3 Changes Helped 600+ Pound Woman Drop Over 400 Pounds
June 08, 2018

Odds were, 24-year-old Amber Rachdi wouldn't live to see 30 unless the woman weighing 600 plus pounds made some serious changes. Fed up, she finally did just that.
Most people in their twenties spend their lives on the go. But that wasn't the case for 24-year-old Amber Rachdi from Troutdale, Oregon. At 657 pounds, she was basically homebound.
RELATED: Woman Loses 350 Pounds, Then Bullies Nearly Ruined Her Beach Vacation
Because of her weight, Amber couldn't bathe herself, fit behind the wheel to drive, or even stand for more than 30 minutes at a time. When she did leave the house, she needed a motorized scooter to get around. As a result, she couldn't work or support herself, so Amber lived at home with her parents.
Weight has been a problem for Amber her entire life. By the young age of five, she already weighed nearly 160 pounds. Food was never really about nourishment but rather an outlet for her emotions.
"I have a lot of anxiety and I am at peace when I eat," she admitted.
Credit: TLC/My 600 Pound LifeAmber's loved ones didn't really know how to help. They were well-meaning, but also only enabled her unhealthy habits. And as Amber continued gaining more and more weight, change started to feel impossible.
"I've tried so hard, so many times, to change the way I eat," she said. "But I can't. I'm already such a failure. Why not just keep failing?"
Shame can hold a person captive. Thankfully, God inspired Amber to better her life through the TLC TV show My 600 Pound Life.
Woman Weighing 600 Plus Pounds Seeks Help
Amber Rachdi appeared on My 600 Pound Life in 2014, desperate to change her life. She and her parents traveled to Houston, Texas to see the show's doctor, Dr. Younan Nowzardian.
This was a turning point for the woman weighing 600 plus pounds and eventually, she and her family moved to Houston so Amber could continue her treatment with Dr. Nowzardian.
To get started on her weight loss journey, Amber made three changes. The first was diet. She needed to reduce the number of calories she was taking in each day. At the same time, she slowly increased her level of physical activity. These two changes helped Amber get to the next step.
RELATED: Trapped By Their Weight, Husband And Wife Set Out On A Hard Journey
After losing 20 pounds on her own, Dr. Younan Nowzardian agreed to perform gastric bypass surgery. Some folks desperate to lose weight look at gastric bypass surgery as a "quick fix." But Amber is quick to point out the procedure is not a solution to obesity, but rather a tool to get folks on the right track.
"I think mostly what it [gastric bypass] does is buy an overweight person time to learn new habits, get into therapy, and learn to make better choices on their own,” she said.
Without a true commitment to a healthier lifestyle, the surgery won't work.
Woman Weighing 600 Plus Pounds Inspires Others
Amber's weight loss journey wasn't just about losing weight. It was about a better, healthier life. Amber stuck with the changes to her lifestyle. She also goes to a therapist to deal with the anxiety issues behind her overeating.
And because of her dedication and perseverance, Amber saw a true transformation.
Credit: Facebook/Amber RachdiThrough calorie counting, portion control, and exercise, she's succeeded in losing more than 400 pounds over the years after appearing on My 600 Pound Life!
Thousands of people have been inspired following Amber's real-life weight loss journey. Amber never expected her story to move so many, but she's truly honored to have so many supporters following her on social media even though her appearance on TLC was years ago.
Folks: Hey Amber you’re so inspirational!
— Amber Rachdi (@AmberRachdi) May 10, 2018
Me: I just spent the last 20 minutes with tissue jammed in my nostrils and I don’t know if the shirt I’m wearing is technically clean but thanks.
And Amber's incredible overcomer story is proof that it's never too late to change. And when the going gets tough, just remember Philippians 4:13!
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
h/t: Inspire More
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Woman Was Suicidal Over Weight Until Day She Was In Right Place to Stop A Murder
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Build Purposeful Quiet Time with Your Spouse - Your Daily Prayer - March 22
Join us as we seek guidance through prayer, asking for the wisdom to build purposeful quiet time in our marriages and the grace to cherish these moments of togetherness. Let this be a source of inspiration, encouraging you to cultivate love and intimacy in your spiritual journey as a couple.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer to Build Purposeful Quiet Time with Your Spouse - Your Daily Prayer - March 22
