Some of the world's fattest women shed 600lb by dumping their exes, with one unsupportive man refusing to buy his wife a salad because he "preferred bigger women".
The TV series My 600-lb Life showed how morbidly obese women were having to decide between shedding weight to stop an early death, but also risk losing their partners.
One couple was told the woman's weight would mean they wouldn't be able to have children, and for some, gastric surgery would be too risky to perform, reports the Mirror.
Women on the popular show were seen to be bed-bound, breathless, and cared for by their partners. Zsalynn Whitworth and her husband Gareth featured on the programme back in 2012.
At the time, Zsalynn weighed over 600lbs. She admitted on camera she was "living a lie" trying to please her husband.
Gareth said the main reason he was attracted to his wife was down to her excessive size - saying he preferred bigger women.
But with Zsalynn wanting to change her lifestyle it led to friction between the pair as Gareth refused to help his wife eat healthier.
He wanted to continue to give her junk food as he was attracted to her size and didn't want her to change, and refused to buy her vegetables and salad.
At one point on the show, Gareth said: "I’m not buying you a salad. If you want to eat grass, you can go in the garden and graze.”
Zsalynn eventually realised trying to please her man was killing her and would prevent her from seeing her daughter grow up.
She said: "I realise I’ve been telling myself a lie — and that lie was killing me. Big can’t be beautiful when it means my daughter can’t have a mother."
However, Zsalynn, who struggled to move and became out of breath just going to the toilet, still couldn't get Gareth to support her. She said: "He has no idea how close to death I feel every day.”
Viewers were critical of Gareth and wanted Zsylann her to leave him to find someone who appreciated her and wanted to help her achieve her goals.
The mum underwent a gastric bypass surgery, despite Gareth's hesitations, and lost a remarkable 300lbs. But despite losing her excess skin and with her newfound confidence, Gareth was still unhappy.
She said: "(My husband) hasn’t found much good in my changes. It’s time for us to admit it’s over.”
Speaking to My 600-lb Life in 2014, Zsalynn revealed the editing in the show made Gareth look like an angel, despite him being unsupportive of her weight loss.
She said: "To be honest, editing made (Gareth) look like an angel. It’s hard for me to speak for him. I feel like he loves me in the only way he knows how. I feel like I probably deserve a different kind of love. And maybe someday he can change or I can change."
After moving on from her ex-husband, and dropping 300lbs, she now lives in Texas with her daughter.
Christina Phillips, from Mississippi, was told by Dr. Younan Nowzaradan she had to lose weight before undergoing a gastric bypass after weighing more than 700lbs.
She first appeared in 2012 on TV series "My 600-lb Life" alongside her husband Zach, 22. Christina pleaded for help after becoming "trapped" inside her body.
Thanks to exercise and a new diet she managed to drop the weight after undergoing surgery. She now weighs 185lbs (13 stone).
She regularly posts pictures of her new look on social media to try and inspire others to change their lives. She now has more independence after Zach split from her - and she is due to give birth to her second child next year.
Christina said: "It became clear that me becoming independent [from Zach] was not going to work for him. I'm able to do so much more now. It's pretty great.
"Before I couldn't walk eight feet without feeling like I was gonna die. Now, I could do just about anything I put my mind to."
One of the most controversial couple's on the show was Lupe Samano and her husband Gilbert Donovan. They appeared on Season 4 after Samano weighed more than 600lbs and couldn't get out of bed. She was completely dependant on her husband to bring her food in bed and to look after her.
Samano lost a remarkable 300lbs by the end of the episode and went on an incredible weightloss journey which has made her unrecognisable.
The pair had relationship issues on the show and many viewers were horrified at Donovan's treatment of his wife including pressuring his wife into having sex just after having surgery.
She eventually left Donovan, saying: "I am done with his cheating and his drinking." She then moved in with a cousin in San Antonio, Texas, and said she was enjoying her new-found independence.
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