Jack Lalanne: Women's Health Hero!

Jack Lalanne died at the age of 96 this week, and there have been many tributes to him. But I haven't heard of him being spoken of as a women's health hero. But that's how I think of him.

When Lalanne begin spreading his fitness gospel, there were few out there doing likewise. The kind of fitness he championed -- using weights, pushing yourself to the limit, was initially viewed as "too much," for men, so certainly it wasn't a message for women, who were thought of back then as being delicate.

But that's the thing about Jack Lalanne - he never differentiated. He had no separate messages for men, or for women. Or for you people, or those who were older. When he talked about health and fitness, he was talking about all of us -- men, women, kids -- even his beloved white German Shepard, Happy. Living a healthy lifestyle was for everyone.

And genetics? Don't get Jack started. His father died at 50. But, as he said in an interview when he was 91, "I don't care how long I live. I just want to be LIVING while I am living. I want to be able to do things. I want to look good, and I want to get my message out to the people."

And so he did -- he got his message out to ALL of the people. Thanks, Jack!

Fitness Guru Jack Lalanne's Joyful Spirit Will Live On

Although Jack Lalanne shaped his life trying to inspire Americans to exercise, I find myself thinking about some of the other lessons that can be learned upon the death of this great man. And not all of them have to do with fitness.

It is beyond dispute that Lalanne was a pioneer, who urged not only men, but also women, to leap off the coach and pick up some weights. This was in the days when, although it was acceptable for men to heft weights, it was thought that women were far too delicate for such pursuits.

In addition, I was stuck by the fact that, years ago, Jack Lalanne invented many of the machines used at today's gym. He lacked the foresight to patent his designs, though, and others reaped the profit. He was never bitter, though, he only urged his viewers to practice happiness. "People have everything, but they have lost the ability to smile," he lamented. "What's the good to wear fine clothes, and drive fancy cars if you're miserable all the time?"

Judging from accounts of his passing, he lived his message until he drew his last breath. We can only be inspired to do the same.