Author: Bob McMillan

Just imagine, kids sitting around staring at their “screens” all day without moving any part of their body except their thumbs and fingers as they text their friend sitting next to them. Mom calls: “Time to take your pill!” They take their pill and get all the benefits of two hours on the playground, without moving a muscle – except for their thumbs and fingers of course.

Or picture this. You are sitting in your retirement community, watching TV gossip shows or reality TV all day and the only movement you are getting is manipulating the remote. Suddenly your “notifications” alarm goes off telling  you it’s time to take your pill. And instead of taking a TV break and going on a pleasant walk with your spouse, that pill gives you all the benefits of a one hour walk, plus some weight lifting and stretching, and all the exercise you got was putting the water glass to you mouth so you can wash down the pill.

It looks like that might just be in the works. I’ve alluded to this in previous articles, but mostly in jest. And the above is in jest, too.

But what if people who are genuinely unable to get exercise were to get the benefits of exercise from a different source — a drug in the form of a pill for example? That appears to be the goal of the efforts of several research scientists: to develop a pill that will provide many of the physiological benefits of exercise for those who are not able to exercise. That’s the message in an article in the Health &. Science section of today’s Washington Post Newspaper.

According to the article, possible uses for such a pill could include helping people with a form of Muscular Dystrophy, Parkinson’s Disease and people who are Wheel Chair bound.

The pill is not being developed to replace exercise in healthy people. As I’ve suggested so many times in the past, we are built to move. If we don’t, our muscles atrophy, our bones become brittle, blood pools as our circulation slows and our internal organs weaken.

But if science finds a way to genuinely help those who can’t get the real exercise they need, then more power to those in the lab coats who are truly trying to find a way to help those in need. While I’ve found no mention of muscle development or joint movement in my brief research, even helping people get some of the physiological benefits of exercise is worth the effort.

According to the Post article, one of the lead scientists in the effort is quoted as saying, “I like exercising, and that’s good enough for me. People are designed to move. But if they can’t, it’s not healthy to be sedentary. That’s why we are developing this drug.” Let’s hope they can do it.

Thank you for reading.

Jack LaLanne got his start as a sickly teen. He attended a lecture by Paul Bragg, the Health guru from the early 1900’s about health and fitness. It changed his life and he became a powerful advocate and evangelist for health and fitness, exercise and proper nutrition.

Some of you might remember his pioneering Fitness and Exercise TV show in the early days of television. From 1951 until 1985, his television show carried his message to the world. Until that time, the idea of health and fitness for the “masses” was not well received. Jack LaLanne changed the complexion of fitness for everyone. He lived until age 96, and was still spry and actively on the road promoting himself and his message until his death.  His wife Elaine will turn 92 in March and is still actively promoting the LaLanne message.

He exercised daily until his death in 2011 at age 96. I’ve mentioned Jack LaLanne several times in these pages.

Many don’t realize that he was also a dynamic and sought after public speaker. In a talk to an IDEA Personal Trainer Institute Conference during the 1980s, he had a few things to say about fitness and his goals for older people. In an excellent four minute video of part of his presentation, he said: “You are the sum total of your habits: What you think; what you put in your body – what you eat; The exercise you do.” (Click here to see this 4 minute clip).

 Because of the way he changed his sickly body and attitude as a teen, he would say: “So what does it cost to change from death’s door — from Hell to Heaven. That’s the transition— from Hell to Heaven.”

He went on: “I just changed a few bad habits to good habits and the whole life changed. Just like that. That’s when it started. I got caught up in physical fitness — I wanted to get the old people to get back that youthful vigor — so they can get some pep in their step — so they can be ‘doing things’. I want to get old people off their butts and up doing things and dancing, and . . . “

Jack LaLanne wanted older people to experience the feeling of “being alive”.

He said: “Exercise is King, food is Queen. Put them together and you have a kingdom.” He went on, “What we know about nutrition, what we know about exercise, what we know about vitamins, what we know about the mind and its relation to the body — there’s no reason for anyone to be fat or skinny — no reason to be old prematurely. 90% of the diseases we face today are self-inflicted — you make it happen.”  Hmm, sound familiar?

Those are some powerful words that were said in the 80’s. That’s a long time ago yet the same holds true today. Maybe we don’t have a Jack LaLanne today to be a symbol for all of us as we get older, but we are more apt today, to be carrying the message inside us, knowing its truth.

The point is that after all these years, the message of health and fitness is the same. Sure, we have a lot more viewpoints on diet and exercise, some valid, some not so valid. But the basic principles of health and fitness remain — many as a legacy to Jack LaLanne.

Thank you for reading.

A couple of days ago, while searching online for some quotes about MOTIVATION, I heard and watched a video of one of the most powerful messages I’ve ever heard from an Entrepreneur. It’s a message that should be listened to or watched by not just entrepreneurs, but by anyone who is alive and breathing. It will make you breathe harder. It will energize you. It will excite you.

It should be taught by every teacher in every grade level in every school. It should be emphasized by parents everywhere. It is an admonition that should be pasted on the front of every refrigerator in every household in the country.

Yes, Nike adopted the phrase, but when Art Williams said it many years ago in a 1987 speech to the National Religious Broadcasters Codnvention, it had real meaning. “DO IT!” “JUST DO IT!”  Do what, he’s asked. His answer: JUST DO IT! BUT I . . . JUST DO IT! But I don’t know how, someone says. “DO IT ANYWAY, JUST DO IT!”

The phrase is a cliche from Nike. It’s basically meaningless when it comes from them. It sells sneakers. But it doesn’t sell people on themselves like it does when you hear it in Art Williams speech.

And when I say “speech”, I mean “SPEECH!” This was no TED talk. This was an intense, high powered SPEECH to a Hotel Ballroom FILLED with Religious Broadcasters and prominent Religious Media Personalities from the time. He was introduced by Jerry Falwell.

When Art Williams said it, people sat up in their chairs and paid attention. I DID! In fact, I played it over and over again, sat up in my chair and listened — and paid attention, and let it sink in. It’s now stored on my iPhone.

Implement the message. Yes, How can I not? It means DOING IT! It means MAKING A PLAN AND EXECUTING ON THAT PLAN! It means polishing up my own message about Health, Fitness and Personal Energy, about MOVEMENT, MINDSET & MOTIVATION, and getting that message out there to Active Seniors.  DO IT!

Here’s a link to the last three minutes of that powerful message. I urge you to listen to it and do with it what you will. Then if you want, you can watch the entire 20 minute speech, here. It’s all inspiring.

 

I don’t have the time to exercise — DO IT!

 

I really want to lose that weight – DO IT!

 

I don’t want to embarrass myself — DO IT!

 

My spouse says that it’s dumb and stupid — DO IT ANYWAY IF YOU BELIEVE IN IT!

 

I need to check with my doctor first — DO IT!

 

I’m afraid of injuring myself — EXERCISE ANYWAY!  LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! IT WILL TELL YOU WHEN TO STOP.

 

I don’t like vegetables — EAT ‘EM ANYWAY!

 

I’m too old — WHAT? YOUR NEVER TOO OLD. DO IT ANYWAY!

 

I really want to get healthy, but I just can’t get motivated — Then listen to this speech. DO IT?

 

So think about that message every time you say to yourself that “I want to do . . . . whatever.  If it makes sense, then — DO IT!

 Thank you Art Williams for that powerful message!  I couldn’t have heard it at a better time. I’ll listen to it again today. DO IT! That speech is a powerful new tool in my toolbox. I hope you listen to it and find it useful. DO IT!

Thank you for reading.