Jillian Michaels, personal trainer and TV show host, is a woman of many talents. Some may know her as the tough-as-nails coach on The Biggest Loser. Others might recognize her from one of her dozens of workout videos or even for releasing an app called “Fitbit Jillian.”
Is Jillian Michaels Greek? The answer is no. But that doesn’t stop her from getting in touch with her roots and eating a Mediterranean diet. “I’m not Greek,” says the fitness guru, but she does love to visit Greece for vacations.
Education
Jillian Michaels attended Santa Monica Community College, transferring to the University of California, Los Angeles later. There she completed a General Studies degree in 2001 after earning an instructor position at UCLA’s Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology.
Related: Is Jillian Michaels on Beachbody?
Before Fame
Jillian Michaels’ first job was as a bartender at night and she also worked part-time as wait staff during the day while attending college but her career looked like it would take off when she auditioned for roles on Baywatch.
She lost out to Nicole Eggert who played Summer Quinn; however, after completing school Jillian used her degree from UCLA to start teaching there in 2001 and made history by being one of the few female instructors ever hired in that department.
As a Fitness Trainer
As a celebrity fitness trainer, Jillian Michaels has helped train celebrities like Heidi Klum and Jennifer Aniston.
After working in the fitness industry as a personal trainer, Jillian founded her very own company called The Balanced Life: Nutrition Made Simple.
The main purpose of this company is all about helping people to lose weight without being on any calorie-restricted diet or exercise programs that are too difficult for them and she’s also authored two books of her own.
Working with Jennifer Aniston
Jillian started working with famous actress Jennifer Aniston for the TV series Friends. She helped her to lose weight and get in shape.
The Biggest Loser
Michaels was an original trainer on the reality series The Biggest Loser and has made appearances on various talk shows.
And she’s also been a trainer for the Australian and UK versions of the show, as well as co-hosting with Bob Harper in Season 12. She was not a part of the new season due to her pregnancy at that time.”
In 2010, Jillian Michaels became one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100 trainers. Michaels is bringing her own fitness philosophy called “No More Trouble Zones”.
So far this includes: No More Trouble Zones Workout DVD (2013), No More Trouble Zones Nutrition Guidebook (2014) and other projects are currently underway.”