Bob Harper (personal trainer)

Bob Harper
Born (1965-08-18) August 18, 1965
Nashville, Tennessee
Occupation Personal trainer, author
Height 5 ft 11.5 in (181.6 cm)
Weight 167 lb (76 kg)
Website mytrainerbob.com

Robert "Bob" Harper (born August 18, 1965)[1] is an American personal trainer and author. He appears on the American television series The Biggest Loser. On September 8, 2015, Harper was announced as new host of The Biggest Loser, succeeding Alison Sweeney.[2]

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] In addition to working on the show, Harper has appeared in several Biggest Loser DVD workouts. Harper also appeared on the first three seasons of the Australian version of the show.[5]

In addition to his appearances, speaking dates, and writing duties, Harper still teaches regular classes in Los Angeles and works as a yoga instructor.[6]

In early 2010, Harper launched mytrainerbob.com, a website where subscribers can discuss weight loss and receive coaching.[7][8] The success of his site led to the release of his first workout DVD series in May, titled "Bob Harper: Inside Out Method."[9] Harper also contributes workouts to websites such as Shape magazine.[10]

Harper is also an avid CrossFit athlete.[11]

Personal life

Harper was born August 18, 1965 in Nashville, Tennessee. He attended Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee but did not graduate.[1][12]

After reading the book Skinny Bitch, Harper became a vegetarian. In 2010, he then became a vegan.[13][14] That same year, PETA voted him sexiest male vegetarian of the year.[15] In 2013 Harper stopped following a vegan diet due to wanting "something more."[16]

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.[17]

Harper is also Farm Sanctuary's 2010 Walk for Farm Animals national spokesman.[18]

Harper publicly came out as gay in the seventh episode of the fifteenth season of The Biggest Loser, while talking to a contestant who was having difficulty telling his parents about his sexuality.[19] Harper revealed he came 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.

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Bob Harper". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  2. "Veteran Trainer Bob Harper Named Host of NBC's 'The Biggest Loser'" (Press release). NBC via Tvbythenumbers.com. September 8, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  3. "Angels Would Fall". YouTube.
  4. "Bob Harper". IMDB.
  5. "The Biggest Loser Australia". IMDB.
  6. "Who is Bob Harper?". FWL.
  7. "My Trainer Bob". mytrainerbob.com.
  8. "Marketing firm inks deals with celebrities". New York Business.
  9. "My Trainer Bob DVD". mytrainerbobdvd.com.
  10. "Shape Videos". Shape magazine.
  11. Harper, Bob (7 February 2013). "'I Drank the CrossFit Kool-Aid'". Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  12. "About APSU - Notable Alumni". Austin Peay State University.
  13. "Bob Harper Goes Vegan". VegNews.
  14. "It’s Official! ‘The Biggest Loser’ Trainer Bob Harper Goes From Vegetarian To Vegan!". Ecorazzi.
  15. "Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities 2010". PETA.
  16. "Bob Harper of "Biggest Loser" talks diet, fitness". Reuters. September 16, 2013.
  17. "Meet the newest training partner for Bob Harper of 'The Biggest Loser': Karl (as in Lagerfeld)". Los Angeles Times. June 7, 2010.
  18. "Email - Walk for Farm Animals: Coming Soon to a Town Near You! - Farm Sanctuary". farmsanctuary.org.
  19. Stanhope, Kate (November 28, 2013). "Biggest Loser Trainer Bob Harper Comes Out". TV Guide. Retrieved November 28, 2013.

External links

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