Celebrity Trainer Bob Harper’s Tough Lesson in Heart Health

 

According to the CDC, each year 735,000 Americans have a heart attack — and in 2017 Bob Harper was one of them. For Mediaplanet’s “Heart Health” campaign, I sat down with the fitness expert and “Biggest Loser” host to hear what he learned from the experience, and how he bounced back from the ordeal.

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Eating leafy greens and hitting the gym every day might be part of a healthy lifestyle, but they don’t necessarily make you immune to heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds. This sobering reality hit celebrity personal trainer Bob Harper at the age of 51, when he suffered a heart attack despite his seemingly healthy lifestyle.

“I don’t remember that day at all,” Harper tells Mediaplanet, reflecting on the traumatic experience. Just six weeks before his heart attack, Harper had noticed troubling symptoms: dizzy spells and occasional fainting during his workouts. “I kept brushing it off. I thought I was just dehydrated or that I hadn’t eaten enough.”

How it happened

On the fateful morning of his heart attack, Harper was at his local gym, working out with friends. After completing a routine exercise, he suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing. 

“A doctor who was present tried to perform CPR on me, but I had already turned blue. I had a heart attack and immediately went into cardiac arrest.”

For Harper, the details of that day remain a blur. 

“I woke up two days later surrounded by my closest friends from Los Angeles and family members from Tennessee,” he recalls. Research shows that about half of all heart attack survivors experience memory loss and other cognitive issues. Harper experienced this firsthand. 

“I was disoriented, repeatedly asking what had happened. Each time they explained it to me, I’d forget within ten minutes.”

During his recovery, Harper discovered he had familial hypercholesterolemia, a hereditary condition that causes high levels of LDL cholesterol and significantly increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. This genetic factor played a crucial role in his health crisis, highlighting that while lifestyle factors like poor diet, smoking, or inactivity can increase heart disease risk, genetics also play a significant role.

The heart attack led Harper to make substantial changes to his diet and physical routine. He now follows a largely Mediterranean diet, rich in fish, chicken, and vegetables, and has embraced a new approach to fitness and health. 

“I was the workout guy,” he says with a laugh. “Working out was a huge part of my identity, and that’s no longer the case. I wasn’t allowed to do anything for a long time, and it was a huge adjustment. I had to find new ways to cope and manage my stress, which was really challenging.”

In addition to these lifestyle changes, Harper has become a passionate advocate for heart attack survivors. He helped pioneer the Survivors Have Heart program, which connects survivors and their loved ones through patient stories to celebrate survivorship and raise awareness.

Doctor’s orders

A recent survey revealed that only 27 percent of people are fully aware of the major symptoms of a heart attack. Harper, now based in New York City, is hopeful that increased awareness and better communication with healthcare professionals can help improve these statistics. 

“I used to hate going to the doctor. I was always nervous. I had what they call ‘white coat syndrome,’” he laughs. “Now when I go to the doctor, I feel comforted. I’ve talked to so many types of doctors that it feels very comforting.”

Harper hopes that by sharing his story, he’ll encourage people to look beyond appearances when evaluating health and wellness.

“You can look like the perfect picture of health, but until you know what’s going on inside, you don’t have the full story,” he urges. “Today I have a whole new lease on life and feel more passionate than I’ve ever felt.” ■

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Chad Hensley