Tara Costa is one of my favorite contestants on The Biggest Loser—ever. First, she rocks one of my favorite colors. Second, she’s totally genuine and refreshing, often speaking the truth even when it’s hard. And third, she’s a tough competitor who never gives up and always pushes that extra bit. In fact, during season 7 of the show, she won a BL record-setting eight challenges. Eight! Oh, and on the show she lost 155 pounds (see her before and after photos here), and then later ran a marathon and did a triathalon. I heart her.

Tara grew up in a single-parent home in a small town. With her mother’s lessons in personal achievement and independence, Tara became a plus-size model for a top New York modeling agency, graduated from New York University with honors and accepted a finance position at a large beauty company. In September, she decided to leave her job and her life in New York to get healthy on the show. Which she did, with just as much dynamic personality and candor as she always had, only this time it was in front of millions.

We had the opportunity to ask Tara a few questions about her transformation, her time with Bob and Jillian, and the skinny on her latest achievement—starring and leading the instruction with other popular contestants (including Ali!) in BL’s recent workout DVD release. Here’s the 411 on this inspirational girl’s life post BL ranch!

• FBG: You’re in the The Biggest Loser’s The Workout: 30-Day Jump Start DVD. What was it like filming the DVD?
• TC: Filming the DVD was a first-time experience for me, and I had a blast. Sione, Ali and I worked extremely well together to put together exercises that were fun but also challenging. All of us were breaking a sweat doing these exercises! It was also the first time I met season eight contestants, and it was a great bonding experience. I was able to share with them how I am doing now and what things were difficult/easy for me when I got off the ranch.
• FBG: How similar is the workout DVD to the workouts you did on The Biggest Loser ranch?
• TC: The DVD workouts and the ranch workouts have many similarities. Jillian always liked a core set of exercises but would be able to mix things up when training me. The DVD offers many varieties to working out the same muscle group. The basic movements will stay the same, but as you grow stronger you can add in a little variety and keep it interesting. It is also great for the beginner because we say how the exercise can be modified. We (Sione/Ali/myself) understand that when getting into an exercise routine, you are exhausted after a few short minutes—it’s not easy, but it is worth it!
• FBG: Do you own the new DVD and work out to yourself? That would be awesome!
• TC: LOL, working out to myself is so weird! So yes, I do own them and use them. Lately, I have been traveling a lot, and sometimes I don’t have access to the gym, and it is too late for me to go hit the pavement. I am also a little wary to go running in places I have never been after a recent episode where a man was following me (and he didn’t want to talk about The Biggest Loser). Women: be careful and know your surroundings! What’s hard for me using this DVD is that I am so critical of myself. I hate watching myself on TV, hence why I still have not watched my season of BL!
• FBG: What is your workout routine like now, after The Biggest Loser?
• TC: Once I left the ranch, I went through a major transition. I had to create new patterns and get workouts in when I could. Life wasn’t about exercise then live—it was live then exercise. I really took a liking to running, especially while I was training for the NYC Marathon. Every morning, if my schedule permitted, I would run. There is something about the fresh crisp air that I could not get enough of. I would also supplement running with a yoga or spin class with friends. Now, I am actually training for the Rev3 series of triathlons (Olympic, Half and Full distance) and Heather Gollnick, a pro-triathlete, is training me! It’s just the beginning, but I can already tell it is going to be intense.
• FBG: How hard was the transition from the show to real life? What is your secret to keeping the weight off?
• TC: The transition once leaving the ranch was very difficult for me. For so long, I was losing weight, then it was all over and I was supposed to know how to maintain. I went through a learning curve. For me, every day is hard, but I feel so much stronger and healthier now that I want to stick with it. It really can’t be about a diet; it has to be a way of life. I can’t live on a diet, and I stopped living when I was 300 pounds, so it’s about the balance for me. I am and will always be a work-in-progress, but I have certain things in place that help me. When I am having a rough day and want to eat everything in sight, I take out my little black book. In my little black book you will find lists of reasons of why I wanted to lose the weight so badly, why I want to keep it off, memories of Jillian yelling at me to keep pushing and a few quotes that I like to read when I need encouragement. Also, I try to take it one day at a time. I put sticky notes around my house to remind myself that I get to make a choice every day—to live a lifestyle and that I CAN do it.
• FBG: We know that during the show, you were logging three-plus hours of exercise a day. How much do you work out now and how has your schedule changed now that you are maintaining your weight loss?
• TC: During the show, I was logging around six to eight hours a day! Now, I try to get in a solid one-and-a-half hours in the morning. At night, if my friends are up for doing something, I will take part in an activity (either walking or yoga class). This schedule will be changing though as I prepare for the Rev3 triathlon challenge!
• FBG: While on the show, you were a fierce competitor. What fuels your workouts now? How do you stay motivated?
• TC: Yes, I was a competitor because most if not all of the things I was doing were something I have never done before. Like pulling a car, being on a tight rope or running a marathon, I was pushing myself to see what I can accomplish. Most of the time I surprised myself. The feeling of surprise and “no way, I did not just do that” was AWESOME! Now, I want to continue to challenge myself and keep the awesome feeling alive. I have also come to realize I get the same feeling when I help others do things for the first time—there is something that happens in that moment, and I love to be a part of it.
• FBG: What are your food habits? What do you eat in a normal day?
• TC: I go through food phases! A normal breakfast would be veggie egg white (with one yolk) omelet, turkey bacon and a slice of cinnamon raisin bread or oatmeal with some dried fruit and nuts. For lunch, I love salads with tons of fresh veggies and a bean for protein or an open-face tuna melt with cup of low-sodium tomato soup. For dinner, I have been having lots of fish and various kinds of squash and steamed veggies. For snacks, I always have an apple a day, coffee or latte, and prepackaged trail mix.
• FBG: Do you listen to music while working out? If so, what’s playing on your iPod now?
• TC: I have such an eclectic taste in music. On my iPod, you will get classic rock, pop, country, instrumental, rock—really a little bit of everything. Right now I am on an Anberlin kick.
• FBG: What’s it like to watch The Biggest Loser seasons now, as a Biggest Loser success story? What’s it like to inspire others?
• TC: Watching the show now is nostalgic for me. I love how others are getting to experience what I did and that the network of people who can understand what I went through is constantly growing. All contestants really try to support one another! As far as inspiring others, it is strange for me. I never went on the show and intended to do that. I went on national TV because I needed help so badly. When people tell me how I was able to help them, it is a remarkable feeling. And I now take pride in it. The only way I feel that I can continue to inspire is to be honest and do my best to lead by example.
• FBG: Behind the scenes, what are Bob and Jillian really like?
• TC: Oh boy, Bob and Jillian are such characters. I feel like I am watching myself and my brother, Michael, interact when I see them together. They share a bond together that can’t be put into words. They understand that they are helping not only the contestants but also America transform—but still have a great time doing it. It is like a sibling relationship. There might be some bickering, but when it comes down to it, they are always there for one another.
• FBG: What’s your current big fitness goal? And what can we expect from you in 2010?
• TC: As I mentioned earlier, my next big fitness goal is the Revolution3 series of triathlons. The first Olympic distance is on May 9 in Knoxville, TN (.9-mile swim, 24.8-mile bike, 6.2-mile run). The second event, half distance at Quassy in Middlebury, CT (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run). And finally the full distance triathlon at Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run)! I know—it is crazy, but I hope to be able to encourage others to take part in the challenge with me or at least part of it. I never thought I would do something like this, but why not give it a shot? All of you can be a part of Team Tara! As far as other things, cooking in the kitchen…I am in the process of writing a book! This book is not about my life, but more about what I have realized through a life transformation. It’s upbeat, funny and inspirational, plus I get to share some of my personal stories with the reader.
• FBG: Any other words of wisdom or advice for our Fit Bottomed Girl readers?
• TC: Don’t let “other things” get in your way of doing something that truly makes you happy. I understand it is hard to make time, especially time for you. For me, when I am truly happy, I am able to give more to my family and friends. Everyone is better off!

