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Bob Harper reveals secrets of being skinny

Bob Harper, trainer and coach of NBC's 'The Biggest Loser', shares three of his favorite tips from his new book "Skinny Habits."
/ Source: TODAY

Bob Harper, trainer and coach of NBC’s "The Biggest Loser", has helped countless men and women reach their weight-loss goals with his advice for what to eat and how to exercise.

But over the years something has become abundantly clear: you can follow the rules for diet and exercise and lose weight but you won’t keep it off if you don’t adopt habits and behaviors to support your newly thinner physique. Now, with his new book "Skinny Habits", Harper lets us in on the six secret behaviors of people who not only lose weight but keep the pounds off for good—and make it look easy.

Read an excerpt from Bob Harper's "Skinny Habits" here

To get you started, here are three of his favorite tips:

MAKE CONTINGENCY PLANS

To avoid that first slip, create your own internal scripts for dealing with difficult situations.

GOAL:I am going to exercise more

DO: I’m going to go to the gym at least three days a week.

SUPPORT: I’m going to sign up for one new exercise class every week.

PREPARE: I’m going to keep my running shoes and a towel in my desk at work.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Mark Twain apparently said, “The clothes make the man.”

And that’s true but in a way that he might not have meant because I’m not talking about making fashion statements!

I’m talking about how the care you take with your appearance communicates a whole lot about your emotional state (to others) and will even change your emotional state (for yourself). How we look affects how we feel, and how we feel affects what we eat.

So, No.1 thing to remember: Don’t hide behind baggy clothes!

There is real science —that I explain in the book—that shows that there are psychological and physiological benefits to wearing clothes that really fit or that gently remind you of the weight you want to lose.

Wear a belt: It’s a natural gauge of how much you’ve eaten on a given day.

Wear comfortable shoes: Wearing dress shoes that don’t hurt can make you walk the walk a little taller and more self-assured.

Keep the spandex for you workouts: Wearing something with give makes it hard to keep tabs on whether you’re expanding or getting thinner.

REST FOR SUCCESS

Go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Establish a bedtime routine, such as a warm bath, reading, and a few yoga poses before lights out. Keep the temperature in your bedroom comfortable, or a little cool.

Don’t watch TV or use electronic devices in bed.

Don’t drink too much water before bed or eat heavy, spicy, or sugary foods within four hours of going to bed.