‘1000-lb Best Friends’: Vannessa Has Lost Nearly 100 Pounds Since Her Surgery
Vannessa Cross has reason to celebrate. The Georgia resident, who appears on TLC’s 1000-lb Best Friends, had a milestone appointment with her doctor during the show’s season 2 premiere. During the meeting, she learned if she’d hit her post-surgery weight loss goal.
Vannessa of ‘1000-lb Best Friends’ checks in with Dr. Procter
In the Jan. 4 episode of 1000-lb Best Friends, Vannessa paid a visit to Dr. Charles Procter. It had been six months since her weight loss surgery, and it was time for her to see exactly how many pounds she’d shed since having the procedure.
Vannessa was understandably nervous heading into the appointment, especially given that she hadn’t weighed herself recently. She hoped to weigh about 300 pounds, but she had no idea if she’d hit that number.
“Even though I know that I’ve lost weight, I don’t know that I’m going to weigh around 300 pounds,” she said. “I haven’t stepped on the scale over these past couple of months. I’m just hoping that I meet Dr. Procter’s goal. I mean, he saved my life.”
The star of the TLC show has lost nearly 100 pounds
Prior to her surgery, Vannessa weighed 398 pounds. According to Dr. Procter, she should have lost more than 100 pounds in the following six months.
“Anything between 295 and 305 [pounds] we’d consider a success,” he says to her when they meet.
In an interview segment, the Atlanta-based weight-loss surgeon explained how important it was that Vannessa hit that target.
“She really needs to meet this goal. If she doesn’t, it means her surgery is not successful,” he explained. “It is way too early for her to have slowed down on her weight loss.”
Fortunately, Vannessa got good news when she saw the scale’s readout. She weighed 304 pounds.
“I cannot believe it. I really can’t,” Vannessa said after she saw the number. “Oh my God, today is the best day of my life.”
“I haven’t been that size since I was 12 or 13 years old,” she added.
The ‘1000-lb Best Friends’ cast member is down 231 pounds in total, but she has more to lose
Vannessa’s recent weight loss is even more impressive considering how much she used to weigh. At her heaviest, she weighed 535 pounds. She’s now 231 pounds lighter than she was at her peak.
Dr. Procter made it clear he was happy with his patient’s progress, but he stressed that her work wasn’t done. He challenged her to lose an additional 40 pounds over the next three months. One year post-surgery, he’d like her to weigh 200 pounds. And once she hits 180 pounds, she can start thinking about having skin removal surgery.
Vannessa seemed motivated to continue her weight loss journey.
“I will be 180 pounds within a year,” she said. “I hope.”
New episodes of 1000-lb Best Friends Season 2 air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.
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