Mama June Focuses On Weight Loss After A Stressful Year Of Caring For Late Daughter

Mama June is getting her body back in shape by using the popular weight loss trend she once had zero interest in.

The reality TV star previously debuted a stunning weight loss transformation following a gastric sleeve surgery in 2015. 

Unfortunately, the results weren't permanent, as she gained significant pounds while caring for her late daughter, Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell.

Mama June announced her new weight loss plans in an Instagram video, telling fans that she will document her journey with semaglutide weight-loss injections — the generic form of Ozempic and Wegovy.

This may come as a surprise to many as the TV personality previously claimed she wasn't interested in joining the Ozempic trend. However, she had to bite her words after failing to keep off the extra pounds following her gastric sleeve surgery.

"Since [the surgery], I kinda kept off the weight. I stayed at like 130, 140, 150 lbs.," Mama June explained in the video, adding, "Well, I have noticed over the last, like, year and a half, that I've really put on weight."

According to the 44-year-old, she gained weight after a very stressful year taking care of her late daughter, Anna, who lost the battle against cancer in December 2023. In her words:

"With the stress of everything going on, eating out, not eating right, just all kinds of stuff, I have packed on about 120, 130 pounds."

In the video, Mama June explained that she turned to weight loss injections after failing to shrink her waistline. She noted that she tried eating less and cut back on eating out, but these measures were unsuccessful.

Finally, the 44-year-old decided to hop on the popular weight loss trend a few months ago through her "main doctor." She promised to update fans about her weekly progress but stressed that she would not judge her body by the number on the scale.

Instead, Mama June is focused on how her clothes fit and notes that she currently wears extra-large and plus-sized clothing. In the video, she stepped back to show fans her "belly and all" before her husband, Justin Shroud, injected her with the first dose of the medication.

"Come along with me as I go through this journey. I know a lot of y'all are on similar journeys, so let's do it together," she captioned the Instagram post, adding:

"Tell me what your experiences are pros and cons and everything. I will be updating every week how things are going as I know I'm not the only person that has struggled since having a bariatric surgery."

Mama June's new weight loss journey didn't receive the support she might have expected, as her comment section was filled with mixed reactions from fans. Many called her out for her alleged bad eating habits, with one IG user writing:

"June... I've seen you eat… it's also a lifestyle change. You gotta change them BAD eating habits of yours!"

A fellow critic echoed similar sentiments, writing: "You took the easy way with surgery before and looked good, but you didn't follow the healthy life. Why do you think after taking this, you will change your unhealthy habits?"

"June, you gained that weight way before Anna got sick," a third argued, while another fan noted Mama June needed professional help. The individual wrote:

"June, I've watched from beginning to end. You need mental therapy first. You need to acknowledge your pain and work through it."

The Blast reported that Mama June finally addressed her oldest daughter's passing two months after her death. She revealed Anna had spent her last days in her home, saying:

"She passed away in mine and Justin's home. Eldridge and the girls, and her were living there for three weeks and one day. [I was] hearing her scream my name at night, hearing her little oxygen cord going round... She would not keep her oxygen on for anything."

Mama June explained that she and the rest of her family ensured Anna knew she was loved before her tragic demise — a sentiment her daughter, Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Efird, echoed. In her words:

"She fought until the very end. You could tell at the end that she was ready. She was done. She fought as much as she could, so I was telling her, 'It's okay, everybody's here.'"

Lauryn noted that her older sister passed away surrounded by her family in Mama June's living room. Anna left behind two daughters — Kaitlyn and Kylee — and a grief-stricken beau.

As for how Anna's children were coping with her absence, Lauryn believed it must have been a difficult moment for them as even the adults didn't know how to handle Anna's last moments.

"Everybody was screaming because we just didn't really know what to do or anything," she confessed, adding:

"I can't imagine if that keeps me up at night. I'm sure, at times, it must keep Kaitlyn up, but teenagers aren't going to say that. We always make sure to ask her how she's doing, if she's okay, tell her that it's okay to cry."