The Untold Truth Of TLC's 1000-Lb Sisters

In 2011, Amy Slaton launched her own YouTube channel, posting lighthearted videos featuring her and sister Tammy. It wasn't until 2014, however, that they skyrocketed to online fame by taking on the "Chubby Bunny Challenge." The goal of said challenge is to stuff marshmallows into one's mouth, one at a time, and utter the phrase "chubby bunny," which is ridiculously difficult to enunciate with a mouth packed with marshmallows.

In their video, the stars of TLC's 1000-Lb Sisters crammed marshmallow after marshmallow into their mouths, cracking each other up as they do so. Despite its silliness — or probably because of it — the video quickly went viral, racking up more than 1.8 million views. (Note: While the Chubby Bunny challenge can be funny, it's also one of the most dangerous food challenges ever.)

The video's unexpected success made the sisters YouTube sensations, and more videos followed, with some gaining big viewership. In April 2016, Amy Slaton had her most-watched video ever (at the time of this writing) with "The Power of Makeup," in which she puts makeup on half her face and leaves the other half untouched to offer a sort of compare and contrast. That video received an astounding 7.4 million views, proving the Slatons were no one-hit wonders on the video platform.

Given that Tammy Slaton has weighed more than 600 pounds, it's not surprising that she's experienced some severe health challenges. "Tammy's limited mobility forces her to rely on Amy more than she'd like to, adding to the tension that already exists just from living under the same roof," the announcement for TLC's 1000-Lb Sisters noted. "She hasn't left home in six years except for medical attention, and the isolation has taken a toll on both of them."

In an interview with the Louisville Courier Journal, Tammy explained that her motivation to have bariatric surgery and to document her weight-loss journey for TLC was to simply become healthy. She shared that she's coped with two blood clots, pneumonia, and several medical procedures. She was even being placed on life support in the past. "I'm tired of being sick all the time," she admitted. "I'm just done."

In March 2019, Tammy shared a video of herself in a hospital bed after being admitted for yet another malady. Explaining she was hospitalized after her foot had become so painful and swollen she couldn't stand up, she revealed her latest affliction: "I got gout."

Amy Slaton turned to food as a means of coping with grief, and it's something the star of TLC's 1000-Lb Sisters has been battling for most of her life. Speaking with the Louisville Courier Journal, the Slaton sister said her weight was basically average until approximately age 10, when her beloved grandmother passed away. "My mom worked two to three jobs at a time, and my grandma was basically our mom," she explained. "When she died, our whole world changed."

With their mother working and their older siblings having moved out of the family home, the death of their grandmother forced Tammy and Amy to fend for themselves. Aged 10 and 11 at the time, they turned to easy-to-prepare packaged food such as frozen pizza and ramen noodles. "It's what we ate to survive, and that stuff is not good for you," Tammy told the newspaper. "Depression and just trying to live all kind of caught up with us."

While they're now more knowledgeable about nutrition, Amy lamented the fact that healthier food options are often the most expensive. "You go to McDonald's and you can get a cheeseburger for a dollar, but a salad costs like five," she complained.

Prior to the launch of TLC's 1000-Lb Sisters, the network posted a video on Facebook showing the Slaton sisters undertaking the "Dressed Banana" challenge. In the video, Tammy asked, "What the heck's a Dressed Banana?" As Amy explained, the process involves peeling a banana, dipping it in a jar of salad dressing, and then rolling it in crushed peanuts, a concoction she admitted sounded "like the nastiest thing in the world."

Interspersed with the duo's banana-dipping exploits, the sisters are also seen sitting on the porch offering some commentary behind the silliness. "When people see us eating the banana, the comments ... are gonna be tellin' us we don't need to be eatin' it," said Tammy. "We're getting so used to it now," added Amy. "It's more like, 'Oh, another comment.' If you eat something and somebody tells you not to, you're going to eat it even more. So basically, this is like, eat it." Tammy noted, "Live a little."

Finally, the sisters took a taste of their culinary creations. "Slimy yet satisfying," quipped Tammy. The video ended in pure slapstick Slaton style, with the sisters smashing cream pies in each other's face. Guess that's one way to promote a show.

According to People, the Slaton sisters filmed the first season of TLC's 1000-Lb Sisters in May 2019. And in their late December 2019 interview with the magazine, Tammy and Amy Slaton hinted that they've been taking their goal to become healthier seriously.

In addition to removing sugar from their diets, they reportedly embraced "low-carb, high-protein" foods. Each also settled on a favorite form of exercise. Tammy revealed she enjoys swimming, while Amy noted that she started dancing and going for long walks with her husband. 

After their experience on the show, both sisters said their self-esteem has grown by leaps and bounds. "I can go to the store and not worry about my looks because I feel good about myself regardless of what other people say about me," said Amy. "I'm beautiful the way I am."

