Shay grew up the youngest of three girls. She was in the foster care system from age five to 18. As far as Shay can remember, she has been overweight. In the last 10 years Shay has found that stress, emotions and learned eating habits have continued to increase her weight. Both of Shay's older sisters are overweight, and nearly all of her extended family. Family celebrations were always centered around food. Meals at home included fried chicken, biscuits, jambalaya, gumbo, fried fish, macaroni and cheese, cakes, pies, cobblers and anything else filled with starch! At a young age, Shay was expected to learn to cook and help make these meals for the family. In the family it was considered an honor to cook well.

Shay is a social worker and is always willing to do what it takes to help a client find their motivation and strength. Currently Shay holds a 4.0 in her Master's in Social Work program, which is full-time, meanwhile she works three part time jobs and holds down an internship. Lastly, Shay's weight affects her career as she works with people for whom she is attempting to motivate, and her clients look to her as an example. Shay is eager to once and for all get into shape so she can live a long and healthy life with her husband and boys.

Please check the second post of each contestants thread for any updates, news and/or links to their myspace/facebook pages... .....all new info will be placed here!





Shay on Facebook

Shay on Twitter

This is a fake account, it is not Shays Twitter (thanks Kencar)

I saw a feature on TV last night featuring Shay and her life story. My heart broke when I heard it since she was a product of the foster care system and her single Mom was a heroin addict who passed away 3 years ago. She used food as her drug of choice, since she considers herself an addict also. Since I feel that I too have used food as my crutch, I immediately felt for her. I know that it's too soon to say, but after hearing her story, I think that I already have a "favorite" picked out. You go, girl!!!!

^^What was the feature called? What network carried it? I would love to see it!

Actually, it was either "Access Hollywood" or "Extra" on NBC on Saturday night. I tend to think that it was "Extra" Obviously, it is an NBC production. Maybe they will be doing features on all the new contestants. It was very heart wrenching to hear her story.

I think that it was "Access Hollywood" that I saw Shay featured on. I just googled her and found the interview. The piece on AH showed a little backround footage that isn't on the video. I also thought that I saw her on the scale beside Daniel from last season, and thought that I was imagining things, since she was in an orange shirt. It wasn't til I started reading the posts and new website main page and saw him there. Check it out!

No spoilers please.

A spoiler is defined as anything not shown on the air during a regular episode, and pertains to the outcome of future episodes. Please read the FAQ and Forum Rules before posting.

Ooops. sorry Veebs. Didn't think it was a spoiler if it was on an NBC program. I promise to be good and keep my mouth (or fingers, lol) shut from now on.

Not a problem.

Chazzee and chazbone? related or dating or just a cawinkidink?

Just a coincidence Big G!

Ok...just wondering....and hey whats up wityh NBC this time..well alot of time and all the zappy stories that got peeps on the show this year...I need a good zappy story to get me on the show soon....maybe Ill think on that...

Yep, just a coincidence.....I've been chazbone ever since my cat Chaz was killed 2 years ago....... I always called him "Chazbone" as a term of affection. I found it really strange when I first started coming to this board and saw chazee....I thought my username was really unusual - not so much !

I have a hunch that Shay is going to end the season with a 30% loss.

She's a big girl and she actually needs to lose more than 30 percent. I hope she accomplishes her goals. She has a long way to go so I hope she does not get discouraged.

I hope she works hard at this. If Shay gained anymore weight she would be in a wheelchair, there is no way that her joints would be able to carry her. Good Luck to Her!!!

I'm glad that Jillian put a stop to the BS from the start. This girl got to 500 pounds because everyone was being nice and let her get away with her denial and excuses. This is a situation that calls for some really tough love, and I am not sure there is any broad tougher than Jillian.

If there was a smily face that clapped, I would enter it here.

My God....I cannot express how much I understand Shay as we are sooo alike. Does anyone know if she has a facebook page?

She and I both lost our mom's at a young age, are both biracial, and have similar histories.

I also realized that even though I weigh less than she does, we have very similar body shapes. I think her weight on another person would look faaaaar bigger.

My heart goes out to her and I am rooting for her to win.

