Original subtitles

Leneatha: I'M GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE A JOB,

BECAUSE I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF MY DAUGHTER,

BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW HARD IT IS

BECAUSE OF MY SIZE.

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.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Dr. Nowzaradan: BAD NEWS IS YOU'RE STILL OVEREATING.

FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

I DON'T, BECAUSE I'M NOT EATING, AND I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE

TELLING ME THAT I'M EATING, BECAUSE I'M NOT EATING.

THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD THINK ABOUT

WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING

IS I WISH I COULD GO BACK TO BED,

BECAUSE I DREAD HAVING TO FACE REALITY

AND I JUST WANT TO CRY

BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH PAIN THAT I'M IN, THE SIZE OF MY BODY,

AND HOW HARD IT IS FOR ME TO DO MY DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES.

WHEN I GET UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM,

I KNOW THAT I'M GONNA BE OUT OF BREATH, AND I DREAD IT.

WHEN I SIT ON THE TOILET, I HAVE TO BRACE MYSELF

AND MAKE SURE I DON'T FALL INTO THE TOILET

BECAUSE BEING MY SIZE, YOU BREAK TOILET SEATS.

AND BATHING IS A CHORE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE

THAT YOU GET EVERY CROOK AND CREVICE THAT YOU HAVE.

AND SOME DAYS IF I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO IT,

I'LL GET IN THE SHOWER, BUT I'M AFRAID TO GET IN IT

BECAUSE I'M AFRAID I MIGHT SLIP AND FALL.

AND SO I MAINLY USE MY TOILET TO TAKE A BATH

AND IT'S HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEANING VERY GOOD.

SOME DAYS I JUST, I PRAY AND I SAY,

"LORD, WILL YOU JUST MAKE IT TO WHERE I DON'T SMELL?"

AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW HARD IT IS

AND HOW HUGE OF A STRUGGLE IT IS FOR ME TO DO ANYTHING.

AND I'M AFRAID ONE DAY

THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE HOUSE TO WORK

BECAUSE MY MOBILITY IS DECREASING OVER TIME NOW,

AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO, I CAN'T DO.

MY BONES ARE ACHING AND SOMETIMES MY LIMBS HURT.

SOMETIMES I HAVE TO HIT MY KNEE TO GET UP OFF OF THE COUCH

BECAUSE MY KNEE'LL GIVE OUT.

SO I LIVE IN FEAR EVERY DAY THAT I'LL BE BEDBOUND

AND WON'T BE ABLE TO LEAVE MY HOUSE OR DO ANYTHING.

AND THAT'S THE MAIN THING THAT REALLY STRESSES ME OUT

BECAUSE I HAVE TO WORK. THAT'S MY LIVELIHOOD

AND THAT'S HOW I TAKE CARE OF MY TWO-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.

GOOD MORNING.

I'M THE SOLE PROVIDER FOR HER.

SHE HAS ASTHMA, AND I HAVE TO GIVE HER HER

BREATHING TREATMENTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

SO WE'LL COME IN THE LIVING ROOM AND I SIT ON THE COUCH,

AND I GET HER PREPARED TO GET ALL OF HER BREATHING TREATMENTS

AND HER MEDICINES FOR THE MORNING.

AWW.

AND I GIVE HER ANYTHING I CAN, BECAUSE SHE'S MY HEART.

AND I CURRENTLY WORK A FULL-TIME JOB

THAT I'VE BEEN ON FOR 23 YEARS.

SO WE'LL HEAD OUT THE DOOR AND I DROP HER OFF AT DAYCARE.

AND THEN WHEN I LEAVE, ALL I WANT TO DO

IS GET ME SOMETHING TO EAT AND THEN I'LL GO ON TO WORK.

AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE A JOB,

AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT I CAN STILL WORK,

BUT I KNOW THAT I'M GETTING TO THE POINT

THAT I WON'T HAVE A JOB MUCH LONGER

IF I KEEP GETTING BIGGER,

BECAUSE IT'S HARD FOR ME TO DO MY JOB WITH MY WEIGHT.

MY AUNT KEEPS MY DAUGHTER FOR ME WHEN I'M AT WORK,

AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL BECAUSE HAVING HER IN THERE

IN THE DAYTIME MEANS I CAN KEEP UP WITH MY ROUTINE

SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A ROOF OVER OUR HEAD.

BUT IT FEELS LIKE EACH DAY I'M ONE STEP CLOSER

TO FALLING APART, BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT,

AND BECAUSE EATING IS MY HAPPY PLACE.

Woman: CAN I TAKE YOUR ORDER?

YES, CAN I GET THREE GRIDDLES, ADD CHEESE,

AND THEN A HASH BROWN AND A ORDER OF YOUR COOKIES?

WILL THAT BE ALL? YES.

THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU.

WHEN I'M EATING, I'M NOT STRESSED ABOUT EATING

OR ANYTHING ELSE

BECAUSE EATING TAKES THAT AWAY AND JUST MAKES ME HAPPY.

BUT I KNOW THAT I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS

AND IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.

I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO CHANGE

AND I REALLY STILL DON'T KNOW HOW I REALLY GOT HERE.

I JUST KNOW, I NEVER THOUGHT MY LIFE WOULD END UP LIKE THIS.

GROWING UP, I HAD A HAPPY CHILDHOOD.

I HAVE FOUR BROTHERS AND FOUR SISTERS,

SO I WAS THE YOUNGEST OF NINE.

MY PARENTS WERE VERY STRICT, BUT THEY WERE VERY LOVING.

AND WE NEVER HAD A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WE WERE HAPPY.

MY DAD WAS THE SOLE PROVIDER IN THE HOUSE,

SO MY DAD WORKED ALL THE TIME.

BUT WHEN HE WAS HOME, HE LIKED TO SPOIL US.

MY DADDY WOULD HAVE SNACKS IN HIS ROOM

AND HE'D HAVE HIS COKES AND HIS CAKES.

I REMEMBER HE WOULD BRING ME IN THERE

AND LET ME PICK WHATEVER I WANTED.

I'D EAT SOME OF DADDY'S CAKES

AND DRINK SOME OF DADDY'S COKE AND ICE CREAM,

SO I STARTED LOVING SWEETS.

BUT AT THAT TIME,

IT WAS NEVER SUCH A BIG DEAL THE WAY I WAS EATING

BECAUSE I WAS STILL A PRETTY NORMAL SIZE.

AT THE AGE OF EIGHT I WEIGHED MAYBE 80 OR 90 POUNDS

AND IT WASN'T A PROBLEM.

WHEN I WAS AT HOME, I WAS A HAPPY KID.

BUT I HATED TO GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE I ALWAYS GOT TEASED

FOR BEING SO DARK SKINNED, AND I HATED MY SKIN COMPLEXION.

IN HIGH SCHOOL I GAINED WEIGHT, BUT ONLY A LITTLE.

I WAS ALWAYS ACTIVE AND MOVING AROUND.

AND THEN PROBABLY BY THE TIME I GRADUATED,

I WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 180.

I DIDN'T EVER FEEL MY WEIGHT.

I WAS 18 WHEN I STARTED WORKING AT MY CURRENT JOB,

AND IT FELT GOOD TO BE WORKING.

BUT WHEN I WAS 24,

THAT'S WHEN THINGS STARTED TO GO WRONG WITH MY BODY.

IT STARTED WITH ME HAVING THIS PAIN IN MY SHOULDER

BECAUSE MY BREASTS WERE HEAVY.

I HAD HEAVY BOOBS THAT DIDN'T SYMMETRICALLY FIT MY BODY,

AND THEY WERE HAVING ISSUES

AND THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO HAVE THEM CUT DOWN

AND REDUCED IN SIZE TO FIT MY BODY.

BUT WHEN THEY WENT IN TO DO THE SURGERY, SOMETHING HAPPENED,

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, AND MY LUNGS COLLAPSED.

AFTER I GOT OFF THE VENTILATOR,

I STAYED BACK AND FORTH ON STEROIDS

AND IN AND OUT THE HOSPITAL

TO TRY TO KEEP MY LUNGS STRENGTHENED.

IT WAS HELL.

THIS PROCESS LASTED PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE TO SIX YEARS.

I COULDN'T AFFORD TO KEEP GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE DOCTOR.

AND THEN I DIDN'T HAVE PRESCRIPTIONS TO GET

BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE MONEY TO GO TO THE DOCTOR.

SO I STARTED USING FOOD AS MY PRESCRIPTION,

AND OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS

I GAINED ALL THE WAY UP TO 400-AND-SOME POUNDS.

SO IT WAS A DARK TIME, AND FOOD AND SWEETS

WAS ALL THAT WAS GETTING ME THROUGH IT.

AND THEN FINALLY, THERE WAS A LIGHT

AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

WHEN I WAS 29, I MET A GUY

THAT I THOUGHT WAS MY PRINCE CHARMING.

AND HE WAS JUST A LITTLE CHARMER.

HE TOLD ME HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT MY SIZE.

HE WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE, "OH, I LIKE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE,"

AND, "I LIKE BIG WOMEN," AND, "YOU'RE OKAY TO ME."

AS WE STARTED DATING, HE WAS LIKE,

"WELL, I LOVE YOU. WE'RE GONNA GET MARRIED."

I WAS LIKE, "WELL, OKAY."

SO WE WERE MARRIED, AND I WAS HAPPY

BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO START A FAMILY,

AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANTED.

BUT IT WASN'T LONG AFTER WE GOT MARRIED

THAT HE STARTED TO SHOW HIS TRUE COLORS.

HE WAS AN ABUSIVE MAN,

EMOTIONALLY AND VERBALLY ABUSIVE.

HE WOULD ALWAYS TELL ME, "NOBODY ELSE WOULD WANT YOU," AND...

CALLED ME FAT AND STUPID AND SAY THINGS TO ME

THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY TO ANYONE.

BUT I PUT UP WITH THE WAY HE TREATED ME FOR A LONG TIME

BECAUSE I MADE A VOW.

AND SOMETIMES, IF HE GOT REALLY BAD,

I KNEW I COULD FEEL BETTER IF I HAD MY SWEETS,

SO OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS I WAS GAINING BUT NOT TOO BAD.

BUT I GOT UP TO 500 BY THE TIME I WAS 35,

AND THEN CAME THE LAST STRAW.

I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE OTHER WOMAN

AND HE HAD BROKE OUR VOWS, AND THAT'S WHEN I WAS DONE.

AND I GOT OUR DIVORCE, AND I DIDN'T LOOK BACK.

AFTER I GOT MY DIVORCE, I SAID,

"WELL, I GUESS NOBODY'S GONNA EVER COME INTO MY LIFE

THAT'S WORTH ANYTHING."

AND THEN ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO,

I MET MY DAUGHTER'S DAD THROUGH A MUTUAL FRIEND.

WE GOT ALONG GOOD TOGETHER, AND WE HAD SOME ROMANTIC CHEMISTRY.

BUT AFTER TWO MONTHS OF DATING MY DAUGHTER'S FATHER

I GOT PREGNANT, AND IT WAS VERY UNEXPECTED.

TO BE HONEST, I ALWAYS PICTURED STARTING A FAMILY,

BUT NOT LIKE THIS, SO IT WAS HARD.

AND AT FIRST, HER FATHER WAS GOOD ABOUT IT.

THE WHOLE TIME THAT I WAS PREGNANT WITH OUR DAUGHTER,

HE WAS THERE. HE DID FOR ME. HE CARED FOR ME.

WHEN I GOT PREGNANT WITH MY DAUGHTER,

I WAS WEIGHING AROUND 560 POUNDS AND I WAS VERY HIGH RISK.

HE WAS THERE FOR THE DELIVERY.

HE WAS THERE THE FIRST YEAR OF HER LIFE.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE IT FOREVER,

BUT I WAS HAPPY WITH THE SUPPORT,

AND I WAS PROUD OF HIM FOR BEING A GOOD MAN ABOUT IT.

BUT THEN, RIGHT AROUND HER FIRST BIRTHDAY,

IT WAS LIKE A SWITCH JUST FLIPPED IN HIM.

IT WAS LIKE, IN HIS EYES,

HE DIDN'T WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH ME.

HE JUST LOOK AT ME LIKE I JUST DISGUSTED HIM,

AND HE LEFT US AND WALKED OUT.

AND THAT HURT ME A LOT.

WHEN I LOOKED AT MY DAUGHTER I SEE

THAT THAT'S THE ONLY BLESSING

THAT I GOT OUT OF THAT RELATIONSHIP.

SHE'S THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, AND I WOULDN'T TRADE ANYTHING FOR HER.

I KNOW NOW THAT I'M OVER 600 POUNDS

BECAUSE THERE'S A SCALE AT MY WORK,

AND I WEIGHED MYSELF NOT TOO LONG AGO

AND I WAS OVER 600.

YES, LET ME GET TWO OF YOUR DOUBLE CHEESEBURGERS

WITH NO ONIONS.

LET ME GET A 20-PIECE NUGGET WITH A LARGE SODA WITH NO ICE.

