HIGH FIVE!
»»Rtedeclares »»Leaders tell all the Op Trans of life-changing finalists winners new confidence
ALL five of last night’s finalists in the emotional showdown of hit TV show Operation Transformation were declared winners.
Presenter Kathryn Thomas hailed their efforts and congratulated them for their life-changing weight loss during the finale of the RTE lifestyle programme.
She added: “Our five amazing leaders showed great courage and determination. They have inspired us all.” Season 17’s finalists were Michelle Rogan, 36, Anne Cushen, 56, Noel O’connell, 57, Darragh Fitzgerald, 37, and Edel O’malley, 36.
Michelle told the Irish Mirror how it re-ignited the spark with her husband David.
She said: “It has given me Michelle back. I can’t explain the feeling until you’re in the situation.” Mum-of-three Michelle was concerned about her fitness levels after her sister Elizabeth passed away from sudden cardiac arrest five years ago.
Last night she said “I feel beautiful” and revealed she has rediscovered her “confidence and belief in myself ”.
Michelle learned in the final that she went from a 45-inch waist to 39, while her weight dropped from 79.6kg (12st
7.5lbs) to 73.3kg (11st 7lbs). She joked that after seeing herself in the mirror, she said: “Ah, you ride.”
Anne, who celebrated her 56th birthday on the show, has osteoarthritis and has had two hip replacements, the most recent in August.
She said: “I knew mobility wasn’t right, so I had to do something about it. After a while, I started to feel more life in myself.
“I feel so honoured to be here. I took so much from it. Little changes will get you there.”
Anne had a starting weight of 73.8kg (11st 9bs) but by last night’s final it was down to 67.1kg (10st 8lbs). Her metabolic age was 65 eight weeks ago but was last night down to 50.
Rugby coach Darragh overcame a rare form of non-hodgkin’s lymphoma as a teenager.
He had a bowel tumour removed and underwent intense chemotherapy but he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation after attending hospital two years ago with an abnormal heart rhythm.
Darragh had a starting weight of 132.1kg (20st 11lbs) but by last night’s final it was down to 114kg (17st 13lbs).
He said: “I haven’t been this weight since I was sick.”
Edel’s starting weight on week one was 105.4kg (16st 8lbs) and last night she was down to 93.7kg (14st 11lbs). She said: “I know now that I can do these things [like 5Ks]. Eight weeks ago, I said there is no way on this Earth that I will run a 5k.
“I can do hard things, I don’t have to be so hard on myself all the time.”
Dad-of-four Noel applied to the show after being diagnosed with tachycardia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type II diabetes and sleep apnoea. His weight fell from 108.2kg (17st 1lb) to 96.1kg (15st 2lbs).
He said: “When I decided to do this, I took stock of my own health and thought it was time to start things a little more seriously.”
The 57-year-old’s metabolic age was calculated as 72 by the show’s health experts, but Noel’s efforts to get fit and healthy reduced that to 51.
I can’t explain the feeling until you’re in the situation MICHELLE ROGAN ON HER NEW HEALTHY LIFESTYLE