Jillian Michaels: From inspiration to hypocrite at the drop of a pill

3rd December 2009

Jillian Michaels: From inspiration to hypocrite at the drop of a pill

posted in Author, Charlynn, Fitness/Exercise, Mind & Body, Recovery |

When it comes to workouts, I love Jillian Michaels. There. I said it. Yes, I’m talking about the trainer on The Biggest Loser. That Jillian Michaels. Normally, I despise people on weight loss TV shows, but I must give credit where it’s due.

The first time I tried her 30-Day Shred workout DVD, I went into it thinking that I was already in decent physical shape. The truth is, my muscles were exhausted halfway through level 1. My lack of endurance and muscular strength both surprised and appalled me. Despite my still-sore muscles, I repeated the workout a couple of days later and found that I went a little longer without feeling completely drained. The time after that, I went even further. Psychologically, it was just the fuel I needed for motivation. Over the course of last summer, I worked my way through the ranks of difficulty on the 30-Day Shred and found myself doing a couple more of Jillian’s workouts, too. The result: I put a noticeable amount of muscle on my body for the first time in my life.

The method to Jillian’s workout was responsible for my newfound bulk: She utilized as many muscle groups as possible in each exercise throughout the entire course. For the time spent, it was an incredibly efficient workout. I found myself feeling proud each time I pushed myself a little harder, doing just a little bit more than last time, because I hadn’t ever done workouts so intense. And I can’t help but admit that I was really proud of how much strength I added to my body over those months. My body never showed even the slightest hint at muscle definition before, so this was new and exciting.

It was also empowering. This was one of the few times I can recall in the last eight years or so that I was exercising for strength and endurance, not losing weight or maintaining the status quo. Naturally, this changed my outlook on food as well. My attitude changed from “I’ll eat because that’s what recovering people do” to “My body needs adequate nutrients for all the hard work it’s doing.” It was a much-needed reminder of why food is important and I’ve kept it in the foreground of my brain since.

Sadly, the story at this point does not have a “happily ever after” ending. I stopped working out a couple of months ago when schoolwork piled up and left me sitting on the couch with a laptop for hours on end. Sure, I could have managed my time better and squeezed workouts in, but I didn’t. And that is why my body returned to its “normal” state. I’m just not athletically built. I don’t keep muscle on my body without a lot of effort. And I think that’s why food and weight issues crept back into my mind this semester when I let stress get the best of me. My attitude towards food reverted to its old ways of thinking, delving into gradually more disordered thoughts as time went by. After all, without all those muscles, what did I need all of those calories for? (On a side note, my sleeping patterns also changed, probably due to lack of exercise and coping with stress, which only made the situation worse.) Thank goodness the semester is nearly over and a small amount of clarity has returned to my brain. The eating disorder won’t win this round.

At my university, we have an entire month from the end of fall semester to the start of spring classes, which means I will (finally!) have some free time. One of my goals is to work out regularly again. The issue is, should I return to workouts with Jillian? I have mixed feelings.

A part of why I stopped working out was because Jillian seriously disappointed me when I saw her in a Nordic Track commercial, where she was rabidly burning off calories on a treadmill. In her workout DVDs, she denounces exercise machines because she claims that they don’t work the entire body as efficiently as good ol’ floor exercises (and besides, they cost a lot of money). I guess Nordic Track paid her enough so she’d change her mind.

Jillian also recently endorsed her own line of diet pills. I’ve looked at the ingredients for both her “fat burning” and “calorie control” pills – they’re basically loaded with caffeine and non-FDA-regulated herbs that haven’t been clinically proven safe – much like every other diet pill currently on the market. How can she back up her claim that these “new, scientifically developed” pills are anything but the same ol, same ol? Bullshit, Jillian. You sold out. Endorsing a Nordic Track machine was one thing, but diet pills? Diet pills?! Come on, Jillian. That goes against everything that’s wonderful about your no-nonsense, hard work approach to fitness.

In my mind, Jillian has lost her credibility. I don’t watch The Biggest Loser, so the fact that she’s on a show of that nature never phased me much. The Nordic Track ad was a disappointment because she went against her word, but the diet pills really crossed the line. I don’t know if I can appreciate the rewarding nature of her workouts, knowing that she’s endorsed her own line of “jumpstart” pills. Even thinking about it makes me feel like a hypocrite. I think I need new inspiration.

