAY

BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HOUSTON
TO SEE DR. NOW

AND TRY TO GET THE HELP
WE BOTH NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT.

OUR MOM'S BEEN PUSHING US
TO DO THIS FOR A WHILE,

AND I KNOW AMBER IS
JUST AS DESPERATE AS I AM

TO FIGURE OUT ANY OPTIONS
FOR ME TO GET HEALTHY.

AND THIS IS THE LAST OPTION WE
CAN THINK OF FOR ME AND LONNIE

BECAUSE WE'VE TRIED EVERYTHING
ELSE AND NOTHING'S WORKED.

WE'VE ONLY GOTTEN BIGGER.

HI.
Amber: HELLO.

GET OUT OF THE RAIN.
YOU'RE SOAKED.

I'M WET.

LET'S GO, BOYS AND GIRLS.

BYE, DADDY.
BYE.

LOVE YOU.
LOVE YOU, TOO.

-BYE, MOMMY. I LOVE YOU.
-BYE. LOVE YOU.

BE GOOD WITH GRANDMA.

I WILL.

SO, ARE WE READY TO GO?

WE'RE LEAVING.

Lonnie: I KNOW THIS TRIP
IS GONNA BE HARD FOR JOHN,

BECAUSE OF HOW HE STRUGGLES,

BUT IT'S GONNA BE
HARD ON ME, TOO.

I THINK IT'LL BE WORTH IT
FOR BOTH OF US TO GET THIS HELP.

NEITHER OF US HAVE EVER BEEN
ABLE TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND IT'S GONNA TAKE SOMETHING
DRASTIC LIKE THAT TO GIVE ME

AND JOHN A FIGHTING CHANCE
TO LOSE ALL THE WEIGHT WE NEED.

SO THIS TRIP
IS ONE OF HOPE FOR ME,

AND I'M GLAD
WE'RE BOTH DOING IT,

'CAUSE I WANT BOTH OF US
TO GET HEALTHY

SO WE CAN BE PART OF EACH
OTHER'S LIVES FOR A LONG TIME,

AND THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN US
BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO NO MATTER HOW HARD THIS IS
FOR BOTH OF US,

THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO.

John: I'M EXHAUSTED AND NERVOUS
RIGHT NOW

'CAUSE IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE
I'VE HAD MY WEIGHT CHECKED,

SO I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE SCALE'S GONNA SAY.

I JUST HOPE IT'S NOT TOO HIGH.

LONNIE AND JOHN.

Lonnie: I TOLD JOHN THAT
I WOULD DO THE FIRST WEIGH-IN

TO TAKE SOME OF THE PRESSURE
OFF THE MOMENT

AND TAKE THE FIRST HIT,
BECAUSE THIS IS SO STRESSFUL.

GETTING ON A SCALE LIKE THIS

ISN'T A PLEASANT
EXPERIENCE AT ALL,

BUT IT'S SOMETHING
WE HAVE TO DO,

AND WE JUST HAVE TO BE BIG BOYS
AND FACE THE MUSIC NOW.

I CAN'T SAY THAT'S SHOCKING,
BUT IT'S DISAPPOINTING,

BECAUSE THAT'S
MY HIGHEST WEIGHT YET.

I'VE GAINED
A LITTLE BIT OF WEIGHT

SINCE LAST TIME
I WEIGHED.

YEAH.

IT'S YOUR TURN.

Lonnie: I JUST HOPE JOHN'S NOT
A WHOLE LOT HIGHER.

HE'S ALWAYS BEEN
THE BIGGER ONE.

IT'S A BIG NUMBER.
YEAH.

John: IT'S HIGHER THAN
I WAS EXPECTING.

I'M REALLY UPSET,
MOSTLY WITH MYSELF,

FOR LETTING IT GET THIS BAD.

I JUST REALLY NEED DR. NOW
TO HELP ME CHANGE AND FIX THIS

BEFORE IT GETS ANY WORSE
BECAUSE I CAN'T LET MY WEIGHT

GET ANY MORE OUT
OF CONTROL THAN THIS.

HELLO.

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

HOW YOU ALL DOING?

-GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?
-FINE. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.LONNIE.

LONNIE?
YES, SIR.

AND YOU'RE?
JOHN.

JOHN.

-YES.
-AMBER.

AMBER.
ALL RIGHT, THEN.

WHERE ARE
YOU ALL COMING FROM?

WE LIVE IN WYLIE.
IT'S OUT BY DALLAS.

OKAY. SO, I GUESS YOU ALL
WANT TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT?

YEAH.
OH, YEAH.

OKAY. SO, LET'S START
WITH THE SMALLER BROTHER.

LONNIE, YOU ARE 612 POUNDS,
AND YOU'RE 35 YEARS OLD.

SO, HOW IS
YOUR EATING HABIT?

I DON'T KNOW.
I JUST KIND OF EAT.

I EAT A LOT OF FAST FOOD

AND FRIED FOOD
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

YOU EAT BECAUSE YOU ARE
HUNGRY OR HABIT?

HABIT, MAYBE. YEAH.

HAVE YOU TRIED TO CHANGE
YOUR EATING HABIT

OR DO ANYTHING TO GET
YOUR OVEREATING UNDER CONTROL?

I'VE TRIED BEFORE TO,
YOU KNOW, DO IT.

AND NOTHING HAS WORKED
SO FAR?

THINGS WORK
FOR A LITTLE WHILE,

AND THEN I STOP DOING IT
AND PUT THE WEIGHT BACK ON.

ARE YOU ACTIVE?YES, SIR.

WHAT IS THE LEVEL
OF YOUR ACTIVITY?

I'M A HAIR STYLIST.

HAIR STYLIST?YEAH, I CUT HAIR.

THAT'S NOT A LOT
OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

I STAND THERE.

STANDING IS UNCOMFORTABLE,
BUT NOT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

ALL RIGHT. I WILL FIGURE OUT
WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU.

OKAY. JOHN, BETWEEN YOU
AND YOUR BROTHER,

YOU'RE
AT THE HIGHEST WEIGHT.

YOU'RE 14 POUNDS AWAY
FROM BEING 700.

MM-HMM.

SO, WHAT ARE
YOU DOING TO...

I'M NOT EATING
LIKE I SHOULD.

I AGREE WITH THAT.

WHAT IS
YOUR LEVEL OF ACTIVITY?

I CAN'T WALK VERY FAR.

I NEED TO BE MORE ACTIVE,
BUT IT'S HARD.

IT HURTS.

WELL, WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY
TO GET BOTH OF YOU

ON THE RIGHT TRACK BEFORE
WE CONSIDER WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU TWO
A 1,200-CALORIE, HIGH-PROTEIN,

LOW-CARB DIET THAT YOU BOTH
NEED TO START IMMEDIATELY.

OKAY.THERE'LL BE NO SNACKING.

OKAY.

SO, IF WE CHANGE
OUR EATING HABITS

ACCORDING TO WHAT
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU,

YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE
TO LOSE

AT LEAST 80 POUNDS
OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

BUT UNLESS YOU BOTH SHOW ME

YOU'RE WILLING TO TAKE THIS
FIRST STEP TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE,

YOU WON'T BE CANDIDATES
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND WE WON'T BE MOVING AHEAD
WITH THAT OPTION. OKAY?

OKAY.
OKAY?

YOU TWO ARE GOING
TO NEED TO WORK TOGETHER

TO DO THIS
AND CHANGE YOUR DYNAMIC.

OKAY.

SO, YOU THINK YOU CAN BOTH
MAKE THOSE CHANGES?

OKAY.
YEAH.

I HOPE SO, BECAUSE YOUR BODIES
ARE GETTING CLOSE TO THE LIMIT,

ESPECIALLY YOU, JOHN.

YOUR WIFE AND YOUR BROTHER

ARE GOING TO BE
BURYING YOU SOON

IF YOU DON'T
CHANGE THINGS NOW.

OKAY?
OKAY.

AND YOU WON'T BE TOO FAR
BEHIND HIM, LONNIE,

IF YOU KEEP GOING
LIKE THIS.

MM-HMM.
OKAY?

SO THE TIME TO CHANGE
FOR YOU BOTH IS NOW

BEFORE YOUR SITUATIONS
GET EVEN WORSE.

YOU ALL GOT THAT?

YEAH.
OKAY.

OKAY.
YES, SIR.

THIS IS A DIET
FOR EACH OF YOU.

ONE FOR LONNIE
AND ONE FOR YOU, JOHN.

AND, AMBER,
ONE FOR YOU.

ONE FOR EACH OF YOU TO START
YOUR DIET AND EXERCISES.

OKAY?
OKAY.

ALL RIGHT,
ANY QUESTIONS?

NO.

ALL RIGHT.
SO, NICE TO MEET YOU.

BYE. THANK YOU.NICE TO MEET YOU.

-NICE TO MEET YOU.
-NICE TO MEET YOU.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL SEE YOU
IN TWO MONTHS. OKAY?

OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
WE CERTAINLY HAVE

A UNIQUE SITUATION
WITH THE HAMBRICKS,

WITH A LOT OF DYNAMICS
AND ISSUES ALL COMING TOGETHER

TO CREATE A VERY
UNHEALTHY SCENARIO

WHERE WE HAVE THREE
MEMBERS OF A FAMILY

WHO ARE ALL OVERWEIGHT TOGETHER

AND ENABLING EACH OTHER
IN SOME WAY.

HOPEFULLY, THEY ALL SEE
HOW IMPORTANT IT IS

THAT THEY DON'T WASTE
ANY MORE TIME,

OR THE SITUATION
WITH LONNIE AND JOHN

IS GONNA GET
MUCH WORSE VERY SOON.

Lonnie: IT WAS SCARY TO HEAR
DR. NOW SAY ALL THAT STUFF,

ESPECIALLY ABOUT JOHN.

I'VE CONSTANTLY
WORRIED ABOUT HIM

WITH HOW BIG HE'S GOTTEN
OVER THE YEARS.

BUT NOW I'M EVEN MORE TERRIFIED

WITH HEARING DR. NOW SAY
HE'D BE THE ONE WE'D BURY FIRST

IF HE DOESN'T START
LOSING WEIGHT,

AND I KNOW I'M GONNA BE
IN THE SAME BOAT AS HIM

IF I DON'T TURN
MY LIFE AROUND, TOO.

SO LEAVING HERE TODAY,
I'M VERY DETERMINED TO DO THIS

AND MAKE SURE JOHN DOES
WHAT HE NEEDS TO

SO WE CAN PREVENT
ANYTHING TRAGIC

HAPPENING TO EITHER OF US.

John: I'M NOT SURE
HOW I'M GONNA DO THIS

AND MAKE THE CHANGES
DR. NOW SAID.

I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE
TO LOSE WEIGHT LIKE THAT,

BUT I KNOW THIS IS PRETTY MUCH
MY LAST CHANCE TO CHANGE THINGS,

AND I'M GLAD TO AT LEAST BE
DOING THIS WITH MY BROTHER.

BUT EVEN WITH LONNIE'S HELP,

THIS IS GONNA BE THE
HARDEST THING I'VE EVER DONE.

Lonnie:
IT'S BEEN A FEW WEEKS SINCE
OUR APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

AND ONCE WE MADE
THE LONG TRIP BACK HOME,

WE STARTED WORKING ON DR. NOW'S
DIET-AND-EXERCISE PLAN,

AND WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS.

BUT WE'RE STILL ADJUSTING

AND WORKING ON
MAKING ALL THE CHANGES WE NEED.

DR. NOW'S DIET IS STRICT,
SO IT'S BEEN A BIG ADJUSTMENT,

AND IT'S NOT BEEN EASY FOR US,

BUT WE ARE ALL DETERMINED
TO MAKE IT WORK,

AND WE ARE REALLY TRYING HARD.

BUT I VOLUNTEERED
TO DO THE GROCERY SHOPPING,

TO GO ON THE HUNT
FOR ALTERNATIVE MEAL OPTIONS

THAT ARE DIET-APPROVED.

HONEY, I'M HOME.

I BROUGHT GIFTS.

I KNOW THAT JOHN
WAS REALLY STRUGGLING

ON DR. NOW'S EXERCISE PLAN.

SO HE TRIED GOING TO A POOL,

BUT HE'S NEVER HAD
A BATHING SUIT

OR SWIM CLOTHES
THAT COULD FIT HIM.

HE ONLY REALLY HAS THREE
OR FOUR OUTFITS.

SO, I HIT THE JACKPOT
AT A DONATION PLACE,

WHERE THEY HAD A LOT
OF 5X AND 6X T-SHIRTS

AND OTHER CLOTHES.

AND THE BIG SURPRISE IS,

I FOUND HIM SOME TRUNKS
THAT I THINK WILL FIT HIM.

SO I THINK HE'S GONNA BE
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT

AND A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS
I HAVE FOR HIM.

SO, MY NEW FAVORITE THING
IS TO JUST READ PACKAGES.

CHICKEN SAUSAGE.

IT'S 150 CALORIES A LINK.

SO, YEAH, YOU COULD, LIKE,
TOTALLY EAT THIS FOR DINNER.

THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME.

I'LL TRY IT, LIKE,
IN AN OMELET OR SOMETHING.

THAT SHOULD BE GOOD.THAT'D BE GOOD, YEAH.

YOU CAN USE IT
FOR WHATEVER.

CLOTHES.SO, I BROUGHT LOTS OF CLOTHES,

AND I GOT SOME SURPRISES.

ALL RIGHT, AWESOME.

OKAY. HOLD YOU DAMN HORSES.OH.

OKAY, I'M WAITING.

'CAUSE I GOT SOMETHING.
IT'S RIGHT ON TOP.

OH.

SO, YOU'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THE GYM.

UH-HUH.
I GOT SWIM TRUNKS.

I GOT YOU TWO PAIRS
OF SWIM TRUNKS.

SWEET.

AND THEN I ALSO GOT YOU...

THIS IS A SWIM SHIRT.

OH, THAT'S COOL.

YOU KNOW,
'CAUSE LET'S FACE IT --

PUBLIC NUDITY IS GROSS.

I KNOW. I DON'T TAKE
MY SHIRT OFF IN PUBLIC.

BUT YOU CAN WEAR THOSE,
I'M SURE.

BUT OFF TO THE RACES
ON THE GOOD STUFF.

SO...

THESE ARE COOL SHIRTS.

BUT I HAVE ONE JUST LIKE IT
SO WE COULD TOTALLY BE MATCHED.

WE COULD BE TWINKIES.

WAIT, I HAVE ONE JUST LIKE
THIS AND ONE JUST LIKE THIS.

SHOULD WE COORDINATE
FOR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS?

PROBABLY, BUT NO.

TRY THAT ONE ON,
SEE IF IT FITS.

THIS SHIRT'S, LIKE,
STICKING TO ME.

MM.

YOU CAN DEFINITELY TELL
YOU'VE LOST SOME WEIGHT.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU'VE LOST ANY WEIGHT?

YEAH, LOOK AT MY...

I'M JIGGLY.

YOUR POOR TATTOOS
ARE GONNA BE RAVAGED.

SO ARE YOURS.

MINE ARE
JUST ON MY LOWER ARMS.

OH, YOU DON'T HAVE
ANY UP HERE?

NO.

I HOPE THESE WILL FIT.

IF THEY DON'T,
THEY'LL FIT EVENTUALLY.

OH.
THEY'RE A LITTLE SNUG.

MAYBE TWO WEEKS.

I MEAN, I THINK IT'S OKAY.

HERE, TRY THIS ONE ON.

SO, HOW DO YOU THINK YOU'VE
DONE SINCE DR. NOW'S VISIT?

UM...

WE'RE GONNA LOOK LIKE BANANAS
IN THAT SHIRT.

WELL, THIS SHOULD FIT YOU
REALLY GOOD.

UNH-UNH.

I'M FREAKING OUT.

I'M FREAKING OUT, TOO.

THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH
DAMN WEIGHT TO LOSE.

I'M GONNA GET YELLED AT,
AND I'M DOING EVERYTHING.

I HAVEN'T CHEATED.
I MEAN...

I'M AFRAID I'M NOT
GONNA HIT IT, BUT...

OH, THAT LOOKS REAL NICE.

BUT...
PUT THIS ON.

YOU GOT TO PUT IT ON.
YOU'RE GONNA LOOK FINE.

IT'S GONNA BE
LIKE A HAWAIIAN PARTY.

SO, I'M NOT SCARED THAT
I'M NOT GONNA LOSE THE WEIGHT.

HERE'S SOME SWEATERS.

I'M NOT PUTTING THOSE ON.

SO, THERE'S A FEW...

SO, YEAH, SWEATERS.

ANYWAYS,
ABOUT LOSING THE WEIGHT.

YOU'RE NOT SCARED
ABOUT NOT LOSING THE WEIGHT?

BUT...

OKAY.
SO, I'M JUST KIDDING.

I BOUGHT THAT
FOR A PARTY,

BUT I JUST HAD
TO MAKE YOU TRY IT ON

'CAUSE THAT'S HYSTERICAL.

BUT I WOULD WEAR THIS.OH, GEEZ.

SO THANK YOU.

OH, WELL.
THEN THERE YOU GO.

AMBER MIGHT NOT
LET ME WEAR IT, BUT...

OH, YEAH.
PROBABLY NOT.

I'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH
YOUR WIFE WHEN SHE GETS HOME.

OH, LEAVE THAT ON.
IT'S CUTE.

UNH-UNH.

I'M GONNA WEAR IT
ANOTHER DAY.

OKAY.

WHY DIRTY UP
ANOTHER SHIRT?

I MEAN,
I GUESS THERE'S THAT.

WELL, I JUST FEEL LIKE
IF WE DON'T HIT OUR GOALS,

DR. NOW'S GONNA SCREAM
AND YELL AT US,

AND I'M GONNA BE
ALL DISAPPOINTING,

AND I JUST FEEL LIKE
I'M GONNA CRY

AND, LIKE, GET ALL UPSET
IN FRONT OF DR. NOW...

AND GET YELLED AT
IF I DON'T HIT MY GOAL.

WE'LL GET THERE.

I DEFINITELY
HAVEN'T CHEATED,

SO I KNOW I HAVEN'T GAINED
ANY WEIGHT, BUT...

JUST KEEP WORKING.

I'M JUST GONNA QUIT EATING
FOR TWO WEEKS.

YOU CAN'T QUIT EATING.

HOW ABOUT A WATER DIET?
DOES THAT SOUND HEALTHY?

NO.
OKAY.

John: OUR NEXT APPOINTMENT
WITH DR. NOW

IS IN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH,

AND ME AND LONNIE HAVE AGREED
TO PUSH OURSELVES

AS HARD AS WE CAN TO LOSE
TO THE GOAL WE NEED

SO WE CAN GET APPROVED
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

WE BOTH KNOW THIS IS
TOO IMPORTANT TO MESS UP

AND THAT THIS IS IT.

EITHER DO IT NOW, OR WE CAN
LOSE OUR ONLY CHANCE FOR GOOD.

ME AND LONNIE ARE HEADED BACK
TO DR. NOW'S

FOR OUR FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT,
AND I'M VERY NERVOUS.

THERE'S A LOT RIDING ON THIS
FOR BOTH OF US,

AND I JUST REALLY HOPE
WE MADE IT.

Lonnie: I KNOW ALL OF OUR NERVES
ARE ON EDGE RIGHT NOW,

EVEN MORE SO THAN
OUR FIRST APPOINTMENT.

THIS IS THE ONE
WHERE WE FIND OUT

IF OUR HARD WORK PAID OFF

OR IF WE'VE FAILED AND
WE'RE GONNA BE IN TROUBLE.

AND I'M PRAYING
IT'S NOT THE LATTER ONE

BECAUSE ME AND JOHN DESPERATELY
NEED TO GET THIS SURGERY.

BUT WAITING TO FIND OUT ALL THAT
IS A HORRIBLE FEELING.

JOHN AND LONNIE.

MY BEST FRIEND, IVY,
CAME WITH US

BECAUSE SHE KNOWS IF EITHER
JOHN AND I DON'T MAKE IT,

I'M GONNA BE A MESS,

AND I'LL NEED HELP
HOLDING IT TOGETHER

BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE ABOUT
TO FIND OUT COULD DETERMINE

IF WE BOTH HAVE
A FUTURE OR NOT,

SINCE LOSING OUR CHANCE
FOR SURGERY

WOULD MEAN
THAT WE LOSE EVERYTHING.

AND ONCE WE GET
ON THAT SCALE,

IT WON'T MATTER HOW HARD
WE THINK WE'VE WORKED

OR WHAT THE EXCUSE IS.

WE EITHER MADE IT OR NOT.

AND UNTIL WE SEE THAT NUMBER,

OUR LIVES ARE JUST HANGING
IN THE BALANCE.

