So many times, in communication, the message can be lost in the delivery. If I am too challenging, as a therapist, before a client trusts me and knows everything I say comes from the motivation to encourage, equip, and empower, then that client can feel judged, which is never my goal.

After much disappointment in not being challenged, this summer I started taking a technique class with a dance troupe that nears perfection in their performances. At my first class, the instructor told me that she understood that I was less than a year out from hip surgery, but I really needed to work on my turnout. I could have gotten frustrated or felt inept, but I was encouraged by the challenge and the possibility of being pushed to a higher level. In that class, I am constantly challenged mentally to figure out what I need to be trying to do physically. I have watched some of the teenagers become very frustrated and miss how much the instructor cares due to her high expectations.

There are definitely people who are not trying to encourage you to be your best, but I would like to challenge you to try to see through the yelling or how someone in your life is speaking and hear what they are trying to say. Sometimes we allow our history with a person to confound a message also, just like you might not hear how much Jillian cares if you are not comfortable with how much a parent yelled. It is important to surround yourself with encouraging people when you are trying to make a life change. It is also important that when you care about someone making a life change, you communicate your encouragement as effectively as possible. Perhaps, if you can hear past the yelling, you will find more people who are a part of your support team.

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Clear Communication Key for Life Changes

“Yes, NBC has finally lost their minds and decided to give me my own show,” posted the trainer on her Facebook page.

We spoke with Jillian, and executive producers Mark Koops and Ellen Rakieten, to learn more about her thoughts on the new show and what viewers can expect. Listen now as she tells us why she’s excited about “Losing It,” what we will see as she works with children, and how Curtis Stone came to be a part of the show.

Jillian says the show will allow us to see more facets of who she is and learn more about the methodology of the Jillian Michaels approach, things she says we miss on Biggest Loser. “I’m passionate about showing more of what we do,” she says.

There was talk last spring that Jillian was working on a show of her own, with a sort of “Super Nanny” approach. And it looks like that’s the format they’ve settled on. Tired of hearing from Biggest Loser fans that the weight loss would be easy enough if they could make it to the ranch, Jillian and producers set to work to alleviate that problem. “So we’re telling people, we’ll come to you and teach you how to be healthy.”

Jillian says with “Losing It” there are no more excuses. She’ll spend five to seven days with a family and follow them to work, school and the rest of their day-to-day lives, then evaluate their lifestyles and offer tools and information they can implement to enact real change. She calls it their marching orders, and assures us they’ll be following up to see how the families are doing. She’ll also make sure that the changes she suggests fit in with the families situations. If they can’t afford a gym, she’ll show them how to get the workouts done at home.

To help, she’s recruited Chef Curtis Stone, a popular fixture in the Biggest Loser kitchen. Jillian calls him a “natural and obvious choice” for the show. Executive producer Ellen Rakieten says that “Losing It” will actually feature a host of consulting guests to help families in areas where Jillian is not the expert – like cooking or finance.

Think your family is ready to face the reality that Jillian will deliver? “Losing It” is casting!

Families with children ages 9 or older will be considered. Learn more casting details at CastingDuo.com.

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Jillian Michaels Casting New Show “Losing It”

But in order to add a few coats of fresh varnish to her sullied reputation, the actress has agreed to pose for Playboy magazine. Since her release from rehab in February, Tara has been spending grueling hours working out and getting in tip-top shape in the hopes that when the world sees her Playboy shoot, they will quickly remember the images of “Vicky,” the role that made her famous in her 1999 hit, rather than the weathered young woman who has endured addiction, an eating disorder and faulty medical care.

Even though it’s been rumored that Tara has enlisted the expert guidance of Jillian Michaels, according to the Biggest Loser trainer’s Facebook page, nothing could be further from the truth. In denying the rumors, the tough-talking, but big-hearted fitness expert, expressed her sole interest in only working with regular folks, not the “privileged few,” save Maria Shriver whom she considers a mentor and exemplary humanitarian.

Instead, Tara claims to be working out via long and challenging bike rides and fueling her diet with clean and healthy foods.

