Weight-Loss Tips That Work

By Amy Spencer
After two seasons away from The Biggest Loser—during which time she became mom to a girl, Lukensia, and boy, Phoenix—Jillian Michaels is back. She's not exactly a kinder, gentler Jillian, but motherhood has made it easier for her to relate to women's slim-down woes.

"The only time I put on weight recently was with the kids," she says. Her trick for losing it? Real-life, simple tactics: "I've become the master of shortcuts! It's still about eating less and moving more, but there's a way to do it so you don't feel miserable." This way, the weight stays off. Here are her top tips.

Swear off fad diets You know the kind, says Jillian: "Everyone's like: 'Give up carbs!' 'Give up fat!' 'Wait, no, now I'm taking pills!' None of them are manageable long-term—and they wreak havoc with your metabolism! Because you're either starving yourself or you're cutting out a major food group. Then you go back into weight-gain mode, but it's even worse, because your body has adjusted to all that crazy fad crap."

Be an 80/20 eater "Make 80 percent of the food you eat healthy and take 20 percent of your daily calories and make them fun." Otherwise, Jillian says, you'll feel deprived—and more tempted to go off the deep end.