Kelley Flanagan, known for her appearance on season 24 of The Bachelor and subsequent relationship with Peter Weber, has become a prominent figure in the public eye. Her journey extends beyond reality television, encompassing health challenges, career decisions, and personal growth. This article explores Flanagan's experiences, drawing from her own statements and observations.
From Law to Lyme Disease: Prioritizing Health
Before her time on The Bachelor, Flanagan was a practicing lawyer. However, she made the decision to put her legal career on hold to address significant health issues. As she explained on the Talking It Out podcast, "I took a back burner on law for the time being, and the reason is because I’ve been having so many health issues. Around a year ago, I realized I needed to stop everything and try to figure out what the hell is going on with me."
Flanagan revealed her diagnosis of Lyme disease, which has triggered a range of autoimmune responses. "Lyme disease sets my autoimmune issues off. Like, for the past week, my entire face was really blown up and I’ll be allergic to everything. It’s so many autoimmune things." She also described experiencing a fluctuation of 20 pounds within a couple of weeks, irrespective of her diet or alcohol consumption. "Within the past two years my weight has also fluctuated 20 pounds within a couple week span, and it has nothing to do with what I’m eating and I barely drink. It’s hard to know what’s hitting me and when it’s going to hit me. There’s no consistency."
These health challenges have impacted her daily life and stamina. "When I go out with my friends, their stamina of staying out and doing a bunch of fun things is way better than mine. I would wake up the next day and not be able to move." Flanagan also recounted a history of stomach issues dating back to fourth grade and unexplained weight gain before appearing on The Bachelor. "Since fourth grade, I’ve always had weird issues like stomach issues. Then right before I went on ‘The Bachelor,’ I remember I looked nine months pregnant. I was working out for two hours a day with a trainer and I was super active, but I couldn’t figure out what was going on with my weight."
She believes the stress of the show, the breakup with Weber, and the ensuing publicity exacerbated her condition. "After the show, I think the transition with the breakup, publicity, and the fan aspect all put a lot of stress on my body." Despite these challenges, Flanagan remains focused on her healing journey.
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Relationship with Peter Weber: A Tumultuous Journey
Flanagan's relationship with Peter Weber began unconventionally. They met before The Bachelor season 24 began filming. Weber initially proposed to Hannah Ann Sluss, but they split shortly after the finale. He then reconnected with Flanagan, and they began dating officially in April 2020.
The relationship was not without its difficulties, and they eventually broke up. According to a source, "Their personalities just didn’t mix - that was a big factor for the break up." Flanagan confirmed they briefly reconciled before ending things for good. "There was a while where I was trying to convince myself that that’s what I liked and I was like, ‘Alright, Kelley, let’s be honest with yourself." She cited differences in lifestyle and interests as contributing factors. “It’s not a bad thing, [but] he loves Pokémon cards and he loves playing video games and he loves going out and partying."
The breakup appears to have been difficult. "It ended really badly. I essentially went off on him. I ended up leaving New York and going to one of my girlfriend’s houses and hanging out with her," she said. She also alluded to discovering information about Weber that she found upsetting. "He texted me, I didn’t respond and then found some news out that I wasn’t happy about."
Following the breakup, both Flanagan and Weber have spoken about their perspectives on the relationship. Weber expressed feeling that Flanagan's comments on a podcast were "very calculated" and "disingenuous." Flanagan, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of communication and non-negotiables in a relationship. "On my end, there were just a lot of non-negotiables in the relationship," Kelley admitted. "Actions kind of speak louder than words, and it takes a long time to figure that out." She also stated, "If there is something that I saw as disrespectful in a relationship, I would speak on it, and I was pretty vocal. I think communication is huge in a relationship."
Flanagan has indicated that she and Weber are no longer in communication. "We don’t communicate … We did up until after Valentine’s Day. I don’t think I will be in communication." She has also dismissed rumors of moving to New York City to be closer to him. "I don’t think we’ll be hanging out in the same crowd, either."
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Life After Peter: Moving On and New Beginnings
Since her split with Weber, Flanagan seems to be embracing new experiences and focusing on her well-being. She has been traveling, including a trip to Greece, and actively engaging with her social media following.
Flanagan has also hinted at a new romantic interest. "There is a guy that I’ve been on a couple dates with. He doesn’t even have the Instagram app. It makes me feel so great," Kelley teased. She has also expressed openness to the possibility of appearing on Bachelor in Paradise. "If Peter was there, I’d have no issue," she explained about joining the cast of Bachelor in Paradise. "There would be no communication [other than], ‘Hi, how are you?
Flanagan's focus remains on her health, personal growth, and exploring new opportunities. "This is how I see it. You only live one life," Kelley added. "I’ve always tried to put myself out of my comfort zone … I don’t know what I’d do." While she has stepped back from her legal career for the time being, she is considering other ways to utilize her law degree in the future. "I might go back into it, just not necessarily with my family’s firm. I might do something else with my law degree."
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Flanagan actively promotes a healthy lifestyle through her social media presence. She shares videos of herself preparing healthy meals, such as a Mediterranean cucumber salad with alfalfa sprouts, onions, olives, and Dijon mustard.
She also engages in various outdoor activities, including tennis and riding four-wheelers. "Tennis is a good sport for maintaining health, fitness, strength and agility," according to Better Health.
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Lessons in Love and Life: A Book Recommendation
Interestingly, the name "Kelly Flanagan" also belongs to the author of a book titled Loveable: Embracing What Is Truest About You, So You Can Truly Embrace Your Life. While not directly related to the Bachelor contestant, the book's themes of self-acceptance, passion, and purpose resonate with Flanagan's journey.
The book explores stifling shame, finding your tribe, and pursuing your passion. It encourages readers to love themselves and live a life of purpose. Loveable is a powerful book because I went through such a wide range of emotions as I read it. Before I get to that, I suppose it’s best to summarize what the book is about. The book is in three acts, each taking the form of a fictional novel’s character arc. The first act is about stifling the shame in you and allowing your inner child to come out and play through some kind of “inciting incident” that changes how you look at yourself. The second act is about finding members of your tribe who might allow you to play authentically - overcoming rejection and all as you go through that “stage”. And the third act is about finding your passion in life and going out and doing it. It may not be the thing that makes you any money, but it is the thing that brings purpose to your live and finds the little one doing what he or she loves best. In fact, the whole book takes its premise from a Mark Twain quote that, roughly paraphrased, states that the most important day of your life is when you were born, but the second most important day is when you find out who you really wanted to be.