Career Center - Biggest Loser Trainer Backgrounds

How The Biggest Loser Trainers Got Their Start – A Bio on Bob Harper and Kim Lyons

As a hit reality television show, The Biggest Loser has inspired millions of people to lose weight and get healthy. Since its premiere in 2004, the show has taken the US by storm and inspired spin-offs in the U.K., Australia and other countries.

For each season of the show, overweight contestants are grouped into teams and each team is assigned a personal trainer. By helping contestants achieve their goals, personal trainers Bob Harper and Kim Lyons have become two of the most famous and successful personalities in the fitness world. Find out how each of these very different people turned their love of fitness into an incredible career.

Bob Harper

Bob has been Blue team trainer for the entire run of The Biggest Loser, and has also appeared on the Australian version of the show. He has appeared on Larry King Live, Entertainment Tonight and many other television shows. He has also been featured in dozens of magazines, including Oprah Magazine, TV Guide, Entertainment Tonight, US Weekly, In Touch and Star.

Bob achieved this extraordinary career with a unique combination of commitment, preparation and blazing personality. He began by achieving certification with both the American Fitness Training of Athletics (AFTA) and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). He also became a certified yoga instructor.

With his trademark training class, BootCamp, Bob earned a name for himself in the L.A. fitness scene. His signature brand of fitness and nutritional integration helped him become a sought after personal trainer. Over the past decade, his many famous clients have included Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Guy Ritchie and Selma Blair.

Bob's work as a top fitness instructor has taken him all over the world, teaching classes and educating others on his personal training techniques. He is a published author and one of the top motivational experts in the world. But whether he's working with celebrities or everyday people, Bob's approach is the same. With every client, he starts "inside" – helping individuals recognize their potential and build self-worth. Only then can this new awareness move into reality with healthy habits and long-term lifestyle changes.

Kim Lyons

Fitness is a way of life for Kim Lyons. As a child, her athleticism and outgoing personality helped her cope with moving every couple of years as the daughter of an Air Force fighter pilot. Later, her passion for health and fitness helped her overcome a family history depression. Today, Kim travels widely to share her fitness knowledge and enthusiasm with others.

Kim studied Human Development and Nutrition at Colorado State University, where she was also a cheerleader. After graduation, she intended to have a career as a commercial pilot, but her love of fitness continued to grow. She began weight training and teaching aerobic classes, and she was soon inspired to study personal training at the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Kim went on to earn several nationally recognized nutrition certifications. Her studies and personal journey led naturally to fitness competitions. She won national and international competitions and soon earned her IFBB Pro card, cementing her position as one of the top fitness competitors in the world.

After tearing her Achilles tendon during preparation for a competition, Kim used her seven-month recovery period to become an accomplished writer and fitness expert. She has been featured in many magazines, including Oxygen, SELF and Muscle and Fitness. She is also one of the industry's most photographed models.

To earn her spot on The Biggest Loser, Kim competed with hundreds of professional trainers. She says the greatest reward of being Red team trainer is watching contestants step back from the brink of serious health risks like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Kim's compassionate, no-nonsense approach is a great example for any aspiring personal trainer.

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