COVER STORY: Hunter Tylo

Truly Bold and Beautiful:
HUNTER TYLO
Hunter's own story is as full of drama as the
series in which she stars
by Chris Compton, photography by John Russo
HUNTER TYLO’S CHILDHOOD SEEMS STRAIGHT OUT OF
THE DIARY OF THE COWGIRL JESSIE CHARACTER IN TOY
STORY 2. It brings to mind those old sepia-tone storybook covers with the picture of a young girl wearing a cowboy hat. She’s
standing by her horse with a far-away look in her eyes. She
could be a little girl on the prairie, dreaming of the day when
she can go to school, study, start a career, raise a family and
achieve ultimate fulfillment.
In truth, Hunter did start out as a tomboy, hanging
out with the guys in the Future Farmers of America,
breaking bucking horses, and roping cattle. Growing
up in the Texas countryside had some influence, but it
was her own indomitable spirit that possessed her to
train guard dogs, keep snakes, a fox, a cat, a raccoon,
cows, kittens, dogs and guinea pigs for pets, and even
spend her allowance on a mail-order alligator . . .
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COVER STORY
hunter tylo
Hunter was a good student and was awarded a scholarship to attend veterinary school. Then, like many promising young girls still in their teen years, she gave up the
scholarship and her plans when she became pregnant and
married the father. He was a young man seven years her
senior who lied to her about his age. He turned out to be
less reliable than he appeared in other ways too. Hunter
helped support the young family by serving drinks in a
lounge and was even able to save some money in hope of
one day going to college in spite of losing the scholarship.
But her husband also lied about the loss of his job and
ended up spending all the savings without her even know-
ing. A breakup was inevitable. And eventually, she had to
find a way to support herself and her child.
A Twist of Fate
Isn’t it funny the way life works things out sometimes?
While Hunter was still in school, her mother had encouraged her to use some savings set aside for a car for, of all
things, charm school. Mom hoped she would learn to be
just a little bit more of a lady. And at a critical juncture
later in her life, Hunter would find that “alternate self”
would serve her well. After her breakup, Hunter used
those charm school lessons to work her way into the Hollywood scene. Today, not only are the traces of the cowgirl all but erased, but Hunter Tylo is regarded as one of
the world’s most beautiful people, twice chosen by People
magazine as one of the “50 Most Beautiful People in the
World” and featured by TV Guide as one of the sexiest
women in daytime television. She is a glamorous star dripping in expensive diamonds, hobnobbing with the political elite, and married to a devoted husband who is also a
television daytime drama hunk.
It’s so easy to get lost in such a world where the
improbable happens. In stories like those in the soaps,
small dreams are overshadowed by the light of brighter
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events exploding like fireworks in a clear summer sky.
Hopes once dashed rise from the ashes into never-imagined scenes. And the young heroine lives her life in luxury, fulfillment and happiness. Except that this isn’t fiction.
It’s only the small piece of the drama that makes up the
real life of Hunter Tylo.
She’s Bold and Beautiful
On CBS’s The Bold and the Beautiful, Hunter plays Dr. Taylor Hayes Forrester, a psychiatrist who often puts the concerns of her patients before her own happiness. And yes,
she is certainly gorgeous. Even up close she might remind
you of a figure you’d find in a doll collection. You know,
the ones that are “too pretty to be real.”
Some of us have a hard time seeing such a biggerthan-life soap star and believing she could be somebody
who could relate to us. Just look at the cover of Hunter’s
autobiography, Making a Miracle. She’s stunning,
untouchable—seemingly removed from the day-to-day
realities of life.
Still, she’s a practical, down-to-earth working gal who
is as real as they get. (Don’t be offended by the word “gal.”
That’s a loving word they often use in her home state of
Texas.) She is a mother of four and a committed wife of
more than 15 years. Her husband, Michael Tylo, formerly
appeared on The Young and the Restless. You’ll love the
part in her book where Michael confesses to Chris,
Hunter’s little boy, that he’s going to marry his mom. Little
Chris jumps up and down saying, “Yay!” while all the
strangers in the restaurant applaud and say, “Aaahhhhh.”
If you are a mom, a woman who works outside the home,
or a person who believes that a difficult life is a reason to
sell yourself short and settle for less than life’s best, this
book could change your way of thinking. You’ll walk away
from it with a deep sense of admiration for Hunter Tylo.