I hope she can change her perspective of the world and of herself, because if she doesn't change on the inside, whatever she loses on the show will just come back later.

In addition to the outside baggage she is carrying (pounds) I hope this season she will be able to work through all the inside baggage she has been carrying all her life. You are right if she doesn't change on the inside the weight will come back. I am concerned that if she goes home she will not have the support like some of the others have. At least Alexandrea had a loving mother waiting for her at home.

She definitely has a great partner, Daniel will help her get over most hurdles, physical and emotional.

She needs to exercise, but first and foremost learn to eat healthy foods.

I hope Shay can lose big this week and continue to do so week after week.

I'd like to see her go home next -- she really threw Julio under the bus the entire second show. Maybe it was just due to editing but she was the only one to take her Big(gest) Weight out on another contestant.

She seems to be more concerned with Julio than her own demons.

Shay and Alexandra probably bonded quickly and Shay was upset because Alexandra is gone.

I don't think she'll be talking about Julio much after this week.

On Jillian's twitter she said to keep watching. Too early to form an opinion of Shay and that Shay was one of her favorites. It is editing that is making Shay look bad.

I just find myself rooting for her. I keep going back and forth on liking her and not liking her, but when she is on the scale, I just hope it is gonna be good!

I agree. But I see it as wishing good things for her while not liking her attitude.

Julio was the only one not working out when the rest were. I can see the frustration since they sent his partner home

Shay doesn't seem like the type to demean someone ,she didn't need to harp on Julio like she did.
Sure ,he deserved to be slammed on for sitting on his butt during week one but not like that.
I hope she continues to lose big and drop the attitude, sure jillian was dropping the fbomb alot which i thought was wrong and Shay left and came back but Shay still needs to concentrate on herself and leave the pity and crying for the birds, were sick of it.

Yeah, I hear you on that. It is also early enough that I'm hoping the attitude is a symptom of the pain of her situation that I can't comprehend coming out in ways I don't like.

I was trying to do the math for another post. If I did it right (and remember correctly) Shay could beat Helens 54% (highest % in BL) by losing 262 to get down to 214. According to BMI (which i really dont like) it would still leave her in the Obese catagory.

I don't rely on BMI. it is a very useless indicator because for starters it does not take into account body type,muscle mass and age. I'd go by actual body fat percentage , waist size and blood pressure etc.
Sure Shay would still be big at 214 but by the time she gets to that weight ,she'll look a lot better than someone who is her height and weight who doesn't exercise at all. I mean I'm 44 male, 6 ft tall ,236 lbs and i have a 49 chest and a 34 waist and according to the useless BMI formula ,mine is 32 indicating I'm obese. Pure B/S. I work out and most of my weight is not from fat - dont go by BMI.Most people think i weigh like under 200 pounds..

yeah, like I said, I dont like it either. If dr. H had his way, they wouldnt even do weigh in's but put them in the BodPod every week to measure fat %. but even at 214 she is not going to be close to correct body fat % like last years three finalist were.

Shay better watch it or her attitude will come back and haunt her.

Look at the unmentionables from season 6 and Ron from season 7. Their actions and attitude came back to bite them on their behinds.

That is what I am thinking. She seems to have so many walls up and defense mechanisms.

She is very beautiful when she smiles. I hope we can see more of that in the upcoming episodes.

I don't think Shay has an attitude at all...she has a right to express her feelings, and yeah, a lot of contestants (and viewers) didn't feel Julio was doing what he needed to do.

I don't think it is fair to jump on a contestant when they don't always have a rosy demeanor. I think Shay was being honest, and considered her weight, she was giving it her all and didn't give up. Julio seemed to whine a bit, and is Shay anywhere near the level of Ron's negativity from last season? No way!

I wish that those who make comments such as to leave the emotions at home, ....it really isn't that easy, ya know? It isn't whining, and if those who made such comments walked a mile in Shay's shoes, you may not be so quick to make such a comment.

