janet jackson: lessons from janet jackson's weight loss & diet

Lessons From Janet Jackson's Weight Loss and Diet

The recent publicity over Janet Jackson's weight gain, and subsequent weight loss campaign, also aroused a lot of public opinion and comment. Not surprisingly, given the superstar status of the singer, for me the star of the Jackson family, and the size of the weight reduction she supposedly achieved over a 4 month period.

Janet Jackson is reputedly a yo-yo dieter, someone who has phases of dieting followed by putting all the weight back on. That can never be good for long term health for anyone, and that surely goes for Janet Jackson too. But, she was overweight by the accepted measures that are used by the medical profession today, and she knew it.

So she set out on a weight loss campaign, as millions of people around the world do, every year. Only in her case, and on this occasion, she was successful in losing weight.

Cause of Janet Jackon's Weight Gain

Many have speculated how and why Ms Jackson got so heavy in the first place; depression, stress and all the usual reasons have been suggested by various commentators.

Some excused that it was her stressful superstar existence that caused the recent problem, and the eating disorders that have been reported on in the past. Maybe, maybe not; that's her business really.

Stars in the public limelight do have stresses that may be different to other people's stresses. But there are millions of people not in the limelight who are overweight and may be tempted to blame stress.

Of course, it could be that Janet Jackson just felt like letting herself go for while, and let the weight drift upwards, without feeling any real incentive to keep it under a tight rein. Then one day felt the effects of being too heavy and thought: "That's it, I'm going to lose weight."

Unless Janet Jackson has a medical problem, then being overweight was simply caused by consuming too many calories compared to the energy she was expending each day.

That is the case with almost all overweight and obese people. So, once that decision was made to get back to what she thought was her best weight, she had to set about reversing that situation. In other words, strike a better balance between exercise and food consumption.
If the figures that we read at the time were true, Ms Jackson lost weight at a rate well above the "safe" rate suggested by most doctors.

She was losing nearly 4 pound a week over the period of 4 months, about double the recommended weight loss rate. But how was she able to do it?

How Janet Jackson Lost Weight

If reports are to be believed, Janet Jackson just did what all the books and experts tell overweight people to do. On the one hand, she had a controlled diet; on the other hand, she had a systematic exercise programme.

Now, any of us can do that, but most of us do not. We spend billions of dollars a year on special diets and weight loss plans, and just keep getting heavier. We know what to do, but just don't do it.

In Ms Jackson's case, she did it. To simplify things, she had the motivation to lose weight, despite the effort and self control that was required.

If anyone has the motivation, they too can lose weight. There is enough free information to enable anyone to get those pounds off, and to bring their BMI down to a healthy level.

When Janet Jackson's weight loss success was reported, many people dismissed it, saying "oh, it's alright for her, she can afford a personal fitness trainer and personal chef."

That, though, is not the point. She could have done the same without the personal chef or trainer; she just happened to take advantage of her wealth to outsource two important features of her weight loss campaign.

Surely she would have been too busy to count out her calories every day? Most of us are not, although we may claim to be. And we can all exercise and go to the gym, or just exercise at home, or walk the streets, beaches or fields to burn off those calories.

The simple fact is, Janet Jackson was inspired, for whatever reason, to lose weight, so she did what was necessary. Some say it was to get to looking slim and sexy for a new album, but that does not matter.

What does matter is that she found the motivation to reduce her weight, and took seriously to the task with a high level of endurance.

I suspect that for millions of people, motivation is the missing link. Find that inspiration, that motivating factor, and you could be shedding the pounds at a healthy rate suggested by your doctor.

janet jackson: janet's abs take best washboard award

No flab: Janet's abs take best washboard award

LOS ANGELES — It's crunch time for Janet Jackson and envy time for the rest of us.
On Grammy night last week, the Staples Center crowd buzzed about the singer's amazing six-pack abs when she stepped on stage wearing low-cut jeans and a long-sleeve pink crop top.

The next day Jackson's taut midsection was discussed on the Today show. Weatherman Al Roker said he thought he'd seen her on the cover of Men's Health, a magazine known for men with muscular abs.

"I think she's the fittest female celebrity around," says her trainer, Tony Martinez, who began working with the singer five years ago. "People can do their laundry on her stomach."

According to Shape's Winter 2001 issue, Jackson, 35, began seeing nutritionist Tony Perrone in December 2000 and eventually dropped four sizes, to a size 0. The formerly chubby singer started getting buff about a decade ago.

"I'm still really insecure about my body," she told Shape. You'd never know from her Grammy outfit.

"She's just so shy about that," Martinez says. "Her body is tremendous. She puts a lot of hard work into that. She's a very humble person."

He laments how Jackson's abs get all the attention, when he says her arms, back and legs are incredibly shaped as well. He works with her one to two hours a day, five or six days a week, and accompanies her on tour. She works her abs only 10 to 15 minutes a day, three times a week.
"Whenever you do any kind of exercise you're always contracting your stomach," Martinez says.

