Bob Harper and Getting Stronger

So I’ve mentioned that I’d like to drop a few pounds and tone up.

I’ve certainly taken action on the workout front–adding in bootcamp classes and cross-training–but my diet still isn’t where I would need it to be to look how I want to look right now. And that’s okay with me. I’m working as hard on my health as I can while still being happy with it. It’s not worth it to me to have the perfect body but never have wine.

While I’m constantly striving to improve, I also need to remind myself how far I’ve come. In a few days, I’ll be running 19 miles over the course of 24 hours with little sleep. I’ve run that distance and longer a good handful of times, all at once, over the past few years, but if you had told me even three years ago that I’d be running a relay race with two vans full of fit healthy living bloggers, I would have laughed at you. I was beginning to train for my first real 5K. (It was technically my third, but the first one I actually trained for, and the first one after I started running for real.) I thought running more than four miles was impossible.

I put on a shirt for Tabata class this morning that was a little snugger. I noticed in class that the exercises are now a little easier to me and my core feels a little stronger. While, yeah, I want my abs to look smokin’ in a bikini, I also want to not feel like an ass when I take fitness classes with friends and feel like the weakest link. I want to run faster. I want to not experience lower back pain from my weak core–and I feel like I’m edging back closer to that.

Tight abs are sexy, but so is confidence.

…and Bob Harper. (How’s that for a segue?!)

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Tonight, I attended the launch party for his book, The Skinny Rules–which is Bob’s 20 rules to staying thin.

The man is HOT in person.

And I’m excited to read his book because I’ve been on a huge health book kick lately. (Reviews to come.)

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The event was at Santa Maria Novella, a home/candle store in Nolita. I’ve never been to such a wonderfully-scented event.

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I’ve also never been as creepy as I was tonight with the paparazzi shots. (I wasn’t the only one.)

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He was super sweet, and indulged all of us ladies a photo with him.

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I also got a one-on-one photo with him. I call that look in my eyes “starstruck.” [photos via Cat.]

When I was losing weight, I regularly watched The Biggest Loser when I got home from the gym. Fifty pounds isn’t an insignificant amount of weight to lose, but most of the contestants had much more than me to lose, and I just kept thinking “If they can do it, I can do it.”

While I know there is a ton of controversy surrounding him and my (trainer girl crush) Jillian Michaels, I can’t deny that I like their tough-love approach.

Favorite celebrity trainer or favorite celebrity you’d get starstruck around?

34 comments on “Bob Harper and Getting Stronger

    1. Angie

      I was a senior in high school and I loved Bob Greene, Oprah’s trainer. He was speaking at a local hospital and I dragged my cousin there on an early Saturday morning. We were the youngest people there and I was in great shape then. I got to get a picture with him, although I’m not sure where it is and got my book autographed!

      Reply
  1. Katie @ Talk Less, Say More

    What a COOL opportunity to get to meet Bob Harper!
    And I get the feeling of not wanting to feel like the weakest link in group exercise with friends, I’m right there with you. It’s probably one of the few times my inner competitor comes out!

    Reply
  2. Katrina @ 'Sota is Sexy

    Ahh! So Jealous! Totally love Bob. I watched his segment on the Today Show yesterday morning and just about lost it when I saw him in those cute little glasses! I bet he was super sweet in person! 🙂

    Reply
  3. EmDub

    I would be swooning like crazy. He is definitely hot, but his personality is what tops off the hotness. I get a nervous giggle when I meet someone like that! And really the pic of you two — going on your mantle? 🙂

    Reply
  4. Nikki

    It’s so refreshing to hear your balanced attitude about wanting to lose a couple of pounds but not wanting to make yourself unhappy in the process!
    And I love the look on your face in your shot with BH!

    Reply
  5. Courtney

    I LOVE Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels too. Like you, I watched TBL religiously when I was losing weight. I totally related to the contestants and it comforted me in a way that my real-life support network couldn’t. I didn’t know Bob had written a book. I can’t wait to check it out!

    Reply
  6. Laura

    Completely with you on the “if they can do it, I can do it” Biggest Loser mentality. I have done many, many long distance cardio sessions at the gym while watching TBL and reminding myself that they have it a lot harder than I do.

    Reply
  7. Linda Chan

    I absolutely LOVE Bob!!!!! I am so jealous. Bob always was and remains my favorite celebrity trainer. I really hated Jillian when Biggest Loser first started, but I have grown to really like her. She is actually a really nice person — I met her at a book signing a couple of years ago.

    Bob…. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Martha @ running in mommyland

    I saw a post from Christine at Love, Live, Surf about the event and look… there she is in your photo! You were one the first to inspire me to blog and then I met Christine online and she continues to inspire me.

    Looks like a great event. I bet you’ll be the strongest link again in half a second!!!!

    Reply
  9. maria

    I love him and Jillian!! I listen to her podcasts.

    Curious: Did he share what any of the 20 secrets were?? I plan to buy the book but a sneak preview would be greaaaat 😛

    Reply
  10. KACHED

    I work with a woman whose brother works in production on Biggest Loser. She told me several years ago Bob is gay..just so you know the hotness thoughts will go no where.

    Reply
  11. Nicole

    It’s so cool that you all got to meet Bob H. I have a few of his DVDs that I occasionally do at home – I usually end of yelling at the TV “Really? You want me to do what?!”

    Reply
  12. Kay A.

    That’s awesome that you were able to meet Bob. Even though I’ve viewed the biggest loser as a bit extreme, I always have respected the show and what Bob and Jillian did for those contestants, and what those contestants did for themselves. It was also good to see that a good number of the contestants that were eliminated early still ended up losing a significant amount of weight. That shows how much of an effect an experience can have even if it is short.

    Reply
  13. Ron

    I have to say that “The Biggest Loser” was the main reason why I personally never gave up trying to lose weight. Bob,Jillian and the rest of the ACTUAL participants truly enabled me to remain optimistic about my weight loss goals. I figured that if they can pull off a near miracle, then I certainly can do it.

    I would love to have met Bob and pick his brain a little.

    Reply
  14. Georgi

    you mentioned eating and wine.. i think this woman can give you a few words of advice. i own one of her books and my mother owns two they are great books, and really good way to kick start your healthy eating. good luck

    http://www.detoxtheworld.com/

    Reply
  15. phen

    i like to red this section of your blog post really very nice
    “While, yeah, I want my abs to look smokin’ in a bikini, I also want to not feel like an ass when I take fitness classes with friends and feel like the weakest link. I want to run faster. I want to not experience lower back pain from my weak core–and I feel like I’m edging back closer to that.”
    thanks

    Reply

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