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Jillian Michaels – The Biggest Liar

February 23rd, 2010

The packaging actually says, “Two capsules before main meals and you lose weight…that’s it!”

My biggest pet peeve in fitness, and for that matter, life in general, is liars. People who prey on the vulnerability of others in order to manipulate them for their own gain have always drawn my disdain.

I came across a line of weight loss products at the drug store yesterday that featured TV’s Jillian Michaels on the package with the slogan, “America’s toughest trainer makes losing weight easy!”

Are people really this gullible? Really?

I’ve never met Jillian Michaels but I have to think that she knows better than this. She’s seen first hand that losing weight is not easy–she knows about hard work.

Perhaps Jillian is just a helpless puppet in all this, simply following orders and doing what her people tell her to do.

Either way, it turns out that she (and the company who manufactures the bogus products) are being sued. Karma is a bitch.

I don’t feel much sympathy for the plaintiff in this case either. While I think preying on people’s insecurities in order to sell them junk is reprehensible, I also believe that people need to be free thinkers. Anyone with decent common sense should instantly look at this product and realize that it’s bullshit.

When will people stop trying to find the easy way out and take responsibility for themselves?

Rants and Raves

erica410

This ethically goes against everything she promotes about fitness. She's the biggest loser. Great write up, Al.
Al Kavadlo

Thanks, Erica. Good thing you know better than to get duped by crappy fat burners.
Laury

BTW--Despite how I feel about Jillian Michaels being a total hypocrite, and disapproval of her endorsement of these products...I have no sympathy for the plaintiff either, I'm not a lawyer, but I say the plaintiff doesn't have a case. All she is saying is they didn't "work" for her, so unless she fell ill or dropped dead (God-forbid), and it was directly linked to those products, I don't see how she would have a case???
Al Kavadlo

Agreed--the pills were harmless and there were no real damages incurred by the plaintiff. The only good thing about this law suit is that it's bringing out discussions like this one, which may one day lead to some sort of regulations for these types of useless supplements.
Laury

just saw this, thought I would share....apparently the pills are potentially harmful--they contain citrus aurantium, which is known to cause high blood pressure & serious cardiac problems in certain individuals.

http://www.twirlit.com/2010/02/17/jillian-micha...
Al Kavadlo

Thanks for the link, Lauryann. The plot thickens...
Laury

It's such a shame she became such a sellout....A client was reading her book "Master Your Metabolism" so I decided to pick it up to see what the fuss was about, and I was impressed. These supplements totally contradict everything she writes about in her book. They do prey on the people out there that completely idolize her, watch her on TV and thinks anything she says is "it." Sticking to my beliefs is something I pride myself on as a fitness professional. I guess that's why I am a trainer that lives pay to pay, working hard, getting out as much true information as possible...and shes making a pretty penny selling fat burners & training clients on TV that lose 25 pounds a week.
Al Kavadlo

It's good to hear from another honest trainer, Lauryann. People like us need to stick to our ethics!
elizabethharcourt

now there's an idea for a show -- the fallen role model role model. throw in jillian, a few athletes, a couple politicians, and watch them find their ways out of a paper bag.
elizabethharcourt

this might be my favorite of your entries thus far. what the hell was she (not) thinking?! i'm turning off the tv and going back to the books where character development, integrity and values are the lessons - not taking advantage of one's position for the sake of an unearned, easy buck.
Al Kavadlo

The rest of us ought to use people like this as an example of what not to do--in that way, Jillian is sort of a role model for me! Haha
dannykavadlo

Yeah there is no miricle pill, and any Fitness Professional should feel ashamed to claim that a product "makes losing weight easy". Nothing worth doing is easy. Period. But even more disturbing than this absurd boast, is the fact that this law suit may even make it to court. $5,000,000??? Has that much damage really been done? Some frustrated, ignorant, lazy consumer out there didn't get easy weight loss; now they want easy money. No one wants to EARN anything.
Al Kavadlo

It's good to know that you are outraged by this too, Danny.
Lenny

I hate this shit. This woman is a terrible trainer and makes us look bad. I watched her doing a kettlebell exercise and was ashamed. Her form was amateurish and unacceptable for someone in her position.
Al Kavadlo

It's going to be interesting to see what, if anything, happens with this case.