Jillian Michaels CEU Corner - Life Coaching

Along with emphasizing the importance of a

healthful diet and regular exercise, helping your
clients overcome negative thinking and habits
that sabotage their health and wellness goals is
a critical part of your role as a personal trainer.
Life coaching is aimed toward helping clients
determine and achieve their personal goals.
Coaches may use multiple methods, i.e.,
directing, instructing and training clients to
develop healthier behaviors.1,2
Let's look at some behavioral techniques
you, as a trainer, can use to assist your clients
in achieving their health and wellness goals.

Creating a Healthy Physical Environment

Surely you have heard this saying, "You are
a product of your environment." There is a lot
of truth in that. So focus on creating an
environment that helps instead of hinders. Your
client's environment is paramount to their
success or failure. This is not about changing
people, but things.
Clients should begin by creating a healthy
physical environment, one that will allow them
to move closer to reaching their health and
wellness goals. The physical environment
includes all surroundings that influence
behavior for better or worse. You can help your
clients assess how physical conditions, from
cultural (societal) and personal (home)
perspectives, affect their thoughts and
subsequent actions.3
For example, if your client is trying to lose
weight and each afternoon at work they find
themselves raiding the vending machine of junk
food, especially when feeling stressed, the
easiest solution would be to have the machine
removed. This is likely beyond your client's
control. If, however, your client is allowed to
have a small refrigerator in their office or
cubicle, they could store healthy snacks and
avoid the machines altogether. Another
possibility is to ask management to have
healthy snacks put in the vending machines so
when temptation hits, there are other options.
Your client now physically changed the
environment so that it's conducive to success,
not failure.
This section will focus on strategies for
creating a controlled, supportive environment.
It will address what is referred to as
redesigning cognitive maps, which is a way of
teaching your clients how to relearn behavior.4
Clients can then use the power of space and
proximity to help gain control and effectively

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 manage their lives.

Identify Sources of Sabotage

More often than not, powerful elements from one's environment remain invisible. Lack of awareness
can destroy good intentions. Environmental cues that often go undetected can affect thoughts and
behaviors. Work processes, office layouts, the design of checkout counters at supermarkets, placement
of vending machines in schools, meal portion sizes, commercials on TV, supermodels on every
magazine cover, and advertisements, etc.-these things have a dramatic effect on how people think and
what people do.5 Yet we fail to recognize the potency of their influence. Have your clients make a list of
all the things in their physical environment that slip them up and circumvent their goals. By helping
your clients identify the sources of sabotage, you can get them moving in the right direction.

Build Solutions
Once problems are identified, clients can begin to create solutions. The first step is to try and
remove the instigating object. This is where you can help your clients combat potentially dangerous
situations and eliminate environmental obstacles that sabotage their goals. Let's use weight loss as an
example; if your client identified junk food in their kitchen cabinets as a source for feeding midnight
cravings, then throw away the junk food. If there is no junk food in the cabinets, there is no source of
food to feed the cravings. Altering the environment in such a way that eliminates human choice entirely
leaves less room for error, slip ups and faltering will power. At certain times your clients will not be able
to eliminate the source of sabotage (such as removing a vending machine at the office), however they
can take steps to help themselves avoid the source.

Replacement
Replace the negative obstacle with positive ones. Your client can start bringing healthy snacks to
work and avoid the office kitchen that holds unhealthy snacks. If commercials on TV make your client
hungry, suggest they pre-record shows so they have the ability to choose which commercials they
watch, if any. Your client can focus on media that is inspirational rather than junk food commercials. If
gossip and beauty magazines make your client feel insecure, suggest alternative readings such as
motivational books or novels to spend that time in a more relaxing mindset.

Cognitive Mapping
Now that the client has been given tools to change the environment, it is time to help them change
the way they think. Cognitive mapping is one method to accomplish this. The term cognitive mapping
was first used in 1947 by the American psychologist Edward Tollman.4 A cognitive map refers to one's
internal representation of the experienced world. Tolman suggested these maps are a way that the
brain records spatial behavior. Research has shown that a person's behavior is deeply set into actual
physical neural connections. All beliefs and habits are contained in neural pathways. Each time a person
has a thought, that thought is communicated along these pathways sending electrochemical messages.
The first time a person has an experience or learns something new, chances are a new pathway is
created. The next time they experience the same behavior, the same pathway will be used. Frank
Lawlis, PhD, author of The Stress Answer: Train Your Brain to Conquer Depression and Anxiety in 45
Days, says that "neurons that learn together become attached."6
The more often one experiences the same thought or behavior, the stronger that neural pathway
holding that thought or behavior will become. This is how a thought or action becomes a habit. By
repeating a pattern one strengthens the neural pathways being used for this behavior and essentially
reinforces the propensity to be "stuck in a rut" - literally. Here's an example. Let's say that your client
has been binge eating late at night off a certain set of plates. Your client has made an effort to stop the
behavior but, every time he or she eats off those particular plates it sets off the binge eating, making it
exponentially more difficult to break the destructive habit.
In order for your client to change, the behavior itself must be changed to alter the neural pathways.
This process will gradually force the existing pathway to weaken and atrophy over time. Another way to
alter the neural pathway is to attempt to override the old pathway by wiring a new behavior, thought,
pattern or emotion over the old. So in the above example, the two options for your client would be to
make an effort to not eat anything at all late at night, or to change the dishes that they eat off of.

