Chrissy Metz

When I turned 30, I had this epiphany that my life is my own and my choices are my own.

I don't have to have a man in my life, and I think men are attracted to that.

The truth is, I don't find my value in my body or my weight. It's really more about who I am and what I can offer as a human being to the people in my life and the people in the world.

I have been able to help my friends and people that I believe in pay their bills and stay afloat in L.A. while following their dreams.

I just feel really grateful that I can pursue my dreams and also reach people in ways that I never expected.

There have been so many discussions about my weight: How is she going to lose weight? Is she going to lose weight? When is she going to lose weight? It's kind of it's funny.

Sometimes I feel like I'm two people. I'm proud of who I am as a person, but I do want to be at a healthy weight.

I want to have a fit, healthy body and not have to be put in a box. I don't want to be limited by anything.

You don't realize that somebody who's average or even very fit could relate to someone who's overweight, but it's not about our size - it's how we look at ourselves and how we feel about ourselves.

Why not have a motivation beyond me to get to a healthy weight? Every actor does that. We're chameleons. We change; we grow as an actor. You lose weight, you gain weight, you change your hair or whatever.

I am of the thinking that everything happens as it should and when it should.

There were times I'd be nervous walking home from elementary school, thinking, 'If that red tag from the power company saying our lights are turned off is on the door handle, I don't know what I'll do.'