Whitney Thore

Whitney Thore was once a slender dancer, but over the course of just one year at college she gained 200 pounds due to a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). It took her a long time to deal with the change, but now she is happy with her body, and through her active social life and love of dancing, she lives vivaciously and holds nothing back. She keeps busy with her dance, and though she currently lives with her parents, she is mustering up the courage to strike out on her own as she approaches her 31st birthday. My Big Fat Fabulous Life focuses on Whitney's life, her one-of-a-kind family and her friends. Deep down, she is just an average girl from small town North Carolina trying to find her way in a world that judges people by their size. Now 380 pounds, Whitney has a fresh outlook on life. She has learned to embrace her body and love herself again and urges others to do the same. Following the success of her "fat girl" dance videos, Whitney launched the #NoBodyShameCampaign, a movement that works to fight the devastating effects of body shame and promotes self-love and acceptance. The campaign encourages people to rise above the negativity that society imposes on anyone who is "different," and to live their lives to the fullest no matter what the scale says. The movement lives by the motto: "Love yourself. Live fully. No excuses. No shame."