Casey King is opening up about his long a-weighted health journey!
The 38-year-old, who was made famous after appearing on TLC’s Family By the Ton, has a new lease on life after shedding nearly 600 pounds! The Georgia native, who was up to 711 pounds when he first appeared on the show in 2019, lived with his father, Danny, who had to accommodate his reduced mobility. He infamously told the camera during filming:
“I will just eat till I’m dead. A normal day for me is to wake up around 12, figure out something I am going to eat immediately, [and then] TV, video games, bed. It’s not a lot of activity.”
He added that he would typically game while fully nude, as many of his clothes restricted him:
“It’s hot in Georgia, and all my clothing is restricting and tight, so I just sit there naked, free as can be and no one bothers me — door’s shut, we’re good.”
He also shared that his affinity for gaming was rooted in his disdain for his own reality:
“I’m accepted in all those virtual reality worlds and the gaming world I’m in. No one sees me. That is my outside. That is my world that I can be the Casey I want to be, but not be judged on my weight.”
He added at the time:
“I never would’ve thought at 34 I’d be living with my father, and I’d have no job, have no real money, and just be playing video games all day and eating.”
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The reality star recalled always being a “big kid,” weighing around 300 pounds by the end of high school. After that, he landed a few restaurant jobs, which tempted him to eat more and more until he eventually gained an additional 200 pounds — and had to quit working altogether:
“I was probably around 500 pounds then, and it was just getting too difficult to work, so I quit my job. My mom said to live in this house, you have to have a job, so she kicked me out. The only place I had left to go was my father’s, so I went there.”
While living with his father, his weight continued to skyrocket, as he pretty much had no restrictions:
“Me and my dad would get hibachi delivered, sushi by the barrel. I mean, just anything you wanted to eat, we were getting.”
By the end of shooting, Casey reached his heaviest weight of 845 pounds. He recalled even having to bathe outside in a “trough,” as he was too large for traditional bathtubs and showers, and even got stuck in one once for around NINE hours:
“I bathe outside in this trough, currently, because I cannot physically bathe in a sit-down bathtub or a stand-up shower area. Because I am a bigger guy with, like, folds and flaps, I have to move around, almost like a pig in a way, and wallow and roll over to get the back of my leg. I have to lift up literal pieces of skin. It’s just a super difficult process.”
Eventually, Casey met with bariatric surgeon Dr. Charles Procter Jr. on the show but was informed he had to first lose weight on his own to qualify for the procedure. His mother then intervened, with Casey joking that living with her was “like being at fat camp” — she monitored everything he ate, limited his gaming time, and encouraged him to get active. He explained in a confessional:
“We jokingly say that my mother is a drill sergeant. She’s just more controlling with what I’m eating, how much I’m eating and she’s so strict with my diet sometimes that I think about cheating. I’m not proud of it. Dieting sucks.”
While he didn’t love the idea of surgery, Casey knew that he needed to act before his state continued to worsen:
“I fear surgery in general, but if I don’t change, in five years I could be immobile, where they are fork lifting me out of my room.”
He went on to receive a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, helping him get from 700 pounds down to 631. He recalled in an Instagram post:
“My stomach went basically from the size of a basketball to the size of a racquetball. So the amount of food I ate was much less.”
After the show finished shooting, Casey kept on with his diet and exercise plan, and even hired a personal trainer. In September 2019, he completed a 5k, before getting down to 398 pounds the next month. He celebrated the milestone on IG:
“Finally we got there, I’ve been wanting to see a number below 400 for quite some time. This is a big achievement for me and I can’t really express how happy I am (even though I’m trying to do that right now). I’ve still got a ways to go but we are still making progress and moving forward. I haven’t seen a number under 400 in over 7 or 8 years.”
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As of November 2021 when he celebrated his 37th birthday, he was at 255 pounds. He shared at the time:
“I’m the healthiest I’ve been since high school. I’m the happiest I’ve been since forever and I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more or loved myself more.”
Additionally, he got a job at Home Depot, where he frequently updates his followers with work achievements and accolades.
His story has since inspired many, prompting him to share tips how how to cut weight via his IG Story highlights, first and foremost being drinking enough water:
“I can’t stress that enough. It should always be the number one thing. Drink before meals, after meals. Drink all day.”
He also warned against high sugar substances, like soda, sweet tea, marinades, and fried food. He also added that physical activity is a game changer:
“Be as active as you possibly can. Put activity into everything. Find something that you’re interested in to be active. I got into hiking, and I’ve always liked running, so I do those kind of things. Do whatever works for you.”
As of now, Casey is raising money on a GoFundMe page, where his goal is to get the funds to undergo an excess skin removal procedure. See his transformation (below):
What an inspiring story! We’re so glad Casey was able to stick with it and shed the lbs to become a much healthier man! Share your support in the comments down below!
[Images via TLC/YouTube/Casey King/Instagram]
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