In compiling a list of the Top 13 Fittest Heads of State 2015, the team at Health Fitness Revolution, along with founder Samir Becic, four-time No. 1 Fitness Trainer in the world, want to alert other Heads of State to be more physically fit and active in order to represent their countries in the best light for the 21st century. The wealth and prosperity of a nation is dependent on the health and physicality of its people. With this being said, Health Fitness Revolution will go into every segment of society and pick it’s leaders and heroes in healthy lifestyle in order the create strong ambassadors. To see our 2014 list, please click here. This 2014 list spread worldwide, including the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Orlando Sentinel, Russia Today and even Cuba Debate, as well as many other global publications.

The leaders on this list not only lead healthy lifestyles themselves, but also promote within their leadership roles to their constituents. The following was all taken into consideration: fitness level, nutritional habits, age, their own medical issues and how they coped with them, and involvement and promotion of healthy lifestyle within their country. This is the first list of its kind and we are trying to use it to promote healthy lifestyle worldwide.

It is difficult to determine which heads of state are the fittest because fitness has different elements that are equally important. We used a combination of interviews, websites, industry literature, and Samir’s knowledge of over 33 years in athletics coupled with his experience as a world renowned fitness trainer to determine the fittest heads of state 2015.

“It is not important who is the fittest head of state, but rather, that with this article, we encourage all leaders of states to take a proactive approach with not only their own health, but also the health (read: wealth) of their nation. Heads of State should be the best health ambassadors for their countries”- Samir Becic

This is the first list of its kind.

This list is organized in no particular order:

Tony Abbott- Prime Minister of Australia

• Has competed in an Iron Man triathlon
• Has run a marathon with a visually impaired athlete
• Regularly cycles up and down hills near Parliament House four to six times around dawn and follows the morning routine with about 40 minutes in the gym after Question Time.
• During his campaign for election, he impressed troops of the 1st regiment at Robertson Army Barracks with an intense early-morning bootcamp workout where he not only kept up with them but mastered the vigorous workout!
• Made our 2014 List of Fittest Heads of State

Benjamin Netanyahu- Prime Minister of Israel

• Asked his ministers to “stop overeating, start exercising,” encouraging many to slim down
• Instructed that healthier fare be offered during cabinet meetings
• Dropped 5 kg (11 pounds) by maintaining a balanced diet with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables
• Snacks on lettuce and carrots during meetings
• Jogs twice a week on a treadmill
• Walks a lot

Tayyip Erdoğan- President of Turkey

• Ex semi-professional soccer player
• Jogging
• Calisthenics
• Resistance training

Portia Simpson Miller- Prime Minister of Jamaica

• Enjoys boxing and horseback riding
• Served as the Minister of Tourism and Sports before becoming Prime Minister
• At age 69, she looks phenomenally fit and has clearly incorporated a healthy lifestyle throughout her life

Enrique Peña Nieto- President of Mexico

• Big advocate of fitness
• Urges all Mexicans to workout for an hour a day, even if it is simply walking.
• He recently ran a 10K in an effort to motivate the country to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
• He urges the Mexican people to have a balanced diet and be consistently exercising, doing any kind of sport they’d like, but playing a sport.
• Made our 2014 List of Fittest Heads of State

King Felipe VI- King of Spain

• Received military training at the General Military Academy, the Military Naval School in Marin, and the General Air Force Academy in San Javier
• Member of the Olympic Sailing team at the Barcelona Games in 1992

Henri, current Grand Duke of Luxembourg

• He is a career military man, undertaking his military officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurt, England.
• Is a member of the International Olympic Committee, a member of The Mentor Foundation (established by the World Health Organization).
•  He does regular fitness exercises and maintains a healthy lifestyle which aided him on his journey to recovery from certain genetic ailments.
• Made our 2014 List of Fittest Heads of State

Ian Khama- President of Botswana

• Fitness fanatic
• Participated in an obstacle challenge task for an episode of the annual Yarona FM Fat Boy Challenge (a project aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle)
• Warned that life’s many challenges can only be overcome by being mentally and physically fit
• Also stressed the importance of healthy eating
• Breakfasts include fruit, yogurt and cereals; lunch is meat, fish, or chicken; supper consists of fruits and vegetables

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck- Current King of Bhutan

•  Is an avid basketball player and is currently trying to make it a national sport
• Jigme Singye Wangchuck stopped playing goalie in soccer when he realized that none of the players dared to knock one past the future King of Bhutan. So he switched to a more egalitarian sport: basketball, where the game’s fast pace and sharp elbows tend to blur any distinction between royalty and commoners.
• The King is also known to meditate, which helps keep him calm- an important aspect of health
• Made our 2014 List of Fittest Heads of State