Join us as we seek guidance through prayer, asking for the wisdom to build purposeful quiet time in our marriages and the grace to cherish these moments of togetherness. Let this be a source of inspiration, encouraging you to cultivate love and intimacy in your spiritual journey as a couple.
Past Stories
- Video Store Owner Creates 'Christina's Corner' For a Long-Time Customer
- Texas Man Gets Married in the Hospital After Kidney Transplant
- A Bride to Be and Her Best Friend Have Plane to Themselves and Enjoy Every Minute of it
- Dogs Come to School to Help Comfort Young Students Affected by the Eaton Fire
- Toddler Braves the Dark to Save His Great-Grandma
- All Four of These Best Friends Now Live On the Same Street and It's Amazing
- Woman Finds the Most Precious Message Inside Her Thrift Store Purchase
- Mom is Hit By a Piece of Power Tool On Her Way to Walt Disney World
- Veteran Who Loved Burger King Honored With His Own Chair
- Toddler Using Old Phone Calls 911 For Donuts and Gets a Sweet Surprise
- Hospital Hosts Special Father-Daughter Dance for Young Girl Who Missed the One at Her School
- Carl Thomas Dean, Dolly Parton's Husband of Almost 60 Years, Passes Away at 82
- Woman Donates Her Kidney to Help Save Prom Date From 35 Years Ago
- Couple Thank and Befriend Man Who Saved Their House From a Wildfire
- After 84 Years of Marriage, This Couple Just Broke a Record, and Share Some Great Advice
- Woman Gives Birth On Plane With the Help of a Flight Attendant
- Married For 68 Years, This Husband Does This Simple Sweet Thing For His Wife Every Night
- A Couple in Their 90s Spent 73 Years Apart, Now They Are Engaged
- Woman Reunites With Toddler She Saved From Drowning Back in 1961
- Three Superhero Teens Saved Man on Railroad Tracks After Spotting Him From Their Classroom
- Father and Son Are Able to Survive Night in the Utah Wilderness After Finding a Backpack
- Top Resurrection Sunday Songs You Must Listen To This Year
- Grumpy Grey Seal Takes Over Hotel Room in the Netherlands, To Take a Nap
- His Dog Was Lost For Almost a Decade, But Now He is Back Home Again
- Rejoice with These Top Easter Songs for Worship and Praise
- After Going On a Fun Airport Journey, A Lost Stuffed Bunny Finds Its Way Back Home
- A Bull Rider Knows That God Has Bigger Plans After Taking a Bull's Horn In His Neck
- 98-Year-Old Great-Grandmother Has a Special Connection to Her Great-Granddaughter
- Mom Receives a Heartwarming Message From Best Friend After Son is Diagnosed With Autism
- Retired Army Medic Pays For Stranger's Breakfast and Leaves a Heartfelt Note
- Golden Retriever Saved by Lifeboat Crew After Running Into the Ocean After a Scare
- 10-Year-Old Boy is in Recovery After Being Struck by Plane Debris While Protecting Little Sister
- Car Accident on First Date Night Without Kids in a Year, Reminds Couple That God is in Control
- Teen Wasn't Given Much of a Chance to Live After Car Crash, But Now Celebrating Her 16th Birthday
- Girl Who Died Before the 6th Grade Still Inspires Others With Her Message of 'Love is Everywhere'
- Beloved Young College Student Remembered by Fellow Students After DC Plane Crash
- Stranger Jumps Into Frozen Pond in South Carolina to Save 3-Year-Old Girl
- Man Saves 83-Year-Old Father-in-Law With Parkinson's From the LA Fires in Pacific Palisades
- Woman Felt Like She Was in a Movie When Giving Birth in a Krispy Kreme Parking Lot
- Walmart Employee Coach Justin Helps Mom and Autistic Child During Meltdown
- Woman Who Found an Old Family Photo After LA Fires Makes a Special Connection
- Teenager Who Finds Money at Restaurant, Doesn't Think Twice About Returning it to Owner
- World War Two Veteran Starts Over at 104 After Losing Home in Palisades Fire
- Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards' Daughter Lola Was Baptized After a Very Difficult Time
- Her 91-Year-Old Grandmother Is Besties With Her Husband and the Relationship Is Beyond Cute
- New Jersey High School Basketball Star Keeps Playing Through Cancer Diagnosis
- Dad Whose Daughter Died After Transplant Gives Kidney to Another Little Girl
- Musician is Reunited With Letterman Jacket, 30 Years After Ordering It Back in High School
- Twin Brothers Both Pop the Question Just Days Apart, Without Planning to Do So
- Girl Scout Saves Her Dad's Life Just 11 Days After Learning CPR
Top Artists
Top Music Videos

Housefires 🔥 Housefires’ Soul-Stirring ‘Holy Forever’ Cover

Kari Jobe Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe ‘Firm Foundation (He Won’t)’ and ‘Great Are You Lord’ Live Performance

Anne Wilson Anne Wilson Wows With 'God and Country' Live Performance

Mac Powell Lyric Video For Mac Powell's Moving 'The 99'

GodTube Music Christian Singer Ben Fuller Shares How He Transformed From Drug Addict To Popular Christian Singer
Blogs
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.