If there weren’t a Jack Lalanne, there probably wouldn’t be a me. In fact, he’s my greatest role model. As the original fitness expert, Jack didn’t necessarily invent exercise, but he definitely was the pioneer behind fitness as we know it. Inventor of the leg extension machine, Smith machine and cable pulley systems, Jack has made a massive impact on health clubs and is hugely responsible for filling them with women. At 95 years young, he’s still as forceful as he was in his 20’s and you may be shocked by what he has to say to get you to take better care of yourself!
Fitz: Happy Birthday Jack! You’ve just turned 95 and your in amazing shape. How old do you feel?
Jack: 22
Fitz: Really?
Jack: Sometimes 102. But I’m fine. I work out every day and do what I’m supposed to do. I’ve got no complaints.
Fitz: Tell me about your workouts.
Jack: I lift weights for an hour each day and then spend a half hour in the pool swimming.
Fitz: Impressive! I swim a lot too, but find it really boring. What do you think about to stay entertained while your swimming?
Jack: I think about getting in shape, and how lucky I am to be able to swim!
Fitz: What’s your greatest professional accomplishment?
Jack: Going in to the field that I’m in. Helping people to feel better, look better and live longer by exercising and eating right. My whole life is helping people!
Fitz: I’ve been looking back at your videos from 50 years ago and I’m impressed at how accurate you were about everything before there was even a lot of research on the subject. Your “Sugarholics” video for example was dead-on!
Jack: Back in grade school, I went to a health lecture on nutrition and the guy told me it could help me feel better and look better if I did the right thing. I went home that night and prayed for the willpower to refrain from the foods that were killing me. A week later, all those headaches I had every day left and I’ve never had one again. My whole life changed and I’ve been in my profession ever since. If something changed your life, you’d be pretty enthusiastic about it, right?
Fitz: And the fitness part?
Jack: In high school I treated Henry Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body as my bible. By the time I got out of high school, I knew more about the human body than most doctors! I also became a chiropractor because I wanted to learn about the workings of the muscles and bones of the body. I graduated from chiropractic college but never used the degree.
Fitz: Did you have any role models?
Jack: Yeah. Me! There was one man from India who inspired me to have a physique like his, so I worked and worked and worked. I eventually earned a physique like his and went way beyond that.
Fitz: Have you ever let yourself go a little bit and gained a few unwanted pounds or worse?
Jack: No! If I lie to Jack Lalanne, then I lie to you. All I’ve got going for me is telling the truth!
Fitz: You’ve had a lot to say, especially in books! Do you have a favorite?
Jack: My new book that just came out is called Live Young Forever: 12 Steps to Optimum Health, Fitness and Longetivity. This one is the gem of all of them. It’s got all the information I’ve learned in almost 90 years in this profession. Remember, Jack Lalanne, live long forever!
Fitz: What do you say to the 65 year olds who think it’s too late for them to start exercising?
Jack: It’s never too late! I get people in their 70’s who start exercising and double their strength in six to eight weeks!
Fitz: You’re big on personal accountability. I’m interested in your thoughts on Obama’s health care reform. What do you think this country needs instead?
Jack: We need more examples! Fitness should be taught in schools. In first grade, those kids should be taught the importance of proper nutrition and exercise. That’s the key to a healthy society!
Fitz: What advice do you have for the present generation of fitness trainers?
Jack: Practice what you preach! There are too many fitness trainers that are out of shape and fat. If you’re going to tell somebody to do something, you better be a great example of what you’re telling them to do!
Fitz: Well said! Do you still try out the new equipment?
Jack: I invented most of them! Today we have beautiful health clubs and gyms in the workplace. Everybody should be using them. Exercise is king, nutrition is queen and if you put them together you’ve got a kingdom!
Fitz: Well I want to thank you so much for all you’ve done, because you’ve been a wonderful role model for me!
Jack: I feel like I’ve got so much ahead of me.
Fitz: How many more birthdays do you think you’ll see?
Jack: I just take it day at a time. (He starts singing) This is the moment, I’ve been waiting for!
Fitz: What’s your favorite healthy food?
Jack: Anything that’s raw, fruits and vegetables. If I don’t like them, I create a liking for them. I always ask, “what’s this doing for the most important person on this earth? ME!” And you are the most important person on this earth too, right? Work at living, dying is easy! It used to take me half an hour to squeeze out some fresh juice. My newest Power Juicer by Jack Lalanne is incredible! Everyone should have one!
Fitz: Do you and your wife, Elaine, exercise together?
Jack: She does her thing and I do mine. We’ve been married 50 years, and she is the power beneath my muscle. We just celebrated my birthday and our anniversary in a double celebration, and people came in the hundreds. I never knew how many friends I had.
(Jack’s wife Elaine joins the conversation)
Fitz: How does Jack keep the romance alive?
Elaine: Honey, not only is he my friend, but he has a great sense of humor and he keeps me laughing. He’s my bud! We have a great relationship.
Jack: There’s only one LaLa! (His nickname for Elaine – they giggle together. It is majorly sweet!)
Fitz: Did you exchange anniversary gifts?
Elaine: We live in the country, so I got him a little John Deer tractor he’ll never use.
Jack: I’ll pull the tractor!
Elaine: Haha! He’s always this funny. For my gifts, he gives me money and tells me to go out and buy something nice from him.
Fitz: Back to your work, Jack … what’s next?
Jack: Same thing I’ve been doing my whole life – helping people to help themselves! This is Jack Lalanne folks! Your physical instructor and friend telling you that anything in life is possible if you make it happen. So I want you to take care of the most important person in the world, you! Start working out and eating right!
****Thanks so much to both Jack and Elaine for this fabulous interview. I truly adore Jack and I could only hope to make as great an impact on the health of others as he has. I’m gratfeul for this opportunity.
Hello Fitz! Thanks so much for sharing this interview with us. Jack and his wife are amazing role models and it is easy to see your smile and admiration of them in this interview! I love that Jack incorporates his joy in service to others and his joy in valuing his own life with such wholesome enthusiasm – not a glimmer of greed or ego, just apprecation and positive expectation. Jack rocks, Fitz rocks! Have a great week, thanks again for sharing the inspiration…..
Your fan, Valerie
Yes, Jack was in good health into his 90s but I saw an interview he gave in a fundraising telethon on a PBS station here last year. I really do think he looked frail and fatigued. Sometimes we should NOT push our system, even an immune system like Jack’s can allow the immune system to grow lax in it’s defenses and when I read Jack died from respiratory failure after contracting pneumonia, something like that, it could seem that is what happened. Like Bernarr MacFadden, he fasted much of his life but his last fast saw the sickness that gripped him get strong. Jack was on PBS and that probably meant travelling and a busy schedule. He pushed himself tugging all those boats and swimming and he may have pushed himself a bit too hard at the end. But check out all about Joe Rollino, he lived to 104 years old and was strong to the end, he got killed when a van hit him on his morning walk! Can you imagine!! Lots on the web about Joe Rollino.
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