I’m Calling It: Chris Is the Heart of ‘1000-Lb Sisters’

1000-lb Sisters premiered in 2020 and revolved around the lives of Tammy and Amy Slaton as they tried to lose weight. The show didn't sugarcoat things, both sisters embarked on their journeys to get healthier, and quickly became a cult favorite — with a real look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of losing weight. The show does a great job of highlighting the emotional challenges of obesity, but more than just that, the 1000-lb Sisters is rooted in a complex family dynamic that makes the show all the more entertaining to watch.

While the two sisters and their explosive arguments with each other often take center stage, their brother, Chris Combs is the perfect balance to their chaos. Not only is Combs the biggest champion of his sisters’ weight loss, but his own struggle with obesity is an important part of the show. Now, hear me out — and I’m going to back this up with proper reasoning. Although Combs’s honesty, determination, and humor might have made him just another fan favorite, I’d argue he’s so crucial to the show now that it wouldn't be wrong to call him the soul of the TLC series.

Chris Combs Is the Force Behind His Sisters’ Weight Loss

While it’s true that Amy and Tammy Slaton worked hard, their progress would have been impossible without their brother’s support. Combs joined 1000-lb Sisters during season 2, which premiered in 2020. At this point, Combs was already in his 40s and weighed 450 pounds. This meant that he was at a greater risk of cardiac issues. As a child, Combs had seen his father pass away due to obesity, which is why his weight-loss journey was so personal. The show followed Combs’s two-year-long struggle before he finally qualified for gastric sleeve bypass surgery in 2022.

Chris Combs’s commitment to turning his life around was the inspiration his sisters needed, and before he had stepped into the picture, both Tammy and Amy Slaton struggled with consistency. Despite Amy Slaton’s dreams of having children and Tammy Slaton’s deteriorating health, they had no one to hold them accountable when their efforts fell short. But the minute Combs embraced the same challenges his sisters faced, the tone of the show ended up changing completely.

He Knew Exactly When His Sisters Needed Some Tough Love

Once Amy and Tammy Slaton saw their brother putting in the work and succeeding with his weight loss, it became harder for them to make excuses for themselves. Not to mention that Combs did not shy away from calling his sisters out if he saw them slacking off. For example, during 1000-lb Sisters Season 3, Tammy Slaton decided to leave rehab early, while she was still a long way from her 100-pound weight loss goal. While she claimed she did so because of homesickness, Chris Combs made it clear that he wasn’t buying it. He was also openly against his sister’s relationship with her infamous ex, Jerry Sykes, and tried to make her realize that he was enabling her food addiction. Similarly, when Amy Slaton gave birth to her first child in 2020, Chris Combs reminded her that motherhood wasn’t an excuse to start gaining weight again.

Simply put, Combs was just as committed to his sisters’ weight loss as much as he was to his own. From being present during their weigh-ins to going grocery shopping with them, Chris Combs has been a huge source of emotional support for Amy and Tammy Slaton. And because he was also going through the same struggle, his sisters knew that he wasn’t coming from a place of judgment, which made all the difference.

His Larger-Than-Life Personality Is the Best Part of the Show

Now don’t be fooled and think that Combs’s weight loss has been easy. His lifelong struggle with asthma was a huge obstacle in the way. But he embraced all the challenges that came his way. Despite everything, Combs’s wit and hilarious one-liners provided the much-needed comedic relief to balance the otherwise heavy themes of the show. Outside his role as Tammy and Amy’s brother, Combs’s playful and supportive dynamic with his wife, Brittany Combs, is also one of the sweetest parts of the show. But he was far more than just the court jester. His transformation was the most inspiring storyline of the show.

Watching someone in their 40s power through so much left the audience in awe of Combs’s willpower. His 5k run in 2024, for instance, was a huge milestone not just for Combs but also for the viewers who have been following his journey. For someone who once struggled to walk due to his size and asthma, completing a 5k race was a testament to how far Combs had come, and just makes it a full circle moment to my argument about how vital he is to the essence of the show! The 1000-lb Sisters Season 6 finale aired on December 16, 2024. All episodes of the show are available to stream on TLC Go.

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