Original subtitles

Ashley: THE LONELINESS MADE ME DETERIORATE,

SO THAT'S WHEN I STARTED MY SECOND ADDICTION --

CATFISHING PEOPLE ONLINE.

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.

YOU'RE NOT FITTIN' TO DISRESPECT ME.

I'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT NICE TO YOUR ASS.

LET'S GO. DON'T TRY ME LIKE THAT.

I WILL TRAMPLE YOUR LITTLE ASS.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

THINGS ARE SO DIFFICULT IN MY LIFE NOW

BECAUSE OF HOW BIG I LET MYSELF BECOME

TO WHERE DOING EVERYTHING IS A CHORE FOR ME.

MY WEIGHT PULLS ON ME. IT CAUSES PAIN ALL OVER.

MY ARMS HURT, MY LEGS HURT, EVERYTHING HURTS ON MY BODY.

MY BACK HURTS TREMENDOUSLY,

AND IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DO WHAT I NEED TO DO NOW,

WHICH IS VERY SCARY FOR ME BECAUSE I LIVE ALONE.

THE STRUGGLE I'M HAVING IS STARTING TO STOP ME

FROM TAKING CARE OF MYSELF.

EVEN WITH BASIC THINGS SUCH AS GETTING MYSELF CLEAN

BECAUSE I CAN'T REACH ALL MY FOLDS.

I JUST DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY AT TIMES

BECAUSE OF THE PAIN AND THE FATIGUE

THAT I HAVE AND IT TERRIFIES ME.

IT TERRIFIES ME TO KNOW THAT MY BODY IS STARTING TO SHUT DOWN

AND STARTING TO DECLINE BECAUSE I'M SO YOUNG

AND I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO ALL THIS STUFF BY MYSELF.

BUT IF I START TO NEED HELP,

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO

BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE TO HELP ME WITH THIS.

I HAVE NO ONE.

SO NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS, I DO IT MYSELF,

BUT IT TAKES ME MAYBE A GOOD 20 TO 30 MINUTES TO DO IT.

SO I'M GETTING TO A REALLY BAD PLACE TO WHERE MY SIZE

IS AFFECTING MY LIFE AT THIS POINT,

BUT I KNOW THE PROBLEM BEHIND THAT IS MY EATING.

THAT'S WHY I'M LIKE THIS,

BUT IT'S SOMETHING I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL IN MY LIFE

BECAUSE FOOD IS MY GO-TO DRUG.

ANYTIME THERE'S FOOD AROUND ME,

I CAN'T HELP MYSELF BECAUSE I AM ADDICTED TO FOOD.

I CAN'T STOP. FOOD IS AN ADDICTION.

EVERYBODY HAS THEIR ADDICTION OF CHOICE.

MINE JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE FOOD.

IT'S WHAT I USE TO GET ME THROUGH

ALL MY STRUGGLES IN LIFE.

NO MATTER IF IT'S SADNESS, DEPRESSION,

BEING BORED, BEING BY MYSELF,

ANY OF THOSE THINGS WILL TRIGGER ME TO GO EAT

SO THAT I MAKE MYSELF FEEL BETTER.

BECAUSE WHEN I EAT, I FEEL COMPLETE JOY,

AND WHEN I STOP AND THE FOOD IS GONE,

I'M BACK TO THAT DARK HOLE.

SO THAT LEADS ME TO CONSTANTLY WANT TO EAT,

AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR ME MY WHOLE LIFE.

MY CHILDHOOD WAS A HARD TIME FOR ME.

I GREW UP AS AN ONLY CHILD,

AND IT WAS ONLY ME AND MY MOM AND MY GRANDMA.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN US THREE SINCE THE DAY I WAS BORN.

I NEVER KNEW MY DAD.

BUT I HAD A LOT OF FEAR WHEN I WAS YOUNG

BECAUSE OF MY MOM'S ILLNESS.

MY MOM WAS BORN WITH EPILEPSY AND SHE WAS CRIPPLED

AND SHE'S BEEN SICK ALL MY LIFE AND ALL HER LIFE.

AND SO WHEN SHE WOULD HAVE SEIZURES,

IT WOULD REALLY TERRIFY ME

BECAUSE I WAS SCARED TO LOSE MY MOM.

AND I LIVED IN CONSTANT FEAR OF THAT,

BUT I WAS ALSO SCARED FOR MYSELF

BECAUSE WHEN I WAS 3 YEARS OLD,

I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES.

LUCKILY FOR ME, MY GRANDMA WAS A NURSE,

SO MY GRANDMA WOULD STEP UP AND SHE WOULD TAKE CARE OF ME.

MY GRANDMA WORKED TWO JOBS.

THAT MEANT SHE WASN'T AROUND A LOT OF TIMES,

SO I WOULD HAVE FREE RANGE OF THE HOUSE,

AND I WAS EATING WHATEVER I WANTED TO EAT.

AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHERE

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD STARTED

BECAUSE I STARTED GOING TO FOOD A LOT

TO GET THAT FEELING OF COMFORT.

AND WITH ALL THE EATING,

MY WEIGHT GAIN STARTED SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL.

AS A KINDERGARTNER, I WAS ALREADY OVER 100 POUNDS,

AND I GAINED EVEN MORE AS I GOT OLDER

BECAUSE EATING BECAME WHAT ME AND MY MOM DID TOGETHER.

WE WOULD GO OUT TO FAST-FOOD RESTAURANTS AROUND TOWN.

THOSE ARE THE BEST MEMORIES OF ME AND MY MOM.

I HAD DOUBLED MY WEIGHT TO 200 BY THE TIME I WAS 7.

SO I GOT REALLY BIG AND EVERYONE TOOK NOTICE OF THAT,

AND I TRIED MY BEST TO LOSE THE WEIGHT,

BUT IT'S JUST FOOD IS LIKE MY ONLY FRIEND.

FOOD IS MY ONLY OUTLET. FOOD COMFORTS ME.

AND THINGS IN MY LIFE KEPT GOING WRONG RIGHT AFTER THAT.

FIRST WHEN I FOUND OUT WHO MY FATHER WAS

BECAUSE WE HAD THIS FAMILY FRIEND,

AND I FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY MY DAD

WHEN I HAD A DNA TEST.

IT'S LIKE HE IMMEDIATELY JUST CUT ALL TIES.

I NEVER KNEW THIS PERSON WAS MY DAD,

SO FOR ME TO FIND OUT THIS IS MY DAD, IT HURT ME,

AND I USED FOOD TO CARRY ME THROUGH THAT.

BUT IT WAS LIKE ONE THING AFTER THE NEXT WENT WRONG AT THE TIME.

BECAUSE SHORTLY AFTER THAT WAS WHEN

ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS HURT ME.

HE LIVED IN THE APARTMENT ACROSS FROM US,

AND HIS WIFE WOULD ALWAYS SAY, "COME OVER AND GET COOKIES."

AND SO ONE DAY I WENT OVER THERE TO GET A COOKIE,

AND I DIDN'T KNOW SHE WASN'T HOME, AND IT HAPPENED.

HE RAPED ME.

HE TOLD ME IT WAS OUR LITTLE SECRET.

I DIDN'T SPEAK UP ABOUT IT UNTIL ANOTHER GIRL FROM MY TOWN

CAME FORWARD AND TOLD HER PARENTS ABOUT IT.

AND SO THEN THAT'S WHEN MY MOM STARTING ASKING ME,

MY GRANDMA STARTED ASKING ME, "HAS HE EVER TOUCHED YOU?"

AND I WAS LIKE, "WELL, YEAH, HE DID."

AND THEY SAID, "OKAY, THAT'S NOT OKAY."

AND SO HE ENDED UP GOING TO JAIL FOR A LONG TIME.

AND SO AFTER THAT IS WHEN I REALLY NEEDED FOOD

TO TRY AND HELP ME BLOCK IT OUT AND MOVE ON.

SO MY WEIGHT GAIN KEPT GOING

AND I WAS SLOWLY APPROACHING 300 POUNDS BY 10 YEARS OLD.

MY GRANDMOTHER WAS PROBABLY THE ONE

WHO TRIED THE HARDEST TO INTERVENE

TO GET MY EATING UNDER CONTROL.

AND SHE MADE SURE I WASN'T SNEAKING FOOD.

I HAD MY WAYS TO WORK AROUND EVERYTHING SHE DID

AND ALL HER RULES,

SO MY WEIGHT GAIN CONTINUED TO GET OUT OF HAND.

AND WHEN I WAS 12,

I PROBABLY WAS AROUND 330 OR 340 AT THAT TIME.

I JUST WAS HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

I HAD TO HAVE IT, HAD TO HAVE IT, HAD TO HAVE IT.

AND SO MY SIZE KEPT GETTING WORSE.

AND I HAD GOTTEN UP TO AROUND 400

BY THE TIME I STARTED HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THE BULLYING GOT REAL BAD WITH THE KIDS IN SCHOOL,

SO THEN I WAS LIKE, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M JUST GONNA STAY IN THE HOUSE.

IF I STAY IN THE HOUSE, THEY CAN'T TALK ABOUT ME

BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SEE ME."

SOME DAYS, I WOULDN'T EVEN GO TO SCHOOL.

AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE, I BECAME A HOMEBODY.

I DIDN'T SEE ANYONE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL WHEN I WENT,

JUST MY MOM.

SHE WAS THE ONLY PERSON CONSISTENT IN MY LIFE,

BUT THAT CHANGED WHEN I WAS 16,

BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN SHE HAD A SEIZURE

AND SHE FELL OUT THE CHAIR.

AND MY AUNT FOUND HER,

AND WE HAD TO RUSH HER TO THE HOSPITAL.

IT TURNED OUT THAT MY MOM NEEDED LONG-TERM CARE.

SHE HAD GO IMMEDIATELY TO A NURSING HOME.

SO THAT'S WHERE SHE'S BEEN THE LAST 10 YEARS.

MY MOM NEVER GOT TO COME HOME.

BUT WHEN I FOUND OUT, "OKAY, SHE'S NOT COMING HOME,"

IT TOOK A TOLL ON ME, LIKE, I WANTED TO DIE.

SO I TURNED TO FOOD.

MY MOM IS GONE, MY DAD NOT GIVE A ABOUT ME.

LET ME JUST EAT.

BUT OVER THE NEXT YEAR, NOT ONLY IT'S MADE ME DETERIORATE,

BUT THAT'S WHEN I STARTED MY SECOND ADDICTION --

CATFISHING PEOPLE ONLINE.

I CREATE THESE FAKE PROFILES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

AND PRETEND TO BE SOMEONE ELSE.

AND THAT LED TO STARTING THESE RELATIONSHIPS

WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW IT'S ME.

AND DOING THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS BECOME AN ADDICTION FOR ME.

BUT FOOD AND EATING HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY MAIN ADDICTION.

SO I WAS ABLE TO FINISH HIGH SCHOOL,

BUT MY WEIGHT HAD GOTTEN SO BAD BY THEN

THAT I WAS 500 POUNDS AT MY GRADUATION.

AND AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, ALL I DID FOR A WHILE WAS STAY AT HOME

AND EAT TO FORGET ABOUT MY LIFE.

BUT AFTER A COUPLE YEARS, THINGS CHANGED

AND GOT EVEN WORSE FOR ME WHEN I WAS 20,

BECAUSE MY GRANDMA WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER,

AND THAT WAS DEVASTATING TO ME.

I COULDN'T TAKE IT,

BECAUSE IT WAS HURTFUL SEEING IN HER IN PAIN.

IT WAS HURTFUL SEEING HER FIGHT A BATTLE

THAT SHE MAY OR MAY NOT WIN.

AND SHE DIDN'T.

MY GRANDMA PASSED AWAY BEFORE MY 21st BIRTHDAY.

BESIDES MY MOM, SHE'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT'S EVER LOVED ME.

THE NIGHT MY GRANDMA PASSED AWAY,

I JUST WANTED -- I WANTED FAST FOOD.

AND I JUST REMEMBER GETTING PIZZA AND CHICKEN,

JUST SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMFORT FOODS

TO LAST ME ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT.

SO I KEPT EATING FOR COMFORT.

BUT SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I HAD TO MOVE OUT OF MY GRANDMA'S PLACE.

BUT I HAD ALSO MET SOMEONE ONLINE WHO I HAD GOT REAL WITH,

AND HE SAID I COULD MOVE IN WITH HIM.

SO WE GOT TOGETHER REALLY BRIEFLY,

BUT HE WAS AN EXTREMELY ABUSIVE PERSON

AND HE WOULD HIT ME AND TELL ME THINGS LIKE,

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, YOU'RE SO FAT,

NO ONE IS GONNA WANT YOU.

I'M ALL YOU GOT. YOUR OWN FAMILY DON'T WANT YOU."

SO HE ABUSED ME A LOT WITH MY WEIGHT,

BECAUSE HE WAS A FEEDEE,

AND HE LOOKS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE OVERWEIGHT

SO THAT HE CAN FEED THEM MORE FOOD.

SO I KNEW I COULDN'T STAY THERE.

I PICKED UP THE CLOTHES, PUT THEM IN THE CAR,

AND I DIDN'T LOOK BACK.

I WENT TO A SHELTER.

I HAD TO GET MY NUMBER CHANGED SO HE COULDN'T FIND ME.

