Jillian Michaels recently departed The Biggest Loser again. She previously left the show after starting a family with her partner, Heidi Rhoades. Jillian returned in 2013 but left in June after becoming “deeply concerned about the direction the show has been taking.” Many thought this had something to do with contestant Rachel Frederickson losing 60% of her body weight. So Jillian is a free agent again. She’ll continue to release DVDs, and she has a book in the works. Jillian says she was offered a reality show but doesn’t know if she should accept the gig. She believes that her family would be scrutinized if their daily lives were revealed. That’s a refreshing point of view because most reality families decide the money is worth everything. There’s something deeper at work with Jillian. She’s afraid that people will criticize her lesbian partnership:
Has Jillian become more accepting of her body with age?: “No. I’ve become more controlling with my body. As I’ve gotten older, I’m like, ‘I refuse to accept aging as a descent into decrepitude.’ And the irony is that at 40, I’m in better shape than I’ve ever been. At a younger age, I knew the shortcuts around everything and just did x, y and z to look good. Now I’m actually athletic.”
She still has “trouble” areas: “My butt. That’s the worst. I work hard on it–and I used to have a double butt–but it’s never going to be perfect. In my fantasy world, there would be some magic cure for cellulite. Nothing works. God knows that I’ve tried it all. I ironed my a– with a laser. It didn’t work at all. I had it done in a plastic surgeon’s office. They said that this laser could break up cellulite or whatever. Don’t waste the money.”
On cardio cross-training: “Forget the elliptical. It’s a waste of your time. Do incline walking instead. It’s way more effective and burns a hell of a lot more calories.”
On a reality show: “I’ve been approached about having mutual approval over everything to do a reality show. It’s interesting because we can talk about parenting, relationships, health–all the things that are important to me. But then I think, What if I open up and people attack us just because we’re a gay family? It scares the hell out of me.”
Is she comfortable talking about being gay? “I don’t know that I am now, to be honest with you. The gay thing has always been hard for me. When Heidi and I are out and somebody older asks, ‘Are you sisters?’ I say, ‘We’re friends.’ I guess it comes from thinking that they will be shocked or disturbed. Look, I wish I had some strapping football player husband. It would be such a dream to be ‘normal’ like that, but I’m just not.”
[From Health]
I get what Jillian is saying. Of course it would be easier to be like everyone else and not have to deal with discrimination. She’s saying that it’s difficult to deal with questions on a day-to-day basis from people on the street. Jillian also wants to protect her family from invasive attacks on a reality show. Her statements go together, and the context is important.
Some people have criticized Jillian for saying she’s like to be “normal” and interpreted her statements as anti-gay. Jillian spoke with People to clarify her remarks: “I am deeply disheartened and sorry to hear that members of the gay community have misunderstood. I was saying if along the way in my life that had been a choice I would have made it, but it’s not who I am. Gay is not a choice. If I was ashamed of who I am, I would be in the closet.” Jillian isn’t ashamed of being gay at all.
P.S. I don’t know what Jillian has against elliptical machines. They’re great machines for cross-training on recovery days.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmbHFjZn14e8mio6WhkaOsrrXCoZiepKOUvK%2BrwZ6gp5%2BPpMK1q9OhnJifka6stbTIp56YoJGorKK41pqwrJeSmrKvq8eaqZ1n