Lonnie: ME AND JOHN ARE
AT DR. NOW'S FOR A FOLLOW-UP

AND TO FIND OUT WHAT THE FUTURE
HOLDS FROM THE SCALE.

'CAUSE EITHER
WE'VE HIT OUR GOALS

AND WE GET APPROVED
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

OR WE FAIL, AND WE WON'T GET
THE HELP WE NEED.

DR. NOW GAVE US THE BIG GOAL

OF LOSING 80 POUNDS
OVER TWO MONTHS,

SO THAT MEANS I NEED
TO BE UNDER 532 TODAY.

OH.

OKAY.

OH, MY.

THAT'S NOT AS MUCH AS DR. NOW
SAID TO LOSE,

BUT THAT'S STILL A HUGE DROP
IN MY WEIGHT,

SO I FEEL GOOD
ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.

OHH.

John: HOPEFULLY I HAVE
A BIG DROP LIKE LONNIE.

BUT I'M SCARED MY PROGRESS
WON'T BE AS GOOD

BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE ONE

WHO STRUGGLED THE MOST
WITH MY WEIGHT.

AND DOING THIS
HAS BEEN REALLY HARD,

SO I HOPE
IT'S ALL BEEN ENOUGH.

-YAY!
-YAY.

YAY.

John: I LOST MORE THAN LONNIE,
SO I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

AND IT FEELS GOOD
TO KNOW I CAN DO IT.

BUT I KNOW ME AND LONNIE DIDN'T
GET ALL THE WAY TO OUR GOALS,

SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT DR. NOW
IS GONNA TELL US.

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
TO SIT IN FRONT.

ALL RIGHT.

HELLO.

-HI.
-HOW ARE YOU?

HOW YOU ALL DOING?

FINE. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING OKAY.

SO, EVERYBODY
IS HERE TODAY.

YEAH.John: OH, YEAH.

WHO WE GOT HERE?

AT THE END, IVY.
THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND.

-HELLO.
-THIS IS OUR SON, CALEB.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WELL,
GOOD TO MEET YOU ALL.

SO, LET'S SEE.
WHO'S GONNA BE FIRST?

JOHN, YOU ARE TODAY
619 POUNDS.

SO YOU LOST 67 POUNDS.YES, SIR.

THAT'S VERY GOOD WEIGHT LOSS,
HUH?

YES, SIR.

SO, WHAT CHANGES HAVE YOU
MADE IN YOUR EATING HABIT?

WELL, I'VE CHANGED
JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.

I KEEP EVERYTHING
HIGH PROTEIN, LOW CARB.

OKAY, THAT'S GREAT.
ALL RIGHT.

LONNIE, YOU LOST 52 POUNDS,
WHICH IS GOOD.

YEAH, I THINK SO.
I'M HAPPY ABOUT IT.

ALL RIGHT, SO, WHAT KIND OF
CHANGES HAVE YOU MADE

IN YOUR EATING HABIT?

I'VE BEEN STAYING AWAY
FROM SUGAR AND ALL THE SWEETS

THAT I ENJOYED MORE BEFORE
AND JUST CUT ALL THAT OUT.

OKAY. WELL, YOU'VE DONE
A GOOD JOB, TOO.

I'M PROUD
OF YOUR PROGRESS, TOO.

BUT HERE'S MY CONCERN.

AS WELL AS YOU DID,

YOU BOTH STILL DIDN'T HIT
YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS GOALS,

WHICH MEANS YOU DIDN'T
COMPLETELY DO THE DIET

AND MAKE ALL
THE CHANGES YOU NEED.

IF YOU HAD,
YOU WOULD HAVE LOST AT LEAST

90 TO 100 POUNDS
IN TWO MONTHS.

SO WHAT I WANT TO SEE
FROM BOTH OF YOU

IS THAT YOU STAY IN CONTROL
AND KEEP THIS GOING.

SO OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS,
THE GOAL FOR YOU BOTH

IS TO LOSE AT LEAST
ANOTHER 60 POUNDS.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE
THIS TIME FOR YOU, LONNIE,

AND ABOUT THE SAME
FOR YOU, JOHN.

SO THAT SHOULD BE EASIER
FOR YOU. OKAY?

GREAT.
ALL RIGHT.

-THANKS.
-YOU CAN DO IT. YOU CAN DO IT.

-JUST EAT HEALTHY.
-OH, LORD.

I DON'T KNOW
HOW I'M GONNA DO THAT.

-YOU CAN DO IT.
-IT'S GONNA BE GOOD.

Lonnie: I'M GONNA HAVE CARROTS
FOR MY BIRTHDAY.

THAT'D BE GOOD.

NO.

NOT CARROT CAKE.

NO, JUST CARROTS.
JUST CARROTS.

Amber: JUST CARROTS.

-YOU CAN HAVE THAT.
-YES.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD PROGRESS
FROM BOTH OF YOU.

John: THANK YOU.OKAY. THANKS.

OKAY.
JUST KEEP IT UP. OKAY?

ALL RIGHT.ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.
NICE TO SEE YOU.

NICE SEEING YOU AGAIN.
WE'LL SEE YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN.

-AND NICE TO SEE YOU.
-NICE TO SEE YOU, TOO.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
AND NICE TO MEET YOU.

-ALL RIGHT.
-THANK YOU.

-BYE.
-BYE.

-WE GOT IT.
-I THINK Y'ALL CAN DO IT.

WE CAN DO IT.

I'M VERY PROUD
OF THE WHOLE HAMBRICK FAMILY.

BUT THE FACT REMAINS -- THEY
WERE STILL BELOW THEIR GOAL.

THEY DIDN'T LOSE
WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE

IF THEY WERE REALLY
STICKING TO THE DIET.

SO BEFORE I'M CONFIDENT
THIS WASN'T

JUST A TEMPORARY DISCIPLINE
FOR THEM THAT WON'T LAST,

I'M NOT READY TO MOVE AHEAD
WITH THEIR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

BUT IF THEY CAN ALL STAY THE
COURSE FOR ANOTHER TWO MONTHS,

THEN I FEEL CONFIDENT
THAT THEY WILL BE READY

TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP
OF GETTING WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

John: I'M REALLY HAPPY
DR. NOW IS PROUD OF US

AND HE THINKS WE DID WELL.

HEARING HIM SAY THAT
FELT REALLY GOOD.

BUT I'M DISAPPOINTED
WE STILL HAVE TO DO

ANOTHER WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL.

I KNOW WE DIDN'T HIT
THE FIRST ONE,

BUT ME AND LONNIE BOTH STILL HAD
A REALLY BIG DROP.

AND WE WORKED REALLY HARD
TO DO THAT.

AND IT'S JUST A LITTLE
DISCOURAGING THINKING

OF HAVING TO DO IT AGAIN.

Lonnie: I'M HAPPY
WITH HOW IT WENT TODAY.

I'D OBVIOUSLY PREFER THAT ME
AND JOHN GOT APPROVED TODAY,

BUT I UNDERSTAND WHERE
DR. NOW IS COMING FROM

AND WHY HE NEEDS US TO DO THIS.

FOR THE PAST MONTH, ME AND JOHN
HAD TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH

ON HOW WE PULL TOGETHER
AND KEEP DOING WHAT WE NEED.

WE'VE BEEN GETTING TOGETHER
FOR A WEEKLY MEAL PREP

TO DO OUR HEALTHY MEALS
FOR THE WEEK.

AND EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE

THIS MOUNTAIN
OF GREASY FRIED FOOD,

WE'RE HAVING FUN TOGETHER
AND ENJOYING IT.

THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF ALL THIS
WE REALLY WORKED ON TRYING

TO CHANGE A LOT OF OUR PATTERNS

BECAUSE WE DID MOST OF OUR BIG
EATING ALL TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.

THAT'S HOW WE SPEND
TIME TOGETHER.

SO, WE STOPPED DOING THAT,
TO OUR MOM'S DISAPPOINTMENT,

BECAUSE SHE WON'T STOP TELLING
US HOW SHE MISSES ALL THAT.

BUT I THINK NOW WE BOTH HAVE
A HANDLE ON THE NEW DIET

TO WHERE WE FEEL CONFIDENT
WE CAN COME TOGETHER

AND BE A SUPPORT TO EACH OTHER.

John: YOU READY TO GO
FOR THE WALK?

Lonnie: SURE.

I'M GONNA SET MY WATCH
TO DO AN OUTDOOR WALK.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOING
OUR EXERCISING TOGETHER

WALKING AT A LOCAL PARK.

OH.

AND I'M PROUD
OF HOW JOHN IS DOING

AND HOW MUCH PROGRESS
THAT HE HAS MADE,

'CAUSE HE CAN GO
A LITTLE FARTHER

AND DO A LITTLE MORE EVERY DAY.

LOOK HOW FAR YOU ARE
FROM YOUR CHAIR.

I WASN'T
PAYING ATTENTION.

I MEAN,
THAT'S ACTUALLY AMAZING.

YOU'VE NEVER WALKED
THIS FAR.

YEP.
NOT IN A LONG TIME.

I KNOW.

John: THE PAST THREE MONTHS
HAVEN'T BEEN EASY,

BUT I'M REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF
FOR ALL THE PROGRESS

I KNOW I'M MAKING.

AND I KNOW I WOULDN'T BE ABLE

TO DO ALL THIS
WITHOUT LONNIE'S HELP.

BUT WE'VE BOTH
BEEN WORKING HARDER

THAN EVER TO STAY ON TRACK

AND MAKE ALL THE PROGRESS
WE NEED

BEFORE OUR NEXT APPOINTMENT
WITH DR. NOW

BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT
TO DO THIS AND CHANGE OUR LIVES.

Lonnie: ME AND JOHN
ARE ALMOST BACK AT DR. NOW'S

FOR OUR THIRD APPOINTMENT,

AND I THINK THIS GETS SCARIER
EVERY TIME

BECAUSE THE STAKES JUST KEEP
GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER.

AND I KNOW IF WE DON'T HIT OUR
GOALS THIS TIME THAT DR. NOW

WON'T FEEL CONFIDENT THAT ME
AND JOHN ARE STICKING WITH IT,

AND WE WON'T GET APPROVED
FOR SURGERY.

AND IF THAT HAPPENS, I DON'T
KNOW IF WE'RE DONE AT THAT POINT

OR WHAT WE COULD DO
TO CONVINCE HIM TO HELP US...

ON TOP OF THE FACT WE WOULD HAVE
BOTH HAVE FAILED

AFTER TRYING OUR HARDEST
FOR FOUR MONTHS NOW.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY
STRESSFUL, AND I'M JUST HOPING

THAT ME AND JOHN
BOTH HIT OUR GOALS TODAY.

