Jillian Michaels: "Shame on the LA Times for Saying I'm a Fraud"
Credit: Valerie Macon/Getty Images
Jillian Michaels, who has appeared on NBC's The Biggest Loser and Losing It with Jillian, is firing back at the Los Angeles Times, which printed a scathing op-ed piece this week, calling her "an actress playing the role of fitness trainer."
Among the allegations in the piece (written by James S. Fell, a certified health expert based in Canada): Michaels' techniques are shoddy and her routines unsafe.
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Asked about the claims Wednesday at a Guess/Marie Claire event, Michaels scoffed. "Apparently I'm an actress," Michaels, 36, sarcastically told UsMagazine.com. "Shame on the Los Angeles Times for saying I'm a fraud and not a trainer. I currently own two certifications, one of which doesn't expire. I developed my own continuing education program for trainers, with sports medicine doctors. I've been a trainer since I was 17-years old for 19 years."
She told Us she plans to take legal action.
Said Michaels, "I'm going after them."
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While chatting with Us, actress Vanessa Marcil overheard the conversation and asked if the op-ed piece was really that bad.
"Honey, they said I was a total fraud!" Michaels responded. "They didn't do any of their homework. They flat-out [lied]. It's defamation, it's libel, it's full-on."
In recent months, Michaels has been slammed with law suits over her dietary supplements.
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In August, an anonymous plaintiff filed a $10 million suit alleging that her product, "Triple Process Total Body Detox & Cleanse," contained dangerous ingredients.
Last February, two women separately sued Michaels for false advertising on a diet pill she endorses, "Jillian Michaels Maximum Strength Calorie Control."
Michaels has said the suits are "baseless" and is standing by the supplement and its Utah-based maker, ThinCare International. "My reputation and credibility are of the utmost importance to me," she told the Associated Press.
Tell Us What You Think
34I have never liked Jillian. She borders on abusive and the show shouldn't tout routines that make people throw up and lose crazy amounts of weight in one week. How is that healthy? I think she is sincere but I have always liked Bob way better.
I used to really admire Jillian. But, then when she started pushing diet pills and cleanses and "quick fix" stuff that flies in the face of everything the Biggest Loser stands for, I lost some respect for her. For me, it has become more about making money for her now.
Jillian had admitted on Live With Regis and Kelly that she wasn't originally a fitness expert, but a celebrity agent who happened to go workout with one of her clients who got her the job with NBC. So, corporate America is using her to make money. She knows what she is doing, but she doesn't care. I always thought that she was a psychiatric case based on her behavior on "The Biggest Loser", though.
What's her College Degree in? I knew from the first time I saw her and heard her speak that she didn't know what the hell she was talking about, she faked it until she made it. I applaud the Fitness Professionals that are taking a stand against people like her, we take our profession very serious as we have people's lives in our hands and fake trainer's like her give us all a bad name. Anybody can get a certification On-line, but it's the pratical application, the anatomy, and physiology, years of health education and nutrional courses, studying fitness from the Jack Alane, Jane Fonda, Jackie Sworenson, Mr. Ryder, Arnold Schwarnegger, and Dr. Kenneth Cooper that make you a true professional. Too bad it took someone from outside of our country to expose her, he saw beyond the fake beauty. Thank you!
Whoops, sorry for the duplicate posts, didn't think it was taking. Anyway, NESTA stands for "The National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association". In the biggest loser exercise book, her bio claims accreditation in the "American Fitness Association of America" and the "National Endurance and Strength Training Association". It just seems so basic a fact to fumble, it really begs the question if she has even heard of these organizations or just knew the acronyms.
It says on her website that she has a certification from the "American Fitness Association of America". It's actually called the Aerobics and Fitness association of America. It doesn't help her case when she doesn't even have the organization name right on her homepage. In other places that are supporting her I've seen her NESTA certification described as the "National Endurance and Strength Training Association". That is wrong as well if you check their websites.
It says on her website that she has a certification from the "American Fitness Association of America". It's actually called the Aerobics and Fitness association of America. It doesn't help her case when she doesn't even have the organization name right on her homepage. In other places that are supporting her I've seen her NESTA certification described as the "National Endurance and Strength Training Association". That is wrong as well if you check their websites.
It says on her website that she has a certification from the "American Fitness Association of America". It's actually called the Aerobics and Fitness association of America. It doesn't help her case when she doesn't even have the organization name right on her homepage. In other places that are supporting her I've seen her NESTA certification described as the "National Endurance and Strength Training Association". That is wrong as well if you check their websites.
If you ever read the fine print on any ad for diet/nutritional supplements, it states pretty clearly that they work in combination with diet and exercise. I'm betting the people bringing suit against Jillian thought they were getting a miracle pill that would take off the weight without them doing anything else. People just need to wake up and be realistic - supplements may help, but you have to do some work as well.