We’re sooo on Team Tara! Stay tuned for tomorrow when we review both Tara’s 30-Day Jump Start and Last Chance Workout. Oh The Biggest Loser fun! —Jenn

Jillian Michaels, isn’t just a tough trainer from The Biggest Loser. She’s a bestselling author (check in tomorrow for a review of her book) and now has her own upcoming show on NBC, Losing It with Jillian. Now Jillian is jumping into the nutritional waters, introducing a line of weight-control supplements. She says she’s always been an advocate of supplements for boosting metabolic function and supporting weight-loss, and she took matters into her own hands to help make a product that is made with natural ingredients.

While the FBGs always take our multivitamins to be on the safe side, Jillian’s supplements—dubbed the QuickStart Rapid Weight Loss System—are aimed at appetite control and fat burning. Always skeptical journalists, we went to Jillian herself to get the scoop. While she ducked some of our juicy Biggest Loser questions, she gladly gave us her thoughts on her new supplement system.

• FBG: Why did you feel the need to create a supplement line?
• Jillian Michaels: I’ve been doing this for a lot of years. As many people know, before I became a successful TV trainer, life coach and author, I was just another overweight kid with low self-esteem. So believe me, I know what being overweight is all about. But I took the necessary steps to change my life. I finally overcame, and I wanted to help make it possible for others to do so. For quite some time I’ve been searching for compounds that would help overcome the two greatest pitfalls to successful weight loss: first, not having the willpower to actually reduce your caloric intake (follow a diet plan); and second, not seeing and feeling results quickly enough to motivate you to continue toward a healthier life. My new products are designed to cut through all the diet jargon and help you get the results you want.
• FBG: What makes your supplement line different from what’s currently on the market?
• JM: In the first place, they actually work! As you likely are aware, there are a lot of fly-by-night companies in the weight-loss business. But I wouldn’t put my name on a product unless I truly believed in it and in its quality. The compounds we use are proprietary and unique, and the extractions are the purest available. That may not sound that impressive, but you truthfully can’t get this quality and composition of ingredients anywhere else in the world. In making effective, natural weight-loss formulations, the important thing is the active compounds have to be as pure as possible, and be the same compound or herb as in the published studies showing them to be effective. AND the extraction process must be the same high quality as used in the clinical studies. Quality control is therefore extremely important. Putting all of these things together is a time-consuming and very exacting process.
• FBG: Because supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA, how are you ensuring that your supplements are effective, natural and safe?
• JM: Because of my TV connections, I’ve been lucky enough to have access to some of the best bariatric scientists in the field. Over the past few years, I’ve spoken personally to some of the leading experts in the field of obesity from around the world. I know what the problems are, and kept on asking the experts, “Are there any natural compounds that will really help reduce caloric intake and help with fat burning?” The experts I spoke to kept on pointing to these two formulations (the Calorie Control and Fat Burner compounds). So I read about them, asked around, read the studies, spoke to more experts, and I firmly believe these are the absolute best natural compounds to help people who want to lose weight.
• FBG: Should most people who are trying to get fit or drop some pounds take supplements? Do they need to if they’re eating healthy and hitting the gym?
• JM: You know I’m going to tell you that exercise is extremely important, for two reasons: First, it makes you look good. Exercise tones your body and helps give you attractive muscular structure and curves. This boosts self-esteem and makes you want to keep doing it. Second, exercise makes you healthy. It’s good for you. There is simply no substitute for regular strenuous exercise (if you’re in otherwise good health). Interestingly enough, overweight people often have more muscle mass because they’ve built up muscle to carry around all that extra weight. The key is getting rid of the excess fat hiding what could be a rock hard, lean, trim body underneath. And in many cases you simply can’t exercise your way to significant weight loss. That begins with caloric restriction. That’s where my new Calorie Control supplement comes in. It helps reduce your caloric intake automatically, so you’re actually dieting without feeling like you are. As you lose the excess weight, you start looking and feeling better and want to keep working hard. Plus, exercise becomes easier as you start to drop excess pounds and get lighter.

