S08.E01: John and Lonnie

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

John & Lonnie are two brothers from opposite ends of the spectrum.  For years estranged, the brothers are now brought together by a common need to lose weight while they still can.

Original network air date 2020.01.01

TLC is offering an early preview of this episode on their website, so the thread is open for those who watch early.  If you are waiting for the regular viewing, read at your own risk.

They're brothers! Non-identical brothers, except around the waist.  Yes, it's a family affair, with brothers Lonnie and John both realizing that together they weigh more than the defensive line on a US football team.  Will they lose weight?  Will there be a competition between the two?  Let's watch and see!

This is the regular episode thread.  Please do not post until you have watched the entire episode.

[ShortyMac]

Is this the first time Dr. Now gave a patient's spouse a diet plan? John said Amber has lost 20lbs. She doesn't look like she's lost that much. She should get healthy for herself and her family. 

I hate their mom. She's discouraging and trying to sabotage them. 

"Your chicken and veggies doesn't sound good! Nothing healthy is good! Good, you bought rolls for me, now, I won't starve to death!"

The two of them were both almost 700lbs, and had one foot in their graves! Get a grip, lady! She needs a diet plan, too. 

I would totally be friends with Lonnie. He is cool. I love that he went clothes shopping for John and seemed to enjoy doing so. 

Damn, they sent Lonnie to conversion therapy?? So sick. :(

Poor John dissolves into tears so easily, like a child. 

I'm really glad that their mom was receptive to their talk, and didn't reject them or shift blame. She listened to what they said, took it in, and accepted responsibility for her mistakes. 

I liked seeing them shop together. 

Lonnie: SW: 612.7

EW: 368

John: SW: 686.5

EW: 393

They are the anti-Assanti brothers. 

As are the successful episodes, this was mostly boring. But, I'm really happy for both of them. I'd like to see a follow-up on them. 

[BuyMoreAndSave]

I loved this episode! It was so wholesome and heartwarming. Lonnie is one of my favorite people who has ever been on this show. (And he definitely has the nicest looking home by far of anyone who has been on the show.) I loved the scene where he gets a bunch of clothes for John, makes John try on the Hawaiian shirt and he actually likes it. LOL.

On 12/22/2019 at 7:51 PM, ShortyMac said:

Is this the first time Dr. Now gave a patient's spouse a diet plan? John said Amber has lost 20lbs. She doesn't look like she's lost that much. She should get healthy for herself and her family. 

I hate their mom. She's discouraging and trying to sabotage them. 

"Your chicken and veggies doesn't sound good! Nothing healthy is good! Good, you bought rolls for me, now, I won't starve to death!"

The two of them were both almost 700lbs, and had one foot in their graves! Get a grip, lady! She needs a diet plan, too. 

I would totally be friends with Lonnie. He is cool. I love that he went clothes shopping for John and seemed to enjoy doing so. 

Damn, they sent Lonnie to conversion therapy?? So sick. 😞

Poor John dissolves into tears so easily, like a child. 

I'm really glad that their mom was receptive to their talk, and didn't reject them or shift blame. She listened to what they said, took it in, and accepted responsibility for her mistakes. 

I liked seeing them shop together. 

Lonnie: SW: 612.7

EW: 368

John: SW: 686.5

EW: 393

They are the anti-Assanti brothers. 

As are the successful episodes, this was mostly boring. But, I'm really happy for both of them. I'd like to see a follow-up on them. 

I liked that Dr. Now is giving family diet plans now. Fans have been saying for years that it's odd and counterproductive that the rest of the family remains obese while the 600-lb person is on the diet.

I couldn't believe their mom reacted that way! Does she WANT them to die, or...? And she definitely didn't look like she was about to starve to death anytime soon....Hopefully when she listened to them at the end, that is a trend that will continue in the future. And hopefully her acceptance of her mistakes includes the conversion therapy 😞

[Otter]

22 hours ago, BuyMoreAndSave said:

22 hours ago, BuyMoreAndSave said:

I liked that Dr. Now is giving family diet plans now. Fans have been saying for years that it's odd and counterproductive that the rest of the family remains obese while the 600-lb person is on the diet.

