The godfather of physical fitness, Jack LaLanne, died at his coastal California home in Morro Bay from respiratory failure due to pneumonia. He was 96.LaLanne, who was only 5'6" tall, didn't start watching how he lived until he was 15. He was born Francois Henri LaLanne in San Francisco, California. He felt the effects of sugar and bleached flour in his diet. After hearing a health lecture, he devoted his life to following a diet of raw, unprocessed foods. His staples: two meals a day and no snacks.
And did he ever exercise, relentlessly. At age 60 he swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf while pulling a 1,000-pound boat, handcuffed. At 70, shackled again, he pulled 70 people in 70 boats 1½ miles through Long Beach Harbor.
As he liked to say, "I can't die. It would ruin my image."
LaLanne opened the nation's first modern health club in Oakland, California in 1936, and it featured exercise equipment, a juice bar and health food store. Eventually this developed into a 100-strong Jack LaLanne gym chain across the country.
His syndicated The Jack LaLanne Show, which opened with his performing jumping jacks under the credits in his signature belted jumpsuits. His show debuted in 1959 and ran for 34 years, solidifying his reputation. After more than 3,000 shows, LaLanne, who owned all rights, repackaged the program and leased it to ESPN Classic.
I loved this guy and watched him from the time I was able to figure out what "fitness" was! Jack will surely be missed!
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