Janine Mueller’s episode started on a depressing note, because it showed that her struggles with weight began at a very young age, and only got worse as time passed. Many viewers sympathized with her, commenting that their own mothers also controlled their food intake. As with Janine, it had the opposite effect, making them sneak in food, never feel good enough in their parents’ or friends’ eyes, and instead finding comfort in eating and drinking.
However, despite struggling to follow the diet and exercise plan, the doctor’s intervention got the ball rolling, and Janine quickly lost a noticeable amount of weight. Sadly, Janine quit the show after the follow-up episode in 2019 for personal reasons, so the viewers who followed the show on TV never saw her story end. Still, Janine is among the biggest losers behind the scenes; she made tremendous improvements in physical and mental health, dropped more than half her weight, and is doing well today.
Just got back from an AMAZING vacation!! Spent the holidays with my childhood best friend & family. Had a total blast!
Posted by Janine Mueller on Thursday, January 9, 2020
Janine made drastic changes after season six
Based on what people saw in her episode aired in 2018, they gave little chance of her significantly cutting down her weight from 629lbs to 285kgs to a weight that would let her move freely. She blamed her weight problems on her mother, and continued to struggle even when Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, or Dr. Now, gave her a strict diet plan – her weight even increased. Viewers also disliked several moments where she cried fake tears, claiming that she was in pain, yet showing no signs of hurting when she sat down on a scooter or was in bed.
However, the doctor decided to put her in hospital, which moved her from a familiar environment and eliminated the possibility of cheating on her diet. Although some patients, such as James King, managed to get outside help as his wife snuck food in for him, Janine didn’t have such an option. Nonetheless, she left hospital with a smaller stomach, weighing 566lbs or 255kgs, and looked enthusiastic. After she returned in the “Where Are They Now?” episode of “My 600-lb Life,” about a year later, she looked much slimmer, but told viewers that she wouldn’t make more on-screen updates because of her religion. Thankfully, Janine shared some updates through Facebook afterward, and we tracked her journey away from the show.
Janine weighed about 100lbs at a young age
Viewers probably remember how unreasonable Janine sounded when she blamed her mother for constantly keeping her on diets, and forbidding her food as a child. That was because the show’s editing showed her pictures as a kid, and she was already on the path of being morbidly obese, apparently crossing the 100lbs or 45kgs mark when she was eight. Some parents could justify her mother’s efforts to control her if it weren’t for the fact that she started giving her diet pills whe she was six. That can rightly be called horrible parenting, or child abuse, since those may harm a growing child.
Her food addiction was evident as an adult; she could barely move, and used a scooter. Moreover, the scenes of her eating ice cream showed a look of delight on her face that many YouTube fans later put into compilations of the best moments in the show. Even worse, she reached a weight that set off the drive-through sensor for vehicles once she rode her scooter. What people feared the most was that she talked a big game yet did little to prove her dedication. She was isolated, and her mother wasn’t the best example. Moreover, the scene in which she had to use Craigslist to hire a stranger to help her move instead of contacting a friend, showed that she had no support system. Despite all that, Janine eventually hit her weight loss goals.
She quit the show
After losing 120lbs or 55kgs before her first episode wrapped up, fans could see that she’d slimmed down during the follow-up, however, disappointment awaited in the end. Janine said goodbye to fans using a lengthy Facebook post. In it, she stated that, while the doctor helped her, she cut ties with the production because they removed all her references to God in post-production. Janine clarified that she ‘would have never gotten half this far if He had not carried her through that difficult time,’ referencing Jesus.
That was also contra-productive to her business aspirations, since she had plans to get into public speaking and ministry engagements. However, what the producers did was reasonable; the focus was on gastric balloon intervention, diet, exercise and weight loss results, not the religious aspect.
Regardless, Janine added that she was still living in Houston, and was visiting Dr. Now to continue her progress while attending the nearby Ashford Community Church. In an unintentional update, which may be a breach of contract since it happened before the follow-up episode aired, she commented on a Facebook friend’s observation that she looked great, with ‘thanks. Down to 312 at last weigh-in.’ That means that she‘d lost 317lbs or about 145kgs compared to the first appearance.
Tthat’s not where it ended; in a later Facebook post, Janine off-handedly mentioned that she weighed 281lbs or 127kgs. Ultimately, her exit from the show made sense; she already had a $1,500 flat fee for participating in the episode, presumably twice, and then a $2,500 relocation fee for moving to Houston. Since it also went against her religious convictions, and she’d lost weight alone, Janine had no incentive to stay.
