The Talk: Jillian Michaels Figure 8 Squat Exercise & Hard Body Review

The Talk Takeaway: Fitness

Fitness trainer Jillian Michaels is an expert at making healthy lifestyle choices. She visited The Talk with fitness moves that could work for you from her newest book, Slim For Life. Plus, check out her Hard Body review of the new DVD.

The Talk: Jillian Michaels Hard Body Review

Jillian Michaels is now a proud mom to two young children: “one was adopted and my partner had the other one.”

Becoming a mom made Jillian realize that parents need simple, affordable strategies to effect lasting weight loss in their own lives. She also has a new DVD available, called Hard Body, so you can work out at home.

The Talk: Figure 8 Squat Exercise

Jillian teamed up with The Talk co-hosts for some simple moves you can do with dumbbells and a flat surface like an exercise mat. Stand up with your feet shoulder width apart and make a figure 8 with your dumbbell, passing it between your legs from one hand to the other.

That exercise engaged multiple muscle groups at once. If you exercise at the same time each day, your body will become conditioned to release energy boosting hormones to burn more calories for better results, Jillian explained.

The Talk: Warrior 3 Exercise

Bend one knee over the ankle with a dumbbell in each hand. Row up toward the chest and then back down. Make it more difficult by raising the back leg as you continue to row.

Jillian said it is important to listen to your body, but not push yourself to the max. She suggested pushing yourself to 80% of your limit so you don’t get hurt or become discouraged.

The Talk: Pop-Up Front Kick Exercise

Bring the dumbbells up to a 90-degree angle. Bring one knee to the floor in a sitting position. Then stand up, extend your knee, and press the dumbbells into the air. Even Sheryl was getting excited about these moves.

Have you noticed that Jillian seems to be a lot more agreeable and friendly when she is selling books or DVDs, compared to her take-no-prisoners coaching methods on The Biggest Loser?

The Talk: Reverse Plank Exercise

Jillian Michaels shared one last exercise you can do at home for your workout. Sit on your workout mat with your hands behind your back. Raise up on your heels and lift each leg off the floor. Sheryl needed some coaching and support from her friends, but she got it in the end.

You can see more of Jillian’s training advice in The Biggest Loser, Monday nights on NBC.