The past six Presidents of the United States, Barak Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Cinton, George HW Bush, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, have had one thing in common: each enjoyed exercise. The past number of White House residents were each shown participating in favorite fitness-based pastimes from jogging to basketball to weightlifting to mountain biking and from selecting Arnold Schwarzenegger for the President's Fitness Council (HW Bush) to hosting yoga on the White House lawn (Obama) each played an active role in setting a positive example for health and fitness.
Both in and out of office President George W. Bush has set a positive example for an active lifestyle.
On this episode of All About Fitness, Assistant Professor of American History and Co-host of the Past-Present podcast, Natalia Petrzela, and I discuss the role that Presidents have played in establishing promoting a healthy and fit lifestyle. This is based on the excellent article that Dr. Petrzela wrote for the Washington Post on President Trump and his well-known diet which is does more to expand the waist line than shrink it and is far from a positive example of healthy.
President Reagan with Arnold Something-or-other
The discussion specifically focuses on the role that the occupant of the Oval Office has played in helping set a positive focus on health and fitness. From Teddy Roosevelt boxing with his Secret Service protection to John F. Kennedy calling Americans 'soft,' over the years most Presidents have understood that they have an important role in promoting good health in our nation. If you are both a history and fitness buff you will really enjoy this discussion of Presidential fitness habits on All About Fitness.
President Carter and his wife walked the 1 mile (or so) from Capitol Hill to the White House during their inauguration in 1977
Follow Dr. Petrzela on social media:
Twitter: @NataliaPetrzela
Listen to her Past-Present podcast.
Questions/Comments/Book a guest: Pete@petemccallfitness.com
Twitter: @PeteMc_Fitness
Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness
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