Spoilers: Where Is 'My 600-Lb. Life' Subject Justin McSwain Now? Update on Weight Loss Patient

At 27 years old, My 600-Lb. Life subject Justin McSwain of Rock Hill, South Carolina, knows that he needs to make a change in his life. Justin is a college graduate, but instead of pursuing a career he only leaves the house to get food. He is now seeking the help of renowned bariatric surgeon Dr. Younan Nowzaradan to get his weight—and life—under control.

When he went off to college, Justin made it his goal to eat as much as he could. After living with a stepmother who regularly fat-shamed him, he was happy to not have to live under her reign anymore. She used to lock up food and accused him of eating her "out of house and home." While at school, and away from his family, Justin did great in his classes, and he also succeeded in out eating all his friends. When he graduated, he weighed more than 400 pounds.

But Justin's weight affected he chance at working, and he soon developed a fear of leaving the house and was diagnosed with agoraphobia. He now has a chance to seek help through Dr. Now, but he's afraid even the famous Houston surgeon might not be able to help him.

Justin’s journey to Dr. Now won’t be easy—and major setbacks have him second guessing the trip. Will he push on? Tune in to a new #My600lbLife Wednesday at 8/7c. pic.twitter.com/pj4NjFUmnW

— TLC Network (@TLC) January 23, 2019

In an exclusive sneak peek obtained by Newsweek, Justin worries about what will happen when he gets weighed at Dr. Now's clinic. "I'm feeling a lot better after resting some but my anxiety is still really high cause I know have to see where my weight is at and I'm hoping it's in the upper 500s or low 600s at least. But I'm also really nervous because I don't know if there's gonna be some reason that makes Dr. Now think that he can't help me," he says. "So I'm hoping it goes well and that's not the case."

When Justin steps on the scale, he weighs in at 687.5 pounds. "That number is shocking to see because I knew I was likely in the 600s but I thought it was in the low 600s so getting help is even more urgent than I thought," he says. "It makes me worry that there's a greater chance he may say that he can't help me because I'm so big."

So where is Justin now? According to his Instagram account, he's still in Houston, which means he's likely being helped by Dr. Now to control his weight. "Downtown Houston has some really incredible places. One of my favorite things to do now is just walking around and exploring them," he wrote Monday, two days before his episode aired. "Always a view worth checking out around here! Really enjoying a walk around the city."

On Facebook, he describes himself as "just a dude with a dog who's trying to figure it out."

Don't miss My 600-Lb. Life when it airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on TLC.

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Maria Vultaggio is a Brooklynite originally hailing from Long Island. She studied English at Stony Brook University and interned at the ... Read more

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