Where Is Dolly Martinez From My 600-Lb Life Now?

There must be a wide spectrum of reasons why fans of "My 600-lb Life" continue to watch the show, which initially premiered on TLC in 2012. Whether it's for compassion, empathy, or just flat-out fascination with real people dealing with medical journeys, shows like these successfully present the human side to extraordinary, and often tragic stories.

One of the stories focuses on Dolly Martinez, who is featured in Season 10, Episode 12 ("Dolly's Journey"). Martinez, 25 years old at the time the episode was filmed, like many other people featured in the series, never truly showed signs of wanting to fully make a life change. She's able to avoid her obesity by having the ones closest to her, like her mother, enable her habits. The episode revealed that Martinez's weight was an issue from an early age, weighing 120 pounds by the age of 7, and since then, the issue has resulted in congestive heart failure, breathing issues, and hygiene problems.

As the episode progresses, we learn more about Martinez's personality. It's clear, from an outside point of view, that her choices within multiple aspects of her life, including romantic and family relationships, continue to push her towards overeating. Despite pleading from her family, Martinez continues a relationship with her abusive husband Ricky, and loses custody of her young daughter.

We left Dolly Martinez after the weight loss surgery, with her (and viewers at home) hoping this would lead to a better life. So what has Martinez been up to today? Has she continued to take the right steps towards her goals? Well, at the end of her "My 600-lb Life" episode, it sure was hard to feel optimistic for her future. Despite losing around 40 pounds, Martinez appeared far from possessing the commitment needed to make significant life changes. 

Dr. Now, featured on the show, encourages Martinez to continue with therapy to become stronger mentally, so she can face her issues head-on. However, Screen Legion reports that Martinez, today, appears to have made little progress since the episode aired especially based on her social media updates. 

But according to Martinez, as reported by TheCinemaholic, one positive thing that's come out of this experience is that she has grown closer to her daughter. If she speaks the truth, that surely is important progress. The self-centered, "blame everyone else" attitude Martinez portrayed in her episode has hopefully begun to reverse with this new attention towards her daughter. Her social media posts as of 2022 show happy pictures with her little girl, as well as her mother. Hopefully, this can be the first step in the ongoing progress Martinez will make towards a happier, healthier life.