Episode 9: Health and Fitness for the Ages

Here is one question that I liked, but didn't make the final cut (answer at the end of this post):

Q: This diet book became a bestseller in 1979, but sales went through the roof in 1980 because the creator of the diet, Dr. Herman Tarnower, was murdered by his long-time girlfriend.  What was the name of this diet?

One of my favorite things about doing this podcast with Ted is that we learn so much while researching our topics.  This week, for example, I learned some amazing things about Jack LaLanne.  I have vague memories of seeing him on TV doing jumping jacks, but I somehow missed out on the amazing feats of strength he performed.  All I can say in my defense is that some of them happened before I was born (which was in 1962) and that they all happened before the internet... and I tended to avoid watching the news as a youngster.

Anyway, here are a couple of them:

At age 40 (in 1954), he swam the length of the Golden Gate Bridge (about 1.7 miles) while wearing 140 pounds of equipment, including 2 air tanks.

At age 61 (in 1975), he repeated that swim, this time with handcuffs and ankle shackles!

I'll end with one family memory: In the 1980s my mother and I taught aerobics for the local community college.  We went all over town for this, to school gyms and even a bank; any place the college was able to rent that was large enough for the group.  I can remember spending hours making cassette tapes for this - we carried our boom box with us!  And we each had an impressive collection of leg warmers.  Good times.

(The answer to the question above is "The Scarsdale Diet.")

See you again soon for more Trivia for the Ages!

Jami