Oh I wish I could remember her name!  Maybe 2 seasons ago and the woman had SO much family support  Her family wasn't obese but they ALL went on the diet even someone saying at the end of her episode "even the cat is off carbs".  

Honestly it must be torture to be on a Dr. Now diet when everyone else is scarfing down fast food.  

Haven't seen the episode, so that's all I can comment on.  :)

 

22 hours ago, BuyMoreAndSave said:

 

 

[JJ1]

On 12/22/2019 at 6:51 PM, ShortyMac said:

I hate their mom. She's discouraging and trying to sabotage them. 

"Your chicken and veggies doesn't sound good! Nothing healthy is good! Good, you bought rolls for me, now, I won't starve to death!"

The two of them were both almost 700lbs, and had one foot in their graves! Get a grip, lady! She needs a diet plan, too. 

My immediate  reaction to that scene was that it had been staged for drama. I just can’t believe any mother would tell her adult 600+ pound sons that they needed to keep eating mountains of food. Most of the other family sabotage we’ve seen on the show has been sneaky and very passive aggressive. Having said that, their mom sure won’t win any mother-of-the-year awards and I doubt she would go out of her way to help them lose. 

Edited December 28, 2019 by JJ1

[Guest]

Lonnie and John were awesome. I wish them nothing but continued success. 

That being said, this episode seemed next-level awkward. The sad "Family Dinner" where everyone pretended to eat boiled Birds Eye Vegetable Medley and oven-cooked, dried-out chicken, the Here Comes (What Appears to be Pregnant) Mom for a Pop-In Visit. And dear god. Dr Baby Talk was particularly worthless doling out advice like a random stranger who you'd meet at the bus stop would. Then, Lonnie leaving that awkward exchange by awkwardly strolling down the hall looking like Dr Baby Talk had sucked his life force out of him. 

Mom can go flush her face in the toilet for all I care. She, of the 3 divorces, has no business whatsoever commenting on people's "lifestyles" because she's a god-bothering busybody. 

[dreadfulLeigh]

John: I’m not eatin how I’m supposed to. 
 

Several hours earlier: slides 2 tubes of Pringle’s into Tupperware. 

[dreadfulLeigh]

I haven’t read the live chat yet, but has anyone suggested this amazing resemblance of Momma?

Well, like 75% porg and 25% Jabba the Hutt. 

[dreadfulLeigh]

Ok, snark aside, this was a pleasant episode. And was it just me or did it feel slightly less overly/slickly edited?

[ams1001]

I like Lonnie. Even after all he's been through he just seems like a positive person. Loved the trying-on-clothes scene. I actually liked the Hawaiian shirt. (There's a guy at work who always wears Hawaiian shirts and he certainly has worse ones. 😜)

I thought it was interesting (given their upbringing) that John had a Bible verse on his arm while Lonnie had a line from a song from Wicked. ("I have been changed for good," if my slightly blurry, upside-down reading was correct.)

Hope John can get his teeth fixed.

[Jeeves]

On 12/26/2019 at 5:49 AM, Giant Misfit said:

Lonnie and John were awesome. I wish them nothing but continued success. 

That being said, this episode seemed next-level awkward. The sad "Family Dinner" where everyone pretended to eat boiled Birds Eye Vegetable Medley and oven-cooked, dried-out chicken, the Here Comes (What Appears to be Pregnant) Mom for a Pop-In Visit. And dear god. Dr Baby Talk was particularly worthless doling out advice like a random stranger who you'd meet at the bus stop would. Then, Lonnie leaving that awkward exchange by awkwardly strolling down the hall looking like Dr Baby Talk had sucked his life force out of him. 

Mom can go flush her face in the toilet for all I care. She, of the 3 divorces, has no business whatsoever commenting on people's "lifestyles" because she's a god-bothering busybody. 

