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 December 2022, Tammy gave everyone a reason to be optimistic about her journey after she uploaded a video showing her looking drastically different.
The Slaton sisters have had some health scares over the years. During the pandemic, Tammy tested positive for COVID-19, according to Distractify. Explaining the severity of the situation, she said, “I was on 15 liters of oxygen and now I’m on three.”
The sisters have also had issues with each other throughout the television series, as Tammy has criticized her sister a handful of times. This rubbed some viewers the wrong way, with one saying, “I like how (Tammy) called Amy lazy for not wanting to take care of her and then the next sentence said she didn’t need a babysitter,” according to Screenrant.
However, sometimes the sisters have lied about their health conditions. In April 2015, Amy uploaded a since-deleted YouTube video explaining that Tammy was in the hospital with Pneumonia, and she asked for donations to go toward Tammy’s funeral to Primink. Their GoFundMe raised about $1,000.
Fans were surprised to see Tammy and Amy together just a few days later, looking happy and eating junk food. The sisters said the donated money was given to their mother, but fans speculated that it was actually spent on Amy’s trailer, according to Primink. The sisters claimed they would give anyone who donated their money back, but fans claimed that their funds were never returned.
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. Like most sisters anywhere in the world, while they do lean on each other as cheerleaders in each other’s lives, there have also been times when the pair have butted heads.
The sisters have had issues with each other throughout the television series, 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.”
“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!”
With the fourth season of “1000-lb Sisters” airing in January 2023, there’s no telling how much more progress fans will get to see from the Slaton sisters!