BUT ONCE I GOT TO THE SHELTER,

I WAS IN A ROOM WITH FOUR OTHER PEOPLE,

AND I MET FRIENDS, I MADE FRIENDS, YOU KNOW?

SO THINGS GOT A LITTLE BETTER, AND I WAS HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

BUT BEING ON MY OWN WAS HARD,

BECAUSE I COULDN'T WORK FOR MY SIZE.

SO I COULDN'T AFFORD TO GET A PLACE TO LIVE

UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET DISABILITY.

BUT ONCE I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT IS WHEN I GOT MY OWN PLACE.

SO NOW I LIVE ON MY OWN

AND I DON'T HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE IN MY LIFE.

MY NEIGHBORS ARE MY CLOSEST FRIENDS,

QUENTON AND DIERRA, AND THEY ALL HELP ME OUT A LOT,

AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THEM.

OKAY. ORDER MY FOOD.

12 PIECE CHICKEN, LARGE MACARONI AND CHEESE,

LARGE OKRA, AND LARGE MASHED POTATO.

AND NOW I'M 24 YEARS OLD

AND MY WEIGHT IS UNKNOWN AT THE MOMENT.

IT'S OUT OF CONTROL NOW.

I FEEL TRAPPED INSIDE MY BODY, I FEEL TRAPPED INSIDE MY HOUSE.

THIS IS NOT HEALTHY.

AND I KNOW I NEED TO CHANGE SO IT DOESN'T GET WORSE.

I NEED TO CHANGE EVERYTHING FROM MY FOOD TO MY PROFILES,

AND MY CATFISHING TO MEET PEOPLE,

BECAUSE OF HOW THAT'S HURTING MY LIFE AND OTHERS.

I HAD RECENTLY GOT CALLED OUT FOR IMPERSONATING SOMEONE

ON THE INTERNET.

AND I HOPE PEOPLE KNOW THAT I NEVER MEANT TO HURT ANYONE.

THAT WAS NEVER MY INTENTIONS.

HAD I WOULD HAVE KNOWN IT WAS GONNA GET OUT OF CONTROL

LIKE THIS, I WOULD HAVE NEVER DONE IT.

BUT IT HAPPENED AND NOW I GOT TO LIVE WITH IT.

I OWNED UP TO IT AND I DEALT WITH IT IN THE BEST WAY I COULD,

AND I'M MOVING FORWARD.

BUT I KNOW IT UPSET A LOT OF PEOPLE,

AND MY FAMILY FOUND OUT,

AND IT WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THEM, TOO.

MOST OF THEM, I DON'T TALK TO MUCH NOW BECAUSE OF IT.

AND I DIDN'T REALIZE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT

WOULD HAVE SUCH AN EFFECT ON MY FAMILY,

BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE HURT, AND I NEVER WANT MY FAMILY

TO BE HURT BY ANYTHING I DO.

AND SO THAT'S A PART OF MY LIFE I WANT TO CHANGE, TOO,

BUT IT'S EXTREMELY HARD TO STOP,

BECAUSE I MEAN, YOU GET ADDICTED TO DOING THAT.

SO I HAVE A LOT OF ADDICTIONS IN MY LIFE

THAT AREN'T HEALTHY THAT I KNOW I NEED TO CHANGE,

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS MY EATING.

THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA KILL ME SOON IF I DON'T FIX THAT.

SO I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO HIT THE STOP BUTTON,

BECAUSE I KNOW IF I DON'T MAKE THAT CHANGE,

I'M NOT GONNA LIVE TO SEE MY 25th BIRTHDAY.

I'M 24 YEARS OLD, AND I DON'T LIVE LIKE A 24-YEAR-OLD.

I HAVE SO MANY THINGS I WANT TO DO.

I WANT TO GET MARRIED, I WANT TO HAVE KIDS,

AND MY MOM WANTS THAT FOR ME BEFORE SHE GETS OLDER

AND BEFORE I LOSE HER.

I FEEL GUILTY EVERY DAY,

BECAUSE I'M TRADING IN BOTH OUR LIVES FOR FOOD,

AND IT'S GETTING WORSE TO WHERE I'M SLOWLY DIGGING MY GRAVE

EVERY TIME I TAKE A BITE.

WITH EACH BITE, I'M KILLING MYSELF.

AND EVERY TIME I GO TO BED AT NIGHT,

THAT'S A 50/50 CHANCE

THAT I'M NOT GONNA WAKE UP THE NEXT MORNING.

AND MY BIGGEST FEAR IS MY MOM HAVING TO BURY ME,

BECAUSE SHE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THAT.

I'M ALL SHE GOT.

BUT I'VE TRIED FOR YEARS TO GET HELP,

TO LOSE THE WEIGHT, AND HAVE A BETTER LIFE,

BUT I FOUND NOWHERE WILLING TO HELP ME,

SO I'M DOWN TO MY LAST HOPE.

I'M TRYING TO GET HELP FROM DR. NOW.

I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR NEXT MONTH

TO GO DOWN THERE AND SEE HIM.

AND I'M GONNA TRY TO START DIETING NOW

TO LOSE AS MUCH AS I CAN BEFORE I GO

AND SHOW HIM THAT I'M READY FOR SURGERY NOW.

I HAVE TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY TO LIVE,

AND I'M READY TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR ME,

BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS IT FOR ME.

THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE.

AFTER THIS, IF THIS DOESN'T WORK,

I'M DONE. PUT A FORK IN ME, I'M DONE.

SO I NEED TO GET DR. NOW'S HELP AND THE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

BECAUSE AT THIS RATE, I'M GOING TO DIE WITHOUT REALLY LIVING,

AND I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.

Ashley: TODAY I HAVE MY APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW,

AND I'M HOPING IT GOES WELL.

I STARTED WORKING ON LOSING WEIGHT FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS

TO TRY TO LOSE AS MUCH AS I CAN,

TO SHOW HIM I'M ALREADY VERY SERIOUS

AND READY FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

BUT I'M JUST NERVOUS

BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA BE A LONG TRIP FOR ME,

WITH HIM BEING THREE TO FOUR HOURS AWAY.

MY NEIGHBORS QUENTON AND DIERRA ARE DRIVING ME DOWN TO HOUSTON.

AND I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS RACING THROUGH MY HEAD,

LIKE WHAT COULD GO WRONG DOING THIS?

BUT I'M PUTTING MYSELF THROUGH THIS TRAVEL

AND RISK GOING OUT BECAUSE,

IF I DON'T GET THE HELP NOW, IT'S GONNA ONLY GET WORSE.

IT'S BETTER TO CATCH IT HEAD ON

THAN WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS

BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO GET TRAPPED IN MY HOUSE.

SO I JUST WANT TO GET ON THE ROAD SOON

BEFORE MY MIND HAS A CHANCE TO KEEP RACING WITH FEARS.

HEY. Ashley: HEY.

WHAT'S GOING ON, ASH? YOU READY?

HEY, YOU ALL.HEY.

YOU READY?

YOU ALL READY FOR THE TRIP?

YES, HOW DO YOU FEEL?

I'M -- I'M NERVOUS.

JUST THINK ABOUT THE POSITIVE AND, YOU KNOW...

WE'RE GOING ON THIS TRIP TO SUPPORT ASHLEY.

JUST HOPE WE HAVE A SAFE TRIP

AND SHE GETS THE HELP THAT SHE NEEDS.

Quenton: I'M HELPING ASHLEY BECAUSE EVERYBODY DESERVES

SOMEONE THAT BELIEVES WHEN NOBODY ELSE WILL BELIEVE.

WHAT WORRIES ME IS, I KNOW IT'S A LONG DRIVE,

AND ONCE YOU SIT FOR A WHILE, EVERYTHING IS STARTING TO HURT.

SO, WE'RE TRYING TO GET ASHLEY THERE FAST ENOUGH

AND AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE

BECAUSE, IN A WAY, THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE FOR ASHLEY

TO POSSIBLY CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF HER LIFE.

Ashley: WE FINALLY MADE IT TO HOUSTON.

AND MY ANXIETY IS STARTING TO KICK IN A LOT MORE NOW

BECAUSE I'M NERVOUS ABOUT MEETING DR. NOWZARADAN.

I HAVE A MILLION THOUGHTS WHY HE WOULDN'T WANT TO WORK WITH ME.

AND IF HE DOESN'T TAKE ME ON AS A PATIENT,

THERE'S NO OTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO GET HELP.

ASHLEY.

THE LAST TIME I WAS WEIGHED, I WAS 630 POUNDS.

AND I'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET THAT

AS LOW AS I CAN IN PREPARATION OF THIS DAY

AND MEETING DR. NOW

TO INCREASE MY CHANCES OF BEING HIS PATIENT ON THIS PROGRAM.

AND I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHERE I'M AT NOW.

486.

OH, WOW.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT WEIGHT.

AND I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT MYSELF SEEING THAT PROGRESS

AND HAVING SUCH A BIG DROP ALREADY.

SO I FEEL LIKE I'M ALREADY OFF TO A VERY GOOD START,

AND I'M HOPING THAT'S A FACTOR DR. NOW WILL CONSIDER FOR ME

AND MAYBE APPROVE ME FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY TODAY

BECAUSE I'M VERY READY FOR IT.

HELLO? HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU?

I'M GOOD.

I'M DR. NOWZARADAN.

I'M ASHLEY.

ASHLEY TAYLOR, HUH?YES, THAT'S ME.

ALRIGHT, NICE TO MEET YOU.

SO YOU COMING FROM WHERE?

TEMPLE, TEXAS.

TEMPLE, TEXAS, IT'S ABOUT THREE HOURS AWAY, HUH?

MM-HMM.

SO WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO HOUSTON?

I WANT HELP GETTING THE WEIGHT OFF.

OKAY. SO WHAT IS THE HIGHEST WEIGHT YOU HAVE BEEN?

I'VE BEEN 630 BEFORE.

BUT MY GRANDMA PASSED AWAY,

SO I WENT THROUGH DEPRESSION.

AND SO I KIND OF LIKE LOST IT BECAUSE OF THE DEPRESSION,

I WASN'T REALLY EATIN. AND ANYTHING,

I WAS JUST IN A DARK PLACE.

SO DEPRESSION LED YOU TO LOSE 150 POUNDS?

YES, SIR.

ALRIGHT, THAT'S USUALLY THE OPPOSITE OF HOW IT GOES,

SO THAT'S INTERESTING.

YEAH, I KNOW.

I THINK THAT'S JUST DIFFERENT WITH ME.

OKAY. WELL, ACCORDING TO YOUR MEDICAL BACKGROUND,

YOU HAVE DIABETES.

I HAVE DIABETES, YES, SIR.

AND YOU ARE TAKING MEDICINE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,

FOR CHOLESTEROL,

FOR ARTHRITIS AND MIGRAINE, TOO?

YES, SIR.

SO YOU LIVE WITH ANYONE OR ALONE?

I LIVE ALONE.

OKAY. BEFORE THAT, WHO WAS IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD?

MY MOM AND MY GRANDMA.

ANY OF THEM TELL YOU HOW TO EAT THEN WHEN YOU DID?

YEAH, THEY DID.

AND HOW DID THAT WORK?

IT DID NOT WORK OUT.

SO DO YOU HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR MOM?

UM...WE...

IT'S ROCKY BETWEEN US.

OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DAD?

NO.

NO RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DAD.

DO YOU HAVE ANY BROTHERS AND SISTERS?

I HAVE A SISTER. WE DON'T TALK.

YOU DON'T GET ALONG OR WHAT?

WE JUST DON'T -- WE DON'T COMMUNICATE.

SO, DO YOU HAVE ANY BOYFRIEND OR ANYBODY?

NO, I'M SINGLE. ALRIGHT.

SO YOU GOT NO SUPPORT SYSTEM TO HELP YOU EXCEPT YOURSELF?

I MEAN, I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO DO THAT.

SO YOU EAT AT HOME OR YOU EAT OUT?

MOST OF THE TIME I EAT OUT BECAUSE I DON'T COOK.

SO ON A TYPICAL DAY, WHAT DO YOU EAT OUT?

NORMALLY I EAT, LIKE, FAST FOOD.

OKAY. WHAT DO YOU GET TO EAT?

NORMALLY IT'S JUST, LIKE, TWO OR THREE THINGS.

WHEN YOU EAT NEXT?

AT 6:00.

AND 6:00, WHERE DO YOU GO TO EAT?

I ORDER PIZZA OR CHINESE.

DID ANYBODY TELL YOU THAT PIZZA AND CHINESE

AND FAST FOOD WERE NOT PART OF YOUR DIET?

NO, BECAUSE NO ONE'S EVER AROUND.

OKAY. SO WHAT DO YOU DO MOST OF THE DAY?

NOTHING, WATCH TV.

AND I DO SOCIAL-MEDIA STUFF.

LIKE I'D BE TALKING TO MY FRIENDS.

ON SOCIAL MEDIA, TALKING TO YOUR FRIENDS?

YES. YES, SIR.

AND THAT'S IT?

YES, SIR.

YOU'RE LAUGHING ABOUT IT,

SO WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON THAT YOU'RE NOT TELLING ME?

UM...

THE CATFISHING.

SO, DO YOU HAVE A GOAL IN YOUR LIFE?

NOT REALLY, NOT AT THE MOMENT, NO.

ALRIGHT.

SO THE HELP THAT YOU NEED FROM US IS GUIDANCE.

