By John Russell
According to personal trainer Bob Harper, the health and fitness world is always evolving — and now so is The Biggest Loser. After serving as a trainer on the hit reality show, which aired on NBC from 2004–16, Harper is taking the reins as host of USA Network’s reboot of the series, which begins Tuesday.
“Forty percent of Americans are obese, and each person has their own unique story about how they got to that point,” Harper explains. “Our goal is to give them the tools to stay the course to emotional and physical health as best they can.”
Helping him to whip 12 overweight contestants into shape at the show’s new training facility in Santa Fe, N.M., will be trainers Erica Lugo and Steve Cook.
The new series will reflect changing attitudes toward weight loss and body positivity. Rather than focusing on dropping a dress size or two, Harper, Lugo and Cook, with the help of nutritionists and doctors, will help contestants improve their overall well-being. “Negativity will never lead to success,” explains Harper. “Beating yourself up for looking a certain way will never serve you. My belief is that you have to channel that anger or frustration into motivation.”
Harper himself can attest to how important that 360-degree view of wellness can be. The bestselling fitness author suffered a heart attack in 2017 at the age of 51, apparently due to genetics. “My personal philosophy is that health is about what you eat, how you move your body, and how you think and feel,” he says. “To this day, I still get messages from former contestants and it makes all of this so worthwhile.”
With feedback like that, Harper is confident that the new version of the show will be as much of a phenomenon on USA as it was on NBC. “My focus while on The Biggest Loser, no matter where it airs, will always be to give everything I have to these contestants so that they can change their lives for the better.”