AND THEN LET ME GET YOUR FOUR-NUGGET KID'S MEAL.

AND THEN LET ME GET A ORDER OF YOUR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES.

THAT'LL BE ALL.

BUT HAVING KENLYN WAS A WAKE-UP CALL, AND I WANT TO DO BETTER.

BUT EVERY TIME I THINK I'M DOING GOOD,

ALL IT TAKES IS ONE TASTE OF SOMETHING MY BODY WANT,

AND I LOSE ALL MY PROGRESS.

AND SO NOW I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR A LIFE

THAT DIDN'T ASK TO BE HERE.

AND I DON'T WANT TO LET HER DOWN,

BUT I'M AFRAID THAT I ALREADY AM

BY NOT TRYING TO DO BETTER FOR MY HEALTH AND MYSELF

BECAUSE I EAT TOO MUCH.

SOMETIMES I ASK MYSELF, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?"

BECAUSE NOW I HAVE A LITTLE PERSON THAT'S DEPENDING ON ME,

AND I STILL CAN'T STOP.

BUT I CAN FINALLY ADMIT IT TO MYSELF

THAT I'M ADDICTED TO FOOD.

SO WITH EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY,

I KNOW THAT MY DAUGHTER NEEDS ME,

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE DAYS I'M GONNA HAVE WITH HER.

THE THOUGHT OF BEING GONE, WITH HER AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE,

IS ALMOST TOO MUCH FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT.

SO I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.

I GOT TO FIGHT NOW FOR BOTH OF US.

HELLO, AND HOW WAS YOUR DAY?HI, BOO-BOO!

WE HAD A GOOD DAY TODAY. WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Y'ALL HAD A GOOD DAY TODAY?WE DID.

TELL TEE-TEE, SAY, "WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW.

GET YOUR HAIR BOW.LOVE YOU TOO.

ALL RIGHT, TEE-TEE. SEE YOU TOMORROW.

OKAY, NOW. YOU ALL TAKE CARE.

YOU TOO. BYE-BYE.

YES!

YOU READY?

COME ON. YOU HAD A GOOD DAY?

YOU DID? YEAH.

MY ADDICTION WITH MY FOOD AND SWEETS IS KILLING ME

AND ROBBING HER OF HAPPINESS,

AND IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I'M A BAD MOM.

BECAUSE SHE'LL SAY, "MOMMY, CAN YOU HOLD ME?"

AND I CAN'T BECAUSE MY BODY WON'T PHYSICALLY LET ME DO THAT.

SO I FEEL LIKE I'M LIMITING HER OF HER CHILDHOOD.

THAT'S WHERE THE SADNESS COMES IN.

AND MOST OF THE TIME I FEEL LIKE I'M WEARING A MASK

TO COVER UP HOW I REALLY FEEL AND WHO I REALLY AM AT HEART.

THAT'S THE MOST HEARTBREAKING PART FOR ME

IS THAT I WANT TO BE MYSELF FOR MY DAUGHTER.

BUT I HAVE THAT MASK ON SO THAT SHE WON'T SEE UNDER THAT MASK

IS JUST A REALLY SAD PERSON THAT'S HURTING

AND WANTING TO LOSE WEIGHT,

AND SOMETIMES SHE'LL SEE ME CRYING,

AND SHE'LL GET TEARY EYES AND SAY,

"MOMMY! MOMMY, I LOVE YOU."

AND JUST TO HEAR HER VOICE AND TELL ME THAT,

IT REALLY TOUCHES MY HEART

THAT A TWO-YEAR-OLD KNOWS WHEN AN ADULT IS DOWN.

BUT I DO FEEL LIKE IF I DON'T LOSE THIS WEIGHT,

THEN I'M FEARFUL THAT I WON'T BE HERE FOR HER.

I'M AFRAID ALL THE TIME, I WILL PASS AWAY BEFORE

I'M ABLE TO ENJOY SEEING MY DAUGHTER

WITH ANY OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND THEN, "MOMMY'S NOT HERE

BECAUSE MOMMY WAS ADDICTED TO FOOD.

SHE COULDN'T LET IT GO TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE WAS HERE FOR ME."

TAKE ANOTHER BITE. YOU CAN GET SOME MORE.

I DON'T WANT THAT. THAT'S WHY I NEED TO CHANGE.

I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT FOR MY HEALTH

AND I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT FOR MYSELF

AND I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT FOR MY DAUGHTER.

BUT IF I DON'T GIVE UP THE WAY THAT I EAT,

THEN I'LL SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL, AND THAT WILL BE MY DEMISE.

BUT I HAVE MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER.

I'M TRYING TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR HER

AND I JUST WANT HER TO KNOW

THAT IF YOU GIVE IT YOUR ALL, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

SO I JUST HAVE THAT FAITH AND THAT HOPE

THAT I CAN GET HELP.

Leneatha: TODAY'S A BIG DAY FOR ME

BECAUSE I'M GOING TO HOUSTON TO SEE DR. NOW.

I GOT AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE IF HE COULD HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT,

AND MY APPOINTMENT IS TOMORROW.

SO MY SISTER CAME AND PICKED UP MY DAUGHTER, KENLYN,

AND I'VE JUST BEEN PACKING AND GETTING READY FOR THE TRIP.

BUT I'M VERY NERVOUS

BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN ON A LONG DRIVE LIKE THIS IN YEARS,

AND IT'LL PROBABLY TAKE AT LEAST SEVEN TO EIGHT HOURS.

IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO SIT IN MY VEHICLE FOR LONG.

I'M JUST GLAD THAT I HAVE A HUGE SUPPORT SYSTEM,

BECAUSE TWO OF MY SUPPORTERS ARE GOING WITH ME.

FRANK IS GOING WITH ME. HE'S A FRIEND OF OUR FAMILY.

AND THEN MY SISTER PAM IS GOING AS WELL

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA REALLY PUSH ME THROUGH IT.

KNOCK-KNOCK. KNOCK-KNOCK.

HEY, Y'ALL! COME ON.

OH!

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING.

MORNING!MORNING!

HEY, HEY. YOU READY?

MIGHT AS WELL BE.

ALL RIGHT. I'VE BEEN UP. YOU SLEEP OKAY?

Leneatha: I DID. I SLEPT LIKE A BABY.

ALL RIGHT! NO FEARS?

-I THINK I PROBABLY THREW THAT UP LAST NIGHT. -OKAY.

I'M JUST SCARED TO SEE WHAT HE GONNA SAY, THOUGH.

WELL, WHATEVER HE SAYS, IT'S ONLY FOR THE GOOD,

SO IT'S OKAY. AND IT'S OKAY TO BE SCARED.

YOU KNOW, FEAR CAN BE A GOOD THING. IT WILL PUSH YOU.

YEAH. BUT I'M READY.

WHAT MAKES TODAY IMPORTANT FOR LEN IS THAT

SHE'S EMBARKING UPON A JOURNEY.

SHE'S FEARFUL, BUT SHE REALIZES THIS JOURNEY

IS NECESSARY TO GET HEALTHY AND TO BE HERE FOR HER CHILD.

SO I'M HER CHEERLEADER. I AM HER SUPPORT SYSTEM.

AND I'M IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL

BECAUSE SHE NEEDS THAT.

SHE WANTS TO LOSE THE WEIGHT.

SHE WANTS TO GET HEALTHY, AND I WANT TO HELP HER DO SO.

OKAY, GOT MY COAT AND MY PURSE.

AND THESE ARE MY BAGS AND THIS IS MY BAG.

WHAT'S IN THE SMALL BAG?

MY BREATHING MACHINE. AIN'T NO SNACKS IN THERE.

OKAY. JUST CHECKING.

WE CAN STOP AND GET SOME, THOUGH.

OKAY. WELL, FRANK, GET THEM BAGS.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. LET'S GET IT, LEN.

LET'S GET IT.

GOT A LONG RIDE.

GOT TO PUT MY COAT ON. IT'S COLD OUT THERE, GIRL.

THE THOUGHT OF GOING IN A CAR ALL THE WAY TO HOUSTON

IS TERRIFYING.

THERE'S PART OF ME THAT WANTS TO JUST FORGET IT AND STAY HOME.

ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL.

BUT I KNOW I CAN'T DO THAT.

WATCH YOUR STOP GOING DOWN. WATCH YOUR STEP.

I REALLY NEED THE HELP TO GET THE WEIGHT OFF,

AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S NOW OR NEVER

BECAUSE IF I DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW,

I FEEL LIKE I WON'T BE AROUND FOR MY DAUGHTER.

BECAUSE I'VE TRIED TO LOSE WEIGHT ON MY OWN,

AND I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT'S REALLY GOING TO WORK

IS WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

AND SO I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL

THAT PAM AND FRANK CAME THROUGH FOR ME,

BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF ANXIETY ABOUT THIS TRIP.

I'M BEHIND HER.WHEW!

DON'T FALL.

I'M JUST SCARED.

HOLD UP. LET ME GET IN HERE.

I NEED YOUR HELP OVER HERE.WHICH WAY?

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PULL MY LEG UP ON THIS SIDE.

GO BACK AND COME AROUND.

YOU'RE GONNA BE IN THERE. IN THE BACK.

THIS LEG RIGHT HERE.

READY?ONE, TWO...

GO.PICK IT UP.

I GOT YOU.

YOU GOOD?

YEAH.

YEAH.

YOU GOOD? YEAH.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING? YOU ALL RIGHT IN HERE?

YES, AND OUT OF BREATH.

JUST OUT OF BREATH? YEAH.

I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE MY WAYS,

BUT IT'S HARD TO KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK.

AND IF DR. NOW TURNS ME AWAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

WELL, WE MADE IT TO HOUSTON, AND MY BODY IS ACHING.

BUT OVERALL, I'M PROUD OF HOW I DID.

YESTERDAY I WAS TIRED AND HURTING

FROM GETTING IN AND OUT THE VAN.

BUT TODAY I'M READY.

I'M RECUPERATED AND REFRESHED,

AND I'M READY TO GET TO MY APPOINTMENT.

BUT AS I'M GETTING CLOSER TO IT, IT'S BECOMING MORE REAL.

BUT I'M JUST GETTING MORE ANXIOUS BECAUSE MY HEALTH

AND REALLY MY LIFE IS DEPENDING ON WHAT HE'S GONNA SAY.

IF HE TELLS ME NO, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'LL DO.

I DON'T HAVE A PLAN WITHOUT WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

SO I HAVE TO GET DR. NOW'S HELP.

I FEEL LIKE DR. NOW'S MY LAST HOPE

TO GET HELP WITH THIS WEIGHT-LOSS JOURNEY

BECAUSE MOST DOCTORS DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU

IF YOU'RE TOO HIGH-RISK.

SO I KNOW HE DOESN'T HAVE TO HELP ME,

AND HE MIGHT NOT BE WILLING TO

IF HE FINDS OUT ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S WRONG ABOUT ME,

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SCARED OF THE MOST

BECAUSE I CAN FEEL MY BODY'S GETTING WORSE

AND I KNOW I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT

BEFORE THINGS GET REALLY BAD FOR ME.

LEN.

SO I NEED THIS NOT ONLY FOR MY DAUGHTER

BUT FOR MYSELF AND MY HEALTH.

AND RIGHT NOW I'M JUST PRAYING THAT THE NUMBER THAT COMES UP

IS SOMETHING THAT DR. NOW CAN WORK WITH

AND THAT I'M NOT SO FAR GONE THAT I CAN'T GET HIS HELP

AND TURN MY LIFE AROUND BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME.

Leneatha: I'M HERE AT DR. NOW'S CLINIC IN HOUSTON

TO SEE IF HE'LL TAKE ME ON AS A PATIENT.

SO I'M JUST PRAYING I'VE LOST A LITTLE WEIGHT

SINCE THE LAST TIME I'VE WEIGHED,

SO THAT I MIGHT EVEN BE UNDER 600.

WAS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO SEE?

NOPE.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.

WELL, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE, BUT IT'S STILL NOT GOOD.

PART OF ME WAS WORRIED THAT IT WOULD BE HIGHER

BECAUSE THE LAST TIME I WEIGHED MYSELF AT THE HOSPITAL,

I WAS UP AROUND 615.

SO I'VE ACTUALLY LOST SOME WEIGHT, WHICH IS GOOD,

BUT IT'S STILL HUMILIATING TO SEE THAT NUMBER COME UP.

AND NOW I JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT DR. NOW HAS TO SAY,

AND I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT HE CAN PUT ME ON THE PATH

TO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

-HELLO. -All: HELLO.

HOW YOU ALL DOING?

-FINE. -Pam: ALL RIGHT. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING GOOD TOO. OKAY.

I'M DR. NOWZARADAN. AND YOU?

LENEATHA.GOOD TO MEET YOU.

SO WHO HAVE WE GOT HERE WITH YOU?

I HAVE MY SISTER PAM AND OUR FRIEND FRANK.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

I'M FINE, THANK YOU.FINE. HOW YOU DOING?

SO HOW CLOSE YOU ARE, AND ARE THEY YOUR ENABLER

OR ARE THEY GONNA HELP YOU?

