Vannessa Cross’s worries intensifies as ‘1000-lb Best Friends’ star’s BMI reaches startling level

'1000-lb Best Friends’ star Vannessa’s goal is to help Jacob improve his health and quality of life, while they face obstacles along the way
PUBLISHED OCT 30, 2024
Jacob is Vannessa Cross' son (@tlc)
Jacob is Vannessa Cross' son (@tlc)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jacob is the son of '1000-lb Best Friends' star Vannessa Cross and is well along on his journey to weight loss that has been plagued by many challenging situations. This young man, who has obesity problems, reached a point where his BMI is 81; this is an outrageous number and a shock for his mum. This degree of BMI is within the "incredibly high" category, demonstrating serious health hazards. This means that Jacob has a lot of weight that is not healthy for his height.

A high BMI of 81 is associated with potential health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and problems with joints and breathing, which worry Vannessa considerably. Having battled weight issues herself, she understands how challenging it can be to make lasting changes in one’s life. She is aware of the mental and emotional challenges that come with food addiction and aims to assist Jacob in the areas where she has found success. This concern deepens for her as she notices the impact it has on Jacob's daily activities and emotional health. Vannessa strives to support him by creating a healthier home environment, offering guidance, and motivating him to make long-term choices. Her goal is to help him improve his health and overall quality of life. Despite the ups and downs throughout this journey, she remains dedicated to assisting him in lowering his BMI and achieving a healthy lifestyle.

'1000-lb Best Friends’ star Vannessa Cross wants to use her experience to help her son lose weight

Vannessa Cross, the star of '1000-lb Best Friends' has been on quite the journey herself in her fight with weight loss, having lost over 100 pounds since season one of the show. Now she wants to pay it forward, using everything she has learned with her son Jacob, who also struggles with his weight. She knows that losing weight isn't about eating less or exercising more; it is all about understanding the emotional and mental challenges that accompany this food addiction.

She wants to help Jacob navigate through those struggles using her own life experiences as somewhat of a roadmap. The road to improvement hasn't been easy for Vannessa. She had to completely change her relationship with food, basically making healthier choices and learning to fight off the cravings that used to rule her. She genuinely knows that food may be comforting, especially when dealing with stress or emotional issues. This is something she wants Jacob to realize too, so he can learn to make healthier choices without feeling deprived.

Jacob is facing health issues due to high weight (@tlc)
 '1000-lb Best Friends’ star Jacob is facing health issues due to high weight (@tlc)

'1000-lb Best Friends’ star Vannessa Cross thinks sister Jakie is ‘villain’ of son’s weight loss journey

On '1000-lb Best Friends', Vannessa Cross has been working hard to improve her health and support her son Jacob in his own weight-loss journey. However, she feels that her sister, Jakie, is standing in the way of their progress, even calling her the “villain” of Jacob’s journey. Vannessa sees Jakie’s actions as harmful rather than helpful, creating obstacles for her and Jacob as they try to make healthier choices.

Vannessa has learned from her own struggles with food addiction and knows that it takes a lot of effort and support to stay on track. But she feels that Jakie isn’t taking their challenges seriously. In one episode, Jakie brings fast food to Vannessa’s house, knowing that both Vannessa and Jacob are working to avoid those kinds of temptations. When Jakie hands Jacob a milkshake and fries, Vannessa intervenes, explaining that having those foods around makes it harder for them to stick to their goals. Vannessa even compares it to bringing alcohol to a recovery meeting, highlighting how triggering those foods can be for people dealing with food addiction.

Jakie, however, doesn’t seem to understand or respect this. She insists that “it’s just a milkshake” and argues that having a treat every now and then won’t hurt Jacob. But for Vannessa and Jacob, who are both struggling to change their relationship with food, even “just one” can be difficult to handle. Vanessa feels that Jakie’s lack of empathy makes it harder for her and Jacob to succeed. As a result, Vannessa has started to view Jakie as a negative force in their journey.

Vanessa's sister Jakie with Jacob (@tlc)
 '1000-lb Best Friends’ star Vanessa's sister Jakie with Jacob (@tlc)

How much weight has '1000-lb Best Friends' star Jacob lost?

Jacob lives with his mother, Vannessa, who proves to be a great support system for him. She has lost over 100 pounds herself and understands how hard it may be to break old habits and stick to healthier choices. She's using her own experiences to guide Jacob through understanding the balance of meals and regular exercise. Vannessa also knows how emotional triggers can make one eat too much, as she does, and so does Jacob.

Jacob is also getting ready to begin his journey of weight loss, along with his mom, to bring down his weight and improve his health status. He currently weighs approximately 490 pounds. Everything has not been smooth till now for Jacob. Recently, he has gained 30 pounds, which has been a real setback for him.

Vannessa Cross sparks concerns after an emergency hospitalization (Instagram/@vannessa_1kbestfriends)
 '1000-lb Best Friends’ star Vannessa Cross lives with her son Jacob (Instagram/@vannessa_1kbestfriends)

'1000-lb Best Friends' Season 3 airs on Tuesdays, at 10 pm ET on TLC

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