catching up with jillian michaels

Jillian Michaels is one tough momma but she will whip you into shape so fast it will make your head spin. We all have watched Americas toughest trainer on TV's The Biggest Loser, but Jillian wears many different....shall we say yoga pants? She's not just a fitness trainer and life coach but also a author, blogger, creator of DVDs, video games, and even a line of apparel. And let's not forget to add creator of her new equipment line -- it is hard to keep up!

As busy as she is - thankfully, we were able to catch her --- read on as she fills us in on her new show, Losing it with Jillian, how to stay motivated, what NOT to eat & her own guiltiest pleasure -- plus, she really made us think about that diet we keep putting off!

photo credit: andrew southam

Has The Biggest Loser changed you?

Absolutely! It has changed my entire life. In addition to teaching me about the resilience of the human spirit and body it has also give me an international platform to get out the message of health and wellness.

What would you tell someone who has tried all the fad diets but has not been successful and lost their motivation? Whats the best advice you can give to stay motivated?

There are two separate questions here: The first is how to see the results and the answer to that is to avoid "fad diets" altogether. The trick to weight loss is simple math. Calories in vs. calories out. If you watch what you are eating and you are mindful of how many calories you're burning you will be back on track and seeing results in no time. The second us motivation. If you spend time identifying all the reasons why you want to lose weight you can tolerate the how of what it takes to get there.

You influence so many with your kick butt work-outs -- but who influences Jillian Michaels?

In life, I have so many amazing mentors who influence me, from Suze Orman to Maria Shriver. I'm really blessed to be surrounded by so many inspirational people.

What is your go-to meal & favorite snack? What is the worst thing you can feed your body?

With my hectic schedule sometimes it's hard to find time to even grab a bite. A quick go to meal that I love is black beans, hummus, organic greek yogurt and pop chips. My favorite is pop chips barbeque flavor. And the worst thing you can feed your body is processed food....stick to all natural and all organic as much as possible.

How excited are you about your OWN show? What can we expect to look forward to? How does it differ from The Biggest Loser?

I'm really proud of Losing It and all of the families that were involved. It's definitely different from The Biggest Loser in that I am only with the families for a week, I give them the tools they need to change their lives and then check back in with them in 6 weeks to see how they are doing. I'm dealing with kids as well so I have to soften my approach when working with them. You can't tell a 10 year old, you need to lose 50 pounds,so instead you introduce them to karate or soccer - something that they will enjoy and that will also help them get healthier in the process. You'll laugh, cheer, and definitely shed some tears.

We all know and love you on TV and in your books, but do offer personal training sessions? If so, how would one of our readers set-up a session?

Unfortunately I don't have time to take on personal clients as my schedule just doesn't allow me to do so. Every year I donate training sessions to charities around the country but this year I am doing a Wellness Cruise in October. It's for all of the people that have said "if I had you are a trainer I could lose weight or get motivated"....now is their chance.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Red wine and Newman's Own organic peanut butter cups

If there was only one thing you could do each day to maintain a healthy lifestyle -- what would you make sure that ONE thing was?

Eat clean. Cut out processed foods completely.

What's up next for you?

Next, I start season 10 of The Biggest Loser, I have my cruise coming up in October, I'm working on my fourth book "Unlimited", I have a DVD coming out this fall, and a new Wii game in 2011. I'm also really excited about new fitness equipment line and my clothing line with K Swiss.

After reading this we suggest you take a trip to the store or visit Jillian's online store to pick-up her latest two books that continue the smash-hit Master Your Metabolism book series with The Master Your Metabolism Calorie Counter & The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook to let Jillian help you eat right. The Master Your Metabolism Calorie Counter is the perfect handy reference guide to keep your metabolism under wraps at home or on-the-go. It fits nicely in your purse and is like a bible when it comes to eating right. It pairs perfect with the extensive must-have cooking companion that is filled with 125 recipes to keep your metabolism in line and yet the simple minimal ingredient recipes are perfect even if you aren't a great cook. We LOVE Curried Salmon Salad Pita Pockets and Blueberry Banana Muffins. It has something for everyone and tells you the health benefits of each recipe along the way. This book has never made it so simple to master healthy eating and living has never been easier.

Lucky for you we are giving one lucky reader their chance to start balancing their body by winning both books NOW!

*Giveaways Details*

Make a comment telling us why you must-have Jillian's books! This comment is mandatory. You also MUST be a follower of CupcakeMAG & Sprinkles.

For extra entries, please leave a separate comment for each entry letting us know.

The more you comment the better chance you have to WIN!

1. Follow cupcakeMAG on Twitter

2. Make sure you "LIKE" us on our NEW Facebook page.

3. Subscribe to our updates (top right corner above) - just sign up with your email!

4. VOTE for us on Top Mommy Blogs here -- just select "click to vote" -- you don't have to register - just a simple click.

5. Tweet about this giveaway and include @cupcakemag -- you must tweet, not just follow.

6. Write a blog post about this giveaway on your blog and send us the link.

The winner will be selected next Friday, June 4th around or after 11pm, EST. Open to US residents only please.

So, what are you waiting for now? Put down that processed food and get moving! Until you can get that motivation going by tuning into Jillian's new show on NBC -- Losing It With Jillian as she helps families make life-altering changes starting June 1st at 10pm. Read more about the show here. And stay-up-to date with Jillian on Twitter & Facebook or to get your butt kicked everyday sign-up for Jillian's newsletter on her website.