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The final Stefon sketch from Saturday Night Live.
The Stefon bit was one of my favorites. I’m gonna miss him
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Me for the past three days!
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Paleo Banana Bread
After starting the paleo diet, I started craving the exact foods I wasn’t allowed to eat. This is my first...
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Apologies for the terrible image quality - I’m lacking scanner access at the minute so I had to take these photos on my phone
I was...
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Extended Standing Leg Stretch Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
One of the biggest myths about...
Had a chance to preview Jillian Michael’s Body Revolution this week. And (pleasant surprise) it wasn’t that bad! (I was prepared to hate it, lol).
A TON of you have asked me for my thoughts on the program, and I haven’t been able to answer because I’d never seen or tried it. While I didn’t do all 15 DVD’s (nor am I doing the full program), I did get a chance to try 2 and browse through the rest, to see if it was something I’d recommend. And it totally is… for beginners to intermediates who already like Jillian. (advanced peeps might like it too, specifically if you’re not used to strength, plyometric and metabolic training).
Rip 60 Fitness DVD & Suspension Trainer Set
When I ordered my TRX 
Allison, one of my bootcampers, recently bought herself the Rip 60 set and swears that it’s AMAZING. She LOVES following the DVD’s, which may be something that beginners might find beneficial (while the TRX comes with one DVD, it’s more of a tool you can use on the go or on your own). She also says that it’s HARD (not as hard as bootcamp, of course. :)
I have yet to test it out, but for those of you looking for something to rev up your body for summer, this set seems like a great investment and WAY less expensive than some other fitness series out there! It’s like a cross between P90X
The Rip 60 set comes with…
- A pair of workout straps (support up to 600lbs)
- 8 DVD progression to keep your muscles guessing.
- 4 Bonus workouts (George St. Pierre & Jillian Michaels each have their own DVD, plus there’s a bonus Yoga disc and one for runners).
- Nutrition guide, wall chart & travel bag.
Has anyone tried Rip 60? How did you like it?
Sexist? Smart? Exploitative? Funny?
Everyone knows a sexy ad can get a company attention, but not always the attention they want. This Superbowl ad for Go Daddy is sparking controversy on both ends of the spectrum. Some calling it downright sexist. Some defending the ad as commentary on the exploitation of women.
Read Blisstree’s thoughts on the ad here.
Jillian Michaels (featured in the ad with Danica Patrick) had this to say about it..
Go Daddy is definitely known for its sexy commercials. But for me I really like it because it allows women to be strong and powerful, but still feminine and sexy. Everything we’re doing we’re doing because we want to be doing it. There’s nothing that exploiting us. It’s a fun spot. It’s a sexy spot. But we’re fully clothed the entire time.
I also find it hard to believe that Jillian would take part in a commercial that she felt degrades women: clearly, she herself didn’t feel exploited and the ad is tame compared to some others. On a scale of 1 to 10, it bothers me at about a 5.
This is just one of the ads running at this year’s Superbowl, and you can join the conversation by adding your thoughts live on Twitter during the broadcast. Read more about the Miss Representation Superbowl Challenge here.
Thoughts?
Oh Regis… you make me laugh every time old man.
This is from a few years back, but it’s new to me! Watch Reg & Kelly dress up as Bob Harper & Jillian Michaels for a Halloween episode.
How they got Mario Lopez involved, I have no idea. :)
You’d barely recognize her. Look at the mama to be!
I love Jillian Michaels for what she does for fitness & lifestyle management professionally, but it’s her struggles with fertility that really bonded me to her. I’m a wanna-be Mama, always have been, and like Jillian I have PCOS. I also have endometriosis and over the last 2 years, a HORRIFIC (horrific… HORRIFIC) series of events have left me with other complications. Bottom line? Too much damage & scar tissue on my cervix, uterus, ovaries & tubes to ever have a baby of my own. And a wee risk of being too ill to make it happen in the future (I’m kicking ass managing this bit, I’ll have you know).
Not going to lie: it makes me sadder than sad some days. But I work double overtime to keep myself moving forward, positive & ‘eyes on the prize’ about it. What will be, will be. The reason I mention Jillian, is that she’s inadvertently helped me come to terms with some of the emotional, mental bits about infertility that most people don’t understand and for that I’m grateful. Still sad, but not ‘end of the world’ sad. I’ve just got more work to do than most people. A lot more work. Like Jillian says on the cover ‘I would sacrifice anything to be a mother’. That statement rings true to me. I know how that feels. :)
While it’s easy to scream ‘adopt!’ at those that are infertile, adoption is a lot more difficult than most people assume (average adoption takes 3-5 years, lots of patience, lots of privacy invasion and lots of money). It’s physically, emotionally & mentally taxing in a whole different kind of way than pregnancy. But in the end, like pregnancy, most parents will tell you it was worth it. No one wants a baby more than people who go through hellish means to have their own (IVF, treatments, adoption etc). Children born through these means are some of the most wanted, lucky children on the planet.
Anyways, whew. That was a little emotional tangent. Back to Jills..
In this month’s Redbook, Jillian discusses her decision (and impatience) to adopt, her career decisions and more. I wanted to share an excerpt with you.