WELL, THIS IS MY BIG SISTER PAM,

AND SHE DOESN'T REALLY ENABLE BECAUSE SHE'LL PUSH ME OUT,

AND SHE DOESN'T CARE IF I GET UPSET.

SHE'S GONNA SUPPORT ME BECAUSE SHE'S ACTUALLY

ONE OF THE COOKS IN THE FAMILY,

SO SHE SAID SHE'LL HELP ME WITH THE HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES

AND HELPING ME PREP MY FOOD FOR THE WEEK.

AND THIS IS FRANK.

I MET FRANK BECAUSE I'VE BEEN

TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT BACK AND FORTH

AND HE ACTUALLY OWNS A GYM BACK HOME.

AND HE WOULD MAKE ME WORK OUT, AND THEN I JUST QUIT GOING.

HE TRIES TO BEAT ME TO GET THERE,

SO HE'S GONNA MAKE ME GET INTO THE GYM AND WORK OUT.

ALL RIGHT, AND YOU HAVE DIABETES

AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

AND SLEEP APNEA?

YES, SIR.

SO YOUR WEIGHT HAS GOTTEN TO A CRITICAL POINT WITH YOUR HEALTH

AND YOU WANT TO CHANGE THAT?

YES, SIR.

OKAY, SO, WHAT SEEMS TO BE YOUR CHALLENGES

FOR GAINING WEIGHT?

SUGAR, SWEETS.

SUGAR, AND YOU'RE DIABETIC

AND YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH YOUR SUGAR?

YES, SIR.

SO, WHAT DO YOU USUALLY EAT?

A LOT OF SNACK CAKES AND SODAS.

SO YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT THAT YOUR DIABETES

GETS YOU TO CRAVE SUGAR,

AND ALL THAT DOES IS TURN TO FAT.

YES, SIR. I KNOW.

ALL RIGHT, SO DO YOU EAT AT HOME OR DO YOU GO OUT TO EAT?

MOSTLY AT HOME.

SO WHO ELSE IS AT HOME BESIDES YOU?

MY THREE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.

OKAY, SO NO ENABLERS IN THE HOUSE.

NO, SIR.

OKAY. SO, FOR BREAKFAST, WHAT DO YOU EAT?

MOST OF THE TIME I'LL STOP AT FAST FOOD

AND GET SOME BREAKFAST AND THEN I'LL GO ON IN TO WORK.

AND THEN AT WORK I'M BASICALLY OUT ON THE FLOORS ALL DAY,

SO MOST OF THE TIME I DON'T GET TO EAT LUNCH,

OR IF I EAT LUNCH I'LL GO TO THE CAFETERIA

AND GET SOME CHICKEN STRIPS OR EITHER A BURGER.

AND THEN WHEN I GET HOME, I'LL EAT SNACKS AND CAKES AND...

I'M NOT REALLY HUNGRY, I JUST CRAVE THE SWEETS

AND I JUST SIT THERE AND JUST EAT IT

BECAUSE I HAVE IT SITTING THERE.

SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHY BUY IT, THEN,

IF YOU KNOW IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU?

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

OKAY. DO YOU DO ANY EXERCISE?

NOT ANYMORE. I HAVEN'T BEEN.

SO IF YOU ARE EATING SUGAR SNACKS FOR NO REASON

THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHY YOU BUY,

AND YOU DON'T EXERCISE AND DO THINGS TO GET YOU HEALTHY,

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT US TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE FOR YOU?

I'M HOPING WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY WILL HELP ME CHANGE.

REALLY? YES.

OKAY, THE SURGERY IS NOT GONNA BE A SOLUTION

FOR YOUR EATING DISORDER.

THE SURGERY IS GOING TO PHYSICALLY LIMIT YOU

FROM EATING A LOT,

BUT THAT EFFECT IS GOING TO FADE AWAY IN FIVE YEARS

AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A LONG-TERM RESULT FROM THAT.

AND SO FAR YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL IT

OR YOU HAVEN'T HAD A DESIRE TO CONTROL IT.

WHICH ONE?

I THINK IT'S MORE, I HAD THE DESIRE TO DO IT,

BUT I THINK IT WAS THE WILLPOWER TO STAY AWAY FROM IT.

I DON'T...

SO THE WILLPOWER IS THE ISSUE.

YES, SIR. OKAY.

WELL, I CAN GIVE YOU THE ROAD MAP

TO HELP YOU DO YOU WHAT YOU NEED,

BUT IT'S NOT GONNA MATTER UNLESS YOU MAKE THE CHOICE TO DO IT.

AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU.

BUT AT THIS POINT IN YOUR HEALTH,

YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO DO THAT.

SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT YOU START TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT,

AND THAT MEANS THAT YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR EATING HABITS.

YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

YES, SIR.

OKAY, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME READING MATERIAL

THAT HAS A 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY DIET IN IT.

THAT FOCUSES ON PROTEIN AND AVOIDS CARBS.

AND GIVE YOU HOW TO EAT THREE TIMES A DAY,

LIKE 400 CALORIES PER MEAL.

AND IF YOU DO THAT, YOU CAN LOSE 50 POUNDS A MONTH, OKAY?

BUT THE GOAL I'M GIVING YOU IS TO LOSE 60 POUNDS IN TWO MONTHS.

SO THAT SHOULD BE VERY EASY FOR YOU

IF YOU DO THE DIET, OKAY?

AND IF YOU DO THAT, THEN WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

BECOME AN OPTION FOR YOU.

BUT IF YOU HAVE THIS SORT OF LACK OF WILLPOWER

TO IGNORE YOUR EATING HABIT,

YOU CAN GAIN YOUR WEIGHT BACK.

YOU GOT THAT?

YES, SIR. OKAY, GOOD.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE 40.

I GUARANTEE YOU,

IF YOU DON'T TURN YOUR SITUATION AROUND,

YOUR HEALTH IS GONNA GO DOWN

AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA SURVIVE A COMMON COLD

OR EVEN FLU OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THERE'LL BE NOTHING ANYBODY CAN DO TO SAVE YOU AT THAT POINT.

SO THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION YOU'RE IN.

YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT, AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE CHANGES.

WHICH ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT?

BEING A LITTLE BIT HUNGRY OR SAVING YOUR LIFE, OKAY?

SO, WHICH ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT,

SAVING YOUR LIFE OR BEING HUNGRY?

SAVING MY LIFE.

SO REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY, OKAY?

YES, SIR. OKAY.

I'M GONNA GIVE YOU READING MATERIAL THAT INCLUDES THE DIET,

TO START THAT ALONG WITH SOME EXERCISES

I WANT YOU TO DO EACH DAY.

AND I WANT TO SEE YOU IN TWO MONTHS

WITH A WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL OF 60 POUNDS BY THEN.

DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

YES. OKAY.

BUT I KNOW I CAN DO IT.

OKAY, SO WHEN YOU GO SHOPPING,

DO NOT BUY STUFF ON THE LIST TO AVOID.

OKAY. OKAY?

THAT INCLUDES SUGARY STUFF, OKAY?

OKAY.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERYTHING IS UP TO YOU.

YOU'RE THE ONE IN THE DRIVING SEAT.

AND YOU'RE THE ONE THAT YOUR GONNA HAVE

CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR.

AND NO MATTER WHAT EVERYBODY TELL YOU,

THIS WON'T WORK UNLESS YOU TAKE THE FIRST STEP

AND YOU DECIDE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

AND THERE'S TIME TO DO THAT.

BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY.

NOBODY SAID IT'S GONNA BE EASY,

BUT YOU HAVE TO BE DETERMINED TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO,

TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT DETERMINATION

TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE, NO MATTER WHAT WE DO,

IT'S NOT GONNA BE EFFECTIVE, OKAY?

BUT IF YOU COME BACK IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS

AND YOU HAVEN'T LOST ANY WEIGHT OR YOU LOST A FEW POUNDS,

THEN I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE ANY HEADWAY WITH YOU.

BECAUSE THAT WILL SHOW ME THAT SAVING YOUR LIFE

IS STILL NOT A PRIORITY FOR YOU

TO THE POINT WHERE YOU'RE READY TO DO WHAT DO YOU NEED.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, RIGHT?YES.

OKAY, SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO MAKE THE CHANGES NOW

BEFORE YOU RUN OUT OF TIME, OKAY?

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS?

NO, SIR.

OKAY. SEE YOU SOON.

NICE TO MEET YOU.NICE TO MEET YOU.

AND NICE TO MEET YOU.YOU TOO.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU ALL LATER.

Frank: ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

THANK YOU.OKAY.

Dr. Nowzaradan: HOPEFULLY, LENEATHA IS TELLING ME THE TRUTH.

WHEN SHE SAYS SHE'S READY TO DO

WHAT IT TAKES TO TURN HER LIFE AROUND.

BECAUSE AT HER WEIGHT AND AGE

AND WITH ALL THE HEALTH ISSUES SHE'S STARTING TO HAVE.

SHE DOESN'T HAVE LONG TO CHANGE THINGS

BEFORE HER BODY GETS TO A BREAKING POINT

AND HER HEALTH STARTS TO DETERIORATE RAPIDLY.

AND MY CONCERN IS, FROM WHAT SHE DESCRIBES

ABOUT HER EATING HABITS,

SHE DOESN'T REALLY THINK SHE'S OVEREATING.

SO THAT'S CONCERNING, AND IT'S ALSO VERY CONCERNING

THAT SHE'S WILLING TO EAT A LOT OF SUGARY FOOD AS A DIABETIC

WHEN SHE KNOWS THE RISK AND DANGERS OF THAT.

BUT HOPEFULLY SHE GOES OVER THE DIET

AND STARTS TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN WHAT SHE'S BEEN DOING AND WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO

AND SHOW ME SHE'S WILLING TO TRY AND MAKE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES

BECAUSE IF SHE DOESN'T, THEN THERE WON'T BE MUCH

WE CAN REALLY DO FOR HER,

AND WE WON'T MOVE AHEAD WITH HER.

Leneatha: I DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW.

I APPRECIATE DR. NOW AND THAT HE'S GOING TO HELP ME,

AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

BUT TO LOSE 60 POUNDS IN TWO MONTHS.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO IT.

AND HEARING THE DOCTOR SAY THAT I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME,

THAT TAKES IT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL,

BUT I GUESS I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

SO, THE ONLY THING TO DO IS TO HEAD BACK HOME

AND WORK MY HARDEST TO MEET THAT GOAL

AND SHOW DR. NOW THAT I CAN DO IT NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES.

I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU.

YOU HUNGRY? YES.

YOU WANT TO HELP MOMMY COOK?

YES, PLEASE, YES.

COME ON.

Leneatha: IT'S BEEN ABOUT A MONTH SINCE I SAW DR. NOW,

AND I'M DOING MY BEST TO FOLLOW HIS PROGRAM,

BUT LIFE HAS BEEN MAKING IT HARD.

AFTER WE GOT BACK FROM HOUSTON,

IT JUST TOOK A LITTLE WHILE FOR ME TO GO SHOPPING.

BETWEEN WORKING AND TAKING CARE OF MY DAUGHTER,

EVERY ONE OF MY DAYS IS FULL,

AND SO IT'S BEEN HARDER THAN YOU WOULD THINK

TO EXERCISE TWO TIMES A DAY

AND DO ALL THE SHOPPING I NEED TO DO TO DO THE DIET.

AND THERE'S BEEN SOME DAYS WHERE MY SCHEDULE WAS SO TIGHT,

THAT FAST FOOD WAS THE ONLY THING THAT MADE SENSE.

BUT I KNOW MY NEXT MONTH HAS TO BE BETTER.

SO I'M TRYING TO MAKE MORE MEALS AT HOME

AND GET USED TO COOKING FOR MYSELF

SO THAT I CAN CATCH UP TO THE GOAL THAT DR. NOW GAVE ME.

MOMMY? YES, MA'AM?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

I'M COOKING. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

I'M COOKING.

ALL RIGHT, YOU READY? HUH?

IT'S DONE.

EVERY DAY I SPEND WITH MY LITTLE GIRL

IS JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY I GOT TO GET MYSELF RIGHT --

SO I CAN BE THERE FOR HER.

I DO FEEL LIKE WE'RE TAKING THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER

BECAUSE I WANT TO SET THE EXAMPLE FOR MY DAUGHTER

THAT YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO.

SHRIMP TASTE GOOD.

LOOK.

MMM! MMM-MMM!

AND I'M DOING OKAY.

I DROPPED A FEW POUNDS,

AND I'M MOVING A LITTLE BETTER, I THINK.

SO I JUST HAVE TO BUILD ON THAT FOR NEXT MONTH

SO THAT WHEN I GO DOWN TO HOUSTON NEXT TIME,

DR. NOW WILL BE PROUD OF ME

AND HE'LL APPROVE ME FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

LET'S BLOW IT.

SEE? BLOW IT.