It’s easy to imagine how she could have used her success
hunter tylo
to get even with those who had made her so unhappy. She
could have been bitter and could probably have justified
it—at least to herself. Instead, she has risen above her
challenges to become a giving person who supports and
inspires others.
Think what her schedule must be like. (And you
haven’t heard most of it yet!) And then imagine this: She is
a dedicated fitness enthusiast.
Fitness and Faith
“It’s so important to be in shape,” says Hunter. “I took that
for granted in my twenties and early thirties. Then I began
to get tired just climbing my stairs at home after my two
daughters were born back to back—I didn’t know how I
was ever going to keep up with them. I started out slowly,
just running and walking. I noticed how difficult arm
weights were with only two pounds and that was really a
wake-up call.”
Hunter worked out regularly at the gym but, like all of
us, eventually became bored with her routine. “I saw a girl
working with a kickboxing trainer,” she says, “and I was
fascinated. It seemed to be exactly what I needed to break
up the monotony of doing the exact same routine day after
day.”
Hunter’s willingness to embrace variety in her workout mirrors the variety in her personal and professional
life. Yes, she’s a well-known star on a famous daytime
drama. Still, she is deeply committed to her faith. Some of
her major career decisions have been made in a real-life
prayer closet. It’s her faith that has seen her and her family through the difficult times. And while she can at times
be a hard-edged business woman—launching her own
cosmetic line, winning the famous Aaron Spelling-Melrose
Place pregnancy lawsuit and forming a production company to make a movie about the life of film star Loretta
Young—she also has a heart as big as . . . well, Texas.
COVER STORY
Charitable Contributions
She was an invited guest at President Bush’s inaugural celebration and used the opportunity to forge alliances for
her nonprofit work on behalf of children. Her work
includes spearheading two foundations. Hunter and
Michael’s fourth child, Katya, was born in 1998 with
retinoblastoma, a malignant tumor of the developing retina that occurs in babies and young children. “We were
heartbroken,” says Hunter. “We knew we had to find
something positive in the tragedy.” Hunter & Michael
founded Retinoblastoma International in 1999 to help
raise awareness of the condition and to help other children
in similar plights.
In 1998 she founded
Scenes from CBS’ The
Hunter’s Chosen Child, an
Bold and the Beautiful,
organization that helps to
from left to right:
support single parents,
Hunter Tylo and
unwed mothers’ homes,
“Thomas and Phoebe”
pregnancy crisis centers and
in Episode #3496,
scholarships for daycare and
2/2/01 (Jesse
other individual situations.
Grant/JPI); Hunter Tylo
The proceeds from her cosand Ronn Moss in
metic line, Chosen by
Episode #3739, 1/24/02
Hunter
Tylo, also con(Aaron Montgomery/JPI);
tribute to her charity. “Every
Hunter Tylo with Susan
time a customer makes a
Flannery and Ronn
Moss in Episode #3553, purchase, there’s a donation,” says Hunter. Funding
4/19/01 (John
continues to increase.
Paschal/JPI).
It’s commendable that
her organizations are so well run that they draw responsible supporters. Michele Varsano is owner and president of
BeBé Michele, a company that creates and sells infants’
and children’s all-natural bath products and accessories.
When Varsano was looking for an organization to support
that helped children where all of the money actually went
to the kids and not administration, she chose Hunter’s
Chosen Child.
Now, a portion of every sale BeBé Michele makes
goes to help Hunter’s charity.
Hunter’s Other Passion: Fitness
It’s easy to see that the thread of passion in her life runs
through every area, including the physical.
“I switch between free weights, pulleys and
machines,” says Hunter. “I’m always looking at new sports
equipment to hit the muscles better. One I love that I
began to use recently is the Ab Swing. It replaced my
using the Roman chair and hanging ab straps at the gym.
It’s great because I can do it at home and complain out
loud if I want. (Does anybody not relate to that?) But I do
finally have those “little squares” I really wanted to get on
my torso!
