“1000-Lb. Sisters’” Tammy and Amy Slaton Say Weight Struggles Began as Kids: 'We Ate Our Feelings' (Exclusive)

"We turned to food for comfort,” Tammy Slaton tells PEOPLE

Fans have spent the past few years watching Tammy and Amy Slaton deal with their weight loss struggles as documented on TLC's 1000-Lb. Sisters. However, the sisters say their body issues began when they were children.

“I've always had a weight issue. I was born 9 lbs. 10 oz., and then I just kept gaining,” Tammy, 37, tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s issue.

But in addition to genetics — “Our whole family's big,” Amy says — diet also contributed to their weight gain. The sister duo say they were often left to fend for themselves while their mom, Darlene, worked three jobs to support them.

“Mom was always at work, so we had to learn how to cook and stuff for ourselves," Amy, 36, explains. "And at 10 and 11 you really couldn't prepare healthy food and stuff.”

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

Related: All the Ups and Downs of '1000-Lb. Sisters' ' Tammy and Amy Slaton

The younger two of five kids — older siblings are Chris, Misty and Amanda — Tammy and Amy were bullied because of their weight while growing up in rural Morganfield, Kentucky. “We got the bullies, we got the fat comments, we got all that,” Amy says.

It became even more difficult to control their weight when their grandmother, who helped care for them, died in 1999 when the girls were still young.

“[We] took it hard and turned to food for comfort,” Tammy says while Amy adds, “I started eating my feelings.”

Over the years, they both had to deal with a slew of health issues caused by their excess weight.

Tammy was previously so heavy that she couldn’t walk more than a few steps. The rare times she left the house, she had to be transported in the back of a van. Amy, who has diabetes, also previously weighed so much that she struggled to get pregnant.

They “leaned on each other” and tried to lose weight on their own.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

But it wasn't until a TLC producer reached out to invite them to become stars of their own reality show that they were able to really commit to losing weight. They documented their incredible transformations on 1000-Lb. Sisters — the show chronicled their attempts to lose enough weight to qualify for 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,” says Amy, whose highest weight was 406 lbs. She qualified for surgery in 2019 and is now 230 lbs.

Meanwhile, after peaking at 725 lbs., Tammy had her surgery in July 2022 and is down to 285 lbs.

Although the sisters still receive unkind messages about their weight, even after making so much progress, Tammy and Amy have no regrets about going public with their journey.

They praise how life-changing their weight loss has been: Amy was able to have two children and Tammy can finally fit in a regular car seat without needing an extender on her safety belt.

“By putting our stories out there, we’re helping others see they can lose weight too. They’re not alone,” Tammy says, noting that the show and their newfound fame has opened up her world.

“I’ve done more in the last nine months than I’ve ever done in my life. I have my life back.”

For more on Tammy and Amy Slaton, pick up this week's issue on stands Friday.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.