“Family By the Ton” Star Casey King Loses 600 Pounds After Bariatric Surgery and Four-Year Health Overhaul
It was worth every pound.
A reality star who once weighed an astonishing 845 pounds has lost nearly two-thirds of his body weight after dedicating the last four years to an intense diet and exercise plan.
Casey King, 38, underwent bariatric surgery in 2019, a major step in a weight-loss journey that ultimately helped him shed 600 pounds.
That same year, the Georgia native appeared on TLC’s reality series “Family By the Ton,” where he was filmed nude because regular clothing was too tight and restrictive.
“I will just eat till I’m dead,” King said on the show. “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.”
On the series, King explained that he had always been a “big kid,” weighing about 300 pounds by the time he finished high school. After graduating, he worked in restaurants and began eating even more. Years later, he stopped working and moved in with his father—during that period, his weight soared to 845 pounds.
At that size, everyday tasks became extremely difficult, including bathing. King said he had to wash in an outdoor trough on his father’s back deck because he could not fit into a standard shower or bathtub.
“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,” he said.
He also admitted he needed his father’s help wiping because he couldn’t reach that area on his own.
“I need his help a little bit to clean myself, you know, wiping just my a— because I can’t reach everything on my back, and I can’t reach everything below me,” he told viewers.
During the show, King met surgeon Dr. Charles Procter Jr., but learned he needed to lose weight on his own before he could undergo bariatric surgery.
His mother helped kick-start the process by putting him on a healthier diet and pushing him to move his body more.
“We jokingly say that my mother is a drill sergeant,” King said on the series. “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.”
King eventually underwent a vertical sleeve gastrectomy to reduce the size of his stomach, shrinking it “from the size of a basketball to the size of a racquetball,” which helped him eat less.
After surgery, his weight dropped from 700 pounds to 631 pounds, and he continued following his weight-loss regimen over the next four years.
King has documented his progress on Instagram, where he has gained more than 38,000 followers who regularly praise his dramatic transformation.
He later got off unemployment and has worked at Home Depot for the past three years, saying the job has helped him stay active.
In November 2021, on his 37th birthday, King posted that he had reached 255 pounds.
“I’m the healthiest I’ve been since #highschool I’m the happiest I’ve been since #forever and I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more or #loved myself more,” he wrote. “5 pounds away from a weight I never really considered imaginable, I never saw even possible.”
He also created an Instagram highlight featuring weight-loss tips for others seeking guidance, including drinking water throughout the day and cutting out sugary drinks.
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King has said another core part of his diet is focusing on protein that isn’t fried or covered in high-sugar marinades.
“Finding healthy choices is not that bad. It’s not that difficult. You just gotta be smart,” he told followers.
“Be as active as you possibly can. Put activity into everything. Find something that you’re interested in to be active,” he added. “I got into hiking, and I’ve always liked running, so I do those kind of things. Do whatever works for you.”
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Now, King says he is down to 250 pounds and wants to lose another 25. He also hopes to have surgery to remove excess skin hanging from his stomach, chest, and arms, and a friend has started a GoFundMe to help fund the procedure.
The fundraiser set a goal of $15,000 and has raised nearly $19,000 so far.