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)

Friday 18 June

By Loren

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Damn I would rasberry that bellybutton in a heart beat!!!! :o{}

By Trish

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Somehow I don't see 175 as huge. We need to stop telling our children that they need to be 120 or so or they are fat. This is were weight problems in children start
Bipolar has nothing to do with hallucinations or handling parents divre. I wish everyone would stop giving us with Bipolar the shaft!

By Ronin

Jillian is cute but what's up with the left side of her face? It's like not even. When she speaks her left nostral opens wide and lifts up and her left face follows. It's kind of creepy. Good thing shes got a nice bod. Like to see her feet though.

By Claude

I am sorry, but a see a beautiful woman who laughed at the face of adversity. I also see a loving and caring person. Jillian is a highly motivated instructor who changed the lives of thousands of people and she is the only reason why I watch the Biggest Loser. I hope she keeps motivating people… Love you kid.

By JenR

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THAT is her fat picture?! She looks like Julia Roberts in Mystic Pizza.

By rlav328

Yes! You're right--I was trying to think of who she reminded me of. Not very convincing as a "fat" picture.

By shelly

Sorry people Fat or overweight is unhealthy!!! That's the facts, if you want to say you except yourself fine but don't say it is ok, because it is not, so many health problems are from having excess fat.

By Cat

I accept my self. I'm a big girl and always have been yet I've never needed therapy or felt bad about myself. I'm 44 now and my doctor is amazed that I don't need any medications for anything. I tell him frankly, I'm as healthy as a horse, I just happen to be as big as one too. He chuckles and says that's a great attitude and to keep doing whatever I am doing.

There are many, many happy fat people, just there are are many, many miserable thin people.

Saturday 19 June

By shellyh3

I have a daughter that is large and has been most her life but, she has PCOS, thyroid, high blood \pressure, and now possiabley diebetis. Spelling is bad, please excuse. Any way, you are one of the few without health problems with being over weight.
And I am 5'3 SMALL FRAME and my weight 160 at my high point and it was hell! So, everyone is different. We are all unique and each of our bodies are different. I think that it is better to be fit, but it is equally very hard to be and be consistent with the world we live in.

By jeancat

Jillian always claims how fat she was but seriously I've never seen a picture of her where she looks fat...I'm sorry but she's not that fat in that picture...maybe a little overweight but not a "living hell" fat like she says. If you were that fat, Jillian, show us the pictures otherwise quit exaggerating.

By Charlie

I wish I could get down to 175. I think I'd be skinny then. I don't think I'm all that fat at my current 220. Then again, I did lose 15 pounds.

By Corey

People! You do NOT know what it FELT like for HER to be that heavy. As kids we were horrible at picking and bullying. If you didn't see it happening in the halls of your schools then you went to school in Disney Land. This weight problem probably did stem from the parents and their relationship with each other and their children. Stop with the negative...you haven't walked in her shoes have you? NO! You have something negative to say(write) then don't say(write) it at all.

Thank you Jillian for what you do to help transform peoples lives.

By Bob

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I'd be less concerned with my weight, and more concerned that I had a "Man-Face."

By shellie

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I am an overweight woman, but I don't let that stop me. I have 2 daughters, my oldest is going on 10 and maybe weighs 65-70 lbs soaking wet, she is skinny. But when she came to me 2 years ago and said she was "fat" I about lost it. She doesn't say it anymore. But she knows that she is not fat. Todays society needs to stand up and let kids know it is OK to eat and be healthy. Yes, being overweight is unhealthy, but so is being underweight. And todays children think being underweight and looking sick is cool, I do not.

I agree this is what I tell my children balance!

By shar

Carrying too much weight can cause health issues... But it should not be a mental issue. I'm short! Can't do a thing about that... And over the years I've gained weight. With age, births, stress, etc. losing the weight hasn't been easy. BUT someone YELLING at me would not help! If Jillian thinks making someone feel like two cents waiting on change would make them loose weight she's nuts. I'd just eat more...

By old school nurse

so our resident psychologist on this space believes from reading this article that Jillian was "bipolar?" That is our new buzzword for this decade. Everyone and their brother is "bipolar," and it's just an excuse for bad behavior.

By kim071406

Jullian Michaels just seems like a phony to me.

By Kiya

Maybe it's just me, but she didn't look so bad with the weight...lol. However from someone who was one 345 pounds and I'm down to less than 185, I guess I understand. I hate to make it a racial issue, but I think white women think that thin is beautiful and in some instances it's really not. In my personal opinion, Al Roker and Star Jones both looked a hell of a lot better heavy. However, the weight loss works for some people. Jennifer Hudson and Valerie Bartinelli (sp?) look nice slender. I don't know, but I don't think everyone was designed to be rail thin. I hope 50 cent bulks up again quickly....he looks like the role he's supposed to be playing seriously.

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