I just watched this episode on demand. I gave this ^^ post a "like," but it nails this episode so well that really I love it. It deserves a three dog ovation. Well played, @Giant Misfit.

 

[non sequitur]

Lonnie was so sweet!  It was nice to see a supportive sibling relationship.  I hope they both continue to do well.

Hate the Mom, if I was Lonnie I would have cut her out of my life for good.

Dr. Now was so happy this episode, smiling and joking around. 

[readheaded]

On 12/23/2019 at 10:30 PM, BuyMoreAndSave said:

I loved this episode! It was so wholesome and heartwarming. Lonnie is one of my favorite people who has ever been on this show. (And he definitely has the nicest looking home by far of anyone who has been on the show.) I loved the scene where he gets a bunch of clothes for John, makes John try on the Hawaiian shirt and he actually likes it. LOL.

I liked that Dr. Now is giving family diet plans now. Fans have been saying for years that it's odd and counterproductive that the rest of the family remains obese while the 600-lb person is on the diet.

I couldn't believe their mom reacted that way! Does she WANT them to die, or...? And she definitely didn't look like she was about to starve to death anytime soon....Hopefully when she listened to them at the end, that is a trend that will continue in the future. And hopefully her acceptance of her mistakes includes the conversion therapy 😞

I wonder if they're asking families if they're willing to change their own habits and considering the answer when they're casting?

[JustRosie]

It’s great to see patients who are successful, but the episodes where things don’t work out well are more interesting to watch. Just being honest. 

[Wanda]

Right beforeJohn said Lonnie came out at 15, I said to myself Oh yes, he’s gay.....he had the words to Defying Gravity from Wicked tattooed on his arm. The first poundticipant tattoo I ever approved of lol.

[Emkat]

I'm  a sap but these brothers brought me to tears.  They have such a wonderful relationship despite their past (AKA horrible mother).

John's relationship with Caleb and Amber is so sweet.  I really hope he can get something done with his teeth...he deserves it.

I want to be friends with Lonnie. LOVED when he said they could listen to Broadway musicals on the way home!

Lola continues to bug the shit out of me but if she helps I guess I can put up with her. There better be a WATN episode on these guys!

[FormeryHeavyJ]

Welcome back my friends to the snark that never ends....we're so glad you could attend....come inside, come inside.

Apologies to Greg Lake.

[jacksgirl]

Love these 2. Lonnie is definately the glue that keeps them moving forward. Love the trainwrecks, but this is a palate cleanser. Wishing them both success and good health. Agree, they are the Anti-Assantes. 

[rlc]

Lonnie has the nicest set of teeth I’ve ever seen in this show.

[edie3]

Dr Now had several jokes tonight.  He was quite jovial!

[sainte-chapelle]

I'm not quite done the episode but I really like these two. Mom is the devil and would love to see them backslide. Terrible woman. If she was that bad in front of the cameras imagine when the cameras are gone. I give John a pass for his 'lifestyle' comment, his mom raised him that way and clearly he opened his mind and now feels differently. The brothers seem to own their shit and don't blame Dr. Now for any setbacks. I suspect when Lonnie met Lola he had so many thoughts about her hair.

Edited January 2, 2020 by sainte-chapelle

[sainte-chapelle]

On 12/27/2019 at 8:43 PM, dreadfulLeigh said:

I haven’t read the live chat yet, but has anyone suggested this amazing resemblance of Momma?

Well, like 75% porg and 25% Jabba the Hutt. 

Nope, I think Porgs are cute and sweet and momma is a homophobic, enabling piece of trash. 100 percent Jabba! 🙂

[Hellohappylife]

Some find these types of episodes boring,But to me it’s nice to start the new year off/ season on a positive note.( but let’s face it,the trashy episodes are a guilty pleasure)  Going by the history of the seasons past there are likely to be very few success stories to come.  So I’ll enjoy this one.

I loved the clothes shopping scenes as well,I always love when they include those.

The mother was annoying. I don’t understand the logic of It not being “okay” for her son to be gay but it’s perfectly okay for her failed marriages?....both are considered “sins” but I like to believe God loves everyone and not everything said to be a “sin” in the Bible  is actually true ,But that’s a different unrelated conversation.

