In 2010, Simmons stated he had kept off his own 100+ pound (45 kg) weight loss for 42 years, had been helping others lose weight for 35 years, and that in the course of his fitness career, had helped humanity lose approximately 12 million pounds (5.5 million kg). Later renamed 'Slimmons,' the establishment continued operations in Beverly Hills and Simmons taught motivational classes and aerobics throughout the week. The business originally included a salad bar restaurant called Ruffage, a pun on the word roughage (dietary fiber), though it was eventually removed as the focus of the Asylum shifted solely to exercise. He later opened his own exercise studio, originally called 'The Anatomy Asylum,' where emphasis was placed on healthy eating in proper portions and enjoyable exercise in a supportive atmosphere. He established gyms, and his interest in fitness helped him lose 123 lb (56 kg). Exercise studios of the day favored the already fit customer, so there was little help for those who needed to gain fitness from an otherwise unhealthy state. : 157 He developed an interest in fitness. Upon moving to Los Angeles in the 1970s, Simmons worked as the maître d'hôtel at Derek's, a restaurant in Beverly Hills. His first job in New Orleans was as a child, selling pralines at Leah's Pralines. In an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Simmons explained he adopted the name Richard after an uncle who paid for his college tuition.

As a young adult art student, he had appeared among the 'freak show' characters in the Fellini films Satyricon (1968) and The Clowns (1970) and he eventually reached a peak of 268 pounds (122 kg). As a young man, he considered being a priest. At the age of 15, he weighed 182 pounds (83 kg). He began to overeat and became overweight as early as the age of 4 or earlier, and by the age of 5, he knew it was perceived negatively. He became obese during his early childhood and adolescence. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette before graduating from Florida State University with a BA in Art. Simmons later converted to Catholicism and attended Cor Jesu High School.

Their father was raised Methodist and worked as a master of ceremonies and later in thrift stores while their mother was Russian Jewish and was a traveling fan dancer and later a store cosmetics saleswoman. Simmons has an older brother, Leonard Jr. He was born to ' show business parents' and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Milton Teagle Simmons was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 12, 1948, to Leonard Douglas Simmons Sr. ĭuring the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Simmons began to upload archival content to his YouTube channel (recorded before his decision to withdraw from public life) to help people stay fit at home. Both Simmons and his publicist said the concerns were unwarranted as he simply chose to be less publicly visible. Simmons's most recent public appearances were in February 2014, and by 2016 speculation and expressions of concern about his well-being began to surface in the media. He continued to promote health and exercise through a decades-long career and later broadened his activities to include political activism – such as in 2008 in support of a bill mandating non-competitive physical education in public schools as a part of the No Child Left Behind Act. He is often parodied and was a frequent guest of late night television and radio talk shows, such as the Late Show with David Letterman and The Howard Stern Show. Simmons began his weight-loss career by opening his gym Slimmons in Beverly Hills, California, catering to the overweight, and he became widely known through exposure on television and through the popularity of his consumer products. He has promoted weight-loss programs, most prominently through his Sweatin' to the Oldies line of aerobics videos. Milton Teagle ' Richard' Simmons (born July 12, 1948) is an American fitness personality and public figure, known for his eccentric, flamboyant, and energetic personality.

Rochard simmons