Fitness Guru Passes On...

[Snaggletiger]

Folks, this guy worked out every day of his life.  Unbelievably fit in his 90's.  Hope I'm still kickin' at half his speed when/if I get there.

LOS ANGELES -- Jack LaLanne was prodding Americans to get off their couches and into the gym decades before it was cool. And he was still pumping iron and pushing fruits and vegetables decades past most Americans' retirement age.

The fitness fanatic ate well and exercised -- and made it his mission to make sure everyone did the same -- right up to the end at age 96, friends and family said.

LaLanne died Sunday at his home in Morro Bay on California's central coast, longtime agent Rick Hersh said. The cause was respiratory failure due to pneumonia.

"I have not only lost my husband and a great American icon, but the best friend and most loving partner anyone could ever hope for," Elaine LaLanne, LaLanne's wife of 51 years and a frequent partner in his television appearances, said in a written statement.

[GH2001]

Dude was one my heroes growing up (amongst others like Steve mcqueen, Ronald Reagan and Roger Staubach). I tried to model everything I did healthwise after Lalanne's advice. It's a Damn shame pneumonia is what got him. He was in otherwise great shape. As snagglepimp said, he was still working out 2 hours a day until he contracted pneumonia. Rip Jack. A true legend.

[AUTailgatingRules]

My grandparents all lived into their late 80's and 90's.  My last grandmother is a spry 96 and still kicking.  Not a single one of them ever "worked out" a day in their life.  Extreme excercise is overrated, it's all in the genes.

[AUChizad]

"Keith Richards outlived Jim Fixx, the runner and health nut. The plot thickens."
-Bill Hicks

[GH2001]

My grandparents all lived into their late 80's and 90's.  My last grandmother is a spry 96 and still kicking.  Not a single one of them ever "worked out" a day in their life.  Extreme excercise is overrated, it's all in the genes.

Sorry, but this is the exception, not the rule. If you buy Rush Limbaugh's BS that exercise and diet have no effect on your health, then there isn't much I can say to convince you otherwise.  Typically, fat or sedentary people, smokers, people who throw down fast food daily -  on avg live less. Its just a fact. Stress also has a lot to do with it as well. You guys are pointing out one offs, not the general trend.

[Tiger Wench]

I was reading something the other day about Americans being overeaters, and how ingrained that is in our culture.  The point was that back in the 50s and 60s, people could eat massive quantities of comfort food because they worked their asses off at jobs that required physical labor.  But now?  We still eat like that but sit on our asses all day.  The culture of "Clean Your Plate" still exists because we have been taught that way.  I get a MAJOR guilt trip if I leave food on my plate - y'all with Southern mommas know what I'm talking about.

[Buzz Killington]

I was reading something the other day about Americans being overeaters, and how ingrained that is in our culture.  The point was that back in the 50s and 60s, people could eat massive quantities of comfort food because they worked their asses off at jobs that required physical labor.  But now?  We still eat like that but sit on our asses all day.  The culture of "Clean Your Plate" still exists because we have been taught that way.  I get a MAJOR guilt trip if I leave food on my plate - y'all with Southern mommas know what I'm talking about.

I blame the starving kids in Africa.

[Ranger12]

I was reading something the other day about Americans being overeaters, and how ingrained that is in our culture.  The point was that back in the 50s and 60s, people could eat massive quantities of comfort food because they worked their asses off at jobs that required physical labor.  But now?  We still eat like that but sit on our asses all day.  The culture of "Clean Your Plate" still exists because we have been taught that way.  I get a MAJOR guilt trip if I leave food on my plate - y'all with Southern mommas know what I'm talking about.

Yep. I remember when I got my first management job just a few months after my separation from the Army. I kept eating like I was still putting in physically demanding 16-20 hour days, but during an 8 hour day sitting behind a desk. It did not take but a couple of months to go from 135 lbs. to 220 lbs. eating all that fast food for lunch every day.

[GarMan]

Sorry, but this is the exception, not the rule. If you buy Rush Limbaugh's BS that exercise and diet have no effect on your health, then there isn't much I can say to convince you otherwise.  Typically, fat or sedentary people, smokers, people who throw down fast food daily -  on avg live less. Its just a fact. Stress also has a lot to do with it as well. You guys are pointing out one offs, not the general trend.

