Jack LaLanne: physically -- and fiscally-- fit at 93
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Bankrate: How do you do that?

LaLanne: You have to eat correctly. Exercise is king, nutrition is queen, and you put them together and you've got a kingdom. The most important thing is exercise. You can exercise vigorously and eat a lot of junk and get by, but you can't just eat perfect food and not exercise. You combine exercise with good eating, and you're going to have a beautiful, healthy body.

Bankrate: What do you say to middle-aged or even older people who say, "I'm too old to exercise now."

LaLanne: Too old? Look, my dad died at 50. He wouldn't listen to me. I wanted him to exercise, wanted him to eat right. What the hell can you tell your dad? He said, "Oh, I'm too old for that stuff." And here he dies at 50 from a heart attack. If he'd listened to me, he probably would have lived to a ripe old age. They've done over 15 different tests now with people in their 80s and 90s, and they put them on a weight training program, and they've doubled their strength and endurance in six to eight weeks. You're never too old.

Bankrate: Even if you're 83 with a tortuous spine?

LaLanne: Those are the people who should really do stretching. They should get a bar at a sporting good store -- a bar you put in your doorway. There are a few things you can't do, maybe, but many, many things you can do. You're the judge. You've got to know what you can do and what you can't do. I just fell down the other day. I was carrying a big pile of books from my upstairs loft, and I couldn't see one of the steps and I missed it. I fell down the stairs and rolled, rolled, rolled, and I wrecked my back. But I'm still working out. And in about two weeks, it'll all be gone. I worked out today over an hour.

Bankrate: What's your usual workout regimen?

LaLanne: I work out with the weights an hour and a half, another half hour in the pool. And I change my exercise every 30 days. You've got to change it up every month.

Bankrate: Your book says that if you are 55 today and you live to be 90, you'll need $210,000 by age 65 just to pay the insurance to supplement Medicare and medical expenses.

LaLanne: Right.

Bankrate: The average person can't do that.

LaLanne: Well, you've got to do the best you can. There are a lot of people in the country who don't have insurance, but those are the people who should do more for themselves. Too many people depend on Medicare. You are the one that makes things happen. Start eating better, normalize your weight and exercise. Get something you enjoy or haven't done and do it. You've got to keep busy so you won't need long-term care.