I HAD EVERY INTENTION ON MAKING THIS MONTH

THE ONE WHERE I GOT ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

I HAD A PLAN TO DO THE HEALTHY SHOPPING,

TO LEARN THE HEALTHY COOKING,

TO FIT IN THE EXERCISE TWICE A DAY.

AND AT THE FIRST OF THE MONTH,

THERE WAS MAYBE TWO OR THREE DAYS,

WHERE I WAS DOING REALLY GOOD.

AND I DIDN'T EVEN MISS ANY OF MY HOURS AT WORK.

WELL, WOULDN'T YOU KNOW,

THAT SAME WEEK WHEN I WAS FINALLY FEELING GOOD,

MY WORK GOT UPSET WITH ME

FOR HAVING TO TAKE OFF TOO MUCH TIME.

SO HERE HERE I AM PUSHING MY HARDEST

TO GET ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH MY HEALTH,

AND IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING THAT I WOULD GET PENALIZED FOR THAT.

I'M GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE A JOB,

AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT I CAN STILL WORK,

BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW HARD IT IS

AND HOW HUGE OF A STRUGGLE IT IS

FOR ME TO BE AT WORK AND TO DO WHAT I DO.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY REALLY THINKS ABOUT IT.

SO ALL THIS STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING AT WORK,

IT'S NOT GONNA BE A GOOD TIME FOR ME TO LEAVE AGAIN

TO GO TO HOUSTON FOR MY NEXT APPOINTMENT.

I CALLED DR. NOW'S OFFICE

AND TOLD HIM THAT I NEEDED TO PUSH IT BACK

BECAUSE I CAN'T RISK TAKING THE TIME OFF OF WORK.

BUT I'M STILL DETERMINED TO MAKE MY APPOINTMENT NEXT MONTH.

I'M STILL DOING THE DIET.

ONCE I CAN PUT THIS MONTH BEHIND ME,

THEN I HAVE AN EXTRA MONTH

TO GET MY WEIGHT DOWN TO WHERE A DR. NOW NEEDS IT.

BUT IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE

I'M BACK WHERE I STARTED, AND THAT REALLY STRESSES ME OUT.

AND THAT CAN'T BE GOOD FOR MY HEALTH EITHER.

I STILL GOT MY GIRL. SHE'S MY GUIDING LIGHT.

IN THAT WAY SHE'S HELPING ME

BECAUSE SHE'S MAKING ME ASPIRE TO TRY HARDER AND KEEP PUSHING.

SOME DAYS I FEEL HELPLESS

AND LIKE I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO TURN THIS AROUND,

AND I JUST WAIT A MINUTE AND SHE'LL MAKE ME SMILE

AND REMIND ME WHAT I'M FIGHTING FOR

AND THEN TELL MYSELF I CAN DO IT

SO I CAN TELL HER WE'RE GONNA DO IT.

I'M STILL FOCUSED ON GETTING THAT WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

NEXT TIME I SEE DR. NOW.

IT'S JUST TAKING LONGER THAN I WANTED

AND WE'RE HITTING SOME BUMPS IN THE ROAD.

AND SOME DAYS I DON'T KNOW QUITE WHAT TO BELIEVE.

BUT IF I'M GONNA MAKE IT OR NOT,

I'M GONNA MAKE SURE MY DAUGHTER SEES ME FIGHTING.

AFTER I RESCHEDULED MY LAST APPOINTMENT,

I GOT A CALL FROM DR. NOW'S OFFICE TELLING ME

HE WANTED TO DO A VIDEO CALL WITH ME,

SO THAT'S HAPPENING TODAY

AND I'M NOT REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING HIM SEE ME

BECAUSE I'M JUST NOT FEELING GREAT ABOUT WHERE I'M AT.

TIMES HAVE BEEN A LITTLE TOUGH

BECAUSE KENLYN HAS BEEN STRUGGLING WITH HER HEALTH

AND HAVING A TOUGH TIME BREATHING.

WE'VE BEEN GETTING HER TREATED FOR THAT

AND TAKING HER TO THE DOCTOR

AND IT HURTS MY HEART TO SEE HER LIKE THAT,

AND I KNOW SHE GOT THOSE PROBLEMS FROM ME.

SO I HOPE DR. NOW IS UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITUATION

I'VE BEEN IN AND THAT I'VE JUST BEEN STRUGGLING.

HI, LEN.

HEY, DR. NOW.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?

I'M DOING GOOD. AND YOU?

GOOD. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE SEEN YOU.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU?

I'VE BEEN HAVING SOME ISSUES GOING ON

I'VE BEEN HAVING TO DEAL WITH MY DAUGHTER

AND TAKING HER BACK AND FORTH TO HER APPOINTMENTS

AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN BE OFF AT WORK

WITH BEING THE ONLY ONE AT WORK.

SO IT'S BEEN KIND OF CONFLICTING,

SO I'M HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT TO HOUSTON.

WELL, I'M SORRY TO HEAR ALL THAT,

BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOU HAVE LOST ANY WEIGHT

SINCE I SAW YOU LAST,

EVEN THOUGH YOU TOLD ME YOU HAD WHEN I CALLED YOU.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE LOST MUCH?

I'VE LOST A LITTLE, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS I NEED.

WELL, IT'S BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS,

AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET YOU TO LOSE WEIGHT,

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SOLUTION WILL BE?

DO THE DIET LIKE I'M SUPPOSED TO DO IT.

YEAH, BUT THAT'S A FIGURE OF SPEECH.

IT NEEDS SOME ACTION BEHIND IT.

WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT?

I DIDN'T DO THE ACTION BEHIND IT.

WELL, BUT YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME,

AND THIS IS SEVERAL MONTHS

AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET YOU TO LOSE ANY WEIGHT.

SO CAN YOU TELL ME WHY YOU'RE OVEREATING?

BECAUSE YOU'RE HUNGRY OR WHAT?

NO, I DON'T FIND MYSELF BEING HUNGRY,

AND LIKE I SAID,

MY ISSUE IS THE PORTION SIZE THAT I OVEREAT

WHEN I DO SIT DOWN AND EAT A MEAL.

INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE PIECE OF CHICKEN, I HAVE TWO.

IT'S NOT AN ALL-DAY THING

BECAUSE I DON'T EAT ALL DAY LONG.

IT'S WHEN I SIT DOWN AND I DO EAT THE PORTION SIZE

OF WHAT I'M EATING

BECAUSE I HAVE MADE THE DRASTIC CHANGES

IN THE SWEETS AND THE SODAS

BECAUSE I STILL HAVEN'T HAD THAT,

BUT IT'S STILL PORTION SIZES OF WHAT I'M EATING.

EXPLAIN TO ME WHY YOU'RE EATING WHEN YOU'RE NOT HUNGRY.

I GUESS I FEEL LIKE I HADN'T EATEN YET, SO I BETTER EAT.

THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE,

BECAUSE YOU SAY YOU'RE KILLING YOURSELF

AND FOOD IS DOING THAT TO YOU.

SO YOU DON'T NEED TO EAT ALL THE TIME.

YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

NO. YOU'RE GONNA STARVE TO DEATH IF YOU DON'T EAT.

EVEN IF I AM FAT.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA STARVE?

YOU STILL HAVE TO EAT FOR NUTRITIONAL REASONS.

IT DON'T MATTER HOW BIG I AM.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,

BUT YOU'VE STILL GOT TO EAT.

LEN, IF YOU PUT THE MATH OVER AND LOOK AT THE FOOD

THAT YOU HAVE EATEN SO FAR,

YOU HAVE EATEN THE FOOD THAT BELONGED

THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AHEAD OF TIME.

AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO EAT, BUT NOT YOUR WAY.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA STARVE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT EVERYBODY'S GOT TO EAT.

AND I FOLLOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT STILL OVEREATING

BUT NOT THE FOOD FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS

BECAUSE THAT DON'T EVEN MAKE SENSE.

BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

OKAY, LEN, DO YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE?

I DO.

IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE, THEN YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND

THAT YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR LIFE IN JEOPARDY WITH YOUR WEIGHT

BECAUSE IT'S GONNA AFFECT

EVERY ORGAN AND SYSTEM IN YOUR BODY,

AND ALL THAT IS BECAUSE YOU'RE OVEREATING

AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR YOU TO OVEREAT NOW,

AND THERE NEVER WAS, BUT NOW YOU HAVE A DIET

AND ALL KINDS OF INSTRUCTION THAT WE GIVE YOU.

TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES YOU NEED TO MAKE

TO LOSE WEIGHT AND SAVE YOUR LIFE.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE DIABETIC AND YOU HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

AND ALL KINDS OF ISSUES.

ONE OF THESE DAYS, YOU'RE GONNA RUN OUT OF TIME.

IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG WITH YOU,

THERE'S NOTHING ANYBODY CAN DO TO SAVE YOU.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?

YES, SIR.

SO WHICH ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT? THE FOOD OR SAVING YOUR LIFE?

WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS MY LIFE.

OKAY.

SO WHEN ARE YOU GONNA MAKE THOSE CHANGES

THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME ACTUAL WEIGHT LOSS

AND IMPROVEMENT WITH YOUR HEALTH?

I'M GONNA START MAKING THAT CHANGE TODAY.

ALL RIGHT, SO TODAY IS THE DAY AFTER A FEW MONTHS

YOU FINALLY DECIDE YOU'RE GONNA MAKE THE CHANGES.

YES, SIR.

YOU UNDERSTAND MY STRUGGLE

TO BELIEVE THAT RIGHT NOW, DON'T YOU?

BECAUSE I NEED TO SEE SOME ACTION,

NOT JUST WORDS THAT YOU TELL ME.

OKAY.

AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT EVIDENCE IS ON THE SCALE,

AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T DONE THAT.

SO FAR, I'M NOT VERY HAPPY WITH YOU NOT LOSING WEIGHT

AND TELLING ME AFTER THESE FEW MONTHS

YOU'RE GONNA CHANGE NOW,

THAT YOU JUST REALIZED WHAT YOU WERE DOING WRONG, OKAY?

EXACTLY. THAT'S WHAT I SAID.

I WASN'T DOING WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

MY PROBLEM WAS NOT SITTING AROUND EATING.

I WORK ALL DAY.

I'M ALWAYS CONSTANTLY GOING AND ACTIVE AND GOING.

SO I DON'T SIT AROUND AND JUST EAT.

IT'S WHAT I EAT WHEN I DO EAT.

THAT'S MY PROBLEM.

AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING,

BUT I DON'T JUST SIT AROUND AND EAT.

JUST LIKE TODAY, I HAVE NOT EATEN.

I'M WAITING TO EAT SO THAT WHEN I GET THROUGH

WITH THIS CONFERENCE CALL WITH YOU

THAT I CAN SIT DOWN AND GO AND FIX SOMETHING TO EAT.

I HAVE NOT ATE TODAY,

AND THAT MAY BE HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE TO BELIEVE,

BUT NOT ALL FAT PEOPLE SIT AROUND AND EAT.

LEN, WE TAKE PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL,

WE PUT THEM FOR THREE DAYS WITH NO FOOD, OKAY?

AND AFTER THREE DAYS

WE DETOXIFY THEM FROM TOXIC FOOD FOR THREE DAYS.

THEN WE START THEM ON LIQUID DIET FOR A WEEK

BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH IS STORED UP IN THE BODY

TO WHERE THEY DON'T NEED FOOD FOR A LONG TIME.

SO IF YOU DON'T EAT FOR A DAY OR SKIP A LOT OF MEALS,

AT YOUR WEIGHT YOU'RE GONNA BE FINE.

SO YOU'RE OVEREATING,

YOU COMPARE LIKE YOU'RE GONNA EAT TODAY.

NOTHING IS GONNA HAPPEN TO YOU

IF YOU DON'T EAT FOR A WHILE

AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE MALNOURISHED

OR STARVE LIKE YOU SAYING, OKAY?

YEAH, RIGHT.

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT, THEN HOW DO YOU THINK

THAT WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY IS GONNA MAKE YOU LOSE WEIGHT?

WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY, TO ME, IS A MECHANISM.

I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A MAGIC PILL

OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IF IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE

THAT IT'LL HELP, THEN THAT'S FINE.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE ALL THE BEATING DOWN

AND THE CONSTANT ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

BUT IT'S TIME TO MOVE FORWARD FROM THAT.

I TOLD YOU WHAT I WAS GONNA DO.

WE'RE GONNA DO IT OR NOT.

SO IF YOU THINK WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY IS GONNA HELP,

THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

IF YOU DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA HELP, THEN FINE,

BUT I'M ON THIS JOURNEY TO LOSE WEIGHT.

I'M NOT ON THIS JOURNEY TO KEEP GETTING BADGERED

AND PUSHED DOWN

BECAUSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT I'M GONNA LOSE IT.

ALL I CAN DO IS SHOW YOU WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

THAT'S IT.

I'M NOT FOR ALL THE,

"YOU CAN'T EAT FOR FOUR MORE YEARS," AND ALL THAT.

I'M NOT FOR THAT. IT'S NOT A JOKE TO ME.

