Richard Simmons, best known for his upbeat appearances on television talk shows dressed in his shorts and tank top, was inducted into The National Fitness Hall of Fame in 2006. Simmons, previously suffering from obesity himself, lost weight and brought his brand of aerobic conditioning and dieting to men and women worldwide through exercise videos, his own exercise TV shows and books.
Early Days
Richard Simmons was born on July 12, 1948, and grew up in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Simmons loved the lard that was an integral part of every meal and coupled with desserts at every meal, ate heartily until he reached 268 pounds at the time of his high school graduation. Simmons discovered his penchant for entertaining crowds as a boy when he sold pralines on New Orleans street corners.
Weight Loss
Throughout high school, Simmons tried a wide range of fad, quick weight loss schemes to lose the fat. He used laxatives and eventually became addicted to diet pills. He eventually lost weight the old-fashioned way by reducing his calorie intake and increasing his activity levels that matched his vibrant personality. After a brief stint living in Italy, Simmons moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
Fame
Simmons first came to the small screen in 1973 playing a fitness instructor on the daytime soap opera "General Hospital." He spent four years on the television show and then spent another four years on his own syndicated show, "The Richard Simmons Show." While in L.A., Simmons set out to find a fitness studio where he could work out and receive nutritional instruction, but all he could find were gyms catering to hard bodies, where he didn't feel like he fit in.
Fitness
Simmons opened his own fitness studio in 1974 called SLIMMONS that welcomed obese men and women and provided diet and exercise programs geared to slow and healthy weight loss. The inspirational fitness enthusiast is not afraid to share his feelings and does so each day through his daily message on his website. He encourages others to share feelings that often keep them trapped in their bodies.
Success
Through all this frenzied activity, Simmons launched a number of product lines such as Deal-A-Meal and the FoodMover to aid dieters. He's produced more than 50 fitness videos and authored nine books, including his own autobiography, "Never Say Diet." Simmons continues to travel, holding workshops and seminars and making television appearances. According to his website, RichardSimmons.com, he stays on the road some 250 days out of the year. Simmons hopes to focus on kids and the rising obesity dilemma facing the country in the 21st century, sharing his own struggles during childhood and how he can face his former schoolyard bullies now.
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