Excerpt from Redbook (via Fit Perez)
I’ve watched friends congratulate me on [starting] the process, get pregnant themselves, have a baby, and then their baby’s crawling. People are lapping me. My best friend just told me she’s pregnant, and of course I’m ecstatic, but I’m also like, Uhhh! [gestures stabbing herself]. Like, I want my kid to be playing with your kids! It’s just a nightmare.
Turns out I had PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). But at a young age, I didn’t know if I wanted kids, so I didn’t really care. Then I got older, and I watched friends go through IVF, with years of hormones and devastation and disappointment, and I remember thinking God wants something different for me. If I choose to pursue this path, I’ll adopt. And when I was finally ready to go for it, I thought, This is going to be so easy. I am such an a—hole. I had nooo idea. I mean you’re just waiting…If it’s not done by this November, I’m going to take my shot with foster care.
I’m looking forward to Jillian the mom! The new look suits her already! (can you imagine the screaming! Lol…)
For more information & resources on infertility, visit these links…
Listening to Jillian Michaels, ‘Going Vegan & Fast Workouts’. Interesting discussion! Really enjoying taking some time to learn, hear new ideas & get engaged.
Any recommendations for health/fitness podcasts?
K Swiss hires Kenny Powers to make some… changes.
Hysterical! NSFW… well, depending on where you work I guess. :)
Guest stars include Patrick Willis of the 49ers, Matt Cassel of the Chiefs, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, ‘Transformers’ director Michael Bay, wrestler Rey Mysterio, fitness guru Jillian Michaels and UFC fighter Jon “Bones” Jones.
Touchdown. :)
So you’ve mastered the 30-60 second plank. What next?
THIS.
You probably never considered doing cardio in plank position but let me tell you, it’s an intense way to train your abs! You’ll get your heart rate way up AND tighten your core like never before.
I bought Jillian Michaels: 6 Week Six-Pack
This move is challenging, but slightly less challenging than burpees. If you can hold plank for 30 seconds, you should add some moguls to your routine to keep your core challenged while blasting calories.
Plank Moguls
Level: Intermediate/Advanced (but I BEG beginners to try it. You might surprise yourself.)
Instructions (and video)
Love it!
I’m pretty sure that most of you are aware of how much photo-shopping goes into these covers (yes, especially fitness magazine covers). However, it’s rare that the models behind these super-fit shots come right out and let you know that they DON’T look that way in real life, or that their flaws were hidden through creative angles, cropping, airbrushing and lighting.
Kudos to Jillian! Here’s her quote from her facebook page (although I think it’s the Shape photo team who should take credit for the creative concealing).
Ok my May Shape cover is out! I have to tell you this cover shoot was utterly mortifying. I have NEVER shot in a bikini and hated every second of it. Fortunately due to angling I have still managed to conceal the cellulite on the back of my ass.
- Jillian Michaels on her Shape Magazine Cover
Some other tidbits? She eats about 2000 calories a day, gives herself treats once in awhile & hates (yes HATES) working out!
See behind the scene footage of her shoot (and some great details about how she got into shape & learned to love her bod) after the jump!
Anonymous Asks:
fitvillains Said:
Got this question on Facebook too! Lots of people doing Jillian Michael’s Shred this year.
Honestly, I like it. :) I’ve had it in my collection for a few months, and it’s a nice workout to have on standby for snow days, or days when I don’t feel like getting pretty for the outside world.
For advanced peeps, it’ll take a bit more effort to get the same benefits but it’s a great workout for beginners to intermediate. She explains the moves incredibly well, and really focuses on form for the basics (very important for people just starting out). Plus, it’s an interval format which is awesome for people who can’t do a full 30min of cardio and is optimal for fat loss. It’s easier to get through 1,2 or 3 minutes at a time, which is why I think so many people like it.
The 30 min, 30 day format is really helpful to get people into a routine (which is HUGE for long term loss). 30 min is a good short workout that most people can handle, and finishing feels wicked. Being able to complete it, and still feel the burn is a fucking fabulous motivator.
That said… I get bored with DVD’s. Like REALLY bored. I keep a ton on rotation, which helps. The Shred is fab for days when I don’t have a lot of time and want to get a good workout in. But after awhile, you do have to PUSH yourself, because they WILL get easier.
For me, it’s a great ADDITION to a workout plan. However… I’m not sure that it’s all anyone should be doing.
- DVD’s get boring. This one especially for some reason. Like songs that get too much radio play, watching the same DVD’s over and over is annoying.
- The setting isn’t particularly entertaining, and I don’t care for the music at all. (you can turn off Jillian, but not the music. Bah! After the third or fourth go, I started muting it entirely used my own music)
- I find that people often opt for lighter weights than they should. You should feel spent by the end of the workout, so if you can get through it easily, you need to invest in heavier weights (3-5lbs to start, then up to 10+lbs as needed). If it’s too hard, lighten your load.
- Spend as much time in each level as you need. Once it becomes easy, challenge yourself more. Some starters will have to stay on level one for longer than a week.
- You may find some toning benefits if you don’t change your diet all that much, but you probably won’t lose much weight.
I do give it a big thumbs up, it just shouldn’t be ALL you’re doing. After 30 days, switch it up or you’ll start to hate the DVD:)
Hope this helps!
Xoxo