Her favorite ab exercise? Hanging upside down from a bar and lifting her body from her midsection. He mixes up her workouts with boxing, basketball, tennis, snowboarding and hitting balls in a batting cage. Next up: surfing, if Martinez gets his way.

janet jackson: beginner's guide to janet jackson weight loss plan

Beginner's Guide to the Janet Jackson Weight Loss Plan

We all know who Janet Jackson is. Aside from her breathtaking voice, she is also popular for her great body and even better diet regimen. The Janet Jackson diet plan has attracted so much attention after the actress evidently lost 60 lbs in four months by following a strict weight-loss regimen that mainly consisted of cutting down on calorie intake and working out to burn body fats and tone her muscles. The plan gained so much following that it was even named after the singer/actress.

Cutting down on the calories

For four months, Janet Jackson followed a strict diet regimen that was prepared by her nutritionist David Allen. The diet basically includes cutting down on her calorie-intake.

Following the Janet Jackson Weight-loss Plan allows you to eat four to five times a day provided that the food intake is in small amounts and the total calorie-intake should amount to about 1,500 calories (or depending on how much energy you need for the day).

Eating in small amounts several times within the day helps you curb the desire to binge or overeat which is what we tend to do when we're hungry. This would also help you maintain the energy that you need to get through all your tasks for the day.

Planning your meals is a must to make sure that you only eat just enough for you to get through the day's tasks effectively. Just like in other diet plans, you need to remember to eat a balanced diet which contains all the necessary nutrients that the body uses.

Since it consists of eating frequently (albeit in small amounts), the Janet Jackson Weight Loss Plan discourages skipping meals for the sake of weight-loss. Doing so only makes the body hold on to the unwanted weight and body fat. It essentially leads to low blood sugar. When the body is low in sugar, the brain would send out signals to make it look for ways to increase your blood sugar which makes you feel really hungry.

When you feel extremely hungry, you binge and crave for food and that will cause you to take in a lot of unnecessary calories. So it's by far better to just eat small meals 4-5 times in a day rather than eating a lot twice within the day.

But you should also bear in mind that the quality of the food you eat is just as important as its quantity. Cut down on the processed food and beverages like sodas and alcohol. Remember that you're eating in small amounts and if all you eat is junk, then you'll end up sacrificing your health. Besides, junk food doesn't really help in weight-loss. If anything, it even aggravates fat and salt retention.

The workout

Famous trainer to the stars, Tony Ramirez, designed Janet Jackson's weight-loss workout plan. According to press releases, her workout regimen consisted of twice weekly leg exercises, upper body work (like push-ups, pull-downs, etc) and cardiovascular activities five days a week.

Four months later, we actually saw the effect on the actress. Not only did she lose the unwanted 60 lbs, she also got great abs and a toned body. People could only stare in disbelief at this amazing transformation.

More than eating properly, exercise is also essential to the Janet Jackson weight-loss plan. After cutting down on food intake, the body will not be able to go back to its original form after being pulled out because of weight-gain. Those flabs will not flatten out by just minimizing the stuff you eat. You're going to have some serious workout to do to tone your muscles which are supposed to take the place of the lost fat.

You and the Janet Jackson Weight-Loss Plan

However, it's a known reality that not all of us have the luxury of a personal nutritionist and trainer who would monitor the stuff we eat and how much crunches we do regularly. But that is not to say that the Janet Jackson Weight-loss plan won't work for the common person. There are a lot of things you could do to help you follow this plan strictly. You could use a calorie counter.

Certain websites actually contain this so try browsing related sites so you can go over your food intake to find out if you're already way over the prescribed calorie-intake for the day. Visit your family doctor so he can give you an idea of how much food you actually need.

At the end of the day, the key to the effectiveness of the Janet Jackson weight-loss plan is discipline. It takes a lot of that to follow the plan regularly and resist the temptation of that tasty hamburger which could do wonders on your weight in such a short time.

trish stratus: ring up this wrestling diva

Ring Up This Wrestling Diva

It's just about every wrestling fan's dream to get Trish Stratus alone in the ring.
But for one smitten teen, getting the former WWE seven-time women's wrestling champion alone in the ring quickly turned into a nightmare when Stratus laid a good, old-fashioned thumping on him.

Just as the script called for.
The Toronto-based Stratus was in Ottawa yesterday for a taping of Family Biz, the new Muse & Breakout Entertainment production shooting at Laurentian High School on Baseline until August.

Wearing wrestling gear that looks more like lingerie, Stratus has shrunk since her rassling days. Everything about her 36DD-24-36 inch frame is tiny except her hair, her teeth and her boobs. Small, but more than enough to beat up Eli, the teenager character played by Ephraim Ellis.

In this particular episode, the former wrestling diva got to play a famous female wrestling star. Give that casting agent a raise.

"I wasn't expecting so many stunts," Stratus pants during a break in the action "It's exciting to be in the ring again. It's fun."

Though its been almost two years since her last pro match, Stratus hasn't lost her edge, or enthusiasm for the ring.

