Fitness guru and comedian Richard Simmons has lived a long and impressive life, but you may not know about everything he’s accomplished. In addition to inspiring people for decades to lose weight, he’s done these things as well.

• Simmons was born as Milton Teagle Simmons in 1948 with a disfigured upper leg, asthma and without a full set of bones in his feet.

• By high school, Simmons weighed 300 pounds.

• However, he dropped 100 pounds and has kept it off for 40 years through diet and exercise. In 1974, he started a gym to help overweight people.

• He claims to have helped people lose more than 3 million pound since starting his weight loss programs.

• He appeared as himself in a recurring role on “General Hospital” after fans showed a positive response to his guest spot.

• Simmons has authored multiple books and produced more than 30 videos, including the well-known “Sweatin’ to the Oldies.”

Keep Reading

Foo Fighters closed out Shaky Knees 2024 at Central Park with extended versions of their biggest hits. The indie rock festival has moved to Piedmont Park for this weekend's event. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

Credit: Ryan Fleisher

Featured

Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

Credit: NYT