The Jack LaLanne Diet - Are You Tough Enough?

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There's no way you can separate the Jack LaLanne diet from the Jack LaLanne lifestyle. And anyone who knows anything about this undisputed Godfather of fitness knows that his lifestyle is definitely not for the faint hearted.

Fortunately, there is a way to benefit from his example without being a superman... or woman. I'll let you in on this simple secret shortly, but first a bit about this super-fit senior's daily routine?

He may be over 90, but Jack LaLanne still works out for two hours every morning - an hour every morning lifting weights, followed by an hour's exercise in the pool.

A long-time vitamin enthusiast, LaLanne's daily diet includes large doses of vitamins from A-Z, as well as minerals and enzymes.

And that's before we start talking food!

Could You Give Up Dessert for 76 Years?

Jack LaLanne begins each and every day with 50 grams of soy protein. The Jack LaLanne diet is not completely vegetarian, but he doesn't eat chicken, red meat or white sugar. He gets most of his protein from egg whites, soy protein and occasionally fish.

The Jack LaLanne diet is not a low-carb diet, but he does stick strictly to natural grains such as brown rice and whole wheat.

LaLanne also eats at least ten fresh, raw vegetables a day. He hasn't had dessert since 1929 and never eats between meals or after 9 p.m.

But What About Us Ordinary Mortals?

It would be easy to dismiss Jack LaLanne as a fanatic with little to offer ordinary mortals like you and me. But he has always been the first to point out that his super-strict routine is not for everyone.

He says his whole life has been devoted to getting across the message that anyone can improve their physical condition if they really want to and are willing to do something about it.

You don't need to follow a grueling two-hour exercise routine, says LaLanne, but start incorporating more physical activity into your daily life.

Stop spending most of your free time slouched in front of the TV. Get out and walk, lift some weights and take a regular swim.

Most important, though, is to change what you eat. An early nutritionist mentor of Jack LaLanne's described humans as "walking garbage cans".

So here's the simple secret I promised earlier?

Try the Jack LaLanne Diet ... Lite.

LaLanne recommends starting out by replacing some of the junk foods we eat with healthier foods. Substitute white bread and white rice with whole grains and brown rice.

The "lite" version of the Jack LaLanne diet entails gradually cutting down on the amount of processed food, red meat and poultry we eat, and eating more fish and raw vegetables.

Try to eat at least three or four kinds of raw vegetables every day and gradually work your way up to LaLanne's eight- ten vegetables.

A great way to do this without too much effort is to invest in a juicing machine and start experimenting with literally thousands of delicious combinations of fruit and vegetable juice blends.

You don't have to give up desserts, but do cut down. You don't need dessert after every meal. And when you do eat dessert, try to choose healthier, lower fat options.

What about vitamins?

Going overboard on vitamins and supplements is expensive and also of questionable value. But there's no doubt that some supplements will both enhance your nutrition and help you stay energised and motivated in sticking to your weight loss goals.

Some supplements may even speed up the weightloss process, but be careful, there's a lot of hype out there.

Alan Cooper is a journalist with 20 year's experience and the publisher of http://www.ObesityCures.com, a site with the ambitious aim of being a "one-stop-shop" for impartial information on obesity and weight loss solutions - including fad diets, prescription weightloss pills and natural weightloss aids.

ObesityCures has a page devoted to the Jack Lelanne diet, with links to further reading on his fascinating life.