It was exactly 30 years ago. But I'll never forget.

I was working in Wilkes-Barre and was given a chance to spend a day with fitness guru Jack LaLanne.Younger folks might not recognize that name. But we boomers grew up watching him on television.His real name was Francois Henri LaLanne and he was called the godfather of fitness.He was the first fitness superhero, a pioneer in healthy lifestyles who opened the first fitness club in America.Our day began early when I met him for a breakfast interview at a brookside table at the Woodlands Inn and Resort.He impressed me from the start. He was a pleasant, interesting character who told me about his life. I hung on every word.I was surprised by his small stature. I'm short and he was shorter. But he had a solid build and was strong enough to actually pull tugboats.When it came time to place our order, he ordered cantaloupe. I think I ordered eggs and sausage, not the best choice. But he never said a word.LaLanne's philosophy was to treat the body like a temple.He didn't eat meat. And he shunned processed and prepared foods. He said we must eat things in the same form they grow from the ground.Sounds good to me. I'm looking for a farm that grows sticky buns."If man made it, don't eat it," said LaLanne.He also had another motto, a humorous saying: "If it tastes good, spit it out."I don't agree with that philosophy. It might be healthy to live that way, but it compromises quality of life.Food should taste good and be enjoyed.Still, LaLanne's lifestyle paid big dividends for him.He made money hawking some kind of blender or juicer that pulverizes all things natural. It purees veggies into a health cocktail.For me, the idea finally caught on. I've been juicing for the past three years. I mostly use fresh fruits, along with spinach or kale.LaLanne said the key to eating healthy is to shop for bright-colored foods, a key to good nutrition.When I'm at the food store, the brightest things I see are cheese curls. They're so orange they almost glow.Cheese curls taste good. Sorry, but they do.If God wanted us to be skinny, we wouldn't have discovered cake and pie.So yes, I have some bad habits. But I'm still walking daily. Been doing that for seven years, and have lost some weight.I still need to lose more.And all of the walking and juicing didn't prevent me from developing bronchitis this winter.Like many others, I'm battling the relentless cough.One would think a strong walking regimen and daily vitamin C would thwart those things.As for LaLanne, he lived to 96. He underwent heart valve replacement surgery at that age. But it apparently did him in.He passed away on Jan. 23, 2011. His family indicated he'd been sick for a week, but refused to see a doctor.They said he performed his daily workout routine the day before his death.In other words, he practiced fitness right up until the end.News of his death saddened me. I reflected on my day with him and how he spoke from the heart.I remember his optimistic attitude and how he firmly believed in nutrition as the key to good health.Mostly, I remember his positive vibes, a friendly demeanor and a contagious smile.Those things, too, might be part of the secret to a good life. Jack LaLanne knew it.And I think he'd scold me about mentioning cheese curls.So let's just forget I said it.