Woman who turned to food after she was sexually abused as a child goes from 668LBS to 414LBS in ONE YEAR after undergoing life-saving weight loss surgery to rescue her marriage

  • Ashley Reyes embarked on her weight loss journey on Wednesday night's episode of the TLC series My 600lb Life
  • The 30-year-old from West Hills, California, feared that her doting husband Daniel would eventually leave her because they couldn't be intimate
  • Ashley relied on Daniel and her mother to help her shower and get dressed , and she worried she was going die prematurely because of her size 
  • After Ashley's gastric bypass she sought therapy to deal with the childhood trauma of being sexually abused by an uncle when she was 12 years old 
  • Therapy helped Ashley deal with her emotional issues, and after 12 months, she had shed 255lbs   

By Erica Tempesta For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:51 EST, 11 January 2017 | Updated: 13:46 EST, 12 January 2017

A 668lb woman who feared her husband would leave her because of her size enjoyed her first date night with him in a year after shedding a whopping 255lbs in just 12 months.

On Wednesday night's episode of the TLC reality series My 600lb Life, Ashley Reyes, 30, from West Hills, California, made the life-changing decision to travel to Houston, Texas, to meet with obesity specialist Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, who agreed she could have weight loss surgery if she lost 50lbs on her own.

At the start of her journey, Ashley said her body was in 'constant pain', and she was afraid her husband was going to wake up one day and leave her because he was sick of taking care of her like she was a patient. 

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Start of it all: Ashley Reyes weighed 668lbs when she embarked on her weight loss journey on Wednesday night's episode of the TLC series My 600lb Life

Amazing progress: After a year, the 30-year-old from West Hills, California, shed 255lbs and posed for a photoshoot with her doting husband Daniel 

When she was 12 years old, Ashley was sexually abused by her an uncle, and she started to turn to food to cope with the horrific memories of the trauma. 

Nearly two decades later, Ashley and Daniel were living with her family because she was so large that her husband couldn't take care of her on his own. 

Daniel and Ashley's mother Blanca had to help her do everyday tasks, including showering and getting dressed. 

'It has been such a long time that he has taken care of me that I can't give back,' she said. 'I feel disgusted by myself and how could he not feel that for me too?' 

Childhood trauma: When she was 12 years old, Ashley was sexually abused by her an uncle, and she started to turn to food to cope with the horrific memories 

Looking back: Ashley felt guilty that she wasn't able to give Daniel the real wedding he deserved because of her size 

Ashley admitted that she was worried that her loving husband would one day realize that he has had enough.

'It strains my marriage that I can't be romantic with him, that we can't express our love the way we want to, but I just don't want him to see me,' she said. 

'One of my biggest fears is that he is going to wake up one day and be like, "I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to take care of her like she is a patient."' 

Ashley also realized that her addiction to food could lead to her premature death. 

Role of her husband: Daniel had to help Ashley do everyday things like getting dressed, and she was worried he would grow tired of being her caretaker 

Hard to handle: Ashley could barely fit into her shower because of her nearly-670lb frame 

Teamwork: Ashley was so large that they needed to live with her family because Daniel couldn't take care of her by himself. Her mother Blanca is pictured helping her get changed 

'I worry that I am not going to wake up tomorrow,' she confessed. 'I feel like my body can't take it anymore, but if I give up, I am not going to live to grow old with my husband.'

Ashley and Daniel wanted to start a family together, but he feared that would never happen because of her size. 

'If my wife doesn't lose the weight all those hopes and dreams are going to be shattered,' he explained. 

During the episode, Ashley and Daniel mad the life-changing decision to move to Houston in search of the potentially life-saving weight loss surgery that she needs.

Part of the problem: Ashley admitted that she knew she shouldn't be eating junk food, but she insisted her body craved it 

Always in pain: Ashley also feared she was going to die prematurely because of her size 

Getting serious: Ashley and her mother traveled to Houston, Texas, to meet with Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, who told her she needed to lose 50lbs on her own before weight loss surgery 

Her mother Blanca was with her when she met with Dr. Nowzaradan, and Ashley got on the scale for the first time in awhile. 

'It's a really, really high number,' she said of her nearly-670lb frame. 'How is it that I am still alive at this point? I am terrified now that I am beyond help - that if he can't help me, I am going to die.' 

Both Ashley and her mom were crying while they waited for the doctor, and Blanca confessed she had no idea that her daughter's weight was so high. 

'I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was that bad Ashley,' she said. 'Now I am certain if you don't get the help, I won't have you for long, and that scares me.' 

Overcome with emotion: Ashley, who hadn't been on a scale in a long time, cried when she realized how large she had gotten 

Next step: After losing 54lbs in one month, Ashley was able to have gastric bypass surgery 

When Dr. Nowzaradan arrived, he asked Ashley about her eating habits, and she said she snacks all day long, and although she felt guilty for eating junk food, she craved them. 

Dr. Nowzaradan warned that weight loss surgery was not a magic solution because it would only control how much she consumed in one sitting - it wouldn't dictate when she ate or the types of food she was eating.   

The doctor told her she could have the surgery if she lost 50lbs on her own, and after one month, she shed 54lbs. 

New life: Ashley cleaned up her diet and lost even more weight, but she insisted she was alwas in pain. However, a trip to the hospital revealed she was physically fine 

Someone to listen: Dr. Nowzaradan deduced the problem was psychosomatic, and he insisted that she see a therapist to deal with her emotional issues  

Ashley and Daniel moved to Houston to prepare for her surgery, and four months after her gastric bypass, she had lost another 106lbs. 

Despite her success, Ashley insisted that she felt sick all of the time, but when she went to the hospital for an endoscopy, everything looked fine. 

Dr. Nowzaradan deduced that her pain was psychosomatic, and he said she needed to see a therapist to deal with her past traumas. 

Ashley's breakthrough came when her therapist suggested that she equated depriving herself of food with depriving herself of love. 

Happy times: After a year, Ashley had lost 255lbs, and she and Daniel were able to enjoy their first date together in 12 months 

Looking good: Ashley also celebrated by getting a complete makeover before posing for a photoshoot with her husband 

Look of love: Daniel gushed that his wife looked beautiful at the end of the episode 

'I know there is a lot from my past I’m going to have to face if I want to get my anxiety under control,' Ashley said. 

Ashley's visits with her therapist helped her shed even more weight, and after one year, she was down to 414lbs. 

To celebrate, she and Daniel had their first date in a year, and Ashley got a professional make-over. 

Daniel said that his wife was 'beautiful', and they happily posed for a series of portraits together.

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