Jillian Michaels: Looking Better at 40 'Than I Ever Have'

Shape Magazine

At age 40, Jillian Michaels has nothing to hide.

The fitness guru posed nude in the July/August issue of Shape magazine and said she's looking better than ever.

"I won't lie. This birthday was hard," Michaels told Shape about turning 40 in February. "I thought, 'Oh, my God, am I halfway through my life?' But when I think back on my 20s and 30s, I look better now than I ever have. Yes, I'm older, but I'm also wiser, and that's a more intrinsic type of beauty."

Michael's outward beauty is also on display in the magazine. She called her abs "the best part of my body," but admitted that, like all women, she has her problem areas.

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"We all store fat somewhere. Some of us are proportionately balanced, some are apple-shaped," " The Biggest Loser" trainer told the magazine. "Me? I carry all my weight in my lower body. No matter how lean I get or how many squats or lunges I do, I always feel like my butt carries extra weight."

"But what I finally realized is that you can't have it all," Michaels added. "Do I want a better butt? Sure, but I'm healthy and can wear my skinny jeans, and that's good enough!"

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Just as important to Michaels is being physically strong.

"It's important for women to have overall strength, because when you feel physically powerful, it transcends into every facet of your life," the mother of two, with partner Heidi Rhoades, said.

"I love having a strong back," Michaels added. "Metaphorically speaking, it means I can carry a lot of responsibility on my shoulders - and I do - for my family, friends and fans."