You don't have to be a contestant on The Biggest Loser to lose weight. In fact, we have the next best thing: secrets from The Biggest Loser trainer turned host himself, Bob Harper. And Bob Harper doesn't just spew this stuff; he actually practices what he preaches. After suffering a near-fatal heart attack [1] last year, he went on to transform his life and lose 40 pounds [2].
Bob has shared some of his insider tips and tricks with us over the last couple of years, and it's no wonder his clients are so successful. Scroll through some of Bob's best weight-loss tips [3] to get inspired to shed those pounds and keep them off for good.
Say Goodbye to Sugar
"If you can just pull sugar out of your diet [4], you're going to be able to lose weight," he told POPSUGAR. Bob said it's the most important thing for weight loss. Not only does giving up sugar alleviate bloating [5], but you will also feel more energized — and it can clear up your skin and might miraculously help with nasal congestion [6].
Practice Portion Control
If you think you need to overhaul your diet completely, Bob said you can start with baby steps — not exactly what you eat, but how much of it.
"Forget about changing anything of your diet, except for portions of it," Bob said. "Eat half of the amount that you're normally eating, and you'll naturally lose weight from that."
Drink a Gallon of Water a Day
Bob is a big proponent of drinking water — lots of it. He revealed he drinks at least a gallon a day [7] and said it was "one of the best weight-loss tips in the world."
"I think that we talk about being hungry, but a lot of times people are dehydrated [8], too," he told POPSUGAR.
Eat Your Vegetables
"The best weight-loss tip I could give people is to put balance back on your plate [9]," he told us. He went on to explain that when people try to lose weight, they may go crazy and cut out an entire food group, like carbs. And sure, they may lose weight. But the problem with that is that it's not sustainable, so they end up gaining the weight back. It's a trick he uses with his clients.
"I balance out their macronutrients: you make sure every single time you eat, you have protein, fat, and carbs along with your vegetables," he said.
Try Hot Yoga (or at Least Mix Up All the Cardio)
Bob used to be all about the cardio. Now, he mixes it up [10] and practices at least an hour of hot yoga a day.
"I came from that very cardio background," he said on the Rachael Ray [11] Show. "It's like, to get the weight off, you've gotta get cardio, cardio, cardio. I don't necessarily believe that's true in all cases."
Sure, cardio has its place, but mix it up with some strength training [12] to help you build lean muscle and burn calories at rest. And if you want to start practicing yoga [13] like Bob, that will also help you gain strength and flexibility and reduce stress.
Manage Your Stress
"I [previously] structured my dialogue that when it comes to weight loss, it's about your diet first and foremost," Bob told POPSUGAR. "Then it's your exercise, then sleep, and then stress management," he said. It was a philosophy he preached for years, but he's recently changed his tune.
"I have since changed the way I think," Bob said, and while "those are still my four core beliefs," he has now flipped that hierarchy on its head. "I think that stress management is the number one key [14] to a healthy body and a healthy mind," he said, sharing that stress management is really the foundation that diet, exercise, and sleep rest on.
Balance Your Plate
Remember that thing earlier about cutting out entire food groups? Turns out having a completely balanced plate is a major key to eating healthy and losing weight.
"Every single time you eat, you've got to think about where your protein is, where your fat is, and where your carbs are," he told POPSUGAR. "You've got to make sure that you've got that good combination every single time that you eat. You're going to feel more satisfied, and you'll be more likely to eat less and avoid snacking."
You don't necessarily need to count macros [15], but make sure each meal has a good balance of healthy fats [16], lean protein [17], and complex carbs [18].
Cut Yourself Some Slack
When you start to diet, you may adopt an all-or-nothing mentality. But being so hard on yourself can actually derail your efforts.
"Cut yourself some slack!" he told us. "That's the main mantra [19]: cut yourself some slack." He added that instead, you should say to yourself, "I'm doing the best that I can!"
Find the Joy
Losing weight sounds like a miserable experience, but it doesn't have to be.
"Find the joy in your life," Bob said, suggesting that it will have an impact on all other areas of your life. "I think that you have got to find joy in your day, and when you are able to do that, the joy will transcend into all the things you want to do to better yourself." He said he believes this with everything he believes in and he lives by it.
We couldn't have said it better ourselves!