Jillian Michaels:
Jillian Michaels is an American personal trainer, reality show personality, talk
show host and entrepreneur from Los Angeles, California. Michaels is best known
for her appearances
on NBC's The Biggest Loser and Losing It With Jillian. She is also known for her
appearance on talk show The Doctors. Since appearing on The Doctors, she and the
other co-hosts
have all been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host,
as well as the show being nominated for Outstanding Informative Talk Show.
Jillian Michaels is one of the leading health and wellness experts in the
country. Perhaps considered one of the most inspiring people on television
through her role as trainer,
wellness expert and life coach on her hit TV shows and regular TV appearances,
Michaels has created a brand name for herself. Every week she motivates millions
in every form of
media from TV to publishing to the 1.6 million monthly visitors to her Web site
and daily e-mail newsletter. As a motivator and role model, Jillian has a unique
connection with her
audience that stems from her own personal journey toward wellness. Before
becoming a big media success, Jillian struggled with her own weight. She was
determined to reach
her goals � and through dedication and hard work, she did.
Jillian has been a fitness expert and wellness coach for over 20 years. In
addition, she owned and operated a sports medicine facility, where she worked as
a physical therapy aid
under the physiatrists, physical therapists, and chiropractors. Jillian's
passion for fitness training originates from 17 years of martial arts practice
in Muay Thai and Akarui-Do, in
which she holds a black belt. Since 1993, Jillian has held two personal training
certificates from the leading certification programs in the country: the
National Exercise & Sports
Trainers Association (NESTA) and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America
(AFAA). In addition she is Kettlebell Concepts certified. Jillian has also
developed a continuing
education series for trainers with AFAA and holds a nutrition and wellness
consultant certificate with the American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA).
Books, DVDs, and video games � Jillian has them all covered. She is a New York
Times bestselling author of numerous books including Master Your Metabolism and
her most
recent release, Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life. Her DVDs are
consistently top sellers, with her newest title Jillian Michaels Killer Abs
released in September 2012. Jillian�s
first comprehensive 90-day weight loss system, Jillian Michaels Body Revolution
is available in retail stores across North America, and JILLIAN MICHAELS
BODYSHRED, an intense
group fitness class based on Jillian's highly-effect 3-2-1 interval system, is
currently taught exclusively in Crunch gyms.
Jillian�s web site, JillianMichaels.com, enjoys tremendous success as a top site
for people who look to her for a comprehensive online wellness program. Her
popular weekly
podcast, The Jillian Michaels Show, is available for free download on iTunes and
was awarded the coveted iTunes Rewind award for the best new audio podcast in
its first year. This
past year Jillian brought the successful podcast to life with Daily Dose with
Jillian Michaels, a fun and informative webseries covering a range of topics
with brand new episodes
available each week on YouTube.
Jillian has a popular iPhone and iPad app, Jillian Michaels Slim-Down Solution,
available from iTunes, and also continues her partnership with ICON Health &
Fitness on a line of in-home fitness equipment. Together with BodyMedia she developed the Jillian
Michaels 360� Weight Loss Navigator to be a key tool in providing accurate data
tracking, tips,
motivation and other crucial information for those working to get and stay fit.
In addition, Jillian works with popchips in an effort to bring healthier snack
options to the masses and
EBOOST to provide delicious, all natural ways to boost your energy.
Jillian launched her company, Empowered Media, LLC, with her business partner
Giancarlo Chersich, with the goal of creating total life solutions for people
that involve all aspects of
living well, including health, wellness, weight loss, and overall lifestyle. By
sharing a unique and inspiring philosophy that stresses the integration of
fitness, nutrition, and behavioral
changes, Jillian empowers people everywhere to define and reach their personal
goals, both physical and psychological. Empowered Media allows Jillian to
communicate her
message of health and wellness to a large audience through numerous forms of
media. The company continues to work toward its objectives with a circle of
experts who
collaborate with Jillian to act as life architects, helping people to
restructure their lives. The company's motto is, "Inspired by Jillian, empowered
by YOU!"
Jillian lives with her family in Los Angeles. When she's not on set for TV, she
enjoys traveling and getting involved in charitable activities, which include
her work as an ambassador
for the American Cancer Society, an ambassador for Stand Up 2 Cancer, an
ambassador for NFL Play 60, working with military families through the USO, her
work as a champion
of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation � a program dedicated to eradicating
the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States � and her work with the
Clinton Global
Initiative.
As a personal trainer, Michaels uses a blend of strength training techniques
with her clients, including kickboxing, yoga, Pilates, plyometrics, and weight
training. Michaels holds
certifications with the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), the
National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), Kettlebell Concepts,
and with the AFPA in
nutrition and wellness.
In January 2012, Michaels released a 90-day weight loss program titled Body
Revolution. The program features new workouts, meal plans and other personal
training regimens.
Michaels' business partner and manager is Giancarlo Chersich. Together they
operate Empowered Media, LLC.
Michaels has released over 15 DVDs since 2005, including Ripped in 30 Extreme
Shed and Shred and Killer Buns and Thighs. Her latest DVD release, Kickbox
Fastfix, was released in
March 2012.
In addition to her DVDs, Michaels has also authored several books on health and
wellness topics. Several of these books, including Master Your Metabolism and
Unlimited, have
made the New York Times Best Seller list.
Michaels hosted a Sunday talk radio show on Los Angeles' KFI (640 AM) from 2006
through 2009. Since February 2011, Michaels hosts a weekly podcast, The Jillian
Michaels
Show, through iTunes. In December 2011 the show was among the podcasts honored
by Apple in its App Store Rewind 2011, winning in the Best New Audio Podcast
category.
On October 21, 2008, she launched a new video game for the Wii, Jillian
Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009 A year later, she launched a sequel called
Fitness Ultimatum 2010. In
2011 Michaels released two more games, Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2011
and Jillian Michaels Fitness Adventure for the Xbox 360.
Michaels was an original trainer on the reality series The Biggest Loser when
the show debuted in October 2004. On the show Michaels assumed the role of the
Red Team trainer
and remained in that capacity for the show's first two seasons. After her
departure in 2006 she was replaced by Kim Lyons. She returned to the show in
2007 as the Black Team
trainer, competing against Lyons' Red Team and Bob Harper's Blue Team. Along
with Harper, Michaels was also a trainer in the Australian version of the show
from 2006 to
2008.On December 7, 2010, Michaels announced via Twitter that the eleventh
season of the show would be her last. Michaels made her last appearance on The
Biggest Loser in
May 2011.
On September 4, 2012, it was announced that Michaels will return to The Biggest
Loser in Season 14.On June 1, 2010, NBC debuted Losing It With Jillian, a
spin-off of The Biggest
Loser. In the show, Michaels focuses on one family per episode, visiting their
home to work one-on-one with them for a week.Losing It With Jillian originally
ran on NBC in June and
July 2010. As of January 2012, all eight episodes of the series are available
for viewing online.
On May 6, 2011, CBS Television Distribution announced that Michaels had signed a
multi-year deal to become a co-host the panel-discussion show The Doctors, as
well as serve
as a special correspondent on the CTD program Dr. Phil. Michaels had been a
guest on The Doctors several times previously. On the show, Michaels hosted a
recurring segment
called Ask Jillian, which dealt primarily with nutrition and diet
topics. Michaels left The Doctors in January 2012 after only half a season on the
series, stating the arrangement
"wasn't the fit both the show and I hoped for." Her possible return as a guest
was not ruled out. Michaels will continue to appear periodically on Dr. Phil.