She quit the ring to marry her fiance of 15 years Ron, and nurse her mother, who in 2006 was diagnosed with cancer, but has since been given a clean bill of health.
Stratus admits she misses the rush of pro wrestling, but insists she left at the right time.

"I went out on top as the best female champion ever," she said.

A former fitness model before she got into the WWE, Stratus opened her own yoga studio "Stratusphere" north of Toronto .

She'll also finish taping her new television series also called Stratusphere, which premieres on the Travel & Escape network in September.

"My life is just as frantically based as it was when I was wrestling. The difference is that now, I'm not in the back seat, I'm driving."

trish stratus: the status on stratus

Chill: The Status on Stratus

Now that her days as a WWE Diva are behind her and she’s settled into life outside the ring, Trish Stratus has been able to slow down and focus on the things closest to her heart. But between her charity work, opening up a yoga studio, hosting an exciting new adventure travel show and her countless other interests, we’d say she hasn’t slowed down one bit.Luckily, Ms. Stratus found the time to Chill with us and fill us in on what she’s been up to.

Let’s start by you telling us a little bit about bit about yourself.

My full name is Trish Stratus. I’m a Sagittarius, I was born and raised in Toronto - grew up and went to high school in Richmond Hill. From there I went to York University, I studied biology and kinesiology and my ultimate goal was to become a doctor. However, at that time the university professors went on strike, so I was kind of put on hold, just waiting for school to come back. During that time, I was approached by Robert Kennedy, who is the publisher of a fitness magazine and he asked me if I’d be interested in doing some shots for a magazine.

I’d never done that before, but I thought it’d be fun, so I did a few test shots for him and he made me a deal. He said, “I like what I see and I’ll give you a few months with a personal trainer, a few months to eat, sleep, and train and get ready for another photo shoot." Since that was my first job, I said, “Oh great," but it was only because school was on break that I got to really delve into that.

And, because I was studying biology and kinesiology, I got to practice some of the theories I was learning in school which was great. My first photo shoot turned into my first magazine cover and suddenly I became a fitness model and was travelling all over the world. When school came back in session I had to decide if I’d be able to balance the two and I didn’t think I could. In the end I decided to leave school and focus on the fitness at least for a while and it turned out great! I’ve had an amazing career, and it was the fitness modelling that led me to everything.

How did a girl from Richmond Hill end up on the mat of the WWE?

I was on a show called Michael Landsberg’s Off the Record and I was a popular guest because I was a chick who knew about sports. I was on the show when wrestling was starting to go primetime on TSN and was turning into a big deal and I attended a press event for it.

After that press conference, for some reason an internet rumour started that Trish Stratus had signed a deal after Vince McMahon saw me on TV. Totally false, but the rumour kept growing bigger and bigger, people were constantly asking me when I was starting, and one day I just did it. I guess after all the rumours had grown, the WWE finally said, “Okay, who is this Trish Stratus we keep hearing about?" But they didn’t call me, there was no such contact beforehand, it just kind of happened. I signed a deal in 2000 and made my wrestling debut in March of 2000, and that’s that.

Herniated discs, numerous broken noses – not part of most people’s 9-5. What kept you going?

Wrestling was a tough deal – I definitely had a lot of bruises and broken bones to prove it was a rigorous job, but I loved what I did. I was able to combine athleticism with being an entertainer and got to travel the world. It was just such a unique opportunity, being able to get out there and entertain the fans; there was no other rush like that. It was definitely some of the best years of my life, I felt like I was kind of made for the job.

How did your family and friends respond to your decision to enter into wrestling?

It was really interesting because I had to find a way to say, “Mom and Dad, I’m not going to be a doctor anymore, I’m going to be a wrestler." But at the time it made sense, because a series of events caused this amazing opportunity to be presented to me.

So everyone was really excited, and no matter what career path I chose, they were going to be supportive. They knew I was passionate about wrestling and loved being athletic, so if I could make a career out of it, they thought it was great.

How hard was it to walk away?

Walking away was very tough, but it was right. It just felt right. I had been doing it for almost seven years, and when you’re a wrestler you sacrifice a lot more than just your body. We had no off-season, we were constantly on the road. I think one year I was on the road for 300 days of the year. I missed seeing a lot of my friends getting married or having babies, which was fine.

I sort of looked at it like, if I was going to med school, I would’ve been putting all that stuff on hold anyway. When the WWE asked me to re-sign, I had already been doing it for over six years at that point; I had set out to do some things in wrestling. I wanted to be the world champion, I wanted to be known as the best champion ever, not saying that I am, but some people say that (laughs).

But I had won a record number of titles at that point, I had worked with all the people that I wanted to work with, and at that time my mom had just been diagnosed with cancer, so I knew I couldn’t go back out on the road, I needed to be there for her. So that was the trigger that made me know walking away was right. I was also lucky enough to have a storybook ending. I retired in front of my hometown crowd at the ACC and took my final bow as a champion, so I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.

What is your advice for any young woman trying to break into wrestling or any other career?

