Living Long and Strong

By Tweed, Vera

Jack and Elaine LaLanne share their secrets to health and longevity At age 93, fitness pioneer lack LaLanne is going strong, exercising two hours a day, eating only nutritious food, and continuing to inspire and teach others how to live more healthful lives. His wife Elaine, 82, has been following lack’s principles and working with him on TV shows, videos, books, personal appearances, and radio shows throughout their 54-year marriage.

Jack, what drives you?

When I was 15 years old, I was a full-blown sugarholic, and I dropped out of school because I was a troublemaker. I had headaches every day, and I was thinking of suicide. I attended a health lecture, and that night, I cut out all white flour and sugar products. The next day I joined the Berkeley, California, YMCA and started exercising. Within 10 days my energy doubled, and I’ve never had another headache since. If something saves your life, wouldn’t you be enthusiastic about it? That’s exactly what happened to me, and I want to help other people feel better and look better so they can live longer.

What are the most important things we should do?

Ask yourself: Do you want to feel better? Do you want to live longer? Do you want people to like and admire you? If so, why not do something that’s going to help the most important person on this earth-you.

You’ve got to eat right. If man makes it, don’t eat it. Man takes all the roughage and good ingredients out of food. People eat cakes, pies, candy, ice cream, soda pop, and they wonder why they’re fat, why they don’t have energy, why their hair doesn’t look good, and why they don’t have the enthusiasm they should have. If something is no good for me, I create a dislike for it.

When it comes to exercise, you don’t have to work out for hours and hours. Twenty to 30 minutes, three or four times a week is plenty for the average person, but you’ve got to do it vigorously. Get your heart pumping.

Elaine, how do you stay healthy?

I’m not as strict as Jack. I only exercise for about half an hour every day, but I do it vigorously. I swim, I do weights-something for every part of the body. We both eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit, fish, and occasionally turkey. We drink fresh-squeezed juices, and we take vitamins, lack eats two meals a day; I eat three, and we don’t snack. Once in a while, I have a steak or a hamburger, without the trimmings, and I eat whole eggs. Jack eats only the whites, and he doesn’t eat beef. Very rarely, I’ll have a few bites of cake; lack never does.

It’s not what you do some of the time; it’s what you do most of the time that counts. That’s lack’s philosophy and that’s the way I’ve lived my life.

Quick Takes

What’s the best health advice you’v ever been given?

Elaine: Everything in moderation. One apple is good, but 100 apples aren’t.

Jack: Recognize your own value.

What do you do to relax and unwind?

Elaine: I play golf.

Jack: Elaine and I go to the movies, I’m a voracious reader, and I watch television. I want to know what’s happening in the world.

Which food and nutritional supplement would you want with you if you were stranded on a deserted island?

Elaine: Vitamin C, so I wouldn’t get scurvy, and protein powder, which I could mix with water.

Jack: A multivitamin and mineral supplement and salmon.

What’s your favorite guilty indulgence?

Elaine: Soy “ice cream.”

Jack: I don’t have any guilty indulgences. I’ve got a conscience you can’t believe.

For more tips from Jack and Elaine and to listen to their radio show online, visit jacklalanne.com. Jack’s latest book is Fiscal Fitness: 8 Steps to Wealth & Health from America’s Leaders of Fitness and Finance, coauthored with financial planner Matthew J. Rettick.

Copyright Active Interest Media Sep 2008

(c) 2008 Better Nutrition. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.