I am not sure if others on here are over weight, obese or morbidly obese, or super morbidly obese, but, when you get to be a certain size, I really do think it has to do with a lot of pain and hurt. Given where Shay has come from, I totally understand how she is feeling much more than I could humanly describe. i think in cases like what Shay has been through, you come out of that experience affected---some turn to alcohol or drugs, and others turn to food. Shay has done a great job in that she got an education (despite the overwhelming odds that people growing up as she did have a less than 10% college completion rate), and I think, has a family now, AND is working on her master's degree (or maybe already has it by now). She is phenomenal, and Julio....other than being a father, what can we say about him????

I really want Shay to be successful and I wish her all of the best. She is what keeps me tuned in!

I would have reacted the same was as Shay. When you see a person get saved on the very 1st week after losing less percentage than the one sent home it is only natural people will suspect you didn't pull your weight. Last week was a very important team challange and it would have been nice to see Julio put some sort of team effort into the challenge instead of allowing people to think he was slacking off. I'm sure others had plenty to say too but the producers decided to make Shay out to be the most vocal one.

You radiate beauty. I picked my screen name because of you.

I am pulling for you. I can't believe how callous T was to you and others on the team today. Most of North America is pulling for you.

You are loved Shay. The campus at BL loves you. I don't struggle with weight. Well, I struggle with keeping weight on, and this show is so inspiring.

And Sean and Antoine>>>>>beautiful men.

I was truly touched by the unselfish acts of Sean and Atoine last night. I only hope that Shay does not make this selfless sacrifice pointless by getting eliminated too soon. If I recall correctly, Daniel was saved last year by the old guy (forgot his name) who begged to let him go and save Daniel because Daniel needed it more.

Besides being a beautiful person inside and out, with a fantastic job helping others, Shay in my opinion is one of the top physically strongest people starting out on the show. She is able to move a tremendous amount of weight, far beyond what I am able to move, just by walking around. That physical strength is going to really stand out near the last part of the show if she makes it that far.

Mentally she is very strong too, and is showing she is able to channel that strength the way Bob and Jillian want. She is going far unless she gets unlucky in the game.

Good luck Shay.

I agree that Shay is very strong. As a bigger person myself, I may look huge, but I am also able to lift more than people who are smaller than me.

Shay's story is very touching. I was in tears as she told her story. I really hope that Shay achieves her goals.

Shay has a twitter but she is not revealing anything.

http://twitter.com/ShaySorrells

I do not want to upset anyone about what I am about to post and respect everyone's views on who their favorite contestant(s) are.

Here is my .02 on Shay.

Her "I am the biggest person here and had a terrible childhood so I need to stay!" gets on my nerves.

She needs some serious therapy. Losing weight is all fine and dandy but if she does not deal with the issues that brought her to her present weight then being on the show is a complete waste of time.

To me she seems to think that Julio and Tracey done her wrong/are out to get her and the trainers and others blindly goes along with it.

They need to stop sugarcoating the situation with her. Holding her hand and letting her using her childhood as a defense mechanism is the worse thing they can do for her.

Plus Bob and Jillian playing armchair counselor is not going to help her. The emotional issues she has is beyond their scope of training (hate to burst you bubble Jillian)

This is my only issue with Shay, and I'll probably get roasted for it...

We all know her story. She told it the first week, and it was very touching and we all cried.

Now, I'm kinda getting a little sick of hearing about it. Especially when she was up for possible elimination. Everyone there knows her story, so it's kinda cheap for her to throw it out there again in the face of elimination.

I also agree that she may need to seek some type of counseling above and beyond the limited amount Bob and Jillian can provide.

That being said, I still hope she continues to do well and can get healthy. I wish that for all the contestants. Shouldn't be about winning. Just about getting healthy.

I agree with what Templar76 has said. I'm still rooting for Shay to lose the weight too, but it seems like she's just using her tragic story to get further in the game.

And has anyone noticed if she's mentioned anything about her husband or two boys on the show? Maybe I missed it, but I was really suprised to see that when I read her profile on this site. Doesn't it seem weird that the other contestants talk about their spouses and kids and she has never said a word about them?

Haven't heard a peep about them. So, either she's not talking about them, or the producers are editing it out. Wouldn't surprise me either way.