The Truth About Nicole Lewis From My 600-Lb Life

Nicole Lewis of My 600-lb Life, TLC's popular reality series, first came to bariatric surgeon Younan Nowzaradan, (aka Dr. Now) weighing over 700 pounds. But after hard work and a gastric sleeve surgery, Lewis managed to shed 326 pounds — quite the accomplishment!

If you're not all that familiar with the series, allow us to fill you in. The show follows participants like Lewis who all weigh 600 pounds or more and are ready to stop engaging in dangerous behaviors and start reclaiming their health and well-being. With the assistance of Dr. Now, many of the show's participants are able to make huge improvements in their lives.

In Lewis' case, she went from having to bathe outdoors to being what many would consider a weight-loss success story. But what else is there to know about Lewis, who uprooted her life in Ohio to seek Dr. Now's help in Texas? What does she really think of the show? Read on to discover the untold truth of My 600-lb Life's Nicole Lewis.

By the end of both her regular episode and her follow-up segment on My 600-lb Life, it was clear that Nicole Lewis was working the program and getting results. This was despite the fact that she and her family were evicted from their Texas residence and had to return to Ohio.

However, like plenty of people who lose a significant amount of weight, Lewis ran into some difficulties that caused her to abandon her diet once she was back home. But as Lewis tells it, that's only a temporary setback. "I may not be even close to where I'm supposed to be," she wrote in a now-defunct post on her Facebook page, which showed her both in 2016 and 2020. "But this comparison shows ... that I'm sure as heck not where I began in 2016."

Lewis added that she's been a bit obsessed with her deviation, but that she plans to reorient her thinking in order to be more positive. "I have been so focused on how much weight I've gained," she continued. "When I should be focused on how much I've lost!"

How does Nicole Lewis feel when she's watching television at home and one of her episodes reruns on TLC? The short answer is: Not so good. They can be difficult for her to watch, according to the reality TV star. "I was embarrassed, sitting back and re-watching my episodes," she revealed in a since-deleted or hidden post on her Facebook page. 

That's especially the case for her debut episode of My 600-lb Life, as it reminds her of where she was at the time, which was rock bottom. "I hate the episode because that was a point in my life where ... I shouldn't have existed other than for my children," she continued. "I was an annoyance to my family, is what I felt." She also said that she felt like she didn't belong, which couldn't have been easy for her.

Fortunately, Lewis doesn't harbor much ill will for the people who were on set with her during filming. "The film crews are all great, they're mostly caring and loving, and they just want to help you help yourself," she added.

Nicole Lewis likes to keep her distance from the follow-up segment My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? "I only watched my episode once because I don't want to see the crappy mistakes, the sh*tty footage that they capture, filming me doing [bad things]," she explained in a since-removed or hidden post on her Facebook page. "I fast forward stuff." Certainly it has to be tough to see yourself on screen in your less-than-stellar moments. 

But despite how much Lewis doesn't enjoy watching her episodes on television, she continued working with producers in 2019 for some very specific reasons. "I am still filming," she continued. "I will continue to work with Dr. Now just to be able to have his guidance, have his help, and be able to get my skin removal." Lewis added that her goal is to be as happy and healthy as possible, and she has every intention of achieving it.

If you're a fan of Nicole Lewis from My 600-lb Life and have seen her episodes multiple times, you may have noticed that she often wears clothing with a cartoon man holding a hatchet — something she also has tattooed on her chest. As it turns out, that's the symbol for Psychopathic Records and its artists, which include Insane Clown Posse, and their fans known as juggalos. "It is a symbol of loyalty, and looking out for the family, and artists on the label cutting down anything that gets in the way as they run beneath the streets," juggalo Will Sigler told the Detroit Metro Times.

In addition to the apparel she wears and the ink on her skin, Lewis also got an uplifting mention in Faygolovers Heaven, a Facebook group for juggalos and juggalettes. "Show some love to this Juggalette going through an amazing weight loss transformation," the admin wrote in a since-removed post. "Keep up the good work!" 

In the accompanying photo Lewis was seen wearing a shirt depicting The Great Milenko, a character from an Insane Clown Posse album. Clearly, our girl is a diehard juggalette!

While Nicole Lewis did indeed work with My 600-lb Life's production company Megalomedia for a second installment of My 600-lb Life: Where are They Now?, it turns out that things have since gone south. In spring 2020, Lewis filed a lawsuit against the production company, becoming the seventh cast member to do so, according to Starcasm.

Specifically, Lewis sued Megalomedia for fraud as her claim (via Starcasm) states the company agreed to pay for her medical costs related to surgery but never followed through. The claim also asserts that Megalomedia agreed to pay for her relocation to Texas and six months of rent as well as skin removal surgery, but alleges that they never coughed up a dime. She never got the surgery, either, according to the suit.

Lewis is also asking for Megalomedia to pay for the damages that the whole kerfuffle has caused, though she did not specify an amount in the paperwork. As for what Lewis has to say about the lawsuit, she's been mum on the topic — at least publicly — at the time of this writing. 

