Magic Johnson
Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesHaving celebrated its milestone 65th anniversary, Magic Johnson proves that age is just a number.
In an exclusive interview with Us Weeklythe NBA Hall of Famer — who turned 65 in August — explained how gratitude for the regime makes him laugh in Father Time’s face.
“Feeling great!” Magic boasted. “Even though I’ve retired from basketball, I still follow a very strict fitness program — a combination of cardio and weight lifting — that consists of getting a good night’s rest, waking up early for regular exercise, and eating healthy. Health and wellness is in my DNA, so I don’t think that will ever leave me.”
Although Magic said he and his wife of 33 years, Cookie Johnsonfollow “different fitness routines,” he credited her with keeping him on track.
Dwyane Wade, Khary Payton and more celebrities have supported their LGBTQ+ children’s journeys. During a February 2020 episode. on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Wade opened up about his daughter Zaya coming out as transgender, noting that he takes his “roles and responsibilities” as her father “very seriously.” Thank you! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters (…)
“We both hold each other accountable to complete our respective workouts, in addition to eating healthy and staying as active as possible,” he explained. “Even when we’re on holiday, we still prioritize our fitness regime – it’s ingrained in our lifestyle.”
Magic and Cookie’s responsibility likely came into play when the couple took a multi-week pre-birthday trip through Italy and Croatia, which both extensively documented on social media.
The former Lakers legend also explained how a dedication to health and wellness has become a full-on family affair, passed down to their children: sons Andre43 and EJ32 years and a daughter Eliza29.
“Everyone’s journey is different when it comes to fitness and healthy eating, and that’s what happened with our kids,” Magic explained. “Cookie and I encouraged our children to exercise and be active, but they fell in love with exercise and healthy eating in their spare time. It takes incredible discipline, focus and drive to want to train every day.”
Now Magic is helping to pass that knowledge and passion on to the younger generation through his investment company, Magic Johnson Enterprises. The group partners with F45 Training to donate more than 4,000 F45 Fit kits to support the health and well-being of children and teenagers across the country.
Each set contains equipment such as jump ropes, cones, agility ladders that can be used in age-appropriate training routines.
“I like that they provide a great workout and can be used inside and out,” Magic said. “That’s the great thing about F45 Fit Kits — they help us get back to functional movements. With a jump rope, cones and agility ladders, we offer children the opportunity to be creative when it comes to performing fitness routines that work best for them – regardless of their level or where they may need to train.
Recipients of the kits include the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and the NFL’s Washington Commanders — both teams where Magic has an equity interest — in addition to the Crenshaw (CA) YMCA and various Boys & Girls Clubs in California and the District of Columbia
“The hope is to reach as many kids as possible with F45’s inventory because exercise and movement are so important to kids, especially in this day and age when childhood obesity is on the rise,” noted Magic. “While we started with Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs and teams I own in California and D.C., the goal is to continue to identify organizations across the country that could use the F45 kits for children in need.”
