Syreeta Covington Encountered a Major Hurdle After 'My 600-Lb Life' — Where Is She Now?
After an unexpected turn of events, Syreeta moved to Largo, Fla. and put her weight loss journey on hold. How is she doing now?
May 22 2024, Published 10:33 p.m. ET
Many participants on TLC's My 600-Lb Life are dealing with long-standing trauma and Syreeta Covington from Season 11, Episode 2, which aired on Feb. 22, 2023, is no different. She endured abuse and neglect as a child, and much of that led to her over-eating habits. In turn, that put her on the path to gaining weight, which isn't conducive to living a healthy lifestyle.
When viewers were first introduced to Syreeta, she and her husband Lawrence were living in Columbus, Ohio. At her first weigh-in with Dr. Now, she weighed 603 pounds. A year and two months after her initial visit, an unexpected event occurred, requiring Syreeta to put her weight loss goals on hold. Here's what happened after she appeared on My 600-lb Life and what she's doing now.
Where is Syreeta Covington from 'My 600-Lb Life' now?
Nearly two years after making her debut on My 600-lb Life, Syreeta and her husband moved to Largo, Fla, although it isn't clear if the couple is still living there. While Syreeta's social media accounts are set to private, her husband's Instagram isn't. He occasionally provides us with a glimpse into how she's doing today. A post from July 2023 captures a beaming Syreeta looking happier and healthier.
Although we don't know how much weight Syreeta has lost in total since appearing on the show, viewers returned to her story in Season 9, Episode 4 of My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?, which aired on May 22, 2024.
The episode reveals that while Syreeta had only lost 70 pounds a year and 10 months after being introduced to viewers, she had become more active. She got a job and sought help from a personal trainer. But a year and two months after meeting with Dr. Now for the first time, she learned she was pregnant, which made it difficult for her to maintain the diet and exercise regime the doctor had prescribed.
Although Syreeta had to put her weight loss plans on hold while she carried her baby girl, and even relocated to Florida to obtain care from high-risk pregnancy specialists, she suffered an unfortunate loss just a few months later.
After conceiving, Syreeta lost her baby more than halfway through her pregnancy.
Nearly six months into her pregnancy, Syreeta learned that her daughter's kidneys didn't form. The baby didn't survive and was delivered as a still birth. As difficult as it was for Syreeta to stay positive after bearing such a loss, she was still determined to get healthier.
She returned to Dr. Now's office and was advised to move to Houston and lose 60 pounds in order to qualify for weight loss surgery. Since Syreeta keeps her private life under wraps, we don't know if she relocated or met that target weight goal.
In 'My 600-b Life,' Syreeta explained why she developed unhealthy eating habits.
Syreeta explained in her My 600-Lb Life episode that she was "raised by a lot of people" from the time she was a toddler. During her time in foster care, Syreeta says she was abused sexually, mentally, and physically by the time she was eight years old. Because none of the adults who passed through Syreeta's life were equipped to properly help her, she eventually found herself in girls' homes and then in juvenile detention.
After she met her birth mother and that relationship went south fast, Syreeta had to come to terms with the possibility that she and her mother weren't meant to have a relationship.
"So after that, I just made my peace with loving the feeling I got from food," she explains in the episode.
Syreeta's husband was her primary caregiver on 'My 600-Lb Life.'
Syreeta once worked as a hairstylist, but on the show, she was all but bedridden due to her size. As a result, her husband cared for her. And, although Syreeta could barely bring herself to trust Dr. Now, she was comfortable with her husband caring for her. He just wanted what's best for her.
In My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? Season 9, we see Syreeta back at work, although remotely, indicating her efforts to regain control of her life. Hopefully, Syreeta can continue to overcome her trust issues and achieve further weight loss, ultimately qualifying for surgery if she hasn't already undergone it.
Watch My 600-Lb Life: Where Are They Now? on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on TLC.