Set your goals and go for it. People constantly ask me if I always wanted to be a wrestler, but when I started, there wasn’t really a women’s wrestling division, so it wasn’t really something to aspire toward.

I got lucky with my timing because it was right when they decided they were going to start a women’s division. Now it’s interesting because young girls can say, “When I grow up, I want to be a diva." But really, in anything you do, just set your goals and go for it, but remember to be prepared.

My motto is ‘Preparedness meets opportunity’ – do all you can do to be prepared so when opportunity comes knocking at your door, you can take full advantage and maximize that opportunity.

How about some advice for men who have to report to those career women?

Whether you’re working with or for a women, show respect.

Having lived in the United States for so long, what are your thoughts on Barack Obama winning the election?

I never lived in the States. I always stayed in Canada. Toronto is my home base, and that was a luxury. Even though I was always travelling, Toronto has a great airport with a lot of direct flights, so I was able to stay home and keep my friends and family. I think that’s what grounded me. It was nice to have that home base to come home to. But I think it’s great that Obama won. America needs change, and I think he is the answer for that, and it’ll be interesting to see how the world accepts him and what happens from here.

How did your travel show Stratusphere come about?

I had been working on a show for CBC called The Second City’s Next Comedy Legend, and the producer, Morgan Elliott and I got to talking about travelling the world and I mentioned that as a wrestler, I only really saw the airports and arenas, I never really got to see anything else.

Anyway, a while later she was at the Banff World Television Festival and mentioned she was working with me and there was an opportunity to create a new show, and we ended up landing a 10 episode deal. So we put Stratusphere together and decided it would be an adventure show where I would tackle a new adventure in each place.

What types of adventures have you done?

I’ve done Muay Thai boxing in Thailand, gone paragliding in North India. I did a reindeer race in Norway, tried Glima wrestling in Iceland, which is what the Vikings did, and I’ve tried sword fighting in South India. Everything we do has a relevance to the culture, so it allows us to look deeper within the culture of the places we visit.

We came across a Stratusphere web forum that included a post from a 16-year-old girl in India who said watching you on your show inspires her to believe she can do anything. What does having that type of impact on people mean to you?

Wow. It’s interesting to come across people who have watched or followed my career and hear that I’ve inspired them. It’s hard to take sometimes, especially when I was wrestling because I was beating people up for a living. Is that a good example? But I think what they actually see is me setting goals and going out and actually tackling them. Just go for it. I always aim to reach the highest level. I always say, I want to be the best at whatever I’m doing, and I think everyone should do that.

You have such a fearless, go get ‘em attitude. Is there anything you’re afraid of?

I think I can honestly say I’m fearless. I feel like I’m living life to the fullest. I don’t think you should fear anything. Don’t get me wrong, there have been a couple times in my travels where I was like, “What the heck am I doing," but I still did it. You have to go for it. Not to sound morbid, but if it’s your time to go, it’s your time to go.

You seem to be developing a lot of different business interests. If we didn’t know better, we’d think you were building an empire. Care to tell us about what you’re doing and what your goals are?

I am slowly building an empire actually! (Laughs) I opened Stratusphere because of my passion for yoga, and building the studio gave me the unique opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. I saw the difference it made in my life, I was able to live a much fuller life, and I wanted to give people somewhere they could try something new and unknown, but feel safe and at ease while doing it.

And it helps that I have the most amazing teachers here who help me spread the word. It was interesting because after I retired from wrestling, I had a lot of people coming to me asking “Can you put your name on this, can you be the spokesperson for this?" But Stratusphere was an organic thing that came from my love of yoga.

You’re also heavily involved with charity work. What triggered your philanthropic spirit?

It comes from just having the ability to give back to my community. While I was with the WWE they were really good at getting us involved with various charities, especially ones that involved children. The Make-A-Wish Foundation was something we were very dedicated to, helping fulfill a wish as simple as helping a terminally ill child meet up with their favourite WWE star.

It was amazing to see how much just spending a little time meant to them, such a simple thing, but it meant the world to them. I learned that just becoming involved helps to bring awareness to these causes and helps make a difference. A cause that is close to my heart is the Sick Kids Foundation as my sister had open heart surgery there when she was in grade one and I saw first-hand what an important place it is, and the kind of support they provided my sister and my family.

How does Trish chill?

I do yoga. Its funny because as a Type A personality I thought I’d never be able to do it because I’d be going over to-do lists in my head – but it turns out that doing yoga is what helped me to accomplish my goals and allowed me to actually cross stuff off my to-do list by making me a fuller, more focused person.

Vince McMahon is one of the masters of marketing. Was there any conflict for you being marketed equally as a sex symbol and an athlete?

Initially, I was brought into the WWE as a sex symbol. But I think it also worked for me as an athlete because of the evolution of women’s wrestling, and the introduction of the WWE Divas. I knew I was capable of getting in the ring and was athletic enough to try and do what the guys were doing. It did take some re-educating of the fans, though. At first they were like, “Okay, where’s your bikini?" or “What are you girls wrestling for?" But we decided that we were going to do this and show a different side to the women, and prove that we could not only show some butt, we could kick some butt!

