My 600 Lb Life Star Tracey Matthews Has a Serious Weight Problem

Tracey Matthews has an enormous weight problem. At 605 pounds, most of which resides on her large legs, she suffers from lymphedema – the disease that will ultimately take away her life due to obesity.

She has made the 20-hour trek by car to Houston in hopes of qualifying for weight loss surgery that could transform her life.

TLC’s My 600 lb life has been following the lives of people struggling with morbid obesity since 2012. The show takes viewers on an intimate journey filled with struggle and intense emotion.

Many times, participants are dealing with trauma from their childhoods that has caused feelings of shame and lack of self-control. It can be especially challenging for them to lose weight since they lack control over food intake.

In some cases, participants have achieved significant weight loss through diet and exercise. Some even underwent gastric bypass surgery in an effort to shed the extra pounds and enhance their health.

Many stars on My 600 lb life struggle with mental health issues and anxiety, which can be compounded by their weight issues. To combat these struggles, the show encourages each star to seek professional therapy or psychotherapy for emotional support and assistance in dealing with emotions and overcoming difficulties.

These therapy sessions are essential to the weight loss process and their overall wellbeing, according to the show. Without them, it may be difficult for them to control their emotions and make lasting changes in their eating habits.

Some of the stars on My 600 lb Life have achieved remarkable weight loss success through diet and exercise. Some even opt for gastric bypass surgery in an effort to shed even more pounds and enhance their health.

Surgery helps them curb their eating, which could otherwise lead to other health complications like diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, it takes away the excess weight they are carrying around with them – a decision that has lasting effects for them and their families.

Losing weight can be especially challenging for those who have been abusive or experienced emotional trauma. Eliminating harmful foods from their diet can seem like an impossible task to some, making this task all the more daunting.

Another challenge is that participants often have access to unhealthy food through enablers such as friends, family members, co-workers or neighbors.

Enablers can also include medical professionals such as physicians, nurses and dietitians who are unable to control their patients’ eating habits. In some cases, these enablers may have an emotional connection with the participant that makes them especially helpful.

Enablers often don’t realize they are encouraging their patients to continue eating unhealthy food, leading them down a dangerous spiral of weight gain. That is why it is so critical for people to get professional help before they embark on any type of weight loss surgery.