Obamas Don't Shy Away From Daily Fitness Routines
President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, are no strangers to grueling fitness regimes. Even while on the campaign trail Obama's day started out with a workout in a local gym, with his entourage of Secret Service agents in tow.
Obama for America
Barack Obama told a crowd of 32,000 people at a St. Paul hockey arena.
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Chicago - Most people would be shocked to find out that both the President-elect and the future first lady have exercise routines that would run many people ragged. That is unlikely to change when they move into the White House, since there is more than enough places for them to remain active.
Michelle Obama is proud of the way she looks. In several public appearances, like when she hosted "The View", or was interviewed for "60 Minutes", and even photographed for the cover of "Newsweek", she wasn't afraid to show her bare arms.
"One of the things I always talk about is got to exercise,'' the 44-year-old mother of two told an overwhelmingly female crowd at a campaign event last year in Chicago.
Barack Obama's workouts are the first thing he does each day. For November's issue of Men's Health magazine, he said,
"There's always a trade-off between sleep and working out. Usually I get in about 45 minutes, six days a week. I'll lift one day, do cardio the next."
If he had his choice, he said he'd like to be able to work out for 90 minutes each time.
Obama's favorite activity is basketball and he enjoyed playing with friends, which became a ritual while on the campaign trail.
He got in the habit of shooting hoops with friends on the days of primary elections, and that carried over to such major events as his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention and Election Day.
AP said that as a joke, Obama said he was going to replace the bowling alley in the White House with an indoor basketball court
Even Michelle Obama is devoted to her own fitness routine, saying that last Summer she was able to workout 90 minutes three times a week, with her preference being cross-training. But for her, these workouts mean more. Michelle's friend, Sandy Matthews, said
"It's your time. I think every woman has to find their space and their time during the course of a day, especially a working mom."
The White House has seen many presidents who were fitness-minded.
President George W. Bush is an avid mountain biker, former President Bill Clinton jogged around Washington and former President George H.W. Bush liked to golf and jog, play tennis and pitch horseshoes. It seems the tradition will continue at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue when the Obamas move in.