One thing that's abundantly clear in Nicole Lewis' episode of My 600-lb Life is that she struggled an awful lot growing up. Her father was in and out of prison for as long as she can remember, rendering her home life quite chaotic. Additionally, her parents abused drugs, which resulted in frequent conflicts. "I didn't have the best childhood," she explained in a now-inaccessible post on her Facebook page. That's how she ended up turning to food for comfort in the first place, which in turn caused her to gain so much weight.

Because of the uncertainty that Lewis endured, including her father's absences and the fact that she and her family moved around a lot, Lewis had a hard time putting roots down and making local friends. "I never really had a lot of people in my circle, so my circle was based around social media," she continued. "That was always my outlet." Lewis was especially active on YouTube, though she also had MySpace and Facebook accounts as well.

Easily the most important thing in Nicole Lewis' life are her children — something she hasn't been shy about. But one thing she's been a little less forthcoming about is the intense trauma she and her son experienced when he was born not breathing. Fortunately, the medical staff was able to intervene and got the infant crying. "That's a sound I'll never forget, or the blueness of your face from you not breathing," she wrote in a since-defunct post on her Facebook page. "They took you from me, rushed you to the NICU and I was [quickly] carted off into intensive care." How scary!

Lewis unfortunately didn't get to bond with her son for quite some time. Fortunately, once he was stabilized, she did get to see him. "On the third day after being born was my 21st birthday I was sitting in my hospital bed, and I got a call from the NICU saying they [were] bringing you to me," the 600-lb Life star continued. "I was so excited! ... That was the best birthday I ever had."

Nicole Lewis' fame from starring in My 600-lb Life netted her plenty of fans and a supportive community on social media, but she also has naysayers who show up on her page with an agenda. "I know I get a lot of hate for some of the crazy stuff ... about me being a crappy mom, me gaining weight, or me stalling," she confessed in a since-deleted or hidden post on her Facebook page.

But rather than indulge the trolls or go down the rabbit hole of self-doubt, Lewis has learned to let the hate drip away from her like water off a duck's back. "Hate me, love me, disrespect me, or cherish what I'm sharing with you, I'm at this point in my life. I don't care for the negative thoughts," she continued. "I get messages from people and I just read them and laugh." So if you were thinking of venting your spleen at Lewis, it's not going to be very effective.

When Nicole Lewis was over 700 pounds, she struggled mightily with her mobility. But after shedding hundreds of pounds, she was able to start reclaiming aspects of her life that had been put on hold. That included finding employment — something she sought to do in early July 2018 after scoring an interview. "Wish me luck. It's been about 4 years," she revealed in a now-defunct Facebook post (via International Business Times). "But since I've regained my life ... why not work, finish school, and be a full time momma!"

About a week later, Lewis took to social media to celebrate as she managed to snag a job offer. "I worked so hard for this," she gushed in another since-deleted post. "[I] go in tomorrow for paperwork and all that jazz!" Congrats, Nicole!

As for what exactly the employment is, the 600-lb Life star didn't share that publicly, although plenty of folks asked about it. Perhaps she wanted to keep this information private so no one would bother her while she's at work.

While many My 600-lb Life stars' love lives appear on the series, many couples end up splitting up due to infidelity or other relationship issues. However, some of the romantic partnerships are built to last through thick and thin. That's been the case for Nicole Lewis and her boyfriend Charlie, who celebrated six years together on August 22, 2019. "Happy 6 years together babe!" the reality TV star shared in a now-inaccessible Facebook post.

However, it's not all wine and roses for the couple. They have their difficulties, according to Lewis. "Charlie's here for me and stuff, but he's kinda happy where he's at in his life with his weight, and he doesn't want to lose weight, so I'm kinda stuck doing everything on my own now," she confessed in another defunct post. Still, she was quick to add that she thinks he's a great father and partner.

As for whether or not the couple will get married, that remains unclear, as of this writing. Charlie was labeled as her fiancé in a 2017 interview with Rover Radio, so maybe there will be wedding bells in the future!

While some reality television stars may be stand-offish in public, or unlikely to indulge selfie and autograph requests, that's not how Nicole Lewis rolls. In fact, she specifically says she welcomes the contact, so don't be shy. "If you see me in public, come up and say hi to me," she shared in a now-defunct Facebook post. "I may need to be cheered up." Don't we all sometimes?

And if you have something you'd like to communicate to Lewis or want to ask her for advice, don't hold back on social media either. "Shoot me a message, and just ask me how I am because I try my best to respond to people," the 600-lb Life star continued. She added that she knows that people all go through tough times just like she does so she's empathetic to others. However, if you want to shame Lewis or offer her criticism, you can keep that to yourself. She doesn't have time for that.

Every episode of My 600-lb Life begins with a shower scene in which the show's stars have to strip down and bathe in front of the camera. In Nicole Lewis' scene, which is one of the more notorious ones, she was unable to fit in the bathroom. Instead, her boyfriend Charlie bathed her on the front porch using a garden hose.

Well, as Lewis tells it, she wasn't enthusiastic about having that intimate moment recorded. "When they came to my house, they were like, 'Okay, we have to do a shower scene, we have to do real life stuff ... for you to be a part of this process," she explained in an interview with Rover Radio. 

Why did she cave into the pressure and allow the crew to film her like that? For a very good reason. "I sat and thought about it for the longest time," she continued. "And it was either, me not let them do that, and me not get the help, and possibly not be around another year, or just to let it happen."