JOHN AND LONNIE.

HI.

AT THE LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS DOWN TO 560,

AND DR. NOW GAVE US THE GOAL
TO LOSE ANOTHER 60 POUNDS

OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

SO THAT MEANS I NEED TO BE
DOWN RIGHT TO 500

TO HIT MY GOAL TODAY.

READY FOR ME?

WHENEVER YOU ARE.

OH, I'M NEVER READY, BUT...

...HERE WE GO ANYWAY.

HOW MUCH IS THAT TOTAL?

88, 98. 108?

FROM THE
VERY BEGINNING?

YEAH, I THINK FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING.

I THINK THAT'S 108.

YEAH, THAT'S 108.
I CAN DO MATH.

I'M REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT HOW WELL I DID.

AND THIS TIME,
I KNOW DR. NOW WILL BE, TOO.

John: AT THE LAST APPOINTMENT
I WAS AT 619.

SO IF I LOST THE 60 POUNDS
THAT DR. NOW WANTED,

THAT MEANS
I SHOULD BE AT 559 TODAY.

SO I REALLY HOPE I DID THAT
AND MADE IT TO THAT GOAL.

YEAH!Amber: THAT'S AWESOME.

YEAH.
GOOD JOB.

I GOT THIS.

THAT'S GOOD.

-BRING IT IN.
-WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD.

MM-HMM.

John: THAT'S THE FIRST TIME
I'VE BEEN IN THE 500s

IN A LONG TIME.

SO I'M REALLY HAPPY
WITH MY PROGRESS AND LONNIE'S.

AND I DON'T THINK
THERE'S ANY REASON

FOR DR. NOW TO TELL US BOTH

THAT WE'RE NOT READY
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

HELLO.

-HELLO.
-HELLO.

HOW YOU ALL DOING?

FINE. HOW ARE YOU?GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING GOOD.
SO, WHO'S FIRST?

WHOEVER, I GUESS,
IS ON TOP.

ALL RIGHT.
LONNIE, YOU DOING ALL RIGHT?

YEAH, I'M DOING GOOD.

OKAY. SO, TODAY, YOU'RE
DOWN TO 504 POUNDS.

SO THAT IS 56 POUNDS LOST
OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS,

WHICH IS ENOUGH TO SHOW ME
THAT YOU'RE STAYING CONSISTENT.

AND, OVERALL,
YOU LOST 108 POUNDS,

SO I'M GONNA APPROVE YOU
FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

HOW DOES THAT SOUND
TO YOU?

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

I'M FINE WITH THAT.ALL RIGHT?

ALL RIGHT.
ANY QUESTION OR ANYTHING?

I'LL PROBABLY HAVE
A THOUSAND QUESTIONS.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START.

JUST WRITE THEM DOWN
NEXT TIME YOU COME IN,

AND THEN
WE'LL FIGURE THEM OUT, HUH?

ALL RIGHT. SO,
JOHN, YOU'RE DOWN TO 569.

SO YOU LOST LESS THIS TIME,

BUT ONLY A 50-POUND WEIGHT LOSS
IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS.

BUT, OVERALL,
YOU LOST 117 POUNDS,

SO I'M GONNA APPROVE
YOU FOR SURGERY, AS WELL.

OKAY.
OKAY?

SO, WE'LL SCHEDULE YOU
FOR THE NEXT MONTH

ON THE SAME DAY
AS YOUR BROTHER, OKAY?

YOU BOTH CAN COME IN AND
HAVE GASTRIC SLEEVE PERFORMED

AND TAKE THE STEP TOGETHER.

HOW WOULD THAT SOUND?

SOUNDS REALLY GOOD.

OKAY. ANY QUESTION?

NO.
ALL RIGHT.

I'M PROUD OF YOU BOTH
FOR YOUR PROGRESS

AND WHAT YOU'VE LOST
SO FAR.

BUT NEITHER OF YOU SHOULD GET
COMFORTABLE AT ANY POINT,

BECAUSE YOU BOTH STILL HAVE
A LOT OF WORK AHEAD

TO GET TO YOUR TARGET WEIGHT.

AND, JOHN,
YOU HAVE MORE TO LOSE,

SO YOU ESPECIALLY NEED

TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR WEIGHT
LOSS DOESN'T SLOW ANY MORE.

YOU'VE DONE GOOD.
YOU LOST 117 POUNDS.

BUT I WOULD BE --
COMPARING WITH HIM,

YOU SHOULD BE, LIKE,
130-POUND WEIGHT LOSS.

OKAY.
ALL RIGHT?

SO YOU'RE DOING GOOD,

BUT THERE
IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

BUT I'M CONFIDENT YOU'RE BOTH
READY FOR THIS NEXT STEP.

I CAN'T WAIT.
I'M EXCITED TO LOSE MORE.

I CAN ALREADY SEE, LIKE,

'CAUSE I WENT
FROM SIZE 7X PANTS

TO SIZE 3X PANTS.
SO...

THAT'S GOOD.

I'M JUST READY TO GET
THE OTHER 200 OFF.

I'M GONNA WORK MY ASS OFF.

LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY,
HUH?

WELL, THE SURGERY
IS GONNA HELP YOU WITH THAT.

JUST STAY ON TRACK
WITH YOUR BROTHER,

AND WE'LL TAKE CARE
OF YOU BOTH, OKAY?

WE'RE GONNA BE
YOUR BIGGEST SUCCESS STORY.

I'M FOR IT.
THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

JUST SHOW ME THAT, OKAY?ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.ALL RIGHT.

GOOD TO SEE YOU,
LONNIE AND JOHN.

AND GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO,
CALEB.

Amber:
HE'S LIKE, "WHICH WAY?"

ALL RIGHT,
SEE YOU ALL LATER.

IF Y'ALL NEED ANYTHING,
GIVE ME A CALL.

THAT WAS THE BEST
APPOINTMENT EVER.

IT'S GONNA BE
A GREAT RIDE HOME.

WE CAN LISTEN
TO BROADWAY MUSICALS, TOO.

Amber: YEAH.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
I AM VERY ENCOURAGED

ABOUT
JOHN AND LONNIE'S PROGRESS.

LONNIE LOST
A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS TIME,

WHILE JOHN'S WEIGHT LOSS
SLOWED A LITTLE.

BUT IT IS CERTAINLY ENOUGH
TO SHOW ME

THAT HE'S STAYING CONSISTENT
WITH HIS EFFORT.

SO I THINK THE WHOLE FAMILY
IS DOING WELL

AND WORKING HARD TO IMPROVE
THEIR DYNAMIC TOGETHER.

SO I'M VERY PROUD
OF THEM ALL.

John: I'M REALLY EXCITED.

WE'RE BOTH GETTING SURGERY,

AND THAT'S GONNA HELP
GIVE ALL OF US A NEW LIFE.

IT'S BEEN FOUR MONTHS PROVING
TO DR. NOW THAT WE ARE READY.

SO I'M REALLY HAPPY

AND PROUD OF BOTH OF US
FOR ACHIEVING THIS.

Lonnie:
I DON'T THINK THAT APPOINTMENT
COULD HAVE GONE BETTER.

MAYBE IF DR. NOW
DID A DANCE OR SOMETHING,

BUT OTHER THAN THAT,
IT WENT BETTER

THAN I COULD HAVE DREAMED,
AND I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED.

WELL, YOU'RE FIRST.
SO ENJOY YOUR SURGERY.

I'LL SEE YOU WHEN I GET OUT.UH-HUH.

BE SAFE. BE SAFE.

ALRIGHT. I WILL.
I LOVE YOU.

LOVE YOU, TOO.
DON'T DIE.

THAT'S NOT --
YEAH, DON'T DO THAT.

YOU WANT ME TO TIE THAT?
HERE.

YEAH.

TIE ME UP.

THAT WAY YOUR BUTT
DOESN'T SHOW.

THERE YOU GO.
I'M EXCITED FOR YOU.

ME, TOO.

John: THERE'S BEEN THIS LIFE
I'VE DREAMED OF

THAT I'VE NEVER
BEEN ABLE TO HAVE

BECAUSE OF HOW BIG
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN.

AND, FINALLY, I HAVE A CHANCE
TO GET THAT LIFE,

AND THIS SURGERY IS A BIG PART
OF THAT CHANCE,

AND WITHOUT IT, I MIGHT NOT
EVEN HAVE MUCH OF A FUTURE.

SO AS NERVOUS AS I AM,
I'M READY FOR THIS

AND I KNOW IT'S THE RIGHT
DECISION TO MOVE AHEAD

AND GET THIS,
NO MATTER THE RISK.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
TODAY WE ARE PERFORMING

A GASTRIC SLEEVE ON JOHN
AND LONNIE.

THEY HAVE BOTH STAYED ON TRACK
WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS

AND DONE WELL,

SO THEY ARE READY
TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP

GETTING WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT. ROOM LIGHT OFF.

AND JOHN WANTED TO GO FIRST,
SO WE ARE STARTING

WITH PERFORMING
THE GASTRIC SLEEVE ON HIM TODAY.

AND WHAT THAT SURGERY DOES IS
REDUCE THE STOMACH BY 90%,

LEAVING A SMALL, NARROW TUBE
THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO A SLEEVE,

SO THE PATIENT'S FOOD INTAKE
IS PHYSICALLY LIMITED

AND THE PATIENT IS LESS HUNGRY.

SO, THIS OPERATION
WILL GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY

TO LOSE EVEN MORE WEIGHT.

SO, THIS WILL BE
AN IMPORTANT TOOL

HELPING BOTH JOHN AND LONNIE
TO STAY ON TRACK

AND GET TO WHERE THEY NEED
FOR THE LONG TERM.

BUT AT THEIR SIZE, ANY OPERATION
LIKE THIS IS EXTREMELY HIGH-RISK

BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH STRAIN

THERE HAS BEEN
ON THEIR BODY WITH THEIR WEIGHT

TO WHERE ANY NUMBER OF SMALL
THINGS COULD PUSH THEIR SYSTEM

TO A BREAKING POINT,
AND IF THAT HAPPENS

AND THEIR CONDITIONS
START TO RAPIDLY DECLINE,

WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO COMPLETE THE PROCEDURE.

BUT, HOPEFULLY, WITH ALL
THE PRECAUTIONS WE ARE TAKING,

THAT WON'T HAPPEN.