You don’t like the food then don’t freaking eat it! When your children are trying to better their lives then you shut up. I am impressed how well she handled the conversation with the boys,I was not expecting that to go so well. I’ll give her points for that.

I hope the son doesn’t follow in their foot steps,he’s tall and seems to enjoy being active,he has so much potential to lead a healthy life,unlike a lot of the other kids we often see on the show who are already overweight like their parents. 

Hope to see positive Updates from these two!

 

[nokat]

I can't snark too much on John and Lonnie. That melted candle of a mother didn't do them any favors or a stable home life. If they separate themselves from that toxicity it will help. I especially like Lonnie and think he is the key to a better life.

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by nokat

[SnarkEnthusiast]

Agreed that these brothers are like a bizzarro world version of Assantes (down to the gay/straight thing) where they're kind people who are supportive and loving towards each other. Lonnie definitely still mothers John, but in a very cute way.

That little boy was a very sweet soul. It worked out for John that he inherited a built-in family unit since he (was?) apparently incapable of sex. Sex isn't everything and I know lots of people don't mind not having it or they're asexual, etc. but Amber didn't sound like one of those people. Where do all these men in particular keep finding wives ok with zero physical affection beyond quick pecks from day one? Fat women never seem to have a problem and I know they have those sex pillow things or whatever. I hope everyone is just too polite too say "but we still do hand and mouth stuff." If your spouse is unhappy and you're not doing anything, that's on you.

[sempervivum]

John's wife really needs to get fully on board with the weight loss program. She has the kind of sausage-like legs and arms that will produce big lipomas if she gets much heavier.

I'm happy his situation has improved, but I'm finding it hard to imagine John working. Even if he gets down to goal weight, emotionally he seems very shaky. There was no mention of him working before he became immobile, was there?

Lonnie was delightful, but he shouldn't wear his hair pulled back-his ears are not his best feature.

 

[readheaded]

I usually agree with Dr. Now, but disagreed with him about Lonnie's standing as a hairdresser not being considered "active."  I'm a runner and weight-trainer, so I get that standing is not the same thing as walking around or doing other exercise, but Lonnie gets around pretty well considering his weight.  He probably has a head start over his brother and many of the severely obese people who seek Dr. Now's help simply because he IS able to stand for large parts of the day and has a huge incentive (his livelihood) to be able to continue.  I just felt like Dr. Now missed an opportunity to acknowledge that and help Lonnie build on it.  

Edited January 2, 2020 by readheaded

[DEL901]

Noticed that mom has packed on quite a few pounds herself and will soon be a candidate for this show if she doesn't do something about it... like maybe following her sons' new eating plan.

[cpcathy]

I know this ep would come off as boring, but I enjoyed it. I want Lonnie to be my hairdresser! Can we ditch the Assanti Bros for these two? Or just Lonnie?

I also think Lonnie's job is active, hairdressers stand ALL day and move quite a bit, but he could do with an extra 20-30 minutes of activity once his workday is over.

[the-grey-lady]

J&L's mom: I just don't believe in it.

Me: What do you mean, you don't believe in being gay? He likes men; he isn't the Tooth Fairy!

[kassa]

I also liked Lonnie quite a bit and feel so sad for him that he had to endure that conversion therapy torture. 

I also think that he's smart and kind enough to have gone to his mother ahead of time and said something along the lines of "you know how tv people are - they're going to take those comments you made about how you want us to eat junk food again and try to make you look bad.  And they're making us film a scene confronting you about how sad our childhoods were, so the way you come off totally AWESOME is if you act sad and apologetic and say something along the lines of 'I'm so sorry, I never meant for you to feel like that. I wish I had done better. We should definitely always keep talking so openly together!'"

I forget what she actually DID say, but it came off as a bit more... emotionally mature than I expected from an unprepared woman who'd sent her kid to conversion therapy (or taunted her 600 lb kids over not laying out a carbfest for her).