What’s your take? Have you ever been let down by a fitness “guru?”

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This entry was posted on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 1:00 am and is filed under Author, Charlynn, Fitness/Exercise, Mind & Body, Recovery. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

1 On December 3rd, 2009, Lauren said:

I figure, you shouldn’t have to feel guilty enjoying her workouts despite the fact that she as a person isn’t quite up to par (though I can understand not wanting to purchase anything from her in the future in an effort to not aide her money train). But if you’ve already spent the money, why not?

I’ve never been one to keep up with “fitness gurus” myself. I’m way too young to reminisce about the Jane Fonda days, however there was a period of time where I’d workout to my mom’s Tae-Bo workout tapes after school. But Billy Blanks has had a clean record, right?

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 2:37 am

2 On December 3rd, 2009, Allison said:

Bickram Yoga is what really does it for me! And your muscles will start being defined within two classes. The only problem is that you have to go to the studios- since it’s hot yoga, the method isn’t effective if you do it at home

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 3:21 am

3 On December 3rd, 2009, Mark Vaughan said:

I couldn’t agree more. I really thought that Jillian was an ally in the fitness world, but at the first opportunity she jumped ship and started slapping her name on the worst items she could. I wish the jumpstart pills were the worst, but she also has a ‘triple action detox and cleanse’! I nearly fell over when I saw this. I commented on the detox and cleanse here: http://youarenotafitperson.com/2009/10/12/the-problems-with-detoxes-and-cleanses/
In any case, you are right to find a new inspiration. If you can’t trust what someone is telling you, especially when their money grabbing behavoir is in direct contrast to what they have said in the past, then you really need to stop listening to them.
I just can’t believe how many people are just saying, oh well… It is beyond me.

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 3:58 am

4 On December 3rd, 2009, Lisa said:

I agree with Lauren, that it’s OK to use an approach, or idea, or method or product of someone even if you don’t agree with other approaches/ideas/methods/products they espouse. That said: Unfortunately due to the current fat-loathing culture I think any fitness professional who is as ‘succesful’ as she is is going to disappoint someone HAES oriented. She wouldn’t be in the position she is if she wasn’t willing to compromise/change her own (supposed) beliefs. And given how badly Biggest Loser treats the contestants and what they expect contestants to do and eat, etc…. I’m not surprised at all with the stuff that’s distressing you. It makes perfect sense, given her participation on that show.

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 6:04 am

5 On December 3rd, 2009, Fantine said:

I have the same kind of mixed feelings about Richard Simmons. He includes fat people in the groups on his videos, there is enough low impact stuff that a lot of people who normally couldn’t make it through an aerobics video can actually do it, and the exercises are easily adaptable for different needs. And he’s super positive and encouraging, almost to the point of being nauseating.

But he’s also all about how being fat is nasty and unhealthy and will cause your death and is totally changeable if you just have the willpower and the right tools, which in my personal deathfatz(TM) experience is completely untrue. His focus is always on fat and how to get rid of it, rather than actual health or movement for the joy of it, and it’s such a waste because some of those dancing videos really are fun. He is a sell out by definition because his career is based on trying to make fat people thin.

So I like the videos, but I hate his philosophy.

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 7:24 am

6 On December 3rd, 2009, Heather said:

I like Jillian 85% of the time – I use her 30 Day Shred (because whoa, I don’t think it’s possible to feel that good, er, sore after a workout in 20 minutes!), and I used to listen to her podcasts (which are now defunct). I wasn’t disappointed when she created the Nordictrack, because while she did say that you don’t NEED those things, that if you are going to use the Revolving Apparatus of Death (=treadmill), then you should use a high incline to increase endurance, so meh. BUT the diet pills? Yeah, that killed me. She’s always been pro-”stackers” and “fat burners” (which in my mind are still diet pills, despite what any fitness professionals will claim) on her radio show and has never denounced them, as long as you are using “natural” ones. If we’re talking diet pills, I’ll give her credit for using all natural ingredients and no funky crap, but they’re still pills that are supposed to increase weight loss/fat burning/etc. Meh. I still appreciate some of her philosophy, but that just ruined it for me. I have no qualms with weight loss itself, but rather the weight loss industry, but diet pills are where I absolutely draw the line.