It took a while for the fans to come around, but it helped after Vince saw the whole picture - you know, we could go out there and wrestle, but you could also put us on magazine covers.

How rigorous was the diet and training during your wrestling years?

Coming from a fitness background I learned to do my eating and my training in order to sculpt my body. When I started on the road it was a little bit of an adjustment because I was travelling like crazy, so could only eat what was available. You can eat the catering, you can go to Wendy’s and grab a chicken breast, things like that. It was hard though, there were no gym, so we’d just try to stay at hotels that had a gym or were near a gym.

The training was a little difficult and I just kind of learned it along the way. It’s hard with wrestling though, your body never really recovers because you’re continuously going, so you just had to try and train to keep your body in top form. The biggest thing for me was finding yoga. That helped me not only not feel the pain that I thought was normal, but I could also workout in my own hotel room and didn’t always have to search for a gym. It allowed me to be a little more centered.

What are some of the core differences and similarities between Americans and Canadians?

There are a lot of differences. As a personality on television, Canadians are always coming up to me saying, “Wow, you do such a great job, we’re so proud of you." Whereas in the States, people are running up like, “Sign this! Sign this!" I think Americans are much more fascinated by the celebrityism of it, while Canadians appreciate the hard work it takes to make it.

Ever use one of your wrestling moves to keep your husband in line?

I try to keep my wrestling moves in the ring and only break them out on trained professionals!

Have all your travels given you a new perspective on what life is really like in Canada – good or bad?

I think we have such an amazing country. It’s amazing to go away to these different cultures for specific reasons – we went to Norway for the cold weather or to the south for the warm weather. We’re lucky because we have a little bit of everything. I think New Zealand is probably most similar to Canada in the way that they’re adventurous and they’re happy, fun people just like we are.

If you had to pick a country other than Canada to call home, which would it be?

I think New Zealand. Besides the accent, it’s pretty close to Canada, except they love adventure. A good example is, in New Zealand, they have the Sky Tower like we have the CN Tower. The only difference is, we light our tower up and we look at it, but in New Zealand, they jump off it. I’d say that’s the only big difference. The Kiwis are quite adventurous.

How involved are you with the studio itself? Do you participate in or teach classes?

I am a certified Ashtanga yoga instructor, but I haven’t taught any classes yet because I’ve been really busy with the Stratusphere travel show. It is one of my ultimate goals though. But because we have such awesome teachers and with yoga, you’re always learning, I feel a little selfish in that I just want to slip into the classes and learn from my amazing teachers. But I think one day there will definitely be a Stratusfaction class being held.

What is your message to men who are uneasy about taking yoga?

Usually when I tell a guy he should try yoga, the first reaction is, “Oh no, that’s for girls." A lot of people also think you have to already be totally flexible or that they’ll have to sing hymns or something. Sometimes there is chanting, but not all the time. We’ve actually done a class called ‘Yoga for Guys Who like Fries,’ which was to try and show men you don’t have to be in great shape to come and do this.

It really enhances your life in so many ways, especially when you’re really stressed out with your job or the kids. Just come to yoga, get away for an hour and you’ll be amazed with the results.

I’m starting to see it now, more and more guys are walking through the door to take a class. When we first started this place about 1/3 of the clients were men, so we built smaller washrooms for the men. Now it’s almost half and half – there are hockey players and athletes and everyday guys coming in to take a class.

Also, guys become more in-tune with their body when they’re about 18 or 19 years-old, and they’re starting to realize if they do yoga it’ll make them better at whatever sport they play.
Five, 10 or 15 years down the road – where will Trish be?
Definitely doing yoga, but other than that, I’m not sure. Every point in my life has been so different, there have been so many interesting steps. If you asked me in university what I would be doing, I’d say being a doctor.

If you asked me when I was doing fitness modelling, I’d say I’d continue to be a fitness model. I just know that I’m going to try to constantly be doing something that challenges me. There needs to be a challenge involved with everything I do, I can’t sit back and just cruise.

Are you a Type A, Type B, or Type C (chill) personality?

I am a full on, total a type A personality.

Trish’s Dish – if you had only pickles, peanut butter, lettuce, bread, yogourt, sardines, eggs, chocolate milk and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce in the fridge, what would you make?

First I’d throw the sardines in the green bin, then I’d drink the chocolate milk. Then I’d make a salad with the pickles and lettuce with a little Frank’s hot sauce for dressing – delicious! Then I’d make a peanut butter sandwich with a little bit of yogourt, because, why not!

Christmas is right around the corner – will Santa say that Trish has been naughty or nice?

He’d definitely say I’ve been nice.
What would you like Santa to bring you this year?
I would like Santa to bring me a little box of happiness for the whole world!

Everywhere I go people are always saying, “Oh, I love Canadians, they’re so nice!"

janet jackson: janet jackson's weight loss secrets

Janet Jackson's Weight Loss Secrets

What are Janet Jackson's weight loss secrets? It looks like the singer has managed to drop 60 pounds in less than four months with the help of a nutritionist and strict workout schedule. Janet hit an estimated high of almost 180 pounds and claims she was just doing it for a movie role.

