Tammy Slaton reflects on being bullied, says the death of grandmother made her turn to 'food for comfort'

DIXON, KENTUCKY: Tammy Slaton and Amy Slaton opened up about their lifelong struggles with weight and the challenges encountered over the years that led to their remarkable transformation.

Speaking to People, the '1000-Lb Sisters' stars stated that their body issues began while they were young.

Tammy Slaton says her 'whole family's big'

The sister duo attributed their childhood weight gain not only to genetic factors but also to their mother's work situation which left them to fend for themselves in the kitchen.

"I've always had a weight issue. I was born 9 lbs 10 oz, and then I just kept gaining. Our whole family's big," said Tammy.

"Mom was always at work, so we had to learn how to cook and stuff for ourselves. And at 10 and 11 you really couldn't prepare healthy food and stuff," explained Amy.

"The microwave was our best friend. Ramen noodles, bowls of soup, things that were quick and easy — stuff that adds on carbs," Tammy added.

Amy Slaton says she and Tammy Slaton 'got the fat comments' while growing up

Sharing how the sisters were bullied while they grew up in rural Mogranfield, Kentucky, Amy said, "We got the bullies, we got the fat comments, we got all that."

The situation worsened when their grandmother died in 1999. The grandmother helped care for the sisters and her death prompted them to turn to food for comfort.

"[We] took it hard and turned to food for comfort," said Tammy to which Amy added, "I started eating my feelings."

Amy and Tammy Slaton claim they began their weight loss journey before TLC show

Amy and Tammy battled with numerous health issues due to their excess weight. Tammy, at her heaviest, struggled to walk more than a few steps and she rarely left her house which required transportation in the back of a van while her sister struggled to get pregnant due to her weight issue and diabetes.

Despite the sister duo "leaned on each other" and attempted individual weight loss journeys, it was not until a TLC producer approached them that they found the motivation to commit fully.

The reality show '1000-Lb Sisters' documented their efforts to lose enough weight to qualify for their bariatric surgery.

"We were already trying to lose weight before the show even got a hold of us, so it was like the perfect opportunity," said Amy.