A big thanks to Jillian for breaking it down for us. Hopefully we can get you back in the FitStars hot seat so we can ask our burning Biggest Loser questions! Be sure to check back tomorrow for more Jillian content, including a review of her book, Master Your Metabolism, and her latest DVDs. —Erin

I know you all are giving me a big groan for this headline, but how could I resist a play on my favorite Wilson Phillips song? There was just no way. Forgive, forgive.

I recently had the opportunity to sit in on a conference call with Carnie Wilson, and the woman is fab. She was promoting her appearance on the Dr. Oz Show (it aired Feb. 4) and spoke candidly with the media, answering burning questions on the hot topic of her weight. She even dished the dirt on her meals that day (trust me, a very  healthy diet). I was impressed to find out that despite the dramatics of the show, Carnie’s weight fluctuations haven’t been her “losing control,” although Dr. Oz did categorize her as morbidly obese. After dramatic weight-loss following gastric bypass surgery, she’s had two pregnancies, gained weight with those pregnancies (obvs!) and is now looking to get healthier. She’s also been rocking sobriety for more than five years now.

When asked how she felt when people say that Jessica Simpson is fat, Carnie hilariously responded, “Like throwing up.” She spoke candidly (and wasn’t afraid to toss around a swear word or two!) about the pressures women face to look a certain way and made a very valid point: You can be unhealthy even when you’re skinny. A good message to stop worrying about numbers and looks and to get healthy. If you missed her appearance on Dr. Oz, be sure to check her reality show, Carnie Wilson: Unstapled, on GSN.

Carnie talks candidly.

—Erin

This week, FBG will feature an inside peek into the minds—and training routines—of three U.S. Olympians. Here’s the final installment of this special three-part “Going for Gold” Olympian FitStars series!

Ask Julia Mancuso what’s scarier—flying down a mountain on skis or posing in undies—and she’ll tell you it depends on who’s at the photo shoot. Julia is an Olympic sponsor’s dream. Not only does the girl have athletic talent, she also has a smile that will have any endorser yelling, “Sign her!”

The beautiful one stopped laughing at my surprise wild-card question long enough to explain that skiing is easy for her because she’s used to going fast all the time.

“It just becomes habit, “  she says.

If she’s prepared, she’s good to go. She spends hours on end skiing, running, lifting weights and building up a core that would make the Earth jealous (no really, I saw her STAND ON A BALANCE BALL). Even for a fitness gal like myself, I questioned why she wouldn’t run for the modeling hills, but Julia loves feeling fit. She believes being fit means wanting to do anything and not having any part of your body hold you back.

“The more fit you are, the more you want to work out,” she says.

She gushed about how she can run for hours and hours, and how it feels knowing that she can keep going. If you’re a runner like me, that says it all. I’m confident she won’t be quitting her day job any time soon. —Tish

This week, FBG will feature an inside peek into the minds—and training routines—of three different U.S. Olympians. Here’s the second of this special three-part “Going for Gold” Olympian FitStars series!

Long track speed skating is no joke. Just ask Jennifer Rodriguez—top medal threat in the 500m, the 1,000m and 1,500m speed skating events. I had the opportunity to sit down with Jennifer in Vancouver and talk shop about the sport that pulled her out of retirement and back onto the ice.

You’ve read about her diet. She has to be a well-fueled machine in order to compete in her event. It’s not a sweet skate around the rink by any means. According to her, “You have to train to make your body become automatic.” She told me stories of how she sometimes loses eyesight (!) while going around the track because all of her oxygen is flowing into her legs.

The lactic acid is no joke either, but she’s learned to differentiate between mental exhaustion, physical pain and just plain laziness. She says listening to her body is key, and she respects her recovery time. She makes her easy days incredibly easy; the words “minimal” and “nothing” came flying out of her mouth. She’s also a fan of ice baths for aches and contrasts (hot bath followed by an iced bath, repeat) when she needs to flush out the lactic acid. You’d think no one would intentionally want to do push their bodies to such extremes, but this one-time Olympic bronze winner loves it up. In fact, she’s the first Cuban-American to ever win a Winter Olympics medal, and she’s shown no evidence of slowing down. Watch Jennifer put retirement talk on ice and go for the gold when women’s speed skating starts on Saturday, Feb. 14. —Tish

This week, FBG will feature an inside peek into the minds—and training routines—of three U.S. Olympians. Here’s the first of this special three-part “Going for Gold” Olympian FitStars series!

U.S. Olympian skeleton racer Katie Uhlaender knows firsthand what it means to be a strong athlete. She’s got the physical routines down. To remain in top shape, she logs hours of sprint routines and clocks a lot of time in the gym lifting. Most of her training—60 percent—focuses on the start. As Katie told me and the rest of the crowd at the Nike Women’s Training Summit in October, it’s all about relaxed chaos. You use your strength and speed, and trust the preparation will take you far and do it fast.

Her strength was pushed beyond the physical when she lost her father in early 2009. Even during that difficult time, she never gave up. In fact, she smiled while telling the Nike Summit team that her father had raised her to be an athlete. He taught her that sometimes the best time to do something is when you don’t want to do it because it’s when you get the best reward. For the Winter Olympics this year, he will be her greatest inspiration.

