Healthy and Simple » healthy

Jack LaLanne was right!

DavalosMcCormack — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 02:00:49 +0000

Jack LaLanne was an inspiration to many and if you ever met him he filled the air with vitality and excited anticipation about life! We’re going to miss that wonderful enthusiasm! He had a wonderful life and a great family. They all paid him beautiful tributes on how he touched their lives!

So I’d like to say so long to Jack LaLanne and thank him for being so right! He had the secret! Just check this out!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEboAJf9UVc

I was just a little girl when I started to workout with Jack LaLanne! My mom would turn on the TV around 12 o’clock everyday and work out with Jack and since I was too young to go to school I would join in the workouts. There was the chair workout and the leg lifts, and there were all kinds of stretches and repetitions and they were all done to the accompaniment of organ music. I remember when we would finish a sequence of moves, Jack would tell us to take a big breath, he would spread his arms wide and bend forward bringing his arms together and take a deep breath and the organ would make the sound of an upscale followed by a downscale as Jack stood up again to let his breath out. He made it seem so easy, even fun. But recently I found out a secret that Jack Lalanne kept from us.

He hates to work out! No, really, he does, I read about it in the New York Times.

Jack is 95, and he still does a 90 minute workout everyday, with push-ups! In the article he says it’s not something he enjoys. “I hate it,’’ he said of working out. “But I like the results. Exercise is something you’ve got to do the rest of your life.’’ Man, can you believe that! Jack Lalane hates to work out! So that made me think, “Who the heck am I to whine about working out if Jack LaLanne who is 95 and still does 90 minutes everyday hates it and still does it.

Think about it. Jack is the man who almost single handedly “invented” the TV exercise show. He preached to millions of Americans the virtues of being healthy and in shape. He gave people ideas about how to exercise, where to exercise, what bits of the body to exercise. He served as cheerleader and cajoler all in one, advocating the benefits of workouts. Yet it turns out that he hates it.

Maybe he should have shared that news with us. Think about it, that one piece of advice could actually have helped people! Most of us slog away in the gym wondering why we are doing what we are doing, why we aren’t enjoying it, why even after years and years of doing it we still have to talk ourselves into going most of the time.

Now, if you look at Jack you can see the obvious benefits. He’s in incredible shape. Trim, muscular, vital. He’s living, walking proof of how regular exercise can keep your body and your brain in great shape. It might have been reassuring to know that he really doesn’t get a kick out of going to the gym, anymore than most of the rest of us do. It might help people understand there is nothing wrong with how they feel, in fact, their attitude is perfectly normal and healthy. Knowing that even avid exercisers hate the routine might also help motivate people to stick with it.

The key is ultimately not what you do, it’s the fact that you do it and the way you look and feel as a result. Jack LaLanne has made a living out of preaching the benefits of exercise. And he’s lived what he preaches, getting out there everyday and working out even though he doesn’t like it. I think most of us would agree, that’s a small price to pay for a long, healthy life. And long may he continue to enjoy the benefits. Go Jack!

And thank you Jack LaLanne, so long!

Why Beer, Fried Food and Chocolate Are Good For You!

DavalosMcCormack — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:40:09 +0000

We are surrounded by information and advice and suggestions about how to lead a better, healthier, happier life. And yet so many people are not only overweight but also miserable. So, maybe it’s time we tried a different approach. Here is an alternative prescription for a “better” life – courtesy of myunusual.com - So maybe we should give up on offering people “good” advice and just give them advice they want to hear!

Q: I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?

Heart healthy

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it… Don’t waste them on exercise . Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

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Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

Moooo

A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

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Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

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Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

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Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?

A: You’re not listening….Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

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Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

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Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable. It’s the best feel-good food around!!

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Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

Sperm whale

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales.

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Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! ‘Round’ is a shape! !

Workout Wednesday – Who Needs A Gym!

DavalosMcCormack — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:10:52 +0000

The other day the fabulous Miss Shirl and I were out walking when we came across three fellows working their gluteus maximi off. All they had was one piece of equipment in the park - basically a glorified pull-up bar - and some rubber bands, but man were they getting a great workout. It reminded me that if you really want to stay in shape all you need is the desire and a bit of imagination.

See what I mean……….

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlNZ-YS5qes

Happiness Series: 8

DavalosMcCormack — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:00:41 +0000