Richard Simmons Quotes & Sayings

I just strive to do better. Every time I meet somebody, I ask myself, "How can I help this person?" — Richard Simmons

Singing is good for the soul. It's the first thing I do every morning, after my blessings and my grace. I put music on and I sing. — Richard Simmons

I was always into staying busy, into my goals, into making notes and planning. I'm not one who truly lives in the past. — Richard Simmons

Everyone in Senate is a hurdle, but everyone in there has children. Everyone in there has grandchildren. No one wants to see our kids continue to gain weight, have high blood pressure high cholesterol, diabetes, and depression. — Richard Simmons

I don't have to teach anymore, I don't have to work anymore, God has been really good to me. — Richard Simmons

Right now many schools have no recess. Most schools have no PE. — Richard Simmons

After all the throwing up, I would starve myself. Which meant eating lettuce and water for two and a half months. I almost lost my life. — Richard Simmons

Stop trying to find something in food that will make you feel better. I used to have eating disorders; I'd binge and purge all the time: fried oysters, po' boys, muffulettas, beignets, coffee and doughnuts. I tried to medicate myself with food when people made fun of me or hit me with a bat in school. I'd always turn to food. — Richard Simmons

When I go to bed at night, I ask God to give me another day; I ask him to keep me strong and make me a good teacher and to keep spreading this right word. — Richard Simmons

There's a list of foods I can't have in the house. Peanut butter, can't have that in the house. Potato chips, can't have that in the house. Random little small mini candy bars, don't even think about it. I just have to watch everything. I have to stay between 1500 and 1600 calories a day. That's it. — Richard Simmons

I have 40 pounds to lose. It is not the fault of the fast food people, and anyone who's trying to sue the fast food places needs a therapist, not an attorney. — Richard Simmons

Number one, like yourself. Number two, you have to eat healthy. And number three, you've got to squeeze your buns. That's my formula. — Richard Simmons

I've been going to shopping malls since I was on General Hospital. — Richard Simmons

People spend thousands in therapy digging and digging in the past. When you dig and dig, you find relics. Try to forgive yourself and get back on that ride. — Richard Simmons

I've never lived in the visual world. I live very much in an emotional-contact world. — Richard Simmons

I am kinder to my body. I don't try to prove anything to myself or others. I keep thinking about the need to go slower, gentler and maintain a sense of humor about it all. — Richard Simmons

When I was younger, I ate nothing but fried food. Everything was fried, from oysters to chicken to potatoes to vegetables. When you die in New Orleans, they deep fry you before they put you in the coffin. When we baptize children in New Orleans, we baptize them with a bordelaise sauce; we don't use water. — Richard Simmons

There are sacrifices you have to make. I don't have a lot to offer one person. I have a lot to offer to a lot of people. — Richard Simmons

I have never lied to the people. I have always told them to love themselves, to move their body, and to watch their portions. I never jumped on any other bandwagons for stupid diets or shots or pills or anything. I'm very worried about our young people. And we need to take care of them, or they're not going to live as long as their parents. And this is really something very important to me. — Richard Simmons

People treat me like family, 'cause I've always treated them like family. — Richard Simmons

It's terrible, the way obese children and adults are treated in this country [USA]. And I'm not leaving this Earth until that is changed. — Richard Simmons

If I've got the right songs, I can weave a spell over everyone. — Richard Simmons

My nickname is Dickie Jukebox. I own thousands and thousands and thousands of songs. — Richard Simmons

I get tired of negativity in our country. I get tired of people who only want to know dirt. I get tired of people who don't believe in themselves. — Richard Simmons

I never say anything negative about anyone, because that won't get you anywhere. — Richard Simmons

Back in the 70s and 80s, women felt the discrimination of being overweight. And now 35% of the letters I receive are from men. — Richard Simmons

I hope in my lifetime we can all continue to laugh at ourselves and not put down anyone for what they weigh. — Richard Simmons

I've never swayed from who I am. People have seen me on television, and they know what I'm like and they know what I do and they respect me for what I do. They know that I'm huggy and kissy. — Richard Simmons

I get an abundance of e-mail every day, some say 'dear Richard, can you call my husband, he weighs 400 pounds ... ' or 'my 14-year-old is 200 pounds ... ' or 'I just got divorced, no one wants me, I am 500 pounds.' So I pick up the phone and I call people. — Richard Simmons

Yeah, but I do call them back and follow up. Most people talk at overweight people, I talk with them. — Richard Simmons

I start phone calls at 4 A.M. to cheer people up. The housebound, people in the hospital. People who, after decades, still can't get over what happened 10 or 15 years ago. — Richard Simmons

