Bhaswati Borthakur
TLC’s inspirational reality series ‘My 600-lb Life’ chronicles the journeys of morbidly obese individuals as they attempt to lose weight in order to save their own lives. The show highlights several stages of these journeys, during which the individuals must follow a strict calorie-restricted diet and carry out the exercises that Dr. Now recommends. Famous bariatric surgeon Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, AKA Dr. Now, encourages them as they work to lose the weight needed to be eligible for bariatric surgery.
Although the cast members come to the reality show with a variety of personalities and backgrounds, losing weight is a common objective. While some people go through the process more rapidly, others face far more challenges in reaching their weight-loss goals. Similar was the case for Cynthia Wells, who appeared in season 5 episode 3 of the show. She had one of the most engaging stories because of everything her family endured before and during her weight-loss journey. Thus, as many viewers must be wondering where she is now, here’s what we found out!
Cynthia Wells’ My 600-lb Life Journey
A mother of five children, Cynthia Wells weighed 610 pounds when she first appeared on the show in season 5. An Oklahoma native, the then-42-year-old was not only unable to take care of herself well but was also incapable of looking after her children. Her weight had become a burden on her family because it made her body weak. She needed help from her then-11-year-old daughter, Ukiah, to help her clean the corners of her legs and even make breakfast for everyone. Cynthia had weight issues since her teenage years, which kept increasing after she faced bullying and body image issues.
In her late-20s, when Cynthia was already struggling with overeating, she also had to take custody of her cousin’s children, who were being abused by their father, as per the show. Since the mother of the three kids, Cynthia’s cousin, was unable to raise them, she took up their responsibility. However, Cynthia also wanted children of her own, so she dated and gave birth to her two youngest children. While giving birth to her youngest child, she already weighed around 480 pounds, which spiraled up later. In taking care of all her children, she forgot to look after herself and ended up in an almost irreversible state.
But Cynthia had a growing fear that her body would give up before she got the chance to see her kids grow up. She wanted to be present and active in her children’s lives; thus, she made her journey to Dr. Now’s clinic in Houston with her brother. Cynthia was first asked to lose 30 pounds. When she was unable to do so after two appointments, she got frustrated and decided to leave the weight loss program. Upon being asked to consult a therapist to address her emotional attachment to food, she said, “I’ve decided to stop trying to live up to everyone’s expectations for me.”
Cynthia added, [I don’t] need him trying to make connections that aren’t there. He can’t help me at this point. I just think I have to do it on my own right now.” Although she left for a while, Cynthia did return to Dr. Now after losing some weight on her own and got approved for bariatric surgery. Thus, by the end of her journey on the show, she managed to lose an incredible 156 pounds, which ended her weight at 454 pounds.
Where is Cynthia Wells Today?
Cynthia has successfully maintained her weight loss very diligently and also appeared in the 2018 follow-up ‘Where Are They Now?’ episode. She revealed that she did stick to Dr. Now’s program after all and lost another 90 pounds, bringing down her weight to around 360 pounds. This is a great feat on her part, and she has been doing so while also balancing a new job and taking care of her five children. She also expressed her elation at being able to go to her children’s events without any health issues.
Cynthia’s happiness was particularly linked to her daughter’s dance recital practice which she had to miss earlier because of her weight. She now moves around without any difficulty and does as much as she can for her children. She happily celebrates every occasion and festival with her family and often shares special moments with her followers on her social media platform. Be it her children’s graduation or birthdays, Cynthia loves sharing pictures, which clearly shows how confident she has grown in her weight loss journey.
Cynthia now resides in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and works as a teacher. She even had plans to get the excess skin removal surgery once she reached the required weight. Furthermore, she also realized the importance of therapy and decided to go for it when she understood how Dr. Now’s program works. Thus, as Cynthia makes tremendous progress toward her goal of a healthy life, we only wish her more happiness and success in the future ahead.
Read More: Karina Garcia My 600-lb Life Update: Where is She Now?
