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Vanessa Cross
The incredible success of shows like “My 600-lb Life” and “1000-lb Sisters,” coupled with the worrying obesity epidemic in the US, have turned Vannessa Cross and other reality TV contestants into minor celebrities. When viewers met Vannessa on Season 1 of “1000-lb Best Friends,” she weighed a whopping 442 pounds, about 200 kg, but rarely, if ever, considered her massive size to be a problem.
“I was still driving, I was still walking around, so my mindset was: I’m good, I’m perfect the way I am. I could still do things,” the 44-year-old explained in an interview. Because her quality of life hadn’t drastically declined yet, Vannessa never thought about slimming down until her best friend and costar, Meghan Crumpler, went on her own weight loss journey.
Witnessing the health benefits in Meghan’s life, Vannessa was inspired to take the same path and began preparing for bariatric surgery by cutting bread, sugar and soda from her diet. She then went to therapy to work on her toxic relationship with food.
“I opened my mind to try to understand what’s in my brain that makes me want to stay fat and helpless,” she admitted. “Why do I have to eat three cheeseburgers and two fries instead of one cheeseburger like a normal human being?”
Prior to surgery, Vannessa had already lost nearly 23 kg on her own. On the day of her weight loss surgery, she weighed 398 lbs – and lost another 159, about 70 kg. After her surgery, Vannessa made numerous changes to her diet and lifestyle, swapping fried foods for fruits and vegan smoothies, and learning how to make healthy recipes with her kids.
In the past, Vannessa ate for comfort and pleasure. However, now she goes to the gym or takes long walks when she suddenly gets a craving. “I get my joy, my comfort, my anxiety levels, everything, by pushing myself more and more in the gym,” she said.
However, it took Vannessa a while to get to where she is today. The first time she met Dr. Procter, she weighed 446 lbs, then she lost 20 lbs between appointments. Encouraged by her progress, Dr. Procter Vannessa has a goal weight of less than 400 lbs to be eligible for surgery. Six months later, Vannessa weighed 442 pounds at the follow-up appointment and was discouraged by her weight gain.
Nevertheless, the TV personality was inspired to try harder, and her efforts paid off. By to celebrate being able to wear a seatbelt again, regaining her confidence and spark, Vannessa has proven to be a positive role model every step of the way in this challenging yet rewarding journey.
Throughout her adult life, the Georgia resident weighed about 350 pounds. Her weight started to fluctuate in 2016 after the dead from her husband, as her life “went out of control”. In the following years, her weight often fluctuated up to 500 pounds, as she used food to feel better about herself.
Viewers of “1000-lb Best Friends” are thrilled to see the positive change in Vannessa and how she acts as a positive role model for her children. Meanwhile, Meghan Crumpler’s journey hasn’t been so smooth.
Megan Crumpler
At the start of season one, Meghan weighed about 500 lbs, around 230 kg, and was having trouble getting around and doing everyday tasks — so much so that she relied on her husband for almost everything and needed oxygen to breathe .
While Vannessa has been giving interviews and updating fans on her exact weight so they can see her progress, Meghan has shied away from doing the same. There’s no denying that she’s lost weight since filming began, but her recent actions have led netizens to think she’s not as committed to turning her life around as her best friend.
“I started watching the beginning of S1 and I immediately had Megan’s number,” said a Reddit user on the official show forum. “She wants to take advantage of all the free and PREMIUM NICE medical treatment and rehab, while she drinks and doesn’t handle her issues well, when she’s already had surgery and should benefit from it. The fact that she has stayed so big is a medical miracle.”
One of the last episodes of Season 2 also saw Meghan yelling at Vannessa and having one of her frequent meltdowns. The TV personality has recently been accused of making Dr. Disrespecting Procter by calling him by his last name instead of his title – some netizens even claim she is sexually suggestive towards him during their dates.
Fans of the show believe that Meghan, who is going through financial difficulties, is being irresponsible with her money after spending her savings on a fancy wedding and has to move in with her friend Tina Arnold and her husband. Meghan has started selling her second-hand clothes, body care products and other random items in an attempt to scrape together some extra money, which has sparked speculation about how much she and Vannessa are paid per episode.
Not much is known about Meghan’s girlfriend Tina, but the Reddit subforum /r/1000lbbestfriends calls the latter a “grifter” after she GoFundMe Campaign for her disabled daughter’s apartment and allegedly turned that apartment into a gym for herself and Meghan. Tina, who is also trying to lose weight, makes frequent appearances on the show and dramatically kicked Meghan out in one episode after a heated argument – however, the women are believed to be on good terms again as Meghan is apparently still with her lives and her husband.
Watch On the Road with Meghan and Tina by Tina Arnold on @Kickstarter https://t.co/Qxx270u1C6
— Tina1kBF (@Tina1kBf) April 29, 2023
There’s also the possibility that the show will feature scripted scenes, as viewers have a hard time believing that Meghan and her husband celebrated their honeymoon in Tina’s bedroom. Be that as it may, Meghan’s weight loss seems to have come to a dramatic halt in recent months and her living situation is clearly unstable.
For now, TLC has yet to confirm whether there will be a third season of “1000-lb Best Friends.” The Season 2 premiere took place in early March 2023 and was viewed in approximately 500,000 households.
