What Happened To Christina Phillips After My 600-Lb Life?

Reality television fascinates, infuriates, amuses, and even sometimes changes the entire course of a person's life. Such is often the case with extreme shows like TLC's "My 600-Lb Life." Many stars from "My 600-Lb Life" look totally different today, one of them being Christina Phillips. Phillips went through a stunning transformation and was one of the most talked about people to be featured on the show. After Season 2, Phillips had quite the rollercoaster journey since her time on the show ended in 2014. Hers was a positive success story in the sometimes tragic track record of "My 600-Lb Life."

When Phillips first joined the show, she weighed 708 pounds and was not feeling like her best self. She safely lost weight and in the process gained a new outlook on life. Phillips dropped a stunning 400 odd pounds by the time the season ended. Thanks to her gastric bypass surgery combined with healthy nutrition and exercise, her final weigh-in was under 200 pounds, making her journey one of the most dramatic celebrity transformations of the past decade. "I am so blessed to have a second chance at life..." she told People. "Being able to wake up in the morning and get out of bed without feeling like I'm gonna die, I thank God every morning for that."

Plenty of life changes were in store for Phillips after being featured on "My 600-Lb Life." As she writes in her Instagram biography, she is now focused on enjoying her life. 

As with any major change, self-improvement can affect other areas of life as well, including a person's relationships. When Christina Phillips first joined "My 600-Lb Life," she was married. By the end of her weight loss journey, Phillips shed more than just pounds; she ended her toxic relationship with her now ex-husband, Zach,too. The pair was one of the couples on the show who broke up after a weight loss journey.

When Phillips was bedridden, she had to rely heavily on her husband. Zach had to help his wife get dressed, walk, and drive her. Thankfully, she was able to leave that toxic dynamic and ended her relationship altogether. In her follow-up episode after the show ended, she credited her divorce from Zach as the best thing to happen to her. "At the beginning I had a lot of people doubt me," Phillips said in her "Where Are They Now?" special. "I was in a really abusive relationship. And that definitely, I think, has had a negative impact on me. It hurt. In my heart, in my head" (via Goalcast).

Phillips realized that her then-husband's reaction to her weight loss was not what she hoped for. He wanted to be in control of her, something he no longer could do once she lost weight and started living a more independent life. In the follow-up special, she explained, "It became clear that me becoming independent [from Zach] was not going to work for him" (via InTouch).

After her time on Season 2 of "My 600-Lb Life" came to an end, Christina Phillips got a divorce and started dating someone new. In her "My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now" special, she broke the big news. There are not many details known of her love life as of the time of writing, but in the follow up episode Phillips did break the news that she was living with her boyfriend and had been for about a month when the special aired on January 7, 2015. She revealed that her boyfriend, Shane, was someone she knew prior to the show.

The pair had been friends long before they got together (eight years at the time of filming) and before Phillips began her weight loss journey. Unlike her ex-husband, Shane seemed like a far more uplifting and supportive partner who encouraged her health and independence. Phillips gushed about her boyfriend in the follow-up special. "Shane is really good for me," she shared (via YouTube). She noted that he encouraged her to get out of the house more often, even when she is feeling insecure. "I'm so glad I found someone that loves me like Shane."

"We just opened up to each other and we'll finish each other's sentences sometimes," Shane said of their relationship. While it is unclear if they are still dating as of this publication, or if Shane is the father of her children, the couple clearly cared for each other at the time of the special.

After her time on the show ended, Christina Phillips embarked on a new journey; motherhood. As of this publication, she now has four kids whom she regularly shares pictures of on her social media: Ethan, Ezra, Arya and Eliana. In August 2020, the "My 600-Lb Life" star announced that she was pregnant with her first child, Ethan Henry. She shared adorable pictures of her nephew holding her sonogram pictures on Instagram. Phillips gave birth on February 3rd, 2021. Motherhood suited her, and in March 2022, Phillips shared a second pregnancy announcement. She later posted pictures on Instagram of her stomach at the halfway point in her pregnancy. The mom found out her baby's gender ahead of time and revealed that she was pregnant with another boy. Phillips gave birth to baby Ezra on September 2, 2022.

