Chef Andre Rush has been cooking at the White House since 1997. He's served in the last four administrations, and the 45-year-old Army veteran recently took the internet by storm. A photo of Chef Andre grilling on the White House lawn went viral… and the reason had very little to do with food!
(Watch the video above to see the viral pic!)
Andre has 24-inch biceps — which he puts to good use cooking at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, working out at the gym every day AND training others!
The busy chef and trainer stopped by to chat with Rach about the last meal he prepared at the White House, which he says was the meal that went viral. According to Andre, it was a super healthy meal containing grilled vegetables, like zucchini and squash (which is why he was at the grill!).
Because he's been in the White House kitchen for decades, Rach asked the chef which presidents have been the best eaters.
"My best eaters have been the Obamas!" Andre admits.
"They're very good eaters. They have an appetite for life, I would have to agree," Rachael says.
"As healthy as they are — and they're all about good food and lots of vegetables, of course they brought the White House garden — I know that Michelle keeps a stash of Milky Way!" Rach adds. (I mean, don't we all?!)
And, of course, we had to ask Andre for his top tips for getting fit, eating well and staying in great shape.
"My go-to is simple: label reading," Andre says. "Especially when it comes to your kids and your health... Everything is about calorie intake these days. Look at your serving size."
Labels can be deceiving, Andre explains. You should try to limit your daily fat, cholesterol and sodium intake — if those are above 10% on a nutrition label, that's high.
You want to get enough of nutrients like Vitamin A, C, calcium and iron, so those are percentages you do want to be higher. Strive for 20% or more of your daily intake.
Andre's top tip for working out is to learn how to do a push-up correctly. You don't have to do 2,222 a day like he does (yes, really), but knowing the proper form will make a big difference!
Depending on your fitness level, you can modify your push-up. For a simple version, hold still in a plank position to work on stabilizing your core. For the intermediate move, you can bend your knees while doing a regular push-up with your upper body. And if you want to try an advanced move, extend your legs and quickly do as many good push-ups as you can.
Watch Andre demonstrate all three versions in the video above!