SO WE ARE GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU.

STARTING WITH A 1,200-CALORIE-A-DAY DIET,

WHICH IS HIGH-PROTEIN, LOW-CARB DIET,

THAT WILL BREAK DOWN WHAT TO DO,

WHAT NOT TO DO WITH YOUR EATING HABIT.

TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROPER NUTRITION IS, OKAY?

DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

YES, SIR.

OKAY. SO NEXT THING IS,

I WANT YOU TO START DOING SOME EXERCISE.

DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

YES, SIR.

OKAY. AND IF YOU START DOING YOUR EXERCISE

AND CHANGING EATING HABIT ACCORDING TO WHAT WE GIVE YOU,

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO START LOSING

ABOUT 20 POUNDS A MONTH. OKAY?

AND IF YOU DO THAT AND SHOW ME

THAT YOU'RE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY,

WE WILL CONSIDERING MOVING AHEAD

WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY FOR YOU, OKAY?

YES, SIR.

SO I WANT TO SEE YOU IN ONE MONTH,

AND YOU NEED TO LOSE 20 POUNDS BY THEN.

OKAY. OKAY?

SO ULTIMATELY, YOUR EATING DISORDER

NEED TO BE CORRECTED BY YOU WITH FOLLOWING THIS DIET.

AND DOWN THE ROAD, IT MAY TAKE SOME OTHER TOOLS

TO HELP YOU WITH LIFE PSYCHOTHERAPY.

YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR YOU

TO SEE PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE TO TALK TO?

NO, NOT REALLY. WHY?

I DON'T THINK I NEED A PSYCHIATRIST.

ALRIGHT, WELL, WE'LL DISCUSS THIS MORE AS WE GO,

AND WE'LL SEE HOW YOU'RE DOING, OKAY?

YES, SIR.

ALRIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS?

NO, SIR.

OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE YOU HAVEN'T TOLD ME?

NO. THAT'S IT.

OKAY. BUT FOR MOST OF WHAT YOU SAID,

THE ENTIRE TIME YOU'RE HERE,

YOU NEVER MADE EYE CONTACT WITH ME.

SO IS THAT BECAUSE

YOU'RE A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR OR WHAT?

BECAUSE I'M NERVOUS.

YOU'RE NERVOUS. MM-HMM.

OKAY. EVEN NERVOUS PEOPLE,

WHEN THEY TALK TO SOMEBODY, THEY HAVE --

I HAVE ANXIETY. I'M NERVOUS. I'M SORRY.

ALRIGHT. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH, OKAY?

BYE-BYE.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, LET ME KNOW.

Dr. Nowzaradan: RIGHT NOW, I HAVE A NUMBER OF CONCERNS ABOUT ASHLEY,

BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT SHE SAYS DOESN'T ADD UP

OR MAKE MUCH SENSE, AND HER BEHAVIOR ALSO INDICATES

SHE'S NOT BEING COMPLETELY TRUTHFUL TO ME ABOUT EVERYTHING,

BECAUSE SHE SAYS SHE ALREADY LOST

A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT,

AND THAT'S BECAUSE HER EMOTIONS MAKE HER WANT TO EAT LESS.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT I GET HER RECORDS

TO DETERMINE WHAT HER MEDICAL HISTORY IS

AND IF THE ACCOUNT SHE GAVE FOR HER WEIGHT LOSS IS ACCURATE

AND IF SHE WAS EVER WERE 630 POUNDS.

BUT FOR NOW, WE WILL GIVE HER THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT,

AND IF SHE MEETS THE SIMPLE GOAL OF WEIGHT LOSS

I GAVE HER, THEN WE WILL CONSIDER NEXT STEPS

AND WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY WITH HER.

BUT IF SHE DOESN'T, THERE MAY BE SOME SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH HER

THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN PSYCHOTHERAPY.

FROM WHAT SHE SAYS,

SHE HAS BURNED MOST OF THE BRIDGES WITH HER FAMILY,

SO THERE'S LIKELY A CONSISTENT ISSUE

BETWEEN ALL OF THEM THAT INVOLVES ASHLEY'S BEHAVIOR,

BUT IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT

THAT WE START TO GET HER WEIGHT DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,

BECAUSE SHE ALREADY HAS A NUMBER OF MEDICAL ISSUES

ADDING STRAIN TO HER BODY.

AND IF SHE DOESN'T START TO TAKE STEPS

TO TURN THINGS AROUND SOON,

HER SITUATION CAN GET VERY DANGEROUS VERY QUICKLY.

Y'ALL READY?

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FEEL AT THIS POINT.

I FEEL LIKE THE DOCTOR DIDN'T TAKE ME SERIOUS.

I FEEL LIKE HE DIDN'T THINK I WANTED IT WHEN I DID WANT IT,

AND THAT'S HURTFUL, AND THAT'S NOT FAIR.

BUT NO MATTER HOW NEGATIVE HE WAS,

I WAS VERY RESPECTFUL TO HIM

TO SHOW HIM HOW SERIOUS I AM ABOUT DOING THIS.

AND THE PROGRESS I'VE MADE LETS ME KNOW

THAT DOING ANOTHER 20 POUNDS SHOULD BE EASY FOR ME.

SO THAT'S GONNA BE MY FOCUS FOR THE NEXT MONTH.

SO THAT WHEN I COME BACK THE NEXT TIME,

I CAN BE SURE TO GET MY APPROVAL THEN,

BECAUSE WITHOUT WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE IT AND CHANGE MY EATING.

Ashley: IT'S BEEN ABOUT TWO WEEKS

SINCE MY FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW.

YOU KNOW, RIGHT AFTER,

I STRUGGLED SOME FROM BEING FRUSTRATED

BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET THE SURGERY

I NEEDED WHAT I KNOW I'M READY FOR IT.

BUT ONCE I GOT HOME, AND I TOOK EVERYTHING IN,

I READ ALL THE PAPERWORK HE GAVE ME, I WAS LIKE,

"I CAN DO THIS."

WHAT UP, WHAT UP, WHAT UP? YOU READY TO EAT?

YEAH, I'M READY FOR LUNCH, SOMETHING QUICK.

ALRIGHT.

SO I'VE BEEN MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO LOSE THE 20 POUNDS

I NEED TO SHOW DR. NOW AN EXAMPLE OF MY HARD WORK.

I HAVE MADE DRAMATIC CHANGES. I DON'T EAT FAST FOOD ANYMORE.

I DON'T EAT FRIED FOODS ANYMORE.

AND I'VE ALWAYS MADE SURE I HAVE THE FOOD

I LIKE AROUND ME, AND I STILL HAVE STASHES AROUND MY HOUSE.

I'M NOT GONNA LIE. BUT I HAVEN'T TOUCHED THEM,

AND I FEEL MYSELF GETTING BETTER WITH THAT, YOU KNOW?

MY BODY IS CHANGING IN WAYS

I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS ABLE TO DO,

AND I FEEL LIKE THE EXERCISE IS HELPING ME, TOO,

BECAUSE I'M MOVING AROUND AS MUCH AS I CAN.

SO I'M FOLLOWING EVERYTHING DR. NOW GAVE ME TO FOLLOW,

AND I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD.

WANT ME TO GET YOU MY RANCH OR NO?

NO, IT'S OKAY. I'M GOOD.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT SALAD,

YOU CAN HAVE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT, SO...

BUT I FEEL LIKE A RABBIT.

AND SO MY HOPE IS THAT THIS TIME,

WHEN I GO BACK IN TWO WEEKS,

HE TAKES ME MORE SERIOUS AND HE APPROVES ME FOR SURGERY,

BECAUSE I NEED IT AND I'M MORE THAN READY FOR IT.

I'VE COME BACK DOWN TO HOUSTON FOR MY NEXT APPOINTMENT

AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS ONE IS A BETTER OUTCOME,

BUT I'VE CHANGED UP MY WHOLE LIFESTYLE

TO GET TO DR. NOW'S GOAL.

I MADE A LOT OF CHANGES AND I'M FEELING GOOD ABOUT THINGS.

YOU KNOW, I CAN FEEL MY PROGRESS

AND THAT I'M VERY READY FOR MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

I'M JUST HOPING TO HEAR THAT I DID GOOD

AND THAT HE SEES THE PROGRESS THAT I'VE BEEN MAKING

BECAUSE I'VE REALLY BEEN TRYING SINCE I LAST SEEN HIM.

ASHLEY?

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT,

I HAD DROPPED DRASTICALLY TO 486.

MY WEIGHT-LOSS GOAL I WAS GIVEN WAS TO LOSE 20 POUNDS,

SO I SHOULD BE AT 466 FOR THAT.

476.

THANK YOU.

I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A GOOD DROP, REALLY GOOD.

I FEEL HAPPY ABOUT THAT NUMBER, THAT MEANS IT'S COMING DOWN.

IT MAKES ME HAPPY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN PUTTING IN A LOT OF WORK.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE NUMBER

BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY COMING OFF.

I'M LIKE, "OH, MY GOD, I'M MAKING PROGRESS."

HOPEFULLY DR. NOW SEES THAT, TOO,

AND SEES HOW SERIOUS I AM

AND APPROVES ME FOR SURGERY TODAY.

HELLO. Ashley: HELLO.

HOW ARE YOU TODAY?I'M GREAT. HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING OKAY. SO HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?

I'VE BEEN GREAT.

ALRIGHT, SO YOU LOST LIKE 10 POUNDS?

YES, SIR.

THAT'S NOT AS MUCH AS YOU SHOULD HAVE.

TELL ME WHAT KIND OF CHANGES YOU MADE IN YOUR EATING HABIT.

I STOPPED EATING OUT, LIKE YOU TOLD ME TO.

OKAY.I STOPPED DRINKING SODA.

OKAY. AND NOW I'M COOKING

AND I'M DOING THE PAPER THAT YOU GAVE ME.

I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL THE STUFF

AND I'M WORKING OUT NOW.

OKAY, SO THAT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT.

BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU MADE

SOME ADJUSTMENT IN YOUR EATING HABIT,

YOU'RE STILL EATING 4,000 TO 5,000 CALORIES A DAY.

WHAT WE CAN DO NOW IS

WE'RE GONNA GET YOU TO SEE A THERAPY,

SEE IF WE CAN WORK WITH YOU ON SOME THINGS.

SO I WANT YOU TO START THAT.

I KNOW YOU DON'T THINK YOU NEED IT,

BUT IT'S GONNA BE PART OF THIS PROCESS

IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS.

SO DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

YES, SIR.

ALRIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS?

NO, SIR.

OKAY. YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS MORE SERIOUSLY, ASHLEY,

BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE A VERY HIGH BMI.

NORMAL BODY MASS INDEX IS 18 TO 25.

YES.

SO A BMI OF 86 IS VERY HIGH.

YES, SIR.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, AS YOUNG AS YOU ARE,

THAT WE GET YOU TO UNDERSTAND

WHAT THE HEALTHY EATING HABIT IS

AND WHAT YOU CAN DO

TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN HEALTHY WEIGHT

WHEN YOU'RE 50s AND 60s.

BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE

IF YOU DON'T START DOING WHAT YOU NEED NOW.

YOU ONLY EAT TWO OR THREE TIME A DAY,

NO SODA, NO SUGARY THING, NO CARB.

THEN I WANT YOU TO LOSE 40 POUNDS

OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. OKAY?

YES, SIR.

THAT'S THE SAME AMOUNT YOU SHOULD BE LOSING IN A MONTH,

BUT I WANT YOU TO SHOW ME

SOME CONSISTENCY WITH THAT, TOO.

OKAY.

AND HOPEFULLY THERAPY WILL HELP YOU WITH THAT.

ALRIGHTY.

OKAY. IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, GIVE ME A CALL.

OKAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, ASHLEY DOESN'T SEEM TO BE TAKING HER SITUATION

AS SERIOUSLY AS SHE SAYS.

I GAVE HER A VERY MODEST GOAL

THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAN EASY FOR HER TO ACCOMPLISH,

BUT DESPITE SOME PROGRESS, SHE'S STILL FAR OFF

FROM MAKING THE CHANGES SHE NEEDS.

I STILL HAVE THE SAME CONCERN I HAD AT THE LAST APPOINTMENT,

WHERE THINGS DON'T ALL ADD UP WITH HER AND WHAT SHE SAYS.

I'M HOPING STARTING PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR HER WILL HELP,

BECAUSE IF ASHLEY HAS SPENT A SIGNIFICANT PART OF HER LIFE

PRETENDING TO BE THINGS SHE ISN'T AS A MEANS OF MANIPULATION

TO GET WHAT SHE WANTS,

THERE IS NO REASON THIS SITUATION

IS GOING TO BE ANY DIFFERENT FOR HER.

UNTIL THAT CHANGES, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE MUCH,

IF ANY, PROGRESS WITH HER.

Ashley: I'M DISAPPOINTED, I'M NOT GONNA LIE,

BECAUSE I WAS HOPING FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

BEING TOLD I NEED TO GO TO THERAPY,

THAT'S FRUSTRATED ME SOME.

IT'S HARD TO HEAR THAT I'M STILL NOT GETTING SURGERY,

BECAUSE I KNOW I DESERVE THE SURGERY,

BUT I DO FEEL LIKE I STAYED RESPECTFUL

EVEN WHEN DR. NOW WAS NEGATIVE ABOUT THINGS.

