Olivia Ward

Biggest Loser Season 11 winner Olivia Ward's life has been a success on several frontsbut not all. Happily married for 12 years, the 35-year-old has not been able to start a family due to being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), often a weight-related condition. "For a doctor to tell you, well, at this weight you won't be able to have kids, that's hard for me," says Olivia, for whom family is incredibly important.

Also, the New York City-based contestant is an opera singer, and has earned rolesbut as the witch or the buffoon, literally the butt of operatic jokes, not the leading lady. "I have a big talent, but because of my weight and how it's affected me, I haven't landed big roles," Ward said.

But Olivia Ward along with her sister, Hannah Curlee, decided to do something about their weight problems. They applied as a sister team on Biggest Loser Season 11 and found themselves headed for a possible 20 weeks on the ranch. Amazingly, they survived as the only intact team and became the first sisters to both earn two guaranteed spots in the May 24 live finale.

Along the wayand at 20 weeks it was a very long wayshe learned through grueling workouts and consistent effort that she was a fighter to the end. At her last ranch weigh-in before the finale she said, "It's about finishing something that you started. I never finished anything before. I've always been a great starter, but never finished strong."

She even garnered praise from trainer Bob Harper at the weigh-in who validated her hard work by telling her, "you are an amazing woman."

When Olivia crossed the 100-pound mark on the ranch, she vowed to sing on the scale, and she did, singing Charlotte's aria from the opera, Werther. "She's a beautiful young lady," said Olivia Ward, "and when I leave here, I will at some point stand on the stage and sing this character."

These days Olivia says she is "incredibly joyful." "I get to live my life like this. I put my money on joy, and I'm so glad I did."