There are two main points to this story 1. The slander/libel issue - The author & the paper should have done a better job fact-checking Jillian's professional credentials. That lack of professionalism may result in a bunch of lawyers making a bunch of money 2. The exercise video - Why didn't Jillian hire a true Girevik to teach her how to use the tool properly. For maybe a thousand dollars, Jillian could have developed perfect form & saved her a hit to her professional reputation. IMHO, no one wins in this sad little story
Weight loss can be simple: Eat less, of higher quality foods. Get up and MOVE more. Take supplements to get "over the hump" when needed. We don't need celebs with their personal chefs and trainers telling us what to do! Unfortunately, most supplements do one of 2 things: 1. trick your body into thinking you're full when you're not. This is starvation. 2. rev up your metabolism, and we've all read about how dangerous this can be. A new set of supplements uses Leptin - the hormone your cells release to tell your brain "we're full". Our modern lives - stress,poor eating, etc. - mess with our body chemistry, and sometimes those messages don't get through. Leptin supplements, like Mandura TRIM, help cut through the 'clutter' and make sure your brain knows when to stop eating. Naturally. Safe, effective, and Clinically Proven. Find out more at: http://BuyManduraTRIM
I think Jillian is fantastic!!You can't help everyone.Some people think all you need is a pill or drink ect.It still takes a lot of work to get and stay in shape.There is no easy way.I watch Jillian on The Biggest Loser;since season one and she has helped a lot of people.BUT they worked for it!!!!!
Thing is that you can still become a personal trainer through an online/self study course and then work with actual people. I've had several trainers and the worst one was one who had a degree is exercise science and movement science. The best ones have been those who have had 'issues' themselves and gotten into shape. A degree or certain certificate doesn't make for a good trainer...
diet pills do actually help if used properly, the part everyone seems to forget is the diet pil is just a tool, you still have to do the work, it just helps to use a tool for some people. alli works great it helps train you to eat right because if you eat really bad food it has a reaction thats not to pleasent
@Valerie Pennington-The fitness training business does not have one certifying body but there are organizations that are widely regarded due to the intensity of the testing adn the requirement of a certain amount of annual or 2yr continuing education hours. The most accepted certifications are: ACE-American Council on Exercise, NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine-considered by many to be the Gold Standard.I believe you have to have a minimum Bachelor's degree in a sports/medical field to even take this test). Others like AFFA (Aerobics and Fitness Assocaition of America) have both a practical and written exam to get certified. All of these organizations as well as the Aqua certifications require trainers to do continuing ED and hold CPR at all times and if you don't your certification WILL expire.
I am not sure whether she is a fraud or not. But most diets that require pills is probably not healthy for you. Exercise and healthy food is probably the best thing to lose weight. I think people are only too happy to take a short cut to lose weight. There are millions of people out there promoting weight loss, and you need to decide what works for YOU.
I read her book about fixing your metabolism it was good! I used to like her a lot then I was looking at that master cleanse stuff she endorses, it has some herbs that have a rep. for being boarderline harmful. Kinda hypocritical if you ask me.Also that comment a while back about how having children ruins your body.WHAT KIND OF ROLE MODEL IS SHE TRYING TO BE FOR WOMEN AND ESPECIALLY YOUNG GIRLS? I'm 34 and have had a child, I wear a size 1 jean.I do work out 4-6 times a weeK and try to eat healthy most of the time. I also am attending school to teach sports and hopefully get a B.S. in p.e.t.e and nutrition. What kind of education does she have? She probably has some certificate but just because you lose some weight as a kid doesn't make you a nutritionist or teacher. Her real backing was luck, and someone with money. I lost 42 pounds after having my child can I be a trainer too? Also if she really did those circuit training workouts on a regular basis she would be ripped! She is not! In half of the things I have seen her in she also looks airbrushed. I can appreciate what she is trying to do for people but she needs to not be so hypocritical and be a positive role model for health, diet, and exercise.
I used to like Jillian a lot, I workout 4-6 times a week and eat heathy, I'm 34 and wear a size 1 and have a child and am going to school to be a trainer and teach sports. I read her metabolism book which preached nutrition and products in a holistic view, the she has diet products that have ingredients that have herbs that are boarederline harmful.Totally hypcritical Oh then her statement a few months ago that she would never have a baby because it ruins your body. What kind of example is she trying to set fo women? Just because you exercise and lost weight when you were younger doesn't make you specialized, she probably just got some backing with money and got lucky! Don't I wish we all had that chance. I lost 42lbs. after having my son can I be a triner with lots of money too?
I guess it's going to take someone dropping dead on her show as she pushes them to beyond their limits for her to realize that she wrong. She pushes diet pills and products and then claims that exercize and nutrition are what it takes to lose weight and maintain it. I only had to watch her show once to see that she is rude, obnoxious and truly a b.i.t.c.h. who could care less about anyone but herself. There was no defamation of character. The LA times called it as they saw it. Jillian is a fraud!
You should read about the company behind the pills she sells. If she is standing by them then she is in A LOT of trouble. Search for Dr. Nathalie Chevreau to find out about the corporation behind the products. It is quite eye opening!