I really enjoy Suze Orman’s weekly money management show on CNBC. (You can download the podcast for free.) She’s got such an outgoing, matter-of-fact personality, and she’s so skilled at explaining complicated money matters and focusing on the numbers. She’s relatable, and she’s able to take issues that people have a lot of shame and fear around, and boil them down to the facts. So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to hear her tell trainer Jillian Michaels her exact weight and height, but I still find it refreshing. It’s really rare to hear someone who feels that they’re larger than they should be admit their weight to anyone other than close friends or family. Suze is all about the numbers, though, and she’s truthful when it comes to her own. Here’s more. I’m actually surprised she thinks she’s heavier since she doesn’t look like she is.
Suze Orman has been giving America financial advice for years, and now she’s looking for her own advisor … for her health.
Suze met up with fitness expert and former Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels to find ways to help her shed “at least 20 pounds. Currently as I sit here, I weigh 171. 171 one is too much for someone who is 5 feet four and a half inches.”
“I care about me now and me being okay and me being healthy and me doing what I need to do so that I can be strong healthwise,” says Suze, who admitted to putting other people’s needs before her own. “I have more wealth than I know what to do with. Health is what I want now.”
Jillian threw down the gauntlet, giving Suze the deadline of November 1 for her desired weight loss, but Suze will have to give up some of her favorite fast foods to reach that goal.
[From The Insider]
In the video, Jillian says to Suze “I remember seeing you at Maria Shriver’s women’s conference, and I thought ‘Oh my God she’s going to drop dead on me.’ Rude! Instead of getting offended, Suze just says it’s true and that she “put other people’s needs in front of mine.” They also say that Suze has had a lot of health issues that have kept her from working out. I wasn’t sure what they were referring to, and I found that Suze had an emergency appendectomy in 2010. Can you believe this lady is 61 years old! I didn’t think she was older than 50. As for the one thing that Suze can’t live without, she said it’s Taco Bell! I love Taco Bell too, and the Fresco options are much lower calorie and just as tasty.
Jillian is not my favorite trainer, and I think Suze might be better served by going to someone like Bob Harper or Harvey Pasternak. I think this is more about Suze going public with her issues and being honest to her fans. Plus she seems to know Jillian. By making a public statement about her weight, she’s surely hoping the added pressure will help her stick to her goal. I have a lot of faith that Suze can do it, and I admire that she’s being so honest. It’s reassuring to hear that someone so successful at helping people with their finances is seeking helping with her health. You go, Suze! We’re rooting for ‘ya.
Suze and Jillian are shown on 3-13-10. Suze is shown alone on 11-14-11. Credit: Fame Flynet and WENN.com
She should try dropping white flour and sugar. I lost 65 pounds doing that. I’m never going back to eating those things, they’re my downfall.
That being said, I think she looks good, but yeah if she loses 20 pounds she’s going to look and FEEL great.
Jillian’s not my favorite, either.
Absolutely right on the diet.
Suzi sure does hide it well!!! And Jillian in that dress looks like she’s dumpy, and I know she’s not, so she needs to throw away that dress.
I’d like to see Jillian training Suzi. Clash of the titan beeches!
i love jillians workout videos. i do those and running. esp love 30 day shred b/c it’s about 20 minutes.
She looks good at 171 lbs and I love her too!
Wow, she wears 171 really well. I never would have guessed.
Seems like it always boils down to women putting the needs of others before themselves, doesn’t it? Women need to take a collective deep breath and recognize that the sacrifices they make for friends, family, and career are worth nothing if they don’t have their health. I hope she meets her goal and more importantly, re-asseses her priorities to include some time that is JUST for her. That really is the only way she’ll keep the weight off long-term.
I’m not surprised at all that Suze would admit this. Just like she tells people to face the numbers on their credit card bills, FICO scores, etc. It only makes sense to face the number on the scale. Avoding scary numbers (on bills or the scale) only gets you further away from where you want to be. Good for her!
Jillian Michaels frightens me. I bought 30 day shred and just stood there and watched her…be Jillian. Ditto to Suze looking great!
LOL that is EXACTLY what i do… i tried her 30 day challenge thing on youtube and 5 minutes in i just sat down and watched the rest. she is a beast.
lmao. I love the 30 day shred. Especially at the end of level one, where she goes, “I know you want to stop and turn this DVD off. Don’t even THINK about it!” 😀
LOL yes! Or in level two when she says “I want you to feel like you are going to DIE!” It works!
