Bob Harper (personal trainer)

Last updated
Bob Harper
Bob Harper (personal trainer).jpg
Born
Robert Harper

(1965-08-18) August 18, 1965 (age 58)
Occupation(s) Personal trainer, author, reality television personality
Height5 ft 11.5 in (181.6 cm)
Website mytrainerbob.com

Robert Harper (born August 18, 1965) [1] is an American personal trainer, reality television personality, and writer. He appeared on the American television series The Biggest Loser , a show he later hosted. He was an advisor on The New Celebrity Apprentice . [2]

Contents

Career

Harper has worked as a personal trainer for celebrity clients, including Jennifer Jason Leigh. [1] In 1999, he was cast as an extra in Melissa Etheridge's hit video for the song "Angels Would Fall" from her album Breakdown . [3] He is featured as a trainer on the United States version of The Biggest Loser reality television series. He has been a trainer on the NBC show since 2004. [4] and has appeared in several Biggest Loser DVD workouts. On September 8, 2015, Harper was announced as new host of The Biggest Loser, succeeding Alison Sweeney. [5] Harper is also featured in the first three seasons of the Australian version of the show. [6]

In addition to making appearances, speaking dates, and writing, Harper teaches regular classes in Los Angeles and works as a yoga instructor. [7]

In early 2010, Harper launched mytrainerbob.com, a website where subscribers could discuss weight loss and receive coaching. [8] [9] The success of his site led to the release of his first workout DVD series in May, titled "Bob Harper: Inside Out Method." [10] Harper has also contributed workouts to the Shape magazine website. [11]

Personal life

Harper was born in Nashville. He attended Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, however he did not graduate. [1] [12]

After reading the book Skinny Bitch , Harper became a vegetarian. [13] In 2010, he then became a vegan. [14] [15] In 2013 Harper stopped following a vegan diet because "my body personally got to a point where I needed something more." [16] He practices Transcendental Meditation. [17] He is an avid CrossFit athlete. [18]

Harper has spoken out against puppy mills and has adopted a black and white dog from the Animal Advocates Alliance in Baldwin Park, California. He named the dog Karl, after Karl Lagerfeld, because of the dog's color. [19]

Harper is Farm Sanctuary's 2010 Walk for Farm Animals national spokesman. [20]

Harper publicly came out as gay in the seventh episode of the fifteenth season of The Biggest Loser , [21] [22] [23] while talking to a contestant who was having difficulty telling his parents about his sexuality. [24] Harper revealed he had come out to his parents at 17, but that this was his first time ever addressing his sexuality publicly in his career. The episode aired on November 28, 2013.

On February 12, 2017, Harper suffered a heart attack; his survival being a subject for his commercial for the Brilinta medication. [25] [26]

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jillian Michaels</span> American personal trainer (born 1974)

Jillian Michaels is an American fitness expert, certified nutritionist, businesswoman, media personality, and author. She is best known for her appearances on NBC series such as The Biggest Loser. She has also made an appearance on the talk show The Doctors. In 2015, she hosted and co-judged a series on Spike titled Sweat, INC. In 2016, her reality television series Just Jillian premiered on E!.

The Biggest Loser is the first season of the NBC reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser, which premiered on October 19, 2004. The show features overweight contestants competing to lose the largest percentage of their body weight and receive the title of 'Biggest Loser,' along with a $250,000 grand prize. The first season featured twelve contestants divided into two teams of six players. The teams were each led by a personal trainer, Bob Harper with the Blue Team and Jillian Michaels with the Red Team. The first season was hosted by Caroline Rhea.

The Biggest Loser is the second season of the NBC competitive reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The second season premiered on September 13, 2005, and like season one features overweight contestants who compete by trying to lose the most weight. The show is hosted by comedian Caroline Rhea, with Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels joining as the two personal trainers.

The Biggest Loser: Special Edition is a special edition of the NBC reality television series The Biggest Loser. The special edition began on January 4, 2006.

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The Biggest Loser is the third season of the NBC reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The third season premiered on September 20, 2006 with fifty overweight contestants, each competing to lose the most weight. However, first, the group would be narrowed down to 14 after the trainers each selected seven competitors for their teams. The show was hosted by comedian Caroline Rhea. Bob Harper and Kim Lyons were the two personal trainers, with Bob leading the blue team and Kim leading the red team. The show's opening theme song was "Proud" by Heather Small. The opening credits showed each contestant in turn, and displayed his or her starting weights. Guest appearance in the season featured Fitness personal trainer Clark Shao.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Bridges</span> Personal trainer, author, television personality

Michelle Bridges is an Australian personal trainer, author and television personality. From 2007 to 2015, she was a trainer on the Australian version of The Biggest Loser, making her first appearance in the second season.