Lee Hsien Loong- Prime Minister of Singapore

• Recently joined hundreds of health enthusiasts in the annual Great Singapore Workout
• At the event, also unveiled a series of new initiatives for health promotion in Singapore
• Has been seen wearing the Jawbone Up fitness tracker
• “Each person has to take responsibility for his own health. We must each watch our weight, eat healthily and exercise regularly, and avoid smoking.”
• Eats lots of fruit

Abdullah II- King of Jordan

• Huge fan of sports
• Enjoys sky diving, scuba diving, and soccer
• Has an award and initiative to encourage physical fitness among students as an integral component of good health and intellectual development
• Believes fitness enhances self-confidence, competitiveness and a student’s desire for self-development and skill potential

 

 

Barack Obama- President of the United States of America

• Works out daily and his wife, Michelle Obama and their two daughters are equally conscious for their health.
• Eats healthy food and makes sure his family is very healthy as well
• Alternate resistance training
• Plays basketball regularly
• Devotes four days a week to weight training
• Obama has been vocal about his opinion that workouts are the best way to bring harmony between your body and mind.
• Made our 2014 List of Fittest Heads of State

REMOVED- President Vladimir Putin, Russia

• REMOVED- Read about why here.
• Practices martial art of judo
• Putin began training in Sambo (a martial art that originated in the Soviet Union) at the age of 14, before switching to judo, which he continues to practice today.
• Is a master in martial arts, earning master of sports in Sambo
• 6th dan black belt in Kyokushin kaikan
• He has actively competed in sports since 1966
• Also horseback rides, alpine skis, plays badminton, cycles, plays hockey, and fishes.
• Promotes health within Russia, aiming to make it a priority for its citizens
• Made our 2014 List of Fittest Heads of State

Honorable Mentions- these heads of state and second in charge were close to making this list and deserve recognition for being healthy examples. Those second in charge were not eligible for this list but because they are so fit, we choose to mention them here. If they were current Heads of State, they would have made the list.

Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States of America

• Second in charge of the most powerful world democracy, Joe Biden, at 71, is the picture of health and fitness and a phenomenal example to fellow Americans
• He makes sure to stay fit by using the Senate gym.
• Bikes
• Runs
• Works on core exercises

Dmitry Medvedev- Prime Minister of Russia and former President of Russia

• Although second in charge, he is a world leader of the largest country in the world and is a good example to his fellow countrymen
• Former university weightlifting champion
• Generally, spends 2.5 hours every day on physical training
• Does yoga and swimming
• Prefers to ride a snowmobile or quad bike over driving a car
• Likes healthy meals

Prince Charles- Future King of England

• Second in line to the throne, he does not yet fully qualify as a head of state, but deserves an honorable mention.
• Known for being very active
• Has served in both the navy and air force and trained as a jet pilot.  In order the qualify for this position, one must be extremely healthy and fit.
• He is an avid polo player, hikes, and has a regular fitness regimen.
• He recently was asking the National Welsh Rugby team for training advice, to help him be even more fit.
• He has been known to do push-ups and crunches before bed.

 

Zoran Milanovic, Prime Minister of Croatia

• He trained in soccer, basketball and boxing
• His wife Sanja Music Milanovic is a strong supporter of healthy nutrition and fitness in Croatia.
• He jumped from the top of an armored vehicle and did not injure himself, standing up immediately after
• He was a strong contender for fittest heads of state, but because we could not find much information on him motivating his people to live a healthy lifestyle (one of our main criteria), he is in our honorable mention.
• From the Western Balkan region, there are a few other names that deserve mention: Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar, Montenegro Prime Minister Milo Dukanovic, and Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.

Park Geun-Hye- President of South Korea

• Was a competitive aerobic dancer
• Since she was sworn into office in 2013, hired celebrity personal trainer Yoon Jeon-chu who acts as her right arm
• Has a private Pilates studio set up for personal training sessions

John Key- Prime Minister of New Zealand

• Typical day begins with a run at about 5:45 am

 

Ma Ying-jeou- President of Taiwan

• Set an example to the population of Taiwan (where half of adult men and a third of adult women are overweight or obese) by losing 11 kg (24 lbs)
• Fitness enthusiast
• Hobbies include jogging and swimming

Blaise Compaoré- President of Burkina Faso

• Hobbies include football, volleyball, and basketball