By Batista Gremaud,
Francois Lupien was a featured celebrity guest on Dr. Fitness USA THE SHOW. He is a testament to the importance of staying strong and healthy to succeed.
Q: Tell us about yourself.
I'm a family man, so I'll start with family. I am blessed to be married to the love of my life; she's my best friend. We recently celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary. We have six wonderful children and five grandkids.
My health is as important because if you're not healthy, how can you enjoy life?
Q: How did health become so important to you?
My mom was definitely my first incentive. She is now 91, and before Covid, she did 45 minutes of Aqua and aerobics three times a week. When she was 80, she could still dive from the three-meter board. She always told me: "You can do anything you want in your life, just believe in yourself and make it happen." I learned early on through my parent's example that the more momentum you gain in something, the more successful you get at it and the more joy you derive from it.
Q: When did you start Taekwondo?
I started Taekwondo when I was 16 when a friend invited me to a Martial Arts class. I was very athletic and could outrun all of my chubby friends. However, I was skinny, six foot three, and 125 pounds. With constant training, I gained 60 pounds of muscle fast. I became a cut, lean, mean machine. I stayed at that same weight for the following 44 years.
Q: How do you balance Fitness and family?
I always get up earlier to do my training to avoid taking time away from family life. I have six kids. I could not leave my wife at home with all those chores.
When you get up early and exercise, you energize the body and don't have the mid-afternoon slump people experience.
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Q: How do you maintain this high level of energy?
Energy does not come from you; if it did, it would be limited. Energy comes through me, not from me, so all I do is channel it. I am the conduit. The more I can channel the energy through me, the bigger my container becomes. I never get tired. I only have two speeds, park and drive!
Q: Did you pick up this philosophy in Taekwondo?
No, my mom put me in a diction class when I was seven. My teacher taught me that energy goes out whenever you are speaking, and when it hits the audience, it comes right back at you, and you re-energize from it; therefore, you can speak for hours without getting tired. There is a caveat, if you're putting bad energy out, bad energy will also come back to you.
It's all about the energy, but it starts with you; you're the initiator in life.
Q: How do you maintain a positive attitude?
Life is easier when you keep a smile on your face. I tried it the other way, and it didn't work!
Q: How does physical Fitness contribute to your professional success?
If you want to have a business to generate income, but the only thing you do is your business, then you don't have a life because if you put too much energy into work, for example, the other parts of your life become depleted.
Stop it. Health is essential. Do not neglect your health.
If you look down and see that your middle section is flabby, ask yourself:" When was the last time I did a sit-up?" If the answer is not yesterday, you need to do something about it!
If something does not serve you, it's going to hurt you, meaning your back will hurt, you will be out of stamina, and when your wife or someone asks you to do something, you won't be able to do it. Your life gets miserable.
We get old because we stop doing the things that keep us young, such as exercise.
When you're healthy, you think clearly, feel more focused, get imaginative, have more energy, and increase productivity. As a result, you'll become more successful in all areas of your life and make more money.
Q: What about nutrition?
Every morning for the past 23 years, I have had a Vitamix drink with a base of apple, orange, and banana. Then I mix in some frozen fruits. I have some ginger, turmeric, baby leaves of spinach, and chia seeds, and then I add more things, but that's the basics.
If you have a heavy breakfast with toast, eggs, bacon, and steak, you are using all that energy accumulated during the night towards digestion, and that's why you will be tired at 2 p.m.
Q: What are you doing now that you wouldn't be doing if you hadn't taken care of your health?
I race Motocross. I got a 250cc racing bike. I can pop wheelies and jump. I am 61 years old. Two weeks ago, I went motor crossing with my 17-year-old son. Although I don't win the races, I can tell you that I'm never the last one, but I'm often by far the oldest one on the track.
I would have been unable to do these things with my boys if I had not cared for my body all my life. My son and I have a fantastic relationship because we do many things together.
Most dads my age don't do anything athletic with their sons.
Q: What is your advice for your sedentary peers?
Don't say:
"It's too late!!" It's never too late.
"I have no time!" You make the time.
People think they have no time, but in reality, they need to prioritize time better.
Know your why, build excitement by visualizing the outcome, then start a little at a time. Granted, if you haven't exercised in a long time, you might get sore, but it will only last for a short time.
Q: What are 3 takeaways you want to leave our readers with?
1. There is no perfection in this world, only practice. Therefore, you will never begin if you wait for the perfect time to start.
2. The worst question is the one you don't ask. So ask a lot of questions.
3. Seek the advice of an expert, and then start with what you got, even if you feel like you need more time to be ready. Once you start, the momentum begins, and it becomes easier to keep going.
Starting is the first step to gaining success in anything.
We miss 100% of the shots we don't take. So take some shots. Continue to take action, and things will get easier.
When the student is ready, the teacher appears. So you need to decide what you want. Then, once you are clear and the opportunity presents itself, go for it, leap, and jump right away, because if you don't, fear will grab you and stop you from moving.
Then witness how free you are because you'll be able to soar, and no one will be able to catch you.
How your health affects your performance for this wonderful journey called LIFE!
With Francois Lupien
Francois Lupien is a dynamic coach, mentor, and speaker whose experience includes successfully working with Tony Robbins, and Stephen Covey. He is a serial entrepreneur with multiple successful 6-figure businesses, and a former Tae Kwon Do Canadian champion.
BATISTA GREMAUD
Batista Gremaud is the CEO and president of Dr Fitness International, International Body Designer, Strength Training Expert, No1 Best Selling author of Feminine Body Design, Empowering Fitness For A Pain-Free Life, co-creator of the Feminine Body Design online strength training mentoring system, co-host of the Esoteric Principles of Bodybuilding, Recipient of the most outstanding fitness program 2019 by The Winners Circle, Mastermind at Sea. and producer of the Dr Fitness USA’s THE SHOW.
Heart Of Hollywood Magazine Contributor