You’re going to get to know more about me and my personality in Season 2.
That has probably been the biggest change me opening up.
Meghan Crumpler:The biggest change for me would probably be self-love, loving myself a little bit more.
I struggle with body dysmorphia.
Do you feel like opening up about those challenges is helping people watching the show?
Arnold:Oh, definitely.
Crumpler:Most definitely.
Some people, I’m sure, think I cry a lot, which I do.
Some people see me cry, but that’s just who I am.
I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I’m a very emotional person.
What would you say was the biggest challenge for you this season?
Arnold:Weight loss.
That’s always the biggest challenge for a fat girl.
Some of my issues [are] my lungs and the medications that I take.
[But] I feel I get in my own way, if that makes sense.
That’s probably been my biggest obstacle.
Arnold:My biggest obstacle this season was learning how to open up because I’m very closed off.
I only allow very few people and a certain set of people to know who I really am.
Opening up and being vulnerable was probably my biggest obstacle.
How their friendship has helped them through their hardest times
You two have been friends for years.
How have you been able to keep that friendship so close and not grow apart over that time?
Arnold:We love each other.
You don’t give up on each other.
We do butt heads, definitely, but I would die for her too.
Arnold:At some point, it became a sisterhood instead of best friends.
Can’t give up on your sister.
Arnold:Meghan was with me in the darkest times of my life as a teenager.
Moving into adulthood, it’s pretty much the same.
Crumpler:You’re going to make me cry.
[I’m getting] teary-eyed hearing her talk.
I’m just me.
But Tina does the same for me.
It was like I was a hermit.
And Tina teaches me …
I’m trying to think of how to say it.
Arnold:To step out of her comfort zone.
And now, I walk that curb like it’s nothing.
It’s the little things that she says.
Or I’m afraid to sit behind a driver’s seat or buckle my seatbelt.
It’s the little things where she’s like, “You just need to try.
you’re able to’t put yourself in a little box.”
Arnold:I’m the voice in her ear telling her, “you might do it.
you’ve got the option to do it!
What has that been like for you to open up and share all of that?
Crumpler:It’s hard.
I keep my circle small.
I have really sheltered myself and my children away from the world before this show.
Coming into the show threw me into having to put everything out there and let everybody see everything.
It’s been very tough because people that you don’t even know now know about you.
Crumpler:For me, I felt like I didn’t have a choice.
It was a life-or-death situation for me at the beginning.
I would’ve died if I had not sought help.
And I chose to be embarrassed for a little bit.
I chose to say, “This is who I am.”
And I realized that there are so many other “Here I ams” out there in this world.
For every negative person, there are so many other people who go, “Thank you.
Thank you for doing this because I’m not alone.
I don’t feel alone anymore.”
Arnold:You gave them a voice.
As difficult as it still is to do this, I would not have it any other way.
I love what we do.
Arnold:I love what we do too.
Crumpler:And I miss it when I’m not doing it.
It’s motivating and it’s empowering, and it helps me mentally.
I like being able to share my story.
Arnold:It’s freeing.
Crumpler:I enjoy what we do very, very much.
It’s very freeing because you’re like, “Here I am, world.
Here are my scars, and it’s okay to have scars.”
Crumpler:It’s okay to be different.
Their nerves about Season 2
How are you both feeling with Season 2 coming out?
Are you looking forward to it?
Are there any nerves about it?
Arnold:I am very nervous.
Crumpler:Yeah, you better.
It’s scary, with a whole year’s worth of your life.
Arnold:You say something, and then you keep filming, and you forget.
You’re like, “Oh my god.
Did I do that?”
Crumpler:You’re like, “Did I really say that?
Did I just show my a**?
Oh, my heavens.”
Arnold:I don’t know.
I’m excited about it, but I am nervous.
As soon it hits the air, I will probably watch it and freak out.
Watch “1000-lb Best Friends” Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on TLC.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