Especially since just before they showed the Jeanne episode where she confronts her mother with similar "why didn't you protect us" speech and at first she apologizes, then reacts to the ambush by getting up and storming off.

I'd definitely prepare anybody I cared about before blindsiding them on national television about their life's biggest failing (at least if my intention was to forgive them and continue to have a relationship).

 

[RoxiP]

I liked this episode much more than the trainwreck ones, because I get so pissed off that these people have wasted Dr. Now's time and efforts when there are surely people out there who would really try - and so yea for John and Lonnie!  I too hope there is a followup episode.

[sagittarius sue]

3 hours ago, cpcathy said:

I want Lonnie to be my hairdresser!

Near the end they showed him styling a woman's hair, and it looked great, lots of shine and pretty highlights!

[sagittarius sue]

Lonnie Hambrick is on FB, and he posted this today;

I have to say I am overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of love from all you guys who are supporting John and I. I want to think everyone for all the kind words I try to respond to as much as I can but it’s hard if i miss you know I’m truly honored by your words And encouragement.

[aliya]

Shoot, shoot, shoot. I thought this came on tonight (Thursday). I'll try to be around next week for the chat. Thankfully, it's on TLC so I can catch up.

[Caoimhe]

28 minutes ago, aliya said:

Shoot, shoot, shoot. I thought this came on tonight (Thursday). I'll try to be around next week for the chat. Thankfully, it's on TLC so I can catch up.

I missed it too, was shocked to see the recording there this morning!  I’ll do better next week (I hope).

Edited January 3, 2020 by ThereButFor

[El maestro]

All the therapy session with Lola was painfully fake and useless, just to fill minutes and do some drama with their mom.

 

I am glad they are doing great and honestly, I like successful stories, specially when people are suffering pain and they really want to change, without too much self pity.

i wonder about Lonnie’s youth, considering how cruel some people in the gay world can be when you are old or overweight. I hope he can be happy now that he is healthier.

Does John has some kind of speech impairment or he had just problems to breathe? He is trying to give all his love to his son, specially when he was always the forgotten brother when he was a kid.

Great job guys, after last season  the show become almost depressing with some people not following the doctor’s directions.

[CrazyInAlabama]

They're scheduled to rerun John & Lonnie next Wednesday, from 5 to 7 p.m. Central, if anyone missed it.    It's definitely a great start to the season, especially since the new episode following looks like a train wreck. 

I'm so happy for Lonnie, and John, they both tried so hard, and except for the mother, everyone was so supportive.  

I think John's speech issues are partially related to his many missing, and horribly decayed teeth.     Proper speech depends on the mechanics of everything working together.      I hope there's a cosmetic dentist in his future, there have been a couple of people on the show that had major issues, and cosmetic dentistry was part of getting their dental issues resolved.   Sadly, I'm betting he'll end up with full dentures very soon. 

Edited January 6, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[Starlight925]

I loved this episode, and I love these brothers.  I do hope that they can continue with private therapy closer to their homes, rather than the one obligatory scene shot in Houston with Dr. Lola.  I do like her, and I do think she has a very warm presence and good advice (sit down with the offending parent to try and heal), but these young men have been through a lot in their lives, and they need weekly therapy for a while to dig through all of this.

I never understand why the food they eat has to look so awful.  Plain cooked dry chicken and boil-in-bag vegetables, and it always looks like there aren't even any spices.  Salads with bottled fat-free ranch dressing.  Hard to stick to.

Is there a reason Dr. Now doesn't advocate for adding healthy fats?  Avocados, olive oil, a little bit of butter?  I wonder if it's because so many of his patients already have gallbladder issues, that he has them on basically a no-fat diet.  But for many, they have their gallbladder removed, so they should be able to process healthy fats, which make a world of difference in satiety.  More of a keto approach.

[TVbitch]

Dr. Now is extra adorable when he truly likes his patients and appreciates that they are actually following his instructions, like he did with these two. I love it when he chuckles.

