What Happened To My 600-Lb Life's Kirsten Perez?
Numerous people have sought the help of Dr. Younan Nowzaradan and "My 600-lb Life" to lead healthier lives. While everyone is different, some commonalities emerged over the years, such as trauma leading to food addiction. That was the case for Kirsten Perez, who appeared on Season 5, Episode 4. At the beginning of her episode, her weight was 612 pounds, and as she explained, her rough upbringing led to her resorting to food and other substances to feel better. "I was doing drugs and smoking a lot of pot, a lot of acid, meth here and there, and I still didn't slow down my eating," she said.
In addition to offering physical health advice, Dr. Now recommended therapy to help Perez sort through her trauma. She ended up losing 170 pounds while on the show, ending up at 442 pounds. As is the case with all "My 600-lb Life" participants, Perez had to move to Houston, Texas, where Dr. Now is located, to pursue treatment. But at the end of her journey, she moved back to Washington to be closer to family. Since then, she's kept a low profile. She doesn't post much on Facebook, but when she last posted a selfie in 2017, she was smiling, and it looked like she kept the weight off.
Hopefully, Kirsten Perez has continued working on herself
Aside from her stated residence in Longview, Washington, there isn't much to glean about Kirsten Perez's personal life from social media. Her last post that the public can see came in 2019 when she posted a link to Alzheimer's Association asking for donations. Viewers also could have checked in with her on "My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?" Her episode aired on June 13, 2018, about a year and a half after audiences first met her.
Some former participants, such as Chris Parsons, use social media to keep their fans updated about their progress. It's a way to show it's possible to maintain massive weight loss without falling back into bad habits. However, others simply want to lead their lives away from the reality TV spotlight.
What's important is that Perez maintains her health and happiness. More than simply losing weight, Dr. Now knew she required therapy to address her trauma. Initially she was hesitant, but eventually she met with psychiatrist Lola Clay, who gave her this advice regarding experiencing something horrible: "Let go of [the] responsibility ... It's important that you skew your thinking toward the positive." Staying optimistic is worthwhile advice for everyone to remember.