Jacked up on juice

The powerhouse 91-year-old exudes energy. By ABIGAIL LEICHMAN KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS HACKENSACK, N.J. -- A day after turning 91, fitness legend Jack LaLanne bounded into a test kitchen to demonstrate the Power Juicer that bears his name. If ever a man was a metaphor for a machine, LaLanne is it. A living version of the juicer, he exudes a vibrant energy that mirrors the vivid sap extracted from the fruits and vegetables. "You've got 80 trillion cells in your body, and they're all nourished by the food you eat!" he booms, as purple, orange and red liquids run into a holding container. "If you put raw and vital foods in your body, you're going to feel alive and vital!" "Now the tomato, Baby Boy," prompts his wife, Elaine, sensing that her jumpsuit-clad husband's attention has strayed from the task at hand. The parade of produce continues till everything's liquefied. LaLanne claims to drink these brilliantly hued, vitamin-packed concoctions as religiously as he exercises for two hours every morning. But it's usually Elaine, the 53-year love of his life, you'll see operating the Power Juicer on the Home Shopping Network while her "baby boy" extols its virtues. Mrs. likes it tastier In their California home, the 80-year-old Mrs. LaLanne likes to add an apple or pineapple to the vegetable medleys to make them a bit tastier. Her husband, on the other hand, advocates that "if it tastes good, spit it out." He says he hasn't craved sweets in any form since he was 15 and made a rapid, life-changing switch from sugarholic to health nut. He eats only two meals a day, at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., and never, ever snacks. "I have 10 raw vegetables every day and five pieces of fresh fruit. I have four egg whites and fish -- that's where I get my protein -- and natural, brown rice. If I have any bread, it's whole grain," he says. "Exercise is king, nutrition is queen; put them together and you've got a kingdom." Knowing that most commoners can't -- or won't -- maintain a routine like his, LaLanne reassures us that a half-hour workout three or four times a week is plenty. "I need more in order to do all the feats I've done in my life," he explains, alluding to such stunts as his 1984 towing of 70 boats tied to his back, against the tide for 11/2 miles while handcuffed and shackled. Fitness craze This is the same diminutive powerhouse who started America's fitness craze when he opened a training gym in California in 1936. His TV exercise show originally aired from the 1950s to the 1980s. It was through the show that he met Elaine, a single mother who was working on the "Les Malloy Show" and downing doughnuts and Danish pastries between drags on her cigarettes. In short order, he had her eating, sleeping and exercising properly. He seems bewildered that Americans keep fueling up on junk food as if they have no choice in the matter. "Everybody's got an excuse!" he hollers. "You've got to blame yourself!" LaLanne ends most of his statements in an exclamation point, speaking in a voice toned by years of singing opera and strengthened, no doubt, by his convictions as much as his fitness routine. "Who does the thinking for you? You do! You've got to work at living. Any stupid person can die, but living is tough! ... God helps those that help themselves. He doesn't put food in my mouth. I do!" Teach teens right To LaLanne, a former bulimic, it makes sense to start nutrition education in kindergarten. Teens, he says, should understand that flawless skin, perfect hair and an attractive body are all products of eating well. "They've got to develop pride and discipline," he adds, "to do the things they've got to do so they won't end up fat and sick." What can a parent do with a kid whining for junk food? "Don't preach to the kids; set an example!" he answers. "Don't buy it, and don't keep it in the house!" JACK'S SUPER 7 2 carrots 1 potato 2 broccoli florets 1/2 small beet 1/4 red pepper 1 tomato 1/4 cucumber Add to juicer in listed order. Servings: 1. There are three versions of the $150 Power Juicer: original, Express (which is smaller) and Elite, a new model that makes soy, rice and nut milk. To order one, or LaLanne's book "Celebrating 90-Plus Years of Healthy Living" -- an ode to juicing with 100 recipes and nutrition profiles for 105 fruits, vegetables and herbs -- call (800) 97-WELL-1 or see jacksjuicer.com.