Rachel

Past Participant Bio

Rachel has sometimes been known as the "friendly fat girl." She admits that she's the only person in her family who struggles with weight issues. Growing up, she'd come home crying nearly every day, talking about how the kids in her class wouldn't stop making fun of her because of her weight. By the time she was eight years old, she was by far the biggest kid in her class.

Rachel was always active, competing in sports and playing outside—but she loved food. The years went by and the pounds were added on. By the time she was 15, she was 5'10" and 280 lbs. But Rachel didn't let her weight stop her from being a high achiever: In her senior year of high school, she was the Homecoming Queen and Valedictorian. Despite weighing over 300 pounds, she received several awards for playing high school basketball.

Rachel weighed in at 369 pounds; she's been trying to lose weight by exercising and watching what she eats, but nothing seems to work. She feels people judge her because of her weight. She teaches physical education to first and second graders and isn't overly concerned with what other people think. Instead, she simply tries to let her sparkling personality shine through.