I sort of think of myself as part priest, part clown. — Richard Simmons

Count your blessings. You are one of a kind. There's no one in the world like you. You are amazing. — Richard Simmons

When you gain weight, for every pound that you gain, it adds four pounds of stress on your knees. So if you gain five pounds, you've got 20 pounds of stress on your knees. So that's why I'm extremely careful with my portions and my workout, because I can't be overweight. — Richard Simmons

Its an eerie thing. My childhood is being washed away. — Richard Simmons

For my workout, I'm up at 4 A.M. I say my prayers, count my blessings, and I work out right away. I just get it done. — Richard Simmons

I'm not into any show that makes people compete when they lose weight. — Richard Simmons

Every day after school, for three hours a day, I would sell those pralines on the street corner. I was just eight years old. I'd bring the money home to my parents and say, "This is just the beginning." — Richard Simmons

I do not want any child in America to have my childhood because it was taken away from me because I just wasn't good enough; well I am good enough now. — Richard Simmons

I don't talk about my personal life, and I don't talk about death. — Richard Simmons

I really created my career out of my own compulsion. Because I knew if I owned an exercise studio and I had to teach my classes there, I wasn't going to gain my weight back. — Richard Simmons

People need the court jester, so I keep that smile on and keep going out there to do what I do. — Richard Simmons

I show them the funny part, the silly part, the laughing part, the crazy part and then the really deep, deep part where I'm talking from my heart to these people. Because I've been through everything they've been through. — Richard Simmons

I'm such a huge fan, and I've done classes of all Lady Gaga music. And she's just someone who evokes freedom and love for her fans and passion in what she does. Lady Gaga, I'll take you out for a salad anytime. — Richard Simmons

I used to think that if someone gained their weight back, it was my fault, but all I can do is be God's motivator and try to instill the motivation in others so they do it themselves. — Richard Simmons

I give people permission to be kids again. — Richard Simmons

If your oxygen mask drops down, it's time to take a breather! — Richard Simmons

What if you can't do what you once did, like run and jump up and down? You can walk, which is also good for your mind and mental attitude. You can do simpler exercises, like getting up and down from a chair without using your hands. You can stay fairly flexible. The most important thing is to not become sedentary. — Richard Simmons

My nickname is Dickie Jukebox. — Richard Simmons

Being successful is something that's sometimes hard to deal with. — Richard Simmons

Work hard, take care of yourself, and you'll be just fine. — Richard Simmons

When you're feeling down, sad, lonely, negative, you don't want to take care of yourself - and the weight problem and the diabetic problem and the heart attack and stroke problems and high cholesterol set in. — Richard Simmons

Truthfully, everyone knows how to eat right. They know the difference between oatmeal and a jelly cream doughnut. They know how to walk. Everyone has this in their brain. When I started, we didn't have all this knowledge. — Richard Simmons

I could be hit by a Sara Lee truck tomorrow. Which is not a bad way of going: 'Richard Simmons Found in a Freeway in Pound Cake and Fudge, With a Smile on His Face.' Let's face it. We don't know anything. — Richard Simmons

I get energy from meditation practice and from eating healthy fresh food, only one cup of espresso in the morning, and not drinking too much. — Richard Simmons

I started my own class for people like me who can't find any place else to go. — Richard Simmons

Every day you eat is every day you have to work out. — Richard Simmons

The real pride, the real present, is your health and your longevity. My whole career, I have never done anything where competition was involved with weight loss. — Richard Simmons

All of a sudden, I'm thinking that if I keep eating the way I'm eating, I'm not going to live long and I'm going to die. Having those thoughts as a young person can be very haunting. — Richard Simmons

Everyone has a story that makes me stronger. I know that the work I do is important and I enjoy it, but it is nice to hear the feedback of what we do to inspire others. — Richard Simmons

I have loved deeply. I have lost intensely. I will never love again. I get that love by people who care for me. — Richard Simmons

One day I may be meeting you and hearing how you've changed your life by saying, 'Farewell to Fat'. — Richard Simmons

If I don't take care of myself, if I don't feel good about myself, how can I help others? — Richard Simmons

My way is the sensitive, emotional way, because that's who I am. I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who have had gastric bypass or lap-band surgery, and they still have to work out. If you don't work out and eat healthy, you'll look like a melted candle. — Richard Simmons

When we're binging, we do not think about death. We just think about how good it tastes. — Richard Simmons

I plan for the future, but the only day I really worry about is the day I'm living right now. — Richard Simmons

I have been up to my head just with calling people, I call about 50 to 100 people a day. — Richard Simmons

