By Andrew Benjamin
Jillian Michaels is a renowned fitness instructor and author of the best-selling fitness book Winning by Losing. She starred on NBC’s hit reality show “The Biggest Loser.”
Hofstra Chronicle: How did you get into physical training?
Jillian Michaels: I was a fat teenager, an angry kid, troubled. And I was pretty much doing all the wrong things. When I was 14, my mom got me into martial arts and that’s what really turned my life around. It gave me something to invest in.
HC: How did you get into reality television?
JM: I opened a sports medicine place in Beverly Hills a couple years ago and one of the guys who worked out at the gym was a Hollywood agent. He heard about the show and he asked me to audition for it. And I was like nah. I hated the name of the show, hated TV. But he was like you are making a mistake; it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. You want to get your gym off the ground; you’d be a fool not to. So I go to this interview, talked to these people, and I was just so cavalier because I didn’t want the job. They offered the job that week. Then I realized, maybe this is an opportunity to do what I really want to do and get the message out there to the masses.
HC: Were you surprised at the success of the show?
JM: I wasn’t surprised. I think that obesity is such a pandemic at this point. French woman don’t get fat, but it’s up 50 percent. The world is getting fatter. And I think for that reason the show was relatable, it’s something people want to understand, something people want to learn about.
HC: Every year statistics are showing that people in America are getting more overweight. What do you see as the reason for this?
JM: Western civilization is based on instant gratification. People are not educated about eating properly. People don’t understand about calories, about the nature of carbohydrates, good fats, bad fats. The third aspect is finances. People are constantly saying, “I don’t have the money.” They go over to McDonald’s $1 menu. You have to learn when you go to McDonalds to get the grilled chicken sandwich, get the salad, throw the croutons away and get the dressing on the side. Get frozen vegetables, they are less expensive. Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season with coupons.
HC: What would you say is the unhealthiest thing a person can do that will contribute to weight gain?
JM: Secretary lifestyle. You get out of college, you get a desk job and you stop becoming active right there.
Jillian Michaels, fitness instructor.