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 9:03 am

7 On December 3rd, 2009, All Women Stalker said:

When I exercise using a workout video, I kinda keep my relationship with the “guru” limited to that video. I believe that my philosophies about food, exercise, and other things are my own. They cannot be affected by what someone says or does. But I do understand how it feels when someone you look up to lets you down. Like when they eat their own words or do/say something hypocritical or contradictory.

-Denise

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 9:31 am

8 On December 3rd, 2009, Amy said:

Awww, man, that’s crap. I, too, enjoy her workouts because they give me something to work toward. As in, my upper-body strength has always been appalling, so those eight million push-ups in the level-one workout give me a definitive goal. That diet pill thing irritates the hell out of me. Why can’t people appreciate that they have a good thing going and don’t have to make themselves bigger and bigger and bigger fame/product wise? Blech.

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 10:45 am

9 On December 3rd, 2009, Lu said:

I’m not a fan of Jillian Michaels. I never have been. I think you should look into something you truly will love. Try something new. She sold out. Plus, I want to know what her definition of being a “fat teenager” is. She has stated in the past that she was a fat kid. Does anyone know what that is defined as in her mind?

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 11:03 am

10 On December 3rd, 2009, Kim said:

As more of a gym-geek type person I have serious issues with Jillian. She’s been seen demonstrating incorrect movements too many times and that just doesn’t fly for me in someone touted as an expert.

I haven’t done her workouts (the whole home low-equipment circuit thing is not my style), but friends I trust have done, enjoyed, and felt destroyed by Valerie Waters’s workouts. That might be a good alternative to Jillian for you, although I have no idea if Waters has likewise endorsed anything questionable (I suspect not, just via being less of a household name).

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 am

11 On December 3rd, 2009, Frankincensy said:

Plus, I want to know what her definition of being a “fat teenager” is. She has stated in the past that she was a fat kid. Does anyone know what that is defined as in her mind?

Wikipedia says she claims to have been 175 pounds at age 12 (her adult height is reportedly 5’2.5″).

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 12:04 pm

12 On December 3rd, 2009, Bree said:

I feel the same way about Richard Simmons that Fantine does. I’ve worked out to his “Sweatin’ To the Oldies” and it was a lot of fun for me because I love to dance, and I got a good workout without feeling like crap afterwards. But when he started bringing on the self-loathing fatties who started to sob about how horrible their lives were and that they couldn’t do anything, it made me mad, because not all fat people hate themselves. But Richard wouldn’t have sold as much as he did and become so well-loved if he had said you don’t have to exercise just to lose weight. But I would still use his dance programs, because they’re fun and you don’t feel like you’re really exercising.

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 12:14 pm

13 On December 3rd, 2009, Lexie Di said:

My mother adores Richard Simmons. I like the fun, dance-y kind of way the workouts are set up and the music is great in lots of the videos. I enjoy seeing both thin and fat take part in the exercise, and not just the thin “successes” dancing with the leader.

Unfortunately, though I enjoy the workout, I dislike Richard’s seemingly “Must be thin” message, especially because at the end of the videos they have the members of the dance group dance down an aisle with how much weight they’ve lost posted on the screen. I usually want to skip this, but my mom finds it “inspirational” so I tend to just go relax while she watches.

I have a mixed relationship with this dancing man. I like him for how he’s different and I dislike him for how he’s the same.

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 1:28 pm

14 On December 3rd, 2009, Kelly said:

I liked reading these comments. Great discussion!

As for those who want to work out and get stronger or more endurance – with a leader who embraces FA and/or HAES – I’m sure there’s someone out there! I haven’t found that person either but… I must admit, I’m not looking that hard. I’m a runner and cyclist, I haven’t yet done much for workout vids etc.

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 3:36 pm

15 On December 3rd, 2009, Mark Vaughan said:

There is an even more disgraceful fact here that no one is talking about. It is the diet pill industry as a whole. The people who are making the pills for Jillian Michaels are the same people who were charged by the FTC for not providing weight loss studies for diet pills for children (The cited studies in their ads, but there is no evidence that these studies ever existed) as well as not producing studies for spot fat reduction gels (cutting gel) that melt fat away on contact. The whole story can be found here http://youarenotafitperson.com/2009/10/27/jillian-michaels-doctors-dr-nathalie-chevreau-ph-d/
It is a disturbing story, but the real question is why would someone who cares about overweight people in the US (apparently she sees herself as ‘America’s Trainer’) sign on with a company that has such a checkered past?

