Extreme Weight Loss

"David and Rebecca" -- Twins David & Rebecca didn't think that much about their weight as they were growing up in North Prairie, WI. David, who weighs in at 470 pounds, and Rebecca, who weighs 398 pounds, spent their childhood making people laugh. Behind the smiles there were tears of pain from a difficult upbringing that led them to use food as an outlet. After Chris Powell decides to help the twins on their 23rd birthday, he realizes they're extremely co-dependent and enable each other's poor decisions, especially when it comes to their weight. After a tearful goodbye, the twins are split up for a 90-day challenge, with Rebecca going to Arizona to work alongside Chris's wife, Heidi. At the beginning of his weight loss journey, David said he'd always wanted to go through Navy SEAL training to show his dad that "he was a man." Chris takes the twins on his toughest milestone challenge to a rigorous "Kokoro" training camp designed to forge mental toughness and modeled on Navy SEAL Hell Week. But when the twins' old habits begin to reemerge, Chris becomes concerned they may not be able to meet their weight loss goals.

Given up by her birth parents, Meredith was adopted by a loving couple who eventually had another daughter naturally. The only one in the family with weight challenges, Meredith struggled to fit in. She hopes to lose weight to gain confidence to reach out to her birth mother, and even has her goal weight tattooed on her stomach- if she makes it all the way to her goal of 155 pounds, she will qualify for skin removal surgery and can start fresh, so the tattoo will be removed. During his year with Meredith, Chris Powell helps her contact her birth mom, which ends with a surprising revelation. Chris challenges Meredith to run a full marathon, and while watching her, is inspired to run it himself. A lifelong "Baywatch" fan, Meredith gets a surprise visit from former "Baywatch" babe Nicole Eggert, and is surprised to learn that Nicole struggled with her own weight.

After losing his arm in a car accident, 23-year-old Ryan from Appleton, WI says it is more difficult to weigh 410 pounds than it is to have one arm. In the two years since his accident, Ryan has suffered a lack of self-esteem, dropped out of school and become unemployed. Deep down, he knows he might waste his second chance at life if he can't get to a healthy weight, but he spends most of his time at home and eating fast food. A former high school football player and a devoted Green Bay Packers football fan, Ryan learns that Chris Powell has chosen him to participate in a weight loss journey while visiting Lambeau Field's Packers Hall of Fame. In addition to setting his goal weight at 195 lbs., Ryan wants to overcome his fear of riding a bike. A low point during his one-year journey includes a disturbing discovery during a routine medical test; and special moments include surprise visits from Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews and famed wide receiver Donald Driver.

Transformational specialist and trainer Chris Powell chooses Jason, 35, and Rachel, 34, to be the first married couple he'll work with. Except for being severely overweight, these high school sweethearts from South Lyon, MI with five-year-old twins have a picture perfect life. But during their first workout together as a couple, Chris comes to realize that Jason only committed to the program to please Rachel, and Chris hopes the transformation process won't tear them apart. Jason's doubts about success are overshadowing Rachel's excitement and motivation. At their first weigh-in, they're both surprised when Jason comes in at 362 pounds and Rachel's starting weight is 290 pounds. If they can reach their six-month weight loss challenge, Chris promises the couple a trip to New York and the Empire State Building, where Jason proposed to Rachel 13 years ago. During their one-year weight loss journey, Jason and Rachel hope to become a stronger couple and an even stronger family, gaining support and a renewed commitment toward their marriage along the way.

When trainer Chris Powell chooses 28-year old Jami from Philadelphia, PA to go on a year-long weight loss journey, he finds that Jami is an emotional wreck. Adopted from Chile at just two years old, she struggles with self-esteem and tips the scales at 292 pounds. She works at a prestigious ballet school, surrounded by slender, athletic teens -- a constant reminder that, although she preaches smart choices and good health, she herself is not practicing those skills. In a first for Chris, he decides Jami should stop counting pounds and measure her own fitness accomplishments so she can focus on regaining her physical and emotional strength. Eventually, he offers to take her back to Chile to reunite with her birth mother and complete a milestone swimming/running challenge there in the world's largest pool. Also, Jami has a shocking secret to share with Chris -- he may have saved her a from suicide attempt.

Mehrbod, a 32-year-old music producer and DJ now living in Los Angeles, CA, is a child of the Iran/Iraq war who fled to America with his family when he was very young. Mehrbod was taught at an early age that food was scarce and one should eat whenever food is available; he currently weighs 434 pounds. Except for the weight and a food addiction preventing him from fully enjoying his life, Mehrbod has it all -- a devoted girlfriend, a supportive family and a career full of potential. When trainer Chris Powell learns that Mehrbod has a history of losing and regaining weight, he vows to help Mehrbod safely get to his weight goal in one year. If he reaches his first weight loss milestone, Chris will help him purchase an engagement ring to give to his girlfriend. Another successful weight loss milestone could give Mehrbod the opportunity to ski with Chris in Whistler, British Columbia alongside World Cup alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street. But after his triumphant record breaking weigh-ins, a personal setback causes Mehrbod to fall back into his food addiction, jeopardizing his chances of reaching once attainable goals.