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Tara Reid Gets Fit for Playboy

She’s got a no-nonsense, hard-hitting, sometimes bordering on harsh approach that simply put, works. Jillian Michaels is not messing around when it comes to weight loss, just ask the contestants she’s trained.

However, she’s not in the business of helping “the priviliged few” get their size twos into a size zero. She wants to make sure the “regular people” of America can regain control of the health we’ve so desperately let go by the way-side.

In a Facebook post to her friends and fans, Jillian Michaels clarified recent rumors that she’s training the likes of Nicole Kidman and Tara Reid.

“Want to clear up some press mistakes. There have been a few articles out saying that I’m training Tara Reid and Nicole Kidman. This is not true. I am interested in the health of regular people. I do not focus my time on “the priveleged few”. The only famous person I have agreed to work with is Maria Shriver because she is a personal mentor of mine and an all around amazing humanitarian,” Jillian posted on October 13.

Recently Jillian has been posting on her Twitter account how she’s training the wife of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In a Twitter posting dated October 11, Jillian said “Maria helps so many people, me included, and I wanted to pay back a little of her kindness.”

So don’t expect to see Jillian helping anyone prepare for a stroll down the red carpet anytime soon. Instead, she continues to make her expertise more and more available via her books, video games, workout DVDs and more.

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Jillian Michaels Not Training Celebrities, Only Regular People

As a follow-up to her Fitness Ultimatum 2009, this new game challenges players to a Hell Week-style boot camp featuring one-on-one workouts and all-new core exercises in cardio training, strength training, and balance training super-set routines. The game includes new additions like the “Fitness Resolution” in which you plan your six-month workout routine with a training schedule and the “Exercise with Jillian” component, which provides you with a one-on-one game with a 3D avatar of Jillian Michaels that demonstrates pre-made or custom routines.

The Pocket Trainer 2010 will be available this fall and is a portable game that allows you to track your workout routine and progress through the innovative “My Diary” feature. And with more than a dozen real-world exercises and Jillian Michaels’ tough love and supervision, you can take advantage of the trainer’s signature challenging workouts to get in the best shape of your life.

Pre-order Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum for Wii (available October 6).

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Jillian Michaels to Release Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for Wii and DS

Tune in this Monday to watch Rachael boost her heart rate with Jillian as they bounce on a massive trampoline and also encourage the younger audience members to jump aboard and get in a workout. And listen to Helen and Ali as they share with Rachael how they are managing to keep their weight off and stay healthy.

Also featured will be healthy and Biggest Loser-approved recipes from celebrity chef Rocco Dispirito and entertainer and autism advocate Jenny McCarthy sharing the Weight Watchers Lose for Good campaign.

Check your local listings for exact show times.

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Tune In: Jillian Michaels with Biggest Loser Winners Helen Phillips and Ali Vincent on Rachael Ray Premiere

We had a chance to visit with Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels as they prepare for the September 15 premiere of Biggest Loser 8. While filming has wrapped, or is close to it, they’re able to reflect on what is about to be the newest Biggest Loser season.

Listen to a portion of the interview now, and then continue reading to hear more from Bob and Jillian.

The theme for Biggest Loser 8 is “second chances,” and they’ve given 16 people who, in Jillian’s words have been to “hell and back,” the opportunity to turn their tragedies into triumphs. The most striking may be contestants Abby Rike, a teacher from Texas who lost her husband and both young children in a car accident, and Daniel Wright, returning to campus from season 7 and continuing to persevere through his weight battles.

“Every human being has been through tragedy,” remarks Jillian. She explains that we each have the option to see that as an entry point for learning, to find the alchemy that turns lead to gold, or we can “crumble, give up and waste our lives.” It’s clear that this season’s class of Biggest Loser contestants won’t stop until they find that gold.

Another difference this season is that we will see contestants training as singles, not as teams, which is a throwback to the original format of the show. The trainers both enjoy it because it allows them to work with one another and provide each contestant a more hands-on experience. By dual training they can not only rely on one another, rather than competing against, but also give personal attention to each contestant as they work through their unique issues.

“You’ll see our two forces join together and I really think there’s magic there,” says Bob.

Bob explains that the mental aspect of training is as important if not more so than the physical aspect. He says contestants arrive expecting it to be all about diet and exercise, while he and Jillian work to “get to the ‘why’ as opposed to the ‘how’.”

