Meet the 'Survivor 48' Cast! Charity Nelms Talks How Losing 100 Pounds Got Her to the Island

It's charitable to say Charity Nelms has the most varied résumé out of anyone on Survivor 48. Ten years ago, the 34-year-old was in ministry school, struggling with insecurity and an eating disorder. Over the course of a decade, she's radically changed herself, losing 100 pounds, becoming a flight attendant, and using her own health story to become a fitness coach for others. It's an eventful and dramatic journey, and she's eager to go on many more on Survivor. Despite Charity's desire to make a deep connection with people out on the island, she's eager to see villains return to the show, even if she has to be the one to do it.

Read on for my interview with Charity, and check in with Parade.com daily for interviews with this season's contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 48 premieres on Feb. 26 with a two-hour premiere on CBS.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 48

Interview with Charity from Survivor 48

To start, give me your name, age, and occupation.
I'm Charity. I'm 33 years old, and I am a fitness coach and a flight attendant.

I have so many questions about this. Which came first?
Flight attendant came first. I've been doing that for almost nine years. I'm actually very close to retirement, believe it or not. With how many years you put in plus your age and all that. So I'm really just kind of going for the benefits there. So I did that for five years and then became a fitness coach. So I started sharing my weight loss journey online of just what I was going through. And I was absolutely inundated with questions and DMs, and "How did you do this?" and "How did you do that?" And so, long story long, I started a business, and within six weeks, I made double what I made as a flight attendant. And I was like, "This is incredible, because there's purpose on this for me. There's passion. I enjoy it." And so that was kind of born, and I still do both.

Are you going to lean into advertising yourself as one job over another out on the island?
When I say I make double as a flight attendant, you know what a flight attendant makes, it's poverty. Okay? [Laughs.] So to make double, it was like, "Oh, we're gonna squeak by. We're doing okay." And I didn't have to be gone from home all the time. So there really isn't much to reveal. I'm not this gigantic following. I have a little following, but I very much do it out of purpose. I mean, I could make a lot of money doing it, but that's not why I do it. So I do it and keep it in a place where I can be passionate; there's a purpose in it. I'm not dreading it. And so I always have a waitlist. I keep the clientele low because I give my all in. It's very emotionally draining. And so there's nothing to reveal there. I'm not like some millionaire influencer. That is not what's happening here. So

Was there any story you gave your clients about where you would be going for a few weeks?
Well, it was actually really easy. Two things. One, I can blame everything on flying. "Oh, I'm gonna be flying for a bit." And working as a flight attendant, all my clients know that I do that part-time. So in order to keep my flight benefits, I have to work a certain amount of time throughout the year, which is usually five days a month. But sometimes I'll do it all in six weeks. So I kind of gave that story to some that were kind of aware of that. And then to some, I just timed out where it was like, "Okay, we're gonna take a break."

And then, to be honest, for the last five years, I have never taken a day off fitness coaching. I have been in Thailand making coaching videos. I have been in Maui waking up at 3:00 a.m. with a time difference so I can meet on a Zoom call with clients. Always blowing up with messages. I'm always fixing plans. I'm always just keeping the business operational because it's a one-woman show. So I've also given that story where I'm like, "You know what? I haven't taken any time off. But I'm going to be off for the summer, and we'll reconvene. And here's what I want you to do while I'm gone." And I have people that I can have check in on them.

That's the work ethic of a 26-day game. Jeff says you have to be a hustler to succeed on Survivor. And it sounds like you've had that in your blood for the better part of five years.
My dad was a business owner, and my whole family is made up of entrepreneurs. I mean, it's scary to kind of share things online, especially such an intimate part of struggling with an eating disorder and losing 100 pounds, and how I got healthy both inside and out, because it's not about weight. It's really about what's going on here. Weight is just the reflection of what's happening on the inside. And so sharing all of that and really building a business, and starting from the ground up, I didn't know where to start. I'd never owned or ran a business. And having gone through that experience, the confidence it's given me to go I can do whatever I want, anything I set my mind to, I'm gonna do it. I've just always been that person. It's very rare that I make that decision. Because I know if I make the decision to do something, I'm 100% all in. And that is what I've done with Survivor. I'm 100% all in. You'll see me at the finish line.

