Amber Rachdi is one of the most talked-about cast members in the history of My 600-lb Life. She appeared in Season 3 on TLC in 2015, weighing about 657 lb at just 23 years old. More than ten years later, people still search for her because her story didn’t end when the cameras stopped. She kept working on herself, and it shows. Her personal transformation is one of the show’s most memorable success stories, and she still shares it openly on social media.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Amber Rachdi |
| Date of Birth | 22 June 1990 |
| Age | 36 (as of October 2026) |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Moroccan-American ancestry |
| Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
| Profession/Occupation | Reality TV personality, social media influencer |
| Years Active | 2015 – present |
| Genre/Field | Reality television, weight loss and wellness content |
| Spouse/Partner | Steve |
| Dating/Relationship Status | Married |
| Parents | Omar Rachdi (father) |
| Siblings | One younger brother |
| Weight | Peak of about 657–660 lb (2015) |
| Notable Works | My 600-lb Life Season 3 (TLC, 2015) |
| Social Media | Instagram: @amberrachdi |
Amber Rachdi Early Life and Background
Amber grew up in Troutdale, Oregon, a small city in the Portland metro area. She is American by nationality and has Moroccan-American ancestry through her family. She grew up with her parents and one younger brother, and her weight problems began very early in life.
Her struggles started around the age of 5. By her teenage years she weighed close to 300 lb. She has described how she began to see food as comfort and a safe place, and that unhealthy relationship with food grew stronger every year.
School turned into one of the hardest parts of her life. Her self-esteem dropped, her social life shrank, and she eventually left school at about 16. She later said that being judged for her size made her feel less than human, which pushed her further into isolation.
By her early 20s, her mobility was seriously limited. She could not walk for more than a few minutes, so she used a motorized scooter to get around. A normal scale could not weigh her, so she had to use a scale made for wheelchair users. Her health and independence were both slipping away.
Amber Rachdi on My 600-lb Life
Amber’s episode aired in Season 3 in 2015. At the time she weighed about 657 lb and still lived at her parents’ house in Oregon. She could not bathe herself and needed help with daily tasks. That level of dependence is what finally pushed her to ask for help.
She travelled to Houston to work with Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, better known as Dr. Now. Like many patients on the show, she reached him at a point where she felt trapped and hopeless. Her episode stood out because she was young, honest about her fears, and ready to change.
Dr. Now’s Plan and the Pre-Surgery Goal
Dr. Now does not approve weight loss surgery right away. Amber first had to prove she could change her eating habits. He gave her a strict diet, asked her to track calories, and set a weight target she had to reach to qualify for gastric bypass.
Her first weeks were difficult. She lost about 17 lb early on but stalled at times, and Dr. Now pushed her to take the program more seriously. One frightening moment came when she felt severe chest pain and went to the ER. Doctors found it was an anxiety attack, not a heart problem. That night made her realize that her mental health needed as much attention as her body.
After about three months of steady effort and regular check-ins, Amber reached the pre-surgery goal of losing roughly 20 lb in a month. Dr. Now approved her for gastric surgery. For many viewers, this was the turning point of her episode.
Gastric Bypass Surgery and Early Results
Amber underwent gastric bypass surgery, and her progress after the operation was impressive. Within about one year she had lost close to 280 lb, finishing the episode at roughly 377 lb. Few patients on the show made such quick progress.
Surgery was only one part of her success. She also took up physical activity, kept following her diet, and accepted therapy and emotional support. Having medical support and psychological support together is what made her results last beyond the first year.
Amber Rachdi Now: Weight Loss After the Show
Amber is now one of the show’s clearest long-term success stories. Her total weight loss is reported at more than 400 lb, and some estimates put it above 470 lb by 2025. She has not shared an exact current number recently, but she says her focus is on maintaining her weight and living a healthier lifestyle.
Her path after the cameras stopped was not a straight line. She kept losing weight through 2018 and 2019 and found new hobbies such as gardening. The pandemic hit her hard, though. She has said that depression during that time slowed her progress and made old habits like emotional eating come back.
Rumours of weight gain followed her online for years, especially when she went quiet on social media. She answered them directly with new photos and updates, and made it clear she had not gone back to where she started.
In January 2024, Amber shared that she had started semaglutide injections under medical guidance to help with weight maintenance. She has been open that this was a tool, not a shortcut. Alongside it, she continues with diet, exercise, regular gym sessions, and mental health support.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Appears on My 600-lb Life Season 3 at about 657 lb |
| 2016 | Gets engaged to boyfriend Rowdy |
| 2018–2019 | Keeps losing weight; takes up gardening and an active routine |
| 2020 | Ends relationship with Rowdy; pandemic depression slows progress |
| April 2021 – Dec 2022 | Regains momentum and shares motivational posts |
| Jan 2024 | Starts semaglutide injections for weight maintenance |
| Dec 2025 | Shares news of skin removal surgery |
Skin Removal Surgery
Large weight loss almost always leaves loose skin. For Amber, the loose skin on her arms and body affected both her movement and her confidence. She spoke openly about wanting skin removal surgery for years before it happened.
The main obstacle was cost. Skin surgery is expensive, and Amber said in 2024 that she was working on raising the funds. Like many former cast members, she did not get the procedure through the show.
In December 2025, she shared in her own post that she had finally undergone skin removal surgery. She spoke about recovery being slow but worth it. For her, the surgery was less about looks and more about comfort, movement, and finally feeling at home in her body.