Of course, diet and exercise can affect your longevity and quality of life, but the extent of impact on both varies based on a variety of factors that diet and exercise cannot always influence.  Stress is a very good example, by the way, and don't forget about genes as already brought up in here.  Each of my grandparents have passed away from some sort of cancer, and with that, I'm pretty much assured an encounter with the dreaded "c" word in the next 10-20 years.  No amount of exercise or diet is going to influence my odds very much, so for tonight, I'm going to continue enjoying my Partagas 1998 Limited Reserve.  If anyone thinks that "diet and exercise" is going to pave the way to a 100+ year lifespan, have at it.  Let me know how that works out for you. 

[Tarheel]

Of course, diet and exercise can affect your longevity and quality of life, but the extent of impact on both varies based on a variety of factors that diet and exercise cannot always influence.  Stress is a very good example, by the way, and don't forget about genes as already brought up in here.  Each of my grandparents have passed away from some sort of cancer, and with that, I'm pretty much assured an encounter with the dreaded "c" word in the next 10-20 years.  No amount of exercise or diet is going to influence my odds very much, so for tonight, I'm going to continue enjoying my Partagas 1998 Limited Reserve. If anyone thinks that "diet and exercise" is going to pave the way to a 100+ year lifespan, have at it.  Let me know how that works out for you.

I am reminded of three things here; first, George Burns dying at the age of 100 years and 49 days after smoking several cheap Churchill-style cigars daily (I think he was even buried with one of his beloved cigars) and, secondly, one of my favorite business websites has permanently placed a famous quote in the upper right corner of the site that reads "on a long enough timeline the survival rate of everyone drops to zero".  (The site is 'Zero Hedge' but I think the quote references back to 'Fight Club'; the writer of which got it elsewhere.) 

Lastly, I was reminded of a quote from Confederate General Albert Pike "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal."

 

...
"Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,"
...

[djsimp]

Of course there are exceptions to every rule. Some people can smoke till the day they die, some people just have bad genes and others come down with a life threatening illness. Of course, you  also have some gym rats that use steroids that cause their whole damn body to shut down.

When you take that all aside, you have everyone else and there are numerous amounts of proven research that shows that being active, whether it be running or working out, improves ones health and life expectancy. Using a car for example, if you take care of your car it will last longer if not, well you know what happens. There are exceptions to rule here too. Some people may not one time change the oil in their car but they some how luck out and drive this car for years. Who knows maybe they bought them a magic Honda or some shit. Others may change their oil religiously but they end with a lemon piece of shit. In the end though, the general rule still applies, you take care of your car it will last longer.

Most people will only see it the way they want and whatever fits their life style. Let me ask one question though. If exercise was not so important, why in the hell would all of our military branches find it so important? Sure, there are a lot more physical demands in the military but you don't think they want their machines in the best shape that they can have them? Oh, and not every soldier is combat ready, some sit on their asses too.

Listen, I'm not a fitness guru but I like the feeling after a hard ass work out, a few miles around the block, but, I like me some fat burgers too, and whiskey and beer. Everybody has their opinion but to just blatantly say exercise is overrated or that it doesn't affect you your life expectency?

[Godfather]

Folks, this guy worked out every day of his life.  Unbelievably fit in his 90's.  Hope I'm still kickin' at half his speed when/if I get there.

George Burns (January 20, 1896 – March 9, 1996) 100 years old and smoked a cigar a day every day of his adult life.  My hero

Just sayin

[Snaggletiger]

George Burns (January 20, 1896 – March 9, 1996) 100 years old and smoked a cigar a day every day of his adult life.  My hero

Just sayin

You look like George Burns

[Godfather]

You look like George Burns

Wish I had his money

[djsimp]

Wish I had his money

and the perks of the 20 yr old women?

[Tiger Wench]

"Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,"

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;

Had to memorize that in tenth grade...  still a personal favorite.  The Bard was a genius, and wrote in such a way that you did not need a PhD and a hit of LSD to understand WTF he was saying.

[Godfather]

and the perks of the 20 yr old women?

Good answer. Good answer. I like the way you think. I'm gonna be watching you.

[Tarheel]

Wish I had his money

According to teh Wikis he was buried with 10 C-notes, one Fiver, and a One $ bill...along with 3 Cigars.

[Tarheel]

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;

Had to memorize that in tenth grade...  still a personal favorite.  The Bard was a genius, and wrote in such a way that you did not need a PhD and a hit of LSD to understand WTF he was saying.

Mine too.  Along with several soliloquies from Henry V.

[Godfather]

Man hath but a short time to live and is full of misery

He cometh up and is cut down like a flower

He fleeth as if it were a shadow and
never continueth in one stay

                   
Between grief and nothing,
I'll take grief