Okay everyone, I have got some big news for you that I’m really excited about sharing…

I’m coming out with a supplement line called Bob Harper’s Smart Success and before it comes out, I wanted to talk to you about why I wanted to do this and what really sets mine apart from anything else out there.

When I first started thinking about this project I had a very long laundry list of what I wanted for my products. Namely, I was looking for clinically proven key ingredients. I wanted it to be vegan and vegetarian friendly. It needed to be gluten free and dairy free. I wanted veggie caps. I wanted supportive ingredients like natural goji berry & pomegranate. The list went on and on – and the world-class company I teamed up with delivered on every single item.

Now comes the most interesting part.

I wanted to make sure that people understand that when it comes to losing weight, getting in shape, and living a healthy lifestyle, you gotta make good food choices and you’ve gotta exercise — supplements can work much more effectively when you combine them with a healthy lifestyle. I have always promoted this way of living and this had to be two of the main pillars of the whole Bob Harper’s Smart Success. I was so excited about coming out with a supplement line that hit every must have on my list and totally fit with my philosophy on health.

So here is the bottom line…

I wanted to help create a supplement line that, with diet and exercise at the forefront, will give people that extra boost. And now I’m gonna get to share this with you. You are going to be able to find my supplements in most stores across the country starting late April and I can’t wait to hear all of your feedback…xoxox

Learn more at www.facebook.com/mysmarterchoice, on 3/15/11.

So this week was all about picking Team Captains, which I’m still trying to figure out exactly what this was supposed to do.  I understand team building but these teams seem to be very connected so I didn’t really get it, but I’m not a producer so what do I know.  One other thing that I thought was funny is that I have worked with Jillian for so long and she and I are very similar in many ways… and one of our shared feelings is that we are the only team captains on our team at all times so it was funny to think that Marci was going to take that power… hahahahahahaahahahahahahhaahaha!!!

Okay, I gotta talk about the one thing that really stands out from last night’s episode and it was Arthur in the weigh in.

Let me give you a little backstory and a bird’s eye view that I have had with Arthur. This guy came into our house having lost over 100 pounds on his own, ready to make a difference but he continued to make these bad choices from a place of fear. I am in no way saying that Arthur was a saint and did he make some “game play” moves that benefited him and hurt others, YES! Absolutely. Fear makes you do some dumb things and Arthur was no stranger to making bad decisions. He was a man that ate his way up to almost 700 POUNDS!!! That is complete madness to a lot of people and maybe foreshadowing to some.

So did I sympathize for him?

You’re damn right!

I believe in karma and I think the universe has a way of evening things out and Arthur’s game playing was probably karma and I see that.  I just remember standing in that weigh in room and everyone was getting so emotional and Arthur was standing up there with his red shirt on, crying and it was killing me. I knew right there and then that Arthur would be eliminated because he had no alliance on the Red Team.  That is exactly why I said what I said on TV last night.

What you didn’t hear because it, for whatever reason, ended up on the cutting room floor was that I recognized his bad behavior and I understand how this game works BUT I also believe in the bigger picture and that it shouldn’t just be about alliances and who your friends are in the house.  It should sometimes be about people that come into our house that are knocking on death’s door and need to be forgiven for their past behavior. Sometimes people deserve another chance and that is what I thought about Arthur. When I watched that episode last night, it just almost brought tears to my eyes. That man was so broken, unhealthy, and in need of help and I understand that everyone deserves to be there but sometimes there has to be levels of need and Arthur’s level of needing to be in the house ranked extremely high.

With that said, I know that Arthur will do well at home, I just wanted him to be there longer to really tackle the demons that live inside of him for a little longer. I said a little quiet prayer last night for Arthur and I’m really working on my tools for forgiveness. I’m asking you to do the same.

Congratulations Mandy!!! Keep up the GREAT work! xoxo..Bob

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Dear Bob,

I sincerely hope that you are able to read this because the single most important thing in my life (besides my family) has happened to me because of you. My story could be anyone’s story, because honestly I’m your average mother and military wife. My husband is in the United States Marine Corps, and I adore him. We have 2 beautiful boys together, ages 4 and 6 months. I am 26 years old, and I can say that I love my life for the first time in those 26 years. We are moving to Japan in 3 months and starting a new journey together!

