‘1000-Lb Sisters’ Fans Emotionally Rejoice Over Tammy Slaton’s 300-Pound Weight Loss

Apr 09, 2023

The TLC television series “1000-lb Sisters” has become a guilty pleasure for many people in the United States, as well as anyone who can access it in other countries. It’s a show that follows the lives of Amy and Tammy Slaton, sisters who once weighed over 1,000 pounds together and depend on each other for support. The series depicts their hardships living as morbidly obese women while trying to find their own path to health and happiness.

Similar to “My 600-lb Life,” the show “1000-lb Sisters” has a fan following of people cheering on Amy and Tammy as they navigate weight loss and other obstacles in life, specifically ones related to their health. While many people have grown to adore the sisters for their sense of humor and their relationship with each other, others have pointed out how unmotivated the sisters seem at times to really take care of themselves and take their health situation seriously.

Each season depicts the challenging lives of overweight sisters Amy and Tammy. The two navigate their relationship together, as well as their own personal lives, mixed in with their individual weight loss goals. 

Throughout each season, both sisters try to eat healthier and exercise more to give themselves a better chance at a happier, healthier and longer life. However, many fans have watched as Amy has shown to make much more progress than Tammy. Tammy, too, has also seen her fair share of ups and downs, most notably in 2022, when she suffered a major health scare that would change her entire perspective on life. 

While Tammy’s family and viewers were worried following her health troubles, in March 2023, Tammy gave everyone a reason to be optimistic about her journey after she uploaded several photos of herself looking drastically different.

The sisters have had issues with each other throughout “1000-lb Sisters,” as Tammy has criticized Amy a handful of times. One instance, in particular, was when the family went to an amusement park. Tammy was in a bad mood the entire time and did not join the rest of the family except for dinner. 

The family decided to get an electric wheelchair for Tammy, but she refused to use one, claiming she would rather use the mechanical one. She then voiced her suspicions that the family only wanted to use the electric wheelchair so they wouldn’t have to push her around anymore. Fans of the show took to social media to share their opinions on what they believed was Tammy’s irrational behavior. 

One fan said on Twitter, “Tammy has an attitude because the electric wheelchair makes it easier on her family. How freaking selfish can one person be?!”

It’s clear that the Slaton sisters have been through a lot of ups and downs in their lives as they work toward creating the life they want while working to achieve all of their personal health goals.

Over the show’s run, many fans have pointed out that it seemed like Amy was making much more progress than her sister, Tammy. Fans have been rooting for the sisters and have shown concern over times when it seemed like they had fallen off their paths. According to Showbiz CheatSheet, Amy first weighed about 400 pounds when the reality show started and has been depicted as the “skinny sister.” She took a break from trying to lose weight when she got pregnant but got back on track shortly after, getting down to 270 pounds.

Tammy, on the other hand, has struggled a lot with her weight loss journey. She gained weight after filming first began before taking the right steps toward a healthier lifestyle. Tammy said, “I just wasn’t doing what I needed to do. I mean, sometimes I try to eat healthier, and then other days I’m like, ‘What the heck’s the point?’”

A 2020 video showed Tammy eating healthy and hardly using her walker. “It’s an accomplishment being able to take care of myself and to be more independent,” she said. She admitted that she still depended on Amy at times but has been able to take care of herself for the most part. Tammy later checked into a weight-loss facility, according to Showbiz CheatSheet. 

However, in early 2022, Tammy appeared to hit a wall. In a clip from the Season 3 finale of “1000-lb Sisters,” Tammy admitted she was “battling mental health” and depression “big time.” A visit from her bariatric surgeon, Dr. Eric Smith, revealed Tammy was indulging in some major unhealthy habits. These included partying, drinking heavily and a newfound interest in vaping, with Smith expressing she was “putting herself in grave danger” with her activities.

When Smith asked her, “Is it worse when you’re by yourself versus when people are here?” she responded, “By myself,” before adding, “That’s why I kinda felt like I needed to just take a break and not think about diets, relationships. Just clear my mind. Just work on me.” Smith then became visibly shocked when he inquired as to just how much she was drinking.

“Maybe eight bottles a week,” she said before Smith remarked, “Like fifths of liquor? Oh wow, Tammy. That’s a lot.”

While Smith concurred that Tammy had every right to make her mental health a priority, he believed she was not going about things the right way and may even be using it as an excuse to indulge in activities that only distract her. He said:

“She says she’s focusing on her mental health, which, if that was true, I’m all about that. But she’s not made any strides to actually do it,” he said. “So, I’m a little concerned that she’s actually just using that as an excuse to buy her more time to not work on her activity level, making some changes in her diet, or anything further than that.”

He said her new lifestyle was “putting her in severe danger,” and that it “raises a concern for me.”

His concerns appeared to be well-founded when Tammy later suffered a health scare that left her hospitalized and breathing with the aid of a ventilator. She was also put in an induced coma when her body began to shut down. While she later recovered, the harrowing experience taught her some precious life lessons. Her sister, Amy, said the family flew into a panic when Tammy appeared to stop breathing, prompting an immediate rush to the emergency room. She “quit breathing,” and “her body shut down,” Amy said. At the hospital, Tammy underwent a tracheotomy to create a hole in her throat so that a breathing tube could be inserted for her to receive emergency breathing support should she require it. 

In a clip from the show, Tammy’s family expressed real fears she was going to “end up dead” if she didn’t get a handle on her health situation. Another clip showed medical professionals yelling that her “oxygen’s dropping,” before making a beeline for her bed, as per People.

