Jillian Michaels: Being Fat as a Teen Was 'Pure Hell'

By PopEater Staff Posted Jun 17th 2010 12:24PM

It's hard to believe that Jillian Michaels, the trainer on 'Biggest Loser' and star of 'Losing It With Jillian' was ever overweight.

But Michaels has been open with her struggles as a kid, and talks to Redbook about her problems.

Of being 175 pounds when she was a teen, she says, "Oh, my God, it was pure hell. I spent all of eighth grade in my classroom because God forbid I ever left. I was terrorized. And karate saved my life. It all stopped the day I broke two boards with a kick." Read more about Jillian, her childhood and what she thinks the biggest misconception about her is >>>

Biggest misconception that people have about her: "That I'm a bitch. I really don't have a mean bone in my body! Do you know how easy it would be to tell people what they want to hear? It would be heaven! But, unfortunately, it doesn't get the job done."

She was in therapy at the age of 5: "I was a really disturbed kid. You know how kids have night terrors? Mine were really bad. I thought sharks were coming out of the drain in the bathtub. I couldn't sleep at night, every night, waiting for aliens to come. I'm not kidding you: I. Was. Traumatized. And mom got me into therapy."

Her troubles continued as a teen: "My parents got divorced when I was 12. They were married for 18 years. They were kind of midlife-crisis-ing, and I was sort of the afterthought. I became pretty angry -- no one wanted to deal with me -- so when I was 17, my mom was like, 'You're not living here.' We were fighting. But I learned a lot being on my own. I grew up. I had to make money. I learned how to make decisions that are right for me."

Tags: biggest loser, Jillian michaels

Comments

(121)

Tuesday 22 June

By jen

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really you're gonna diss someone for working hard to reach a goal? just cause she has muscles doesn't mean she looks like a man.

Thursday 17 June

By okidoke

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Didn't "yo mama" tell you to not say anything if you don't have nothing nice (and I'll add "intelligent") to say? Me thinks you are green with jealousy...

Friday 18 June

By Slash

Jillian was a little chubby,but she could handle my lizard and that kitty was nice n tight !

By resup

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I don't think it was being fat that was jsut the problem, bad parenting seems to play a big part too

By turbogtrmstr

I don't get these people, I was a heavy child and did fine, I think it is more of a self image problem with them then the people around them. We have to embrace ourselves instead of always looking for the negative. Fat people are loving caring and warm people like anyone else, and deserve respect and if she had a problem it was with her mind set. Sorry Jillian, but I think more people really have more of an image issue with themselves and weight is only part of it.

By JBaer

Some people just can't hack what's different.

By garyrjas

Show me a picture of Michael's fat, then I'll decide.

By sammy

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Look at the pictures attached to the article....the one on the right is her "fat" picture.

By Joanna Casteel

It sounds to me like she was Bi-Polar and needed help.

By mary

Sorry, but I don't really think that 175 lbs. is that obese. She doesn't look that big in the picture to me either. Just saying.

By Laura Jamroz

I agree she looked beautiful at 175 lbs.

By Barb

She is barely 5'2" - 175 lbs. would be considered obese at that height.

By Bridget

I don't believe she was 175lbs in that picture; probably no more than 150. Her clothes are quite baggy and her arms look average in size.

By MotorCityMama

175 is NOT overweight. 375 is overweight. She does not have the propensity for obesity, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, certain chemical imbalances or any other physical problems that contribute to obesity. Statistics show that people who are severely overweight will NEVER be thin, and that even if they lose weight will not keep it off. Look at all the failures Biggest Loser has produced; more than 50%.

By jwb52z

Jillian is barely 5'2" so, technically, under the guidelines set up over the last several years, 175 is rather a bit overweight, but not morbidly obese.

By Mary

175 lbs. is overweight, depending on your height. 375 lbs. is morbidly obese, unless your 8 ft. tall.

By tabby

Twenty years ago, when this picture was taken, 175 was very large. The average size of a woman 20 years ago was size 8 today it is a size 14. I believe that Jillian wants people to be healthy not "skinny".

By Sharon

Ummm...yes, 175 lbs for a woman Jillian's size is overweight. 375 would be obese. Thinking its not is just denial.

Saturday 19 June

By Gina Mae

I am 4'10" tall and weigh around 175. The doctor told me that for my height I am considered obese and should try to lose weight. When my father, who is 6' tall, was 175, he looked good. It's all about the height and not just the weight.

Wednesday 15 December

By barb

Keep telling yourself these excuses and you for sure will never lose the weight.

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