In 2019, Amy and Tammy Slaton were popular YouTubers with a certain degree of online notoriety, but they'd hardly be described as famous. That changed thanks to their TLC series 1000-Lb Sisters, with the sisters suddenly the subject of television news reports and featured in national magazines like People.

Discussing their sudden fame, Amy told Indiana's 44 News she was glad she had her sister by her side. "It's easier to go through the journey with somebody rather than alone," she said. Being on television differed significantly from their YouTube appearances, explained Tammy, in that it's "more in the day of the life," noting, "They see more of how our life is and what is going to making better choices and everything, from where on YouTube they don't see as much of what goes on behind [the] scenes."

In addition to losing weight and improving their overall health, the sisters agreed that their experience on the show strengthened their relationship. "I think this has brought us closer together in a sense that we know what the other one is going through," added Tammy. "But we just know that the other one is going through the same thing."

Ratings for 1000-Lb Sisters were fantastic. The episode that aired on Jan. 22, 2020, as reported TV by the Numbers, was the 14th most-watched series on cable that night, with 1.2 million total viewers (more than established hit My 600-Lb Life). The following week, the January 29 episode was cable's eighth most-watched show. 

While a second season would seem to be a no-brainer given viewership like that, one of the Slaton sisters claimed there would be no more 1000-Lb Sisters. In a typo-filled tweet issued on February 5, the date the season finale aired, Tammy thanked fans for watching, saying, "I really hope that you all enjoyed our show." When a fan asked if the sisters were returning for another season, Tammy tweeted, "No I'm sorry we're not doing another season."

But wait! A week later, another fan asked the same question and received a very different response. "We're not sure just yet they haven't told us anything but no offense and not trying to be rude but even if they do tell us we won't be able to tell anybody else but keep your fingers crossed that we do get a season 2," she tweeted. Season 2 would ultimately premiere in January 2021.

Like many expectant moms, Amy Slaton shared her baby registry on Amazon, in hopes that her fans would buy all sorts of stuff for her. Of course, as anyone who's watched TLC's 1000-Lb Sisters can attest, Amy is hardly a typical mom-to-be. This was demonstrated in her slightly nutty registry.

As The Blast reported, Amy's Amazon registry features onesies, blankets, and the usual baby stuff, but they're a little bit out there. One of the items requested was a baby onesie emblazoned with the slogan "Breaking hearts & blasting farts," accompanying an image of a flatulent heart passing gas. Another quirky onesie, reported The Blast, reads, "Stephen King Rules," apparently demonstrating her devotion to the famed horror author, while another features a drawing of knife-wielding doll Chuckie from the Child's Play horror movies. Another item on the registry is a $200 electronic chair, which is purported to facilitate breastfeeding.

According to Monsters & Critics, Amy also revealed her due date to be Jan. 7, 2021, and that her little bundle of joy was going to be a boy.

In a YouTube video that Amy and Tammy Slaton shared with fans of TLC's 1000-Lb Sisters on Jan. 11, 2021 — several days after the due date Amy had stated on her Amazon registry — they discussed Amy's "weird pregnancy cravings."

Amy began by ripping a peppermint patty out of its packaging and placing it atop a strawberry, jamming the minty-fruit combo into her mouth. That gave Tammy an idea. "I dare you [to put] a peppermint patty with an eggroll," she challenged. As stomach-churning as that might seem, Amy wasted no time as she nonchalantly reached over to grab an eggroll from an aluminum container. Placing a half of a peppermint patty atop the eggroll, she then took a bite as Tammy turned her head in revulsion. "I can't watch this s**t," said Tammy while Amy pondered the unique flavor combination her tastebuds were experiencing. 

"You done desecrated some good s**t and made it bad," Tammy complained. Amy agreed to disagree, replying, "It's actually pretty damn good." 

When the debut season of TLC's 1000-Lb Sisters premiered in January 2020, Tammy and Amy Slaton weighed in at 605 and 406 pounds, respectively, according to TLC's original announcement of the series. By the time filming began on the second season, the show's title was no longer accurate given that Amy had shed some significant weight during the course of that season. 

According to Today, by December 2020, Amy weighed 124 pounds less than she did at the start of the series, listing her current weight as 276 pounds. Tammy's weight, on the other hand, hadn't really changed by a whole lot. As Soap Dirt pointed out, she had managed to make it down to about 550 pounds at one point; however, her weight went up to 597 pounds by the second season. A clip indicated the situation to be dire, with Tammy's doctor advising that her "chances of dying within the next five years are about 80 percent" (via MEAWW).

In any case, from a technical standpoint, they are no longer the 1000-Lb Sisters; a more accurate title for the show's second season would be 873-Lb Sisters.