Isaac Martinez is one of the rare patients featured in “My 600-lb Life” who mostly did what they were supposed to do, yet didn’t receive the often life-saving operation from Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, better known as Dr. Now. Nonetheless, he has a bright future ahead of him, since news reports revealed that he’s slimmed down further. We studied what happened to Isaac after he left the TV show in the ninth season.
Isaac went private after initial success
Some viewers initially thought that Isaac was finding excuses for not caring about his health, not even after having a cardiac arrest, i.e., a heart attack, which had stay in a coma for a week at 22. Although he didn’t start immediately, the event made him want to turn his life around; hence, he auditioned for the show. However, as his episode progressed, viewers learned that Isaac had a difficult childhood. Moreover, he was still preoccupied with cooking for his family, while caring for his mother undergoing cancer treatments.
Nonetheless, the reality TV star lost over 100lbs or 45kgs, and Dr. Now approved him for a weight loss operation if he continued progressing for the next two months. He did so before going silent about his journey, only posting unrelated updates to his social media profiles. Still, his updates indirectly let viewers know that he was alive and well and living a fulfilling and happy life.
He had childhood trauma and many obstacles
After making his debut in the show at 23, Isaac admitted to having many struggles growing up that led to morbid obesity. He stated that he used food as a coping mechanism after his mother’s stroke, forcing him to be the caretaker for his siblings at 10, meaning he had to cook a lot and quickly. Isaac also had food allergies as a child, which impacted his meal choices. Moreover, Isaac went through another difficult situation as a kid; he lost his grandmother at six and moved in with his aunt, changing the familiar environment before his mother’s diagnosis.
All these events had impacted his social life and everyday physical activities, meaning that he reached 300lbs or 135kgs by 14, when he was diagnosed with cellulitis, a possibly life-threatening bacterial skin infection, and the 450lbs or over 200kgs by age 16, eventually forcing him to use a walker.
Although he solved some of those issues, his attention remained on his household, and he disregarded his health and underlying problems. Besides being a caretaker for his mother battling ovarian and uterine cancer, he cared for his family by cooking for them, and starting side hustles from home, which he would later advertise on Facebook.
Isaac is more physically active today
Positive diet and exercise habits that Dr. Now instilled in Isaac gave results after the show ended. During a year featured in the show, he went from 660lbs or 300kgs to 540lbs or 245kgs and qualified for bariatric surgery. While he hasn’t specified his current weight, based on periodic social media updates after the show, Isaac is ‘more active than before and confidently carries his body weight.’ He clarified that he no longer uses a walker, and doesn’t require daily assistance.
He never mentioned the operation, meaning he likely chose not to go down that road, or perhaps, as many fans suspect, had used the money for his mother’s treatments. As if his financial situation wasn’t challenging enough, he told his Facebook friends that someone stole his father’s truck on 8 October 2022, along with a construction machine in the trailer. He reported the incident to Lancaster police, but neither he nor his sister Juanita revealed whether they tracked it down.
He is or was a student
His social media profiles imply that he’s been working on his social life, has attended a university or college full-time, and has potentially graduated by now. However, Isaac omitted whether he attended the same Houston institution that awarded him a scholarship for his musical talent several years ago. Viewers may remember him mentioning dropping out of school while in the show, to help his mom.
Furthermore, toward the end of his episode, Isaac reconnected with old friends; he’s presumably continued building those relationships nowadays. As for his romantic life, his Facebook profile mentions that he’s single, and hasn’t leave his home state.
Isaac turned a passion into a business
It’s unclear whether Isaac was passionate about crocheting during the show, but some fans think that many pictures in his house were crochets inside picture frames. Whether that was the case is irrelevant; on 2 February 2021, Isaac made his devotion to needlework technique to create scarves, hats, and yarn dolls public.
Isaac posted his first work, a blue pom-pom scarf he made for his dog Pablo, then followed it up with a picture of a poncho his niece Carolina wore. After his followers praised his skills, Isaac spotted an opportunity and started a business, Made To Love, based in Dallas, Texas, doing personalized crochet projects with a two-week turnaround. He also developed product lines, such as his TSR Bucket Hat, which he makes in different colors.
Isaac had moderate success on “My 600-lb Life”
Isaac wasn’t the show’s biggest loser, as he’d barely lost 120lbs or 55kgs between the first and last measurement. However, he went to therapy with Dr. Paradise to solve his food addiction problems, which led him to snack while cooking for his large family and many friends. Dr. Now believed in Isaac too, approving him for a gastric bypass surgery two months ahead of time, as long as he stayed on track.
All this helped him do beneficial things he had always wanted, personally and professionally, and allowed him to be there for his family, while inspiring fans. He also unexpectedly attracted an audience willing to support his crocheting talent.
He got out of a rut
Although Isaac rarely mentioned his progress, he evidently stopped seeing food as a source of happiness and comfort. He’s sticking to his promise at the end of the episode, ‘not to make any more excuses and to make my family proud.’ He admittedly didn’t slim down to the extent that patients such as Sarah Neeley, Milla Clark, or Christina Phillips did. Still, it gave him energy for the things we mentioned, and everyday activities such as watching movies or attending church with friends in his hometown of Hutchins, Texas. Although fans wish to hear, see, or read more about his post-show life, Isaac keeps to himself, staying authentic, instead of leveraging his brief time on-screen to become an influencer or a reality TV star.