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She nailed flawless routines week after week and was the first contestant to bag three perfect 10s from the judges, but what has Chrystal Chenery’s second-place finish on Dancing with the Stars been remembered for?
A crude shot of the beautiful blonde on finale night, mid-split, posted on social media by The Edge radio DJ Dominic Harvey.
While she’s done talking about the scandal that made front-page news in New Zealand, it has highlighted an issue that’s plagued Chrystal for most of her life. Why is it that after eight weeks of learning to dance – and in her case, mastering the art incredibly well – comments and critiques always come back to her appearance?
“Because I look a certain way, people often assume life is easier for me or maybe I don’t have to work as hard,” Chrystal tells us.
It’s especially ironic because Bachelor fans might be surprised to learn that Chrystal hasn’t always had the Barbie looks!
Chrystal opened up about her past in an exclusive interview with Woman’s Day – click through to see more!
Images by Robert Trathen
Sporty throughout college, Chrystal steadily gained kilos when she left school and moved to Australia at 17, giving up her active lifestyle in the process.
Ten years ago, the reality star weighed 80 kg and was barely recognisable with a fuller figure and brunette locks.
However, fans of The Bachelor might be surprised to learn Chrystal hasn’t always looked this way.
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Now happier and healthier at 62kg, the foxy fitness buff is a yoga devotee and regularly does cardio and weight workouts to maintain her slim figure – although she insists it wasn’t about losing weight, but more about coming of age.
Chrystal puts her weight gain down to being young and not knowing enough about nutrition. However, after returning home to NZ she changed course and became qualified in beauty and massage therapy. Jobs overseas followed, including a stint in modelling when she weighed her smallest at 54kg.
“Because I look a certain way, people often assume life is easier for me or maybe I don’t have to work as hard,” Chrystal confesses in an exclusive interview.
“It’s funny that there is no sisterhood between women. As a society, that is what we have to fix first, because really women give birth to men and raise them to have these viewpoints about women – you’re beautiful so you must be dumb, or you’re gorgeous so you can’t be down to earth,” she says.
Despite her wild ride on reality television, the bolshie Bachelorette says she’s not interested in fame or money. “I’m just interested in experience and taking advantage of every opportunity life gives you,” she says.
