Jillian Michaels, the tough-talking trainer on NBC's "The Biggest Loser" is the cover star of Shape's May issue, and she's revealing her own past struggles with weight and body confidence:
She could have been a contender on The Biggest Loser: “I was 12 when my parents divorced. I had been a chubby kid anyway, but that was when I hit 175 pounds—and I was only 5 feet tall. Those were the ’80s and there was a lack of knowledge about diet. My mom thought juice was better than soda and crackers were healthier than chips. Obesity wasn’t on the radar the way it is now.”
Not everything she eats is good for her: “I give food a number on a scale from one to 10. Ones are superfoods and will practically cure cancer, like organic spinach. Tens are crap that could kill you tomorrow, like a prepackaged cupcake. The highest I’ll go is a five or six. For example, I adore Popchips. They’re 100 calories a bag—no preservatives, no trans fats, and no artificial sweeteners. Is it a superfood? No. But will it kill me? No!”
She has her trouble zones: “There’s this one dimple on the back of my butt that’s like a cavern. I swear to you, it’s just un-friggin’-believable! No matter how thin I get, I still have cellulite. I’ve tried every cream. I’ve ironed my ass at the plastic surgeon’s office with a laser—nothing worked. I’ve finally reached a point where I accept my flaw, but that doesn’t mean I feel good about it.”
She's proud to be in therapy: “I’ve been seeing a shrink since I was 5. I said to him the other day, ‘How am I still talking to you? Why am I not the Buddha at this point?’ But it does help control those behaviors that can send you to the fridge or compel you to tell your boss to shove it!”
She's ready to be a mom: “While filming 'Losing It' last year, I lived with these amazing kids. It was such a powerful experience for me. I recognized that I have a giant hole in my life, and it was the deciding factor for me to adopt a child.”
To read Michaels' entire interview with Shape, pick up a copy of the magazine on stands nationwide April 18th.