Amber:
I'M FEELING A LITTLE NERVOUS
ABOUT JOHN AND LONNIE TODAY

AND HOW THE SURGERY IS GONNA GO.

I'M SCARED
THAT SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN,

LIKE ONE OF THEM COULD NOT
MAKE IT THROUGH THE SURGERY,

'CAUSE ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN
WITH GOING UNDER ANESTHESIA.

AND I DON'T KNOW
IF THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING

THAT'S GONNA BE WORTH
JOHN'S LIFE,

BUT HIM BEING THE WAY HE WAS
AND HOW HEAVY HE WAS,

THAT IS COSTING HIM
HIS LIFE, TOO.

SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS GONNA BE
THE BEST THING,

IN THE LONG RUN, FOR OUR FAMILY.

OKAY. ALL FINISHED.

ALRIGHT.
JOHN'S SURGERY WENT VERY WELL.

THIS IS JOHN'S STOMACH
WE TOOK OUT.

IT'S A BIG STOMACH.

LEAVING HIM WITH 90% OF HIS
STOMACH WITH HIS GASTRIC SLEEVE,

SO THIS WILL GREATLY REDUCE
HOW MUCH HE'S ABLE TO EAT

IN ONE SITTING

AND WILL HELP HIM TO STAY
ON TRACK AND LOSE MORE WEIGHT.

AND OVER THE NEXT MONTH,

HE SHOULD BE ABLE LOSE
AT LEAST 35 POUNDS

AND THEN 25 POUNDS EACH MONTH

UNTIL HE GETS CLOSE
TO HIS TARGET WEIGHT.

SO WE WILL GET HIM TO RECOVERY
NOW SO HE CAN REST,

AND HERE SHORTLY WE WILL START
LONNIE'S OPERATION.

OKAY, NOW WE ARE PERFORMING
A GASTRIC SLEEVE ON LONNIE.

AND EVEN THOUGH LONNIE IS
A LITTLE SMALLER THAN JOHN,

HE IS STILL JUST OVER 500 POUNDS
AND VERY HIGH-RISK, TOO,

SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL

NOT TO LET ANYTHING
PUSH HIS BODY TOO FAR

THAT COULD LEAD TO
A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION.

ALRIGHT. WE'RE ALMOST DONE
WITH LONNIE'S OPERATION.

ALRIGHT.
YOU CAN TURN THE ROOM LIGHT ON.

OKAY. ALL FINISHED.

ALRIGHT.
LONNIE'S SURGERY WENT VERY WELL.

WE GOT HIS HERNIA FIXED,

AND WE DID A SLEEVE
GASTRECTOMY ON HIM,

AND NOW WE'RE GONNA GET HIM
TO THE RECOVERY ROOM.

THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH BOTH
HIS AND JOHN'S SURGERY,

SO WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETE EVERYTHING WE INTENDED.

FOR THE NEXT MONTH,
THEY BOTH NEED TO STAY

ON A LIQUID DIET,

AND AT THAT TIME,

LONNIE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOSE
AT LEAST 25 POUNDS,

THEN AFTER THAT,
AT LEAST 15 POUNDS A MONTH

UNTIL HE IS CLOSE
TO HIS TARGET WEIGHT.

SO THIS SURGERY
IS GONNA BE A BIG HELP

TO KEEP BOTH OF THEM ON TRACK,
ESPECIALLY JOHN,

SINCE HIS WEIGHT LOSS
IS STARTING TO SLOW.

BUT BOTH OF THEM ARE GONNA
HAVE TO KEEP WORKING HARD

AT WHAT THEY NEED IF THEY EXPECT
TO KEEP MAKING PROGRESS

BECAUSE THIS SURGERY ISN'T
A MAGIC OR QUICK FIX FOR THEM.

IT'S STILL GONNA TAKE
A LOT OF HARD WORK

IN A NUMBER OF WAYS
FOR THEM TO STAY ON TRACK.

BUT, SO FAR, THEY HAVE
BOTH DONE VERY WELL,

AND I'M HOPING HAVING THIS DONE
TO HELP THEM

WILL ENCOURAGE THEM
TO KEEP WORKING HARD

TO GET TO THEIR TARGET WEIGHT
AND START LIVING A HEALTHY LIFE.

BUT THAT'S ALL GOING TO DEPEND
ON THE CHOICES

THEY MAKE FROM HERE,

BECAUSE AS MUCH HELP
AS THE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY IS,

IT'S NOT GONNA DO
ALL THE HARD WORK FOR THEM.

SO, IT'S ALL UP TO THEM.

AND WE'LL SEE IF THEY ARISE
TO THE CHALLENGE

AND DO WHAT THEY NEED.

A BIGGER PLATE FOR MOM.
YEAH.

Lonnie: IT'S BEEN A MONTH
SINCE ME AND JOHN

HAVE HAD
OUR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

AND DR. NOW CLEARED US
AT OUR LAST APPOINTMENT

AND LET US GO BACK
ON SOLID FOODS

BECAUSE ME AND JOHN ARE ON TRACK
AND MOVING ALONG.

BUT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO EAT
ANYTHING SOLID OR REAL,

I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE
REALLY GAINED

ANYTHING THIS PAST MONTH.

AND NOW THAT WE CAN,
WE'RE BOTH ADJUSTING

TO HOW LITTLE WE CAN EAT
AND HOW WEIRD IT FEELS.

WHAT ARE WE HAVING?

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES.

MAN, THAT SOUNDS NASTY.

OH, IT'LL BE GOOD.
IT'S HEALTHY.

USUALLY, IF IT'S HEALTHY,
IT'S NOT GOOD.

I DID GET YOU SOME ROLLS,
THOUGH, SO...

THANK GOD. I WON'T STARVE
TO DEATH. GOT BUTTER?

OH, NO.
NO SALT, EITHER.

I MISS THE BIG MEALS
THAT WE USED TO DO.

WELL, NOW OUR LIFE
IS DIFFERENT,

SO WE CAN'T DO THE BIG MEALS
THAT WE USED TO DO.

FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE
FOR ME, AND FOR THE PAST MONTH,

I JUST HAVEN'T
REALLY WANTED IT.

SO THERE'S THIS SENSE OF LOSS.
IT'S JUST REALLY UNEXPECTED.

BUT WE KNEW THIS PROCESS
WASN'T GONNA BE EASY

AND GETTING THE SURGERY WASN'T
GONNA SOLVE EVERYTHING.

DR. NOW IS CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

ALL THESE EMOTIONS
AND THE STRUGGLE

IS JUST
A LITTLE BIT OF A SURPRISE,

ESPECIALLY THE GUILT
THAT MY MOM

IS MAKING US FEEL
ABOUT THE NEW DIET.

BUT I'VE BEEN TRYING
TO HANDLE IT

LIKE JOHN'S BEEN HANDLING IT
ALL -- ONE DAY AT A TIME.

DO YOU WANT ME
TO FIX YOU --

YEAH, INSTEAD OF --
THAT LOOKS HOT. SO...

YEAH. IS THAT ENOUGH?

I JUST WISH
I HAD SOME BUTTER.

WELL, WE DON'T EAT BUTTER
ANYMORE.

YOU DON'T HAVE ANY IN THE BACK
OF THE REFRIGERATOR?

NOPE. IT'S TOO TEMPTING.

YOU CAN'T CHEAT OR SPLURGE
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE?

NO, BECAUSE THEN
YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING

WE'VE WORKED SO HARD FOR.

John: THIS WHOLE PROCESS AFTER
SURGERY HAS BEEN VERY DIFFERENT

THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE,
BECAUSE MOST EVERYTHING WE DID

AS A FAMILY KIND OF INVOLVED
EATING A LOT.

SO WE'VE BEEN REALIZING
HOW MUCH OF OUR LIVES

HAVE ALWAYS REVOLVED
AROUND FOOD,

TOGETHER AS A FAMILY,

AND GIVING ALL THAT UP
AND TRYING TO CHANGE --

IT JUST ISN'T EASY,
ESPECIALLY WITH OUR MOM.

IT MAKES ME SAD THAT SHE FEELS
LIKE BEING TOGETHER LIKE THIS

ISN'T THE SAME.

I FEEL LIKE
WE'RE LETTING HER DOWN.

BUT ME, LONNIE,
AND AMBER ARE COMMITTED

TO DOING THIS TOGETHER
NO MATTER WHAT.

Lonnie: ME AND JOHN ARE DOING
OUR TWO-MONTH POST-OP FOLLOW-UP

WITH DR. NOW TODAY,

AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME
IN A FEW MONTHS

I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD
TO STEPPING ON THE SCALE AGAIN

BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE BEEN
STRUGGLING SOME THIS PAST MONTH,

ESPECIALLY WITH THE GUILT
THAT MY MOM

IS MAKING US FEEL
ABOUT THE NEW DIET.

JOHN AND LONNIE?

John: AT OUR LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS DOWN TO 515,

AND DR. NOW SAID I SHOULD BE
LOSING AT LEAST 25 POUNDS

EVERY MONTH,

SO THAT MEANS
I SHOULD BE AT 490 TODAY.

YEAH!

YAY!
YAY!

ALRIGHT. IT'S YOUR TURN.

Lonnie: AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS DOWN TO 453,

AND DR. NOW SAID
I SHOULD BE LOSING AT LEAST

15 POUNDS A MONTH NOW,
AND I HOPE I GOT CLOSE TO THAT.

THAT'S STILL GOOD.

WITH ALL THE CRAP
WE'VE HAD GOING ON.

YOU GUYS CAN GO AHEAD
AND GO TO THE ROOM.

OKAY.

AT LEAST IT'S A LOSS,
SO I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT,

BUT I'M STILL WORRIED

BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE DR. NOW
IS GONNA FEEL THE SAME WAY,

AND I DON'T WANT HIM
TO BE UPSET WITH ME.

COME IN.

HI, JOHN. HI, LONNIE.HELLO. HOW ARE YOU?

I AM DOING OKAY.
HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

FINE.
I'M PRETTY GOOD.

ALRIGHT.
LET'S START WITH LONNIE.

LONNIE, YOU'RE DOWN TO 446.
YOU ONLY LOST 7 POUNDS,

WHICH IS A BIG CHANGE
FROM THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

SO, WHAT'S GOING ON?

I DON'T KNOW. I GUESS I JUST --
I'M JUST STRUGGLING SOME.

OKAY. WHAT ARE YOU
STRUGGLING WITH?

I THINK MOSTLY OUR MOM,
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE

SHE'S BEEN GUILTING ME AND JOHN
FOR NOT EATING LIKE WE DID.

AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN
A FEW TIMES

THAT I'VE GOT SO FRUSTRATED,

I NEEDED SOMETHING
TO HELP ME OUT.

BECAUSE OF THE SURGERY,
I COULDN'T EAT MUCH,

SO I'M GLAD
I DIDN'T OVER DO IT.

BUT I'M GUESSING
THAT WAS ENOUGH

TO LEAD TO A SMALLER
WEIGHT LOSS THIS TIME,

WHICH DISAPPOINTS ME
A LOT.

WELL, YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL

WHEN YOU HAVE
WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

EMOTIONAL ISSUES
COME TO THE SURFACE

AND DRIVE YOU TO EAT.

SO THE BIG THING
IS WHAT WE DO FROM HERE.

AND WHAT DO YOU DO,
WHAT DO YOU NEED,

TO LEARN TO COPE
IN HEALTHY WAYS?

SO I'M GONNA SET YOU UP
TO START PSYCHOTHERAPY, OKAY?

OKAY.

IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT
FOR YOU TO START THE PROCESS NOW

BEFORE YOUR WEIGHT LOSS
SLOWS ANY FURTHER,

BECAUSE IF YOU FALL BACK
INTO THE OLD HABITS, EVENTUALLY,

YOU'RE GONNA STRETCH
YOUR STOMACH BACK OUT

AND UNDO
YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

AND THEN START GAINING
AGAIN.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES

THAT DRIVE YOU TO OVEREAT
TO PREVENT THAT.

IS THAT GONNA BE
OKAY FOR YOU?

YEAH, I'M WILLING
TO GIVE IT A TRY,

AND I'M WILLING TO GIVE
ANYTHING A TRY, REALLY.

OKAY.I JUST WANT TO GET TO MY GOALS.

OKAY. HOPEFULLY THERAPY IS GONNA
BE A BIG HELP FOR YOU,

AND HOPEFULLY
THAT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING

THAT'S GONNA GET YOU
BACK ON TRACK. OKAY?

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.
AND LET'S WORK WITH JOHN.

JOHN, YOU'RE DOWN TO 492,
SO YOU'RE STILL ON TRACK,

SO THE SAME ISSUE
IS NOT HAPPENING WITH YOU,

SO YOU'RE MAKING
GOOD PROGRESS,

YEAH?
YES.

YOU HAPPY WITH IT?I AM VERY HAPPY.

ALRIGHT,
BUT HERE'S THE DEAL.

THE SAME THING THAT'S
HAPPENING WITH LONNIE

LIKELY IS GONNA HAPPEN
TO YOU.

SO YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO
START PSYCHOTHERAPY SOON, TOO.

BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE
GONNA START WITH LONNIE.

YOU'RE DOING GOOD,
SO STAY FOCUSED

AND KEEP WORKING HARD
ON IT,

AND WE'LL SEE HOW WE'RE DOING
IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

OKAY?
ALRIGHT.

YOU'RE DOING GREAT.
THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT. JOHN,
HOW IS AMBER DOING?

SHE'S DOING GOOD.

IS SHE LOSING ANY WEIGHT?

SHE'S LOST ABOUT 20 POUNDS.

WELL, THAT'S GOOD PROGRESS.YEAH.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE
THE WHOLE FAMILY BE HEALTHY.

ALRIGHT, LONNIE. SO I'M GONNA
SET YOU UP WITH THERAPY,

AND I'LL SEE YOU
IN TWO MONTHS, OKAY?

OKAY.

WELL, NICE TO SEE YOU, JOHN.

ALRIGHT.AND, LONNIE.

THANK YOU.I'LL SEE YOU ALL LATER.

HAVE A GOOD DAY.OKAY.

Dr. Nowzaradan:
I'M VERY PROUD AND ENCOURAGED
AT JOHN'S PROGRESS.

HIS WEIGHT LOSS STARTED
TO SLOW FOR A BIT,

BUT HE'S ON TRACK FOR NOW,

AND, HOPEFULLY, HE'S ABLE
TO KEEP THAT GOING.

HOWEVER, LONNIE IS CLEARLY
AT A DIFFERENT POINT

WITH HOW HE'S STRUGGLED
THIS PAST MONTH.

WHEN A PATIENT
GETS WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

AND THAT PHYSICAL DRIVE
TO EAT IS REMOVED,

IT'S NOT UNCOMMON THAT
THE EMOTIONAL COMPULSION

STARTS TO COME TO THE SURFACE.
IT DRIVES THEM TO OVEREAT AGAIN.

AND THAT'S THE BEST TIME
TO START TO ADDRESS

THE CORE ISSUES BEHIND THAT,

AND WHETHER OR NOT
HE TURNS AROUND

THIS SLOWDOWN IN HIS PROGRESS
WILL DEPEND ON THE CHOICES

HE MAKES DEALING
WITH THOSE ISSUE

AND LEARNING TO COPE
WITH THINGS AT A HEALTHY WEIGHT.

John: I FEEL GOOD ABOUT
HOW THE APPOINTMENT WENT.

I'M JUST A LITTLE WORRIED
ABOUT LONNIE,

BUT HOPEFULLY THERAPY WILL HELP

AND HE'LL BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S DOING THIS TO HIM

BEFORE HIS WEIGHT LOSS
SLOWS MORE, LIKE DR. NOW SAID.

Lonnie: I HOPE DR. NOW IS RIGHT
ABOUT THERAPY HELPING ME,

BECAUSE THE LAST THING
I WANT TO LET HAPPEN

IS I START BACKSLIDING
AND I END UP GAINING AGAIN,

SO I'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING,

BECAUSE THAT TERRIFIES ME.

Lonnie: I'M ON MY WAY TO MY
FIRST THERAPY APPOINTMENT,

AND I'M HOPING IT'S ALL
IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE

BECAUSE I REALLY NEED IT TO BE.

I KNOW THIS WILL BE GOOD FOR ME

AND IT SHOULD HELP ME
GET THROUGH THE THINGS

I SHOULD HAVE DEALT
WITH A LONG TIME AGO.

LONNIE?
MM-HMM.

HI. I'M LOLA.NICE TO MEET YOU.

NICE TO MEET YOU.
COME RIGHT ON BACK.

AND I DON'T DOUBT
THE BENEFITS OF THAT.

IT'S JUST THERE'S SO MUCH
TO GET INTO,

AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL
A LITTLE OVERWHELMED,

BUT I'M COMMITTED TO THIS
PROCESS AND GETTING HEALTHY.

SO I'M HERE AND WILLING TO DO
WHATEVER IT TAKES

TO STAY ON TRACK.

WELL, I'M SO GLAD YOU DECIDED
TO MEET WITH ME TODAY.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE
YOUR CHILDHOOD FOR ME?

HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE? UH...

WELL, I MEAN,
I GUESS THE BULK OF IT STARTED

WHEN I WAS 4 OR 5.
MY DAD WAS A DRUG ADDICT,

AND MY MOM
AND HIM GOT A DIVORCE,

AND THEN HE WAS NEVER AROUND
MUCH TILL WE WERE ALMOST ADULTS.

I WAS 17 WHEN HE CAME BACK,
REALLY, INTO OUR LIVES.

YOU SAY YOUR DAD
WAS A DRUG ADDICT,

BUT TELL ME
A LITTLE BIT MORE

ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOUR MOTHER.

TO BE HONEST,
I ALWAYS FELT LIKE MY MOTHER

AND MY BROTHER
WERE SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN ME.

I ALWAYS FELT LIKE
I DIDN'T BELONG.

YOU DIDN'T BELONG?

ESPECIALLY WITH MY REALLY
RELIGIOUS FAMILY,

I JUST NEVER FIT THE MOLD

OF THE GOOD OL'
PENTECOSTAL SOUTHERN BOY.

OKAY.

AND, FOR ONE,
THERE ARE NO GAY PEOPLE.

MM-HMM.

SO IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME
TO EVEN, LIKE, FIGURE OUT

WHAT I WANTED TO DO
ABOUT ACCEPTING MY SEXUALITY.

AND EVEN WHEN I CAME OUT,
MY MOTHER FLIPPED OUT,

AND MY BROTHER
JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

SO YOU WEREN'T REALLY SUPPORTED
IN THAT POINT IN TIME.

I WASN'T AT ALL.

I WAS BASICALLY GUILTED BACK
INTO THE CHURCH

AND SPENT YEARS IN
CONVERSION-THERAPY SITUATIONS.

MM-HMM.

I MEAN, THERE WERE SOME DARK
TIMES DURING THOSE YEARS.

THAT MUST HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE
TO GO THROUGH.

IT WAS EITHER GONNA, LIKE,
LITERALLY, TAKE MY OWN LIFE

OR I WAS GONNA HAVE TO GET
AWAY FROM ALL THAT SUPPRESSION.

SO WHAT CHANGED?

TO BE HONEST, I DON'T FEEL LIKE
GOD'S MADE ME WRONG ANYMORE.

I FEEL LIKE I'M WHO I AM...

YOU'RE WHO YOU'RE MEANT TO BE.

...AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME
TO ACCEPT THAT.

BUT TO HELL WITH EVERYONE ELSE,
'CAUSE I DON'T CARE.

I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH --

YOU CAN'T GO BACK
THE WAY YOU CAME.

YOU'RE FOREVER CHANGED,
AND I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU

THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE
TO EMBRACE YOUR TRUE SELF.

AND WHAT'S YOUR RELATIONSHIP
LIKE WITH YOUR MOM TODAY?

UH...

THERE'S STILL HEALING
THAT NEEDS TO --

TAKE PLACE?YEAH, THERE'S STILL SOME --

IN WHAT REGARD?

I SOMETIMES DON'T FEEL
LIKE SHE EVER SAW ME...

MM-HMM.

...AND I THINK
I STILL RESENT THAT.

I FEEL LIKE SHE'S KIND
OF THE TYPE

THAT IF YOU APOLOGIZE
FOR SOMETHING,

THEN IT'S ALL HUNKY-DORY
AND IT MAKES IT BETTER.

BUT SOME OF THAT HURT IS SO DEEP
THAT IT DOESN'T JUST GO AWAY.

BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO PRETEND
AS IF IT NEVER WAS.

MM-HMM. YEAH.

SO, LONNIE,
FOR YOUR HOMEWORK,

I WANT YOU TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE
A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR MOM.

AND I THINK IT WILL BE GREAT
IF YOUR BROTHER, JOHN,

WERE PRESENT
WHEN THIS HAPPENS.