THIS JOURNEY IS NOT FUNNY TO ME. I'M NOT LAUGHING ABOUT IT.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT I DID TO GET TO MY SIZE,

AND I'M TRYING TO WORK ON THAT AND I DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY

AND THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO GET THE HELP.

I DON'T TAKE WHAT THIS JOURNEY IS LIGHTLY

AND I DON'T TAKE WHAT I'M DOING LIGHTLY,

BUT I'M TIRED OF IT.

I'M READY TO MOVE PAST

ALL THE "DON'T EAT FOR FOUR YEARS" CRAP.

I'M TIRED OF IT. IT'S TIME TO MOVE FORWARD FOR ME.

ALL I CAN DO IS SHOW YOU WHAT I CAN DO.

AND FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, THAT'S ALL I CAN DO.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

OH, DON'T YOU THINK THAT YOUR PERCEPTION IS HOLDING YOU UP

TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON?

THAT'S RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHAT I TOLD YOU EARLIER.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT I WAS DOING NOW.

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT, THEN THAT'S FINE.

NOT EVERYBODY GRASPS THINGS AT THE SAME TIME

THAT EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT MY PROBLEM WAS, AND I UNDERSTAND IT.

YES, IT TOOK ME LONGER, BUT NOW IT'S TIME FOR ME

TO SET THAT IN MOTION TO GET WHAT I NEED TO GET.

IF YOU BELIEVE IT, YOU BELIEVE IT,

IF YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T, BUT IT'S UP TO ME.

LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S IN ME TO SHOW WHAT IT IS

THAT I'M TRYING TO ACQUIRE, SO WHEN I COME IN

AND I LOSE THE WEIGHT, THEN YOU WILL SEE.

BUT UNTIL THEN I'M DONE WITH

ALL THE "YOU DON'T NEED TO EAT FOR FOUR MORE YEARS."

IT'S NOT FUNNY TO ME, AND IT'S NOT A METAPHOR.

MY HEALTH IS NOT A METAPHOR TO ME.

LEN, YOU'RE OVEREATING. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M TIRED OF HEARING THAT.

YOU JUST KEEP SAYING IT.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO EAT AGAIN.

RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. I SAID I UNDERSTOOD THAT.

NOW IT'S TIME TO MOVE FORWARD PAST THAT.

SO, WHAT ARE YOU GETTING UPSET ABOUT?

FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING,

SETTING MY FOOT IN MOTION TO DO THE JOURNEY

LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE,

TO DO THE WEIGHT LOSS LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.

IT IS WHAT IT IS. THAT'S ALL IT IS TO IT.

WE'RE TRYING TO EDUCATE YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS,

WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, AND YOU'RE GETTING DEFENSIVE --

I KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

THE PROBLEM WAS ME OVEREATING,

AND THE PROBLEM WAS ME NOT BEING DEDICATED

TO WHAT IT WAS THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BEEN DOING.

THE SOLUTION WAS TO CHANGE MY EATING HABITS

AND TO CHANGE MY MINDSET

AND MY MIND FRAME TO LET MYSELF KNOW THAT I CAN DO IT.

THAT'S THE SOLUTION, AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM.

LEN, IF YOU THINK YOU'VE FIGURED OUT THE SOLUTION,

THEN WHY ARE YOU ARE TALKING TO ME?

IF YOU ALREADY -- THAT'S WHY I CAME TO YOU.

YOU HELPED ME FIGURE OUT THE SOLUTION,

AND NOW I'M TRYING TO GET ON THE JOURNEY

SO THAT I CAN DO THE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

TO HELP WITH THE SOLUTION.

THAT'S WHY I CAME TO YOU.

BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT YOU ARE NOT UNDERSTANDING

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO TELL YOU

AND YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING

WHAT WE'RE TELLING YOU.

YOU JUST KEEP REPEATING

WHAT YOUTHINK THAT IS THE SOLUTION FOR YOU.

OKAY, BUT I'M HEARING WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME.

YOU KEEP TELLING ME THE SAME THING,

YOU'RE REPEATING TO ME. SO WHAT IS IT THAT I'M MISSING?

WELL, ONE IS THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO FEEL COMPELLED

THAT YOU HAVE TO EAT

BECAUSE NUTRITION AND ALL THAT STUFF.

IF YOU DON'T EAT ONE DAY, IF YOU DON'T EAT TWO DAYS,

IF YOU DON'T EAT THREE DAYS, NOTHING IS GONNA HAPPEN

BECAUSE THE BODY OF HUMAN

STORES THE CALORIES AND NUTRITION IN THE LIVER

FOR BEING USED FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

OKAY.

SO IF WE GET IN THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE A PATIENT

THAT GOES COMATOSE OR BROKE THEIR LEG

WILL PUT THEM IN THE HOSPITAL FOR ONE WEEK,

YOU STILL GOT A STORAGE IN YOUR LIVER TO SUPPLY THAT, OKAY?

SO DON'T FEEL COMPELLED TO EAT FREQUENTLY.

SO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO KEEP NUTRITION

AND EAT MORE OFTEN, EAT AT LEAST ONE OR TWICE A DAY.

NO, YOU DON'T.

IF YOU'RE NOT HUNGRY, DON'T EAT,

BECAUSE YOU GOT ENOUGH ENERGY STORE IN YOUR LIVER

THAT IS GONNA SUPPLY THAT.

SO THIS IS WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO TELL YOU

BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE NUTRITION IS,

IF YOU DON'T EAT, SOMETHING BAD IS GONNA HAPPEN TO YOU.

OKAY? YES, SIR.

SO ALL YOU NEED, MAKE SURE THAT YOU DRINK PLENTY OF LIQUID,

MAKE SURE YOU TAKE YOUR VITAMINS,

AND ANYTHING YOU EAT MAKE SURE IS A PROTEIN,

AND THAT -- THIS THE KEY ISSUE.

BUT I THINK YOUR PERCEPTION IS GETTING YOU IN TROUBLE

BECAUSE, IF YOU OVEREAT, THE ENERGY FROM THE FOOD

IS STORED IN YOUR BODY IN THE FORM OF FAT

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO TAP INTO BY NOT EATING AS MUCH.

SO YOU CAN TAP IN USING SOME OF THE ENERGY

THAT YOU STORE IN YOUR BODY IN THE FORM OF FAT

AND UTILIZE THAT, AND THAT'S THE KEY ISSUES.

WHAT I'M TELLING YOU -- FOR FOUR YEARS, WHAT I'M SAYING,

YOU HAVE ENERGY STORE FOR FOUR YEARS

IN THE FORM OF FAT IN YOUR BODY.

OKAY.

YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? OKAY?

IT WAS JUST WHEN YOU KEPT SAYING, LIKE, "FOR FOUR YEARS,"

I'M LIKE, "NOW, HOW HE THINK SOMEBODY GONNA GO

FOR FOUR YEARS WITHOUT EATING?

YOU KNOW, I WAS LIKE, "THAT AIN'T EVEN POSSIBLE."

SO I'M THANKFUL FOR YOU EXPLAINING AND BREAKING DOWN,

LIKE, YOU INTAKE LESS CALORIES THAN YOU PUT IN...

WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST SAID,

I CAN'T REPEAT IT BACK LIKE YOU SAID IT.

AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THE WEIGHT LOSS COMES IN.

YES, SO YOU NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THIS IDEA

THAT YOU'RE OBLIGATED TO EAT ALL THE TIME

OR AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE A DAY.

IF YOU GO WITHOUT FOOD,

NOTHING'S GONNA HAPPEN TO YOU, OKAY?

OKAY. ALL RIGHT?

YOU THINK DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

AND HOW WE'RE GONNA CHANGE YOUR EATING HABIT

AND LOOK AT THE CALORIE CONTENT THAT YOU'RE TAKING EVERY DAY

AND KEEP IT DOWN TO 1,200 CALORIE?

YES, SIR. OKAY.

SO I WANT YOU TO WORK ON THAT,

AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE SAME GOAL.

LOSE 60 POUNDS IN TWO MONTHS FROM NOW.

YES, SIR.

SO THIS IS GONNA BE A GOAL FOR YOU.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS

AND WE HAVEN'T MADE ANY PROGRESS WITH YOU.

SO WE'LL START THE CLOCK AGAIN. OKAY?

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

NO, SIR. THANK YOU.

GOOD LUCK, AND NICE TO TALK TO YOU.

AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, GIVE US A CALL.

YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT. BYE, LEN.

BYE-BYE.

Dr. Nowzaradan: HOPEFULLY WITH THIS CONVERSATION

I GOT THROUGH TO LEN ENOUGH TODAY

TO WHERE SHE UNDERSTAND HER SITUATION A LITTLE BETTER.

SO SHE FINALLY STARTS TO MAKE THE CHANGES SHE NEEDS

INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO JUSTIFY HER CHOICE TO OVEREAT

AND THEN GET DEFENSIVE ABOUT THINGS.

BUT WORDS ARE EASY, ACTION IS HARD,

SO IT WILL COME DOWN TO THE PROGRESS

SHE MAKES WITH HER WEIGHT LOSS WHEN SHE COMES BACK,

BECAUSE AS MUCH AS SHE SAYS SHE WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT

AND DO WHAT SHE NEEDS,

FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH WHAT SHE DOES NOW

IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT

AND WHAT DETERMINES WHERE SHE GOES FROM HERE.

Leneatha: I KNOW DR. NOW IS RIGHT

THAT I NEED TO WORK TO DO BETTER,

BUT IT'S JUST HARD TO HEAR

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD,

AND I'VE ALSO BEEN FACING SOME DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

THAT ARE OUT OF MY CONTROL.

BUT I DID GAIN ANOTHER CHANCE TO QUALIFY

FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY WHEN I GO BACK IN TWO MONTHS,

AND I'M GONNA DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE THAT GOAL

BECAUSE I KNOW I NEED THIS SURGERY.

Leneatha: IT'S BEEN A MONTH SINCE MY CALL WITH DR. NOW,

AND I'VE BEEN RELYING MORE ON THE SUPPORT OF MY FRIENDS

AND FAMILY TO GET ME THROUGH.

AND NOW, TODAY, FRANK IS STEPPING UP

AND MAKING GOOD ON HIS PROMISE TO WORK ME OUT AT HIS GYM.

HOW YOU BEEN?GOOD.

YOU READY?YEP.

STOP RIGHT THERE.

ALL RIGHT, DO FIVE JUMPING JACKS. LET'S GO.

ONE...

Leneatha: HE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT HAVING ME IN HERE FOR A WHILE,

AND TODAY IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING.

SO, IT FEELS REALLY GOOD TO BE CHECKING SOMETHING OFF THE LIST

THAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING WE WERE GONNA DO FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT STILL, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE WORKED OUT MY BODY,

AND I'M NOT SURE HOW IT'S GONNA GO.

LATELY I'VE BEEN FEELING MY STAMINA GET A LITTLE BETTER,

SO I'M TESTING THAT OUT TODAY

AND WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW MUCH I CAN DO

AND JUST TAKE IT FROM THERE.

AND IF I CAN DO GOOD TODAY

THEN I CAN BUILD ON THAT BY COMING BACK AGAIN SOON

BECAUSE I REALLY THINK I NEED SOMETHING LIKE THIS

TO TAKE MY JOURNEY TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

I'VE BEEN THINKING THAT IT WAS GONNA BE

THE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

BUT IT TURNS OUT IT'S A JOURNEY JUST TO GET TO THAT PART.

ALL RIGHT, JUST GIVE ME ALL YOU GOT.

YOU READY? LET'S GET IT.

GO. COME ON.

MY LAST WEIGHT LOSS ON THE WORK SCALE WAS SEVEN POUNDS,

SO THAT'S BETTER, BUT IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH.

SO THAT'S WHERE FRANK COMES IN,

AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HELP HAVING HIM WORK ME OUT

IN A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT

WHERE I CAN PUSH MYSELF A LITTLE WITHOUT BEING SCARED.

THREE, TWO...

COME ON, ONE MORE, ONE MORE. AND RELAX.

THAT GETS YOU OUT OF BREATH.

THAT'S THE POINT.

THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF IT, TO GET YOU OUT OF BREATH.

ALL RIGHT, THIS ONE, ALTERNATE.

LET'S GET IT.

20, 19...

AND I'M REAL HOPEFUL THAT THIS

PLUS ALL THE CUTTING BACK THAT I'VE BEEN DOING

IS GONNA BE THE CHANGE THAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR,

AND THAT I'VE BEEN NEEDING FOR SO LONG NOW.

THROW THEM DOWN.

WHEW!

WHAT I EXPECT OUT OF MY TRAINING SESSION TODAY

WITH FRANK IS A BRUTAL WORKOUT.

HE DOES NOT CARE IF YOU'RE TIRED.

HE DOES NOT CARE IF YOU SAY YOU CANNOT BREATHE.

HE DOES NOT CARE IF YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO PUKE.

HE SAID, "PAIN IS JUST WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY."

HE SAYS, "IF YOU CAN TELL ME THAT YOU CAN'T BREATHE,

YOU'RE BREATHING."

