Who are the most memorable fitness icons to you?

Jack LaLanne

Nickname: The Godfather of Fitness, The First Fitness Superhero

Who: Motivational Speaker, Fitness/Exercise/Nutrition Expert, Bodybuilder

Why? Jack Lalanne is a beast! Not only did he open up the first fitness center in America beat 21-year-old Arnold Schwarzengger “badly” in an informal contest and swim the entire length of the Golden Gate Bridge underwater carrying 140 pounds of equipment, but he remained the pinnacle of fitness until his death this year at age 96.

Favorite Quotes:

• “By exercise. I’ll tell you one thing, you don’t always have to be on the go. I sit around a lot, I read a lot, and I do watch television. But I also work out for two hours every day of my life, even when I’m on the road.”

• “I’d rather see you drink a glass of wine than a glass of milk. So many people drink Coca-Cola and all these soft drinks with sugar. Some of these drinks have 8 or 9 teaspoons of sugar in them What’s the good of living if you can’t have the things that give a little enjoyment?”

• “If you’ve got a big gut and you start doing sit-ups, you are going to get bigger because you build up the muscle. You’ve got to get rid of that fat! How do you get rid of fat? By changing your diet.”

• “I can’t afford to die. It will ruin my image.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Nickname: The Austrian Oak, The Governator

Who: Bodybuilder, Model, Actor, Director, Celebrity, Businessman, Former CA Governor

Why? Do you even have to ask? Just LOOK at the man! Arnold won the “Mr. Universe” distinction in 1968 and was a 7-time Mr. Olympia champion in the seventies.

Favorite Quotes:

• “Bodybuilding is much like any other sport. To be successful, you must dedicate yourself 100% to your training, diet and mental approach.”

• “Failure is not an option. Everyone has to succeed.”

• “For me, life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.”

• “Milk is for babies. When you grow up you have to drink beer.”

Richard Simmons

Nickname: The Maniac, Slimmons

Who: Physical Fitness Expert

Why? Whose household didn’t own a copy of “Sweatin To The Oldies?” Richard knew how to motivate the fattest of the fat to drop their weight and he exploded into tears when they did it too. His short shorts and flamboyant ways are iconic.

Favorite Quotes:

• “I might as well be gay. And not just because I love rhinestones and Barbara Streisand. But because I’m a sensitive person who is supportive of gay people the same way I’m sensitive to grossly obese people and ugly people.”

• “Back in the 70s and 80s, women felt the discrimination of being overweight. And now 35% of the letters I receive are from men.”

• “There’ll always be some weird thing about eating four grapes before you go to bed, or drinking a special tea, or buying this little bean from El Salvador.”

• “I get tired of negativity in our country. I get tired of people who only want to know dirt. I get tired of people who don’t believe in themselves. That’s why I’m here.”

Billy Blanks

Nickname: Big Bill

Who: Fitness Instructor, Martial Artist, Actor

Why? Billy’s unique “Taebo” exercise video has sold over 100 million copies, creating a cardio kickboxing craze in this country. Even Paula Abdul is a fan! He’s also been an action hero in more than 15 awful movies.

Favorite Quotes:

• “The body only profits a little from exercising but the spirit profits a lot.”

• “Discipline is remembering what you want most, not what you want now.”

• “I’m not going to lie to you: It’s hard to change. It’s easy to keep going along, never pushing yourself. There are days when I don’t feel like getting out of bed and going to my studio. But I do it, because I know I’ll be a better and stronger person for it. And it’s not because I’ll have exercised my body. It’s because I’ll have exercised my will. And a strong will can overcome anything.”

• “A will is to make a decision how you should take care of yourself.”

Article: Jennn Fusion  Twitter: @jennnfusion