AND JUST SIT DOWN
AND TALK WITH HER.

SHOW HER YOUR HEART.

LET HER KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT YOU
REQUIRE FROM HER GOING FORWARD,

BECAUSE YOU NEED BOUNDARIES.
YOU NEED HER TO RESPECT THAT.

IN ORDER FOR YOU TO THRIVE,

YOU NEED FOR YOUR MOM
TO RESPECT WHO YOU ARE.

AND I WANT YOU TO WORK
REALLY HARD TOWARDS

ADVOCATING FOR YOUR NEEDS,

BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT
TO REVERT BACK

INTO UNHEALTHY WAYS
OF BEING.

MM-HMM. AND THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO,

BUT I'M JUST --
IT'S A STRUGGLE.

IT'S A STRUGGLE.

BUT GIVE YOURSELF CREDIT

FOR THE RESILIENT PERSON
THAT YOU ARE.

SO, LONNIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE

AND SPEAKING SO CANDIDLY
WITH ME TODAY.

THANK YOU.ANY CLOSING THOUGHTS?

NO, I THINK I'M -- I'M --
I'M GOOD-ISH.

YOU'RE GOOD-ISH?

YEAH, I THINK I'M ON
MY WAY TO GOOD.

YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY TO GOOD?MM-HMM.

OKAY. WELL, I HOPE TO SEE
YOU AGAIN REALLY SOON,

AND GOOD LUCK
ON YOUR CONTINUED JOURNEY.

THANK YOU.I'M EXCITED FOR YOU.

THANK YOU.
OKAY.

WELL, LONNIE, THANKS
SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU.IT WAS A PLEASURE MEETING YOU,

AND I CAN'T WAIT
TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

BYE.
BYE.

I'VE LIVED MOST OF MY LIFE
IN SHAME AND IN FEAR,

SO I KNOW I NEED TO TALK
TO MY MOM ABOUT THESE THINGS

BEFORE I LET IT DO
ANY MORE DAMAGE TO MY HEALTH.

BUT I NEED JOHN TO DO THIS
WITH ME TO NOT ONLY SUPPORT ME,

BUT I KNOW HE MUST HAVE
A LOT OF THINGS

THAT HE DOESN'T EVEN REALIZE

THAT HE NEEDS TO GET OFF
HIS CHEST, TOO,

BEFORE IT STARTS TO GET TO HIM,
JUST LIKE ME.

SO I'M CALLING HIM TONIGHT

AND TELLING HIM AS SOON
AS I'M BACK IN FORT WORTH

THAT I NEED TO COME OVER
AND TALK TO HIM,

BECAUSE I'M NOT WASTING
ANY TIME WITH THIS

AND GIVING MYSELF
ANY ROOM TO WIGGLE OUT.

AND I WANT THE SAME FOR JOHN,
SO HE HAS TO DO THIS WITH ME.

Lonnie:
I THINK I'M MORE NERVOUS NOW

THAT JOHN AGREED TO THE PLAN
TO TALK TO OUR MOTHER.

AND I KNEW IF JOHN WASN'T
COMING OVER TO DO THIS WITH ME,

THEN I'D LOSE MY NERVE
AND I WOULDN'T DO IT.

I'M REALLY NERVOUS
AND STRESSED OUT NOW,

BUT I KNOW
HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS,

AND I'M HOPING IT ALL GOES WELL

SO WE CAN JUST TALK
AS A FAMILY AND HEAL

AND THAT IT DOESN'T JUST
TURN INTO A BIG FIGHT,

BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE
THE OPPOSITE

OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING
TO ACCOMPLISH.

John: WE'RE DOING A TALK
WITH OUR MOM TODAY.

I JUST HOPE THAT MOM
IS WILLING TO HEAR US

AND NOT GET HURT
AND ANGRY ABOUT IT ALL.

HEY.
HELLO.

BUT WE HAVE NO IDEA
HOW IT'S GONNA GO,

AND I'M NERVOUS ABOUT THAT,
AND I KNOW LONNIE IS, TOO,

SO THAT'S WHAT'S SCARY, I GUESS.

HOW WAS YOUR DAY?

FINE.

LIAR.

I'M NOT LYING.

I'M STRESSED OUT.

YEAH. ME, TOO.

FOR REAL. I JUST DON'T WANT
TO HURT HER FEELINGS.

I WANT TO SAY
WHAT WE NEED TO SAY

IN A WAY
THAT'S LOVING AND CARING,

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE OUR
RELATIONSHIP HAS HEALED SO MUCH.

YOU'D KIND OF WANT MOM
TO BE A PART OF THAT?

I WOULD LIKE OUR RELATIONSHIP
TO HEAL AS MUCH AS OURS HAS.

I CAN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE.

I'M HERE.
HELLO.

HEY.HOW'VE YOU BEEN?

AH. LOOK AT YOUR HAIR!

IT LOOKS GOOD!

PROBABLY.

Y'ALL LOOK SO GOOD.
I HAVEN'T SEEN Y'ALL.

YEAH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD.LOSING.

I CAN SEE.

I CAN SEE Y'ALL
HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD.

Y'ALL LOOK GOOD.

REAL GOOD.

I JUST CAN'T GET OVER
HOW DIFFERENT Y'ALL LOOK.

BOTH ME AND JOHN HAVE BEEN
TALKING A LOT

THROUGH THIS JOURNEY,
AND YOU KNOW THIS.

YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT CLOSER
THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN.

THAT'S GOOD.

AND WE NEED TO HAVE SOME
CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU, TOO.

WE DON'T WANT TO ACCUSE
YOU OF ANYTHING,

AND WE DON'T WANT
TO BERATE YOU.

WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE
LOVE YOU AND WE FORGIVE YOU,

BUT WE DO WANT TO TALK
ABOUT SOME THINGS

JUST TO GET THEM OFF OUR CHEST
AND OUT THERE IN THE OPEN.

THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO HEAL.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
SOME OF THE THINGS

THAT HAPPENED
IN OUR CHILDHOOD,

SOME COMPLETELY
OUT OF YOUR CONTROL.

AND THERE WAS THINGS
THAT HURT US

THAT YOU PROBABLY
NEVER EVEN REALIZED HURT US

'CAUSE WE DIDN'T TELL YOU.

A LOT OF THINGS, FOR ME,

WAS THE FACT
THAT I HAD TO GROW UP

AND TAKE CARE OF Y'ALL...

MM-HMM.

...BOTH OF Y'ALL AT TIMES,

AND HAD TO BE THE GROWN-UP

AND NEVER WAS REALLY ALLOWED
TO BE A CHILD.

AND, PROBABLY, I'VE RESENTED
THAT MY ENTIRE LIFE.

JOHN HATED ME BECAUSE HE THOUGHT
I WAS THE GOLDEN CHILD,

AND THAT DESTROYED
OUR RELATIONSHIP

FOR MOST OF OUR CHILDHOOD
AND MOST OF OUR ADULT LIFE.

AND, AGAIN, YOU WERE WORKING,
FOR THE MOST PART,

AND YOU HAD A BUNCH
OF HUSBANDS,

NO OFFENSE.
MM-HMM.

AND SOME OF IT WAS SOME OF
THE HARDEST TIMES OF OUR LIVES.

YOU TELL HER, JOHN.
TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL.

'CAUSE YOU NEED TO SAY IT --
NOT ME, NOT HER.

IT'S OKAY.

I'M STILL GONNA LOVE Y'ALL,

NO MATTER WHAT Y'ALL
TALK TO ME ABOUT.

I ALWAYS FELT LIKE
I WAS THE PROBLEM.

YOU WASN'T THE PROBLEM.

I KNOW I WAS WITH LONNIE
WHEN HE WAS SICK A LOT,

AND THAT'S WHERE YOU GOT
SHUFFLED OVER TO NANNY'S,

BUT IT WASN'T BECAUSE
I DIDN'T LOVE YOU.

BUT I HAD TO BE
AT THE DOCTOR WITH LONNIE.

AND LONNIE -- HE HAD TO BE DADDY
FROM ABOUT 16 --

NO, IT WAS EARLIER THAN THAT.

I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS FAIR THAT
I HAD TO BE THE MAN OF THE HOUSE

AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE.I UNDERSTAND.

AND IT DESTROYED MINE
AND JOHN'S RELATIONSHIP.

LIKE, GETTING TO KNOW JOHN
HAS BEEN SOMETHING SPECIAL

THAT I DIDN'T THINK
WE WOULD EVER HAVE.

THE MAN HE'S BECAME TODAY,
WITH HIS SON,

WITH HIS WIFE,
HE'S BECAME A WONDERFUL MAN.

THAT'S WHAT I SAID.

YOU'VE DONE SO MANY GOOD THINGS
SINCE YOU MET AMBER.

BUT WE JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW

THAT SOME OF
THE THINGS DID HURT,

AND WE DON'T BLAME YOU
FOR EVERYTHING.

OUR FATHER WASN'T THERE,

BUT BOTH OF Y'ALL MADE
HUGE MISTAKES IN PARENTING.

THANK GOD WE HAD
NANNY AND PAWPAW.

YEAH, THINGS JUST DIDN'T
WORK OUT

THE WAY I PLANNED
MY LIFE TO GO.

I WISH I COULD GO BACK
AND CHANGE A LOT OF THINGS --

SHOW MORE LOVE,
BE THERE MORE IN YOUR LIFE.

WE LOVE YOU.
I LOVE Y'ALL.

WE FORGIVE YOU.
THANK YOU.

WE USED TO EAT OUR FEELINGS,

SO NOW WE'RE LEARNING
TO NOT EAT OUR FEELINGS

AND MORE TO START
COMMUNICATING BETTER.

AND Y'ALL DON'T EVER BE AFRAID
TO TELL ME SOMETHING.

LET'S DON'T LET THIS GROW.

LET'S LET IT GO OUT
AND BE HEALTHY.

WE ALL NEED IT.

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.ALRIGHT.

I'M SO PROUD OF YOU GUYS.
BUT I'VE GOT TO GET BACK HOME.

ALRIGHT.NEED A HAND?

I LOVE YOU.
I LOVE YOU, TOO.

I'M GLAD EVERYTHING
TURNED OUT SO GOOD.

I'VE ALWAYS LOVED Y'ALL.

LOVE YOU, TOO.

I LOVE YOU.

ALRIGHT.
I'LL SEE Y'ALL LATER.

TEXT US WHEN YOU GET HOME.OKAY, I WILL.

BYE.

BYE.

