Among all the participants of the TLC’s My 600lb Life, Stephen Assanti, from Warwick Rhode Island, is one character that fans would always remember because of the drama he brought to the show. Top on the list is his sour relationship with his brother Justin whom he often bullied, his temperamental nature and failure to adhere to Dr Younan Nowzaradan's diet regime. Stephen weighed 764lb and his brother Justin Assanti tipped the scale at 605lb when they made their first appearance on the show.
However, Stephen ended up adding more weight after his first show because he didn't comply with the doctor's instructions, but he later lost some following a successful gastric bypass surgery bypass. Both Brothers didn't see eye to eye which has resulted in a lot of issues between them. They have appeared on the show several times but their relationship has shown no sign of improvement despite the best effort of their father to reunite them. Justin was unfortunately roped in with his troublesome brother and both of them were sent home during the 2017 episode of the show. Here are some facts about Steven Assanti and his brother Justin Assanti.
What is the cause of Steven Assanti's weight gain?
Stephen and Justin are two brothers that gained a lot of weight because of their childhood experience. As a result of their father's temperamental nature, their parents separated when they were children and they were raised by their mother. Their upbringing was far from ideal, as they suffered neglect from an alcoholic mother who didn't allow their father Steven Sr. , to have access to them. As a result of their ugly childhood, the brothers resorted to food as a sort of comfort and the situation worsened after their mother abandoned them and they were left to survive alone for some time.
Unfortunately, the harm had been done by the time they were rescued by their father and by that time, were morbidly obese. It was even more difficult to get them to relate like Brothers as they were always bickering at each other. Thus their father had to deal with these issues by bundling them off to the TLC’s My 600lb Life and to Dr Now, where he believed that their problem would be resolved and they would learn to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Steven Assanti's issues with his doctor
Steven Assanti has failed so many rules on the My 600lb Life reality show that it took a lot of frank talks to put him back on track. Luckily, Dr Now isn't one to back down easily and was strict with his rules which later produced results.
According to the rules of the show, Steven Assanti and his brother were expected to shed some weights on their own before they will become eligible for gastric bypass surgery. They were to also follow the doctor's diet plan which will enable them to lose the desired weight.
Meanwhile, after the brothers made their debut appearance on season 5 of the show, It didn't take viewers long to discover that there is no love lost between them.
Moreover, Steven's behavior harassed everyone including Dr Now, his brother and the hospital staff. He also cheated on his diet and was addicted to painkillers and wouldn't hesitate to bully others into getting it. He even stole his brother's painkillers while Justin was recovering from his own surgery. Sadly for Justin who has always been at the receiving end of his brother's mischief, he was sent home and this has further increased the rift between them.
Furthermore, Steven Assanti was caught after ordering pizza while still in the hospital ( he used to eat six pizzas a day before he enrolled for the show) and would always complain about his diet. Hence, Dr Now ended his run and sent him off to Rehab where he got a complete detox.
After he was kicked out, he bullied his father into ordering a pizza for him and gradually gained more weight, reaching up to 750lb. It was reported that when he got home, he lived in his father’s van for a long time because he couldn't climb the two short steps to his house.
Steven Assanti finally got his long-desired surgery
Steven Assanti was later re-admitted into the 2017 season of My 600lb Life and had successful gastric bypass surgery. This time around, he paid more attention to Dr Now and was able to lose a considerable amount of weight that qualified him for the surgery. He lost about 150lb afterwards.
Social Media
Steven Assanti has a huge presence on Instagram and Twitter, where he has earned a reputation for showing his disaffection with the My 600lb Life program and often criticizing it. People have therefore wondered whether it is not the same as biting the hand that is helping him to get his life back. He used to share videos of himself eating, using the toilet or condemning the show. Assanti has also made some other videos where he criticized taxpayers and another where he sang Santa baby.
Steven Assanti's Marriage
According to various online sources, Steven Assanti got married to Stephenie Sanger in 2018 but it's not certain if they are still together. His wife who is a massage therapist has sworn that he has a personality that is different from what he shows the world on TV.
Nothing new has been heard about the marriage even though there was a rumor that both of them are no longer together. But this was not based on evidence but is gotten from the fact that Steven hasn't posted anything new on his social media since 2019.
Meanwhile, his brother Justin is single and there's no marriage on the horizon because he is still focusing on his health and fitness. He still maintains his Specialty shop in Rhode Island that sells model kits and collectables. He believes that his business helps him to manage his social anxiety problem. He also communicates with his fans frequently through Facebook and Reddit and answers questions about his life and weight loss. He was able to lose about 200lb of weight after surgery in 2007.
The brothers haven't been on talking terms since Steven stole Justin's pain medications leading to his eviction from the program and nothing much has changed over the years.
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