Jillian Michaels...Do Babies Ruin Bodies?

kicklikeaGIRL
kicklikeaGIRL Posts: 867 Member
edited September 20 in Chit-Chat
Yesterday I was browsing through the news articles and I found one with Jillian Michaels titled "Do Babies Ruin Bodies"? I was curious to read it because I've heard so many great things about Jillian Michaels' workout programs as well as her efforts to help shape bodies on the Biggest Loser. The original article is in the Women's Health magazine, which I have not yet had the chance to read. (I'm now very curious so it may be purchased today). So, granted the news article is taking her quote and analyzing it--but I was curious as to what others thought of this?

ARTICLE:
There is no doubt that “The Biggest Loser” trainer Jillian Michaels has one of the best bodies in America, and given her childhood history of being overweight, it's something the 36-year-old has worked ultra-hard to achieve. So hard in fact, that she’s not willing to let it slide even to become a biological mother.

“I’m going to adopt. I can’t handle doing that to my body,” Michaels told the new issue of Women’s Health magazine. “Also, when you rescue something, it’s like rescuing a part of yourself.”




I did have some questions... like Why? Is it because she's afriad that she may gain weight, especially since she is a well-known fitness guru and example to so many? Because if so, she'd be much more of an example to me if she DID have a biological baby and proved to the world that it is possible to get a great figure post-baby. Now, I do understand that there are many out there who plan on not ever having children, and that is fine to have that opinion. But, from what Jillian says, she plans on having children, but only adopting so that it doesn't change her body. I do plan on reading the article to see what more details there are to the story....... Has anyone read the original article?

What are your thoughts on the article and/or statement? Do you think she is being vain in wanting to preserve her world-wide recognized body? Or do you support her decision in not wanting to bear children? Just curious to what others think..



Also, you can read the foxnews article here:

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/04/22/babies-ruin-bodies-biggest-losers-jillian-michaels-wont-birth/

Replies

  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
    I have to say that...1. It's her body she can do as she pleases. 2. Her body is her trademark and it's how she earns her living. 3. While yes having a baby changes the body she may be more concerned with the after affects (I have lost all the pregnancy weight and then some...but the strechmarks and loose skin are heinous) and she may be conserned that if she has any leftover issues with a prenancy that it could hurt her income. 4. Adopting is a great option (she's not opposed to motherhood) for her and for many other women.
  • stargirl27
    stargirl27 Posts: 6
    I think it's her body and her life. She makes her living off her body and if she feels having a baby could jeopardize that I respect her decision. Heaven knows their are plenty of children who need to be adopted.
  • jolinemariem
    jolinemariem Posts: 462 Member
    my thought is that there are so many orphans why not just let her adopt and stay out of it. It's not our concern why she wants to adopt. My wife's good friend chose not to have a baby because of her body. and i am sure there not the only two. its not our concern.
  • mommyhof3
    mommyhof3 Posts: 551 Member
    I am on her site on Facebook and this is what she posted:

    Jillian Michaels There is a misunderstanding circulating in the press on my personal choice to not get pregnant. I think that pregnancy is admirable and selfless. For myself, I have remnant body issues left over from childhood which leads me to make adoption my personal choice down the road.
    Yesterday at 2:58pm via Facebook for iPhone · Comment · Like

    I think people need to let her make her own choices. It is obvious that she has other health issues she was speaking about when she said she would not do that to her body. There, my peace said lol
  • kicklikeaGIRL
    kicklikeaGIRL Posts: 867 Member
    Love the opinions. I am by no means opposed to adoption. My husband was adopted, and for that I'm grateful. I don't look down on her opinion of adopting, I feel that even I would love to adopt someday. I guess I was just taken back because her first reason to adopt was to preserve her body, and the second response was that she would be saving children. Had her first reponse to adoption been 'i want to rescue a child and take them in to be my own' first, rather than-- 'cause I don't wanna get fat'--- I probably wouldn't have got in a little huffy over it. I do think its great she wants to adopt.
  • kicklikeaGIRL
    kicklikeaGIRL Posts: 867 Member
    I am on her site on Facebook and this is what she posted:

    Jillian Michaels There is a misunderstanding circulating in the press on my personal choice to not get pregnant. I think that pregnancy is admirable and selfless. For myself, I have remnant body issues left over from childhood which leads me to make adoption my personal choice down the road.
    Yesterday at 2:58pm via Facebook for iPhone · Comment · Like

    I think people need to let her make her own choices. It is obvious that she has other health issues she was speaking about when she said she would not do that to her body. There, my peace said lol

    Thanks for telling us her facebook post. And I agree with everyone that those choices are personal and up to the individual. And I do think that its unfair that the media does take things out of context to make a good story.
  • mommyhof3
    mommyhof3 Posts: 551 Member
    won't let me delete so N/A
  • jalara
    jalara Posts: 2,599 Member
    Hey,

    I have the magazine and it doesn't say much more than that, except that it's a personal choice for her. Like you, it peaked my curiosity, and I have a lot of respect and admiration for her.

    A few things though:
    1) Since (as someone else mentioned) her body is a trademark, is it insured in a special way the way that JLO's vocal chords or a surgeons hands are?
    2) She's single, isn't she? And none of us know her personal gynaecological history).
    3) In order to do adopt, you need to have more than a desire to keep your body - adoption is admirable in so many ways.
    4) And heck - she can provide for them

    I don't know. A woman's body is a very personal thing. And when it comes to celebrities, everyone has an opinion on how they should live. And when it comes to children, every single woman has an opinion on what's right or wrong (don't believe me? Tell a group of women you want a drug-free birth or that you don't want to breastfeed).

    But yeah - if I could, I'd ask Jillian a million questions too. But I can’t blame her for wanting to be a mom. And I think that's something that most women can AGREE on.
  • courtney_love2001
    courtney_love2001 Posts: 1,468 Member
    She explained on her facebook that she has "some remnant body issues from childhood" so she has chosen to adopt. I say whatever she wants to do is up to her....her body and her well-being! I don't think she is saying pregnancy ruins your body, she's just saying that for her and her body image, it's not the right choice. Simple as that!
  • myohana4
    myohana4 Posts: 205 Member
    For what it is worth....YES! Babies do ruin bodies. But not as much as snacking at midnight and being a couch potato! : )
  • gmvanloo
    gmvanloo Posts: 100 Member
    I get this magazine so I've read the article. There really isn't much more to the conversation then what has already been mentioned here. It was actually just a short segment of the article!

    I'm one of those people who has decided not to have children and I'll be the first to admit they are very selfish reasons. But the way I see it's my choice, my body, my life! I know a lot of people would say they agree with that but you would be shocked about some of the comments my husband and I get when asked if we are having kids!

    When I read this article I knew that some people would really come down hard on her but like everyone is kind of saying...it's her choice and adoption is a wonderful thing.
  • jackpotclown
    jackpotclown Posts: 3,275 Member
    yeah, maybe another thing you guys are overlooking.....She dates both men and women.....has fallen in love with both....and last I heard she was dating vanessa marcil (and hey, how accurate that is....is questionable).....maybe not as interested in a "donor"
  • wolf23
    wolf23 Posts: 4,269 Member
    I am curious because I can not find a single picture of her when she was fat.
  • kicklikeaGIRL
    kicklikeaGIRL Posts: 867 Member
    I get this magazine so I've read the article. There really isn't much more to the conversation then what has already been mentioned here. It was actually just a short segment of the article!

    I'm one of those people who has decided not to have children and I'll be the first to admit they are very selfish reasons. But the way I see it's my choice, my body, my life! I know a lot of people would say they agree with that but you would be shocked about some of the comments my husband and I get when asked if we are having kids!

    When I read this article I knew that some people would really come down hard on her but like everyone is kind of saying...it's her choice and adoption is a wonderful thing.

