Michelle Bridges breaks another world record!

Guinness World Record broken on TODAY (USA).

Michelle Bridges leads several hundred participants on TODAY as they set out to break the Guinness World Record for the largest exercise ball class.

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RSPCA - Hens Deserve Better

http://www.hensdeservebetter.org.au/

The year that built Michelle Bridges

Weight-loss queen Michelle Bridges is taking on the world one town at a time.

Behind the scenes of The Biggest Loser recently, there was almost as much drama as in the series itself.

Since the reality weight-loss program aired last year trainer Michelle Bridges - as countless news stories revealed - divorced her husband of nine years, started a relationship with series co-star, Steve ''The Commando'' Willis, subsequently split then reunited with him, before their relationship status, whatever it may currently be, quietly became their own business.

"I know I'm making a difference."

It was all a bit melodramatic but through it all, Bridges remained focused on what was most important to her and The Biggest Loser - helping people lose weight.

She's at the helm of three companies and has a fitness empire - including books, DVDs, workout gear and her phenomenally successful online program 12 Week Body Transformation - worth an estimated $67 million. She's also about to make headway into America.

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Sitting around letting the gossip get her down? Not likely.

"I feel like [the last year] has been great, actually," Bridges says. "I had a great year. I learnt a lot about business, about myself, my health, my wellness, and I'm ready to take on 2014."

Which is a good thing, considering what she's got going on now. Case in point: The Biggest Loser.

Most years, Bridges shoots the series for five months. This time, production went back-to-back, wrapping series eight before taking a quick two-week break and heading straight into the next.

"We just went cracking straight through from one to another," Bridges says. "You always go, 'What am I doing this for?' when you're in the thick of it, but we all love it.

"We know we're making reality TV that has a bit of backbone …

"These are real people who are transforming themselves, doing it in front of the whole nation, and if you ever watch a series back to back, you can see why it's the longest-running reality series on Australian TV. It's great."

This year Loser and Bridges are taking on the show's biggest transformation, an entire town.

"Put it this way, there were several moments along the way where the production team, the crew, the trainers - everyone - were all looking at each other going, 'What were we thinking? Did we really think we could do this?'

"I know when they told me about the concept for the show, I was like 'Holy moly. This is crazy town'. But we had some phenomenal results.''

Their chosen makeover town is Ararat in Victoria - one of the country's most overweight towns.

They've set themselves the goal of overhauling the population's health and fitness habits, with a lucky few given the chance to enter the Biggest Loser house up in Sydney to continue their journey.

"We're talking about a Victorian town that's one of the most overweight ever - that does enormous damage to the psyche of a town," she says.

But, by all accounts, it seems her message sank in.

"Every time I'd go there and get up in the morning for a run, there were more people on the streets at 6 o'clock; more people in the gym; more people in the swimming pool. Everyone was noticing it.

"Once it caught on and we got the town moving and involved, they were spruiking it from the rooftops.''

It's that enthusiasm, Bridges says, that keeps her going.

"People stop me in the street, in cafes, in the supermarket.

''The second thing they want is a photograph, but the first thing is to tell me their story …

"I'm a pretty inspired person, but I listen to these girls, and I think, 'Holy shit, I have to go to the gym, or I have to go for a run' - because if they can do it, then I can too."

Bridges knows how lucky she was to have landed Loser six years ago, and says it's helped enormously in getting her evangelical health and fitness message out.

"I was extremely well known in the fitness world, but as far as the general public went, no one knew who I was until I started Loser," she says.

"All the things I had in the making, that I was trying to get going, it gave me this amazing platform to really get it all up."

And if there's a bit of press intrusion along the way, then so be it.

"I know I'm making a difference," she says emphatically.

"I know people are now sitting up and paying attention, and that's cool.

"I couldn't be happier."

Biggest Loser, Ten, Sunday, 6.30pm

source Sydney Morning Herald

Chic Celebrities at the 50th edition of Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Awards in Sydney

Camilla Franks

Charlotte Dawson

Cheyenne Tozzi

Megan Gale

Michelle Bridges

Michelle Bridges and Sophie Falkiner

A statement from Michelle Bridges

Michelle Bridges and her husband of nine years, Bill Moore, have made a mutual decision to separate. During their marriage Michelle and Bill shared their passion for fitness, cooking and healthy living and turned that passion into a hugely successful business partnership. Unfortunately for this committed and hard working couple, their drive to help transform the health and lives of Michelle's many followers left little time for their personal life.  They have enormous respect and love for each other and will remain best friends and partners. 

Bill will continue in the role as Michelle's Business Manager and work with her across her various business activities.

"This is a tough period in our lives but Bill and I have been very honest with ourselves and each other: this has led to us prioritising our passion for teaching the steps to health transformation at the cost of our marriage but not at the cost of our friendship and love for each other. We are best mates and that will always be the case.''

Michelle Bridges - Sunday Life, January 27 2013

See behind the scenes for Michelle's cover shoot for Womens Health FEB 2013

http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/womens-health/video/watch/d60e8f1e-04cf-39d2-953b-2a126631d7fa/?cmp=twitter

Michelle Bridges on The Morning Show

Michelle Bridges and her tips for keeping fit during the festive season.