Repetition, Emotion and Environmental Cues

Three factors are critical in creating strong neural pathways: repetition, emotion and environmental
cues.

Repetition refers to the continual use of the object or behavior. Associate a positive
emotion with that new object and/or habit.
Emotion and emotional choices can reverse behaviors. If your client wants to lose
weight and has been shopping at the same supermarket for years buying junk food,
you might suggest they find a new place to shop-perhaps a local farmer's market

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 with new grocers, new foods and new locale. Start a new pattern buying all healthy
nourishing foods.
Environmental cues can bolster healthy new habits.7 In the case of the vending
machine, if your client cannot physically have the machine removed, then suggest
they bring in healthy snack foods and avoid the vending machine. If they cannot go
by the kitchen cabinet without eating cookies, then suggest they stop buying
cookies and replace them with healthy snacks.

So now the next step for your client is to begin practicing these new techniques. You can encourage
your clients by educating them to these facts. It's not complicated. They CAN actually make physical
changes that will create new neural pathways in their brain, thus hard wiring for success.

Building Will Power and Managing Emotions

By managing emotions, controlling impulsivity, and building will power, your client can significantly
increase his or her chances of success.8 Will power is a skill that can be strengthened. In a moment of
impulsivity, it's possible to destroy months or even years of hard work. Let's explore ways of managing
negative emotions and behaviors to help your clients secure success.

Cognitive Reappraisal
Effective emotion regulation is vital for healthy adaptation to life's changes and curve balls. One
promising emotion regulation strategy is cognitive reappraisal, which involves reframing painful or
frightening events so as to decrease their emotional impact.9 Cognitive reappraisal is a coping strategy
in which a person is taught to monitor and evaluate negative thoughts and replace them with more
positive thoughts and images. According to appraisal theory, it is how one thinks about (or appraises)
the meaning of their experiences that gives rise to their emotions-for better or worse.10
This strategy is useful because it can enable your client to down-regulate negative feelings without
the physiological costs of stress and depression. Although we all face challenging circumstances from
time to time, the way one thinks about these situations can increase or decrease the suffering
experienced. For instance, a serious physical illness can be interpreted as a debilitating setback, or it
can be viewed as an opportunity to slow down, to take care of oneself, and to re-evaluate goals while
recovering for the journey ahead.

Change Where
You Think
That's right.
Certain parts of your
brain are prone to
instinct and
impulsivity while
other parts are
prone to reason and
contemplation.
Executive function is
attributed to the
prefrontal cortex
and instinctive or
impulsive behavior is
most often guided
by the medial
temporal areas of
the
amygdala.11,12,13,14
Processing
emotional content
quickly can be
life-saving, and
support a survival
instinct. Moving
forward with a
well-conceived plan
requires a few deep
breaths and a pause
that refreshes, thus
giving time for the
cerebral cortex to

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 weigh in with more
data, more
experience, and
eventually more
wisdom.15,16
You can change
the part of the brain
that is being used to
process information
in order to control
emotions and take a
long-term view of
the situation. I have
often said that I
don't believe in will
power. In fact, in my
first book I referred
to it as a fleeting
moment of bravado.
Recently I have had
a change of heart. In
my own struggles
with will power and
impulsivity, I have
come to learn that
developing will is a
skill, not a myth or
genetic trait. This
means that anyone
can develop it at any
point. Your client can
achieve this by
literally arguing with
their emotions.
Let me explain.
Active strategies
such as classifying,
debating,
deliberating and
delaying, can help
people change what
they think by
changing where they
think. To do this,
your client can
literally transfer
mental control from
the impulsive
amygdala to the
cognitive center of
the brain, the frontal
lobe. This is done by
stopping in the
moment and not
reacting. Take a few
deep breaths and
then begin asking
complex questions
about the feelings
and their triggers.
Carefully
contemplate and
ruminate about the
potential results of
the decisions and

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 subsequent actions.
This allows a person
to move from a "go"
state of impulsivity
to a "know" state
where he or she is
able to take a
long-term view.

