Jillian Michaels: Webchat, Thursday 15 January, 1-2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Jillian Michaels is joining us at Mumsnet HQ for a webchat on Thursday 15 January from 1-2pm. For those who are unfamiliar with Jillian, she’s one of the world's most successful health and fitness personalities; star of Channel 4's The Biggest Loser and 15 fitness DVDs (including MN fave 30 Day Shred), as well as several best-selling books. Her Jillian Michaels Show podcast has garnered millions of listeners since its debut in 2011.

With such a die-hard crew of shredders, rippers and JM devotees here, Jillian has long been on our hit-list of webchat guests and we're delighted we're finally able to offer the opportunity to chat with her. Join us on Thursday at 1pm or post a question for Jillian on this thread in advance and we'll put your questions to her on Thursday.

Jillian is over in the UK with her critically acclaimed Maximize Your Life motivational tour, which has already taken the US by storm. The nine-city live event begins on 18 January in Glasgow and ends on 28 January in London. Find out more and buy tickets here.

How bloody exciting. I've just started 30 day shred, currently day 5, and am loving the fact I feel like I'm having a real work out at home. My question is, once the 30 days are over, what would you advise to maintain the fitness/toned figure and how often? I may move on to ripped in time for summer but in the meantime I'm hoping I can get away with something that isn't every day, if at all possible.

Firstly -THANKS. Your DVDs have allowed me to be fitter and stronger than ever, post-kids! I have always been "running" fit but now I have strength. I even did your DVDs through my last pregnabcy up to the very end and this was the only pregnancy I didn't get backache.

My question is whether you would consider a DVD for those of us with split stomach muscles post-kids. Currently, I modify the abs exercises of your DVDs but a specific DVD for split muscles would be fab!

I love Jillian and I think she totally rocks!

Thanks to Jillian's DVDs I have got back to my pre-kids weight (woohoo!) and a bit more, and feel great. However, I've lost too much weight from my boob area... Is there anything I can do exercise-wise to stop my boobs from completely disappearing?

I love you Jillian and thanks for your energy and being a fantastic inspiration.

I'm thinking of a question

Is there a way to stop displacement of fat to upper body/back as we age?

Oooo very exciting! I am at work Thursday but just wanted to say I love your workouts, especially anything with the 3-2-1 method and I have lost a stone and 7 inches off various body parts since August so thank you very muchly!

What do you do on a weekly basis to keep fit? Have you found it more difficult to fit in since having kids?

Arghh! That should say keep fit since having kids! Bloody predictive text!

Hi

I love your workouts and use them if I can't get out. I am currently doing your yoga one, which is great. Are you considering doing any more yoga dvd's in future?

Jillian I'm a huge fan (and a little star struck!) You totally rock

My question is:

I suffer from sacroiliac joint pain. Are there any types of exercise I should be avoiding at the moment and what are the types of exercise that I should be doing

Thank you in advance

I love your workouts and really enjoy them but they ruin my knees. Is there anything I can do to strengthen my knees so that I can do your workout properly?

Jillian, can you just say OSSOM for me please?

Love your 30 day Shred. Specific issue re lower stomach area (think you're going to have a lot of these on MNet )

"After 4 babies, 3 by CSection, can stomach muscles be restored to relative flatness. I have a feeling with mine, even though they seem more toned than before, they are so knackered from so many operations that they will always form a little 'pooch' (sob)

Give us post section lot some hope!!

Thank you, you are indeed awesome.

Hi Jillian - Thank you. I love your DVDs and you go me toned for my wedding and then after two pregnancies both with c secs you are kicking my butt to get me fit again. I love 30 day shred and yoga meltdown. Being 30 mins, means that i can fit them into my day, even if that is at 6.30am. My runner of a hubby sweats like a pig doing your workouts and he would call himself fit!

I find you DVDs are the start i need to get out and do more formal exercise e.g running, classes at gym etc.

My question would be about how to reduce the post c sec roll and make my tummy muscles flat. In all fairness i have rather a lot of blubber to shift first but hope that when its gone i will reveal a wonderfully flat and toned tummy! Any advice?

Also what level of importance do you place on good nutrition and what level on exercise for dropping pounds?

Jillian I just wanted to thank you personally for totally transforming my body. I have lost well over 20 inches by following your DVD s 6 times a week.
Now I just need to drop my 'vanity pounds'

Lots of love and thanks to you!

*to actually see results?

(sorry, missed that bit out )

Wow Wow Wow - I am so pleased Mumsnet managed to get Jillian.

Jillian, I love you, you are an inspirational GODDESS!!

(okay, fan girl moment over)

Serious question. I have been diagnosed with chondromacial patella (basically my knee caps don't track properly and this is causing considerable pain). This means I can't do the lunges and squats which are such a core feature of her work outs.

What would she recommend I do instead of lunges and squats when doing the combination exercises which form such an important part of the shred?

Hi Jillian

Another fan of your workout DVDs here. I particularly love 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30. They are just the right level for me - and I still am not bored of them.

My question is : Do you ever take a break from fitness? On a summer trip somewhere with the family - do you take a few days off from exercising, and tuck into all the local food and drink and let it all hang out ?

Or is that where I am going wrong ? says me, with the 5lb gain just in a few days over Christmas

I achieved excellent results with the 30 Day Shred: toned arms and legs and a flatter stomach. Then I started Ripped in 30 and was well on my way to my goal of being fitter at 40 than I was at 20. Unfortunately pregnancy has put a real damper on my exercise plans, specifically my use of the Jillian Michaels DVDs because there is so much ab work. Are any of the JM workouts more suitable for use during pregnancy or would you consider doing a pregnancy and perhaps a post-pregnancy/post-C-section workout?

Oh gosh, what a coup MN! I bloody love Jillian.

My question is: I find when doing exercise that involves running or weights I tend to bulk up

OK sorry hadn't quite finished.... How do I get long lean muscles that look feminine yet toned?

Rather than bulkier muscles that look really out of place on my frame (5"nothing)

Hi Jillian,

I have been "Shredding" most weekday mornings for the best part of 4 years now, and it's completely changed my figure and fitness levels - I can't thank you enough. What's worked for me has been the little and often approach, as much of a habit as brushing my teeth.

I have so many of your DVDs; is there one that you'd particularly recommend for getting fit for a skiing holiday?

Thanks

Hi Jillian... Love your DVDs I have toned up & lost the 5 lbs I needed to.
My question is
The cardio never gets any easier... I think I am fitter now than ever and I am still completely destroyed by such things as squat thrusts and mountain climbers....it is a breath thing... I literally cannot carry on without stopping to catch my breath. I am ok in the kick boxing type moves but anything with jumping is just destroying (plyometrics ?)
Is it possible to just be someone who is 'short winded' ie gets out of breath very easily? Or am I doing something wrong.
BFBM is a serious form of torture this end!

Hi Jillian,

I LOVE the shred and know the 'motivational speak' on level 1 by heart!!
Question: is it normal after 20-30 days to look and feel more toned, but to actually very slightly gain weight? (like only half a kilo) is this muscle?
Also I've been increasing weights on Level 1 instead of progressing to Level 2 as I find Level 2 really challenging. Is this OK?

Thanks and seriously thank you for giving me a way to exercise as a working mom.

Jillian - thanks for coming on and introducing interval training and the joys of little and often but hard work outs to the masses.

My question - how do you remain so chipper and "can do" in your dvds/tv and public appearances?