I learned at a very young age how to emotionally eat. Fueled by my parents’ divorce, I turned to food to cope. I’ve never been obese though, until I had my first child. I don’t know what happened to me, I don’t recognize the woman in this picture. I was 210 pounds, and I’m only 5’1! I was past obese, I was morbidly obese. I worked out for 2 years solid, and was a yo-yo on the scale. I was up to 150 again when I got pregnant with my 2^nd child in 2009. After he was born, my weight was 174.6. It wasn’t so bad, I thought…I was smaller this time than after my last pregnancy. Then my husband and I had a talk that changed my life. It was my wake-up call. That’s when I found you.

I started with your workouts, and well, it was tough! I listened to you though, and read your book. I realized that my problem was internal, and if I was ever going to change I would have to face the demons of my past. I realized that I’ve never been the person that I thought I was supposed to be, because I was afraid of her. I don’t know who the skinny version of me is. It’s been 5 months and 3 weeks of intense therapy and sweat, but I’ve gone further than I ever thought possible.

Bob, with your Inside Out DVD’s, I have lost 50 pounds, and went from a size 18 to a size 6! A SIX! I have never in my life been a size 6. On the BMI scale, I went from “obese” to “normal” in less than 6 months. I am completely blown away! I want to run my first marathon here on Camp Lejeune for the Wounded Warriors foundation in May before we leave for Japan. It’s a goal that I have because of you, Bob. I know that I can do anything, and be anyone that I want to be now. I am no longer defined by my weight. I can almost keep up with my husband who is a US Marine!

I wish so much that I could meet you before we leave for Japan. I am starting my new life this year as we leave for a new country! I am a new me, a healthier me, and I’m finding out now who I really am and who I should be. It’s changed me so much that my husband and I are completely in love again. Learning to challenge myself, dedicate myself, and be a better me has healed my marriage. Even more though, the struggles that we went through together as I was changing and growing in new ways brought my husband and I closer together. For that, Bob, you have changed my life and I owe you everything.  Thank you for cutting the string of my yo-yo and giving me a new life! I look forward to being in a bikini on the beaches of Okinawa this summer!!

Semper Fi!

Mandy

The phrase, “Miracles really do come true” really stands out to me for this episode.

When Jillian and I found out that our team had lost the pop challenge and were no longer going to be able to use the gym for a week, well, to put it nicely, WE FREAKED OUT!!  Jillian and I have always said that the bread and butter to weight loss in the Biggest Loser house is cardio and to be without all the cardio equipment tied our hands in a way that made us very uncomfortable.  I also had to remember that in the history of the show, whenever a team was not allowed access to the gym it put a fire in the team to work harder and they ended up prevailing in the weigh in.  That was my mantra for the week and we really took advantage of all there was to offer on our campus.  Mainly walking and jogging outside and we also had access to the rowers and spin bikes, so that was a good thing.  To me what else stood out for this episode that I believe many people can relate to is Arthur was working from a place of fear and that is why he sent the green team over to the red team.  So many people get attached to their fear and allow it to make decisions for them and until you face your fears, you will always be more of a person that reacts instead of being a more proactive person.

Was I upset with Arthur?  Of course, but I understood where he was coming from and we were able to sit down and talk with Arthur and got him to face is fears and acknowledge his past behavior.  His past behavior that got him to almost 700 pounds.  All in all, with no gym, by the end of the week we all felt pretty good with our accomplishments.  When it was time to go into the weigh in, suffice to say, we were extremely nervous.  Jillian made a funny comment earlier in the episode that made me laugh.  We are like The Care Bears and they are a football team. Well the Care Bears walked into that weigh in with their heads held high.  It was such a competitive environment that night and I really don’t like when it gets that way, but I really wanted Arthur to prove himself and man did he!!!  When he got on that scale and dropped 20 pounds, we were ecstatic.  Did you notice that Jillian made a beeline to me and jumped right into my arms?

It was the best thing in the world.

We were extremely proud of our team that night.  I believe that whatever you put your mind to, as long as you work from an open and positive place, you will me able to make miracles happen.

Here are some great ways that you can give your health a boost. Just start with Day 1 of the boost and keep on coming back! http://on.fb.me/hNthEa

Looking for some free motivation?

Here are some videos I put together that will help give you a jump start! http://bit.ly/fGhMCx