The Big Picture

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I want to grow up to be like Jack LaLanne. Do you remember him from 30 years ago, plus? I was just a kid when he was in his prime (although he lived a vibrant, healthful life until a week before his death, so it's hard to tell when his 'prime' started or ended.) LaLanne was 96 when he died of pneumonia. If I make it to 96, I'm not even half way there... cool!

Jack LaLanne at 71

Even if don't achieve anything close to what LaLanne accomplished from a health standpoint, I like the mental picture. He was always this spry, energetic body builder in a jumpsuit (I'll skip the jumpsuit). To him it was totally normal to reject processed food and just eat real food, swim and exercise a lot, and then influence as many other people as possible to do the same. I guess the chances of me living out my life like Jack LaLanne are slim to none, but I like the mental picture.

Do you have a clear mental picture of where you're headed for your life and health? Even if it's a bit unrealistic, like mine is, do you have some compelling healthy vision of you, your life, your family, your longevity?

In the late 90's a lot of organizational experts got us thinking about 'vision'. Now we trip over visions for everything: our work, our civic organizations, our schools, even our families. But visioning is a really important part of getting anywhere.

I like to think of a jigsaw puzzle. Around our house, we'll keep a jigsaw puzzle on a table a few times a year and work at completing it. It's a pleasant distraction to stop by and find a piece or two before moving on to the demands of something next. If you're into jigsaw puzzles, you know the most important part of the process is the box lid... that's where the picture is. Without the picture, you have no idea what your trying to put together with all those little puzzle pieces. That's visioning.

So what's your puzzle box lid look like for your wellness lifestyle? And it doesn't have to be grandiose (my Jack LaLanne vision is a bit tongue-in-cheek... I like exercising, but I keep it really simple... still, I know a healthful wellness lifestyle yields great results.) At 46 years old, maybe I'm only half way there.

By the Way

This fall is the 100th anniversary of Jack LaLanne's birth (September 26th to be exact), and his legacy is alive and well. There is a documentary coming out, and you can still purchase his Power Juicer and books, etc.

A couple of great Jack LaLanne quotes:

"Think about it. People work at dying, they don't work at living. My workout is my obligation to life."

"Living is a pain in the butt...It's like an athletic event. You've got to train for it. You've got to eat right. You've got to exercise. Your health account, your bank account, they're the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out."

For a full overview and history of Jack LaLanne's life, check out his Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_LaLanne