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 7:42 pm

16 On December 3rd, 2009, Marste said:

I have to admit that I like her workouts, but I’m not crazy about her in general. And the diet pill thing put me over the edge. So now, I still buy her workouts – I just buy them secondhand. I figure that way I’m not supporting her with my money (at least not directly), but I still get the good workout in. Win-win!

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 8:35 pm

17 On December 3rd, 2009, merri said:

Ive heard that show is kinda unhealthy. Ive only seen one or two episodes at my grandmother’s house. Anyway, if her exercise video was working and was fun and made you feel good, you shouldn’t let what she’s doing now ruin that for you. I agree it sounds like she sold out, but then you’re letting that sell out win by not using something you enjoy. So I say, use the video.

posted on December 3rd, 2009 at 8:43 pm

18 On December 4th, 2009, Ann Marie said:

After reading this I feel kind of betrayed! I am a 20-something, working female and in good shape (I survived boot camp and all!). But lately with the work piling up and working after hours, I’ve been lacking the motivation I need to make it to the gym = me putting on a few extra pounds.
I went to GNC just last weekend to try a new vitamin. The salesman suggested along with the vitamin, he recommended Jillian Michael’s calorie control pills.
He said in 30 days I could bring the pills back if I didn’t see an improvement. So far, I actually have been noticing a healthy decrease in appetite, meaning I do not feel the need to snack as much as I normally do.
But now I wonder, is she getting caught up in the Hollywood fitness craze?

posted on December 4th, 2009 at 1:22 pm

19 On December 4th, 2009, Lindsay said:

Ok, I am a Jillian fan, she has helped me lose over 40 pounds and I have been using her diet pills. I feel they are safe because she herself uses them and since she is extremely careful about what she puts in her body (you will know this if you have listened to her radio show or listened to anything she has said) she wouldn’t take them if she weren’t safe.
As for selling out with the incline trainer…she uses it constantly on the biggest loser, and it clearly gets results. Maybe they don’t work the ENTIRE body, but the incline trainer will definitely work the legs and butt hardcore if that is your problem area. It’s also a good source of cardio and that is important for heart health…nothing about her working with nordic track screams sell out to me. I am sure she has been offered actual endorsements which she has refused because it’s not something she believes it…if anyone has even remotely followed jillian throughout her career you know she cuts out the BS and sticks to the truth and what works.
Lastly, if you want to see HER reasons behind putting out a line of supplements instead of assuming and calling her a sell out, you can check it out here http://www.facebook.com/notes/jillian-michaels/weight-loss-supplement-answers/134999455926

I really do believe her intention with anything she releases, DVDS, books, incline trainer and yes even the supplements is simply to help people get their lives back on track, lose weight and become healthy and successful in every aspect of their life.

posted on December 4th, 2009 at 9:25 pm

20 On December 5th, 2009, Bronwyn said:

Gotta jump in and say Richard Simmons has really let me down- my mother was a huge fan, and I basically loved him all through my youth; He’s cheesy but he seemed so sincere.. and honestly, I think he is. I loved that he had fat people doing their movements, I loved that he had chair exercises.. I mean he made it so accessible.

But then (in the midst of my own ED I might add) I was on a kick where I would watch those shows about the *really* overweight type people- and one of the patients at this particular hospital was someone who had lost a *ton* of weight with Richard and been in his videos a lot, but then yoyo’d back to a high weight and the place was having Richard Simmons visit and just.. the way he treated this guy was terrible. He scolded his wife, asked her how she let him get this bad, etc etc. It was not pretty, and it really disappointed me. I mean, I truly believe that Richard Simmons really does care as much as he seems to. I don’t think it’s just an act; but it just broke my heart to see how upset he was getting with this guy and with his wife, and I could see it was breaking the guy’s heart as well. And of course it was all being filmed and it was just awful. Now I can’t even bring myself to use a video of his.

posted on December 5th, 2009 at 2:54 am

21 On December 7th, 2009, rachel with a little "r" said:

damnation…look at all the bot bugs coming out over this one!

any old way, my thought: Jillian Michaels’s whole purpose in life is to try to convince people to lose weight, right? So, how is it out of line for her to promote diet pills? “Fitness” is for weight loss, right? And diet pills are also for weight loss. So, I don’t see how it’s hypocrisy, unless she’s specifically said that pills are bad…?

