Original subtitles

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.