Lonnie blew me away. To be as mentally sound as he is and have such compassion and understanding for his brother AND forgiveness for his mother after what he went through. What a special soul. I hope we get a follow up.

[Fig Newton]

For me, these are the episodes I like. Successful people with determination and drive. It's actually pleasant to watch and I find myself cheering them on with each success. There is enough negativity in the world and people who fail, that something  more encouraging to watch is a nice change of pace.  Personally, I find the snarkable characters zap me of my energy and increase my anger tolerance. I like good stories. I like people who make a goal and stick with it.

Watching these brothers navigate through this process with humor, honesty, grit and courage was really, really refreshing.

Dr. Now must be getting laid🤩 ! He was a fiery little man this episode. Spunky and funny. Full of little quips and seemed to truly respect these brothers. I loved that he smiled so much during the office visits, especially since John and Lonnie were pretty sure Dr. N would be disappointed in their initial slower progress.

Good luck for future success to John and Lonnie.

[newyawk]

I was so happy to discover last night that the show had returned. And this was a happy episode, for the most part. i liked both Lonnie and John and they both made an honest effort and did not make excuses. it's wonderful to see people who appreciate the chance they are given and maximize it.

Lonnie was pretty mobile and functional for someone of his size, although I got the impression that he is tall, so I guess he was carrying it better than most. He is also very good looking, I hope he finds a boyfriend soon.  He is a really nice person, and I LOL'd when in the Dr.'s office, he joked, "I'm still the best one!" 

And it was really gratifying to see John able to go out to the playground with his stepson without needing the scooter, and be able to be more active with him. i hope he and his wife are able to get it on finally, lol. 

Two people who didn't drive Dr, Now up the wall needlessly. Great episode to start off with. I'm sure the trainwrecks will come up again soon.

 

I forgot to add that all through the episode, every time Lonnie spoke, I thought of that "Oh NOOOOOO!" guy, Bruce, from Family Guy.  But I kind of loved that, 😄

Edited January 3, 2020 by newyawk
added one comment

[Twopper]

I seldom have any interest in Dr Now's patients except for what I see on tv or read in this forum.  For Lonnie, however, I will make an exception and search out his salon when I am in Texas for the next family reunion.   I really liked him.  John seems to lack the drive to success in the working world, however, and also doesn't seem as bright as his older brother.  OTOH, he seems to have a nice family.   I do not think Amber is following the plan that Dr Now gave them, because she seemed to remain the same size.

Someone in production must have clued Lola that her patient was a hair dresser as her hair seemed pretty normal for a change.   Both brothers probably do need some therapy, and I hope they can get it closer to home than Lola.  Some family therapy would probably help as well.

I don't hate the mom, although I agree she will not win "Mother of the Year."  I wonder if her protest over the meal was producer driven since there was so little drama in the show itself.  I can see how she misses making a large meal and then lingering over it, but there is more to family companionship than just eating.  Eat dinner with the family, then play a board game, do a jigsaw puzzle, or play cards or something else to occupy the hands so it is not so easy to stuff oneself with snacks.  I do think John, Lonnie and mom probably rehearsed the scene later in the show so there wasn't great drama when she came over to talk.  It seemed so staged.

I am very optimistic for Lonnie, although I wish he would go to a stylist himself for his own hair.  I was sort of annoyed with Dr Now dissing Lonnie for not getting exercise at work.  Maybe Dr Now has no experience with a stylist as opposed to a barber, but most barbers today also seem to move around the shop as well. 

[newyawk]

I think when someone is as heavy as Amber, 20 lbs is not going to show up as noticeable. I have nowhere near as much to lose as she does, and I think I would have to lose at least half of what I need to lose, at least 30 or 35 lbs, to have it show as a difference, So if she is losing anything, good for her. 

 

The mother's face looked like it was melting into her torso. I hope she decides at some point to get on the program also. 

Edited January 3, 2020 by newyawk

[Jeeves]

I'm going to join the chorus taking issue with Dr. Now's not recognizing Lonnie's work as a hair stylist as a level of physical activity that's definitely higher than sitting at a desk.

