Magic Johnson Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
After celebrating his milestone 65th birthday, Magic Johnson is proving age is just a number.
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, the NBA Hall of Famer — who turned 65 in August — explained how an appreciation for regimen has him laughing in the face of Father Time.
“I feel great!” Magic boasted. “Although I am retired from basketball, I still follow a very strict fitness routine — a mix of cardio and weightlifting — which consists of getting a good night’s rest, waking up early to exercise regularly, and healthy eating. Health and wellness are in my DNA so I don’t think that will ever leave me.”
Although Magic said he and his wife of 33 years, Cookie Johnson, follow “different fitness routines,” he credited her with keeping him on track.
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“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 vacation, we still prioritize our fitness regimen — it’s ingrained into our lifestyle.”
Magic and Cookie’s accountability likely came into play when the couple took a multi-week pre-birthday trip throughout Italy and Croatia, which they both documented extensively on social media.
The former Lakers legend also explained how a dedication to health and wellness has turned into a full-fledged family affair passed down to their children: sons Andre, 43, and EJ, 32, and daughter Elisa, 29.
“Everybody’s path is different when it comes to fitness and eating healthy and that’s what happened with our kids,” Magic explained. “Cookie and I encouraged our kids to work out and be active, but they fell in love with exercising and eating healthy on their own time. It takes incredible discipline, focus and drive to want to work out daily.”
Now, Magic is helping to pass down that knowledge and passion to a younger generation through his investment company, Magic Johnson Enterprises. The group has partnered with F45 Training to donate more than 4,000 F45 Fit Kits to support the health and wellness of kids and teens across the nation.
Each kit contains equipment like jump ropes, cones, agility ladders that can be used in age-appropriate workout routines.
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“I love that they provide a great workout and can be used inside and outside,” Magic said. “That’s the great thing about the F45 Fit Kits — they help us go back to functional movements. With a jump rope, cones and agility ladders, we’re offering kids the opportunity to be creative when it comes to doing fitness routines that work best for them — regardless of their level or where they may have to exercise.”
Recipients of the kits included the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and the NFL’s Washington Commanders — both teams in which Magic has an ownership stake — in addition to the Crenshaw (CA) YMCA and various Boys and & Girls Clubs in California and D.C.
“The hope is to touch as many kids as possible with F45’s inventory because exercise and movement are so crucial for kids, especially nowadays with childhood obesity on the rise,” Magic noted. “While we started with Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, and teams that I own in California and D.C., the goal is to continue to identify organizations across the nation that could utilize the F45 kits for kids in need.”