Fitness Guru Jack LaLanne Dead at 96 

 

Jack LaLanne, the fitness guru who inspired television viewers to trim down and pump iron for decades before exercise became a national obsession, died Sunday. He was 96. (Jan. 23)

LIFE OF JACK LALANNE:

Francois Henri "Jack" LaLanne (September 26, 1914 – January 23, 2011) was an American fitness, exercise, nutritional expert, and motivational speaker who had been called "the godfather of fitness". He published numerous books on fitness and hosted a fitness television show between 1951 and 1985.

LaLanne gained recognition for his success as a bodybuilder as well as for his prodigious feats of strength. He was inducted to the California Hall of Fame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

LaLanne was born in San Francisco, California,[3] to Jennie (née Garaig) and Jean LaLanne. His parents were immigrants from Oloron-Sainte-Marie in southwest France. LaLanne had an older brother, Norman (1908–2005), who nicknamed him "Jack".

LaLanne wrote that as a boy he was addicted to sugar and junk food. He attacked his brother, attempted suicide, and tried to burn down his house. LaLanne later described himself as "a miserable goddamn kid... It was like hell." At age 15, he heard health food pioneer Paul Bragg give a talk on health and nutrition. Bragg's message had a powerful influence on LaLanne, who decided to focus on his diet and exercise habits. He studied Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body and concentrated on bodybuilding and weightlifting.

LaLanne blamed overly processed foods for many health problems. He advocated a mostly vegetarian diet, which included fish