Is this a legitimate case of Bridget Jones or did the pop star just indulge in one too many twinkies? Either way, at 120 pounds, she looks super strong and isn't ashamed to show it all off. Janet has admitted that she absolutely hates working out, so she'd better not slack off if she wants to maintain her hot new figure.

janet jackson: how 2 lose & gain weight like janet jackson

How to lose & gain weight like Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson has been in the limelight since 1976 when she started acting in TV Good Times and Diff'rent Strokes. Since her music career started in 1982, Janet has been a staple on the R&B and pop charts, known both for her singing and dancing. Over the years, the public has watched Janet gain and lose weight repeatedly, making her easier to relate to than her famous Jackson 5 brothers.

Exercise like an athlete. Janet is described as working out like a professional athlete, full of determination and stamina as she keeps going long after her workout is over. She handles her workouts just as she handles her career, with attitude and strength resulting in the body she loves to show off in low cut tight outfits.

Stay busy. Janet first lost weight in the beginning of her career by going on her Rhythm Nation Tour. Afterward, she showed off her new body in the video "Love Will Never Do (Without You)." If you dance like a maniac for two hours straight, you'll be sure to lose the weight like Janet did.

Keep focused and push yourself. Janet has admitted to Us magazine that she doesn’t like working out and has to push herself to do it. She also said that she has to be careful not to party too much with her dancers because they like to drink and that can ruin her diet.

Eat more calories than you burn during the day to gain weight. This is exactly what Janet did; basically she ate and then sat around during the years she gained weight for movie roles. Most people who are overweight do this; they eat more than they burn off during the day.

Buy anything and everything under the sun. This was also a problem for Janet, which caused her to gain an excessive amount of weight. She bought anything she wanted from chocolate covered strawberries to potato chips. You name it, she reportedly bought and then ate it all. But she has since lost the weight again (following the routine detailed in Steps 1 through 3) for the release of a 2008 CD

janet jackson: on marriage rumors, drastic weight loss & wanting to have a baby

Janet: on marriage rumors, drastic weight loss and wanting to have a baby

TO SAY THAT JANET JACKSON HAS BEEN UP, THEN DOWN, THEN UP AGAIN IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT, especially since that fluctuation applies not only to her career, but also to the world-renowned pop artist's love life and her weight.

Right now, she's on top of her game in all respects: Her career is soaring, she's beaming with love and she looks fabulous. After losing 60 pounds in a few short months, her 5-foot-4 frame is taut, flab-free and as sexy as ever. It's hard to believe she turned 40 earlier this year.

The media has focused on her dramatic weight loss, for last fall she was photographed on a Santa Monica beach and elsewhere looking somewhat pudgy. She says she gained weight for the role of a full-figured waitress in the Lee Daniels movie project Tennessee, which originally was to start filming in fall 2005.

When the movie was delayed, Janet says she had to bow out of the starring role and quickly get in shape for the release of her new recording, 20 Y.O., which celebrates the 20 years since her groundbreaking CD, Control.

That recording put her at the top in pop music and proclaimed to the world that she is more than just the youngest of the large and talented Jackson music clan, that she was taking control of her life and her career. To date, she has sold more than 50 million records, and she is one of the most popular recording artists on the world stage.

Janet Jackson is not the same woman or artist she was 20 years ago. "I've experienced more, I've matured," she says. "Even though I'm still a kid at heart, I've experienced life. Twenty years is a long time, even though it went by so quickly.

I've gone through a lot, and people have heard it on my records over those 20 years, especially with the Velvet Rope."

Janet's life and moods have always been reflected in her music and lyrics. Yet, there is an air of mystique that surrounds her. As a teen, she secretly got married, but the union was quickly dissolved.

After a couple of unremarkable recordings, she commanded attention and respect with Control, which was shepherded by hit producers Jimmy (Jam) Harris and Terry Lewis. With Jackson, the producers again rocked the music world with the Rhythm Nation 1814 follow-up and a succession of other hit CDs.

Then came the startling revelation that Janet and her longtime beau, Rene Elizondo, had been secretly married and were getting a divorce.

Some time later, Janet started dating Jermaine Dupri, the younger music impresario who captured her heart and made her smile again. Marriage and pregnancy rumors persist. The current rumor is that the two will get married this fall on Jermaine's birthday, or about the time the new CD is to be released.

There are others who believe that the loving couple is already married.
During several interviews with EBONY, Janet insists that though she loves Jermaine dearly; they are not husband and wife and there are no wedding plans.

"They are even telling me how much money I'm spending on the [wedding] dress, and how much the wedding is going to cost," Janet says of the rumors. "So I'm just waiting for them to tell me how many guests are attending."

Is a wedding being planned? "No," Janet says emphatically.

"And, no, we are not married. A lot of people think we're already married. I can understand that because of what I did last time," she says, referring to her secret marriage. "That is probably why people won't believe me anyway."

