Christine Reiss plays with her daughter, Taylor
Christine Reiss was a cheerleader and dancer at Lake Park High School in Roselle, and never had a problem with weight, though it runs in her family.
But she became mother at 22, and at 5-foot-3 has gained more than 60 pounds to 186.
She actually likes working out, but doesn’t want to keep her daughter in day care more than necessary, so she spends her time at work or at home with her parents in Hanover Park.
During her first interview for the contest, when trainers asked her motivation, Christine started to cry.
“I just want it so bad,” she said. “I’m just miserable. I’m sad all the time.”
The more depressed she gets, the more she turns to sweets and snacks, and resorts to diets and weight pills.
To break the cycle, she hopes getting pushed by the trainers will help her feel good again. As she put it, “I need somebody to whip my butt.”