Where Is Doug Armstrong From My 600-Lb Life Now?
On TLC's long-running medical reality series, "My 600-lb Life," individuals from across the country travel to Houston, Texas, to combat morbid obesity with the help of gastric surgeon Dr. Younan Nowzaradan. Due to their extreme weight, the patients featured on the show are in a critical situation. Their bodies are breaking down decades too soon, making something as simple as walking just a few steps an arduous task that leaves them winded for hours. Most are entirely reliant on a spouse or another caregiver for help bathing, dressing, and cooking.
During the show's fifth season, viewers met Doug Armstrong, a 36-year-old married father of three. Like most patients on "My 600-lb Life," Doug came to Dr. Now not only burdened by hundreds of pounds of excess weight, but also with severe emotional trauma that manifested in a gripping food addiction. Let's look at Doug's journey and see how he's doing now.
Doug's childhood trauma triggered his addiction
Weighing 685 pounds, Doug dreaded waking each morning. With a body wracked with pain, he could not even get out of bed without the help of his wife, Ashley. He felt guilt and shame for having to rely on her as much as he did, believing that a time would come when she would draw the line and say enough was enough. For Ashley, her love for Doug was evident, but raising a 4-year-old child and newborn twins while caring for her husband was exhausting.
In the retrospective that begins each episode, Doug shared the story of his turbulent youth. With his military father stationed far from the family, his mother was left to raise him and his brother largely on her own. When Doug was about 6 years old, his mother abandoned the two children, leaving them with her in-laws. Doug's father brought in several nannies and friends to look after the boys while he was away. When he was 8, Doug was molested by the son of a nanny. It was then that he turned to food for comfort, triggering a weight gain that would go unchecked for years.
Doug's weight gain went unchecked for years
By seventh grade, Doug had reached 200 pounds. By the age of 18, he was around 350 pounds. And once he reached the age of 26, he was 450 pounds. Divorced from his first wife, Doug began partying, which is when he met Ashley. The two dated off and on for some time, until Ashley grew tired of the perpetual party scene. After the breakup, Doug spiraled into a deeper depression. Whereas food had been his go-to drug for most of his life, Doug began abusing methamphetamines, to the point that he was using meth "all day, every day" for two years. Thankfully, Doug was able to break free of the drug and rekindle his relationship with Ashley. But though he was done with meth, his food addiction continued, pushing his weight into the 660-pound range.
Unable to work and barely able to walk, Doug knew changes had to be made, so he headed to Houston to see Dr. Now, where he was shocked to learn that his weight had risen to 685 pounds. Dr. Now gave Doug a goal of losing 50 pounds in the first month of the program in order to qualify for weight loss surgery. While he made some progress, Doug fell well short of the goal, but the failure helped boost his commitment to the program. By the end of the second month, Doug lost a total of 84 pounds and was approved for weight loss surgery.
Doug's journey took quite a few detours
After the successful procedure, Doug continued to lose weight, but the pace was alarmingly slow. Nearly two months after the surgery, he only shed 19 pounds, far short of the 60 pounds Dr. Now expected. While most patients' journeys experience a plateau where weight loss slows substantially, Doug's was occurring way too soon. Instructed to meet with a psychotherapist, he began to work through the emotional pain of his childhood and address his mother's abandonment. By the end of the first year, Doug lost an impressive 222 pounds.
Doug's weight loss journey continued on "Where Are They Now?," the spin-off of "My 600-lb Life." In addition to working toward losing more weight, Doug also had his sights set on excess skin removal surgery. Unfortunately, Doug's progress reversed during the first two months of Year 2, gaining six pounds instead of losing 50. Dr. Now took Doug to task for the gain, chastising his decision to go rogue and develop his own vegetarian diet.
Doug's journey continued on Where Are They Now?
After the scolding, Doug responded by canceling two consecutive appointments with Dr. Now, which prompted the doctor to call him and encourage him to resume his commitment to the program. At his next visit, Doug's weight had risen by an additional three pounds. Resuming therapy and helped by his wife, Doug managed to get back on track and drop 79 pounds over two months — getting him below the 400-pound mark for the first time in years. His progress made him eligible for the first of several skin removal surgeries. Dr. Now removed seven pounds of skin and fatty tissue from Doug' arms. By the end of his "Where Are They Now?" episode, Doug was working toward getting down to 328 pounds in order to have his second skin removal surgery.
The last official update on Doug's journey was the "Where Are They Now?" episode in 2018. According to his Facebook page, he and Ashley welcomed a new baby into their family in 2019. Though Doug's page doesn't offer updates on his weight loss, there is one photo from 2020 that suggests Doug is still working on hitting his goals. Hopefully, a future "Where Are They Now?" episode will reveal Doug's continued success.