Having the privilege of hearing these background stories makes you want to root for them, not just because they are tremendous athletes, but because they have so much inner strength and heart. I have no doubt Katie’s strength will shine in the skeleton event on Thursday, Feb. 18. —Tish

A little more than a year ago, we interviewed Jackie Warner, the star of the Bravo TV’s reality show Workout, in FBG’s first-ever podcast. At that time Jackie gave us the rundown on what went on behind the scenes of the show and what it was like making her first workout DVD (which we loved, btw).

Since we last spoke with Jackie, she’s been up to much, much more, including a brand spankin’ new TV series, a book, a new personal training studio and a new workout DVD. She also gives the skinny on her clothing line, her own personal workout routine and how you, too, can stay uber fit. She even spills about not missing the TV show Workout! (Although we will. Sad face.)

Oh, and here’s another fun fact that happened before I hit the record button: Jillian Michaels interrupted our call. Jackie asked if I minded being called back so that she could talk to Jillian really quickly…Um, yea, I geeked out a bit.

Click here to listen to the full podcast!

If your computer isn’t liking that version, click here to listen to the podcast on iTunes. You can even subscribe to all of our podcasts there so that you never miss an interview!

And stay tuned for tomorrow’s post where we review Jackie’s new Workout DVD: Personal Training with Jackie: Power Circuit Training! —Jenn

If  you’ve ever taken a cardio dance class or even busted a move in the privacy of your own home, you know that dance can get you sweating and get your heart pumping in just minutes. Plus, if you’ve seen the show Dance Your Ass Off, you know dance can be an effective weight loss tool. We sent a few reader questions along to Mara Hall, one of the final contestants in last summer’s installment of the show. After Mara lost a brother to diabetes, she vowed to get healthy. Now off her diabetes meds, she’s turned on the inspiration.

• FBG: In your experience, what is the best style of dance for weight loss?
• MH: I honestly feel that all styles of dance are great for weight loss.  Each genre of dance works on and targets different parts of your body.  I love ballet for flexibility, but it is also very good for achieving a great cardio workout.  Jazz is similar to ballet—all of the fundamentals that are taught in ballet are transferred over to jazz, they are just implemented in different ways.  I love both styles and they both serve as great ways to lose weight.  On Dance Your Ass Off, we concentrated on ballroom styles, and out of those styles the cha-cha gave me the best workout.
• FBG: What was your reaction to having to dance on a stripper pole for all of America?!
• MH: I am pretty fearless when it comes to dancing in front of people.  My biggest fear of the stripper pole was falling off it and hurting myself.  I also did not have enough upper-body strength to swing effectively on it or execute any tricks.
• FBG: Have you kept up dancing since the show?
• MH: Yes.  I attend dance classes at Crunch Gym here in LA.  I also have started a dance troupe with Shayla and Pinky from the show.  We are called the Charlie’s Angels.  Pinky also has a phenomenal dance class here in LA that I attend once a week.
• FBG: How has the show changed your life?
• MH: I am truly healthy!  Before the show I was overweight, out of shape and struggling with my type 2 diabetes. Now I’m 52 pounds lighter (I lost 26 pounds on the show and have lost another 26 since I left), and my blood sugar is down to a normal level. Since the show ended I have been on Nutrisystem D, a weight-loss program for people with diabetes. With the program, I have learned about portion control and how to enjoy the foods that I love but in moderation.  I have also been working out at a place called Crossfit-Hollywood where I have taken my fitness to the next level.  I have never been much of a fitness buff, but with my trainer Andy Thompson behind me I know that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to!
• FBG: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
• MH: Take everything one step and one day at a time! It took you a long time to gain the weight, so it’s not going to disappear overnight.

Good advice, Mara! Keep up the good work and awesome dancing! —Erin

Do ya’ll remember Kim Lyons from The Biggest Loser? Back during Season 3 she took Jillian Michaels’ spot as a trainer on the show and then competed against Jillian and Bob in Season 4. She also appeared at the 2008 Miss America pageant as a panelist and wrote a book with a cover I love: Kim Lyons: Your Body, Your Life. Ring a bell?

Surprisingly, Kim never intended to become a fitness superstar. Instead, she originally went to Colorado State University to become an airline pilot. While at school and after using exercise to battle depression and lose weight, she discovered her love of health and fitness and changed her major to human development and nutrition. After her graduation in 1995, she began teaching aerobics, which led to her competing in fitness competitions and modeling. Girlfriend has since appeared on many magazine covers, showing off her fit bottom.

Now Kim is working to get America’s diabetic population up and moving. Tomorrow we’ll review her latest series of workout DVDs, for which she partnered with Dr. Shaila Singh, diplomat of the American Association of Family Physicians. But today, we’re featuring an interview with both of these lovely ladies (the first double FitStars ever!). They give the scoop on why the DVDs were created, and Kim dishes some good gossip on her time at The Biggest Loser ranch!

