Jillian Michaels Reveals Workout Secrets

By , SparkPeople Blogger
Few of you are strangers to Jillian Michaels' kick-butt workout DVDs. But how does the reality TV trainer turned fitness star stay in shape herself? A new in-depth article in the May 2010 issue of Women's Health magazine peels back the tough layers you see on TV to reveal a softer side of Jillian—and plenty of great get-in-shape tricks you won't want to miss. Here's a rundown of what I learned about Jillian's own fitness and diet routine that shed light into how she maintains her fit and toned physique.
  • Jillian exercises 3-4 times per week for 30-40 minutes at a time. That's right in line with general recommendations for fitness. I would have guessed that Jillian exercises more than she lets on, but perhaps she keeps her workouts very short and focused since she's such a busy woman. After all, you don't need to spend a lot of time in the gym to get (and maintain) your results as long as you're working hard, changing things up and making the most of your time.
     
  • She enlists the help of at least one personal trainer to keep her motivated and push her to work hard. I wrote once before about how Jillian uses a personal trainer herself. It may seem somewhat funny that a fitness professional like Jillian would need to hire a trainer, but even I would hire the right trainer to help me get better results if I had the resources.
     
  • A mix of martial arts, jogging, and sprints keep her body guessing and give her better results. This seems to offer plenty of variety to challenge and surprise her muscles, although I wish we could get more details about her strength-training regimen.
     
  • She's diligent about her diet, eating mostly organic, local foods. However, she doesn't avoid sweet treats completely: Newman's Own Organics peanut butter cups are one of her favorite indulgences. I think it's great that she doesn't totally avoid sweet or "sinful" foods. After all, even the best of us need to indulge if we're going to stick with a healthy way of eating for the long haul.
Whatever her secret is, you can tell her hard work is paying off! Be sure to check out the full story, complete with 15 more top tips from Jillian, in the May issue on newsstands now.

What do you think about Jillian's diet or workout routine?