Last season, Jillian announced she was considering leaving the show. Part of the reason she stayed, Bob suggested, was because he’d kill her if she didn’t! She seems much more at ease this season and as if she’s once again found her place on the ranch and with the contestants.

When asked the biggest changes they’ve seen in themselves during the progression of the past seven seasons, Bob replied “The body wants to be healthy…  trust the process … you really do make lasting changes,” and that he realizes this every time the contestants’ final health reports come back and he sees what he and Jillian have accomplished.

It’s a reminder to everyone at home that your body does want it, you just have to trust that the changes will come, and if you work for it, they will stay.

Sign-up now for the Biggest Loser Newsletter. Each week you’ll receive exclusive video recaps by Mike Morelli, eliminated contestant interviews, a chance to win a Brita/FilterForGood prize pack, and more!

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Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper Discuss Biggest Loser 8

We promise we’re as anxious as all of you die-hard Biggest Loser fans for this season to get started. Between the fall and spring seasons, we only have to wait a couple of weeks. But after the confetti falls at the spring finale, we have all summer to wonder what awaits us, and the contestants, in that famous gym.

To prepare for Biggest Loser 8, we’re encouraging you to sign-up now for our Biggest Loser Newsletter. After this season’s premiere September 15, we’ll draw two newsletter subscribers to each win one of the following prize packs:

Prize One: Biggest Loser Cookbook, The Biggest Loser book, 10 packs of Extra sugar-free gum, and a Dan Evans CD (Biggest Loser 5). Total value $44.

Prize Two: Jillian Michaels Master Your Metabolism, Jillian Michaels Hot Bod in a Box, 10 packs of Extra sugar-free gum, and a Dan Evans CD (Biggest Loser 5). Total value $42.

Plus, all Biggest Loser Newsletter subscribers are eligible to win a Brita/FilterForGood prize pack each week. We’ll draw one subscriber to receive a Brita pitcher and a FilterForGood Nalgene bottle!

The Biggest Loser Newsletter from DietsInReview.com is delivered each week, and provides fans with:

• Exclusive episodic video recaps by season 7’s Mike Morelli
• Interviews with eliminated contestants
• Biggest Loser recipes
• News, videos and other updates from the Biggest Loser campus
• Contestant weight loss tracker

Sign-up now to be eligible to win all of these prizes – and you won’t miss any of our Biggest Loser 8 coverage.

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Biggest Loser 8 Premiere Giveaway

Putting your best foot forward to others can be a positive thing. It can make someone else feel special and make you feel good about yourself and how you treat others. However, I want to challenge you to treat yourself like an honored guest. Keep your environment tidy and your mind will feel more ordered. Think about using the best ingredients and healthiest foods as providing premium fuel for your body. Exercise to improve your health, energy, outlook, and confidence, not just because you want to impress someone else.

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Pamper Yourself to Good Health

• Walk instead of taking the moving sidewalk. Or for a really great workout, cut your time short and sprint to your gate with all your luggage. Trust me, that is a workout!

• Pack your own healthy snacks and pass on the salted peanuts and spiced cookies. A small baggie of trail mix can easily fit in a carry on. The airline will provide water (or coffee if you had to get up as early as I did). Do not give in to the bright colors and temptations of McDonald’s, Cinnabon, or Starbucks at every gate.

• Avoid a stiff neck by lightly stretching and maintaining good posture. The better you feel, the more likely you are to make healthy choices. Move around as much as you can without disturbing your neighbors.

• Even while seated, you can work your muscles by flexing or doing light exercises. Belly dancing can provide many abdominal exercises that can be done under the discretion of a comfortable shirt. It’s also a good time to lightly work your glutes.

• Use the time in flight for some healthy reading and writing. Catch up on podcasts by Jillian Michaels or your favorite health expert. Read a new motivational or diet book, or learn more about the food industry.

• If you have a layover, utilize the time to walk through the concourses or do light exercises. Many airports have interesting sights and shopping; all have interesting people to watch. You can read your paper when you are stuck in your seat.

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6 Ways to Stay Healthy at the Airport