In the wake of the near-death experience, Tammy said she would not waste the new lease on life she has been blessed with.

“My near-death experience has taught me not to take life for granted,” Tammy told People. “I now live my life how I want to and not how others want me to. It has also mellowed me out. I try harder to not get mad as easily and try to figure out a way around the situation.”

“I’m grabbing the bull by the horns and taking control of my life again and not letting my body defeat me. I told y’all that this wasn’t the end of me,” Tammy said, adding optimistically, “The new and improved Tammy is on the way.”

After the health scare, Tammy joined a weight-loss rehab facility in Ohio, and told People she was a new woman determined to change her hard-partying ways. The news was also well-received by Smith, who said if Tammy was able to get her weight down to a low of 500 lbs, she could immediately undergo weight loss surgery straight after completing her stint in rehab. However, Smith said she still had a ways to go.

“I told you Tammy, you have real risks,” Smith said in a clip from the show. Tammy’s brother, Chris, then chimed in to say, “If she doesn’t get the surgery, she’s gonna die because of her weight.”

However, there was a shining light in the midst of all of Tammy’s health woes: she met Caleb Willingham in rehab, and by Nov. 20, 2022, the pair were married. It was clear Tammy was thrilled about her new role as a wife alongside a husband who understood and supported her through her health journey.

Tammy and Willingham met while she was in rehab, and the pair have only gone from strength to strength since. 

“Our wedding day was perfect, there was so much love in the room,” Tammy told People. “I literally married my best friend.”

Willingham proposed to Tammy in October 2022, and a clip of the sweet proposal was shared with The Sun, which reported that the groom played a huge part in supporting the TV star through their time in rehab. It also said Willingham intended to move to Kentucky to be close to his new wife. At the wedding ceremony itself, Tammy was a sight to behold in a sleeveless white gown and sparkling tiara, holding a bouquet of sunflowers and smiling from ear to ear. Willingham wore a black shirt and brown suspenders, as a breathing tube could be seen on both the bride and the groom. 

Since her nuptials, it seems like Tammy has since made remarkable progress in the health department as well. Fans were blown away by her dramatic weight loss transformation after she uploaded a TikTok video in December 2022. Although she had a filter on the video that slightly altered her face, it was still obvious that Tammy had lost a significant amount of weight.

People were quick to share their feedback with Tammy on her transformation as they were happy that it seemed like she was taking good care of herself. One person commented, “Tammy you’re looking great!” Another person said, “YOU LOOK SO GOOD TAMMY!!” 

More fans shared their thoughts. A third person said, “You actually look happy.” Another person commented, “You look amazing!”

The fourth season of “1000-lb Sisters” aired in January 2023, giving fans more of a look into the updated lives of Tammy and Amy. The sisters have already endured some hardships and emotional moments, and it seems like their lives will continue to be full of ups and downs.

A clip posted on Feb. 4, 2023, showed Tammy looking rather upset when she learned that she had gained 10 pounds. However, this was before she finally neared her goal weight. Still, it was clear that the reality star was disappointed in herself, as she said, “I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing, doing wrong.”

Afterward, though, Tammy continued to embrace her healthier lifestyle, and she has since spoken out about how proud she is of herself for proving everyone wrong. In February 2023, People reported that a clip from the TV show highlighted Tammy and her sisters Amanda and Misty feeling excited about Tammy being down 180 pounds. She shared:

“When I got on the scale and I saw the scale was at 534.7, I kinda stopped breathing for a second. I’m like 14 lbs. under my goal weight. From over 700, that’s a huge drop.”

She finally reached the required weight needed for bariatric weight loss surgery. It was evident that the reality star was impressed by her own progress and was proud of how far she had come.

“I did that!” Tammy said. “I’m feeling thrilled, proud, excited — just all the emotions. I proved everybody wrong. Everybody that doubted me, I finally got mine! My told-you-so moment!”

In March 2023, Tammy thrilled fans with her new slimmed-down look after sharing photos of herself taking in the sunshine on a beautiful day. In the pictures, Tammy was still wearing a breathing aid, but her face appeared slimmer than it had ever looked. Fans praised and encouraged her as they were proud of how well she has been sticking to her weight loss goals.

“Yes, we are all proud of you, but what really matters is that you feel proud of yourself!!! You are accomplishing what you set out to do. Struggles present themselves but once kicked to the side of the road, the journey continues. Cheers to you sweet Tammy. You are doing amazing,” one user commented.

Also, in March 2023, the Southern Indiana Combat Production Facebook page shared photos of Tammy and Amy, much to “1000-lb Sisters” fans' delight. The post was captioned:

“SICP was surprised by these two beautiful ladies! The 1000lb sisters are SICP fans!!! Thank you to Amy and Tammy for showing us some love! We are going to put a show on for you to talk about for years to come!”

Tammy has lost over 300 pounds since starting her weight loss journey. Once again, fans were blown away by how great Tammy looked. They excitedly took to the comment section to share how proud they were of the reality star for never giving up on her weight loss journey.

One person commented, “TAMMY LOOKS SO GOOD!!” Another added, "I’m gonna cry. I’m too invested in her health. This is truly amazing!”

With such commendable results since the start of her epic journey, we’re excited about what Tammy will accomplish next.

Are you a fan of the TLC series? What do you think about Tammy’s weight loss journey? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.