Well, let's talk about what got you to the starting line in the first place. What's your history with Survivor, and what made you decide to add this to your unique résumé?
So Survivor is kind of making up for lost time for me. So a decade ago, literally 10 years ago, I was in ministry school in Alabama. I was struggling with an eating disorder. At that time, I was 100 pounds overweight, the heaviest I'd ever been. And I was skipping morning prayer because, just to be honest, it was really boring. I was skipping class and morning prayer multiple times a week to lay in bed and watch Survivor. And I know my family loves that. They don't know this, but they're gonna find it out. It was an escape for me. I started watching it 10 years ago, and I was just in ministry school, flat broke, had $5 in my account. And I watched whatever was free online, and, at the time, the first twentysomething seasons were all free online at that time. And I watched every season, and I was like, "This is incredible. I want to do that, but I could never."

I started watching it, and I remember just being like, "I have such an adventurous spirit. I love to travel. This is so cool. I would love to do this." But just from deep-rooted insecurity, was like, I could never do that. I could never hold up in those physical competitions. I don't want people to see my body. I don't even want to be in a swimsuit. I was so self-conscious that, for years of my life, I held my own self back from really incredible experiences I could have had. And now, making long story less long, I'm here, and it's because I put in the work I've completely changed my life. I live in such a place of health and balance, truly inside and out. And so being on Survivor is a deep well for me, it runs deep. This is not just like, "Oh, cool game, and maybe a million bucks." I have something to prove to myself. I have worked really hard to be here. I pick up a shovel, and I start digging until I hit water. And stepping onto this island in Fiji, I've hit water.

Luckily, they've done the digging for water for you. Give me one winner and one non-winner who you identify with the most.
Winners, I love Tony. He is my guy. He's sitting in his Spy Shack, love him. And I hate that I'm saying this. I can't remember if he got this nickname on the show or if it's just a nickname my husband and I gave him. But we called him "Tony the Rat." So I love Tony as a winner. As a non-winner, my favorite Survivor, and this is going old school, very niche, is Jane. Again, I'm a nickname person. Even out here on the show, I'm gonna have nicknames for people. That's just how I show my love. But Jane, we always called "Farm Strong." because this woman was out here, bony Skeletor beating these big bodybuilder men in strictly strength competitions. And it's because she worked on a farm. She owned a farm. People who grow up in the country on a farm, they're built different. And so I just loved her. And she's just the kindest, the most lovely woman. I wish they would bring her back for 50; I think she's awesome

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What is your favorite moment in Survivor history? Does it involve Jane or "Tony the Rat"?
Oh, yeah. I mean iconic number one, "I'm sitting in my Spy Shack!" I say that to my husband all the time.

Are you going to build a Spy [Insert Noun Here] out here?
Maybe. Wouldn't you like to know? [Laughs.] I definitely have some tricks up my sleeve. But, yeah, I mean Tony, iconic. That's an iconic moment. Another one that I think is just legendary, like, how did this even happen? It's the season where Brandon and Coach made the whole Survivor tribe into a cult. The level of power you have to have to get all these people on board to be like, "Okay, we're gonna pray before dinner." And I mean, I'm spiritual, I have faith. But I would never impose that. It's so wild to me that they built that and people went along with it. It makes me realize, "Okay, cults are real. And people will follow you. It's all about the confidence."

You have gone through so many major shifts in your life up to this point. But what would you say is one life experience that has prepared you most for the game?
I think it's just the journey of that deep-rooted insecurity. Being 100 pounds overweight, thinking I was gonna deal with that for the rest of my life, I really had no hope. And picking myself up, getting myself out of that, and going, "I will work until." And there is no ending. I'm going to keep working. Your health never ends. And so even just to physically be in the place of, like, "No, I'm a competitor here," but then to mentally be in such a place of confidence. I know who I am, I know what I've been through. I know who I'm not. I have such a settled feeling. And to be honest, we're all sizing each other up and looking at each other. I'm not intimidated by anyone. Jersey muscles over there. Big deal. Not intimidating.