MY STAMINA IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER

THAN WHAT IT WAS WHEN I FIRST STARTED

BECAUSE I COULDN'T EVEN MAKE IT LIKE ONE OR TWO MINUTES,

REALLY, STANDING TO DO ANYTHING.

THAT'S MY INDICATION THAT I'M GETTING BETTER DAY BY DAY.

ALL YOUR FRUSTRATION, ALL YOUR ANGER

AND YOU CAN TAKE IT OUT ON THIS TIRE.

GOT IT?

OKAY.

LET'S GO.

A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO,

THERE'S NO WAY I COULD'VE DONE THIS STUFF.

SO I'M WIPED OUT AND I'M IN PAIN NOW,

BUT IT'S A GOOD PAIN.

I THINK I FORGOT THERE WAS A GOOD KIND OF PAIN

THAT YOU CAN GET FROM WORKING OUT.

SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF

BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF STUFF

TRYING TO SLOW ME DOWN LATELY AND PUSH BACK ON ME.

LAST ONE, LAST ONE. ALL YOU GOT.

GOOD JOB, GOOD JOB. COME ON BACK IN.

SO NEXT TIME WHEN I GO BACK TO SEE DR. NOW IN A MONTH,

I'M REALLY HOPING TO GET MY WEIGHT DOWN AROUND

WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE

BECAUSE I'M CERTAIN THAT DR. NOW WILL BE DONE WITH ME

IF I DON'T MAKE IT THIS TIME, AND I CAN'T HAVE THAT HAPPEN

BECAUSE THEN I WON'T HAVE NO MORE HOPE.

ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S YOUR PLAN ON EATING TODAY?

I'M GOING TO THE SANDWICH SHOP

BECAUSE YOU CAN TURN THE SANDWICH INTO A SALAD.

AND INSTEAD OF IT BEING LIKE 500 AND SOME CALORIES,

IT'S LIKE 270 CALORIES BECAUSE I DON'T EAT THE SALAD DRESSING,

SO I JUST GET THE CHEESE AND MEAT AND THE LETTUCE.

THEN, FOR SUPPER, I TOOK OUT SOME TILAPIA

THAT I'M GONNA BAKE AND SOME BROCCOLI.

REMEMBER, WHATEVER YOU EAT,

WRITE IT DOWN AND BRING IT TO ME.

OKAY.

I'M TIRED. I DON'T FEEL LIKE GETTING UP RIGHT NOW.

OH, WE CAN WORK OUT AGAIN.THAT'S OKAY. BYE.

WHEW! I CAN'T FEEL MY BUTT.

I'M NOT A QUITTER. I'M A FIGHTER.

AND THIS JUST REMINDED ME OF THAT TODAY,

THAT I CAN TAKE WHAT COMES AT ME

AND GET THROUGH IT FOR ME AND MY DAUGHTER.

AND A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS NEVER HURT.

I'M BACK IN HOUSTON FOR MY FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT

WITH DR. NOW, AND I'M REALLY NERVOUS TO SEE

IF THE WEIGHT LOSS I DID WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR HIM.

AND I'M GRATEFUL TODAY I GOT MY SISTER KIMBERLY WITH ME

TO LEND HER SUPPORT.

BUT I'M KIND OF NERVOUS BECAUSE IT MATTERS A LOT

WHAT THAT SCALE SAYS.

AND IF THE RESULTS TODAY AREN'T GOOD,

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH PATIENCE DR. NOW WILL HAVE LEFT WITH ME.

BUT I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK I PUT INTO IT THIS TIME,

AND IT'S STARTING TO FEEL LIKE

I'M RUNNING OUT OF MORE THINGS I CAN DO TO DO BETTER.

LEN?

Leneatha: I KNOW I LOST WEIGHT, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH

BECAUSE THE LAST TIME I WEIGHED MYSELF AT WORK

I STILL HAD A WAYS TO GO.

BUT I'VE BEEN WORKING HARDER THAN EVER,

AND I'M FEELING LIGHTER AND BETTER AND MORE FOCUSED.

AND I'M JUST HOPING THE SCALE TELLS ME SOMETHING GOOD

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT

WITH ALL KINDS OF STRUGGLES FACING ME,

AND IT'S ABOUT TIME I HAD SOME GOOD NEWS.

Leneatha: I'M AT DR. NOW'S ABOUT TO FIND OUT MY WEIGHT,

AND I'VE BEEN WORKING HARDER THAN EVER TO GET

THE FULL 60 POUNDS OFF

DOWN TO TODAY'S WEIGHT I GOT TO BE AT OF 544.

Woman: 575.

I SHOULD HAVE LOST MORE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL A GOOD LOSS

AND THERE MIGHT EVEN BE A CHANCE THAT DR. NOW

WILL BE HAPPY WITH THAT,

BECAUSE IT'S A MUCH BIGGER LOSS THAN I'VE HAD FOR HIM BEFORE.

SO HE MIGHT DECIDE THAT I'M READY FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

TODAY AFTER ALL.

HELLO.

HELLO. HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

FINE.GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M GOOD, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, LEN, SO TODAY YOU'RE DOWN TO 575?

YES, SIR.

SO YOU LOST 29 POUNDS, ULTIMATELY, OVER FIVE MONTHS?

BUT EVEN JUST FOR TWO MONTHS, IT'S NOT THAT GREAT.

SO YOU'RE STILL OVEREATING.

YEAH, I DON'T SEE HOW I'M OVEREATING

BECAUSE ALL I'VE HAD WAS SALAD, MEAT, AND THAT'S IT.

YOU ARE GOING TO KEEP REPEATING THAT

AND YOU'RE GOING TO BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SAID?

-YES. -ALL RIGHT, LET ME MAKE IT VERY CLEAR FOR YOU, OKAY?

SO, RIGHT NOW, NO MATTER HOW LITTLE YOU'RE EATING,

IT'S STILL TOO MUCH.

OKAY.YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

OKAY. OKAY.

SO, RIGHT NOW, TO THE STANDARD THAT YOU WERE EATING BEFORE,

YOU'RE EATING LESS, AND YOU'RE HAPPY WITH THAT.

BUT THE BAD NEWS IS, IT'S STILL TOO MUCH.

YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

I REALLY DON'T. I DON'T. 'CAUSE I'M NOT EATING.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. I DON'T KNOW.

AND I'M NOT GONNA CHANGE WHAT I'M SAYING,

BECAUSE I'M NOT EATING.

OKAY. OKAY.

I'M NOT.

AND I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE TELLING ME THAT I'M EATING,

AND I'M NOT EATING, AND NOBODY'S SITTING THERE WATCHING IT.

BECAUSE I'M NOT EATING.

I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT EATING.

OKAY, BUT PEOPLE TELLING ME THAT I'M EATING, AND I'M NOT.

CALM DOWN. CALM DOWN.

IF YOU'RE NOT EATING,

YOU'RE GONNA LOSE MORE WEIGHT, THOUGH.

OKAY, WELL, I WISH SOMEBODY COULD BE WITH ME 24/7

SO THAT THEY CAN SEE.

I KNOW YOU'RE NOT EATING.

ALL RIGHT, I WANT TO GET SOME TESTS DONE

TO UNDERSTAND THAT, OKAY?

RIGHT. OKAY.

I WANT YOU TO GO ON A LIQUID DIET FOR THREE DAYS.

I CAN DO THAT.

OKAY. NO SUGARY DRINKS.

I DON'T HAVE SUGARY DRINKS NOW.

OKAY, YOU CAN HAVE SUGAR-FREE JELL-O,

AND YOU CAN HAVE BROTH, AND YOU CAN HAVE TEA, COFFEE,

AND JUST STRAIN THE SOUPS AND HAVE THAT,

AND SEE IN THREE DAYS HOW MUCH WEIGHT YOU CAN LOSE, OKAY?

I THINK IT'LL BE BETTER WITH THE LIQUID.

YOU ARE CONFUSING YOURSELF AND YOU'RE GETTING AND REPEATING

THE SAME THING YOU'RE SAYING.

YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, OKAY?

BECAUSE THERE'S NO MAGIC IN HERE.

-RIGHT. -THIS IS ALL SCIENCE AND PHYSICS.

YOU CAN'T GAIN WEIGHT FROM THIN AIR,

SO IS IT MAD THAT WE USE THE SCALE TO MEASURE?

AND YOU THINK YOU'RE NOT EATING A LOT, BUT YOU ARE.

SO IF I PUT YOU IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW

AND I PUT YOU ON A CONTROLLED DIET,

YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WEIGHT I CAN GET YOU TO LOSE IN ONE MONTH?

I CAN GET YOU LOSE A HUNDRED POUNDS IN ONE MONTH.

I'D BE GLAD TO SEE THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOUR PERCEPTION IS JUST YOU'RE CONCENTRATING

ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT YOU'RE NOT EATING, OKAY?

YOU'RE STILL EATING TOO MUCH,

BUT YOU'RE NOT SEEING THAT, OKAY?

SO, YOU'D BE SURPRISED IF YOU START WRITING

AND KEEP THE DAIRY OF WHAT YOU'RE EATING.

AND I DO THAT. I DO KEEP A DIARY OF WHAT I EAT.

THAT'S WHY I KNOW THAT I'M NOT EATING. THAT'S WHY I KNOW.

YEAH, YOU ARE EATING, OKAY? YOU ARE EATING.

YOU'RE NOT EATING COMPARING TO WHAT BEFORE, OKAY?

AND BEFORE I WASN'T EATING. BEFORE I WAS EATING JUNK.

I WAS EATING SWEETS AND CAKES AND DRINKS.

I WASN'T EATING FOOD.

THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. IT WAS SWEETS.

YOU'RE EATING TOO MUCH NOW IN COMPARISON,

GIVES YOU THAT ILLUSION THAT YOU'RE NOT EATING.

RIGHT.BUT THAT'S NOT REALITY, OKAY?

SO YOUR WEIGHT IS DICTATED BY THE FOOD YOU EAT

AND WHAT THE SCALE TELLS YOU, OKAY?

BECAUSE THIS IS THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION.

YOU GOT TO SEE THE REALITY

AND NOT BE CONFUSED BY WHAT YOUR PERCEPTION IS.

OKAY? THAT MAKE ANY SENSE TO YOU?

IN A WAY, BUT IT'S JUST -- IT'S HARD TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND IT

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHEN I SIT THERE THAT I'M --

BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT I'M EATING,

I KNOW THAT I'M NOT, AND THAT'S THE THING ABOUT IT.

THAT IS NOT FOR YOU -- THAT SEEMS NOT VERY MUCH.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S HARD

BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I'VE HEARD SINCE I'VE GAINED THE WEIGHT

IS PEOPLE JUST BEATING ME DOWN.

NOBODY SAID IT'S GONNA BE EASY.

YEAH, BUT THAT'S THE HARD PART, IS PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU

BECAUSE YOU'RE BIG

AND THINK THAT YOU'RE JUST SITTING THERE JUST EATING

AND THAT'S NOT IT WHEN YOU KNOW

THAT YOU'RE NOT SITTING THERE EATING.

BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO SIT THERE AND EAT LIKE THAT.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.

BUT I KNEW I HADN'T BEEN EATING, AND I EVEN SAID,

"LENEATHA, YOU'RE NOT EATING ENOUGH

AND MAYBE YOUR BODY'S HOLDING ONTO IT

BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT EATING ENOUGH."

BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN EATING ANYTHING.

IT'S JUST LIKE YESTERDAY, ALL I HAD WHEN WE CAME DOWN HERE

YESTERDAY WAS AN EGG AND A PIECE OF BACON.

AND I GOT HERE LAST NIGHT

AND I GOT TWO PIECES OF GRILLED CHICKEN FROM KFC

AND A COLESLAW AND TWO WATERS. THAT'S ALL I HAD YESTERDAY.

SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, I'M NOT EATING

AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

YOU ARE, OKAY? YOU ATE THE EGG, YOU ATE THE BACON, OKAY?

I KNOW, BUT I'M NOT SAYING THAT.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, LIKE, I'M NOT EATING.

I'M SAYING I'M NOT OVEREATING IS WHAT I'M SAYING,

AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.

IF I'M NOT OVEREATING, WHY IS WEIGHT NOT COMING OFF?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO GIVE UP,

BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING AND YOU KNOW THAT

YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT, IT'S STILL NOT WORKING.

OKAY, WE ALL THINK WE DON'T EAT VERY MUCH,

AND, YOU KNOW, WE GET PEOPLE IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT

AND WE GET THEM TO EAT ONE DAY. AT THE END OF THE DAY,

WE GET THEM TO WRITE DOWN WHAT THEY EAT,

THEY COULDN'T REMEMBER ABOUT 10% OF WHAT THEY EAT, OKAY?

SO YOU JUST -- KEEP JUST COUNTING

WHATEVER YOU'RE EATING --

"OH, YEAH. I HAD THAT. I HAD THAT. I HAD THAT.

OKAY, THAT WASN'T MUCH. THAT WASN'T MUCH."