You are one of a kind and unique. Never forget that. — Richard Simmons

Comedy, not screaming at someone, can make someone lift their legs higher. There is a way to do a push-up and a sit-up, and it doesn't have to be so complicated. Everyone is putting a difficult twist to it and making you do way too much. — Richard Simmons

I'll tell you who makes me laugh, in a good way, and I'd love to have a date with her: if I could just have a salad with Lady Gaga? This would be my - I would almost probably faint. — Richard Simmons

People are still grasping for the miracle, and unfortunately, there are no miracles, if you do not exercise for a year, and let your body remain dormant, then you will gain weight. — Richard Simmons

I'm a real paradox. Because I'm a very serious person, and I take my work very seriously. But I wrap it up in a court jester and a clown and make people laugh and make them feel good about themselves. — Richard Simmons

I've always practiced this: Love yourself. Move your body. Watch your portions. — Richard Simmons

Everything I did with my life I did so that I could give my parents everything they didn't have because of me. — Richard Simmons

If you don't love your mother you go straight to hell. — Richard Simmons

After I talk to so many people who are so unhappy about their weight and so depressed that they don't see any rainbows in their life, after I talk to about 30 of those, then I try to walk away and pet my dog, just do something that makes me happy. — Richard Simmons

You can say anything you want to say about me. But don't you dare address overweight people with terrible names and ugly remarks. That is what upsets me. — Richard Simmons

You have to make your own decisions. That's what the freedom in America is all about. — Richard Simmons

When I go to teach, that's not my workout. It's my show. I'm 134 pounds - I'm a teeny thing. I work out 11/2 hours a day and eat 1,600 calories. I can't stray because I have to fit into these Dolfin shorts! — Richard Simmons

Most workouts are way too aggressive. Thousands of lunges wear out the body. — Richard Simmons

I'm not going to be happy until every child in every school is physically active. — Richard Simmons

I was born with a crippled leg. I wore a corrective shoes since I was three years old and I still wear them. — Richard Simmons

How do you get motivated? By knowing your worth. Americans do not know how worthy they are. You deserve to be healthy, but a lot of times, people have, as childs been told - as a children been told that they're no good, that they're never going to be anything else. — Richard Simmons

Every morning when I get up, I ask God what he wants me to do, ask him to lead me to the right people to help them. — Richard Simmons

I might as well be gay. And not just because I love rhinestones and Barbara Streisand. But because Im a sensitive person who is supportive of gay people the same way Im sensitive to grossly obese people and ugly people. — Richard Simmons

My parents always told me to be myself. I was always funny and silly as a kid. And I would always make them laugh. And they always told me to dream big and follow those dreams. — Richard Simmons

I do consider myself a clown and a court jester, and I do love to make people laugh, whether they're laughing with me or at me. — Richard Simmons

A kid who moves is a kid who learns. — Richard Simmons

When you gather up all the balls of life that you try to juggle, it is a very difficult thing to try to focus in on taking good care of yourself. But that's why God invented me - so I can come and teach and preach and make people laugh and give them some education so they can start liking themselves better. — Richard Simmons

Miley Cyrus, like all of us, needs to be loved. We all come from complicated parents ... I understand her, and I love her, and I think things will be different with her. But you know, in the music business, sometimes you have to shock a little. — Richard Simmons

You know, if your parents didn't have you, they'd be living in a nicer home, driving a Mercedes-Benz, with money in the bank and a boat. But noooooo. They had to have you! You've got to give back! — Richard Simmons

I suffered from eating disorders when I was just a kid. I did not like me or the way I looked. But back then, you could not tell anyone. — Richard Simmons

Our children are obese, either have or being threatened by diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and not socially adjusting properly to others because of a lack of fitness. — Richard Simmons

I put a spell on people so they don't know they're working out ... An enchanting spell, where they just don't think about it, or over think it, and then at the end they go, 'Wow, I feel good.' — Richard Simmons

My life is just a never-ending work in progress. — Richard Simmons

I never sold any of those "lose 10 pounds every week" scams. I've not changed my tune in all these years. I've seen everything pass by me, and I've been offered millions of dollars to put my name on products that were just lies. And I never did it. — Richard Simmons

I just love what I do, and I'm a teacher more than anything. — Richard Simmons

I spent my childhood eating. The only exercise I got was trying to twist off the cap of a jar of mayonnaise. — Richard Simmons

I began reading cook books when I was six, cause my father had hundreds of cook books in the kitchen. I was obsessed with cooking and tasting different recipes. I got lost in being a compulsive eater. It brought me much happiness. Sadness too, sure. But I have to say, and compulsive eaters will agree with me, for that few seconds that you're eating, food tastes just great. — Richard Simmons

No one can make fun of overweight people in front of me! — Richard Simmons