PULSE JUMPIN' JACK FLASH THINK YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE? TALK TO FITNESS GURU JACK LALANNE.

Byline: Diana McKeon Charkalis Lifestyle Editor

< It's 10 a.m. on a Thursday, and America's ``father of fitness,'' Jack LaLanne, has been up for hours. The 91-year-old expert on healthy living has already gotten his daily two hours of exercise - 90 minutes of weights and 30 in the pool.

His voice booms as he zeros in on his life's passion - encouraging others to exercise and eat right.

``My goal has always been to help people help themselves,'' says LaLanne from his Morro Bay home. ``Your body is your most priceless possession; you've go to take care of it!''

But he doesn't hold others up to his own rigorous standards. To get cardio benefits, he says - ``You can just work out 25 to 30 minutes, three to four times a week if it's vigorous. It's the quality of the time you're putting in.''

LaLanne also advocates varying your routine every 30 days so you don't get bored. And, of course, include weight lifting for strength. ``You can always build muscle regardless of your age. Even if you are 100 years old, you can still lift something. That's the beauty of it.''

LaLanne is fond of saying, ``Exercise is king, and nutrition is queen,'' and his own diet consists mainly of raw vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, whole grains and fish. Although he and wife Elaine - they've been married 54 years - eat out almost every night, he's careful to avoid fattening dairy products and processed foods of any kind - ``If man makes it, don't eat it,'' he proclaims.

He also uses his own line of power juicers to make nutritious liquid snacks. The latest addition to the collection is the power juicer elite, which can even make juice out of barley and wheat.

LaLanne insists that he hasn't changed his diet and fitness regimen much over the years, and he has no plans to, no matter how old he gets.

``I just want to see how long I can keep this thing going. The easiest thing is dying. Living is a pain in the butt.''

But that's one challenge LaLanne can't pass up.

BREATHE YOURSELF SLIMMER: If you're diligent about sit-ups and crunches and yet your midsection shows no signs of slimming, try focusing on your breathing, says Woodland Hills personal trainer and author Cindy Targosz.

``Diaphragmatic breathing is very important - that's when your belly rises and expands when you inhale and flattens when you exhale.''

This form of deep breathing raises the capacity of the cardiovascular system and encourages the burning of fat, even in low-demand activities.

Targosz says it can be practiced anywhere, including in the driver's seat of your car when you're stuck in freeway traffic. ``It also helps with stress and anxiety and can even improve your lust for life and sex drive.''

Targosz will lead a ``Live, Love and Lose Weight Through Better Breathing'' workshop Jan. 24 from 6:45 to 9:30 p.m. for the Learning Annex in Los Angeles. The cost is $49.99 per person. For more information, visit www.learningannex.com or call [phone]. She'll also be signing copies of her books ``Erase Your Waist'' (Sourcebooks; $6.95) ``Ten Minute Tone-Ups for Dummies'' (Wiley; $19.99) and ``Your Best Bust'' (Sourcebooks; $6.95) Saturday at Barnes and Noble in Calabasas. For more information about these events, visit her Web site at www.starglow.com.

- D.M.C.

NO-SWEAT HEALTH PLAN: Lose weight and get healthy without perspiration with ``The No Sweat Exercise Plan: A Simple Way to Lose Weight and Improve Your Health Without Spending Hours in the Gym,'' by Harvard Medical School physician Harvey B. Simon (McGraw-Hill; Hardcover: $21.95).

The book is written for people who know they need to exercise but aren't into the idea of spending extra hours doing organized workouts. The book explains that optimum health can be achieved with slight modifications to your daily routine. It features a point system that maximizes the health benefits of activities such as gardening, housework, climbing stairs, walking or even raking leaves. It also includes self-assessment tests that determine your current physical level and help you achieve your optimum health goals. The book is available online at amazon.com and at bookstores nationwide.

- S.S.

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(1) no caption (Jack LaLanne)

(2) The power juicer, $149.97 plus shipping and handling, is available by calling [phone].

(3) no caption (Cindy Targosz)

(4) no caption (book: ``The No Sweat Exercise Plan: A Simple Way to Lose Weight and Improve Your Health Without Spending Hours in teh Gym'')