President's Day Edition
Presidential Workouts, a new Yoga app, and a dash of healthy cynical humor
Which Presidents “worked out”? A short list
Our current President, Joe Biden, is a Peloton man (in case you haven't heard). Along with a weight workout and some serious miles clocked on a treadmill, the POTUS is conscientious about his health. So as we celebrate President's Day, let's take a look at a sampling of the health habits of some of our former commanders-in-chief:
Our most recent former President Trump described, in 2016, how giving speeches throughout his campaign was a form of exercise: "It's a lot of work, you know, when I'm speaking in front of 15,000 to 20,000 people and I'm up there using a lot of motion. I guess in its own way, it's a pretty healthy act," Trump said. His philosophy is that the body is like "a battery with a finite amount of energy", which may explain why he prefers a golf cart ride to walking on the golf course.
Thomas Jefferson is known to have said: “leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading". He was a fan of walking and horseback riding for fun and fitness, well into old age.
John Quincy Adams walked anywhere from two to six miles per day. He also loved cold baths and (allegedly) swimming nude in the Potomac River.
Theodore Roosevelt installed a tennis court at the white house, keeping him in great physical shape. Perhaps his love of the game contributed to his ability to, following an assassination attempt in 1912, manage to complete an 84-minute speech with a bullet lodged in his chest. Maybe, maybe not: still a good story.
Herbert Hoover's White House Physician invented a custom workout for the president. workout. Vice Admiral Dr. Joel T. Boone invented "Hooverball," according to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. The workout involved throwing a heavy, weighted medicine ball over a net, and gave Hoover diversity in his workouts.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio in 1921 at age 39. Because of the loss of movement in his lower body, he maintained his strength by being an avid swimmer.
Harry Truman allegedly had a very strict diet and exercise routine: "I eat no bread, but one piece of toast at breakfast, no butter, no sugar, no sweets,...usually have fruit, one egg, a strip of bacon, and half a glass of skimmed milk for breakfast, liver and bacon or sweet breads or ham or fish and spinach and another non-fattening vegetable for lunch with fruit for dessert." he wrote in 1952. As part of his exercise regimen, Truman walked one-and-a-half miles every single day at the rate of 120 steps per minute.
Before you think Harry S was all work and no play, consider that he was responsible for commissioning the building of the White House bowling alley.
President Dwight Eisenhower took up golfing after a heart attack, and ended up playing over 300 rounds throughout his presidency.
Ronald Reagan wrote a story for Parade Magazine in 1983 titled "How to Stay Fit: The President’s Personal Exercise Program," describing his fitness regimen that he began after his assassination attempt earlier that year. The former president stated, "All your muscles—not just a few—need exercise."
President Bill Clinton was both famously fond of jogging, and famously fond of jogging to....McDonald's. Still, he maintained his 3-times-a-week jogging routine; and in 1993, a quarter-mile jogging track was installed around the White House's South Drive to support his workouts.
George W. Bush ran the Houston Marathon before becoming president; however, GWB suffered from knee injuries and later turned to biking as his cardio workout.
Barack Obama was well known for his healthy habits, and allegedly went to the gym early in the morning following his election-night victory in 2008. Former first lady Michelle Obama is also famous for leading a presidential initiative to combat childhood obesity, which featured 70 recommendations for parents and caregivers, upgrades to school meals and nutrition education, better access to healthy food, and for increasing children's physical activity.
(some content in this article is reprinted from SELF magazine)
Which Presidential workout surprised you? Let's talk about it in the comments!
App Review: Yogable Yoga App
Full disclosure: the creator if this new Yoga app for the iPhone, Alex Diehl, is a friend and fellow co-worker of mine.
Thus, I may be slightly biased, but also absolutely delighted to recommend this app.
Yogable is a sleek new app featuring yoga classes and blog posts by Alex Diehl. Alex and I taught together for many years at a popular yoga studio chain, and I worked very closely with him in studio management and on teacher trainings (particularly Restorative yoga training, which is featured in the app--yay!).
I can personally confirm that Alex is a wonderful teacher; he gives clear explanations and makes the practice accessible for all levels.
At the time of this post, there are several free classes on the app to try; and a monthly subscription (a fraction of the cost of a studio membership) unlocks all classes. Alex offers other guidance through blog posts created exclusively for the app, and students have the option to set an intention before practice.
You can read more about Yogable on the app's Instagram account, and download Yogable here (currently iOS only): http://apps.apple.com/us/app/yogable/id1536334332
Have you been using apps to work out? Let’s chat!
It’s ok to laugh, even at ourselves
Finally, I will leave you with a quote from Fran Lebowitz:
"Wellness"? What is "wellness"? I'll tell you: Extra Health!"
Wishing you ‘extra health’ always,