Nicolai Haugsted
Barack Obama admits health concerns are forcing him to change his lifestyle
Barack Obama built part of his public image around basketball, but the former president is now choosing his moves more carefully.
During a new joint interview with People magazine tied to the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Obama and Michelle Obama discussed staying active, getting older and the small fitness adjustments that come with life after the White House.
Obama is protecting more than his jump shot
The new presidential center includes a Home Court facility, but Obama said visitors should not expect to see him sprinting through full-court games.
“I am not running up and down that court because I want to protect my knees and my Achilles. I don’t want to be in a boot,” he said.
Obama, 64, has not retired from basketball entirely. He said he still feels comfortable moving in straight lines, but quick sideways movement now makes him more cautious. Instead of chasing fast breaks, he is more likely to challenge people to shooting games and rounds of Horse.
Michelle wins the wellness contest
The former president also joked that Michelle Obama is setting the higher standard when it comes to aging well.
Looking toward his wife during the interview, he offered a blunt self-assessment.
“I feel good. I mean look, I don’t look as good as her.”
Michelle Obama immediately rejected the comment and suggested the difference may come down to his refusal to dye his hair. Obama, for his part, reportedly brushed off the idea as too much effort.
New chapter at the Obama Presidential Center
The interview came as the Obamas marked the opening of their presidential center in Chicago, a project designed to combine museum space, community programming and athletic facilities.
For Obama, the court may still matter. The difference now is that the former commander-in-chief appears less interested in proving he can still run with everyone and more interested in leaving the building without an orthopedic subplot.
