What Melissa Morris From My 600-Lb Life Is Up To Now

When the show started in 2012, TLC didn't know what a huge success My 600-lb Life was going to be for the network, or for many of the cast members who appeared on it. What started as a seven-year weight-loss journey over a five-part miniseries has turned into a nine-seasons-and-counting triumph that is one of TLC's most popular shows. It even has a spin-off Where Are They Now series that's celebrating its seventh season. And some of that success should probably be shared with the series' very first cast member: Melissa Morris.

The show follows several "super-morbidly obese" people as they embark on a one-year journey with Dr. Now, the bariatric doctor who helps them change —and often save —their lives. Dr. Younan Nowzaradan is often the last hope for these patients, whose extreme weight is too risky for other doctors. When Melissa joined the show, she weighed 653 pounds. Her husband Chris enabled her weight gain so that he could play caretaker, per The Cinemaholic, but when she realized her weight not only prevented her from doing common, everyday tasks, but would also prohibit her from achieving her dream of having children, she decided to do something about it. She sought Dr. Now's help.

Over her more than 10-year weight-loss journey, Melissa has shed a significant amount of weight, realized her dream, and is a much happier person. Let's see where she is now.

Melissa Morris still has a close relationship with Dr. Now many years later

Since her first appointment with Dr. Now back in 2005, Melissa Morris started following his rules, adopting a new diet and exercise program to change her life. Since the gastric bypass surgery she underwent on the show, she kept working hard at these rules and eventually lost almost 500 pounds, weighing in at 157 pounds! She was also able to achieve her dream of becoming a mother, and she now has three children.

However, it hasn't all been as easy as it sounds, and the reality star gained some of the weight back after her children were born. As she explains in a Where Are They Now episode, it was difficult to be around the kids' food all the time. During her pregnancy with her second child, Melissa gained back over 100 pounds. She also struggled with depression — which never helps with weight loss — when her husband Chris went back to work and she stayed at home with the kids.

According to The Cinemaholic, Melissa divorced Chris after she caught him cheating on her, and she seems much happier. She is still working on her weight loss journey, and believes so strongly in Dr. Now's program that she now works for him at his office in Texas. She celebrated her 14th year since meeting him with a post on Instagram in 2019, sharing a photo of the doctor with her three kids. She's also a public speaker and a proponent of Weight Watchers, enjoying her life with her dreams come true.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please contact the National Eating Disorder Association's Helpline at 1-800-931-2237 or chat with one of their helpline volunteers on NEDA's website.