Lonnie:
ONCE MY HEART STOPS RACING,

I'M SURE I'M GONNA FEEL
A LOT BETTER

FOR GETTING ALL THIS STUFF
OFF MY CHEST.

BUT RIGHT NOW THE BIGGEST
EMOTION I FEEL IS RELIEF,

AND I'M GLAD AND THANKFUL
THAT WE GOT TO DO THIS.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD STEP TOWARDS
WHERE WE NEED TO BE AS A FAMILY

AND THE DYNAMIC WE NEED
TO HAVE TO BE HEALTHY.

BUT I KNOW TODAY WAS A DROP
IN THE BUCKET

OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

ME AND JOHN STILL HAVE
A LOT OF HARD WORK

AND A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF US
TO MAKE IT TO OUR GOALS.

Lonnie: AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
TWO MONTHS AGO,

I WAS DOWN TO 446,

AND I SHOULD BE AT LEAST
LOSING 15 POUNDS A MONTH,

SO THAT MEANS
I NEED TO BE DOWN TO 416 TODAY.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.HECK, YEAH.

THAT'S FANTASTIC,

AND I LOST MORE THAN
I WAS SUPPOSED TO,

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED.

John: AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,
I WAS DOWN TO 492,

AND DR. NOW EXPECTS ME TO LOSE
AT LEAST 25 POUNDS A MONTH.

SO THAT MEANS I NEED TO BE
AT LEAST 442 TODAY.

YEAH!
THAT IS AMAZING.

I'M REALLY GLAD ME AND LONNIE

ARE BOTH HITTING OUR GOALS
AGAIN.

I KNOW WE'RE PUSHING OURSELVES

TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO TURN OUR LIVES AROUND.

HELLO.
HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?
FINE.

GOOD.

ALRIGHT. LONNIE,
YOU'RE DOWN TO 409 POUNDS,

SO YOUR WEIGHT LOSS
IS BACK ON TRACK,

AND YOU'VE LOST OVER
200 POUNDS SO FAR.

I'M PROUD OF YOUR PROGRESS.
YOU'RE DOING GOOD.

SO, HOW DO YOU FEEL
WITH THAT?

THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

OKAY.I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE.

JUST FOLLOW YOUR PLAN
AND IT WORKS.

WELL, THAT'S GOOD PROGRESS,

AND PRETTY SOON YOU'RE GONNA
HIT YOUR TARGET WEIGHT OF 200.

AND PART OF THAT'S GOING
TO BE SOME SKIN SURGERY.

THAT PRETTY SOON IS GONNA BE
PROBLEMATIC FOR YOU,

AND WE'RE GONNA
TAKE CARE OF THAT.

BUT, OVERALL, YOU HAVE DONE
A VERY GOOD JOB,

AND STAY FOCUSED
AND KEEP UP WITH YOUR THERAPY.

OKAY.
OKAY? ALRIGHT, JOHN.

YOU'RE DOWN TO 439 POUNDS,
SO YOU'RE DOING VERY WELL,

AND YOUR WEIGHT LOSS IS
CATCHING UP WITH LONNIE, TOO.

SO, PRETTY SOON, YOU ARE
GONNA BE NECK TO NECK,

AND, EVENTUALLY, JOHN
IS GONNA BE 180

AND YOU'RE GONNA BE 200 POUNDS,
SO THERE'S GONNA BE --

I'M STILL GONNA BE
THE BEST ONE, THOUGH.

WELL...

I'LL STILL BE
BETTER-LOOKING.

THE WHOLE FAMILY'S
GOOD-LOOKING,

SO WE CAN'T ARGUE WITH YOU.
YOU HAVE TO --

I THINK, DR. NOW,
YOU MIGHT NEED NEW GLASSES.

OKAY.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE
ALL GOOD-LOOKING.

ALRIGHT. PROUD OF
BOTH OF YOUR PROGRESS,

AND I'LL SEE YOU IN TWO MONTHS.
SAY HELLO TO AMBER AND YOUR SON.

I SURE WILL.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU THEN,
LONNIE AND JOHN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.THANK YOU.

YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME.

Dr. Nowzaradan: I'M REALLY PROUD
OF LONNIE AND JOHN.

THEY BOTH HAVE IMPRESSED ME
WITH HOW HARD THEY HAVE WORKED

AT LOSING WEIGHT
AND GETTING HEALTHY

AND WITH HOW THEY HAVE
SUPPORTED EACH OTHER.

SO RIGHT NOW
I AM VERY ENCOURAGED

AND CONFIDENT
THAT THE HAMBRICK BROTHERS

ARE GOING TO BE ABLE
TO DO THIS FOR THE LONG TERM.

John: PART OF ME CAN'T BELIEVE
ALL THE PROGRESS

ME AND LONNIE HAVE MADE,

AND I'M MORE MOTIVATED THAN EVER
TO WORK AS HARD AS I CAN

SO WE CAN BOTH START DOING
ALL THE THINGS WE WANT TO.

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.

Lonnie:
KNOWING THAT I'M BACK ON TRACK

AND WHAT I NEED TO DO TO KEEP IT
THAT WAY IS EMPOWERING,

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR EVERYTHING
UP AHEAD FOR BOTH OF US.

I'M LOVING
ALL THE STAMINA I HAVE NOW

WITH ALL THE WEIGHT
I'M LOSING.

IT'S REALLY STARTING TO MAKE
A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR ME,

BECAUSE I CAN GO ALL DAY,
AND AT THE END OF IT,

I'M NOT EVEN TIRED
AND THERE'S NO PAIN.

SO MY WEIGHT'S NOT HOLDING ME
BACK PROFESSIONALLY ANYMORE,

AND I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

BUT I'M ALSO EXCITED
TO SPEND MORE TIME

AND DO THINGS WITH JOHN.

OUR NEXT MILESTONE TOGETHER
IS TO BOTH GET IN THE 300s,

AND I TOLD JOHN,

"ONCE WE DO THAT, I'M TAKING YOU
SHOPPING TO CELEBRATE,"

BECAUSE ANOTHER BENEFIT
OF LOSING ALL THIS WEIGHT

IS THAT JOHN HAS NO EXCUSE TO
JUST WEAR SOME T-SHIRTS ANYMORE.

John: THERE HAVE BEEN TWO
BIG CHANGES IN MY LIFE

THAT I'M MOST THANKFUL FOR.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST IS HOW I'M
ABLE TO GO OUT WITH CALEB NOW

AND ACTUALLY PLAY WITH HIM
INSTEAD OF JUST WATCHING HIM

OR GETTING TOO TIRED
REALLY FAST.

I MADE MY SHOT.
LET ME SEE IT.

Caleb:
ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

BUT NOW I CAN GO OUT
WITHOUT MY SCOOTER

AND STAY UP FOR A WHILE
WITHOUT NEEDING TO SIT DOWN.

AND I LOVE BEING ABLE
TO DO THINGS WITH CALEB NOW.

THAT'S BEEN MY DREAM
SINCE HE CAME INTO MY LIFE.

LET ME SHOOT A COUPLE.

YOU CAN DO IT!

OHH!OHH!

ANOTHER BIG CHANGE FOR ME IS
I'M FINALLY SMALL ENOUGH

TO LAY DOWN
AND FIT IN THE BED WITH AMBER.

AND TO HAVE THAT
AND BE ABLE TO HOLD MY WIFE

HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.

IT'S ANOTHER THING I'VE DREAMED

OF BEING ABLE
TO DO FOR A LONG TIME,

SO I'M REALLY THANKFUL
FOR ALL THE WAYS

LIFE IS GETTING BETTER FOR US
AS A FAMILY.

Lonnie: IT'S OFFICIAL!

AS OF OUR LAST DOCTOR'S
APPOINTMENT A FEW DAYS AGO,

THE HAMBRICK BROTHERS
ARE NOW IN THE 300s!

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE
EITHER OF US COULD SAY THAT.

SO I'M BEING TRUE TO MY WORD,

TAKING JOHN SO WE COULD GET
SOME NEW OUTFITS.

BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA OVER DO IT,

BECAUSE WE'RE ON OUR WAY
TO LOSING EVEN MORE,

SO WHATEVER WE GET
WON'T LAST US LONG.

BUT WE SHOULD START TO ENJOY
THE GREATER RANGE OF OPTIONS

AND LOOKS AVAILABLE TO US

NOW THAT WE'RE ALMOST HALF
THE SIZE WE WERE A YEAR AGO.

TRY THIS ON, JOHN.

LET ME SEE.
OH, I LIKE IT, TOO.

IT'S A 2X.

GIVE IT A FEW MONTHS AND...YEAH.

...YOU'LL ACTUALLY --THIS COULD BE A GOAL.

YEAH.

I HAD MY FEARS AND DOUBTS
WHEN ME AND JOHN

STARTED THIS PROCESS
AND JOURNEY TO GET HEALTHY,

BUT STANDING HERE,
LOOKING BACK ALMOST A YEAR LATER

AT HOW MUCH WE ACCOMPLISHED
AND HOW FAR WE'VE COME,

I'M REALLY PROUD OF US.

THIS SHIRT'S A 4X.
TRY IT ON.

I MEAN, I WAS WEARING A 7X.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL FIT.

WORTH A SHOT.

WELL, IT ALMOST FITS.

THAT CAN BE YOUR GOAL.

SO I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER OR MORE
THANKFUL FOR THIS SECOND CHANCE

THAT ME AND JOHN
HAVE HAD AT LIFE TOGETHER.

IT'S VERY LITERALLY A DREAM
COME TRUE FOR US.

John: I CAN'T BELIEVE
HOW SMALL I'M GETTING.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME
SINCE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO

EVEN CONSIDER
SHOPPING IN A STORE.

SO THIS IS ANOTHER FIRST
IN A REALLY LONG TIME FOR ME,

AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

I THINK I'LL GET THAT ONE.IT DOES FIT.

YEAH, IT FITS PRETTY GOOD.

A YEAR AGO, I WAS SO SCARED
I WAS GONNA FAIL

AND I WASN'T GONNA BE ABLE
TO DO THIS,

BUT I FEEL LIKE A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT PERSON NOW,

AND MY WHOLE LIFE HAS CHANGED
FOR THE BETTER BECAUSE OF IT.

AND WE KNOW THAT AS LONG
AS WE HAVE EACH OTHER

AND KEEP WORKING HARD,

THAT IT'S ONLY GONNA KEEP
GETTING BETTER.

AND WE BOTH CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT,

BECAUSE WE BOTH HAVE
A LOT OF TIME TO MAKE UP FOR.