“The thing about kickboxing is that it teaches your
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body to absorb lots of wear and tear. For example, I had a
broken clavicle that had been repaired by surgery five years
ago. It used to ‘pop’ all the time when I did shoulder raises
or pushups. After beginning slowly with some punching
routines, the tendons and attachment muscles got stronger
and stronger—my shoulder no longer pops and I can lift
lots of weight on military shoulder presses now with no
popping. I also sleep better. I have fewer migraines and virtually no back trouble or spasms any more—strong abs are
the key! I carry and load the water bottles for our drinking
machine, carry large bags of heavy groceries and, should
one of the 45-pound babies in the car fall asleep—no
prob!—I just carry them upstairs by myself.”
And here’s some other terrific advice:
“Another interesting fact is that I weighed 102 pounds
before I started working out. You may think that is a great
weight—but I am small boned and I was still ‘fat’ and flabby. I wore a size 4 or 5 pant. After I got into shape, I gained
12 pounds. My arms and legs are firm now, and my abs
are hard as a rock. I did get smaller though! I wear a size
0 or 2! Don’t get fooled by ‘weight.’ Throw the scales out
and look for muscle tone!”
Hunter’s Dieting Tips
“Sure, Hunter,” you might be thinking, “and I suppose you
just eat whatever you want, eh?” Well, you’ll be pleasantly
surprised to know that the remarkable balance so characteristic of Hunter extends to her diet as well. The four kids
contribute their part every Mother’s Day. Some eggs, (sometimes burnt) toast, and juice—all prepared with a touch of
messiness and a ton of love—are served as a special breakfast in bed for mom. Hunter adds, “I like to give myself permission to have some ‘treat foods’ one day a week on a
‘cheat day’,” she says, “. . . pizza, enchiladas, desserts. . . .”
But most of the time, a more sensible regimen is the
order of the day. “Never any aspartame or processed
meats . . . and I drink lots of water!”
And although she works hard to maintain her fit and
healthy appeal, even through her pregnancies, Hunter
doesn’t forget the value of some real self-care. “If it’s been
a grueling week, one with lots of kickboxing, or a PMS
week,” she says, “a sports massage is essential. It keeps the
tissues flushed and allows healing of broken-down muscle.
And again, drink lots of water afterward to get toxins out.”
Most of us will never find ourselves on the pages of
People magazine or on television. But Hunter’s life and
choices are an inspiring example of how each of us can
pen our own story and ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after!
Hunter’s Basic Dieting Rules
“First thing in the morning, within one hour of rising, I eat
four egg whites with one yolk and one-half cup of oatmeal.
“I always try to eat every two hours.
“When a healthy meal is not possible I substitute a
protein shake. I carry it in a plastic bag and mix it in my
water bottle.
“For meals before 4 p.m. I will have a complex carb
like a small apple, a small potato, sweet potato, rice or
pasta with a palm-size serving of fresh lean meat (chicken/turkey is best) or fish.
“After 4 p.m., until 8 p.m., I enjoy veggies and/or salads (lots of greens!) with protein. The last meal before bed
can be a protein shake.
“In general, I don’t have sodas, chips, breads, candy,
cookies, aspartame, processed meats, frozen meals,
‘quick’ breakfast foods (Pop-Tarts®, cereals, cereal bars)
pretzels, popcorn, ice cream, doughnuts or muffins.
“I always drink lots of water!”
HUNTER’S WORKOUT ROUTINE
Hunter’s workouts vary, but here is a sample
of how she organizes her workouts in any
particular week:
Monday and Tuesday: Resistance training for
the large muscle groups: chest, back and
shoulders.
Wednesday: Kickboxing for two hours,
including a 45-minute stretch and either a
quick run or bike as a warm-up.
Thursday: Either 20 minutes on the elliptical
machine or lunges with 8-pound weights.
Some stork lunges and calf raises.
Friday and Saturday: Repeat the Monday and
Tuesday routine.
Abdominals: “I don’t have set days; I just aim
for 5 to 10 minutes, five days a week, on the
Ab Swing. Upper, lower, and obliques are targeted by changing seat position and doing
50 reps for each.”
For more information, you can visit www.wfihealth.com
or look up the following topics:
Her show: The Bold and the Beautiful
Her organization: Eye Care For Kids
Her organization: Hunter’s Chosen Child
Her cosmetic line: Chosen by Hunter Tylo
Her special corporate supporter: BeBé Michele
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