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0 She shot to fame as the quirky bride on Married At First Sight’s blockbuster sixth season.
But these days, Melissa Lucarelli looks a lot different compared to her days on reality TV.
Melissa, who now works as a full-time influencer, has a far more glamorous look and impressive weight loss transformation to go along with her new career.
Sitting down for an interview with Daily Mail Australia, Melissa shared candid insights into her personal struggles and how she navigated her way back to health and happiness.
‘When people first saw me on MAFS, I was actually heavier than my usual size,’ Melissa began, reflecting on her appearance on the show.
Former MAFS bride Melissa Lucarelli shared candid insights into her personal struggles and how she navigated her way back to health and happiness
‘When people first saw me on MAFS, I was actually heavier than my usual size,’ Melissa, 43, begins, reflecting on her appearance on the show
‘The stress leading up to the show saw me eating non-stop and sleeping very little, which led to an increase in dress size right before the show.’
Lucarelli emphasises that the weight she was at during the show was not her norm.
After losing the stress-induced weight, viewers were quick to notice.
‘The stress leading up to the show saw me eating non-stop and sleeping very little, which led to an increase in dress size right before the show,’ she continued
‘When I went back to my normal weight, everyone thought I had undergone a massive transformation. But really, I was just returning to my baseline,’ she explains.
The pandemic, however, brought new challenges for Lucarelli.
Isolation led to a ‘carb and Netflix diet’ that saw her gaining weight once more, this time noticing changes in her physique that were particularly hard for her.
‘When I went back to my normal weight, everyone thought I had undergone a massive transformation. But really, I was just returning to my baseline,’ she explains
Isolation led to a ‘carb and Netflix diet’ that saw her gaining weight once more, this time noticing changes in her physique that were particularly hard for her
‘It was tough seeing the weight go to my face and chest. I wasn’t used to it, and it affected my self-esteem,’ Melissa shared.
Determined to regain her health, Lucarelli took on exercise and a new diet regime.
‘I’ve been getting really into exercising and have tried to cut down on carbs, following what I think is a keto diet, though I don’t really get the whole ketosis part,’ she laughed.
Determined to regain her health, Lucarelli took on exercise and a new diet regime
Her diet now includes plenty of broccolini and chicken, and while she’s tried to cut down on alcohol, social obligations often make it challenging.
‘Trying to eat healthier and cut down on drinking is hard when your lifestyle involves going out a lot. And I’ve developed a habit of eating late, which doesn’t help,’ she explained.
The journey hasn’t been easy, with Lucarelli facing moments of frustration and self-doubt, especially when clothes no longer fit.
‘I’ve been getting really into exercising and have tried to cut down on carbs, following what I think is a keto diet, though I don’t really get the whole ketosis part,’ she laughs
‘It was so frustrating not being able to wear anything in my closet. I started declining invitations because I didn’t feel good about how I looked,’ she recounted.
Despite the challenges, Lucarelli’s journey is also about self-acceptance and humour.
‘I’ve always had no boobs but great nipples,’ she joked, discussing her body’s changes with a light-heartedness that her fans love.
Beyond weight loss, Melissa is focused on her personal life, humorously declaring herself a ‘full-time husband hunter’ this year.
‘I’ve been single for too long,’ she admitted.
‘I’ve always had no boobs but great nipples,’ she jokes, discussing her body’s changes with a light-heartedness that her fans love
