The Biggest Loser on Shine

"The Biggest Loser" winner is half the size he used to be...HALF!

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The eighth season of "The Biggest Loser" has been packed full of medical dramas, tears, product placements and, of course, cussing personal trainers. Usually, that's enough to keep me glued to episode after episode of a reality show.

Biggest Loser Winner's New Book: "Just because I'm overweight doesn't mean I want a kitty cat on my shirt!"

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Ali Vincent, the first female winner of The Biggest Loser, lost a whopping 112…

Secrets to workout success: Bob Harper on the only REAL reason you should be exercising

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Sometimes, all it takes to get motivated to work out, eat healthier, or get more active is putting something on your calendar. My own upcoming class reunion certainly spurred me to sign up for a few new exercise classes. Maybe a family reunion, job interview, or a hot date is what makes you want to work out. Weddings make many women and men run directly to the gym. Other people are inspired to get healthier to prepare for pregnancy or cope with fertility challenges. Committing to a triathlon, marathon, or other event will certainly kick you into high gear as well.

As helpful as it is to have a goal, a deadline, or even a dangling carrot out there keep you on the treadmill or calling you out of the drive-thru lane, you might just be missing the biggest point of being healthier. Here's what the straight-talking Bob Harper from "The Biggest Loser" says should be your main motivation to exercise, eat well, and take care of yourself -- not just for those special events and invitations, but for every day on your calendar.

Listen up:

Biggest Loser - Bob's Workout Secret #5: Staying Focused @ Yahoo! Video

Secrets to workout success: Bob Harper on setting a smart pace

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A few minutes ago, I caught myself staring at my computer screen. I can't say how long I'd been in that zone, but I know that I wasn't spacing. I was ticking through the items left on today's to-do list, trying to figure out if there is any way I can squeeze in a workout before it is time to close up the laptop for the day.

There's time for a quick one, certainly. But I know if I head out now, my mind will be focused elsewhere and I won't give the attention to my posture, pace, and heart rate that I really need to get the most out of my exercise.

Biggest Loser - Bob's Workout Secret #4: Pace Yourself @ Yahoo! Video

Secrets to workout success: How to take the routine out of your fitness

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Many of us are creatures of habit. This might mean that we always eat ham and cheddar sandwiches on rye for lunch, that our day would not feel complete without wearing a tattered flannel robe before bed, or that we cannot bear to rearrange the furniture, switch cubicles at work, or even write with a different kind of ballpoint pen. There is a safety and predictability and comfort in doing the same thing, seeing the same thing, experiencing the same thing over and over. And for those of us who exercise, it can also mean that we've made our workouts routine, too.

Secrets to workout success: Do you really need to stretch?

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The time we designate to exercise is precious, particularly when we have commutes, carpools, cooking, and six-thousand other things to squeeze into our schedules. Every single moment, from jumping into your yoga pants to racing to the treadmill from the locker room, counts.

When I finally get to the actual exercise, I want to pack in as much sweating, calorie-burning, and de-stressing as I can into my thirty minutes or hour. I admit, that means I often breeze past or even skip stretching. I want to go and then I want to stop, making the few minutes it takes to ease my muscles in and out of the exercise seem like a big pain.

"The Biggest Loser" trainer Bob Harper says this is a mistake. Stretching to both warm up and cool down the muscles is critical for a successful workout. Here, Bob explains:

Biggest Loser - Bob's Workout Secret #2: Stretching @ Yahoo! Video

Did you watch "The Biggest Loser" season premiere? Did it motivate you?

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I haven't watched every single episode of "The Biggest Loser", which kicked off its eighth season last night. But I have kept my eye on the show during the seasons that I wasn't glued to the show each week. I've done this in part because I am amazed at the transformation --…