Visualization and Self-Esteem

Creative visualization refers to the practice of finding a specific effect in oneself through changing
one's thoughts.17 It is a mental attitude that delves into the mind, thoughts, words and images
conducive to personal growth.18 This attitude can produce good and favorable results. A positive mind
anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of various situations and actions.19,20 You
could say that whatever the mind expects, it finds. If someone uses his or her imagination to visualize
specific behaviors, they can create a detailed picture of what they desire. And then visualizing it over
and over again with all of the senses, they can make it happen. Your client can actually create a
memory bank of positive experiences that will improve their self-image.17 Therefore creating a visual
image where your clients see themselves already achieving their goals can help motivate them. So
picturing how they want something is a cornerstone in the process of making those dreams a reality.
There are steps your clients can take to ensure success.

1. Create a Realistic Vision

A critical step is to ensure that your clients try not to defy the laws of nature. That is, it is
important that they do not set themselves up for failure by creating goals that are
impossible in some way. The vision has to take the goal and apply it realistically to life, as
there are certain things that they are likely not to change. For example, if your client is 5
foot 4 and loves basketball, being drafted into the pros is not a realistic vision, and they're
never going to be able to dunk like Shaq. They can, however, become a great player, join
a local amateur league or even coach. Get the idea?
2. Be Specific
The more detail your client can add to the vision of success, the better. For example, if
your client is picturing himself as losing weight, ask him to imagine how he has dressed
his transformed body. The more details included in the vision of success, the more vibrant
and alive it will become, and the easier it will be to work towards it.
3. Feel It
Your clients need to associate emotions with the things they are imagining for themselves.
By attaching feelings to the visions, they will become more real. Going back to the vision
of weight loss: What will your client feel like to go dancing in their new fit body? They can
feel and hold the excitement. Teach your client to really enjoy this part of their
visualization-let their emotions sweep them up in the experience.

By connecting to visualizations emotionally, your clients can approach their goals as though they
already exist. Instead of marinating in negative feelings of not having what they want, switch it up and
they can indulge in the feelings that come with experiencing exactly the things they want. They will get
what they give, so have them try to come from a place of feeling life's abundance.

Positive Affirmation
The term "positive affirmation" comes from a relatively new branch of behavioral medicine called
positive psychology.15 It looks at what's right, rather than focusing on childhood trauma or troubling
past events. Affirmations themselves can be either positive or negative. Both positive and negative
thoughts have been found to influence a person's life and environment.
Positive affirmations are short, positive statements targeted at negative beliefs, to replace them
with a healthy attitude that focuses on success.21 Affirmations reprogram thought patterns by changing
the way a person thinks and feels about things. Practicing positive self-talk and using positive
affirmations are valuable tools that you can teach to clients.
Negative attitudes and abusive self-talk will sabotage our journey towards any of life's goals.
Thoughts are "things." They actually possess dynamic power. They directly create our reality by
affecting our behavior in the present.22 Beliefs dictate our actions and actions reflect destiny! If a client
feels he or she is not worthy, their behavior will likely reflect that and subsequently manifest those
feelings into reality. People will not show respect to those who don't respect themselves. If your client
thinks positively, there is a better chance they will bring positive results. Every thought is a reflection of
inner truth. For this reason our clients must eliminate negative thoughts and implement positive
affirmations as often as possible.

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 Well constructed positive affirmation statements are critical. Focus on positive words and phrases
only. Work with your clients to educate them on what words should be included and what words should
be avoided due to their negative connotation.
Tense is also important when constructing their affirmations. The affirmations should be written in
present versus future tense. Rather than saying, "I will be," it is more effective to say, "I am." This way
the subconscious mind is able to better adapt and accept the affirmations as a reality. Here is an
example:

Avoid: "I will not get sick during my workout today." All the brain hears is "sick" and
"workout" so that is the reality, attitude, and behavior that will be created-a workout that
makes your client feel sick.

Say: "I am strong. My workout will be amazing today." This type of statement with
positive vernacular reflects a confidence that will imbue your client's workout and help get
the results he or she desires-a strong workout that delivers results.

Get the idea? There are also several different ways to apply positive affirmations.