At 5'4" and 290 pounds, 46-year-old registered nurse and mother of three Trina is afraid she'll soon become one of the morbidly obese patients she cares for in her hospital. She often calls herself a hypocrite for insisting her patients get their weight to manageable levels, while she continues to neglect her own growing obesity. Trina hits the ground running in the first month, really embracing her new lifestyle. She even gets the group of nurses from her hospital together for a special workout, hoping to show them all the amazing things Chris taught her at boot camp. Chris is so proud of her, he sends a fellow fitness guru, Richard Simmons, to inspire and motivate the nurses. Unfortunately for Trina, the amazing rush of losing weight and working out with one of her fitness idols is quickly lost when she and her mother resume their co-dependent relationship, which sends her back into her bad habits. Trina's husband, Eric, contacts Chris and tells him that he needs to get out to Michigan right away to help save his wife from herself. For the first time, a participant actually gains weight! Find out how Chris handles it.

Four out of five African American women are overweight or obese, but Chantell is determined to defy those odds. With her trademark flower in her hair, the 25-year-old, personable Chantell from Chicago, IL has always stood out as a stylish young lady. Now she no longer wants to use clothes to hide her 327 pounds. Her mother and other family members -- with a history of obesity, diabetes and heart disease -- don't believe Chantell has a real weight problem.. until she gets on the scale. Chantell is committed to change and inspires her mother to start her own fitness regimen. She is ecstatic when trainer Chris Powell chooses her to go on a weight loss journey. If she makes her 90-day weight loss goal, Chris is prepared to reward her with a shopping spree in Paris, France, where she can fulfill another dream of running a marathon. As a thank you to Chris for all he's done, Chantell catches him off guard and gives him a surprise of her own. There are struggles along the way, including facing her apartment building's eviction notice right before her 90-day weigh-in and difficulty in balancing weight loss with her senior year in college. Chantell knows she must lose the weight or she could lose her life, and hopes her passion and commitment will lead her to success.

When she was just 10 years old, Alyssa was in a horrific car accident that took her mother's life. In response to that trauma, Alyssa ballooned to her present 414 lbs. Living in Kalamazoo, Michigan with her dad, Alyssa is delighted to be selected for the show. But just a few weeks into her weight loss journey, she begins vomiting during her morning workouts. Chris explains that her body is detoxifying from her poor diet, and to prove it he tries eating her past diet himself for one day - and it results in Chris vomiting! Chris then calls in celebrity trainer Drew Manning, author of Fit to Fat to Fit - he intentionally gained and lost 80 pounds in a year - to share his experience with living on a bad diet. At the 6-month mark, Alyssa gets a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream of learning to snowboard, and her teacher is none other than champion Lindsey Jacobellis. Late in the year, Alyssa admits to Chris that she has been binging and purging, and Chris brings in his wife, Heidi, who dealt with her own eating disorder, to help counsel her. Can Alyssa get back on track?

Mike, from Voorhees, NJ, is a family man on the cusp of turning 50 years old, as well as celebrating his 20th wedding anniversary. He hopes to safely lose up to half of his 417 pounds so he can be a superhero to his three kids and a knight in shining armor to his deserving wife. Mike was once a tremendous athlete in college, maintaining a vigorous nutrition and weight lifting regimen. But his body forgot what healthy living was like following his father's untimely death, and Mike shifted his focus from fitness to family. Mike's intense desire to now reverse his unhealthy slide was unlike anything trainer Chris Powell has encountered. But when Mike becomes the first participant to ever fail the routine medical exam at boot camp, how will Chris move forward with Mike's weight loss journey? For one of his milestones, Chris wants to give Mike a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and box five-time World Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield.

"Cassandra" -- Once a four-time All American athlete, Cassandra no longer plays any sports and now weighs 364 pounds. After a messy divorce, the heartbroken 45-year-old from Quartz Hill, CA turned to food to bury her sorrows. A high school guidance counselor and coach for the track and field team, she tells her students they can achieve anything they put their minds to. Yet when it comes to losing weight, she is unable to follow her own advice. To help Cassandra with her diet and nutrition, trainer Chris Powell brings in celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito to show her how to make quick and healthy meals. But during her journey, her unhealthy food habits start to creep back in. To help her, Chris breaks precedent and gives Cassandra weekly goals, as opposed to 90-day goals. He hopes to bring out the athlete she once was and, for one of her milestones, to reward her with a singles adventure, whitewater rafting trip to Costa Rica. However Cassandra is reluctant since she fears falling out of the boat and not being able to pull herself back in. As her confidence builds, Cassandra discovers she can push herself out of her comfort zone by trying new things, including speed dating.

At nearly 450 pounds, Bob is a Wisconsin police officer in danger of losing his job. He is now required by the state to pass a "Fit for Duty" test, and in desperation he reaches out to Chris Powell for help. Though Chris takes him on, they hit a roadblock during the first workout when Bob re-injures his knee with a loud "pop!" and must decide whether to continue with the program or delay til next year. He commits to work on his weight loss and uses boxing and swimming as his main fitness regimens. At the 6-month mark, Bob and his wife, Kelly, travel to Paris to renew their vows, and Bob rides the last leg of the Tour de France with Chris. However, he injures his other knee before the year is out and must undergo surgery, which takes him away from the program for a full month. Can he lose the weight and save his job?