SO IT JUST ALL BUILD UP.

SO YOUR PERCEPTION IS LIMITED BY THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE.

UNLESS YOU HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION,

YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE RIGHT PERCEPTION.

SO KEEP A FOOD JOURNAL AND TAKE ACCOUNT OF EVERYTHING,

AND ONE DAY A WEEK, WITH THE SAME CLOTHES, CHECK YOUR WEIGHT.

IF YOU HAVEN'T LOST 10 POUNDS,

YOU'RE STILL GETTING TOO MANY CALORIES.

NO MATTER HOW MANY TIME YOU PUKING OR NOT HAVING AN APPETITE

OR NOT ABLE TO EAT DOESN'T MATTER.

WHAT THE SCALE TELLS YOU, IT MATTERS. OKAY?

BECAUSE IN FIVE MINUTES YOU CAN CONSUME ENOUGH CALORIES

THAT WILL BE ENOUGH FOR 24 HOURS, OKAY?

SO YOU NEED TO SEE THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION, OKAY?

THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION IS, NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE EATING,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOSE WEIGHT, OKAY?

YOU WANT TO GET A TOWEL OVER THERE?

JUST...

SO, START WORKING ON THAT

AND SEE THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION.

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THE SCALE TELLS YOU,

AND ADJUST YOUR EATING HABITS

ACCORDING TO WHAT THE SCALE TELLS YOU,

NOT WHAT YOUR PERCEPTION IS OF OVEREATING.

AND YOU NEED TO EAT LESS AND LESS

BECAUSE AFTER SURGERY

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME STRUGGLE

THAT YOU'RE HAVING NOW, OKAY?

BECAUSE AFTER SURGERY, ALL THE PEOPLE,

THEY COME IN AND TELL ME, "I DON'T EAT VERY MUCH,

BUT I GAINED 10 POUNDS IN ONE MONTH," OKAY?

SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE BASICALLY SAYING IS,

JUST BECAUSE YOU SAY 1,200 CALORIES A DAY,

THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN

THAT THAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR ME.

I MAY HAVE TO HAVE LESS THAN 1,200 CALORIES?

YES AND NO.

I'M SAYING THAT YOU'RE EATING FOUR TO FIVE TIMES THAT AMOUNT,

AND YOU DON'T REALIZE IT.

BUT EVEN IF YOU WERE JUST EATING 1,200 CALORIES,

IF YOU'RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT, THEN EAT LESS.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?

OKAY. THAT MADE BETTER SENSE.

BECAUSE IT MADE IT, THAT MADE IT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE

BECAUSE YOU MADE IT TO WHERE...

NOT EVERYTHING WORKS FOR EVERYBODY,

AND I MAY HAVE TO ADJUST THINGS TO MAKE IT FIT

WHERE MY WEIGHT WILL COME OFF.

WHATEVER IT TAKES TO LOSE WEIGHT

AND REDUCE THE STRAIN ON YOUR BODY, YOU NEED TO DO.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE ONLY WAY WE CAN COMBAT THAT

IS TO REDUCE THE CALORIE INTAKE, OKAY?

OKAY.

AND YOU CAN CHANGE THAT, OKAY?

SO DON'T ARGUE WITH YOURSELF.

OKAY? JUST TO ARGUE WITH THE SCALE.

SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO MORE

AND TRY HARDER AND PAY MORE ATTENTION

TO WHAT THE SCALE TELLS YOU, OKAY?

AND DON'T GET UPSET THAT YOU'RE NOT LOSING AS MUCH WEIGHT

AS YOU WANT TO.

TRY HARDER. OKAY?

YES, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME INSTRUCTION

TO DO A LIQUID DIET FOR A FEW DAYS

SO YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH YOU LOSE WITH THAT.

AND KEEP DOING THE DAILY FOOD JOURNAL

AND WRITE EVERYTHING YOU EAT DOWN

SO YOU CAN ADJUST YOUR PERCEPTION

OF WHAT YOU'RE EATING, OKAY?

OKAY.

IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY, BUT YOU CAN DO IT, LEN.

AND YOU HAVE YOUR TEAM THAT WANT TO SUPPORT TO HELP YOU, RIGHT?

YEAH, YOU GOT SOME WORK TO DO.

AND YOU GOT TO STICK TO IT.

I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE HARD, BUT...

IT CAN'T BE HARDER THAN IT'S ALREADY BEEN FOR ME,

WITH HOW YOU SEE ME STRUGGLE MAKING CHANGES.

WELL, YEAH, THAT'S TRUE, NOW. THAT'S TRUE. THAT'S TRUE.

BUT IT'S GONNA BE A LOT STRICTER NOW

AND THE AMOUNT HOW YOU DO,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TWEAK IT UNTIL IT WORKS.

THAT'S WHY I'M DOING THIS LIQUID DIET.

YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING NOW

SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO.

UH-HUH. YEAH.

NO EXCUSES.

ALL RIGHT.HE MADE ME CRY.

WELL, I MEAN, UM...

IN A GOOD WAY.

NO ONE SAID THIS WILL BE EASY,

SO CRYING WHEN YOU'RE UPSET IS FINE.

BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TRY TO LOSE WEIGHT

DON'T UNDERSTAND THINGS TO START

AND ALSO STRUGGLE WITH WHAT OTHER PEOPLE

SAY TO THEM THAT IS MISGUIDED.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT REALLY --

BECAUSE HE TOLD ME, LIKE WHAT YOU SAID,

YOU CAN'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK.

AND THAT'S MY HARDEST THING, IS PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION

OF LOOKING AT PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE BIG.

THEY JUST THINK PEOPLE OVEREAT,

AND THAT'S WHY I HATED GOING TO THE DOCTOR

AND STUFF ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS SAY,

"WELL, JUST PUSH BACK FROM THE TABLE,"

INSTEAD OF SITTING DOWN AND TALKING TO THAT PERSON,

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON

OR, "LET'S GET THIS PLAN GOING,"

OR, "WHAT IS IT?" OR, "WHAT'S WHAT?"

IT'S JUST, "OH, YOU EAT."

AND I'M LIKE, STOP LOOKING AT ALL BIG PEOPLE AS ONE BIG --

AS A WHOLE, AND IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THAT.

ALL RIGHT, IF YOU READ THE BOOK, YOU'LL SEE I ADDRESS THAT,

THE SITUATION THAT THESE ARE THE PEOPLE

THAT ARE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC

AND BY EVEN MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL,

AND THE PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M DOING THIS,

TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AND MEDICAL COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND

PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH OBESITY THAT ARE IN YOUR SITUATION,

BUT THE ISSUES LEADING TO THIS IS NOT GONNA GO AWAY.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, IN ORDER TO HAVE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SHOW ME SOME LEVEL OF EFFORT

THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THE WORK

TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE LONG TERM.

OKAY?

AND THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT,

THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOSE WEIGHT.

AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE HARDEST PART TO DO,

BUT NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IT.

RIGHT. OKAY?

OKAY.AND THAT'S TOTALLY UP TO YOU.

AND NOBODY SAID IT'S GONNA BE EASY. OKAY?

WELL, I'M GONNA DO BETTER NEXT TIME, DR. NOW.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, NICE TO SEE YOU GUYS,

AND HAVE A SAFE TRIP BACK HOME.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, LET ME KNOW.

Dr. Nowzaradan: UNFORTUNATELY, LEN IS STILL BELIEVING

HER OWN PERCEPTION THAT SHE'S CREATED,

WHERE SHE DOESN'T THINK SHE'S EATING THAT MUCH

AND THAT THERE IS NO REAL REASON FOR HER LACK OF PROGRESS

AND WHY SHE'S NOT LOSING WEIGHT.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, I'M HOPING

THAT SHE UNDERSTANDS A LITTLE MORE NOW,

AND THAT SHE WILL TRY TO DO THE LIQUID DIET FOR A FEW DAYS

AND THAT HELPS OPEN HER EYES TO HOW MUCH SHE CAN LOSE

IF SHE CUTS BACK ON HOW MUCH SHE'S TAKING IN EVERY DAY.

BUT SO FAR, SHE HASN'T BROKEN THE CYCLE OF CONVINCING HERSELF

SHE'S NOT REALLY EATING A LOT.

AND UNTIL SHE CHANGES THAT AND SHE SHOWS ME

SHE'S TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT SHE NEEDS,

WE'RE NOT MOVING AHEAD WITH HER.

Leneatha: MY APPOINTMENT TODAY DIDN'T GO AS GREAT

AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD GO WITH DR. NOW

BECAUSE DR. NOW STILL DOESN'T SEE

HOW I'M RISING TO HIS CHALLENGE THE BEST WAY I KNOW HOW.

BUT I CANNOT ARGUE WITH THE FACT

THAT THE WAY TO AVOID THIS DISAPPOINTMENT

IS JUST TO DO BETTER.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO.

BECAUSE AT THIS POINT

I'M GONNA DO EVERYTHING DR. NOW SAYS

UNTIL I HEAR HIM SAY WHAT I WANT TO HEAR,

WHICH IS HIM APPROVING ME FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

THE ONLY OTHER OPTION IS TO JUST GIVE UP,

BUT I KNOW I CAN'T DO THAT.

Leneatha: IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE

SINCE MY LAST APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

AND THINGS STILL HAVEN'T BEEN GOING QUITE AS GOOD AS I'D HOPED

BECAUSE I'M STILL STRUGGLING TO FIND WORK-LIFE BALANCE.

AND SO FAR THE LIQUID DIET HAS NOT BEEN A PART OF THAT,

BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME YET.

BUT I'M STILL LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE DR. NOW'S PROGRAM

MORE COMPATIBLE WITH THE REAL WORLD I LIVE IN.

AND TONIGHT MY BROTHER LAMAR IS COMING OVER TO EAT WITH ME

BECAUSE I HAVE THE IDEA

THAT I'VE BEEN EATING IN PRIVATE SO LONG

THAT MAYBE IT WOULD BE GOOD

TO BRING THAT OUT INTO THE LIGHT.

BECAUSE IF I'M ACCOUNTABLE TO EATING IN FRONT OF SOMEONE,

THEN MAYBE I WILL EAT LESS.

KNOCK-KNOCK.

HEY. HEY THERE.

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER.

WHAT?!

DID YOU HAPPEN TO BRING THE SEASONING

I ASKED YOU TO BRING?

YEAH, I GOT YOU HOOKED UP.

GUESS WHAT I'M FIXING?

MY FAVORITE?

MM...

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S YOUR FAVORITE OR NOT. WHAT IS IT?

SPAGHETTI? NO.

NOW, YOU KNOW I CAN'T HAVE SPAGHETTI.

I'M TRYING TO EAT RIGHT.YEAH, YEAH.

SO, I GOT SOME TILAPIA AND SOME BROCCOLI.

MM, TILAPIA'S NOT SO BAD.

IT'S NOT.

IT'S ALL IN THE WAY YOU COOK IT ANYWAY,

WITH ANY FOOD, I THINK.

SO YOU SEE HOW NEAT I GOT THIS PREPARED?

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO COME BACK A LITTLE MORE OFTEN.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I LOVE MY BROCCOLI.

I EAT MORE OF THE GREEN THAN THE PEAS.

COME ON, LET'S GO RIGHT HERE AND EAT.

GOT A COUPLE OF GOOD STUFFS.

WHERE YOU WANT TO -- WELL, I'LL SIT ON THIS SIDE.

YOU CAN COME ON AROUND. HERE'S A LITTLE COASTER, BOY.

I TRY TO KEEP MY LITTLE TABLE A LITTLE, YOU KNOW...

YEAH.

YOU PROBABLY DON'T EAT MUCH HERE

WITH YOUR DIET AND EVERYTHING GOING ON.

I DON'T.

BUT SITTING HERE TRYING TO EAT THIS RIGHT HERE,

JUST LOOKING AT IT.

YOU KNOW, I'M STILL TRYING TO LEARN,

LIKE, PORTIONS AND ALL THAT AND STUFF.

AND THEN LOOKING AT THIS, I STILL SEEMS THIS RIGHT HERE,

IN MY EYES, BACK THEN WOULD BE LIKE,

MY BURGER AND FRIES WOULD BE MORE THAN THIS.

BUT THIS STILL SEEM LIKE IT AIN'T NOTHING,

AND I'M GONNA BE HUNGRY AGAIN.

BUT IT'S FULFILLING.

AND SOMETIMES I WANT TO GIVE UP ON THE JOURNEY

AND SAY, "DR. NOW, FORGET IT."

BECAUSE IT'S HARD, AND SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE

I'M NOT EVEN DOING GOOD WITH MY CHILD.

YOU'RE A WONDERFUL MOTHER.

I LIKE THE WAY THAT YOU'RE RAISING HER

AND BEING INDEPENDENT, YOU KNOW?

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU GOT TO LET GO.

IT'S HARD, THOUGH.

BECAUSE I'M GONNA TELL YOU,

I WANT TO LET GO OF THIS JOURNEY SO BAD.

JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. STAY ON THE PATH.

THAT PATH IS HARD. IT'S A WORN PATH.

IF ANYTHING ELSE FAILS, YOU KNOW,

YOU ALWAYS GOT YOUR BABY BROTHER,

WHO'S ALWAYS GONNA BE BY YOUR SIDE

NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY SAYS ABOUT YOU.

OKAY.I'M JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY.

OKAY.

WHATEVER IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, TO HELP YOU ALONG...

OKAY. ...I'M HERE FOR YOU.

OKAY.

GONNA MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS.

WELL, AT LEAST THE GOOD THING IS WE DON'T HAVE TO WASH DISHES.

Leneatha: THIS IS REALLY HARD BECAUSE I'M STILL HUNGRY

BUT I'M TRYING ALL I CAN TO LOSE WEIGHT

AND I'M GONNA KEEP TRYING AND PUTTING IN EFFORT,

AND I'M GONNA KEEP HOPING

THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOOD FOR ME

AT THE END OF THIS STRUGGLE.

WELL, WE MANAGED TO MAKE IT FROM BAD TO WORSE

BECAUSE KENLYN HAS BEEN REALLY SICK LATELY,

AND SHE'S BEEN HAVING REALLY BAD ASTHMA ATTACKS

THAT HAVE BEEN REQUIRING A LOT OF BREATHING TREATMENTS.

AND IT BREAKS MY HEART TO SEE IT HAPPENING,

AND IT THROWS A WRENCH INTO EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE.

I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE

OF THESE TYPES OF TREATMENTS,

BUT I DO BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH IT MYSELF.

BUT WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH IT, I WAS ALREADY AN ADULT.

SO I COULD DECIDE ON MY OWN WHEN I RAN OUT OF MONEY

THAT I WAS GONNA TAKE A BREAK ON TREATMENTS

AND DOCTORS AND PRESCRIPTIONS FOR A WHILE.

BUT HOW DO YOU DECIDE THAT FOR A TODDLER CHILD?

YOU DON'T. YOU PAY WHATEVER IT COSTS.

SO THAT MEANS I GOT TO PICK UP MORE SHIFTS.

BUT TO DO THAT, I GOT TO LEAN ON MY FAMILY

TO HELP ME WITH KENLYN.

BUT THERE'S A LIMIT ALSO TO WHAT YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS

CAN DO FOR YOUR CHILD.

SO, YEAH, I'M DROWNING.

Leneatha: IT HAS BEEN A ROUGH COUPLE MONTHS.

IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER,

WHERE EACH NEW THING IS JUST WORSE.

SO I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND I PRAYED ON IT,

AND TODAY I'M TALKING TO DR. NOW

AND I'M TELLING HIM THAT MY JOURNEY IS GOING ON HOLD

AND THAT I'M NO LONGER GONNA BE CONTINUING WITH HIS PROGRAM.

MY DECISION IS BASED ON MY DAUGHTER AND HER SICKNESSES

AND MAKING SURE THAT SHE'S OKAY, BECAUSE PROVIDING FOR HER,

THAT'S MY BIGGEST PRIORITY IN MY LIFE.

BUT JUST BECAUSE I CAN'T MAKE THAT JOURNEY RIGHT NOW,

DOESN'T MEAN I WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT JOURNEY IN MY LIFE.

AND I REALLY WOULD PREFER FOR DR. NOW

TO SEE WHERE I'M COMING FROM,

AND I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO REMAIN IN HIS GOOD GRACES.

BUT IF HE DOESN'T OR I DON'T, THEN I'M OKAY WITH THAT TOO.

BECAUSE I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT I'M DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR ME

AND MY DAUGHTER.

HI, LEN. HOW ARE YOU DOING?

HEY, DR. NOW, I'M DOING GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING GOOD.

SO, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU

SINCE YOU MISSED YOUR LAST APPOINTMENT AGAIN,

AND YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP.

IT'S BEEN A FEW MONTHS SINCE I'VE SEEN YOU,

SO WHAT'S GOING ON?

I'VE BEEN KIND OF BUSY TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF MY DAUGHTER

AND TAKING HER BACK AND FORTH TO HER DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS

AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN BE OFF OF WORK,

SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT DOWN.

OKAY, SO EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T MADE IT DOWN HERE,

YOU STILL NEED TO WORK WITH YOUR DIET

AND KEEP LOSING WEIGHT.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU LOST ANY WEIGHT.

SO IS YOUR EXCUSE FOR THAT STILL THAT YOU HAVE TOO MUCH GOING ON

THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH?

YES, SIR.

SO HOW DOES HAVING TO DO ALL THAT

MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T EAT HEALTHY?

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH ALL THE STRESS

THAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH ME

HAVING TO STILL CARE FOR MY DAUGHTER

AND NOT REALLY FOCUSING ON ME TRYING TO LOSE THE WEIGHT.

I JUST -- MY FOCUS JUST DISAPPEARED

FROM THE WEIGHT LOSS.

SO I'VE JUST BEEN STRUGGLING, BEING A SINGLE PARENT

AND TRYING TO CARE FOR EVERYTHING

AND KEEP EVERYTHING GOING

AND STILL TRYING TO WORK AND KEEP

JUST DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITY GOING IS THE MAIN THING.

I GET THAT YOU HAVE A LOT GOING ON.

BUT DO YOU REALIZE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING IF YOU'RE NOT ALIVE?

SO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT

YOU STAY HEALTHY FOR YOUR FAMILY, RIGHT?

YES, SIR.

AND THIS REQUIRES THAT YOU EAT HEALTHY

AND TRY TO LOSE WEIGHT

AND NOT JUSTIFY THE STRESS TO OVEREAT.

OKAY?

WELL, DR. NOW, YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT MY HEALTH COMES FIRST.

BUT AT THE MOMENT, I PUT MY DAUGHTER

AS A PRIORITY IN MY LIFE

AS FAR AS HAVING TO TAKE CARE OF SOMEBODY.

AND I KNOW THAT I STILL NEED TO TAKE CARE OF MY HEALTH

TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF HER,

BUT SHE'S NOT WHERE SHE CAN TAKE CARE OF HERSELF.

SO I DO HAVE TO PAUSE MY LIFE

TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE'S TAKEN CARE OF,

EVEN IF IT MEANS STOPPING MY JOURNEY, SO...

I'M HAVING TO PUT A HALT TO IT RIGHT NOW.

I SEE.

SO IS THAT YOUR WAY OF TELLING ME THAT YOU QUITTING

AND YOU'RE DONE WITH THE PROGRAM?

I'M NOT DONE WITH THE PROGRAM,

BUT AT THE MOMENT I'M PUTTING MY FOCUS ON MY DAUGHTER

AND THE ISSUES THAT I HAVE AT HAND,

SO I HAVE TO STOP AT THE MOMENT.

ALL RIGHT, LEN, BUT IF THAT'S THE CASE,

EVEN IF YOU CANNOT COME DOWN HERE,

YOU NEED TO STICK WITH THE HEALTHY EATING HABITS.

SO YOU NEED TO STICK WITH A 1,200-CALORIE DIET

NO MATTER WHAT

AND TRY TO GET YOUR WEIGHT DOWN UNDER 500 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO BE AROUND,

THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO FOLLOW THE DIET

AND CONTINUE LOSING WEIGHT, OKAY?

YES, SIR.

SO DON'T USE WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE

AS A STRESS TO OVEREAT.

YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, RIGHT?

I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT TAKING CARE

OF MY HEALTH FIRST, DR. NOW.

BUT I PUT MY DAUGHTER AS A PRIORITY

AND SHE'S NOT OLD ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF HERSELF.

SO I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF MY DAUGHTER FIRST AND FOREMOST,

EVEN THOUGH IF THAT MEANS PUTTING MYSELF AT A HALT.

AND I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT I CAN'T DO THE PROGRAM

LIKE I WANT TO DO THE PROGRAM

'CAUSE I HAVE TO PUT MY DAUGHTER AT THE FOREFRONT OF MY HEALTH.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA WORK ON DOING.

ALL RIGHT, LEN, IF YOU'RE TELLING ME

YOU'RE NOT COMING BACK DOWN ANYTIME SOON

AND YOU'RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT,

THEN IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DONE WITH THE PROGRAM.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, MAKE SURE TO GO TO A DOCTOR THERE

TO KEEP TRACK OF YOUR HEALTH ON A REGULAR BASIS,

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OR CHANGE YOUR MIND,

YOU CAN GIVE US A CALL, OKAY?

YES, SIR.

OKAY, GOOD LUCK AND TAKE CARE

OF YOUR FAMILY, AND JUST TRY TO LOSE YOUR WEIGHT.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. BYE, LEN.

BYE-BYE.

Dr. Nowzaradan: IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT LEN HAS DECIDED

NOT TO MAKE HER HEALTH A PRIORITY,

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK SHE FULLY REALIZES HOW FAST HER TIME

IS GONNA RUN OUT IF SHE KEEPS GOING DOWN THE PATH SHE'S ON.

BUT SHE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET PAST THE HURDLE IN HER MIND

WHERE SHE JUSTIFIES HER RESPONSIBILITIES

BEING HER EXCUSE TO OVEREAT AND CONTINUE LIKE THIS.

AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE TALK TO HER TO TRY

AND HELP HER UNDERSTAND THAT, SHE CHOOSES TO IGNORE IT

AND JUST KEEP SAYING THE SAME THING.

SO THE NEXT STEP WITH HER

WOULD BE THERAPY TO TRY AND BREAK THROUGH TO HER,

BUT THAT WON'T BE THE CASE SINCE SHE DOESN'T FEEL

SHE CAN CONTINUE ON WITH THE PROGRAM FOR NOW.

BUT HOPEFULLY THERE WILL COME A POINT WHERE SHE WAKES UP

TO GET THE HELP SHE NEEDS,

AND IF SHE COMES BACK TO US FOR THAT,

WE'LL BE HERE TO HELP HER AS LONG AS SHE PUTS IN THE EFFORT

TO SHOW ME SHE'S SERIOUS

AND READY TO START MAKING THE CHANGE SHE NEEDS.

BECAUSE THERE IS NO MAGIC FIX THAT IS GONNA SOLVE

ANY OF HER PROBLEMS FOR HER AND TURN HER SITUATION AROUND.

SHE HAS TO DO THAT AND SHE HAS TO DO IT

BEFORE IT GETS TO A POINT WHERE SOMETHING HAPPENS

AND IT IS TOO LATE FOR HER.

Leneatha: CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK.

-CAN YOU HEAR ME? -YEAH.

WE'RE GONNA SING AFTER SHE GO.

ONE VERSE OF "AMAZING GRACE."

♪ AMAZING GRACE ♪

♪ HOW SWEET THE SOUND ♪

♪ THAT SAVED A WRETCH... ♪

AFTER MY TALK WITH DR. NOW,

I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S SAYING ABOUT MY HEALTH

AND HOW IMPORTANT WEIGHT LOSS IS FOR ME.

BUT IF I CAN'T DEVOTE MYSELF FULLY TO THE PROGRAM RIGHT NOW,

I KNOW THE BEST CHOICE FOR ME IS TO TAKE A BREAK.

AT THIS MOMENT TO MAKE THIS DECISION

IS HEARTBREAKING FOR ME,

BECAUSE TO TRY TO GET THIS WEIGHT OFF

IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO.

BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'VE DISAPPOINTED MYSELF,

BECAUSE I KNOW I TRIED MY BEST GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT I DO FEEL LIKE I PROBABLY DISAPPOINTED DR. NOW,

BECAUSE I CAN SEE IN HIS EYES THAT HE TRULY SEES

THAT I'M SINCERE ABOUT THIS JOURNEY

AND HOW HARD THAT I WANT IT.

BUT IT'S JUST, AT THIS MOMENT, I CAN'T DO IT.

SO RIGHT NOW I NEED ALL MY FOCUS TO BE

ON TAKING CARE OF MY DAUGHTER AND HER SICKNESSES

AND MAKING SURE THAT I GET HER TO HER APPOINTMENTS,

MAKING SURE THAT SHE'S OKAY,

AND THEN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M PROVIDING FOR HER.

AND I FEEL LIKE DOWN THE ROAD THAT I CAN CONTINUE STICKING

WITH EATING RIGHT, AND WHO KNOWS?

DOWN THE ROAD, I MAY NOT EVEN NEED THE SLEEVE SURGERY --

I CAN JUST LOSE WEIGHT ON MY OWN NATURALLY AND WORK OUT,

AND I CAN JUST SEE DR. NOW FOR SKIN-LOSS SURGERY.

SO I'M NOT GIVING UP, AND JUST BECAUSE

I CAN'T MAKE THAT JOURNEY RIGHT NOW DOESN'T MEAN

I WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT JOURNEY IN MY LIFE.

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I DESERVE A HEALTHY LIFE

AND I'M PROMISING MYSELF TO MAKE IT THERE ONE DAY,

WHERE ME AND KENLYN CAN BOTH BE THERE,

TOGETHER, BOTH OF US HEALTHY.

AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.