Why TV's 650lb Man - who lost 400lbs and found love - is morbidly obese once more

**hustle4alivin** · June 7th, 2012, 03:10 PM

'The way I'm going, I'm not going to live for too much longer': Why TV's 650lb Virgin - who lost 400lbs and found love - is morbidly obese once more | Mail Online

Unrecognisable: David Smith was slim and healthy after dropping 400lbs three years ago (left), but today (right) he is heavily overweight once more, having regained over 250lbs in two years

Morbidly obese: David now looks almost as he did in 2003 (pictured), before his weight-loss journey was filmed for a TLC documentary titled The 650lb Virgin

As the star of 2009 TLC show The 650lb Virgin, David Smith's transformation to handsome personal trainer - with a doting girlfriend - made headlines.

But in a sad turn of events, the 35-year-old, from Phoenix, Arizona revealed today that he is once again morbidly obese, having re-gained over 250 of the 400lbs he lost.

In an interview this morning, he admitted that by putting on weight at this rate, his life was at risk.

He told the Today show: 'I've gained more than 250lbs in two years, and with all that extra weight so quickly added to my body, I don't know how I'm still living right now... The way I'm going, I'm not going to live for too much longer.'

He added that he could already feel his health deteriorating.
'You know when your body's making a turn for the worse,' he said. 'I felt it before when I was 650lbs, and I'm feeling it again at 500.'

David revealed that his slide back into an unhealthy lifestyle was because he could not come to terms with this newly-slim self, and though he had been outwardly thriving, he was struggling within.
'I wasn't doing too well. I looked really good on the outside, but inside I was a terrible mess,' he said.

Difficult journey: David struggled with the multiple surgeries that had failed to entirely remove the excess skin on his body, leaving him scarred and disappointed with his appearance

Struggle: David's arms looked toned, but the scar tissue and folds of skin were still visible at his midriff

'All my life I was this monster in my head and all of a sudden, to be this good looking guy, it blew my mind away. I didn't know how to deal with it.'
He was also troubled by the multiple surgeries that had failed to entirely remove the excess skin on his body, leaving him scarred and disappointed with his appearance.

'It was tough. A lot of people were counting on me to be inspiring, and I didn't want to let anybody down, but I just felt so bad. I didn't know how to cope'
David turned to alcohol and drugs for a brief time, but eventually found solace in food, the old demon that had caused his weight to spiral out of control the first time.

'I'd eat in my car before I'd get home, or if everybody was out I'd eat something really quick then throw it away before they'd come home,' he admitted.

'It was tough. A lot of people were counting on me to be inspiring, and I didn't want to let anybody down, but I just felt so bad. I didn't know how to cope.'

The side-effects of his ballooning weight were multiple. Embarrassed by his failure to keep in shape, David became withdrawn. He lost his job, and his friendship with his own trainer suffered. Terrified that he would also lose girlfriend Megan, he admitted that he even contemplated suicide.

Breaking down as he spoke of his girlfriend, he said: 'Her support means the world to me. I love her so much, and I know I put her through a lot. She's stayed by my side through everything.'

But Megan insists she is going nowhere, and has even inspired her boyfriend to start hitting the gym once more to try and lose the weight.

She told the show: 'He's really finally ready for it this time, of course I'm going to be there. This is the moment I've been waiting for since he started gaining. For him to really want to be healthy again.'

David, under no illusions about the challenge ahead, agrees that the time is right to start again.

'As much as you've worked on the outside, you have to work on the inside,' he explained. 'And if your foundation isn't built up, you're just going to crumble down. And unfortunately I fell down, but I know I can climb back up.'

Emotional: He breaks down in tears as he opens up about his girlfriend, Megan, who has stood by him

Unwavering support: Megan has now inspired her boyfriend to resume a healthy lifestyle again

Read more: 'The way I'm going, I'm not going to live for too much longer': Why TV's 650lb Virgin - who lost 400lbs and found love - is morbidly obese once more | Mail Online

**OrangeSlice** · June 7th, 2012, 03:16 PM

I hate how he's referred to as "650 lb virgin." To me it's like the "Lesbian found her bike" story from a few weeks ago. Why does someone need to be referred to by their sexual (or lack thereof) behaviors?

**MohandasKGanja** · June 7th, 2012, 03:23 PM

All of a sudden, Kirstie Alley seems like a crybaby little pixie to me.

**Moongirl** · June 7th, 2012, 03:43 PM

The guy who helped him the first time is the trainer on "Extreme Makeover Weight Loss" on ABC; I wonder if he'll help him again?

**Laurent** · June 7th, 2012, 05:29 PM

I feel really bad for this guy. I hope he can lose the weight again and keep it off.

**LynnieD** · June 7th, 2012, 05:47 PM

So is he still a virgin? They seem to make a big deal about that.

Poor guy.

**hustle4alivin** · June 7th, 2012, 05:49 PM

I feel bad for him too. Losing the weight is one thing, maintaining it has it's own set of challenges. As someone who is battling the bulge myself, I can somewhat identify with *some* of the issues he has been going through.[Captain Obvious]It seems like there are a lot of underlying issues he didn't address as he was slimming down and he went back to the things that soothed him and made him comfortable [/Captain Obvious]. I wish him well and at least he has a companion by his side who can encourage and motivate him.

**sputnik** · June 7th, 2012, 05:55 PM

^^
this.
he has an eating disorder. not unlike anorexia or bulimia, recovery is a lifelong struggle and can only work long-term if people address the underlying issues.

**Novice** · June 7th, 2012, 06:09 PM

His addiction is food, he is self medicating. I'm so sorry for him and regardless of his waistline, I hope that he gets his head sorted out sooner rather than later. Unfortunately these things work themselves out to their own timetable sometimes.

**witchcurlgirl** · June 7th, 2012, 07:07 PM

This makes me sad. Poor guy.

**Kat Scorp** · June 7th, 2012, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by hustle4alivin

I feel bad for him too. Losing the weight is one thing, maintaining it has it's own set of challenges. As someone who is battling the bulge myself, I can somewhat identify with *some* of the issues he has been going through.[Captain Obvious]It seems like there are a lot of underlying issues he didn't address as he was slimming down and he went back to the things that soothed him and made him comfortable [/Captain Obvious]. I wish him well and at least he has a companion by his side who can encourage and motivate him.

Yep, that's why I didn't join in about my weight on Bryce Howard thread. I regained all the weight I lost when getting harassed by some bastards in a slow moving car one morning reminded me that I'm only "safe" when I'm a tank. There's no point in me getting WLS because my problems are psychological.

Looking at this makes me tear up:

He was continuing to exercise and diet for months while this was beneath his clothes; that's impressive. Makes his regain even sadder for me. Kudos to Megan for being a lovely person.