Jillian Michaels and the Pregnancy Issue

Jillian Michaels is eye-catching on the cover of Women's Health Magazine. But what's really caught readers' eyes is the article inside the magazine.

In true Jillian-style, Michaels holds nothing back when discussing everything in her life. She is direct and honest. And she's now a hot debate topic among women - over comments she made about pregnancy.

Her pregnancy quote? "I can't handle doing that to my body."

Michaels has had weight problems in the past. Because of this, she fears gaining weight again. She knows that a lack of control led to her weight problem in the first place, and that she has to fight to keep control over it constantly to make sure it doesn't recur.

Moms everywhere have denounced her statement, saying that other stars have bounced back, so it's not even a legitimate concern. Famous moms Heidi Klum and Gisele Bundchen, for instance, went right back into swimsuit modeling. Klum and Bundchen, however, are tall - giving them more vertical room to carry a child. At 5'2", Michaels would grow out - there's nowhere for the baby to go up. Therefore, her stomach would grow out larger, raising the probability of stretch marks and saggy skin. Add in the known fact that genetics play a large part in stretch marks and body issues after pregnancy, and Michaels has no idea whether she'd be a lucky one.

In a highly competitive career like personal training, you have to be tough and very, very in shape. If her physique changed, it could really hurt her income. Her body is her career. Even the pregnancy alone could hurt her client base: pregnant women are still seen as weaker - with the common effects of pregnancy such as moodiness, fatigue and sickness, clients may take their money and business elsewhere.

Successful businesswomen make the decision to adopt all the time. Maybe they didn't have time to get married. Maybe they have time for a baby, but not pregnancy. But no one questions their decision.

Why? Perhaps mothers are offended that Michaels insinuates that their bodies aren't what they used to be. Maybe the think that without that sacrifice, you don't deserve to be a mother. But what would that mean to women who can't have children? Because they don't have the stretch marks to prove it, either. Some women say it's selfish, that other women would give anything to be able to have kids, and she's just wasting her ovaries. In reality, there are plenty of women who 'waste' their ovaries - for instance, nuns.

Adoption is a wonderful thing for both the adopted child and for the adoptive parents. It gives a child who had nothing love, support and a place to call home. Instead of slamming Michaels for deciding to adopt, regardless of why she is choosing to, maybe we should be happy that she knows what she wants and is going to help one lucky child have a wonderful life.