I KNOW I JUST HAVE TO DO THIS

AND JUST CONTINUE WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING,

JUST DO IT 10 TIMES HARDER NOW.

Ashley: I'M HEADING TO THE THERAPY

DR. NOW TOLD ME I NEEDED,

BUT I THINK DOING THIS IS AN UNNECESSARY PROCESS,

BECAUSE I'M MAKING PROGRESS

AND WHAT I NEED TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW

IS PUSHING MYSELF HARDER WITH THE DIET AND MY EXERCISES,

BUT I'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES AND ENDURE

THIS PROCESS IF I NEED TO SHOW DR. NOW

MY COMMITMENT AND MY SERIOUSNESS TO THIS PROGRAM.

HOPEFULLY THIS GOES WELL AND IS NOT A BAD EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

OKAY, ASHLEY.

JUST COME AND HAVE A SEAT ANYWHERE YOU'RE COMFY.

ALRIGHTY.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

WELL, WELCOME, ASHLEY.

HI.

SO NOW, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CHILDHOOD GROWING UP?

IT WAS GOOD.

I DIDN'T WANT FOR ANYTHING.

MY GRANDMA ALWAYS MADE SURE I HAD EVERYTHING I NEEDED,

HER AND MY MOM.

TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, DO YOU HAVE ANY FAMILY MEMBERS

WITH EMOTIONAL ISSUES,

PSYCHIATRIC ISSUES OR SUBSTANCE-USE PROBLEMS?

NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I DO NOT,

BUT I'M NOT CLOSE WITH MY FAMILY.

WHAT PROMPTED THAT DECISION?

IT'S JUST I'VE DONE SOME STUFF, THEY'VE DONE SOME STUFF.

I'VE DONE MORE THAN THEM, BUT --

SO YOU'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU'VE DONE SOME THINGS.

MM-HMM, I'VE DONE SOME STUFF TO HURT THEM.

I'M NO ANGEL.

SO NOW YOU HAVE ME CURIOUS.

TELL ME MORE.

SINCE I WAS CATFISHING PEOPLE,

AND I WENT VIRAL.

THAT'S WHY ME AND MY FAMILY DON'T TALK,

BECAUSE IT HURT THEM.

AND PEOPLE JUST KEEP LIKE, "OH..."

JUST SO THAT I'M CLEAR, YOU'RE SAYING

THAT YOU PARTICIPATED IN CATFISHING PEOPLE?

YEAH.

AND THAT YOUR FAMILY GOT SOME BACKLASH

FROM ONE OF YOUR ONLINE PERSONAS?

EXACTLY.

SO YOUR ALTER EGO, THIS OTHER PERSONA,

IT WAS BORN OUT OF WHAT?

IT WAS SOMETHING I JUST MADE UP

AND IT CREATED A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

WERE THERE MORE THAN ONE?

DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PERSONAS?

YEAH, IT WAS 3,000.

YOU HAD 3,000?

YEAH, IT WAS 3,000 PERSONAS.

AND SO,

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT SOME OF THESE PERSONALITIES

REPRESENTED FOR YOU?

SOME OF THEM REPRESENTED FUN,

SOME OF THEM REPRESENTED SADNESS,

SOME OF THAT REPRESENTED MADNESS.

WHAT PORTION REPRESENTED MADNESS?

WHAT PERCENTAGE?

10% OF THEM HAD MADNESS IN IT.

OKAY.

AND WHAT PERCENTAGE REPRESENTED SADNESS?

50%.

50%.

1% REPRESENTED PEACE.

1%?

AND THE REST WAS JUST FEAR.

WOW. ASHLEY, I WANT YOU TO LISTEN

TO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DESCRIBE TO YOU.

OKAY? YOU'RE DESCRIBING A PSYCHOTIC BREAK.

THAT'S A BREAK FROM REALITY BECAUSE YOUR REAL LIFE

WAS TOO MUCH TO COPE WITH.

YEAH. NO ONE KNEW WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH.

NO ONE KNEW I WAS HURTING ON THE INSIDE. NO ONE KNEW.

I'M SORRY, ASHLEY.

I'M SORRY THAT YOU WERE IN SO MUCH PAIN

AND NO ONE NOTICED.

SO I HAVE SOME HOMEWORK FOR YOU.

OKAY.

FOR YOU TO WRITE

A TRUTHFUL, TRANSPARENT ONLINE DESCRIPTION

AND PROFILE FOR YOURSELF. OKAY?

I WANT YOU TO SHARE WHO YOU REALLY ARE.

OKAY.

IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN DO?

I CAN DO IT.

OKAY, ASHLEY.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY, ASHLEY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY.

Ashley: I FEEL LIKE THIS THERAPY IS SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T WANT.

IT TOOK ME BACK TO SOME THINGS

THAT I WANTED TO LEAVE BEHIND AND MOVE PAST.

SO I'M A LITTLE EMOTIONAL ABOUT THAT.

LOLA DID GIVE ME SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT

WITH SOME OF THE THINGS SHE SAID.

SO I SEE THE POSITIVE IN THAT.

SO I'LL THINK ABOUT IT ALL, BUT RIGHT NOW,

I'M NOT SURE WHAT MY NEXT STEPS ARE GONNA BE NECESSARILY.

I'M WILLING TO DO THOSE THINGS, BUT THE THING FOR ME IS,

RIGHT NOW MAY NOT BE THE BEST TIME.

SO I'LL THINK ABOUT IT AND WE'LL SEE.

AFTER MY THERAPY APPOINTMENT WITH LOLA,

I GAVE THE THING SHE SAID FOR ME TO DO SOME VERY SERIOUS THOUGHT

AND I DECIDED IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR ME TO DO THEM,

BUT NOT RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE THAT APPOINTMENT HAD ALREADY MADE ME EMOTIONAL

TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD BEEN STRUGGLING MORE.

WHAT I NEED TO DO IS FOCUS ON MY DIET,

BUT THE REALITY IS, WITH THE STRESS OF THERAPY,

I'VE EARNED A LITTLE TREAT FOR TAKING SOME GOOD STEPS.

PIZZA IS HERE.

I'M HUNGRY.

HI.HI. IT'S $44.30.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU KEEP THE CHANGE.

THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

YOU TOO.

BIGGEST THING I'VE LEARNED IS CONTROLLING PORTION SIZE

SO I CAN AFFORD SOME THINGS LIKE THIS.

IT'S NOT A LOT.

IF I MAKE AN EXCEPTION AND TREAT MYSELF WITH HAVING MY PROGRESS,

I STAY IN CONTROL OF MY PORTIONS, LIKE I SHOULD.

SO I KEEP MY CALORIES OUT AND STAY IN MY LIMITS.

EVEN WHEN I WANT TO EAT THE WHOLE PIZZA,

I JUST HAVE TO STOP MYSELF AND SAY,

"THAT'S ENOUGH FOR NOW."

I'M BEING VERY FOCUSED TO DO THIS

AND MAKE SURE I MAKE EVEN MORE PROGRESS THIS TIME

SO I CAN GO BACK TO DR. NOW AND FINALLY GET MY SURGERY.

AND I'M MAKING SURE TO KEEP MY EYE ON THAT

AND STAY MOTIVATED AND IN CONTROL TO DO THAT.

Ashley: I'M BACK TO SEE DR. NOW ONCE AGAIN

AND I'M HONESTLY A LITTLE NERVOUS.

OKAY, LET'S DO IT.

Y'ALL READY? COME ON, AMIGOS.

I KNOW HOW HARD I WORKED AGAIN

AND HOW I PUSHED MYSELF EVEN MORE THIS TIME

AND THAT GIVES ME CONFIDENCE, BUT I STILL HAVE A LOT OF FEARS

RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD AGAIN FOR THIS APPOINTMENT

BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME

THAT I GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY THIS TIME.

ASHLEY?

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT, I WAS AT 476

AND DR. NOW WANTED ME TO LOSE ANOTHER 40 POUNDS.

SO TO HAVE THAT DONE

MEANS I HAVE TO HAVE A NUMBER LOWER THAN 436.

475.

I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT,

BUT THAT NUMBER IS VERY UPSETTING

AND IT IS NOT MAKING SENSE TO ME

BECAUSE I KNOW THE LEVEL OF MY WORK.

AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT NUMBER REFLECTS THAT.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED,

BUT I'M VERY UPSET AND WORRIED RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE WHAT I NEED IS WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

FROM DR. NOW.

IF I'M NOT GONNA GET AN APPROVAL TODAY,

THEN THE LEAST HE CAN DO IS RESPECT HOW HARD I'M WORKING.

HELLO. HEY, DR. NOW.

HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?

-ALRIGHT. -GOOD.

GOOD. ALRIGHT, ASHLEY.

YOU GOT THE WHOLE CREW WITH YOU TODAY.

WHO DO YOU GOT WITH YOU?

THIS IS MY FRIEND DEE. THIS IS MY FRIEND MAC.

OKAY, WELL, GOOD TO MEET YOU ALL.

ALRIGHT, ASHLEY. HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?

I'VE BEEN GOOD. HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?

I'M GOOD, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A FEW THINGS.

ONE IS YOUR LACK OF WEIGHT LOSS

BECAUSE YOU ARE 475 TODAY,

WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH NO PROGRESS.

THAT MEANS YOU'RE STILL EATING

BETWEEN 4,000 TO 5,000 CALORIES A DAY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHANGES ARE

THAT YOU HAVE MADE?

I'VE BEEN DOING THE EXERCISES MORE.

I'VE BEEN DOING THE DIET, LIKE YOU TOLD ME.

I CUT OFF ALL THE SODA, NO MORE SODA.

THEY GOT RID OF EVERYTHING FOR ME.

BUT YOU HAVEN'T LOST MUCH WEIGHT.

IF YOU MADE ALL THESE POSITIVE CHANGES,

WHY IS THAT?

I DON'T KNOW. I'VE BEEN DOING WHAT I SHOULD.

I'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY MOM ALSO.

I'VE BEEN HAVING FAMILY PROBLEMS, TOO.

WITH YOUR MOM. ABOUT WHAT?

'CAUSE SHE'S BEEN A LITTLE SICK.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH NOT LOSING WEIGHT?

BECAUSE I'M HER ONLY CHILD. I'VE GOT TO BE THERE FOR MY MOM.

I'M STILL NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT MEANS.

YOU COULD EAT HEALTHY AND DO WHAT YOU NEEDED

IF YOU HAD TO BE WITH HER BECAUSE TAKING CARE OF HER

DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO OVEREAT, RIGHT?

NOBODY OVERATE NOTHING.

SO YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THE SCALE?

IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME. I KNOW WHAT I DID.

ALRIGHT, ASHLEY.

THE BIG QUESTION IS,

WHAT IS YOUR OBJECTIVE WITH THIS PROGRAM

AND SAYING YOU WANT TO DO THIS

IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA TRY AND LOSE WEIGHT?

I WANT TO GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

AND LOSE THE WEIGHT AND JUST BE MORE HEALTHIER.

SO YOU WANT TO HAVE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY?

YES, SIR.

OKAY. WE WANT TO GET SOME LAB WORK FROM YOU,

BUT YOU REFUSED.

SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR LAB WORK IS.

WE TRIED TO GET YOUR LAB WORK.

YEAH, I'M GONNA GO TO THE DOCTOR TOMORROW

AND LET MY PEOPLE DRAW MY BLOOD

BECAUSE I KNOW MY VEINS AND THE LADY

THAT I GO TO GET MY BLOOD DRAWN, SHE ALWAYS FINDS IT.

I'D RATHER JUST HAVE HER DO IT

AND I CAN JUST HAVE THEM SEND YOU ALL OF THE STUFF.

I'M GONNA GO TO THEM TOMORROW WHEN I GET UP.

OKAY. SO LET ME UNDERSTAND THAT.

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND --

YOU DON'T TRUST US TO DO YOUR BLOOD TEST,

BUT YOU TRUST US TO DO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY ON YOU?

NO. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME?

NO, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT, DR. NOW.

I TRUST YOU ALL.

I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF I DIDN'T TRUST YOU.

WELL, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO DO YOUR BLOOD,

BUT DO YOU WANT US TO DO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY ON YOU?

I DON'T GET THAT.

IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T TRUST YOU, DR. NOW.

IT'S JUST, ONCE AGAIN,

I'D RATHER HAVE MY LADY DRAW MY BLOOD

BECAUSE SHE KNOWS MY VEINS.

AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH HER.

IF WE'RE BEING HONEST,

I'M COMFORTABLE WITH HER, NO OFFENSE.

NONE TAKEN,

BUT WE SEE A LITTLE BIT DISCONNECTING HERE. OKAY?

IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO YOUR WORKUP,

WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET YOUR BLOOD

AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING,

HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO YOUR SURGERY?

I'M NOT GONNA HAVE SOME STRANGER DRAW MY BLOOD.

I TOLD YOU THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE MY LADY DRAW MY BLOOD

AND I WAS GONNA SEND IT OVER HERE.

IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT,

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.

WE'VE DONE PEOPLE THAT OVER 1,000 POUNDS.

WE DRAW BLOOD ON ALL THOSE PEOPLE.

OKAY, THAT'S FINE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY,

IF I'M COMFORTABLE -- NOW I'M GETTING MAD.