You gotta channel that Jane energy. What is your biggest superpower and biggest piece of kryptonite that you're bringing into the game?
Superpower, I don't want this to sound like, "Oh, I'm just so great," because really, I'm not. I think I have a level of charisma that makes people comfortable. I love to bring a group together. I'm a natural-born leader. "Let's all rally." I will make anybody laugh, even to the point where I'm embarrassing myself, very self-deprecating. That is my personality, and I think people feel comfortable with that. On the flip side, my kryptonite: Speaking my mind. Sometimes, my tongue will get me into trouble because I am a no-BS person. Just straight to the point. I'm from Michigan. I married someone from the South, and so I now realize, "Oh, I'm very frank." We're very to the point. "Let's hurry it up. Who cares how your day's going? Let's go. I got places to be. I don't need the whole 20-minute backstory." So I think that could get me into trouble, but I'm very aware of it.

You've spoken about sizing up the competition. I know you're not intimidated by them, but let's hear your thoughts on some of these people as you've been spending time with them in the preseason. Who are you picking up good vibes from?
I love my fellow tall girl with curly hair. We're both tall. We both have curly hair. I just love her vibe. I have really curly brown hair. She just has this cool hippie vibe. Love it. I feel like we could mesh together really well. Obviously, I don't know her. But you definitely pick up on cues. I also really like, he's probably one of the older gentlemen in the group. Olive complexion, has tattoos on his forearms. That man is a deep well, he's got a lot going on. Sometimes, you can just see it in someone that he's carrying something in there. But also, I just feel like there's something solid about him that I really like. Other than that, I don't know. I mean, you get a first impression of everybody. There's some people that you can tell are a little bit more outgoing and want attention, and then there are people that are just very quiet or maybe a little bit more meek, and that sort of thing. So it's just gonna depend.

It's interesting you bring up that "deep well" man. Is that what you're seeking in an ally? People who have had those complex journeys, just like you?
Yeah, I think everybody here has to have some type of story just to make it on the show. You have to be interesting. I mean, if there's no conflict, it's not that interesting. Great for you, but… [Laughs.]

[Laughs.] That's when your kryptonite comes in.
Exactly. But there's just something about him that I can tell is a little different. He's holding on to something. And I don't know, you can just tell when someone has some depth. It's not all just surface. It's not all just, "Oh, woe is me. I've been through this." There's some depth there. And I can sense that. I mean, obviously, this is Survivor; we're gonna double cross each other, we're gonna lie, blah, blah, blah. But also, in real life, I am loyal to a fault. And so that will be very hard to get rid of. So I definitely see myself finding someone who is not just like, "Oh, you're the person on Survivor I could connect with. No, "You're a person I actually connect with." I want to find that person out here.

Going back to your perceptions, who are you not picking up good vibes from? I'm sure you have nicknames for everybody.
Oh, my journal has a nickname for everyone. I'm like, "I got Jersey Muscles over there. I got, Minnesota Hockey Player." Because I'm looking at T-shirts. I'm looking at where they're from. It's not so much, "Oh, I don't want to play with that person." But I'm already leery. I already can see, "Okay, there's stuff going on here." There's one person that around us is very kind of just won't make eye contact, won't smile back, kind of like gives us an aloof, bored feeling. But then I can hear, like in interviews when they go in, and it's like a total change of energy. And I'm like, "Okay, there's some play going on here." That might be my BFF when I get out there. I don't know

Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 48

You've mentioned Tony before. Are you incorporating his hunger for idols and advantages into your own game?
Absolutely. I'm swinging for the fences. I don't have a million dollars in my bank account, so I have nothing to lose. I'm playing this game like it's the second time I'm out here, period. I will go for anything I can. I will volunteer for whatever I can. Home run every time, swinging for the fences. Let's go all out. Because if I get voted out, knowing I played that way, I will be at peace. I'm going in, trusting my gut. No matter what anybody says to me, if it doesn't feel right in here, [Points to gut.] this is what I'm going with. And if I get voted out because of that again, I will be at peace with that. It's okay. I'm not going to, but… [Laughs.]

What is your hottest Survivor take?
Number one, as fans, we want villains back. [Laughs.] I want more villains. I love the stories, but I love the gameplay too. And I love a Tony or a Russell or a Coach or a Brandon. Iconic moments, like when the girl dumped the rice everywhere. We want a little bit of that back. That's my hot take on Survivor. But, truly, I'm probably gonna get totally like, slayed for this. But I think Russell was one of the best players there was, and he should have won. I would have voted for him personally,

In which season?
Every time he played. He is the GOAT. I mean, he dominated it.

