Jillian Michaels – Slim for Life Review

I do not like the Biggest Loser. I don’t watch it on a regular basis. It makes my job harder by setting unrealistic expectations and making people afraid I am going to yell at them or sit on their backs while they do pushups.

So for a long time I didn’t like Jillian Michaels much either. It took me forever to try one of her workouts but now Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism

is one of my all time favorites. About a year ago, as I was looking for more fitness podcasts to listen, I decided to check her podcast out. This is how I came to appreciate Jillian Michaels and discover she and I really aren’t so different.

On her podcast she’s honest, but kind. She’s funny and a bit dorky. She was an angry teenager with father issues too. I loved how humble she was in her apology to mothers after becoming a mom of two herself. I agree with 95% of the advice she gives people. I really like podcast Jillian.

It’s podcast Jillian that comes out in Slim for Life

. Slim for Life is a collection of tips, categorized by subject, to help you start living life as a healthy and fit person. It’s not a diet book. There are no meal plans or killer workouts. There IS page after page of real and actionable steps to becoming a fitter and healthier person. And, like her podcast, I agree with about 95% of them.

To see how much we agree, I decided to take a few moments at the end of each chapter to check off the common sense beginner basics I would coach clients on during the first few weeks of their program. Out of 613 total points I scored…

155. I essentially flunked.

Let me explain why. I do agree with most of what she says. If I filled out the checklist based on the things I actually do (after 14 years on this journey) my score would be much higher. I even learned a trick or two (like my newest love – pu’erh tea – has fat burning properties). But I also believe we can only focus on so many things and successfully maneuver so many changes at once.  I understand that Jillian wants focus, dedication and to get results fast. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just not how I do things or how I’ve learned things work best for most people who are just getting started on their journeys.

I think this book is well worth the read if you are looking for clear steps to starting a fitness journey. Everything is written in a simple and actionable way. You don’t even have to read it straight through (although I do recommend reading the whole thing and not skipping the most important first 2 chapters).

I just want you to ignore the score. Take the steps you want to start with that, like she says, make sense for your life. Focus on them each day, working them into your routine until they become habits. Then pick a few more steps and build on your foundation.  It’s your journey, take it at your pace.

Anyone else read this book yet? Learn anything new?

Are you a fan of Biggest Loser Jillian or podcast Jillian?