‘Biggest Loser’ contestant speaks to student body
February 17, 2010 by Krista Sager
Filed under Featured, Lifestyle
Kelly MacFarland, a comedian and television personality, spoke to GSC Oconee students Thursday, March 4. MacFarland first made her television debut on “The Biggest Loser,” a television show dedicated to help overweight people reach a healthy weight. She appeared on the popular show’s first season in 2004 and lost 72 pounds in three months.
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While today she is still happy with her weight, six years after the show, MacFarland grew up struggling with her body and self-esteem. She was always overweight as a child and used humor as an outlet for her insecurities. She had accepted the fact that she was never going to be an athlete, and gave up all hope to lose weight. She was content in her life until she reached a point of recognition.
According to MacFarland, her turning point wasn’t her struggles to fit into a rollercoaster or constantly being judged but a doctor’s visit which informed her that without Gastric Bypass surgery she wouldn’t live to see her 40th birthday. She thought of the devastation her parents would feel burying a child, and she asked herself, “Have I really, really tried?” After knowing that she hadn’t, she set off for a better lifestyle. To reach her goal of better health, she signed up for “The Biggest Loser” and began to shed the pounds. “It’s not all pretty,” said McFarland, as she explained the hard work she had to go through. “The Biggest Loser” taught her the importance of good health, and even after the show she maintained a beneficial lifestyle.
After the show, Kelly decided it was her goal to complete a triathlon, and with the start she needed from “The Biggest Loser,” she was ready. She knew she wouldn’t finish in 1st place, but she confidently said, “The best I can is enough. It’s all I need.” Kelly is proud of how far she has come in her life and teaches others that, “It’s not a size thing.” No matter if you’re a size two or not, she believes that everyone should love and care for their bodies, and follow her motto to “own it.”
