American trainer Jillian Michaels is best known for her participation in reality television shows such as "The Biggest Loser." The Los Angeles native has since turned herself into a recognizable name brand, authoring books, releasing fitness DVDs and lending her name to video games, exercise equipment and dietary supplements.
Early Years
Michaels struggled with weight problems as a child and teen, according to an October 2008 Huffington Post interview. Her mother got her interested in martial arts, which Michaels attributes as her inspiration to not only get fit, but to learn focus and discipline. Michaels has been participating in Muay Thai and Akarui-Do since the early 1990s, according to her official website. In the early 1990s, she also received certification from the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association and the American Fitness Association of America.
Television Career
Michaels has appeared in NBC's "The Biggest Loser" since the mid-2000s. "The Biggest Loser" is a reality television show in which overweight contestants compete with each other to see who loses the most weight by the end of the show season. In January 2010, "New York Daily News" writer David Hinckley criticized the show for treating weight loss "primarily as a spectator sport." In 2010, NBC aired a spin-off reality television show, "Losing It With Jillian Michaels," in which Michaels works with overweight families. According to Michaels' website, she attracts almost 10 million television viewers. More than 4 million people subscribe to her official website.
Other Achievements
Michaels has authored five books, including "Master Your Metabolism," "The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook" and "Making the Cut," which were "New York Times" bestsellers. She has six top-selling fitness DVDs, as well as two video games for the Nintendo Wii. Michaels also lends her name to in-home fitness equipment, dietary supplements, "wellness cruises" and iPhone applications. Jill Michaels footwear and sportswear are also available.
Legal Troubles
In August 2010, ABC News reported that a $10 million dollar lawsuit was filed against Michaels for endorsing an ineffective and potentially dangerous dietary supplement, Triple Process Total Body Detox & Cleanse. The supplement, which contains Irish moss powder, bearberry and Chinese rhubarb, was deemed unlikely to cause serious health problems by experts assessing the plaintiff's case. However, they also agreed that using natural diuretics and laxatives to "cleanse" the gut isn't a healthy way to start a weight-loss program, offering only short-term results. This was not the first suit filed against Michaels; in February 2010, a class action suit was filed against the television star by plaintiffs that did not see results promised by her weight loss supplements.
References
- Jillian Michaels: Bio
- Time Magazine: Jillian Michaels: Secrets of The Biggest Loser
- Huffington Post: I Interviewed Jillian Michaels and Lived to Tell
- ABC News: Jillian Michaels: Another Lawsuit Filed Against 'Biggest Loser' Diet Guru
- Diet Scam Watch: Jillian Michaels Sued for False Advertising
- New York Daily News: 'The Biggest Loser'
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