Diet & Fitness Blog

By Glenn Mueller
eDiets Contributor

Just what does Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels expect from her clients? Often the answer is more than they ever thought themselves capable of achieving!

The star of NBC's smash-hit reality series "The Biggest Loser" pushes contestants to their absolute limits in order to help them achieve their weight-loss goals. It's amazing to watch as contestants transform their health and their bodies to become the biggest loser.

But you don't have to be a contestant to turn your weight-loss dreams into reality. Though obesity has become a family epidemic, Jillian says families that gain weight together can also lose weight together.

In an interview with eDiets, Jillian shares three principles that are key to slimming down and shaping up, no matter how old you are: Self, Science and Sweat.

Getting to know yourself means being aware of your emotional triggers so that you can avoid them, Jillian says. In spite of her discipline, Jillian says she is not a big believer in the concept of willpower. She thinks it is far better to control your environment to guarantee success.

For instance, instead of telling yourself you are not going to eat any bread when you go to a restaurant, Jillian says you should make an immediate request to the waiter not to bring any bread to the table.

"As far as I'm concerned, willpower just amounts to temporary moments of bravado," Jillian says.

The next step is to educate yourself on the science of nutrition. According to Jillian, former contestant Kelly Minner from The Biggest Loser almost burst into tears when reflecting on all the diets and weight-loss products she tried in the past. After Jillian got her to customize a healthy eating approach that was right for her biochemistry, Kelly was able to lose a whopping 85 pounds in just five months.

"There is so much white noise surrounding diets these days that people don't know whether they are coming or going," Jillian says. "The fact is there is no single diet that is right for everyone. The people that are telling you that isn't the case are lying to you."

(Editor's note: If you need help selecting the right diet for you, our two-minute Free Diet Profile Questionnaire can help you find your perfect match.)

As you may have guessed, the sweat refers to intense exercise. Jillian advocates doing all of your workout sessions with high intensity. In fact, with the exception of the first two weeks of training, she believes you should keep your heart rate at 85 percent of your maximum nearly the entire time you exercise. When explaining why people need to combine healthy eating with exercise, Jillian tells people to think of the human body as a car.

"If you're not eating right and you're not getting enough exercise, you are gaining pounds and moving in reverse," Jillian says. "If you are either eating right or exercising, that is like idling in neutral. When you eat right and exercise properly, you will finally be able to kick-start yourself into drive."

But, Jillian warns that you should be prepared to work through setbacks.

"The road to weight loss is not a straight one," Jillian advises. "You're going to have setbacks. If you fall off the wagon, get back on it. Don't waste your energy beating yourself up about it."

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your family is to model healthy behavior yourself, Jillian says. You have to stick to your healthy meal plan and workout schedule, even if it means putting yourself first. Jillian knows this isn't easy for parents to do… especially mothers.

For more great advice from Jillian Michaels on how to make weight loss a family affair, check out this video from a recent eDiets Live event in Ft. Lauderdale. She talks about finding time for fitness and cooking for your family…

If you're ready to lose weight and look and feel your best, we can help you make it happen... Plus, no dishes, counting calories or cooking (we promise!). Just heat, eat and lose weight!

Like this post? Continue to these:
-- Feeding Your Child: Where Do You Begin?
-- 8 Steps to More Effective Fat Loss
-- Double Your Weight Loss: The Write Idea

Labels: biggest-loser, diet, events, family, health-eLiving, healthy-living, jillian-michaels, kids, motivation, video, weight, weight loss, weight-loss, workout