When it comes to your first hot take, there has been a lot of argument as to whether there are villains in the new era? Is there anyone that falls into that bucket for you?
Soft. Even [in Season 46], everyone's like, "Oh, Q is a villain." I'm like, "No, he's not!" Q's just being himself. He beats himself up, makes people mad. Even the whole thing of not picking Liz. She's not entitled to that. She didn't win. And Q shouldn't, out of pressure, have to pick her if that's not who he wants to spend the time with, especially if it's a strategic decision for him. So people call Q a villain. I'm like, "Man, everybody's gone soft!" Who knows, maybe I'll come out here as a villain.

I was gonna say, are you how much is that gonna be intentional in your head?
I don't know if it'll be intentional. But I definitely feel like I have some rough edges that might show out here. And I'm not afraid of that, because that's just the reality of who I am. You gotta have some grit out here if you want to win. You cannot just be everybody's BFF. I miss a little bit of that. Everybody's so excited, kind, and happy when they get voted off. And I'm like, "Are you kidding me?! Of course, I'm grateful for the opportunity. But I'm ticked. I just got voted off!"

While we're staying on the note of 46, what's the biggest thing from what's your main takeaway from Seasons 45 and 46 that you're bringing into your gameplay?
It moves quick. With these smaller tribes. It moves a lot quicker. And just being flexible. It is not just the, "Alright, me and you to the end. Let's do it and go all the way." That really is not the reality here. I would love it to be, but it's not. So it's just having to really trust your gut, being able to read people. I feel like, as a flight attendant, we're trained even on nonverbal cues and just the way people make eye contact and all those things, because we're always looking for that. There's just a lot of safety and security. And so being able to kind of pick up on those things. And [figure out], "No, okay, I think this person is not telling me the whole story."

What celebrity or fictional character would you want to come out for a Loved Ones visit?
I thought you were gonna say, "Let me build Celebrity Survivor." Because I've already built it. Wouldn't that be incredible?

I mean, you could do that! Give me some cast highlights.
Jack Black, Snoop, Shaq. Those would be my top three. Maybe Martha Stewart. Let's put her out here.

Well, Snoop and Martha would have an automatic alliance.
That's true; they know each other. But, yeah, Celebrity Survivor would be incredible. Oh, Cesar Millan, I put him out there. He would be great. I'm telling you, [if] Brad Pitt and Cesar Millan are in the airport. I'm going to get my picture with Cesar Millan. I don't care. Brad, goodbye. It's because he is an expert on energy. What you put out, people are gonna sense. You can control people with the energy you bring into the room. It's true. It works with pets and it works with people. I do it on board every day with people. You see a flight attendant that's stressed and and nervous and anxious and has this energy or calm. I've had emergency landings where I just go, "Okay, I've got my energy. They're watching me. I am going to control this situation with just the energy in the room." So, yeah, I pull put Cesar Millan out there for sure, absolutely.

Any of those people you want to bring out as your loved one?
I'm bringing Shaq out. Shaq's my boy! Dude, I freaking love Shaq. I don't watch basketball. Don't care. I love Shaq. Kazaam is wonderful. Shaq had his own little reality show. I just think he is so fun. Finally, an athlete with personality. He's hilarious. He's very generous. I'm just all about Shaq. And I'm literally obsessed with how tall he is. He's like, seven foot. Sometimes, when I'm in a bad mood, I will literally just Google Shaq with normal-sized objects. And it'll be like, "Shaq holding a water bottle," and I promise it will improve your mood. I'm telling you, look at Shaq holding a water bottle, and you'll be like, "This is insane. I feel better."

Lastly, how are you going to make your mark on Survivor 48 to make sure you return for Season 50?
Hmm, I don't know if I want to come out. Who knows? No, I'm sure I want to do it again. That's something I wish I could answer. But I'm not willing to just make up some crap that I don't know. To be honest, it's the game moves so quickly, and it's such a day-to-day decision of what you're doing. I think it's just literally lasting in the most creative and lasting way. I don't really know how to answer that. It's just, it just depends on when I get out there. I'll let you know after.

Next, check out our interview with Survivor 48 contestant Stephanie Berger.