• FBG: Why did you decide to create a workout DVD specifically for diabetics?
• Kim Lyons: My work on The Biggest Loser and Dr. Phil really opened my eyes to a population that truly needed a trainer to understand and embrace them. A shocking 24 million Americans have diabetes, 57 million Americans have pre-diabetes, and 366 million people worldwide will have diabetes by 2030, according to the World Health Organization. There is such a need and a demand for trainers that are knowledgeable about the disease and how to help people with diabetes get active and eat properly to help control blood-sugar levels. This kind of expertise is often overlooked, and we succeeded in offering a motivating fitness series that addresses much of the internal battle those suffering with obesity, weight loss or diabetes constantly deal with. I am passionate about this at-home workout series that is serving as the first step towards a new active and healthy way of life.
• Dr. Singh: Diabetes is one of the major diseases affecting the general population, and while recent research proves the disease process can be halted or better managed with lifestyle modifications (exercise and proper food choices), this is not communicated to patients properly. It makes sense to create a workout for diabetics and bring awareness to the fitness component as the key to managing blood-sugar levels. My patients struggle not only physically but also mentally. Self esteem plays a big role in hindering patients to get active—we worked hard to create a series that is easy to start, effective and can be done in the comfort of their homes.
• FBG: Why did you decide to partner for the DVDs? What role did each of you play?
• KL: Three essential components to controlling diabetes are exercise, proper nutrition and medication as needed. I’m an expert in the fields of exercise and nutrition, but it is essential to have a medial expert with Dr Shaila Singh’s experience. One of the greatest tools in Start Fitness Now: Beating Type 2 Diabetes is the customized 20-minute workouts. Dr Singh advises 150 minutes per week of physical activity as a realistic and attainable goal. Just a little bit of commitment every day yields drastic results and yet seems so easy with the DVD series! Dr. Singh is there to answer all your medical questions, and I’m there to help you get active and motivate you to the next level! It’s a perfect team! We also have a really great support module online offering nutrition tips, monthly recipes, live chat and much more!
• DS: Partnering with an expert trainer like Kim Lyons was a natural fit. In patients’ journeys to understanding their condition, it is oftentimes difficult to comprehend just how to go about a physician’s recommendations. Patients often find themselves asking, “Where do I start? How do I get results?” A medically sound workout is the perfect place. I helped explain in detailed, easy-to-understand terms the disease process, symptoms and how preventive measures like exercise and dietary modifications can help pre-diabetics from becoming diabetic. Even more importantly, I discussed how to halt the disease process and improve life expectancy. Customized workouts addressing heart rate, circulation and all the internal benefits is an essential ingredient to getting responsible now.
• FBG: How do the Start Fitness Now DVDs differ from one another, and how do they compare to most DVDs on the market today?
• KL: There are three DVDs: Sit Down and Shape Up For Beginners, Sit Down and Shape Up for intermediate exercisers, and Stand Up and Slim Down for the more advanced. Each volume incorporates two 20-minute workouts to progressively challenge and strengthen the body and core, boost heart rate, and increase blood circulation, warm up and mobilize muscle groups without putting strain on the joints. Everything is covered—from aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility—to make sure that everyone’s personal goals are addressed. There aren’t many DVDs on the market targeted toward helping people with diabetes. Many people with diabetes suffer from a condition called painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (pDPN). Those rendered immobile, suffering from a stroke or just trying to manage weight loss will also see great results from a slow and gradual program. This is nerve damage that causes painful burning or stabbing pain in feet. These DVDs are geared to help everyone, even those that are intimidated by exercise or have too much pain to walk.
• DS: The DVDs differ from one another significantly. As Kim said, they start with sit-down workouts (beginner to intermediate) and then advance to a stand-up routines. All feature challenging aerobic activity, strength training and flexibility exercises. Most DVDs in the market are not geared to the population of pre-diabetics/diabetics nor is there a partnering of a experienced trainer in the field of obesity with a physician who has managed diabetics and weight loss for many years. Also, these DVDs help anyone who wants to lose weight and does not know where to start. They are easy to do and advance to a more challenging level with an experienced celebrity trainer guiding you at every step, in a very positive way.
• FBG: Do you plan to offer more advanced Start Fitness Now DVDs in the future?
• KL: You bet. I’m only getting started! I’ve got many projects on the horizon and am passionate about helping those that have diabetes!
• DS: Absolutely! The response has been immensely positive. Only good things to come!
• FBG: Can people who are not diabetic or pre-diabetic use these DVDs to lose weight and get in shape?
• KL: Anyone can use these DVDs. They are great for getting started and helping you learn how to get active. The National Health and Nutriton [Nutrition] Examination Survey cites that 63 percent of Americans battle with weight-loss management and obesity. Exercise can be daunting if you are struggling with obesity. These DVDs will inspire and help you to get active.
• DS: Most definitely. These DVDS will help anyone wanting to lose weight. They offer a starting point in the comfort of your own home. The 20-minute workout gets people going, and as they lose weight, they can advance to the next level for a more challenging workout and see inches and pounds come off.
• FBG: How and why did you get into the fitness industry? In your bio it says that you first went to school to be an airline pilot?!
• KL: I was always passionate about fitness, nutrition and psychology. That’s why I decided to get my degree in human development. At the time, I was also going to flight school in the summers with the intention of just getting my degree so that I could be a pilot. After many years of flying, I decided it really wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. While I was figuring out what I wanted to do, I decided to work at a new gym that had just opened across the street. Perhaps it was fate or destiny—everything snowballed from there!
• FBG: In the past, you’ve been candid about past weight issues of your own. How have you overcome those and how has that influenced your training style?
• KL: I gained a lot of weight in college and went through a bit of a rough time “finding” myself. I was depressed and had very low confidence. I hid under a ball cap and baggy clothes for more than a year. A trainer offered to train me, and, on a total whim, I decided to try it out. I learned so much, and my body changed. I felt good, I gained confidence, and everything started to come together. He changed my life, and I wanted to do the same for others. That’s when I decided to go to the National Academy of Sports Medicine and get certified. My training style is a little different with everyone I train. Everyone has a unique story, personal struggles and different motivations, and I’ve learned to not be judgmental. I’m tough because I want results and that is often the only way to get people to the point where they see results. But, in the end, it comes down to my passion for finding a way to help people change their lives for the better, just like my trainer did for me.
• FBG: You’ve posed as a fitness model and competed in fitness competitions. How strict do you have to be with eating and working out to do that?
• KL: I was over-the-top strict! I measured every gram and calorie and was training like an Olympic athlete. When you are at that level of competition, every last gram of what you eat is used for fuel. I pushed my body to extreme levels of performance. I learned so much about how to dial in proper nutrition to achieve performance, a fast metabolism, more muscle and less fat. I won’t lie; I spent a ton of time on me. And while it was great at the time and I still embrace my inner competitor, I’ve loosened up a lot and really enjoy being a bit more “normal”!
• FBG: What’s a typical week of workouts look like for you?
• KL: I constantly mix up my workouts. I make sure that I do a mixture of cardio and resistance training. For my cardio, I’ll rollerblade, bike, run stairs or hit the treadmill or elliptical machine. For my resistance training, I’m sure to hit all the major muscle groups once a week. When I travel, I take my resistance bands.
• FBG: You were on The Biggest Loser Seasons 3 and 4. Do you miss doing the show? What did you take away from your time there? (And really, how crazy is it behind the scenes?!)
• KL: There are things I miss about The Biggest Loser like being able to inspire millions of people every week by helping my team reach their personal goals. But I don’t miss the craziness and unrealistic hours of training every day. There were times when I just wanted to hug my team and tell them to go let their bodies recover for the day. Instead, we had to head back into the gym and pound out hours and hours of workouts. It’s really not the best way to lose weight and keep it off! In the first few years of the show, it was more about the weight loss and less about the game play and the drama. Now it’s all drama and game play. I love that it shows people how hard you can push yourself and what you can do when you have 100 percent dedication, but it is far from realistic, and it’s really hard for the contestants to maintain their success after they return home. That part of it is always hard for me.
• FBG: Besides the new workout DVDs, what are you working on?
• KL: I’m launching my grip-free resistance band Gym in a Bag in January on QVC. It’s something everyone can use anywhere, anytime, at all levels. I’ve got an online training website program www.fasttracktofatloss.com. We just had our first 100-pound success story—it’s awesome! I never dreamed I’d be able to help people all over the world. It still amazes me! And last but not least, I’m working with the nonprofit organization Take Control of Your Diabetes, or TCOYD. I’ll be at all the conferences this year to help people learn different exercises and activities. Find out more at www.diabetespainhelp.com. It’s a big job helping the world get healthy, and I’m loving every minute of it!
• FBG: If you had one piece of fitness advice to give to our readers, what would it be?
• KL: Stop waiting for the “right time” to get started because that time will never come! You have to make time to exercise and make better decisions when choosing what to eat. Identify your excuses, and find a way to make it happen. You only have one body and one life. Start now.
• DS: Make exercise a part and way of your life. Whatever your weight, start now with a fitness plan.
• FBG: Any final thoughts?
• KL: Believe in yourself, quit fearing all the reasons you might fail, and you will succeed!
• DS: Weight loss is not a destination but a journey requiring continual effort. With the tools provided by Start Fitness Now DVDs, people have the means to embark on this journey and be successful.

