Jillian Michaels' Simple Steps to Stay Fit After Summer

Fitness guru Jillian Michaels shares her "common-sense" tips for maintaining health and fitness during the transition from summer to fall, emphasizing the importance of controlled eating and regular movement.

As the summer season winds down, it can be challenging to maintain the fitness and health habits we've established. But according to fitness guru Jillian Michaels, staying fit in the fall can be surprisingly simple.

Michaels, a personal trainer with over three decades of experience, advocates for a back-to-basics approach. "Don't overeat" and "move your body more often" are her two fundamental principles.

Jillian Michaels' Simple Steps to Stay Fit After Summer

1. **Controlled Eating:**

Michaels urges people to use common sense when making food choices. Instead of overindulging, opt for grilled chicken sandwiches over Chicken McNuggets and water over sugary drinks. Eliminating high-calorie beverages like sodas, juices, and specialty coffee drinks can significantly reduce daily calorie intake.

Jillian Michaels' Simple Steps to Stay Fit After Summer

2. **Regular Movement:**

Movement throughout the day is crucial. Michaels recommends walking pads as an accessible way to accumulate steps even when weather conditions are unfavorable. Aiming for 10,000 steps daily can significantly improve health and weight loss.

Jillian Michaels' Simple Steps to Stay Fit After Summer

Michaels acknowledges that maintaining motivation during the fall can be challenging due to shorter days, reduced sunlight, and holiday temptations. However, she emphasizes the importance of not falling off the wagon. "While you aren't packing on a million pounds over the holidays, what I think happens to people psychologically is, they go to the party, they go to the holiday get-together — and once they fall off that wagon in their mind, they're like, 'Well, it's over, screw it. I'm just going to let it all ride. In January, I'll make a change.'"

Instead of adopting an all-or-nothing mindset, Michaels advises people to allow for occasional high-calorie days while staying committed to movement. "If you also appreciate it's totally normal to take a high-calorie day, just go to the gym the next day," she says.

Jillian Michaels' Simple Steps to Stay Fit After Summer

Michaels' fitness journey began in childhood. As a teenager, she struggled with weight issues but found solace in martial arts. After college, she became a personal trainer and later opened a sports medicine facility. Her rise to fame came in 2005 as a coach on "The Biggest Loser."

Michaels has since launched several fitness DVDs, books, and a mobile app. She also hosts the "Keeping It Real with Jillian Michaels" podcast, which features interviews with wellness experts and explores topics such as medicine, vaccines, and health controversies.

Jillian Michaels' Simple Steps to Stay Fit After Summer

Michaels' partnership with Bill Maher has expanded her podcast to a video format. Maher approached her after she appeared on his HBO show "Real Time With Bill Maher" and later his podcast "Club Random with Bill Maher." "Bill, being a seeker of truth himself and very anti-cancel culture, essentially said, ‘I want to weaponize you so that you can have these conversations with the people you think are the most credentialed and the most capable of having them in a way where you are cancel-proof,’” Michaels recalls.

Michaels' "common-sense" approach to fitness is a reminder that maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated. By controlling eating habits, moving regularly, and staying motivated, anyone can achieve their health and fitness goals, even as the seasons change.

Jillian Michaels' Simple Steps to Stay Fit After Summer