Tammy Slaton always wanted to be a star.
And despite her humble beginnings, she knew that she and sister Amy Slaton had what it took to fulfill their dreams.
“At 3 or 4 years old, [I] was telling Amy that me and her were going to be different,” Tammy—who celebrates her 39th birthday July 27—said on a June episode of Ezell Film Company’s Creative Chaos podcast. “We were going to be the ones to make it on TV, make a name for ourselves.”
Raised in Kentucky by their mom Darlene alongside siblings Chris, Misty and Amanda, “We grew up very poor,” Amy, 37, said on the premiere episode of their TLC show 1000-lb Sisters. “We grew up with fast food mostly. But if we didn’t have fast food, the church would give us food. There was five kids, so our mom worked three jobs. We didn’t really get much love and affection growing up. It was actually quite the opposite. We got told we were stupid, we were lazy.”
However, the sisters had a close relationship with their grandmother, who passed away when Amy was 10 and Tammy was 11.
“My grandma was so important to me. She made me feel like I was no different from anybody else,” Tammy shared on the episode. “After my grandma died, food was the only enjoyment we had.”
But as their weight crept up, Tammy and Amy experienced bullying and a slew of medical issues.
“I’ve been overweight all my life,” Tammy added. “Kids in school were very mean. They would push me, call me names. By 20 years old, I weighed about 500 pounds.”
It was right after a health scare in 2014 that she decided to start vlogging with Amy.
“I had just got out of the hospital,” Tammy recalled to People in 2023. “I found out I had a blood clot in my right lung, and I was bored. I was just sitting there watching YouTube videos. I was like, ‘Why not? We’re funny, whatever. Why can’t we do it too?’ So, I pitched the idea to her, and here we are.”
Their journey to the small screen began when their videos caught the attention of execs at TLC.
“At first, they wanted a big YouTuber weight loss show,” Amy added to the magazine, “and then they’d seen us and they were like, ‘No, these two need their own show.'”
1000-lb Sisters premiered in 2020. And over the past seven seasons, Tammy, Amy and their siblings have all undergone dramatic weight loss transformations. At her heaviest, Tammy told People, she was 725 pounds. But after attending a rehabilitation center, making changes to her lifestyle and undergoing bariatric surgery in 2022, she’s lost more than 500 pounds.
“By us putting our stories out there, we’re helping others,” Tammy, who also underwent skin removal surgery earlier this year, continued. “We’re helping others to see that they can lose weight too. They’re not alone. They thank us for putting our story out there. It’s kind of comforting knowing we’re putting smiles on other people’s faces.”
In addition to documenting the Slatons’ weight loss journeys, the show has given an honest look at the family’s ups and downs. However, Tammy doesn’t regret having these moments captured, even her heated arguments with Amy and her other siblings.
“I wouldn’t change any of it,” she said on Creative Chaos. “Even the fighting with my siblings, that’s how we grew. That’s made me a different person. Fighting with the family, I don’t want to anymore. I’m too old for it.”
Life has certainly changed for Tammy since the show’s debut—and not just in a physical sense. The reality star has also had to navigate life in the spotlight, including being asked for photos when out in public.
“I don’t mind,” she continued on the podcast. “It’s the ones that are rude and just do it. Ask me, I don’t care. I’m human.”
And while Tammy has had to deal with haters criticizing her appearance over the years, she’s thankful for her supporters.
“I love it,” she added. “I got amazing fans.”
As much as she’s opened up about her life onscreen, Tammy has still kept some aspects—including her love life—somewhat private. Until recently. Two years after the death of her husband Caleb Willingham, Tammy shared she was dating a woman named Andrea Dalton.
“A few years ago, I came out as pansexual,” the reality star said on an April episode of 1,000-lb Sisters. “But after Caleb’s passing, I don’t want to be with men anymore.”
In June, Tammy revealed she and Andrea are engaged. And as the TV personality steps into her 39th year, she doesn’t just have a new fiancée and ring, but also a new sense of gratitude for her journey.
“So much [has] changed about me over the years,” Tammy wrote in a July 1 TikTok post alongside a montage of photos. “I couldn’t be more thankful and blessed to have the support and love not only from my fans/besties but my girlfriend and ofc my family. This is my thank you for helping me keeping going.”
To look back at Tammy’s road over the past few years, keep reading.
Sharing Her Journey
Since 2020, TLC viewers have watched Tammy Slaton‘s journey on 1000-lb. Sisters. She underwent bariatric surgery in mid-2022 and since then, fans have continued to witness her transformation on TV and on social media.
As of August 2024, she has lost 500 pounds.
Summertime Style
The reality star shared a snap of herself in a floral print dress on Instagram in June 2023.
Squad Photo
That same month, Tammy posted a group photo with her brother Chris Combs and YouTuber Chelcie Lynn.
A Heartbreaking Loss
In July 2023, Tammy mourned the death of her husband Caleb Willingham. “Rip sweet angel you will forever be missed and loved so much,” she wrote on Instagram alongside throwback photos, “thank you Caleb for showing me real love and happiness.”
Mirror Selfie
Tammy stopped for a series of bathroom selfies, shared on Instagram August 2023.
Posing in Jeans
In October 2023, Tammy proudly posed for an Instagram selfie in jeans.
Tie-Dyed Style
Tammy posted this video on TikTok in January 2024.
“Killing It”
After she shared new selfies in April 2024, her weight loss surgeon, Dr. Eric Smith, commented, “You are killing it!”
Great Cat-titude
Tammy included in her update a pic of herself with her cat, Chocolate.
“You Are Beautiful”
Amid her weight loss journey, Tammy continued to provide her followers with the optimism she had gained throughout her 500-lb. weight loss.
“Always remember you are beautiful,” she wrote in the caption of an August 2024 TikTok. “You are strong. You are brave. You are loved and you are enough.”
Skin Removal Recipient
After months of setbacks that prevented Tammy from being approved for skin removal surgery, she was finally given the green light for the procedure.
She unveiled the results on a June 2025 episode of the TLC series.
Flaunt Your Form
One month after Tammy revealed her new look following her skin removal surgery, she shared a series of selfies from her life as of late.
Included in the July 2025 update, she showed off her new figure in a skin-tight body suit as she smiled at the camera.
