Losing It with Jillian!: Episode 2- "Don't Say Can't to Me."

This week Jillian is still in Massachusetts, but now she has moved to Cambridge to visit the Jones family. There is mom Deb and her two children, 12-year-old Isabella and 10-year-old Jordan. The story starts out pretty rough: Deb's husband died of a heart attack 6 years ago at the marriage counselor's office. She had dragged him there because his health was taking a toll on their marriage. Now Deb is afraid to work out because she doesn't want to die and leave her children without a parent.

HEAVY. If that isn't the ultimate excuse, I don't know what is.

Undeterred, Jillian calls the family and tells them to meet her at the sports center. "Which sports center?" Isabella asks. "I don't know!" says Deb. They find it, because they are still on camera when Jillian enters the gym.

The introductory exercises that Jillian uses to asses the Jones' level of fitness look pretty rough (jumping jacks on a gym mat? JUMP ROPE?) and she soon finds the main problem in the family is Deb. Deb's favorite word is CAN'T and she says it often. Jillian is itching for a thorough ass kicking, but restrains herself because of the children. There are a lot of muffled threats through clenched teeth and she looks like she may kill Deb. She is just waiting for the kids to have their backs turned.

After an emotion-filled workout, they head back home, and the show takes a little road trip to Hoarders land. Each room in the Jones' home is FILLED with dirty clothes, dirty dishes, papers and trash and Jillian quickly decides she will be staying in a motel. Deb's room is so bad that she doesn't even have a bed to sleep on. "This is unacceptable," Jillian says.

After her night in the motel, Jillian returns to take the mom to the gym and leaves the kids to start cleaning their very messy rooms. At the gym, Deb is subjected to a litany of Jillian classics like "You're not going to die!" and "FIGHT BACK DEB!" Deb finally breaks down in a pile of tears and gasps, "I'm so tired of doing everything by myself." She is lonely and broken and unable to move forward. But after admitting that she needs some help, there is already some life in her eyes.

Deb and Jillian head back to the house for a day of cleaning. Jillian realizes that Isabella has been in the co-parent role since her dad passed, and takes her aside for a little heart to heart where she urges the girl to "go be 12". Deb needs some help, but it shouldn't be at the expense of her daughter's childhood.

Deb takes her Jillian to work, and Jillian finds out that Deb's coworkers get together and run three times a week and compete in 5ks on the weekends. It is her chance to be social, have adult interaction, and also get healthy. Jillian informs Deb she also will be competing in a 5k in 6 weeks- just in time for her to return to check in on the family!

Later at the gym, Jillian is inflicting some serious mind bullet action on Deb when Isabella wigs out on Jillian- something that most people never live to do. Deb tells Isabella that she doesn't have to protect her, that she can defend herself, and Jillian decides to make a point with a weighted vest. She puts the weight on the daughter, and the light bulb finally goes on in Deb's head that she should carry the burden because she is the mom. Jillian does some crazy Jedi reverse psychology- she is not just a trainer. She is a MACHINE.

Now that the literal and figurative burden has been lifted, Deb and Isabella are free to engage in some healthy mother/daughter activities like African Dance. Jillian is good at many things, but dancing is not one of them. IT WAS FUNNY. (You can watch the episode at nbc.com) She also takes the family out on a canoe ride and the canoe tips over. Make that two things.

It's the final day, and Jillian packs up her carpet bag in the newly clean Jones family home and promises to return in six weeks. After a quick montage of Deb's trials and tribulations while training for the 5k, it is race day. Jillian shows up with Team Deb t-shirts and runs alongside Deb and her coworkers to the finish line.

Deb looks incredible! She ended up losing 32 pounds, she is healthier and happier, and the family bond is stronger. The kids look great too. It's all in a week's work.

Next week, Jillian doles out more tough love and does more house cleaning. . .