TV star determined to lose weight without surgery after co-star drops 273 lbs

2 months ago 14

As a brand-new season of 1000-Lb Best Friends airs on TLC this fall, fans may be wondering where former stars of the show are following a re-jig among the cast. Meghan Crumpler, Ashely Sutton, and Vannessa Cross are all back on the screen this October, but, Tina Arnold, one of the four besties, is now nowhere to be seen.

1000-Lb Best Friends is a TLC series that initially saw four pals embarking on their own drastic weight loss journeys. The show kicked off two years ago, and since then, the cast has experienced many changes. This year’s episodes begin by letting fans in on the drama that’s been going on between Vannessa, Ashely, and Meghan. However, there’s no mention of Tina.

Meghan, Ashely, Vannessa, and Tina on 1000-Lb Best Friends

Tina is no longer on 1000-Lb Best Friends

As 1000-Lb Best Friends season 3 premieres this October, it’s clear to see Tina Arnold is no longer a member of the cast.

The former reality TV star addressed her departure from the show via Instagram back in September.

She explains how her decision to leave was in part her own choosing, as well as being partly influenced by “production.”

KILLING IT: Vannessa Cross loses 273 lbs

Tina explains in her post how she didn’t take the decision to leave “lightly.”

She claims that the “focus” of the show shifted for season 3: “I was informed that the focus would now be exclusively on weight loss surgery, and because I was not pursuing surgery, there was no longer a place for me on the show.”

Tina essentially states that because she’s opting out of surgical procedures to aid her weight loss journey, there “was no place” for her “on the show.”

GRV Media and Reality Tidbit reached out to TLC for comment.

TLC star’s weight loss journey continues

1000-Lb Best Friends alum Tina may have parted ways with the show, but she’s still pressing on with her weight loss journey.

The former TLC star writes in her post how she’d “like to move on from that part of my life,” and she now posts in her IG bio that she’s a literary agent.

By the looks of an update she posted on October 23, Tina is doing great these days.

She shares “then” and “now” snaps of herself and writes in the caption: “Everyone’s journey is different, and while I may not have taken the rapid route of weight loss surgery, I am incredibly proud of the weight I’ve lost so far.”

Tina is opting for a different weight loss route than her former co-stars, and details some of the hurdles she’s facing in life: “I am doing this with sheer determination while managing PCOS, peri-menopause, depression, anxiety, and the daily stresses of life.”

She says: “I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and I’m still going.”

WATCH 1000-LB BEST FRIENDS TUESDAYS AT 10/9C ON TLC