Her pregnancies happened in quick succession, and less than a year after she gave birth to Ezra, Phillips had more happy news to spread. In 2023, Phillips shared that she was pregnant again, this time with a girl. Her daughter, Arya, was born with some health issues that she eventually overcame. Phillips introduced her daughter to the world on Instagram in July 2024 and explained the medical issues. Arya had a rare condition called Type A long gap esophageal atresia and was kept in the neonatal intensive care unit for over six months. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to go through and I still don't know how I made it," Phillips wrote in the caption.

Christina Phillips has been very honest and open about her life's journey, including her health difficulties. From her weight loss journey to her complicated pregnancies, Phillips has shared her struggles and victories with viewers and fans. The mom of four revealed she had health issues that affected her and her child during her latest pregnancy with her daughter, Arya.

In a Facebook post from November 2023, Phillips shared that she had severe polyhydramnios, a high amount of amniotic fluid that made for a high-risk pregnancy. "It was super uncomfortable and came with some risks," she wrote on her page. "The closer I got to my due date, the worse the fluid got." Doctors ended up having to induce labor ten days earlier than expected because her daughter's health was at risk. Arya spent the first half year of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit, as previously mentioned.

"Things have been stressful to say the least," Phillips wrote of the time she had to spend away from her daughter. "We go in shifts daily to see her [Arya] and I can't wait until I get to have her home where she belongs." Phillips also shared that she faced issues with insurance trying to get her daughter the health care she needed. Thankfully, as of the last update Phillips shared about Arya on Instagram in August 2024, both mom and daughter seem to be healthy, happy, and thriving.

Like most people featured on "My 600-Lb Life," cameras captured Christina Phillips' life after her weight loss journey as well. For example, she was in a 2016 episode of "My 600-Lb Life: Where Are They Now?" special where she openly described her new life.

In her special, Phillips shared her self-images struggles but also expressed gratitude that she is alive and able to do things on her own. "It's still so hard to believe I've come this far," Phillips said (via YouTube). After losing hundreds of pounds and getting the excess skin removed on her arms and legs, she was ready to put the past behind her. " And I'm ready to live my life," she said. "Now my life is full of so many new experiences that I could never have imagined when I was big."

Phillips was featured on more than just TLC. She was interviewed on another show as well, local morning show "Great Day Houston." She was joined by Dr. Now in the 2015 episode and shared her journey. When asked what the biggest change in her life was, she replied that all aspects of her life had undergone a transformation. "I went from hibernating in one room all the time...to always on the go and actually living," Phillips said. Phillips also met Dr.Oz and personal trainer Chris Powell in 2015 and shared a picture from the day on Instagram.

After losing hundreds of pounds in Season 2 of "My 600-Lb Life," Christina Phillips got a new lease on life. She went through both a health and style transformation from head to toe. Phillips grew her hair out for two years before cutting it shorter in 2023. She also got her septum pierced and started wearing clothes that felt more like "her." Ultimately, she gained confidence to live her best life.

Phillips revealed that she had been wanting to get her septum pierced since before she gave birth to her first child, Ethan. In 2022, she finally got the piercing she had been wanting and shared several pictures of her new nose ring on Instagram, looking happy and confident. "I've been working really hard lately to be okay with who I am," Phillips said in her "My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?" special (via YouTube).

She shared that after getting surgery to remove excess skin on her arms and legs, she felt far more confident in her wardrobe choices. "...[I]t's nice to buy clothes that speak to who I am...it's definitely a confidence boost," she said. Phillips remains appreciative that she can now do activities she could not before that many people take for granted, such as buying clothes she likes and even being able to drive and go outside on her own. "So I'm really grateful I can do normal things like this," the "My 600-lb Life" star said of clothes shopping by herself.