    I do agree with you, it is a completely personal choice. I think when I read her quote (in the context of Foxnews) I felt like it was unglamorous for me to have a child because it would change my body. Celebrities really get put in the spotlight, and I am thankful that I will never be that way because every word they say is criticized. And I'll also admit that I am scared of pregnancy and post pregnancy as well because of the fact that it will change my body and the way it functions. There have been times where I have thought "you know, if I adopted I wouldn't have to worry about trying to lose post- pregnancy weight" and things like that. One of my main thoughts when reading the article reflected back to an Oprah show where these young mothers had such low-self esteem for themselves (because they were overweight at younger ages and were now slim and fit) and were so strict with themselves that their young children also had self esteem issues. There was a little 3 year old girl who would say "I am so fat and ugly" and "I can't have ice cream, it will make me fat". And its not just Jillian, but I would hope that anyone who has gone through those kinds of things wouldn't allow their personal situations to significantly influence their children to the point that they also have an obsessive "fear of getting fat".
  • bellinachuchina
    bellinachuchina Posts: 498 Member
    Whatever floats her boat :)

    BUT...

    Pregnancy does change your body FOREVER! I was always a little chunky growing up, but I never had a kangaroo pouch , like I did after my children. I see it as sacrificing myself to produce two healthy bambinos :)
  • kicklikeaGIRL
    kicklikeaGIRL Posts: 867 Member
    Thanks all for the comments! I needed a good firey topic to keep me awake this morning! :laugh:

    Just wanted to end with this:

    I think Jillian Michaels should make whatever decision feels best for her. Adoption is great, bearing children is great, and if she decides to not have children at all, that is great too. It is all up to her. I do feel bad that she has been dug up by the media for her comments in the article- and I was a sucker and read it as well. I am a sucker for the Entertainment gossip when I'm bored at work! "Justin Timberlake did what?" haha..just kidding.

    But in all honesty I just wanted everyone to know that I respect whatever Jillian chooses with her life. She's inspired many. And I know its NOT up to her to prove to ME that she could lose baby weight post- pregnancy. I guess I'll have to prove it to myself someday! :wink: Hopefully I didn't offend anyone. I try to re-read my posts before I actually post them but proof-reading doesn't always help my case!

    Have a wonderful day!
  • sweetrevenge
    sweetrevenge Posts: 188
    Though I find it hard to swallow that a woman does not want to have a baby because it may ruin her body, I do respect EVERY woman's right to her own decision. I can personally say that I have NEVER had a body like her's, but I was once in great shape. When I had my first baby I was a good weight. I wasn't working out or even watching what I ate, I was just young. A 22 year old body bounces back very nicely. My husband (now my ex) said I actually looked better after giving birth than before (don't believe him, but still a nice compliment). I worried my entire pregnancy about my body and was amazed when the pounds seemed to disappear immediately after delivering. With each child and (and age) it got harder and harder to keep my figure. By the time I delivered my 3rd and final baby (a 9 lb. 12 oz. boy) my body was screaming for a break (3 babies in 5 years - yes me and my hubby stayed busy....lol). With a body like Jillian's she would bounce back with no problem. As I said earlier though, this is her decision and it effects me in no way what so ever. Although it makes me a little bit sad that she won't experience such a wonderful thing as pregnancy and child birth because of her body image, but again I DO respect her decision.
  • sweetrevenge
    sweetrevenge Posts: 188
    Wow, what's the deal today with MFP cutting off our posts?
  • CreativeRedhead
    CreativeRedhead Posts: 2,166
    Oh this is silly. But yes having babies even one...will mess things up in certain body regions, not to mention after having four...just forget looking like you've never had a kid! I personally wouldn't trade having a flawless body over my four little munchkins. I respect Jillian for her decision...I mean yeah we don't all have to agree but it's her life. And there's more than enough babies out there that need a loving home. If I was making money off my body I'd think it over definitely. But on the other side of the coin...I personally enjoy seeing stars and celebs in a natural state, I like to see them sometimes not looking perfect. It's ok to have a real body....millions of us have one of those! :wink:
  • beckym71
    beckym71 Posts: 3,511
    I am curious because I can not find a single picture of her when she was fat.

    I have one from either Self or Allure several months ago. She was young when she had her weight issues, early teens if I remember correctly. I think she was about 175 lbs at age 13 and only 5'2"...50 pounds heavier than she i now.
  • cbnorris
    cbnorris Posts: 204 Member
    Maybe I'm wrong, but doesn't Jillian love the ladies? I mean she dated that blonde lady from Bravo's Work-out for a while, right? (or maybe that's just silly internet rumors??) I would think (maybe even sub-consciously) that may be a reason to prefer to adopt b/c if you couldn't have both parent's DNA, then why have just one's?
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