"Just beginning" — My 600-Lb Life star Gary Hawkins reflects on his weight loss journey

On January 22, 2025, viewers of TLC’s My 600-Lb Life were introduced to Gary Hawkins, a 32-year-old musician from Oakland, California, whose weight loss journey captured attention. Despite being completely bedridden at the start of his episode, Hawkins expressed hope for the future, writing on Facebook, on January 19:

“My journey is just beginning and God’s not finished with me… I need everyone’s support!”

His struggles with his eating patterns, substance misuse, and immobility were documented in season 13, episode 4. Hawkins' journey started with a rigorous 1,200-calorie diet and physical therapy to regain mobility while working with the show's famous bariatric surgeon, Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, popularly known as Dr. Now.

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My 600-Lb Life: Gary's journey of transformation

Gary Hawkins' lifelong battle with weight was brought to light on the TLC show, My 600-Lb Life. Hawkins estimated that he was 200 pounds by the time he was ten years old. He became bedridden after his binge eating habits worsened in middle and high school, which ultimately resulted in his dropping out.

After struggling with a crystal meth addiction, his dietary habits deteriorated and he became severely immobile. Hawkins was largely dependent on his mother, Arielle, for daily care, including food, for more than nine months because he was unable to leave his bed.

Dr. Now, known for his strict yet effective approach to weight loss, connected with Hawkins through video consultations due to his immobility. During their sessions, Dr. Now challenged Hawkins to lose 40 pounds in one month and introduced him to a physical therapist to help him start walking again.

The preliminary findings, however, were negative. The My 600-Lb Life fame Hawkins found that his weight had risen from 745 pounds a month prior to 764 pounds at his initial weigh-in at a facility in California. Hawkins showed minor improvement with 759 pounds, after eight months of treatment with Dr. Now. However, it was still well short of what was required to be eligible for bariatric surgery.

Hawkins persevered and was able to shed a few pounds by the end of the year-long program, and his final weight was 753 pounds. Hawkins made progress towards regaining mobility, taking multiple steps with a walker, even though the results did not meet Dr. Now's expectations.

The doctor encouraged him to return to Houston once he could travel independently, and Hawkins vowed to continue working toward his goals.

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What happened in the episode?

Gary Hawkins's My 600-Lb Life episode offered a glimpse into his everyday challenges. As mentioned before, Arielle, his mother, was instrumental in his care, preparing meals and attending to his personal necessities. She expressed deep concern over his eating habits, saying:

“He’s constantly eating, and he’s just getting bigger and bigger. I’m just hoping that he can lose the weight so he can get up and walk, because I know he can’t live that way.”

Hawkins admitted that he enjoyed feeling full after meals, which made following Dr. Now’s diet plan especially difficult.

In addition to his weight issues, the My 600-Lb Life episode explored Hawkins’ mental and emotional challenges. He felt alone and reliant on others while confined to his bed, which made it more difficult for him to kick bad habits. But the program also featured instances of improvement, like when Hawkins took his first steps in months with the help of a walker and a physical therapist.

Hawkins has maintained a modest social media presence since the program aired. He hasn't published any new pictures or updates regarding his weight loss efforts, despite posting inspirational quotes about his journey.

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New episodes of My 600-Lb Life air on Wednesdays at 8 pm ET on TLC.