There's a reason that standing desks are a thing now for offices! Well, actually the adjustable ones that can move from sitting to standing are really the thing. Sure, standing still isn't the same as walking or running, but AFAIK it's engaging more muscles than sitting or lying down. Hair stylists stand, walk, and move around their clients' chairs, for hours a day. 

However, because Lonnie got supermorbidly obese even with his standing-up-all-day job, I can see that Dr. Now would want him to increase and probably vary the amount of physical activity he does. Obviously, his daily routine wasn't keeping the weight off!

Maybe it's because Lonnie was such a contrast to most of the pounditicipants  - few  can walk much and some can't even stand up - that Dr. Now's dismissal of his level of activity jarred on me. I mean, wasn't there some woman with whom Dr. Now worked for months, and maybe more than year, for whom STANDING UP was a huge goal?

Watching this show is an interesting experience in lowered expectations, friends. 🙁

[Hellga]

I think Dr. Now is absolutely right in adjusting his expectations to each patient.  Ask someone to do more than they realistically can achieve - and they will get discouraged and achieve nothing.  Ask them to do less - and they won't get the optimal results.  Targeting is especially important with this population, whose psyche is more fragile than average (or they wouldn't have gotten to 600 pounds!)… 

[newyawk]

I can see what Now's point was. An active job is something like a postal worker who walks a route every day, or a stockroom worker, who is lifting and moving boxes.  An active lifestyle would be something where you are intentionally raising your heartrate for a set amount of time several times a week.  While standing and moving around in short distances may be better than sitting at a desk, it really isn't very active.

Lonnie was pretty capable for being as heavy as he was.  I am proud of both of them. 

[Twopper]

44 minutes ago, newyawk said:

I think when someone is as heavy as Amber, 20 lbs is not going to show up as noticeable. I have nowhere near as much to lose as she does, and I think I would have to lose at least half of what I need to lose, at least 30 or 35 lbs, to have it show as a difference, So if she is losing anything, good for her. 

I lost track of how many months they were followed.  I think it took 4 months to get surgery and then they had a month of liquid food before the family dinner of chicken and veggies with no butter.  So that's 5 months.  On Dr Now's diet I would expect her to lose about 8-10 pounds the first few months.  If they followed them for a full year she should have lost about 60 pounds if she averaged only a 5 pound per month loss.  She is probably adding calories by snacking at her job.  

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think last season made Dr. Now more aggressive with telling patients how dire their condition is.     I think Kelly's death was a wake up call for a lot of people about how dangerous being morbidly obese can be.      I think he's also over putting up with lame excuses that are obviously lies (I don't eat much, It's all water weight, I can do this my own way, etc.).      

I love how he laid it all out for Lonnie, and John, and they responded by losing weight, changing their lives, and not letting the mother get them off track.  

I'm hoping Lonnie and John both are on a WATN, and are total successes.      I wish both of them the best, and hope that their changed lives are everything they always wanted.    I bet if anyone found out where Lonnie works, that he will have the phone ringing off the hook.  He does great work, and is such a kind person.    

[Lunula]

I was delightfully surprised by how much I liked Lonnie (in particular) and John. I was/am sincerely rooting for them and was really happy that they both didn't play the old "blame everyone else for my problems" game that we see so often on this show. 

Midway through I was pissed at mom and her toxic bullshit, but was also surprised by her reaction to "the talk" with her sons. I'm not 100% convinced she was sincere, but considering how openly horrible some of the people we see on this show are to one another, I'll take it. 

I must admit to yelling at the TV a few times regarding the utter ignorance that mom (specifically) and John displayed at Lonnie's homosexuality. It's not a "lifestyle" - it's a life. I'm always frustrated at the pure lack of logic when I hear people refer to it as a "choice" or a "lifestyle" - if that were true, we'd all be able to make that choice, right? Ugh. Anyway...

Genuinely hope we get a follow-up on these two and that they are both doing fabulous things. 

P.S. - would love to hang out with Lonnie, he's a hoot! 🙂