As one of the "My 600-Lb Life" stars who lost the most weight, it is no wonder Christina Phillips has inspired others to focus on improving their health and gained many supporters among viewers during the show. She served as motivation and inspiration for others in their own journey to better health; the reality television star is living proof that a healthier future is possible. Fans followed Phillip's weight loss journey first on the show and then on her Facebook and Instagram pages.

The mom of four created a public Facebook page just to stay in touch with fans after the show and answer questions. People she never met regularly comment on her social media how she was their personal inspiration in their own health journeys. As of this publication, phrases congratulating Phillips on her transformation and thanking her for sharing her story still flood her comment section on Instagram years after she was on "My 600-lb Life." Some people have even shared their own journey, listing their statistics and dates of their successes.

Of course, since her social media pages are not private, Phillips has had to deal with hateful comments from strangers as well. While there are far more positive comments, she has responded to and shut down some rumors from social media users on occasion.

After losing weight naturally and then having surgery, Christina Phillips lost over 500 pounds, but she did not immediately gain back her confidence. In her follow up episode of "My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?" fans learned that she seemed to go from one extreme to another. She admitted in the episode that she ate less than 1000 calories a day at one point. While every body is unique and calorie needs differ, it seemed clear that she was not eating as much as she should have been.

Phillips ended up needing to gain weight to qualify for her excess skin removal surgery at Dr. Now's behest. While she had lost hundreds of pounds, her eating habits were still not as healthy as they could be. As People reported, Phillips said during her episode: "Lately any time I see the scale go up, I tend to freak out and I stop eating for a couple days," she said in her follow-up episode (via Yahoo!). She revealed she was insecure and felt she still had to cover up and hide her arms and legs. Phillips also explained that the excess skin was hindering her self confidence and stirred up negative memories. 

After getting excess skin removed, Phillips still was not happy with her body. Eventually, however, she developed a healthier relationship with food, and her self image appeared to improve both physically and mentally after seeking therapy. In an interview with People, she said, "I'm so much more happier now."

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Before she began losing weight, Christina Phillips could barely fathom a future full of any exercise more rigorous than simply walking short distances. Since appearing on the show and undergoing weight loss surgery, Phillips became independent and unrecognizable from her past self in many ways, including being able to exercise. 

In an interview with People, she said, "It's been pretty amazing having my life back. I'm able to do so much more now. It's pretty great." One of the activities she could not do before was walking long distances. She went from barely being able to walk on her own to completing entire marathons. As of this publication, Phillips has two 5K races under her belt. She ran her second 5K in Orlando in 2019 and proudly shared a picture of her medal on Instagram.

The "My 600-Lb Life" alum further explained to People how her life had improved since starting her weight loss journey. "Before I couldn't walk eight feet without feeling like I was gonna die," Phillips told People. "Now, I could do just about anything I put my mind to." Her dedication, hard work, and healthy habits paid off in more ways than just one.

Christina Phillips became friends with Justin McSwain, another "My 600-Lb Life" alum. McSwain was another person on the show who went through a major transformation. He was in Season 7 of the series, and the pair bonded over their shared experience of being on the show and going through a life-changing body transition in front of an audience.

McSwain's life when he weighed over 600 pounds was not the independent one he wanted. Like Phillips who had to rely on her abusive ex-husband, before his health journey McSwain was not able to drive. "Doing normal things and having a normal day is just not something that's possible for me anymore," he said in the episode of the show. McSwain worked toward and achieved a healthier lifestyle. His was an experience Phillips related to in more ways than one.

Phillips previously shared an Instagram photo of the two of them spending time together in May of 2019. "He's seriously awesome y'all," she wrote in her caption. She revealed that they would both be attending an event together in Orlando, Florida later in the month. The pair attended the Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America (WLSFA) Bariatric Patient Conference that year, and McSwain was a weight loss inspirational speaker at the event. Phillips and McSwain bonded so much that the friends even got matching tattoos together. "Did a thing today!" Phillips captioned her Instagram caption in June 2019. She shared a picture of their matching blue lotus tattoos and tagged McSwain.