Jillian Michaels worried about 'The Biggest Loser' cast's growing size

Jillian Michaels claims she is concerned at how heavy The Biggest Loser contestants are when they enter the competition.


"You're the fifth person to say that to me this week. And you're not wrong. The contestants keep getting bigger and bigger," Michaels told Ladies' Home Journal in the magazine's February issue when asked if she worries something "horrible" might happen to the show's contestants.

Specifically, Michaels was asked about the marathon contestants ran during the recently-concluded eighth season's premiere -- which resulted in two participants being taken to the hospital.

"As the trainers we have no say over the challenges. We worry about them, too," she told Ladies' Home Journal.

Michaels isn't the only one worried about the physical well-being of The Biggest Loser's contestants.


"We all worry. You're setting yourself up for failure if you don't," executive producer Todd A. Nelson told Ladies' Home Journal, adding those involved with the show are constantly learning about how to monitor and manage the medical conditions of participants.

"This allows us to fine-tune the process and reach out to a heavier population."

Michaels' style of reaching out to the "heavier population" has resonated with viewers, however she said they're not getting the total package of what takes place.

"The Biggest Loser is like a funhouse mirror. I've loved the show and the platform it has given me, but still, it is the nature of reality TV to manipulate," she told Ladies' Home Journal.

"You never see what's going on in its entirety. For every 10 minutes we're on the show, acting like insane people, there are a hundred hours of training you don't see. The stretching, the icing. Nobody wants to watch that."


Michaels added working as a trainer has "never been about fitness."

"Getting in shape is just a means to an end," she explained to Ladies' Home Journal.

"It's like if you said to a contractor, 'How much do you love your toolbox?' He'd be like, 'Um, well I'm passionate about building beautiful houses, and to do that I need these tools.' Well, I'm passionate about helping people rebuild their lives. When someone feels strong physically they feel strong in every aspect of their existence. If they have endurance and achieve in the gym, then I can redefine their entire self-image. I can wipe away years of negativity."

Michaels said she's able to eliminate that negativity with "fear."

"Just the way a mother can lift a car off a child -- it's like, fear makes you live in the moment. Sometimes I need to intimidate a person, and then they do what I ask, and when they see they can be successful it is the most amazing experience for them," she told Ladies' Home Journal.


"I can use the techniques they have used to program themselves for destruction and program them for success."

In addition to believing in the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, Michaels said she believes in "healthy love."

"If I fall in love with a woman, that's awesome. If I fall in love with a man, that's awesome. As long as you fall in love," she told Ladies' Home Journal. "It's like organic food. I only eat healthy food, and I only want healthy love!"






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio