36 Facts About Jack LaLanne

Francois Henri LaLanne was an American fitness and nutrition guru and motivational speaker.

Jack LaLanne described himself as being a "sugarholic" and a "junk food junkie" until he was aged 15.

Jack LaLanne had behavioral problems, but "turned his life around" after listening to a public lecture about the benefits of good nutrition by health food pioneer Paul Bragg.

Decades before health and fitness began being promoted by celebrities like Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons, Jack LaLanne was already widely recognized for publicly preaching the health benefits of regular exercise and a good diet.

Jack LaLanne published numerous books on fitness and hosted the fitness television program The Jack LaLanne Show from 1951 to 1985.

Jack LaLanne invented a number of exercise machines, including the pulley and leg extension devices and the Smith machine.

Jack LaLanne gained recognition for his success as a bodybuilder, as well as for his prodigious feats of strength.

Jack LaLanne was inducted into the California Hall of Fame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Besides having a bad temper, Jack LaLanne suffered from headaches and bulimia, and temporarily dropped out of high school at the age of 14.

Jack LaLanne went back to school, where he made the high school football team, and later went on to college in San Francisco where he earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

Jack LaLanne studied Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body and concentrated on bodybuilding and weightlifting.

Jack LaLanne designed the first leg extension machines, pulley machines using cables, and the weight selectors that are now standard in the fitness industry.

Jack LaLanne invented the original model of what became the Smith machine.

Jack LaLanne eventually licensed all his health clubs to the Bally company, now known as Bally Total Fitness.

Jack LaLanne wrestled in the Bay Area for only a few months.

Jack LaLanne was well respected enough that he was booked to wrestle to a draw against some big name opponents rather than lose, despite his lack of experience.

Jack LaLanne was friendly with such performers as Lou Thesz and Strangler Lewis.

Jack LaLanne presented fitness and exercise advice on television for 34 years.

The Jack LaLanne Show was the longest-running television exercise program.

Jack LaLanne met his wife Elaine while she was working for the local station.

In 1959, Jack LaLanne recorded Glamour Stretcher Time, a workout album that provided phonograph-based instruction for exercising with an elastic cord called the Glamour Stretcher.

Jack LaLanne included his dog Happy as a way to attract children to the show.

Jack LaLanne published several books and videos on fitness and nutrition, appeared in movies, and recorded a song with Connie Haines.

Jack LaLanne marketed exercise equipment, a range of vitamin supplements, and two models of electric juicers.

Jack LaLanne celebrated his 95th birthday with the release of a new book titled, Live Young Forever.

For most of his life, Jack LaLanne was mostly vegetarian while including fish in his evening meal.

Jack LaLanne ate two meals a day and avoided snacks.

Jack LaLanne's home contained two gyms and a pool that he used daily.

Jack LaLanne continued with his two-hour workouts into his 90s, which included walking.

Jack LaLanne summed up his philosophy about good nutrition and exercise:.

Jack LaLanne often stressed that artificial food additives, drugs, and processed foods contributed to making people mentally and physically ill.

Jack LaLanne was married to his second wife, Elaine Doyle Jack LaLanne, for over five decades.

Jack LaLanne died of respiratory failure due to pneumonia at his home on January 23,2011.

Jack LaLanne is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, California.

In 2007, Jack LaLanne was awarded The President's Council's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jack LaLanne appeared as himself in the following films and television shows:.