Richard Simmons learned early on how to connect with seniors. “My mom was in her 40s, my father in his 50s, when I was born,” the fitness icon told Health Journal during a recent interview. “They were older, their friends were older. You could say I had more respect for silver foxes than most people.”
Simmons hails from the French Quarter of New Orleans, where as a kid he learned the art of making people laugh while selling pralines on street corners. By the time he graduated from high school Simmons weighed 268 pounds. Through sensible diet and exercise he shed the weight before moving to Los Angeles in the early 1970s. “I was able to beat it,” he says, “but a lot of people have a really difficult time.”
And so for the past three decades Simmons has helped millions of people lose weight, either one-on-one at his Los Angeles-based Slimmons studio or through his numerous television shows, books and diet plans such as Deal a Meal and FoodMover. These days Simmons connects with audiences of all shapes and sizes across the U.S. and the world, maintaining a vigorous touring schedule (some 260 days a year) while still making time to teach weekly classes at Slimmons.
Not to mention that his signature exercise videos—50 in total—have sold over 20 million copies and counting.
Many of Simmons’ videos appeal to seniors, such as the “Sweating to the Oldies” series and “Sit Tight,” a workout designed for people who cannot stand. Eight years ago he produced “Richard Simmons and the Silver Foxes” featuring parents of celebrities including his own mother, and parents of Farrah Fawcett, Al Pacino, Sylvester Stallone among others.
“Many seniors think, ‘I don’t want to work out because I might hurt myself,’” Simmons says, “but the bottom line is that if you don’t work out, eat healthy and think positive, you’re going to hurt yourself. It’s all about educating seniors to take better care of themselves and live a healthier life.”