What happened to Janine from ‘My 600-lb Life’? See pics of her unbelievable transformation https://t.co/VBRawMIQoT
— Marie (@transitlady64) February 8, 2021
She broke things off with Doug
Moreover, whether due to distance or other reasons, Janine broke up with Doug, whom she’d dated when she filmed the show, and later revealed that they went their separate ways before the episode premiered. That was unsurprising; he was absent during the park scene as the episode wrapped up, and she rarely mentioned him.
However, Janine was open for a new relationship, saying, ‘He [Doug] wasn’t right for me, but my heart holds dear for the one who is.’ Additionally, in many Facebook posts since 2019, she’s mentioned reconnecting with a childhood best friend, and ‘having a total blast,’ indicating that she found friends who would be there for her.
Prince is still with her
Although she relocated from Seattle, Washington State, to Houston, Texas, she brought her cat, Prince, who remains her only roommate. More importantly, he’s healthy, providing emotional support and many fun moments. Moreover, Janine is committed to volunteering in pet shelters and cat rescue organizations.
Janine is more physically active and travels
Although she didn’t specify which type of workouts she does, Janine plans to get knee replacement surgery to help her move and exercise more vigorously. Most viewers were annoyed with her screams of pain and dedication to riding her scooter, making her decision a great sign of a changed mentality and commitment.
Furthermore, she showed how drastic her weight loss was by pointing to an airplane seatbelt in a Facebook picture, happily telling her followers that she no longer requires seatbelt extenders while flying. Based on the caption, that hasn’t happened to her since 1989, and possibly earlier.
She works for an MLM company
MLM or multi-level marketing companies have a lousy reputation for their business strategy. They have a pyramid-like scheme, in which signing up consultants under the employee increases the number of people in the network, and they earn a commission from their sales. Therefore, only people close to the top make enough money to live off.
Regardless, Janine is proud of her position in the Paparazzi Accessories company, and sells necklaces, lanyards, rings, bracelets, and other items online, and at in-person parties; she only charges $1 or $5, as the company instructs. Janine started her business in October 2019 and now primarily sells merchandise on her Facebook page, Bling 2 the 9’s Paparazzi Jewelry.
Due to such low prices and a less predatory business model than other MLM companies, her Facebook followers don’t decry Janine’s attempts to promote the products, and many are happy with their purchases.
Janine slimmed down considerably
Although she stopped uploading full body pictures in late 2019, judging by her last known weight, Janine lost over 400lbs or about 180kgs compared to her peak weight of 678lbs or roughly 305kgs. In other words, she shed nearly two-thirds of her initial weight, enough to completely change her life.
She also made some noticeable changes, such as not wearing the red wig that she sported in the show. Janine also ditched the scooter, which trapped her in her body and prevented her from pushing herself, and is now walking whenever she can. She has yet to mention if she fulfilled the two other goals on her bucket list: dancing for extended periods, and visiting Paris, France.
Janine enjoys fashion and cosmetics
Although she seemingly never wore make-up or jewelry during her on-screen moments, things changed in mid-2019. Besides starting to sell jewelry, her fans noticed that Janine began to put make-up on. Based on her Facebook posts, she started experimenting with lipsticks, eyeshadows, and eyeliners in 2019, but made bolder moves in January 2022, after the New Year festivities.
Moreover, she was trying out new clothes and started sporting a “Totally Texan” look, with pink cowboy boots, during “redneck rehearsal” dinners that she attends. Finally, Janine is helping other people feel and look better by sharing brands that she uses, such as FatToo Grand, which sells plus-size clothing.
Janine seems comfortable in Houston, and has shown no signs of wanting to return to Seattle – in an interview with Newsweek, she explained why saying ‘When I saw Dr. Now, I knew he was the surgeon I wanted… If you find a doctor you think is right, do whatever it takes to secure the best medical attention. I saw several surgeons in Seattle, and none were right for me.’
She also gave her Facebook followers lessons that were crucial to her journey. For instance, she posted a quote in February 2020, writing, ‘Stop hating yourself for everything that you aren’t, and start loving yourself for everything that you are.’
These will be pivotal, since she will turn 60 in 2024. Janine also reiterates that only positive comments remain on her social media profiles, since she deleted unkind words from early 2022 onward ,and blocked users who posted them.
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