He's pretty buff for an older guy.
Posted on 01/16/2004 6:43:30 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Dismissing old age as a myth, Jack LaLanne, TV's first fitness guru, says old folks should get out of their easy chairs and ''work at living.'' At 89, he hits the gym every day at 5 a.m., lifts weights and swims for two hours. ''The only way you hurt your body is not using it. That's the killer: inactivity,'' LaLanne said recently at his home on the central California coast. ''Sitting around on your big fat butt and thinking about the good old days. You've got to work at living. Take care of the most important thing in your life -- your body.'' LaLanne hosted a TV exercise show for 34 years. Dressed modestly in black, he directed America's housewives from 1951-85 in the proper form for situps and pushups to the accompaniment of organ music, not disco aerobic tunes. Sometimes he did outrageous stunts to show off his physical prowess. In 1956, the 42-year-old performed 1,033 pushups in 23 minutes on the TV show ''You Asked For It.'' At age 70, he towed boats while swimming across Long Beach Harbor handcuffed. When LaLanne was in his 20s, he weighed 174 pounds. Today, he weighs just 150, and still has a strapping torso and slim waist. ''I feel great,'' he said. ''My endurance is terrific. Can't you see my wife smiling all the time?'' He said he and Elaine, his wife of nearly 50 years, take brisk walks around their 3-1/2-acre estate. He also travels the country giving seminars and promoting his products. He encourages people who are feeling old and tired to revitalize their bodies by eating and exercising properly. The human body has more than 600 muscles, and he believes they all need work. He suggests focusing on different muscle groups at different points in a workout schedule, so that the routine doesn't become too dull. He acknowledges the average person doesn't have the time to exercise two hours per day, so he recommends 30-minute workouts, three to four times a week. It's tough to change a person's habits overnight, he says, but if they're persistent and take one step at a time, they'll see results. They should also set short-term goals and follow them through. ''Change a few bad habits with good habits; it's that simple,'' LaLanne said. Substitute white bread with whole-wheat bread, or start eating fresh fruit instead of sugar-laden desserts. LaLanne said he's managed to maintain a youthful appearance and energy by drinking plenty of water and eating at least 10 raw vegetables and five pieces of fresh fruit daily. He also eats fish, egg whites and food high in fiber. He said others can duplicate his success if they eat foods that are low in fat and cholesterol and pass on caffeine, sugar and cigarettes. ''If man makes it, don't eat it,'' he said, ''and don't eat between meals.''
Sage advice, that.
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.I hope Mr. LaLanne has seen to the eternal aspect of himself, by exercising God-given repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 4:8
Dan
Biblical Christianity web site
He's pretty buff for an older guy.
What gene pool did "May" come from. Yikes!!!!!!
Pass 'em on down to me, Jack!
During the past year, I got this 41-year-old body in shape by doing 1-2 brisk walks of 3+ miles a day and I feel 20 years younger. As well, I also switched my diet to whole foods and pretty much eliminated all processed foods (and the carbs that go with them) from my diet.
If I can maintain this lifestyle, I have no doubt I'll live a long and healthy life.
-yeah most grew up and now do the chicken dance wherever there is a disc jockey at weddings....LOL
--actually he is full of great advice -- he listened to my grandma! Forget all the diet books - eat your fruits and veggies, don't eat junk food and get off your butt! Enough said.
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