EXCLUSIVE: Teresa Parent tipped the scales at over 42 stone but it wasn’t until the doctor told her she’d be dead in five years that it shocked her into taking drastic action
Teresa Parent had a very serious eating problem.
She was consuming up to 15,000 calories a day feeding on fast food and junk in a dangerous spiral of obesity-related health issues.
The 45-year-old teacher was tipping the scales at over 600 pounds (over 42 stones).
“I struggled with diabetes, high blood pressure, and I even had a mild heart attack in 2016,” Teresa, from Long Beach, California, recalls.
“Doctors told me if I didn’t make a change, I wouldn’t be alive in five years. That was the wake-up call I needed.”
That set her on the path to an astonishing weight loss journey, shedding a staggering 465 pounds (33 stones) and completely transforming her life.
She initially lost 180 pounds naturally through diet and exercise before undergoing gastric bypass surgery, which helped her shed an additional 200 pounds.
But even after losing all that weight, she was left with 47 pounds of excess skin, which caused significant discomfort and emotional distress.
“The loose skin impacted my entire life—mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. It made me look much bigger than I actually was. It was painful, embarrassing, and shameful.”
Teresa underwent a Fleur-de-Lis abdominoplasty, removing the hanging skin from her abdomen.
“All the skin is gone. It’s done. That skin was literally the last piece of all my grief. I made myself feel bad for so long, but I deserve to be happy,” she says, beaming.
“I used to be an 8X, and now I fit into a size 12. I never imagined this would be my life.”
Her TikTok is now a space where she shares recipes, weight loss tips, and raw, unfiltered moments of her journey.
And she has gained over a million followers with her healthier versions of classic comfort foods, proving that losing weight doesn’t mean giving up the meals you love.
“People comment on my videos all the time, saying, ‘That’s not really healthy or nutritious,’ but let me tell you something—this works for me. I’ve lost 465 pounds and kept it off for years. I’ve found ways to make my favourite foods healthier, and that’s what matters.”
From high-protein desserts to guilt-free comfort meals, Teresa’s recipes have captivated an army of fans. Her recently released cookbook, Now We’re Cooking, created in collaboration with Chef Rich Eaton, is flying off the shelves.
“I share my food to help others who have battled obesity. Losing weight doesn’t mean deprivation—it means learning how to make smarter choices. If I can enjoy dessert every single day without feeling guilty, then so can you.”
Beyond the kitchen, Teresa’s love story is another incredible milestone in her journey as she married Mike, the love of her life last month.
“I never thought I’d find love at my heaviest. But I worked on myself, and now I get to share my life with someone who truly supports and loves me.”
Determined to help others break free from the cycle of obesity and self-doubt, she and her business partner, Tonya, launched the chart-topping podcast Transform Your Life_ with Teresa and Tonya_.
Since its debut last year, the show has skyrocketed to the No.1 weight loss podcast, proving just how many people are desperate for honest conversations about extreme weight loss, mental health, and body image.
But they didn’t stop there. Teaming up with Dr. Eric Smith from TLC’s 1,000-Lb Sisters and Pop Recovery Systems, the duo created the Transformation Academy—a game-changing online platform offering nutrition guidance, fitness plans, mental health support, recipes, and expert-led advice on bariatric and skin removal surgery.
The response has been overwhelming.
“This is so much bigger than weight loss,” she says.
“It’s about giving people their lives back.”
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