Janet explains that the current rumor started when Dupri--as he escorted her on the red carpet at a music event--commented that her upcoming CD was "kind of a marriage as far as us working together for the first time. He said that we were getting married on this [album release] date." She adds that Jermaine quickly said that he was just joking, but the press overlooked that comment.

For most of her life, Janet has been exposed to media scrutiny, whether it focused on her specifically, her brother Michael Jackson, or other members of the Jackson clan. She expresses no interest in discussing the 2004 Super Bowl halftime incident when her right breast was exposed during what she called a "costume accident."

That is in the past, Jackson says. She is living in the present, and the present is a very happy place for her to be because of Jermaine Dupri.

"It's been beyond good," she says of the five years they have been a couple. "I thank God for him, and I tell him all the time that I thank God for him. It's like no other relationship that I've had in my life. I've never experienced anything like this. I just didn't think it was going to happen for me.

I've been married and divorced twice, and I said, 'Okay, these obviously are my cards I'm being dealt. I've got to play with this hand, and I'll just date. I don't think I'll ever marry again.' And just out of nowhere it catches you off guard. It really blindsided me, and I'm so thankful. It's something I've always wanted and God gave it to me."

The "it" is love. "It's just unconditional, true love from my soul. Cause I know how I am in relationships. Love is what drives me. Nothing else, none of this matters," she says waving her bejeweled hand about her. "It's really about that for me. And I never thought I would be with someone who would give that to me.

Of course, I love my career and all of that, but God can take all that away. But what drives me to do this is having that love ."
When talking about Jermaine, Janet gets dreamy-eyed. Just what is it about Dupri that she likes so much?

"Everything, everything," she says. "Things that used to bug me in relationships, things that guys did, well he'll do the same thing and I eat it up. So that's what I'm talking about. I told myself that this is so different because before, that would have driven me crazy. But I love it with him. I love it."

Janet goes on to talk about how her friends and family are crazy about Jermaine, how she maintains a good relationship with her siblings, and how she mentors her many nieces and nephews. "I tell them not to grow up too fast, you have the rest of your life to be an adult," she says, adding that she tells them what brother Michael told her when she was 14.

"Think about your future" and what you truly want to accomplish in life and what steps you need to take to reach your goal.

When asked if marriage and children are on the horizon for her, Janet becomes pensive. "I really don't know. I didn't think I'd get married again. I never thought I'd have kids. I never thought I'd make a good mother, never really wanted kids in the relationships that I've had.

There was too much going on. I thought adoption was the only way I would have children. But with Jermaine, it's just different. I'd love to have children. I guess I'd better hurry up."

In the meantime, Janet is busy making videos and touring Europe and the U.S. to promote the new CD; she is planning a major world tour for 2007. When it's time to prep for the concert tour, her exercise program will become more intense. "That's an hour of cardio and an hour of lifting each day," she says. "I mean serious cardio, either running on the beach or riding the bike, but nonstop.

There are times when I swim for 45 minutes without a break. It's like training for a competition. It's that intense, and it continues during the tours. It gets harder, actually, but you get stronger."

To lose the 60 pounds she gained for the movie role, Janet says she limited her calorie intake and ate healthy foods that included "lots of protein and vegetables" and an occasional "little sweet dessert" with artificial sweetener.

She says she snacked on strawberries, but never consumed the maximum of five cups a day. She also did a cardio workout and resistance training each day.

Janet says many were startled by her weight gain when she sported her full-figure at Jermaine's birthday party in Las Vegas last September. Some friends even thought she was wearing "some kind of fat suit that I could just step right out of." The response, says Janet, was.

"Oh, my gosh, she's gotten so heavy. Is she pregnant?"
At times it was difficult to tie her shoes or even sit the way she wanted to. "I'm sure that a lot of things were being said behind my back, but never to my face," she says. Through it all, Janet says Jermaine "never treated me any different. And that's the first time I wasn't treated differently for gaining weight by my mate."

That close relationship transitioned well into the recording studio as Dupri worked with Janet, Jimmy (Jam)Harris and Terry Lewis to produce the new recording. "A lot of people feared or wondered if this record would break us up," she says. "It was so smooth working with him. So easy and so fast. Jermaine and I are so much alike, it's kind of frightening."

Says Jermaine: "It was cool working with Janet on this CD. Janet is a fun person to be around, she's very sweet. It's hard not to like Janet, hard not to love her."
With a love in full bloom and the delivery, of 20 Y.O., fans and admirers--just like Jermaine--can't help but to be forever in love with Janet.

trish stratus: injury hasn't hurt stratus' sass, wicked wit

Injury Hasn't Hurt Stratus' Sass, Wicked Wit

Trish Stratus hasn't lost the attitude, but she's relieved that she's finally lost the back pain that prevented her from living a normal life, let alone wrestle.

The blonde beauty returned to RAW on Monday night, siding with WWE Diva Search winner Ashley Massaro against Torrie Wilson, Candice Michelle and Victoria. And what a feeling it was for Trish.

