I have spent the last couple of days trying to picture myself at age 95.

Sure, it's weird, I guess, for a 25-year-old to be having such thoughts, but I am very curious in that way. Well, there's that and, of course, the fact that I read an article the other day about health guru Jack LaLanne turning 95 years old in September.

And let's set a few things straight: This man is not just your typical 95-year-old. He's a fitness powerhouse. Sure, there are things about him—graying hair, wrinkles here and there—that are telling of his older age. But 95 years old?! Never.

Heck, when LaLanne celebrates a birthday, cake isn't even in the picture. In fact, when he turned 70 years old he marked the day by towing 70 boats filled with 70 people for 1 1/2 miles while handcuffed. Yes, handcuffed.

Crazy? Probably.

Admirable? Definitely. 

This is where I got to thinking: I am 25 and I couldn't do that now!

And the train of thought only escalated from there:

But do I want to do that?

Of course, I woul ... If I could.

But it would be so hard.

Oh, who cares—I wanna be like Jack LaLanne. 

Sure, I don't agree with all of LaLanne's rules, like, "If it tastes good, spit it out!" But that's only if we are taking his words verbatim. Surely, LaLanne enjoys most of his food, especially, because healthy food can taste good (I swear, it's true). Instead, perhaps, what he is speaking of is America's definition of "good" food. 

And there's no room for disagreement with his more famous words, such as, "Your health account is like your bank account—the more you put in, the more you can take out." How can you beg to differ? This way of thinking is proven to us time and time again—every time we burn the candle at both ends and end up sick; each time we ignore proper nutrition and fitness, and spend day after day feeling tired as a result. That's not just a coincidence. It's our bodies telling us we are overdrawn (and the fee is poor health).

But it's not too late to start changing our health paths right now. Today. Take it from LaLanne: When he was a teenager he was a self-described sugar addict with persistent headaches. But all it took was one health seminar (and a good cleaning out of his sweets stash) to put him on the road he has traveled right up to his 95th year.

I hung a picture of LaLanne on my wall today. It's kind of strange, but... not really. If imagining our goals really is the path to achieving them (as so many self help books tell me), then certainly this is the first step in mirroring a path like LaLanne's.

Oh, and eating my broccoli. 

Then, maybe seventy years from now I can mimic the health genius' words and say with perfect confidence:

"I can’t die—it would ruin my image."

That's the plan, my friends. That's the plan.

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Caroline Shannon has been a professional journalist for six years, working for several publications, including Redbook magazine, Ideal Bite, Entrepreneur.com, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and First30Days. She is a certified Pilates instructor and takes a long, hard run just as seriously as she does several Hint ‘O Mint Newman-O’s. She can be reached at www.carolineshannon.com.