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Survival of the fitt-est: Jeff Probst, Survivor host, discovers fitness is more than skin deep - Cover Story - Brief Article

American Fitness, July-August, 2002 by Bonnie Siegler

When Jeff Probst turned 40 last November, who would have guessed he would grow an inch. Certainly not this Survivor host who suddenly noticed his posture, "I sort of caved in." So, Probst hired a trainer who focused on strengthening his back and spine. "I grew about an inch," says the now 5'10" host of the Emmy award-winning reality show. "It changed my whole physique. I work out three days a week--Monday, Wednesday and Friday--and try to keep a healthy balance. I don't have the desire or time to do a six day a week fitness program."

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Possessed with a competitive nature that propels him to engage in sports, Probst was a lettered golf player in high school. "Now, I can't find a letter on a golf course," he kids, "but I still like to play." He also loves playing tennis, softball, basketball, rollerblading along the Santa Monica coastline ("I keep the blades in my truck all the time") and hiking in the hills near his canyon home. "Exercise does something for me. There's [a] release that helps clear my mind and gets rid of a lot of excess noise," he explains. "I used to look at that rejuvenation mindset and say UGH! Now, I realize it's not a hocus pocus thing--it's giving your brain a 30-minute time out and it feels pretty good."

Fitness is important to Probst's career, not just for physical reasons, but for vanity's sake. "People judge you on how you look. I couldn't be overweight and hosting a show about people trying to make it--especially when 20 million viewers are seeing how the cast is physically fit and draw on that with changes in their diet and environment. It made me rethink what being in shape is all about," he declares. "My perspective on fitness started out as this vanity thing and with education and experience, it transitioned into my lifestyle. I'm healthier now--both mentally and physically--than I've been in my life. I want to live a long life."

Indeed, Probst is knowledgeable about his body's needs. The Wichita, Kansas, native sticks to a high protein, low carbohydrate diet beginning every morning with his staple breakfast of a chocolate Myoplex[R] shake and banana. His afternoon routine is at the local Baja Fresh[R] restaurant. "I probably eat out seven days a week," he admits. "When I'm in town, I'm at Baja Fresh[R] every afternoon eating a healthy lunch of beans, chicken, cheese and no tortilla. I [also] experiment with different protein bars for snacks."

Given the demands of being a television persona, Probst knows he has to limit his guilty pleasures. However, his weakness is California Pizza Kitchen's[R] BBQ chicken pizza. Recently holed up in a hotel for several days auditioning for the next tribal council heading to Thailand this summer, Probst confesses, "I ordered greasy chicken pizza almost everyday and didn't think twice about it. I'll work some of it off and some will take a little more time. No matter what you do, it all comes down to calories [consumed] and calories burned. I can't keep [up] with the latest diet dos and don'ts."

Probst sits back and admires the workbench he and his artist girlfriend, Kami, made during a leisurely afternoon off from the show and his writing duties--having just written and produced an independent film. "I [have] this beautiful opportunity to look at my life and get it in as good shape as I can for the next chapter," he contemplates. "I'm fortunate I have the ability to work on finding balance in my life now. I'll take a hike over seeing a movie any day and I love movies. The hike makes me feel better. I like being active."

Okay, hike or drive along the scenic coast? "That's a tough one, but it's gotta be a hike again." He sure wouldn't be voted off the island with that answer.

Bonnie Siegler has been covering celebrity fitness for American Fitness since 1990. Based in Playa del Rey, California, Ms. Siegler is an internationally known published writer whose work has appeared in McCall's, Redbook and InStyle.

Survival of the fitt-est: Jeff Probst, Survivor host, discovers fitness is more than skin deep - Cover Story - Brief Article

American Fitness, July-August, 2002 by Bonnie Siegler

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