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Losing It with Jillian: Episode 1 Recap

Posted on 06/02/2010 by David in Losing It With Jillian Michaels

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Losing It with Jillian Michaels

 

by David McAlpine

 

Most people know her as that angry, mean, and, sometimes, bitchy trainer from NBC's hit reality weight-loss show, The Biggest Loser. But this summer, she's not taking a break from the ranch. Instead, she's making house calls to help every day Americans get on the right path to weight loss on her new show, Losing It With Jillian Michaels. And oh, what a premiere it was.

 

Her first family (or "victims" as they've been called online) was the Mastropiestros, the larger-the-life Italian family from Massachusetts. According to them, their dinners are never ending and Michelle, the daughter, says "food is our glue." Immediately, I have to say I'm a fan of this show because it's putting obesity right up front and in our faces where it needs to be.

 

Jim, the father, got gastric bypass surgery recently and it failed as his weight has continued to balloon. Michelle also got the surgery and it's been much more successful with her, but she still remains a heavy girl in her head. Meanwhile, the mother, Agnes, is a self-proclaimed yo-yo dieter, having lost and gained over 100 pounds 7 times. With all of their unhealthy habits and mentalities laid out, they're ready for a change.

 

But first, they have to face the facts. A very direct doctor sits down with all of them and starts reading them several statistics including the Biggest Loser favorite: body fat percentage. Jim weighs in at over 40% body fat, while Agnes is 56% body fat--literally half of her weight is pure fat. Everyone starts to cry and realize that change is needed, but the doctor continues to go on and on...it's a little cold actually.

 

This is why Jillian is here, though! She shows up and, right away, the Mastropiestros are in the gym. It starts out easy with jumping jacks and you can see the fire in her eyes as she slowly cranks the heat up. Then Agnes utters the word "try." That's all Jillian needs and she goes off: "Trying is planning to fail!" it only escalates from there and Agnes gives up. Michelle breaks down and starts yelling at her, while Jillian is threatening to leave. Before she goes, though, she puts a resistance band around Jim and makes him run across the room, dragging her behind, screaming. I would run, too, because I'd be afraid of her reaching me.

 

Jim gives up, too, though and Jillian walks out, causing Michelle to go ballistic. She's the one who wants the change to happen and she doesn't want Jillian to leave.

 

Surprise! Jillian comes back and everyone is ready and willing to take her suggestions. She comes over just in time for dinner, where the family is cooking chicken parmesan. Everything is fried in oil or butter and Jim says, "we don't eat green." Jillian looks incredibly confused, as if she's never seen this before, then she goes off on how bad it is. But at least the woman has a solution: she gets up the next morning with Michelle, the family cook, and goes grocery shopping with her.

 

The more time she spends with the Mastropiestros, the more she learns about their problems as a family. Agnes used to hide and eat because she was so embarrassed that people saw her eating, then she had a son who died as a newborn. Jillian interjects with a brilliant observation: this family doesn't say anything, they keep everything bottled up.

 

Another solution from the Jill-master: she has Agnes order Jim around during their next workout. She makes her push him and tell him why she needs him around. It was an intensely emotional moment, but Agnes lights it up and totally tears into Jim a la Jillian and Jillian is loving it. I am, too!

 

Agnes and Jim pull out an old photo album of pictures of their son that died as a newborn and they have another intense bonding moment. Jim admits that he doesn't like talking about it, but Jillian gets them to realize that they have to talk about it as a family and have a support system or else they'll have nowhere to turn.

 

Since Michelle is gearing up for her wedding, her family goes to the tux and dress shops to get their clothes. Jim is told that he needs to lose 3 inches off of his waist if he wants to fit in the tux he's trying to get, and if he doesn't, all of the tuxes will have to be changed. He's determined, however, and buys the tux anyway. Agnes also goes shopping for a dress, but the highlight was Michelle getting her wedding dress and, I must say, the girl looks fantastic already! I think this is more for her emotional health than anything. Jim mentions at the dinner table how she's going to be such a pretty bride, and Michelle comments, "Yeah, with the saggiest arms." Cue Jillian to rip into her, blaming her for ruining the moment.

 

But the Jillian anger didn't stop there. It continued into the gym, where Michelle broke down again because of Jillian's discussion about how much she hates herself. She finally admits that she needs to work on loving herself before she gets married, because she'll never be able to love anyone else if she can't love herself.

 

As Jillian is leaving, Agnes vows to lose 30 pounds before the wedding (which is six weeks away) and Jim wants to lose 50. Hefty goals, but Jillian encourages them all to go for it. She can't help but tear up as she's leaving, which was nice to see because it showed how invested she got in this family and this project.

 

Of course, NBC isn't going to leave us hanging like that! Six weeks later, Jillian comes back for the wedding (looking amazing in a red dress) and gets reunited with all the Mastropiestros. Everyone looks fantastic (Jim even lost ten inches off his waist) and they all have a happy reunion. Before she leaves for good, Jillian leaves one last present: she's picking up the tab for Michelle's wedding and sending her and her new husband on a VIP honeymoon to Curacao. Just when you thought Jillian had found her soft side, looking great in her dress, her hair all done, she turns to the crowd and screams like a bear into the microphone. Oh, Jillian, how we love you.

 

 

Watch Jillian make another housecall next Tuesday at 8/7c on an all-new Losing It with Jillian Michaels, only on NBC!

 

(Image courtesy of NBC)

 

 

 

Follow David on Twitter: @DavidMcAlpine

 

For more Losing It with Jillian Michaels links, visit SirLinksALot.net.

 

Watch the full episode below

 


  


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