SO NOW I'M GONNA HAVE TO JUST TALK TO YOU

LIKE I TALKED TO THEM.Quenton: OH, GOD.

ASHLEY, YOU HAVE TO TRUST US

TO TREAT YOU IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS.

AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ISSUES YOU MAY HAVE IF YOU DON'T.

BUT IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT,

HOW DO YOU EXPECT THIS TO WORK?

BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GIVE YOU AN I.V. FOR SURGERY.

THAT'S THE SAME THING

AND WE CAN'T HAVE YOUR PERSON HERE FOR THAT.

SO THIS IS AN ISSUE.

YOU HAVEN'T LOST ANY WEIGHT

AND YOU WANT US TO DO MAGIC FOR YOU.

ASHLEY, DON'T DO IT. NO, DON'T DO IT.

OH, GOD. I CAN'T. THIS IS GOING ALL WRONG.

SO IF YOU STICK WITH THE DIET AND YOU EAT LOW CALORIE,

YOU SHOULD LOSE MORE WEIGHT.

IS THAT HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

MNH-MNH. MNH-MNH.

MNH-MNH.

THINK ABOUT THAT REALLY HARD BEFORE YOU SAY THAT.

OH, MY GOD.

I NEED A MINUTE BECAUSE THIS IS GOING ALL WRONG

AND I'M TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL,

BUT THIS IS JUST, LIKE...

ASHLEY, WHAT THIS COMES DOWN TO IS SIMPLE.

IF YOU WON'T DO THE THINGS YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT,

HOW DO YOU THINK WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

IS GONNA MAKE YOU LOSE WEIGHT?

I KNOW IT'S GONNA HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT.

AND AT THE END OF THAT, I KNOW WHAT I WANT FOR MYSELF.

NO, NO. THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION.

HOW DO YOU THINK WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY IS GONNA HELP YOU?

IT'LL HELP ME IN SO MANY WAYS.

IT'LL HELP ME TO GET MORE HEALTHIER.

IT'LL HELPED ME WITH LOSING THE WEIGHT.

OKAY. WITH HELPING LOSING WEIGHT.

HOW IT'S GONNA HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT?

THAT'S WHAT THE QUESTION IS. HOW?

THE QUESTION IS HOW? HOW IS IT GONNA HELP YOU?

DO YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWER?

Y'ALL FITTIN' TO GO? 'CAUSE I'M DONE.

I'M DONE.

OKAY, LOOK AT ME.

IT'S GONNA HELP YOU BY MAKING YOU EAT LESS.

YOU GOT THAT?MM-HMM.

OKAY. SO WHEN YOU HAVE WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

YOU'RE GONNA EAT LESS

AND YOU'RE GONNA LOSE WEIGHT, RIGHT?

YEAH. OKAY.

NOW THAT YOU'RE NOT EATING LESS,

YOU'RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT, YOU GET THAT?

YEAH, DR. NOW.

SO IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO EAT LESS

AND YOU'RE CHOOSING TO OVEREAT,

THEN SURGERY IS NOT GONNA CHANGE THAT.

AND IN LONG TERM

IS GONNA FAIL TO DO ANYTHING FOR YOU.

SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR EATING HABIT?

NO, BECAUSE, LIKE, NOW

I'VE RARELY BEEN EATING NOWADAYS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

I GET THAT YOU THINK THAT, BUT IT'S NOT REALITY.

SO NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY TO ME,

IF YOU DON'T LOSE WEIGHT, THEN THAT'S AN ISSUE.

EVEN IF YOU BRING SOMEONE TO WITNESS

TO CONVINCE ME THAT YOU'RE NOT EATING...

I DIDN'T BRING THEM HERE TO DO ANYTHING.

I BROUGHT MY FRIENDS IN FOR SUPPORT.

YOU KNOW WHAT? Y'ALL READY TO GO?

BECAUSE I'M NOT DOING THIS.

I'M NOT. HE'S NOT FITTIN' TO TALK TO ME LIKE I'M CRAZY.

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO COME TO THIS APPOINTMENT.

YOU'RE NOT FITTIN' TO DISRESPECT ME.

I'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT NICE TO YOUR ASS.

YOU'RE NOT FITTIN' TO DO ME LIKE THAT.

Y'ALL READY TO GO BECAUSE I'M READY TO GO?

LET'S GO.

MOVE.

YOU WILL GET TRAMPLED.

UM...

YOU KNOW, I WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF DEEP BREATHS.

NO, I'M DONE.

LIKE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M BEEN COMING THERE --

LIKE, NO, I'M NOT GONNA WASTE MY MONEY

COMING TO THIS APPOINTMENT.

I'VE BEEN AT WORK ALL I'VE GOT TOO MUCH GOING ON.

HE'S NOT GONNA TALK TO ME LIKE THAT.

LIKE, YOU DON'T KNOW ME, BRUH.

I'M GONNA GET THIS PLACE SHUT THE DOWN.

LET'S GO.

IT JUST DOES ME NO GOOD.

THEY CAN PAY UP, BECAUSE I DON'T NEED THIS.

I CAN GO BACK HOME.

HE GOT THE RIGHT ONE.

HE GOT THE RIGHT ONE BECAUSE I DON'T DO DISRESPECT.

I'M UPSET AT DR. NOW RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE I DON'T APPRECIATE HOW HE PUSHES ME.

BUT QUENTON AND DIERRA TALKED ME INTO GOING BACK IN

AND FINISHING MY APPOINTMENT,

BECAUSE FOR ME, I FEEL LIKE IF I WAS TO JUST GO HOME,

THAT WOULD BE A SLAP IN THE FACE NOT ONLY FOR ME,

BUT TO THEM ALSO. THAT WOULD BE DISRESPECTFUL.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO DISRESPECT THEM

BECAUSE THEY HELP ME ON A DAILY BASIS.

THEY AIN'T GOT TO DO THAT.

SO I OWE IT TO THEM, BUT I'M STILL EXTREMELY UPSET.

AND IF IT GOES THE SAME WAY AGAIN,

THEN I'M DONE BECAUSE I DON'T DESERVE THAT.

AND I JUST DON'T NEED THE NEGATIVITY

WHEN I'M TRYING TO PUT MY LIFE BACK TOGETHER AND BETTER MYSELF.

ALRIGHT, ASHLEY, YOU'RE BACK IN.

YEAH, DOC, I DECIDED TO GIVE YOU ONE MORE CHANCE.

OKAY, WELL, I'M GLAD YOU'RE BACK,

BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THE SAME.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA ANSWER MY QUESTIONS

AND YOU'RE GONNA GET UPSET AND STORM OUT OF HERE,

THEN THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK.

YOU THINK THAT'S OKAY?

FOR REAL? FOR REAL?

SO THIS IS THE PROCESS

THAT WE GRILL EVERYBODY 10 TIME,

ASK THE QUESTION, GET THEIR ATTITUDE RIGHT

AND SEE IF THEY'RE COMPLIANT

AND SEE WHAT THEIR LEVEL OF TOLERANCE IS.

AND YOU SHOW THAT YOU HAVE NO TOLERANCE

AND YOU GOT THE VERY EXPLOSIVE PERSONALITY

AND YOU GET VERY UPSET.

AND YOU'RE NOT TRUSTING US

AND YOU JUST WANT US TO DO A SURGERY ON YOU.

AND THAT'S NOT VERY GOOD SETUP. OKAY?

IF YOU DON'T TRUST US TO DO ANYTHING,

THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE SURGERY WITH US.

OKAY?

BECAUSE THAT'S NOT VERY COMFORTABLE FOR YOU.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? RIGHT?

YES.

OKAY. SO WHY ARE YOU GETTING UPSET?

IT'S MY TURN. IT'S MY TURN TO TALK NOW?

YES. OKAY.

I TRUST YOU, BUT I KNOW MY VEINS

AND IT'S...

I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I DID GET UPSET WITH YOU,

AND I SAID MY APOLOGIZE, BUT YOU WAS TRYING ME.

AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST...

I DIDN'T MEAN TO STORM OUT ON YOU, DR. NOW.

IT'S JUST, IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY.

I'M COMMITTED TO THIS.

IF I WASN'T COMMITTED, I WOULD BE HOME RIGHT NOW.

BUT I'M TIRED, BUT I STILL CAME TO THIS APPOINTMENT

BECAUSE I AM DEDICATED TO THIS. IF I WASN'T DEDICATED,

I WOULDN'T HAVE MY FRIENDS OUT HERE. THEY GOT KIDS.

IF WE KEEPING IT ALL THE WAY REAL.

I AM DEDICATED TO THIS. I DO TRUST Y'ALL, IT'S JUST,

I'D RATHER HAVE SOMEBODY WHO I KNOW

HAS TAKEN MY BLOOD SEVERAL TIMES DO THAT FOR ME.

AND IF Y'ALL CAN'T RESPECT THAT, THEN I'M SORRY.

OKAY, WELL, WHAT WAS IT TO GET YOU UPSET?

WHAT GOT YOU UPSET

OR IS I GAVE AN ANALOGY AFTER SURGERY, YOU EAT LESS...

NO, THAT AIN'T MAKE ME --...AND YOU LOSE WEIGHT.

THAT DIDN'T MAKE ME UPSET. THAT DIDN'T MAKE ME UPSET.

THAT DIDN'T GET YOU UPSET?NO, SIR.

SO WHAT DID YOU GET UPSET FOR?

IT'S JUST THE FACT, LIKE, OKAY,

THIS IS MY THIRD TIME MEETING YOU.

AND IT'S LIKE EVERY TIME

I'VE CAME TO YOUR OFFICE, THE LAST FEW TIMES,

I'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT NICE TO YOU.

AND YOU'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT RUDE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE YOU POKE,

YOU POKE, YOU POKE, YOU POKE.

EVENTUALLY, YOU KEEP POKING AT SOMEBODY,

THEY GONNA BLOW UP ON YOUR ASS.

AND THAT'S JUST WHAT HAPPENED TODAY.

AND I'M SORRY FOR THAT. I'M SORRY FOR BLOWING UP ON YOU,

BECAUSE I DO RESPECT YOU AS A DOCTOR.

I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR YOU,

BECAUSE YOU ARE THE BEST DOCTOR. I HAVE RESEARCHED YOU,

BECAUSE I DO RESEARCH ON THE PEOPLE THAT WORK ON MY BODY.

BUT IT'S JUST YOU KEEP POKING AND POKING AND POKING.

IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY FOR ME.

AND I'M SORRY FOR TAKING IT OUT ON YOU,

BUT YOU CAN'T KEEP POKING.

YOU CAN'T KEEP JUST, "EH, EH, EH, EH."

YOU CAN'T KEEP DOING THAT. I UNDERSTAND.

YOU GOT TO DO YOUR JOB, THAT'S WHAT YOU GET PAID FOR.

BUT I COME TO THIS STRIP MALL TO SEE YOU,

AND I COME HERE, YOU KNOW, TO GET MEDICAL TREATMENT.

AND TRY TO HOPEFULLY GET APPROVED FOR SURGERY.

I'M NOT SAYING I WANT YOU TO MAGICALLY MAKE ME SKINNY.

OH, YEAH, MAKE ME SKINNY. MAKE ME SKINNY.

I DON'T WANT THAT. NO.

BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, THOUGH,

IT'S A LOT OF RESPECT THAT HAS TO BE UNDERSTOOD,

BECAUSE MY MOM --

MY MOM DON'T TALK TO ME THE WAY YOU TALK TO ME.

NO ONE TALKS TO ME THAT WAY. AND SO I UNDERSTAND.

YOU'RE DOING YOUR JOB. I GET THAT.

IT'S JUST THE LEVEL OF RESPECT THAT HAS TO BE SHOWN.

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT NICE TO YOU.

EVEN WHEN YOU DISRESPECTED ME, I'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT NICE.

AND YOU, NO OFFENSE, BUT YOU'VE BEEN A

AND THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.

OKAY, ASHLEY, FIRST, THIS IS A PROCESS

THAT WE ASK YOU A QUESTION,

AND YOU CALL THAT POKING AT YOU?

NO, I'M NOT. SEE, YOU GETTING MAD, DR. NOW.

WELL, THIS IS A PROCESS THAT EVERYBODY GO THROUGH.

AND I GET THAT, BUT YOU'RE NOT FITTIN' TO GET LOUD WITH ME.

Quenton: ASHLEY.

NO, NO, NO.

BRING IT DOWN. COUPLE OF NOTCHES.

YOU GET LOUD WITH ME WHEN I'M RIGHT HERE.

WE RIGHT HERE WITH EACH OTHER.

YOU NOT GONNA GET LOUD WITH ME.

NO, DON'T DO THAT. I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I GET THE PROCESS, I GET ALL OF THAT.

AND I'M WILLING TO COMPLY.

BUT YOU CANNOT GET LOUD!

YOU'RE OKAY TO USE THE "F" WORD,

AND THEN WALKING OUT AND ALL THAT.

AND YOU THINK I AM LOUD WITH YOU?

YOU BEING LOUD RIGHT NOW,

AND I'M LITERALLY TWO FEET AWAY FROM YOU.

LIKE, I UNDERSTAND.

I USED SOME "F" BOMBS, AND I DROPPED A COUPLE OF "F" BOMBS.

OKAY, ASHLEY, THIS IS REALITY.