The Biggest Loser is the fourth season of the NBC reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The fourth season premiered on September 11, 2007 with 18 overweight contestants in a weight loss competition for an ultimate prize of $250,000. The Biggest Loser campus was located at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, California.

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The Biggest Loser: Couples 2 is the seventh season of the NBC reality television series The Biggest Loser. The season premiered on January 6, 2009, with 11 overweight couples competing for a cash prize of $250,000. Alison Sweeney is featured as the host, with trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels. Helen Phillips won the competition with a total weight loss percentage of 54.47%.

The Biggest Loser: Second Chances is the eighth season of the NBC reality television series The Biggest Loser. The contestants competed to win a $250,000 prize, which was awarded to Danny Cahill, the contestant with the highest percentage of weight lost. This season premiered on NBC on Tuesday, September 15, 2009.

The Biggest Loser: Pay It Forward is the tenth season of the NBC reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The contestants competed to win a $250,000 prize, which was awarded to Patrick House, the finalist with the highest percentage of weight lost. It premiered on September 21, 2010 as the first season to be filmed in high definition, and concluded on December 14, 2010.

The Biggest Loser: Couples 4 is the eleventh season of the NBC reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The contestants competed to win a $250,000 prize, which was awarded to Olivia Ward, the contestant with the highest percentage of weight loss. It premiered on January 4, 2011. Along with existing trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, two new trainers will be featured who were revealed in Week 3. One of the featured contestants is Rulon Gardner, a former gold medalist at the 2000 Summer Olympics. It was the longest season in Biggest Loser history at 20 weeks long. This season is the second, after Pay It Forward, to be filmed in high definition. This season marks the first time in USA Biggest Loser history that a contestant left the show by choice. As well, for the first time in The Biggest Loser history, a couple has made the finale together. And, for the first time in The Biggest Loser history, all 3 finalists are women.

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Dolvett Quince is an American entrepreneur, fitness model, actor, and personal trainer. He became widely known for his role as a trainer on the American version of The Biggest Loser from season 12 to season 17.

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The Biggest Loser: Second Chances 2 is the fifteenth season of the NBC reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The contestants competed to win the $250,000 prize, which was awarded to Rachel Frederickson. It premiered on October 15, 2013. This was the first season to introduce a trainer save, in which each trainer could choose to save one contestant on their team from being sent home as a result falling below the red line.

The Biggest Loser: Temptation Nation is the 17th season of The Biggest Loser which premiered January 4, 2016, on NBC. Dolvett Quince and Jennifer Widerstrom returned as trainers, while former trainer Bob Harper takes over Alison Sweeney as host. The contestants competed to win a $250,000 prize which was awarded to Roberto Hernandez, the contestant with the highest percentage of weight loss.

The Biggest Loser is the eighteenth season of the American reality television series The Biggest Loser which premiered on January 28, 2020. Season 18 marks the series' return from a four-year hiatus and is intended to not only show people the necessity of weight loss, but also the necessity of living a healthy lifestyle. It is the first season to air on the USA Network; the preceding seventeen seasons originally aired on NBC. Bob Harper who served as a trainer in previous seasons returns as the host in season 18. The twelve contestants were trained by professionals Steve Cook and Erica Lugo.

References

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  12. "About APSU - Notable Alumni". Austin Peay State University. Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
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  14. "Bob Harper Goes Vegan". VegNews. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
  15. "It's Official! 'The Biggest Loser' Trainer Bob Harper Goes From Vegetarian To Vegan!". Ecorazzi. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  16. "Bob Harper of "Biggest Loser" talks diet, fitness". Reuters. September 16, 2013. Archived from the original on December 4, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  17. "'Biggest Loser' host Bob Harper's 5 steps to a healthier new year". Today.com. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017. I'm a big meditator, I do TM, I do it every day, twice a day. [Video: 2']
  18. Harper, Bob (7 February 2013). "I Drank the CrossFit Kool-Aid" . Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  19. "Meet the newest training partner for Bob Harper of 'The Biggest Loser': Karl (as in Lagerfeld)". Los Angeles Times. June 7, 2010.
  20. "Email – Walk for Farm Animals: Coming Soon to a Town Near You! – Farm Sanctuary". farmsanctuary.org.
  21. "The Biggest Loser's Bob Harper Comes Out as Gay on the Show". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  22. McCormick, Joseph Patrick (2013-11-27). "US: Personal trainer Bob Harper comes out during his show The Biggest Loser". PinkNews. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  23. "'Biggest Loser' recap: Bob Harper says 'I'm gay,' gets heart broken". Los Angeles Times. 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  24. Stanhope, Kate (November 28, 2013). "Biggest Loser Trainer Bob Harper Comes Out". TV Guide . Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  25. "Bob Harper Suffers Serious Heart Attack". TMZ. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  26. "'Biggest Loser' host Bob Harper suffers heart attack". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 2023-08-14.