posted on December 7th, 2009 at 8:04 pm

22 On December 12th, 2009, Eleanor said:

I started working out again after about 8 years of doing nothing. I was doing mostly on demand stuff and as I got through some of the simpler ones I started doing Jillian Michaels. I did them a couple of times and then decided I HATED her workouts. It wasn’t her, it was the old school sit ups and push ups and jumping jacks which drove me batty. In one of ther videos Jillian says in way of “motivation” I’ve had 400lb people doing jumping jacks you can too.” No I couldn’t because I’ve had 3 kids and would pee my pants every time I tried them. IF I hadn’t had the brains to realize that it was her workouts in particular not working out all together that was making me miserable I may have quit altogether.
The fact that someone who puts herself out there as a fitness expert and is pushing not only diet pills, but those one shot diet drinks just takes her down further in my opinion.

posted on December 12th, 2009 at 12:08 am

23 On December 14th, 2009, Sarah Beth said:

Alright, these are my two cents, for what it is worth:
I have worked out and maintained the same weight since I was in college (cough … 10 years ago!) I have trained with about 8 trainers in that time. I’ve always loved going to the gym and running ten miles is my idea of a good time. Recently, in an effort to save a few bucks I decided to ditch the pricey gym membership,use my apartment’s treadmill and buy a few workout videos. I started with Bob’s Boot Camp which was okay but, after doing the 30-day shred for a few weeks I had muscles that NO TRAINER had ever given me. I have the skinniest waist I’ve EVER had. After just over a month I have the beginnings of a six pack! Ha, some days I wonder who’s body I’ve stolen! Not to mention I feel amazing and so very strong. I agree, I hate the idea of the diet pill endorsement but, her workouts are amazing and you would have to pry them from my cold dead fingers before I’d give them up.

posted on December 14th, 2009 at 5:59 pm

24 On February 26th, 2010, Jackie said:

I was more than a little heart broken when I began to see the commercial Jillian wagon roll out. I’m a personal trainer and have always poured my time into swimming the enormous ocean of bull on weight loss and training. I’ve gone through it myself, I’m 5’4 and have weighed 240, with hard hard work I lost it over 10 years ago and have struggled with the mental and actual labors of keeping myself at a healthy weight and mind. When I became a trainer, I got literally depressed going to my general fitness classes… the truth is that many trainers are just not that educated and/or only understand fitness according to what “should” work. So when I read Jillian’s 2nd book I was inspired again, she was outwardly spitting in the face of the diet industry. For a brief moment I had some hope that she would stand tall and really just help people…without endorsing the very kind of products she earlier spat on. I hope she follows her own advise, that change is possible anytime, I hope she takes a step back and carefully considers what is most important to her and how many risks she is willing to take with other peoples health in putting out diet pills. I’m personally still hopeful she will correct her course.

posted on February 26th, 2010 at 12:20 pm

25 On February 27th, 2010, Mark Vaughan said:

I just read Jackie’s comment above and I must say that I couldn’t have said it better myself. I think my frustration with Jillian Michaels is the fact that I saw a rebel who spat in the face of a commercial establishment sell out and that still bothers me so deeply. Both the fact that anyone can be tempted by pop culture dollars and that it makes it impossible for us to trust anyone, because once the establishment sees we believe in someone, the dollars will flow… Strangely, I honest still hope that she will say someday, ‘that was a mistake, I am sorry, hit the gym and forget the pills, they really don’t help you lose weight…’

posted on February 27th, 2010 at 4:24 am

26 On February 27th, 2010, M. Pearl said:

I have some real issues with Jillian Michaels. Here is a rant from the AntiBiggestLoser.com blog about the hypocrisy of Jillian Michaels hawking diet pills:

…..It should be noted that Ms. Michaels is currently being sued for endorsing the weight loss product “Jillian Michaels Maximum Strength Calorie Control” because the product and a Web site ad include the claim, “Two Capsules Before Main Meals and You Lose Weight … That’s It!”

Perhaps she forgot what she wrote in the “Dispelling Myths” section of her book Winning by Losing:

“Diet pills and surgical weight loss options are two more examples of detrimental quick fixes. Diet products and procedures are simply gimmicks that target people’s apathy and hopelessness about their own health.”

I guess targeting people’s hopelessness is only OK if the buck lands in your pocket….

posted on February 27th, 2010 at 6:35 pm