YOU ARE NOT CANDIDATE FOR ANY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE RIGHT ATTITUDE.

AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO WELL WITH THE SURGERY, EITHER.

ALRIGHT. SO THERE IT IS.

OKAY? THAT'S A WRAP.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING

THAT PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS,

THEY ANSWER THE QUESTION WHEN WE ASK THEM,

THEY DON'T GET UPSET,

THEY DON'T BECOME IRRATIONAL

AND THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, EDUCATE THEM.

BUT WHEN WE ASK YOU A QUESTION, YOU GET VERY DEFENSIVE.

YOU DON'T WANT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION...

YOU'RE TALKING TO ME CRAZY.

...BECAUSE THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE QUESTION AND ANSWER

IS TO GET YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS GONNA DO.

OKAY, YEAH. YOU'RE RIGHT.YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?

I'M WRONG.

AND THAT QUESTION IS NOT POKING,

AND THAT'S NOT BEING DISRESPECTFUL.

AND THIS IS NOT THE PROCESS THAT YOU CAN GO THROUGH

WITHOUT US MAKING SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS.

BECAUSE SURGERY IS NOT SOMETHING BENIGN.

THERE'S A RISK WITH IT.

AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THAT TOOL,

YOU CAN HARM YOURSELF.

SO THIS IS EDUCATIONAL THING THAT WE ASK YOU.

OKAY.

AND EVERY TIME I ASK YOU A QUESTION, YOU DON'T ANSWER.

ALRIGHT. OKAY?

YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?YES, SIR.

YOU SEEM TO BE A LITTLE SARCASTIC, SO I'M NOT SURE.

AND YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND.

FROM THIS POINT

TO THE POINT THAT YOU WANT TO BE HEALTHY,

THERE'S A STEP TO GO THROUGH.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE THOSE STEPS.

WE ARE HERE TO GUIDE YOU IN THE RIGHT CHANNEL.

WE GIVE YOU THE ROADMAP,

BUT WE CAN'T MAGICALLY MAKE THOSE THINGS TO HAPPEN.

OKAY?

SO WHEN I'M ASKING A QUESTION,

THAT YOU'RE NOT LOSING WEIGHT,

YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE OVEREATING.

OKAY? AND YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND,

THE ONLY WAY THIS SURGERY'S GONNA CHANGE THAT IS,

IF YOU'RE WILLING TO MAKE THE CHOICES

TO STOP OVEREATING.

IT'S NOT GONNA HELP YOU IF YOU DON'T DO THAT.

OKAY?

SO THE SURGERY IS GOING TO MAKE CERTAIN CHANGES

THAT YOU SHOULD BE MAKING THOSE CHANGES NOW.

IF IT'S GONNA HAVE AN EFFECT AT ALL

AND FOR YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE LONG RUN.

YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING?

OKAY?

SO, THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE?

OKAY. THEN, IF YOU'RE BEING HONEST ABOUT THINGS,

AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THEN TELL ME,

DO YOU SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING

WITH YOUR CHOICES

THAT ARE KEEPING YOU AT THIS WEIGHT?

OKAY. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM

THAT HOLDING YOU FROM THIS POINT

TO GET TO THE POINT THAT YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT?

MYSELF, AND I OVEREAT.

AND I DID CHEAT A COUPLE OF TIMES

SINCE OUR LAST APPOINTMENT.

ASHLEY, A FEW MINUTES AGO,

I ASKED YOU IF YOU WERE OVEREATING,

YOU SAID YOU NEVER --YES, I DO OVEREAT.

OKAY, THIS IS A GOOD STEP TO ADMIT THAT.

BUT THEN HOW DO YOU SEE THE SURGERY

IS GONNA CHANGE THAT?

I HAVE TO CHANGE THAT FIRST BEFORE I GET THE SURGERY,

AND I'M WILLING TO CHANGE THAT.

I KNOW NOW, I CAN'T TURN TO FOOD WHENEVER I'M MAD.

I'M USED TO DOING THAT.

TAKE THE SURGERY OFF THE TABLE.

I HAVE TO WORK ON MYSELF BEFORE I CAN GET THE SURGERY.

BECAUSE IF I'M NOT HEALTHY MENTALLY,

PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, THEN THE SURGERY, IT WILL FAIL.

I DON'T WANT THE SURGERY TO FAIL BECAUSE THIS IS MY LAST CHANCE.

OBVIOUSLY I'M SERIOUS ABOUT THE PROGRAM

BECAUSE I'M DRIVING -- WE LIVE FOUR HOURS.

I LIVE FOUR HOURS AWAY, FOUR, THREE HOURS AWAY.

I'M COMING AFTER WORK WHEN I COULD BE HOME,

DOING OTHER STUFF. BUT, YEAH, I'M HERE.

NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S...

I'M OBVIOUSLY TAKING THIS SERIOUS,

BECAUSE NORMALLY WHEN I GET OFF OF WORK,

I GO TO BED TO GET READY FOR THE NEXT DAY.

BUT I'M SERIOUS ABOUT THIS, AND I HOPE YOU GIVE ME A CHANCE.

I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE ME A CHANCE,

BUT I'M HOPING YOU DO BECAUSE I AM SERIOUS ABOUT IT.

OKAY, ASHLEY.

DO YOU REALIZE THAT IS AN ELEMENT OF FOOD COMFORT.

YOU FEEL UPSET AND YOU EAT. YOU FEEL BETTER.

YES.

OKAY, SO THAT'S WHY

YOU NEED TO KEEP WORKING WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY.

OKAY? YEAH.

DO YOU SEE WHAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON NOW

AND WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?

YEAH, NOW I'M PSYCHED.

NOW I KNOW I HAVE TO COPE WITH --

I HAVE TO START LETTING MY EMOTIONS OUT

BECAUSE, IT'S JUST, I'VE BEEN SAD LATELY.

BUT I KNOW ONCE I HAVE THE SURGERY, IF I HAVE THE SURGERY,

I HAVE TO FIND NEW WAYS TO COPE WITH MY EMOTIONS.

I HAVE TO LET THEM OUT. I CAN'T JUST HOLD THEM IN.

I HAVE TO ACTUALLY TALK TO PEOPLE

AND I HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH.

I'M THE TYPE OF PERSON,

STUFF WILL BE GOING ON IN MY LIFE AND I WON'T TELL NOBODY.

OKAY? SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING

IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND I'M PROUD OF YOU FOR THAT,

BUT RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE THERAPY SERIOUSLY

AND WORK WITH THEM.

AND THEN I WANT YOU TO SHOW ME THAT WITH ACTION

BY LOSING 40 POUNDS OVER THE NEXT 2 MONTHS, OKAY?

OKAY.

SO YOU NEED TO START MAKING CHANGES

AND DO WHAT YOU NEED. OKAY?

I WILL. BUT I'VE BEEN DOING THE STUFF ON THE PAPER,

THE BAD STUFF AND THE GOOD STUFF.

I'VE BEEN TAKING THIS STUFF.

IT'S JUST I'VE BEEN OVEREATING WITH IT.

BUT HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU TOLD ME

YOU'RE NOT OVEREATING?

I KNOW, DR. NOW, BUT I REALLY AM OVEREATING.

SO WHICH ONE OF THEM I SHOULD BELIEVE?

I JUST TOLD YOU I'M OVEREATING. I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH.

I'M OVEREATING. I OVEREAT THE FOOD.

NO, SHE'S TELLING YOU THE TRUTH.

SHE'S DOING THAT. THAT'S THE TRUTH.

NOW THE TRUTH IS COMING OUT.

YES, NOW THE TRUTH IS COMING OUT.

I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH. I'M OVEREATING THE FOOD.

I BOUGHT THE HEALTHY FOOD. I DID EVERYTHING ON THE LIST.

I WENT, I GOT ALL THE BAD STUFF OUT MY HOUSE, BUT IT'S JUST NOW

I'M OVEREATING THE HEALTHY FOOD.

AND NOW SHE'S TELLING ON HERSELF,

SO SHE'S TELLING HE TRUTH.

I OVEREAT THE HEALTHY FOOD.

OKAY, SO HOW ARE Y'ALL GONNA HELP HER?

OH, SHE ALREADY KNOWS ABOUT THAT ONE.

Ashley: THEY GOT RID OF ALL THE UNHEALTHY FOOD

YOU DIDN'T WANT ME TO EAT.

WE WAS TOLD THAT SHE WAS EATING LIKE

SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO.

NOW WE GOT TO WATCH HER ASS.

YEAH. NOW WE GONNA BE THE ONES

WHO HAVE TO PREPARE YOUR MEALS FOR YOU.

I STARTED COOKING, DR. NOW.

THEY COME OVER AND I COOK,

BUT THEN WHEN THEY LEAVE, I EAT ALL I COOKED.

YEP. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE DOES.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WATCH YOUR ASS EAT.

AND THEN PUT THE FOOD UP.

OKAY, ASHLEY, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO ALL THAT?

I SAID I WOULD AND I'M ADMITTING TO MY WRONGS, DR. NOW,

WHICH IS HARD FOR ME

BECAUSE I DON'T ADMIT TO NONE OF MY WRONGS.

YEAH, THAT'S REALLY HARD TO DO.

I LIKE YOU BECAUSE I'M TELLING YOU WHAT I DID

BECAUSE I DON'T TELL ON MYSELF. I TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE.

TAKE THE DOC. TAKE THE WIN.

ALRIGHT, ASHLEY, MAKE SURE YOU GO

TO YOUR NEXT THERAPY APPOINTMENT.

WORK WITH LOLA TO START TO ADDRESS

THE THINGS HOLDING YOU BACK.

AND THEN LOSE 40 POUNDS OVER THE NEXT 2 MONTHS.

YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?YES, SIR.

IF YOU'VE DONE GOOD, YOU CHANGE YOUR EATING HABIT,

IT'S GONNA SHOW ON THE SCALE.

BUT YOU HAVE TO BE HONEST BECAUSE EVERY TIME

I ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR EATING HABITS,

YOU SORT OF KEEP THAT UNDER CARPET.

I'VE NEVER WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW MUCH I REALLY EAT.

IT'S OVER TIME, I JUST STARTED HIDING

HOW MUCH I WAS REALLY EATING.

BUT NOW I KNOW I CAN'T DO THAT WITH YOU.

SO I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT NO MORE. NO MORE.

FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, NO MORE, DR. NOW.

OH, NO. NO, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE. TRUST ME.

OKAY. SO YOU HAVE A GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM.

AND I GIVE YOU BOTH COPY OF HER DIET AND EXERCISE, TOO,

SO THEY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA EAT.

-YEAH. -GIVE IT TO THEM.

Dierra: BECAUSE NOW SHE GOT TO BE SUPERVISED,

BECAUSE SHE WASN'T TELLING THE TRUTH.

9 TIMES OUT OF 10,

THEY NOT GONNA LET ME COOK FOR MYSELF NO MORE.

SEE, I STARTED COOKING FOR MYSELF LIKE YOU TOLD ME.

THIS IS WHERE WE GOT.

OH, YEAH, THAT'S OUT THE WINDOW.

WELL, EATING SALAD IS NOT COOKING. OKAY?

NO, SHE ACTUALLY COOKED SALMON.

HOLD UP, DOC, I NEVER COOK FOR MYSELF.

I DIDN'T EVEN BURN DOWN MY HOUSE.

SHE BEEN BINGE-WATCHING AUNT FAYE'S AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

EXACTLY.

IS THAT IT?

ALRIGHT, ASHLEY. I DON'T WANT YOU TO COME BACK HERE

AND TELL ME YOU'RE NOT OVEREATING.

"I DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T LOSE ANY WEIGHT."

I GOT YOU. I GOT YOU.

WHY AM I GONNA DO THAT? I'M GONNA LOSE THE 40 POUNDS.

AND WHEN I ASK YOU WHAT YOU EAT,

DON'T CALL US THAT WE POKING AT YOU.

I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT NO MORE.

I DID THAT THIS ONE TIME, DOC.

I'M NOT GONNA DO YOU LIKE THAT NO MORE.

NOW, YOU, ME, WE LIKE HERE. WE FAMILY NOW. I GOT YOU.

ALRIGHT, IN TWO MONTHS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOSE

40 POUNDS IN 2 MONTHS.

SO IN THE MEANTIME,

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, GIVE ME A CALL.

AND THEN WE'LL SEE HOW YOU DO IN TWO MONTHS.

OKAY?

ALRIGHT. I'LL SEE YOU IN TWO MONTHS.

ALRIGHT.

YOU TAKE CARE. NICE TO MEET YOU GUYS.

AND I'LL GET YOU THE STUFF. OKAY?

-OKAY. -YES, SIR.

ALRIGHT.

I WAS OBVIOUSLY VERY CONCERNED

WHEN ASHLEY GOT UPSET AND STORMED OUT.

I THOUGHT THAT COULD BE IT FOR HER,

BUT THANKFULLY SHE CAME BACK

AND WAS WILLING TO TALK TO ME AFTER A LITTLE BIT

AND MADE SOME POSITIVE STEPS COMING CLEAN ABOUT HER

EATING HABITS AND BEING HONEST WITH ME ABOUT THAT.

SO, THAT WAS ENCOURAGING.

BUT THE FACT REMAINS THAT SHE'S STILL NOT LOSING WEIGHT

AND SHOWING ME SHE'S TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY.