And there you have it! Talk about a dose of inspiration. Stay tuned to for our review of the Start Fitness Now DVDs tomorrow!  —Jenn

Back in July, I had the pleasure of going to one of No Doubt’s reunion tour shows. (Okay, I didn’t just happen upon it. I’m a huge fan and was obsessive about getting tickets the exact moment they went on sale.) And I ended up sitting in the seventh row. And IT WAS AWESOME. Not just because I’m a geeked-out Gwen Stefani/No Doubt fan, but because their energy was off the charts. And, even seven rows back, Gwen—who has two children for goodness sake—had the most amazing abs I’ve ever seen. I don’t think a “6-pack” does them justice. Maybe a “12-pack.” Or a “case of awesome.”

Regardless, after I watched her and her abs dance wildly around the stage while she sang for the entire two-hour show, I picked my jaw up off the ground, composed myself (believe me, I acted a fool at that show, screaming and jumping like I was a 13-year-old at a Jonas Brother concert), and had one question: WHO IS HER TRAINER? So I asked my buddy Google, who replied, “Mike Heatlie.”

And that’s why today’s FitStars is with this amazing celebrity trainer. Sure, his pic is a little cheesy, but he has his own personal-training studio in Scotland and has been named Scotland’s No.1 personal trainer. I can definitely see why. Read on for the inside scoop on training No Doubt and for Mike’s tips on eating for weight loss and making your workouts effective! Enjoy!

