Trainer Bob Harper will get contestants into shape through a program of diet and exercise beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday on the new season of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” Here, he offers tips for starting your own fitness program, many of which are found in his new book “Take Charge, Lose Weight, Get in Shape, Change Your Life Forever. Are You Ready?”
ESTABLISH A ROUTINE
It’s important to actually schedule exercise time, Harper says, especially if you’ve never worked out before. “That, to me, is the biggest thing,” he says.
DON’T FORGET THE DIET
“Try to get off sugar immediately, because of all the empty calories,” Harper says. And consider cutting portions in half. “When you cut everything in half, you will absolutely lose weight,” he says.
START WITH CARDIO
Buy yourself a pair of sneakers and just go for a walk before work or at lunch. “People ask me, ‘What do I need to do, Bob? Do I need to get a gym membership? A trainer?’ ” Harper says. “No, just relax and get started.”
WORK UP TO THE WEIGHTS
If you’re exercising for the first time, wait about two months and then add in weight training, Harper says. “Fat and muscle don’t like living together,” he says. “The more muscle there is, the more fat burning there is. When you start weight training, don’t think that you’re going to start getting all muscle-y. You’re just going to start burning fat off.”
Some trainers use heavy weights and limited repetitions, others prefer lighter weights and increased repetitions. Harper combines the two. “I like heavier weights and lots of reps,” he says. “Combine those two and it works really well.”