AND THERE STILL SEEM TO BE A LOT OF EMOTIONAL

AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES

THAT SHE NEEDS TO START WORKING ON

TO GET PAST WHAT IS HOLDING HER BACK

AND KEEPING HER FROM MAKING THE CHANGES SHE NEEDS.

SO SHE'S STILL VERY FAR FROM WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE

TO BE READY FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT SHE NEED TO KEEP WORKING

WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY RIGHT NOW TO TURN THINGS AROUND.

AND UNTIL SHE DOES THAT, THEN WE WON'T BE MOVING AHEAD WITH HER.

Ashley: I'M GLAD I CAME BACK IN

BECAUSE I STILL NEED THIS SURGERY, THOUGH,

SO I CAN START LIVING BECAUSE I DO WANT TO LIVE.

I WANT TO START LIVING MY LIFE.

I DON'T WANT TO BE TRAPPED IN THIS BODY.

DOING THIS IS HARD, BUT ALL I CAN DO IS TRY AGAIN

AND KEEP DOING MY BEST

BECAUSE I NEED TO GO BACK TO LOLA.

I NEED MORE ASSISTANCE.

SO I'LL GO BACK AND TRY TO WORK ON THINGS.

AND HOPEFULLY WHEN I COME BACK NEXT TIME,

IT'LL BE ENOUGH TO SHOW DR. NOW WHAT HE NEEDS TO SEE FROM ME

TO MOVE AHEAD WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

SO I CAN FINALLY GET CLOSER TO THE LIFE I WANT

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL FOR.

Ashley: I HAD ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH LOLA,

AND SHE TALKED TO ME AGAIN

ABOUT THE THINGS WE DID THE FIRST TIME.

AND SHE STILL THINKS I NEED TO CREATE A PROFILE

OF MYSELF THAT'S TRUTHFUL,

WHICH IS HONESTLY SOMETHING I'VE NEVER DONE.

I'VE CREATED THOUSANDS OF PROFILES

AND I'VE USED THEM FOR CATFISHING.

SOME HAVE SOME REALNESS TO THEM,

BUT NOTHING THAT'S JUST ME TO THE WORLD.

BUT I'M WILLING TO DO THE STEPS I NEED TO TRY AND GROW AND DEAL

WITH MY ISSUES THAT ARE HOLDING ME BACK

SO THAT I CAN GET TO A HEALTHIER PLACE.

THIS IS HARD BECAUSE IT'S SCARY TO ME

TO PUT MYSELF OUT THERE LIKE THAT.

BECAUSE MY TEMPTATION IS GONNA BE TO TRY AND CHANGE

SOMETHING ABOUT MYSELF.

COME IN.

AND THEN IT'LL PROBABLY JUST END UP LIKE

ONE OF MY OTHER PROFILES.

QUENTON SAID HE'LL COME OVER TO HELP ME WITH IT.

MM-HMM.

I'M SO MAD RIGHT NOW.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?

YOU KNOW, MY ANXIETY KICKS IN.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE EXACTLY?

JUST A SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT.

ALRIGHT.

NOTHING SERIOUS.

OKAY. WHAT KIND OF USERNAME DO YOU WANT?

I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY.

I KNOW THAT SEEMS LIKE A SIMPLE THING,

BUT THIS IS A BIG STEP FOR ME.

BUT I KNOW FROM WHAT LOLA SAYS, IT HELPS ME GROW

TO WHERE I COULD BE OKAY PUTTING MYSELF OUT THERE.

I'M GONNA TAKE A PICTURE OF YOU.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU CAN DELETE IT.

OKAY, THAT'S FINE. ALRIGHT.

SO I'M PROUD OF MYSELF FOR ACCOMPLISHING THIS TODAY,

BUT I KNOW IT'S JUST THE EARLY STEP IN MY PROCESS.

BECAUSE LOLA GAVE ME OTHER THINGS

I NEED TO WORK ON DOING, TOO,

LIKE DOING SOCIAL ACTIVITIES TO WHERE I CAN MEET PEOPLE.

SO I KNOW I NEED TO KEEP GOING AND DO THAT TO BETTER MYSELF.

SO I'M GONNA FOCUS ON THAT STEP NEXT

SO I CAN KEEP PUSHING FORWARD WITH MY GROWTH HOW I NEED IT.

AND HOPEFULLY AS I DO THAT,

I'LL START TO SEE THE GROWTH WITH MY WEIGHT LOSS, TOO.

ALRIGHT, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND FINISH THIS UP.

SO WHY DO YOU FEEL LIKE LOLA WANTED YOU TO DO THIS?

BECAUSE SHE WANTED ME

TO COME UP OUT OF MY SOCIAL-ANXIETY SHELL.

I FEEL LIKE IF I COME OUT MY SHELL,

PEOPLE ARE JUST GONNA ATTACK ME

AND THEN I'M GOING TO ATTACK THEM.

SEE, THAT'S THE THING.

IF THEY DO, THEN THAT'S ON THEM.

REMEMBER, SOCIAL MEDIA NEEDS YOU, YOU DON'T NEED IT.

I KNOW. THERE YOU GO.

SEE, LOOK.

I LIKE THAT ONE.

BECAUSE THAT'S STILL MY PRIMARY FOCUS TO GET TO WHERE I WANT

AND THAT STILL ALL DEPENDS ON MY WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

AND GETTING THAT.

SO, I KEEP PUSHING FORWARD AND DOING ALL THE THINGS

I CAN TO GET THERE AND MAKE SURE I DO THAT.

TONIGHT I'M TAKING ANOTHER STEP

THAT ACCOMPLISHES SOME THINGS FOR ME.

ONE THING IS THAT LOLA GAVE ME THE TASK OF BEING MORE SOCIAL.

AND SINCE I NEED TO DO EXERCISES, TOO,

WHAT I DECIDED WAS TO DO AN ACTIVITY CLASS

AT THE GYM WHERE WE DO SOME BOXING.

HELLO. HI.

NICE TO MEET YOU, LONZO. ALRIGHTY.

FIRST TIME DOING THIS? YEAH.

OKAY. SO FIRST THINGS FIRST,

WE'LL KIND OF JUST GET THESE ON RIGHT NOW

AND THEN WE'LL JUST EASE INTO THAT. OKAY?

I THINK DOING THIS WILL ALSO HELP ME GET STRONGER,

BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW

HOW TO DEFEND MYSELF IN CASE I NEED TO.

SO, I'M KILLING A LOT OF BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.

IT'S JUST OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE.

AND NOW THAT I'M HERE, MY NERVOUSNESS IS GROWING.

BUT I THINK THIS WILL BE GOOD FOR ME, SO I'M DOING THIS.

ASHLEY, WE'LL GET YOU ON THIS BAG RIGHT HERE.

SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO HERE,

WE'RE JUST THROWING THE LEFT HAND RIGHT HERE.

YEP. ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE.

GOOD. ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA SWITCH STANCES NOW.

Man: READY? AND ONE.

JAB, TWO KNEES. BOOM, BOOM.

JAB, TWO KNEES.

GOOD. JAB, ONE. AND THEN THE OTHER KNEE.

EXCELLENT.

MORE JAB, BOOM. KNEE, BOOM, KNEE, BOOM.

EXCELLENT.

JAB, BOOM. KNEE, BOOM.

EXCELLENT.

KNEE, BOOM, KNEE. EXCELLENT. ONE MORE.

JAB, KNEE, BOOM, BOOM.

EXCELLENT. GOOD WORK.

Alonzo: GLOVES OFF, GLOVES OFF.

I CAN GET THEM OFF YOU.

THAT TOOK A LOT OUT OF ME, BUT I FEEL GOOD

AND I'M PROUD OF MYSELF FOR PUSHING MYSELF TO DO THIS.

AND I DO FEEL LIKE BEING OUT AND BEING MORE SOCIAL,

IT'S HELPING ME BETTER MYSELF.

SO I THINK I'M MAKING A LOT OF GOOD PROGRESS NOW

AND I'M TURNING THINGS AROUND TO GET TO A BETTER PLACE

AND LOSE MORE WEIGHT.

SO WHEN I GO BACK TO DR. NOW, I'LL FINALLY BE --

HE SEES MY HARD WORK AND MY DETERMINATION TO DO THIS.

I KNOW I HAVE MORE WORK IN MY LIFE

TO DO TO GET BETTER, BUT I'M NOT STOPPING

AND I'M DOING WHAT I NEED TO FIGHT FOR MY LIFE.

SO I'M REALLY HOPING NOW THAT MY NEXT APPOINTMENT

IS THE TIME WHERE IT'LL ALL PAY OFF FOR ME

WHEN I FINALLY GET APPROVED FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

Ashley: OVERALL, THIS PAST MONTH HAS BEEN GOOD.

IT'S JUST WHEN YOU WORK SO HARD TO STAY ON TRACK,

IT MAKES MOMENTS LIKE THIS THAT MUCH HARDER

BECAUSE THE NEXT THING I TRIED TO DO FROM LOLA'S ADVICE

WAS TO REACH OUT TO MY FAMILY

I NEED TO MAKE AMENDS WITH, TO RESTORE MY RELATIONSHIPS.

YES. -HELLO.

-HI. -WHAT CAN I GET FOR YOU?

LET ME GET A LARGE MANGO SMOOTHIE.

LARGE MANGO SMOOTHIE.WHAT'S YOU WANT?

Quenton: OH, CAN I GET A BLENDED CREAM VANILLA BEAN

WITH ORANGE MARMALADE?

-ORANGE MARMALADE? -YES, MA'AM.

DID YOU WANT WHIPPED CREAM ON YOURS?

YES, MA'AM.LET ME GET THAT FOR YOU.

-APPRECIATE IT. -ALRIGHTY.

Ashley: AND I'M TRYING TO DO THAT STARTING WITH MY AUNT

BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH HER

WHEN IT CAME OUT I WAS CATFISHING.

BECAUSE I KNOW I SAID SOME THINGS ONLINE I REGRET.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I WANT TO MAKE AMENDS FOR IT.

EVEN THOUGH SHE SAID SOME DISRESPECTFUL THINGS TO ME, TOO.

BUT SO FAR SHE HADN'T PICKED UP MY CALLS,

SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO I'M JUST WORRIED WITH THE OBSTACLES I'M FACING,

IT'S GONNA HOLD ME UP FOR MY PROGRESS.

SO QUENTON IS TRYING TO TAKE MY MIND OFF THINGS

AND LET ME VENT SOME OF MY EMOTIONS TO HIM TO BE SUPPORTIVE

BECAUSE HE SEES MY STRUGGLE RIGHT NOW.

WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON?

EVERYTHING.

REALLY? MM-HMM.

GUESS WHAT HAPPENED TODAY? I GOT TO MY MOM'S.

OH, THAT'S GOOD. MM-HMM.

I WAS TELLING HER ABOUT MY JOURNEY

AND EVERYTHING I'M GOING THROUGH.

SHE'S JUST UNDERSTANDING.

WHAT DID SHE SAY?

SHE WAS JUST SAYING SHE'S THERE FOR ME

AND SHE WISHED SHE COULD BE HERE.

BUT I WAS DEALING WITH MY SHRINK, LOLA.

SHE WAS JUST SAYING I NEED TO MAKE AMENDS

AND TRY TO REBUILD BRIDGES AND START REKINDLING STUFF

WITH MY FAMILY.

AND I'M TRYING. I MISS THEM.

SHE GOT YOU TO REKINDLE WITH YOUR FAMILY?

YEAH.

I'M IMPRESSED.

WHAT ELSE DID YOU AND LOLA TALK ABOUT?

BECAUSE I KNOW LOLA GOT INTO IT, GOT INTO IT.

WE TALKED ABOUT MY SOCIAL ANXIETY.

WAIT, SHE GOT YOU TO SPEAK?

ALRIGHT. I'M IMPRESSED, MISS LOLA. I'M IMPRESSED.

YEAH, MY SOCIAL ANXIETY, SHE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT IT

AND I WAS TELLING HER, "I FEAR GOING OUT.

I'M SCARED TO GO OUT,

BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS THINKING SOMEBODY'S AFTER ME."

BUT WHAT I'M ABOUT TO TELL YOU

IS THE WORLD AIN'T AGAINST YOU,

IF YOU KNOW THAT.

THAT'S THE THING, I KNOW THE WORLD'S NOT AGAINST ME,

IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW.

AS LONG AS FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A GOOD PLACE,

THEN I'M ROOTING FOR YOU.

BUT LET'S KNOCK OFF THIS 20 POUNDS,

LET'S GET THIS SURGERY DONE, AND LET'S JUST CALL IT.

I'M AT A POINT IN MY LIFE WHERE I'M LIKE,

"WHATEVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS."

I'M NOT FORCING NOTHING. I'M NOT CHASING NOBODY.

I AIN'T BEGGING NOBODY TO TALK TO ME.

BUT AS FAR AS 20 POUNDS GO, I MEAN, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

LET'S DO IT. LET'S GET IT OVER WITH.

I'M TRYING MY BEST TO TAKE ALL THE STEPS

I NEED AND TAKE MY WALLS DOWN TO MOVE FORWARD,

BUT I CAN'T CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE'S ACTIONS

AND THEIR CHOICES TO ME.

I CAN ONLY DO WHAT I CAN DO,

AND I'M JUST HOPING NONE OF THIS HOLDS ME BACK.

