Jack LaLanne - A Tribute to an Icon

"If you want to continue to make progress and look as good as me, you need to change up your exercises every 4 weeks.  If you don't change, change can't happen."

That's an exact quote from when I was fortunate enough to meet Fitness Icon and Pioneer, Jack LaLanne, 6 years ago.  I also remember him saying "let me take a picture of you naked and put it on your Christmas card.  Why are you cringing?  Not happy with how you look?  THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"

He surely had a way with words.

I was in Pittsburgh working on my PhD and I happened to catch a glimpse of something on the TV about a local health fair where Jack LaLanne was speaking.

I remember how excited I was ... I've seen Jack on TV, read about him, and was always impressed at his forward thinking -- suggesting exercise over 70 years ago!

I went to see him speak and I distinctly remember his wife, Elaine LaLanne introducing him.  Then all of a sudden Jack comes running out from behind the curtain, high tails it up the center aisle, runs up the stairs on stage, and Elaine jumped in his arms.

He was 91 at the time.

Most 30 year olds can't do that.  Heck, most 20 year olds can't either.

While some of his messages were a bit extreme, when you search to find all the positive it's truly amazing what an impact one person has had on our entire fitness and nutrition industry.

He had one of, if not THE first exercise TV show.  Sure, some of his ideas were a bit "extreme" -- but like he told me after his talk, when I had a chance to meet him, "If you don't change, change can't happen."

• Exercise daily like he suggests -- both weight training and some type of cardiovascular exercise (he swam)
• Don't eat sugar and other refined carbohydrate junk.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Eat fish.
• Don't drink slurpees and other sugary beverages.

Not rocket science.  And the message hasn't changed.  Go back to nutrition and exercise basics.  Don't overthink either.  And then and only then, like he says "Anything in life is possible."

Thank you, Mr. LaLanne!

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