True story: when I read the headline my pregnant brain turned “Suze Orman” into “Susie Orbach” who wrote “fat is a feminist issue”. I was spitting feminist feathers until I got to about halfway down the page and realised this was an entirely different person.
I’m glad Suze wants to lose weight for herself and her health!
She looks good, especially for an older woman (not that 61 is “old” but I mean she’s my mom’s age and I’m a grown woman)… Anyway I guess I’m kind of sick of celebrities making their weight everyone’ business? If she wants to lose a little weight, ok fine good for her. But why make it a public issue? And bringing Jillian Michaels into it… agh, that woman thinks anyone bigger than a toothpick is morbidly obese.
You think so? I never got that impression from Jillian. She’s gotten into some dubious commercial things like cleanses and stuff, but I think she’s got a better approach than someone like Tracy Anderson (for example.) And she’s no toothpick, not with those guns!!
I was just thinking, wow Suze can really dress herself well and hide her weight. I would have never thought that she was that heavy!
Speaking of weight, I followed the Jennifer Love Hewitt link, and then a Kellan Lutz link. His girlfriend is seriously anorexic!
I weigh 160 and I’m 5’5 (just had a baby) and I need to those 30 pounds. I say Suze needs to lose 40. Either way she looks great and once you’re 61– does it matter if you’re a little overweight?
i’m 5’5 and 170 (and losing started at 180) but im not going to go past 150. I’ll be well within my BMI and honestly, after my baby, im loving my womanly curves. I FEEL womanly having something to pinch and move and i actually looked my best at 145 not 132 which was my skinniest.
At a certain age you sometimes have to choose face or body. I’m 34 & look better in my face with extra weight but because I have PCOS every extra pound multiplies my health risks. I stay around 140 (5’5″) but adding just a few pounds places me on a statin, blood pressure medication & injectable diabetes medication. At 140 or less, I get to come off all of those drugs. I do look older without those extra pounds though. Wish my genes were more cooperative!
I think that’s why her face looks good is because she’s got an extra 20-30 lbs. on her. If she loses it her face will probably lose volume making her look older.
It’s the old adage – after a certain age, choose your face or your butt. However, Suze has the money to be able to afford fillers if her face loses volume.
These two have known each other for years. They were both presenters at a conference that was cancelled last minute and they bonded. It’s natural Suze would turn to her. Jillian has mentioned seeking guidance from Suze as well.
Agreed Suze looks great and carries the weight well. Still, it is a health issue and everyone has to reach the point where they are ready to get started before it’s going to happen. I wish her luck and am excited to see he progress.
Well, jeez Im 170-173 lbs at 5’4 and the way Jillian words it, it sounds like Im a mammoth! I know Im not fat, I can run with my dog quite easily at the park and consider myself an active person. Im just very curvy and I feel quite good and attractive about myself!
Gillian Michaels is a fat-shaming vicious horrible example of a human being. And her methods of “helping” someone lose weight- being cruel, breaking them down and methodically starving them- are unlikely to make any kind of weight loss stick.
But then maybe Im just a bit biased by the fact she did the biggest loser and behaved so appallingly then.
Whomever Jillian’s lover may be….
WATCH out cause Suzie may be on some slick stuff..Suzie may have her eye on Jillian.
I LOVE Jillian’s DVD, its smooth, 3 diff levels of exercise. love it. you gradualy move up to more strenuous exercises.
I agree! 30 day shred & no more trouble zones are my faves of hers. She makes you look goooood!
I love my Suze. She does not look like she weighs 170lbs at all.
Love Jillian! She’s the best- her dvds kick my butt every day.
I’m sure Suze knew what she was getting into- Jillian’s personality and methods are fairly well known…
I think it’s quite courageous for Suze to come out and tell the whole world what she weighs. I for one have the same stats but would shudder at the thought having to share that. I’m working out 4 days a week and hoping to lose at least 20 lbs by Novemeber for my birthday month! *fingers crossed*
Wow, lots of mean comments regarding Jillian M. I found her motivational and knowledgeable on Biggest Loser.
She was obese as a child, apparently, so she seems to get it, re the whole need to work hard to change your body.
And re weight, Suze is just being honest, so many women lie about weight we think 110 is actually a normal weight! We are made of the same flesh and bones as men, and don’t expect a man to weigh 120 pounds! (I know- fat to muscle ratio re men and women blahblahblah)
Wow, Suze really does carry her weight well. Her reasons for losing weight seem really healthy, and her blunt honesty is refreshing. (Kirstie, I’m looking at you.) I’ll be thinking good thoughts.
Hitting your goal right before the holidays seems both awesome and horrible.