BUT I'M DOING WHAT I CAN AND I'VE BEEN PUSHING SO HARD

TO GET TO MY GOAL FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS.

AND I ONLY HAVE ABOUT A WEEK

UNTIL MY NEXT APPOINTMENT WITH DR. NOW.

AND I NEED TO MAKE AS MUCH PROGRESS

AS I CAN TO INCREASE MY CHANCES

BECAUSE I NEED TO HIT MY GOAL AND GET WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY,

WHICH IS THE WHOLE REASON FOR ALL OF THIS

BECAUSE I'M VERY READY TO GET TO THE LIFE I REALLY WANT

AND START LIVING FOR THE FIRST TIME.

TRULY LIVE.

SO I'M WORKING MY HARDEST TO DO THAT

AND I JUST HOPE IT'S ENOUGH.

I'M BACK AT DR. NOW'S AND I'M VERY NERVOUS,

EXTREMELY BECAUSE THIS HAS TO BE IT FOR ME.

I WORKED MY HARDEST TO TAKE ALL THE STEPS

I NEED TO GET TO MY GOAL.

ASHLEY.

AND SO NOW I FEEL LIKE IT'S ALL ON THE LINE

BECAUSE I'VE DONE WHAT I CAN AND I NEED THIS SURGERY.

AND I KNOW IT'S GONNA ALL COME DOWN TO MY WEIGHT AGAIN.

SO, I'M REALLY HOPING I'M WHERE I NEED AND I MADE IT TO MY GOAL

BECAUSE ALL MY HOPES AND MY DREAMS

AND MY WHOLE LIFE ARE DEPENDENT ON THIS.

Ashley: I'M AT DR. NOW'S AGAIN TO FIND OUT MY WEIGHT,

AND I'M REALLY HOPING THAT WITH HOW MUCH HARDER I TRIED,

THAT I MET MY GOAL THIS TIME.

AT MY LAST APPOINTMENT I WAS AT 475.

AND DR. NOW SAID I NEEDED TO LOSE 40 POUNDS.

SO THAT WOULD PUT ME AT FOR 435

IF I'M THERE AND WHERE I NEED TO BE.

THAT'S AT LEAST MORE THAN LAST TIME, SO THAT'S A POSITIVE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HOW DR. NOW

IS GONNA SEE IT TO AGREE BECAUSE IT'S NOT TO MY GOAL.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS GONNA GO,

BUT PROBABLY NOT LIKE I NEED IT.

SO I'M JUST VERY DISAPPOINTED AND WEARY RIGHT NOW.

COME IN.

HELLO. HELLO.

-HELLO. -HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING?

WE'RE DOING GOOD. HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

I'M GOOD. THANK YOU.

I SEE YOU'RE 469 TODAY.

YES, SIR.

OKAY. MY MAIN CONCERN

IS THAT YOU'RE NOT LOSING ENOUGH WEIGHT

SINCE YOU STARTED THE PROGRAM.

AND SO THAT'S AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW.

BUT I LOST ALMOST 20 POUNDS TOTAL,

SO I'VE MADE IT TO YOUR GOAL.

BUT IT'S TAKING YOU SIX TIMES LONGER TO DO THAT,

SO THAT'S A FACTOR THAT SHOWS

THAT YOU'RE STILL NOT CUTTING BACK

YOUR EATING LIKE YOU SHOULD.

BUT I LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT ON TOP OF THAT

BECAUSE I REALLY STARTED AT 630.

REALLY? YES, SIR.

WELL, I GOT THE REST OF YOUR MEDICAL RECORD

FROM WHEN YOU TRIED TO DO WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY

FROM THE PREVIOUS CLINIC YOU WENT TO.

YES, SIR.

IT GOES BACK TO THREE YEARS AGO.

YES, SIR.

AND THREE YEARS AGO,

THEY SAID YOU WERE AT 449 POUND.

AND THEN THREE YEARS AGO, 477 POUNDS.

AND THEN 479.

SO NOW 469.

JUST PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WEIGHT

YOU HAVE BEEN FOR PAST THREE YEARS.

SO I CAN'T SEE WHERE YOU HAVE LOST MUCH OF ANY WEIGHT

RECENTLY OR IN THE PAST THREE YEARS.

SO THERE IS STILL NO EVIDENCE

THAT YOU ARE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY LIKE YOU NEED.

BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL NOT LOSING WEIGHT.

AND MY BIG CONCERN IS THAT YOUR BMI

IS STILL VERY HIGH.

YES, SIR.

IT'S ALMOST 84.

AND THIS IS A GOOD WAY

TO HAVE BLOOD PRESSURE AND DIABETES

AND WITH THE UNKNOWN CONDITION

THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FULLY DETERMINE

BECAUSE YOU HAVE REFUSED TO LET US DO

ALL THE TESTING IN THE PAST.

SO BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING ELSE,

I WANT TO DO SOME TESTS ON YOU

AND SEE WHAT THE KIND OF HEALTH ISSUE YOU HAVE.

AND WE NEED TO DO THAT TODAY

IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRAM.

OKAY? OKAY.

SO YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW?

YES, SIR. I'M WILLING TO DO IT.

OKAY. LET'S GET THAT GOING AND THEN I WILL COME BACK

AND DISCUSS THAT FURTHER WITH YOU.

COME IN.

HELLO. I'M HERE TO GET YOUR BLOOD WORK.

OKAY.

I'M GETTING NERVOUS.

I'M GETTING NERVOUS.

Dr. Nowzaradan: IT'S POSITIVE

THAT ASHLEY IS FINALLY ALLOWING US

TO RUN SOME OF THE TESTS WE HAVE NEEDED ON HER.

AND MY CONCERN IS THAT WITH HOW LONG

SHE HAS HAD THIS AMOUNT OF WEIGHT ON HER BODY,

SHE COULD HAVE A SERIOUS ISSUE AT THIS POINT

THAT WE NEED TO SEND HER TO THE HOSPITAL TO TREAT.

SO BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING ELSE WITH HER,

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE TO RUN SOME TESTS

AND SEE WHAT HER SITUATION IS,

SO WE CAN GET AHEAD OF ANY ISSUES WE NEED WITH HER

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

HI, ASHLEY.

HEY, DOCTOR.

SO WE GOT YOUR BLOOD TESTS AND WE GOT YOUR EKG.

SO THAT'S GOOD

THAT YOU FINALLY COOPERATING WITH US FOR THAT

BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT WE ARE ABLE TO FULLY TREAT YOU.

AND SO FAR THE TEST SHOWS THAT THERE'S NOTHING

LIFE-THREATENING GOING ON, WHICH IS GOOD,

BUT THAT CAN CHANGE VERY QUICKLY FOR YOU

AS LONG AS YOU PUTTING ALL THE STRAIN

IN YOUR SYSTEM WITH YOUR WEIGHT.

SO YOU NEED TO GET TO A POINT

WHERE YOU'RE LOSING AT LEAST 20 POUNDS A MONTH,

CONSISTENTLY, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AT THIS POINT.

AND YOU CAN START TO SHOW ME THAT

BY LOSING AT LEAST 40 POUNDS OVER THE NEXT 2 MONTHS.

AND PSYCHOTHERAPY NEED TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS WITH YOU

BEFORE WE CONSIDER YOU THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE CANDIDATE

FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THAT?

OKAY. ALRIGHT, ASHLEY. I'LL SEE YOU IN TWO MONTHS.

AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING IN THE MEANTIME,

GIVE ME A CALL.

ALRIGHTY.ALRIGHT. SEE Y'ALL LATER.

ALRIGHT. IT WAS GOOD SEEING YOU.

Dierra: YOU TOO. TAKE CARE.

I THINK AT THIS POINT, OUR FOCUS WITH ASHLEY

NEEDS TO BE ON PSYCHOTHERAPY,

BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER

OF EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES

HOLDING HER BACK THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS

BEFORE IT'S LIKELY WE ARE GOING TO SEE MUCH PROGRESS WITH HER.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SEEN ASHLEY

TAKE SOME POSITIVE STEPS OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS,

SHE'S STILL FAR AWAY FROM WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE,

TO BE READY FOR WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS,

THERE IS NOT MUCH MORE WE CAN DO FOR HER.

Ashley: THIS IS KILLING ME, BUT THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO

BUT KEEP TRYING AND DO WHAT DR. NOW SAYS.

THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO.

I'M JUST GONNA KEEP IT GOING, LIKE, WHAT CAN I DO?

BECAUSE I CAN'T FAIL AND LOSE THIS BECAUSE IF I GIVE UP,

THEN I WILL AND I'M SCARED OF FAILURE.

SO, I'LL KEEP GOING AND DO MY THERAPY

AND TRY TO WORK ON THINGS BETTER.

BECAUSE I HAVE TO DO THIS OR I KNOW I'LL LOSE EVERYTHING

AND I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.

I'M HEADED BACK TO LOLA FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT

TO KEEP WORKING ON THINGS.

I KNOW I NEED IT AND THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT.

ASHLEY. HEY, MISS LOLA.

COME ON BACK.

ALRIGHTY. I'M READY.

BUT I'M A LITTLE DOWN ABOUT HOW LONG THE PROCESS IS TAKING.

I JUST HOPE I'M ABLE TO ADVANCE MORE HERE SOON.

OKAY, SO WELCOME BACK.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY?

I'M ON AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER.

ONE MINUTE I'M HAPPY AND I'M OKAY.

AND NEXT MINUTE, I'M CRYING, I'M SAD.

I'M JUST NONSTOP CRYING.

YOU KNOW, ASHLEY, AFTER OUR INITIAL MEETING

WHERE WE HAD THE FIRST ASSESSMENT,

I WAS ABLE TO THOROUGHLY REVIEW YOUR ASSESSMENT

AND GO OVER SOME THINGS IN THE NOTES.

AND IT APPEARS THAT YOU DEFINITELY SUFFER

WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER.

AND ALONG WITH THAT,

THERE SEEM TO BE SOME COMPONENTS

OF BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER.

OKAY.

AND SO MORE THAN LIKELY,

YOU'LL NEED TO HAVE ROUTINE THERAPY

ON A CONTINUING BASIS

PRIOR TO ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARD

WITH WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY.

SO IT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT

IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN FOR YOU,

THAT YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT STRETCH

OF EMOTIONAL STABILITY

WITHOUT ANY OF THE DIPS OR THE ROLLER COASTER

THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.

YEAH.

I'M HOPING WE GET TO HAVE THE SURGERY

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WANT.

IF I DON'T HAVE THE SURGERY,

THEN THIS WAS A WASTE OF MY TIME.

A LITTLE SELF-INTROSPECTION WILL GO A LONG WAY

IN HELPING YOU DEVELOP THE EMOTIONAL DEPTH,

THE EMPATHY, THE REMORSE AND JUST THE COMPASS

THAT YOU NEED TO NAVIGATE YOUR JOURNEY.

OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN.

SOME OF THAT WAS SHOCKING TO HEAR FROM LOLA

ABOUT MY PERSONALITY DISORDER.

I'VE KNOWN I'VE HAD DEPRESSION FOR A LONG TIME,

BUT NO ONE HAS EVER TOLD ME THAT ABOUT MY PERSONALITIES.

SO I HAVE A LOT TO PROCESS FOR MYSELF

AND THINK OVER TO GET TO A BETTER PLACE WITH IT

BEFORE I TALK ABOUT IT OR MAKE ANY PLANS WITH IT.

BUT AS HARD AND UNCOMFORTABLE IT WAS AT MOMENTS,

I THINK THIS IS GOOD TODAY FOR ME AND WILL HELP ME.

AFTER MY LAST APPOINTMENTS WITH DR. NOW AND LOLA,

I HAD TO DO SOME SOUL SEARCHING WITHIN MYSELF

BECAUSE I HAD A LOT TO KIND OF WRESTLE WITH, I GUESS

WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID,

AND WITH WHAT LOLA TOLD ME ABOUT MY PERSONALITY DISORDER.

BUT THE QUESTION BEFORE ME WAS,

AM I GONNA STICK WITH THIS OR NOT?

BECAUSE THIS HAS BECOME A LOT MORE THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS.

SO AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT A GOOD DEAL,

I'VE DEFINITELY DECIDED THAT I'M 100% COMMITTED TO THIS

AND THAT I'M NOT STOPPING UNTIL I GET HEALTHY

IN ALL THE WAYS I NEED, EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY.

BECAUSE I KNOW ALL OF ME HAS TO GET BETTER.

AND I'M GONNA KEEP GOING TO LOLA FOR MY APPOINTMENTS

WITH HER AND MOVE FORWARD WITH MY LIFE AND MY HEALTH.

I'M PROUD OF ALL THAT I'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE

TO ACCOMPLISH SO FAR.

AND EVEN THOUGH THE JOURNEY IS A LOT FURTHER

THAN I REALIZE, I'M NOT GONNA GIVE UP

AND I'M NOT GOING TO FAIL AT THIS

BECAUSE THERE'S A FUTURE OUT THERE

THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MINE TO BEGIN WITH.

AND I GAVE IT UP TO FOOD

AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE KEPT ME FROM IT.

SO I'M FIGHTING TO GET BACK WHAT'S MINE

AND I'M NOT GONNA LET MYSELF STOP UNTIL I SUCCEED.