'My 600-lb Life': Where is Kenae Dolphus now? Here's what she is up to after being disqualified for surgery
“You didn't gain all your weight in one day... you won't lose it in one day. Be patient with yourself.” A headstrong woman named Kenae Dolphus made an appearance in the latest episode of 'My 600-lb Life' titled 'Kenae's Journey' and these words truly resonate with her story.
The official summary for the episode featuring the 41-year-old Nacogdoches, Texas native read, "Kenae was already big before her weight gain took off after the death of her beloved mother. Refusing to deal with the pain, Kenae turned to food to fill the void. But she'll be reunited with her mum soon if the denial continues."
As seen in the series before, Dr Nowzaradan aka Dr Now is hard on her. As seen in previous episodes, his harsh words have brought many morales down even though that might not have been his intent. A similar conversation ensued between Kenae and Dr Now in the new episode but she stood up for herself — blatantly telling him that her obesity was "her fault" and even though she had initially only lost 22 pounds out of the 100 she was supposed to, she was happy that "it was not zero".
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How much did Kenae Dolphus weigh when she started Dr Now's weight loss program?
Kenae came into the show weighing a whopping 614 pounds. Tragic factors that led to her gaining so much weight included the death of her mother which really affected her in many ways. Even though Kenae's excessive weight didn't stop her from finding love, it did hinder her chances of being a mother. She was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and that added to her sadness as she ate some more to suppress her emotions.
How much weight did she lose in the initial months of being on Dr Now's program?
Kenae was asked drop 100 pounds and Dr Now said he would clear her for surgery if the scales said 514 pounds. She was put on a controlled calorie diet and given a set of exercises to do. What's more, she only had two months to lose the extra pounds. Kenae couldn't do a lot of moving around during those two months because her knees were completely worn out due to her weight and her legs would often go numb. However, her "never give up" attitude helped her as she walked from her home to her car.
She did this for a whole month and even though she had to use a walker, she was proud that she didn't need anyone's assistance to move around. Kenae also said in the trailer that even though she had made a couple of changes to her diet, it wasn't much. She still had old groceries that she couldn't throw out... so she had to work her way around it and all the other temptations that came along with it.
How much weight did Kenae Dolphus lose at the end of the episode?
Kenae lost 22 pounds at the end of two months but unlike many, who've felt guilty of not gaining the results that were expected out of them, she was proud of how far she had come. "I felt good about myself. I made changes. I don't need anyone to walk me to the car. I had not been able to do that in months. So no 22 pounds is not even close to the 100 you had asked me for but it's not zero," she retaliated when Dr Now questioned her efforts.
Kenae's weight loss journey lasted 12 months during which she lost a total of 133 pounds. She weighed 614 pounds when she started and by the end of the episode, it was revealed that she weighed 482 pounds.
Was Kenae Dolphus approved for surgery?
Kenae lost a significant amount of weight and even though she made all the efforts required for her to get the surgery, the odds didn't work in her favor in the end. Such is the case with a lot of people battling obesity. Kenae was diagnosed with heart issues and taking the risk of surgery in those conditions wasn't an ideal situation for Kenae to be in.
What is Kenae Dolphus doing now?
Not getting approved for surgery didn't affect Kenae negatively. She was happy with the path she had traversed and the moves that she was making. In the episode, it was shown that she visited her deceased mother's grave for the first time in six years after she had passed away. It was also clear that Kenae was in a much better space mentally and the psychotherapy sessions were helping her massively. That coupled with a 1200 calorie diet and other lifestyle changes also helped Kenae to continue shedding the remaining extra pounds.
“So, I’m working hard to keep heading in a positive direction. You know, I’m working on my diet and my exercises every day, and I’ve been able to see a therapist locally to work on healthier ways I can cope in life," she was heard saying at the end of the episode.
What is Kenae Dolphus's Instagram?
Kenae does have an account that can be accessed @kenaedolphus. However, if you are looking for a present-day update about her and how much weight she has lost since she shot the episode, you'll be disappointed as there are no fresh updates about it on her page.
On her page, you can find some pictures of her family and her partner though! Check out a few snapshots here:
Catch new episodes of 'My 600-lb Life' every Wednesday at 8 pm ET on TLC.