• FBG: There are a lot of celebrity personal trainers out there. How are you different than others?
• MH: Most celebrity trainers don’t have a great reputation. Some are too gimmicky, some are wannabe actors, singers and dancers, and most are poorly qualified. I have three degrees, including two master’s degrees, all in an exercise-related field. If I have the time this autumn, I will begin my third master’s degree. I am 100 percent committed to continuous education and learning. I also don’t do fads, gimmicks, etc. I rarely use Bosu balls, gym balls, bands and would never use hula-hoops or damn lap dancing poles! I use what works to get my clients the results they want. I don’t do any circus training or advertise nor promote anything I’m not passionate about or don’t believe in.
• FBG: Who do you prefer training? Celebs or everyday folks?
• MH: It doesn’t make any difference, as long as the person has the right attitude, commitment and determination. I’d rather work with someone who cleaned the streets and who gave me their all in training and showed the appropriate discipline and desire, than a celebrity who wasn’t committed. It’s all about the individual. Whether they’re famous or not makes no difference to me. I believe in people.
• FBG: What’s the biggest misconception or misunderstanding that you see in regards to fitness or health?
• MH: Wow, where do I start? The industry is full of myths. Firstly, one misconception that still exists is that women should train with light weights and use lots of repetitions in order to get “toned.” That’s like trying to wash a truck with a toothbrush! Women need to lift heavier weights in order to create lean muscle tissue. They won’t get big. They don’t have the hormonal make-up to get big, but still I see women training with 1- to 5-pound dumbbells because they fear if they train heavier, they’ll wake up in the morning with a hairy back and start talking like Barry White! Other myths include “cardio training is best for fat burning.” Nope, it isn’t. Resistance training beats it hands down. Thirty minutes on the cross-trainer is not going to do you much good for burning fat. Many people feel they need to stretch prior to exercise, but there’s no real need to do this unless you just want to relieve some tension from your muscles. It also doesn’t make sense to do cardio training prior to lifting weights. You should just warm-up through lifting lighter weights—specificity is important. You shouldn’t train for more than 45 to 60 minutes. If you are, you are either not training hard enough, or you have too many friends at the gym! Some fixed weight machines are not safe as the health clubs make them out to be. Many are ineffective and potentially dangerous. The leg-extension machine, for example, is not good for your knees, so avoid it! There are plenty of other misconceptions out there, but these are the main ones that I hear fairly consistently.
• FBG: Say you have a client who has only 20 minutes to train. What do you have them do in that 20 minutes to maintain or make gains in their fitness?
• MH: I would do one exercise, either squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, pull-ups or dips. That would be an awesome workout! Do ten sets of ten, and that would be better than the majority of workouts lasting more than an hour! We have to choose the exercises that provides the greatest bang for our buck. Tricep kickbacks are useless; front raises are a waste of time. The exercises you want to do are the ones that create the greatest hormonal and metabolic response. The problem is, people won’t do them, as they’re difficult or they don’t know how to do them. I train a 60-year-old grandmother, and she does deadlifts, squats, dips, pull-ups, chin-ups—everything—but she does them at her own level, She doesn’t deadlift 500 pounds, but she lifts at her level. She’s lost more than 30 pounds in a few months and down three dress sizes, and she couldn’t be happier. Focus on what works.
• FBG: In your e-book, you talk a lot about how bad the concept of dieting is, and we couldn’t agree more. (It’s a four-letter word in our minds!) How can people who are in the cycle of yo-yo dieting break free?
• MH: Yo-yo dieting is common because people do not set multiple goals. Take the actress Kirstie Alley, who lost 75 pounds and went on Oprah wearing a bikini to show off her new figure. I bet for months she dieted and trained hard to get down to a target weight. Her problem, like so many, was that she didn’t have any other goal apart from that. As soon as she had arrived at her target weight, she stopped exercising and dieting like she had and, consequently,  she began to gain the weight back again as she dived back into her bad habits. This is a journey, not a destination. Oprah did the same thing. Set a target for yourself and incorporate regular exercise and good dietary practices into your lifestyle, and continuously set goals for yourself. You are a product of what you do every day, so make sure you’re doing more to help your weight/fat loss than to hinder it.
• FBG: You’ve worked with some pretty big names, including Gwen Stefani, who have some pretty amazing bodies (especially abs). How do you get them in such great shape and how strict do you and they have to be to get results?
• MH: An old saying is that you get out what you put in. The problem is that those disgusting, unethical, greedy, money-driven companies that try and sell you diet pills, food plans, exercise products, etc., all greatly over-promise and under-deliver. The best marketing for weight/fat loss is to promote eating your favorite foods as much as you like, exercise very little, and yet see all your weight and fat melt off in a matter of days! Some of these companies should be ashamed of themselves with their exaggerated claims. I remember in the UK some company was selling chocolate bars with herbal ingredients that burned fat! Now that’s genius: Eat chocolate and lose weight! People bought it though…and got fatter. You want to look like Gwen Stefani? Then you have to train and diet like she does. It’s hard work. Getting in shape, losing fat, dieting and training is not easy, and we have to accept that. It requires daily discipline, organization and motivation, and we’re up against Western society, where we live in a highly stressed environment where we can get high-carb, processed foods cheaply. Portion sizes are out of control, and people are simply eating too much of the wrong foods. I train my clients with weights, very little cardio training,and a diet program that is used by bodybuilders and fitness models. Say what you want about bodybuilders, but they have the highest level of musculature and the lowest levels of body fat than any other athlete, maybe as low as 3 percent. Now many people do not want to look like bodybuilders, but we do want to increase our lean muscle tissue and lose body fat, and those guys are experts at it. We need to model success, follow what works, and the plan I use for my clients is a calorie/carb cycling plan that allows you to eat bread, pasta, potatoes and your treats. Life would be miserable without it. I’ve had incredible success with this plan, as it works and isn’t too stressful. The key is training and dieting smarter and following what works. We have less and less time these days in our busy lives. There’s no point in working hard up the wrong road. Model success. It leaves clues.
• FBG: What sort of unique challenges are there to personal training bands for tours? How do you get them physically ready to rock the stage?