"I'm back, baby! It's super exciting. I was so energized, I couldn't sleep Monday night," says Trish. "I can't compare that adrenaline to anything else. I know what moved me as a fan and I want to bring that to the ring. I want to rock and roll out there."

No wonder she's so excited. She just spent 134 days away from WWE thanks to a herniated disc in her lower back.

"It was painful and frustrating," says Trish. "My body had been telling me that I needed some time off. Two months into it, it was scary ... I still couldn't do everyday things."

But her turnaround came after she inserted yoga into her daily routine. Yoga repaired her body and calmed her mind. And the whole while, her lifestyle, which as a WWE diva and women's champion means constant travel, gave her a different outlook.

"I got to do a lot of interesting things," she says. "Like barbecuing. It was always takeout and delivery, but I had time to cook again. And I got to spend time with family. You get a new appreciation for life."

She says her character still has some sass, and you can bet she won't lose the mischievously wicked sense of humour that gives her so much personality.

"This is a new challenge for me," she says. "I left as a big heel. But what Stone Cold did was not exactly Babyface 101. The fans respond to real. When I came out (on Monday night), it was to shut some girls up. I was telling them: 'You're not ruling the school while I'm here.' And the fans decided to cheer for me."

Trish says she has some unfinished business with Lita when she returns from a knee injury.
"I'll probably kick her ass again," says Trish.

That's okay, we're just glad to see our diva kicking ass and taking names. And it starts at tonight's Unforgiven pay-per-view with Ashley and Trish facing Torrie and Victoria.

trish stratus: trish is still stratusfying

Trish is Still Stratusfying

LET’S get a disclaimer out of the way. If this blog leads you to believe that it was penned by a writer who feels like a schoolboy-with-a-crush, your assessment is accurate.
Trish Stratus does that to a lot of men.

The Canadian fitness model, with only cursory knowledge of the art of wrestling itself, broke into World Wrestling Entertainment in March 2000, when blonde hair and a kickin' hot body was all you needed to land a prime gig on global TV in sports entertainment.

In front of an audience that had already seen Sable, Sunny, Terri Runnels and a host of other disproportionately-built femme fatales, Stratus still commanded attention.

As a heel, she got enormous heat. At times, she made the audience forget what was going on in the ring, with their focus shifting to the busty blonde sex symbol.

As a babyface, she got the audience to actually care what she said, not just wait for her to strip down to the skimpiest of clothing.
Although, when she did strip down, no one ever complained!

I can't seem to recall any objections I ever raised to a script that involved a scantily clad Trish Stratus.
Hey, hey hey. Easy. It was good for ratings. Uh huh. And I read Playboy for the articles, too!

But here's where Trish really earned everyone's respect.

In an environment where she could have made fantastic money just taking an occasional bump, doing the typical bra and panties matches and stealing the show on all the Divas In Paradise DVD releases, Trish Stratus wanted to offer more.

She wanted to give the WWE audience a more complete package than just a busty glamour girl.
She desired to be respected by her peers not just for her awesome looks, but for her drive, ambition, and talent.

Trish was not satisfied just being pro wrestling's hottest babe. She felt compelled to push herself past her own limits and learn how to be a great female wrestler.

So Trish trained in the ring with the same vigour that she attacked the fitness world a few years earlier. She didn't want to just be good, she wanted to be the best. And that was no easy task.

While Trish had to devote so much of her time to building her body, it would be even harder to learn how to become a top notch wrestler.

As gruelling a workout schedule as Trish must have had in the 1990s to become a famous cover girl, learning the tricks of the wrestling trade required dedication, sacrifice and pain.

None of which she had to endure because Trish would have survived, even THRIVED, for years "just being Trish".

But that wasn't enough for her.

“I want to do it because I know I can,” she'd tell people. “And I'm going to do it, because it's the type of challenge that drives me!”

While no female wrestler's career can truly be compared to The Fabulous Moolah's, I think you'd be hard-pressed to say that Trish Stratus wasn't the greatest female wrestler of the modern era.

And when she was at the height of her popularity, having achieved enough respect that she actually had hands-on influence in her own storylines, Trish decided to conquer other worlds.
She could have easily made big money for no less than another five years in WWE.

But instead, she ventured out into the unknown and tried her hand at other things that interested her.

Though Stratus had travelled the globe with WWE, she really never got the opportunity to sample all the many cultures of the continents she performed on.

An avid lover of different customs and beliefs, Trish put together Stratusphere - a new television show for the Travel and Escape Channel in Canada.

Bungee jumping in Bali, sword fighting in Northern India, Vo Binh Dinh grappling in Vietnam, the woman whose outfits left so very little to the imagination on WWE Raw gets to show you even more of herself as she experiences different lifestyles around the world.

From all accounts, the show is a critical and ratings success.
It's poignant, funny, and informative.

But most of all, it's centred around a host who is never content with just doing enough.
And while I'm sure the next time I see Trish Stratus I'll have to tell myself to "stop staring", the human being underneath all that beauty is a truly remarkable person.