Relationship: From Rowdy to Husband Steve
Amber’s relationships have been an important part of her story. Her longtime boyfriend, Rowdy, appeared with her in her early weight loss journey. The two got engaged in 2016, and fans saw him as a big part of her support system.
Not everyone saw it that way. Some critics online called Rowdy an enabler, a label many cast members’ partners face. Amber later described feeling invisible and unappreciated in parts of that relationship. In 2020, she announced their breakup.
After that chapter closed, Amber found love again with a man named Steve, whom she later married. She keeps his identity private and shares very little about him online. From what she has posted, he supports her through surgeries, recovery, and everyday tasks without needing the spotlight.
Mental Health, Anxiety and Emotional Eating
Amber has always said that her weight problem started in her mind before it showed on her body. For years she lived with severe anxiety that was never diagnosed. Food became her comfort and her way of escaping reality.
Her experience matches what many people with binge eating go through. Anxiety leads to emotional eating, the weight gain brings shame, and the shame brings more anxiety. Over time, her anxiety kept her largely confined to her home.
Therapy helped her break that cycle. She now speaks about mental health as the root of her journey, not a side note. In my experience covering weight loss stories, the people who keep the weight off long term are usually the ones who address the emotional side, and Amber is a clear example of that.
She now advocates for a holistic approach: following the program, working on the mind, and having family support. She has also spoken about the danger of enablers, people who mean well but make unhealthy habits easier. Her message about body positivity is a balanced one. She accepts her body but still works to stay healthy.
Amber Rachdi on Social Media (Instagram)
Instagram is where most fans follow Amber today. She has built a following of more than 200K there, with additional followers on Facebook and a smaller audience on Twitter. Her follower count rose sharply around 2017–18, when her transformation photos started going viral.
What keeps people engaged is her authenticity. She posts about her good and bad days, not just the wins. She has shown the loose skin on her arms, talked about anxiety, and admitted when progress stalled. That honesty has built a loyal community.
She also avoids handing out one-size-fits-all diet advice. Instead, she encourages followers to find a plan with their own doctor. Her feed also shows her sense of humour, with posts about her love of Batman and occasional comments on current affairs. A December 22, 2025 post about her recovery was one of her most-liked updates.
Gender Identity and Pronouns: Clearing Up the Confusion
Some websites describe Amber Rachdi as non-binary and say she uses they/them pronouns. There is no clear public statement from Amber that confirms this. Since the show, she has been referred to consistently as “she,” including in her own posts and in media coverage.
Part of the confusion seems to come from search results that mix her up with other people named Amber, including the subject of a Swedish documentary about a non-binary teen. If you are writing or reading about her, the safest approach is to use the pronouns she uses herself, which is she/her.
About the Show: My 600-lb Life
My 600-lb Life premiered on TLC in 2012. It follows morbidly obese participants for about a year as they try to lose weight under the care of Dr. Now in Houston. Each episode shows the medical, emotional, and family challenges they face.
The show has produced many success stories, but it has also shown how hard the journey can be. Some participants have passed away from weight-related causes. Amber’s episode remains one of the show’s most memorable transformations because of how much progress she made and kept.
Amber’s Advice on Gastric Bypass and Weight Loss
Amber often answers questions from people thinking about gastric bypass. Her main point is simple: surgery is not magic. It is a tool that only works if you build new habits around it. Here is the advice she repeats most often:
- Talk to a doctor first. Get advice from your own doctor and nutritionist before trying any diet plan.
- Track your food. Logging what you eat keeps you honest, especially in the first months.
- Be honest with yourself. Hiding snacks or skipping logs only slows your progress.
- Get therapy. Surgery changes your stomach, not the reasons you overeat.
- Find an accountability buddy. Someone who checks in with you helps on hard days.
- Learn new skills. Cooking, meal planning, and exercise are habits you build over time, not in a week.
She also warns that some people who don’t change their habits end up needing revision surgery. Her view is that the hard work after surgery matters more than the operation itself.
Personality and Outlook
Amber’s sense of humour is one of the reasons fans connect with her. Her Instagram bio once joked about moving from “real fat” to “normal-fat,” a line that sums up her playful, self-aware style. She can joke about her past without making light of how serious it was.
Her outlook today shows real emotional and psychological growth. Through her late 20s and into her 30s, she has built confidence that does not depend on a number on the scale. She talks openly about her flaws, which makes her advice feel more believable.
FAQs
Who is Amber Rachdi?
Amber Rachdi is an American reality TV star and social media influencer. She became known after appearing on TLC’s My 600-lb Life Season 3 in 2015. She now shares her weight loss and wellness journey with fans online.
What is Amber Rachdi’s nationality?
Amber Rachdi is American. She grew up in Oregon and has Moroccan-American ancestry through her family.
How old is Amber Rachdi?
Amber Rachdi was born on 22 June 1990, which makes her 36 years old as of 2026. Her zodiac sign is Cancer.
Where does Amber Rachdi live now?
Amber Rachdi now lives in Houston, Texas, the same city where she was treated by Dr. Now. She moved there from the Portland area.
Who is Amber Rachdi married to?
Amber Rachdi is married to a man named Steve. She keeps his personal details private and rarely shows his face online.
How much weight did Amber Rachdi lose?
Amber started at about 657 lb and has lost more than 400 lb in total. Some 2025 reports put her total loss at over 470 lb, though she hasn’t shared an exact current weight.
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