• MH: Bands have more responsibility these days. Previously bands made a lot of money from record sales. That’s now no longer the case with iTunes and illegal downloads. They make their money through touring. We are in a recession though, so people have less money to spend, so when they go to see a show, they expect bands to give them everything. I went to see Bruce Springsteen in LA recently. He played for two and half hours. I heard he does over three hours some shows. Do you think he goes out drinking every night? It wouldn’t be possible for him to do his shows the way he does—he’d be cheating the public. Look at No Doubt whom I’m training right now. You would think they’re 22 again. They look incredible and have a high-energy show that the public loves. They’re giving incredible value for money, and they take seriously what they do for a living. It’s not easy on a band touring. It’s tiring and a lot of work every day and isn’t as glamorous as people think, although it does have its moments. You have to make sure the band gets enough rest and recuperation, and you have to balance the workouts correctly. I would not train a client hard on a show day, but on a day off I would, as long as they took sufficient rest. The main challenge is food. On tour, you’re at the mercy of catering, restaurants, etc. You don’t cook for yourself, which is important. There are always treats around every day, so one has to be focused. For myself, I’m hindered by my environment. I can’t train bands in my personal training studio in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I have all the equipment I need and none of the useless equipment that health clubs and hotels have. If we arrive in a new city and need to use the hotel gym, they usually house the same useless equipment. I don’t think I’ve seen one squat rack in any of the hotels I’ve stayed in, but tons of leg extensions! So I have to improvise more, which is frustrating—a bit like a chef not getting to use the great ingredients they would normally use for their signature dishes!
• FBG: In your e-book, you discourage people from doing crunches. (I hate crunches so that part of the e-book totally made my day.) Why is that and what do you think the most effective ab exercises are?
• MH: In my studio, if people are doing sit-ups, they are immediately banned and sent straight down to England! Sit-ups are a complete waste of time. Firstly to achieve a “six-pack” your body-fat percentage must be low enough in order to see abdominal development, and this is difficult for most people, so focus on diet is incredibly important. Secondly, what are the abs used for, and why are they there? They’re not used for forward flexion like a sit-up, and how often do we do that every day? Hardly ever. They are used for stabilization of the torso and to resist forces placed upon the body, such as gravity. Look at gymnasts. They don’t do sit-ups, and I would bet they hardly do any direct ab training. Yet they have probably the most incredible abdominal development of any athlete, possibly including bodybuilders. They achieve this through the impact on their abs through their activity. They are constantly rotating and twisting their torsos, and their abs are under incredible stress trying to stabilize their body. I use a decline bench for ab training where I have my clients lower themselves slowly with their backs straight as possible. With more advanced clients, I use weight resistance or throw medicine balls at them as they decline in order to provide extra stress. Cable rotations and woodchoppers are also excellent exercises for ab training, but always remember to be explosive with your initial movement and then slow with your return. Ab rollouts with a gym ball are good too. Remember that the key is diet. You have to get the body fat down far enough to see those abs!
• FBG: Do you always practice what you preach? Be honest (we’re all about moderation up in here), what’s your typical workout week and eating plan like? What are your splurges?
• MH: Well, I don’t have any lapses in my exercise habits. I love exercising and the feeling I get from it! This is what people really miss out on who don’t exercise. When I run five to six miles in the morning with some hills and sprints, I feel incredible once I’m finished and showered. After I eat breakfast, I feel like I can take on the world! Exercise relieves stress, boosts your positive mood, alleviates depression and gives you plenty of energy. Who doesn’t want that? If you’re training and dieting correctly, it’ll also make you look fantastic! I work out five to six times per week, sometimes twice a day. I may run in the morning and lift weights for 45 minutes in the afternoon. If you can split it up, it’s better for you. I have the luxury to do this, as I train clients in my personal training studio and therefore I don’t have to travel to a gym to work out. It also depends on my schedule. I keep a very tight, meticulous and highly organized scheduled. On the weekends, I may train four times, which allows me to rest during the week when I’m busier with clients, my studio, interviews, etc. We have to choose and fight our battles accordingly! I have a very good diet, but of course like everyone, I love food! I love chocolate, ice cream, bread, pasta, pizza, burritos, pastry, everything! Now do I eat these every day? Of course not. Follow the 90/10 rule, 90 percent of the time your food and fluid intake is very good, and 10 percent you treat yourself. It’s not what you do once in while that will affect you. It’s what you are consistently doing every day. Your habits will show you who you are. So, yes, I eat ice cream, chocolate, etc., but I also plan for it. I take my mother to the movies every Sunday, and sometimes we’ll have ice cream. I make sure for that day I’ve exercised and my diet has been good, then I can eat my ice cream without guilt or it affecting my physique. If you discipline yourself too much you will become miserable and crash, hence the yo-yo syndrome.
• FBG: In your e-book, you also talk about your love of music when working out. What artists are on your exercise playlist and what songs always pump you up?
• MH: I have a different playlist for every workout…Did I say I was organized?  I do it the night before on iTunes. Music stimulates us, makes us want to move and dance, and can really help to motivate you for working out. Would I have an athlete train with music when he/she was performing a technical lift? No. But for the general public training, absolutely. I couldn’t train without it. My playlist today included: The Foo Fighters: “Times Like These,” The Kings of Leon: “Use Somebody,” Madonna: “Give It 2 Me,” The Rolling Stones: “Sympathy For The Devil,” The Cure: “In Between Days,” and Elvis Presley: “Tiger Man.”
• FBG: If you could recommend only one piece of equipment, what would it be and why?
• MH: That’s easy: a squat rack. Look, the greatest exercise in the world is the squat. No doubt about it. The deadlift perhaps can battle for the number one spot also, but the squat has everything! It uses the most amount of muscle motor units, it requires the greatest amount of hormonal and metabolic stress, expends the most amount of energy, burns the most fat, it’s the most functional exercise (how many times do women squat in a day!), and gives you the greatest bang for your buck, no question. A squat rack can also be used for bench press and various other exercises, so it’s multi-purpose, and yet how many do you see in health clubs? You certainly see more in North America than you do the UK. Health clubs like to look safe, user friendly and appealing to the eye. That’s why they’re filled with ineffective fixed-weight machines: They look safe and easy-to-use. The squat rack, however, looks like a bodybuilder’s piece of equipment. It’s not placed in health clubs because that would mean they would have to hire more qualified staff to teach the squat, deadlift, etc. If you have a lot of cardio equipment and fixed weight machines, then all the health clubs have to do is hire young, inexperienced gym instructors to baby sit and show people how to leg press. That’s the dark side of the fitness industry—Money comes first, not the exercisers.
• FBG: Any final thoughts or words of wisdom?
• MH: Commit yourself to regular exercise and sound nutritional habits. Don’t think about it too much, just do it. Get organized, and plan your meals and exercise sessions. Knowledge is everything, but nothing if you don’t apply it. Learn how to exercise correctly so that you get the greatest benefits for your efforts. Cycle your diet so you’re never miserable with dieting, and appreciate that losing weight and getting in shape requires daily commitment, desire and determination. Best wishes to all of you.

Bet you’ll never look at a health club the same way again, eh? I know I’ll start paying more attention to the squat rack. A big thanks to Mike for doing this interview and giving us a sneak peek into what it takes to get that case of awesome. Tomorrow we’ll review Mike’s e-book (he’s going green!), so stay tuned! —Jenn