1. Antidote Statements
Antidote statements are affirmations specifically targeted at reversing self-loathing
statements and negative selftalk. It works like this: Have your client start by writing down
all of the negative things they say to themselves on a daily basis. Do they call themselves
fat, stupid, lazy, etc., even in jest? Put those statements down on paper and then write
the antidote statement-a positive affirmation that cures the negative thought-right next to
it.
The Nike Corporation had a campaign that provides a good example of this. There was
a woman talking about her large thighs. She used the following antidote statements about
how her "strong" thighs carried her for a 5-mile run, and how she looked forward to
bouncing her grandchildren on her strong thunder thighs.
This can be challenging, but have your client work at it. Practice as often as possible.
Work with your client on rephrasing their affirmations. It's imperative that your client
focus and control their thoughts so they exercise their mental resources to work for them
rather than against them.
2. Toot Your Horn
Have your clients take note of things that they have accomplished and done well
throughout the course of their day. Tell them to treat themselves the way they would their
child. Be nurturing and loving with themselves. Every day take time to compliment
themselves on things that are going well.
3. Favorite Qualities
Have your clients write down all the things they love about themselves. Then turn these
qualities into positive statements and use them whenever they're feeling insecure, scared,
incapable, depressed, or "less than" in anyway. For example:

I love my courage.
I am proud of my physique.
I am funny (I really am. I swear).
I am intelligent and interesting.
I am determined and driven.
I am generous and deserving.
I have beautiful eyes.
I am a great motorcycle rider.
I am doing my part to change the world.
I have good taste in fingernail polish.

I hope that you have enjoyed learning about some tools that you can use with your clients. As a life
coach, it is important to walk-the-talk and practice these methods in your own life as well. Your clients
depend on you. Working with them to reach their goals is a critical component to your role as their
personal trainer. By harnessing the power of the mind and using these techniques, you can help your
clients change their lives and not just their bodies.

JILLIAN MICHAELS is one of the leading health and wellness experts in the country. Perhaps
considered one of the most demanding people on television for her role as trainer and life coach on the
NBC hit series, The Biggest Loser, Michaels has created a brand name for herself. Every week she
motivates nearly 13 million TV viewers; millions of people subscribe to her website and daily e-mail
newsletter.
As a motivator and role model, Jillian has a unique connection with her audience that stems from

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 her own personal journey toward wellness. Before she was a huge TV success, Jillian struggled with her
own weight. She was determined to reach her goals-and through dedication and hard work, she did.
Books, DVDs, video games, meal plans-Jillian has them all covered. She is a New York Times
bestselling author of two books, Master Your Metabolism and Making the Cut, and is also author of
Winning by Losing. Her DVDs, Yoga Meltdown, 30-Day Shred, No More Trouble Zones, and Banish Fat,
Boost Metabolism, are consistently top sellers on Amazon, and her Web site, JillianMichaels.com,
enjoys tremendous success because of people who look to Jillian for a comprehensive online wellness
program. In addition, she has a video game for the Nintendo Wii-Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum
2010, which is also available for Nintendo DS, and this fall she will be releasing the 2011 version.
Jillian completed the ninth season of The Biggest Loser this year. Each season in which she has
trained contestants, one of her trainees has taken the top prize. She released two books in April
2010-the Master Your Metabolism Cookbook and the Master Your Metabolism Calorie Counter plus a
Spanish version of Master Your Metabolism, called Optimiza tu Metabolismo.
Along with her business partner, Giancarlo Chersich, Jillian launched Empowered Media, LLC, with
the goal of creating total life solutions for people that involve all aspects of living well including health,
wellness, weight loss and overall lifestyle. By imparting to her clients a unique and inspiring philosophy
that stresses the integration of fitness, nutrition and behavioral changes, Jillian empowers the people
she works with to define and reach their personal goals, both physical and psychological. Empowered
Media allows Jillian to communicate her message of health and wellness to a large audience through
different media, including an online community, books, DVDs, gaming and exercise equipment. The
company will work toward its objectives with a circle of experts who collaborate with Jillian to act as life
architects, helping people to restructure their lives. The company's motto is, "Inspired by Jillian,
empowered by YOU!"
Jillian lives in Los Angeles. When she's not on set for TV, she enjoys traveling and getting involved in
charitable activities, which include her work as an ambassador for the American Cancer Society.

NEXT STEP

Once you have read the article and feel comfortable with the information, move on to the quiz. You are
allowed three (3) attempts to successfully complete the quiz. Remember, successful completion is
defined as answering all items correctly. If after three (3) attempts you have not done so, you will be
given the opportunity to purchase a retest for the module quiz. Once you have completed the module
quiz, you will not be able to return to it. Therefore, before you begin, ensure your comfort level with
the material and keep any support material handy. Good luck!

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