Michelle's dress by SABA

Spring into Shape - Michelle Bridges on Sunrise

30 Days of Fashion & Beauty Launch 2012

Catriona Rowntree

Catriona Rowntree

Carissa Walford

Lizzy Lovette

Michelle Bridges

Michelle Bridges

Sophie Falkiner

Sophie Falkiner

Michelle Bridges - The Naked Truth

THE FITNESS GURU
Michelle Bridges, 41
Personal trainer, author, Sunday Life columnist, television personality

 

"I was a bit of a chubby kid, but as so often happens, it dropped off when I started running around" ... Michelle Bridges. Photo: Chris Colls.

My mum will tell anyone who'll listen that when I was less than 18 months old, she fed me a full baked dinner, then ice-cream and strawberries, and then gave me a bottle and thought that I would throw everything up. But I went straight to sleep and slept right through. I've always liked my food, and still do.

I was a bit of a chubby kid, but as so often happens, it dropped off when I started running around. I was into everything - debating, drama club, choir - and every sport you can imagine. I was captain of a lot of teams: netball, basketball, volleyball, water polo, hockey, soccer, touch football and softball. I played in both the boys' and girls' teams. I even loved the training. I started teaching fitness classes when I was 14, so I was aware of my body. At that point it was more about my sport: how can I run faster? How can I be stronger? How can I jump higher?

I remember I would get up and ride my bike to the swimming pool and swim 20 laps and then I'd ride home and go to school. It wasn't about trying to be skinny or anything - it was just about having a release and also staying fit.

Of course, I am certainly not going to pretend I didn't have insecurities as a teenager - I think every teenager does. I remember thinking that I would like to have a good set of boobs! Girls were self-conscious about their bodies when I was growing up, and it's probably even worse now. At school, you would see the girls looking at themselves; their school uniforms were either too tight, too long or too short.

My mum was always very conscious of her health. She exercised regularly and chose to eat really healthy food, which is how, of course, I ate as well. A healthy sandwich and a piece of fruit, and that would be pretty much it in my lunch box.

As soon as I left home, I went down the grocery aisle and grabbed everything I wasn't allowed to have: Coco Pops, white bread, ice-cream -- you name it, I got it. I think it lasted a week and then I was back to brown bread, fish and salad.
When I first started appearing on The Biggest Loser, people saw me as a hard-core, full-on, brutal trainer. They would think I was a bully, maybe also because I represent weight loss, which is a very personal topic. Anyone who knows me knows that is completely the opposite of who I am.

I have always been a big believer in "walking the walk". I work out one hour a day, sometimes two. My husband, Bill, and I have a very good diet, lots of green, leafy vegetables, lean protein, a lot of fish - we don't eat a lot of snacks. I think that's the downfall for heaps of people, who are always on the hunt for their next snack.

My breakfast is either porridge or cereal, and on the weekend we might have eggs on toast. Lunch today, for example, was a chicken wrap. Or in winter it might be a soup. It's all pretty simple.

Of course, I have comfort food. At the moment, we are enjoying a glass of pinot with dinner because it's so beautiful on a winter evening. I also have this thing for strawberry liquorice, and I like hot chips, as long as they are really good. I am not going to waste kilojoules on soggy ones: they have to be beautifully crispy, gourmet, rosemary-salted ones. And just on the odd occasion.

I've definitely got a good appetite, and a high metabolism. I eat more than most of my girlfriends. I'm not one of those trainers who says, "My body is my temple and never shall chocolate touch my lips." I know plenty of trainers who are in that rigid regimen, where they weigh everything. But if you are that rigid, how can you relate to your clients?

I've always loved dressing up. I've got a mad collection of heels in my wardrobe, sexy clothes and feminine clothes, as well as tomboy clothes. At times I can feel sexy, but what I like first and foremost is that my body is functional. Fitness-wise, it works as well as it did when I was in my 20s. In some ways it's better, because I'm stronger in my head - I ran a marathon a couple of years ago and I don't think I could have done that in my 20s.

Occasionally I say to myself, "God, I'm getting older", but it doesn't stress me out. I like that my body is ageing well. I think it looks pretty good, and that comes down to the lifestyle choices I've made. I'm 41 and I can still fit into the same size-8 clothes I wore in my 20s, but my physique has certainly changed. I've got "muscle maturity" - a quality and depth within the muscle because it's been worked over the years.

Okay, all my life I've hated my bum. It's big! It's like an African-American woman's booty. But with maturity, I've learnt to love it.

I can tap into women's body issues because I understand them; the way women check each other out, the way they will self-sabotage. It's a lot of psychology. If we start to unravel that, then you can start to move forward. I'm overwhelmed by how much unhappiness is out there about body issues.

So many of us focus on exercise to lose weight, but the key factor for me is what exercise does for my head. It's an antidepressant. It's when we don't exercise that the head games start.

My exercise is my rock. It's the one thing that's mine, that's given me solace, that's got me through the death of my nan or problems at work. It's the one thing I'll always turn to.
- as told to Danielle Teutsch


  - The Sydney Morning Herald

Michelle Bridges looking fabulous in 'what the frock?'

Michelle Bridges on Avoiding Winter Weight Gain

Michelle Bridges in Latte Magazine

Michelle on the Cover of LOTL Magazine!

Michelle @ the Instyle awards last night

Michelle interviewed in Living + Lifestyle

http://www.livingpluslifestyle.com.au/articles/2012/motivation-queen

Michelle Bridges supports the 'Lets Live Better, Run Around Australia Campaign'

Michelle in Prevention Magazine

Behind the scenes for Michelle Bridges Womens Health shoot