Fitness & Exercise

Bravo star Greg Plitt's favorite energy drink will not give you superpowers ... so says the company that makes WheyUP -- the product Plitt was plugging when he was hit by a train.

The pre-workout drink contains protein and caffeine, but Shadow Beverages and Snacks wants to stress what should be obvious -- it would never give anyone the ability to outrun a train.

Even though a bunch of empty WheyUp bottles were found near the tracks ... a company rep tells us Plitt wasn't drinking all of them -- he was crushing most of them with a hammer for the promo shoot.

Plitt was a co-owner of WheyUp, and the rep says he had full creative control when it came to his video shoots.

Bravo star and fitness instructor Greg Plitt did NOT die from stumbling on a railroad track Saturday ... he was fatally struck by a train after trying to outrun it ... to prove the effectiveness of an energy drink.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... they have reviewed video of the accident and it shows Plitt standing on the tracks as the train barrels toward him. Shortly before the train reaches Plitt he assumes a runners stance and bolts down the track.

The video shows the train closes in on Plitt as he races at breakneck speed, but he loses the battle and the train "clips" him ... throwing him off the track to his death. It happens quickly and after getting struck he disappears from the video.

And law enforcement tells us they found multiple energy drink bottles near the track and authorities think Plitt may have been hopped up from the caffeine. We're told he was shooting a commercial for the product.

One of the investigators interviewed someone involved in Plitt's video shoot who said Plitt was trying to make the point that the energy drink makes you like Superman ... able to outrun a speeding train.

Bravo's "Work Out" fitness star Greg Plitt was attempting to pull off a dangerous thrill seeking stunt -- just to sell sports drinks -- when he was hit and killed by a commuter train.

Law enforcement sources tell us Plitt was shooting a commercial for a new sports drink -- near the Burbank, CA Metrolink station -- when he attempted to outrun an oncoming train.

Sources close to Plitt say he had worked out near the tracks many times before -- but this shoot turned tragic when he tripped and fell on the tracks ... and couldn't recover in time to get out of the way.

As for why he was on the same track as the speeding train, our sources say Plitt was a highly driven adrenaline junkie. A promotional video for his website is especially eerie now ... since the whole thing was shot in the shadow of a rail yard.

The coroner says Greg's official cause of death is multiple blunt force trauma.

Question: What has 16 pound balls and just pissed off former NFL star Shawne Merriman??
Answer: Some bowling company in Utah that's hawking balls with his catchphrase.

The ex-linebacker has just declared legal war on a bowling company called "Storm" -- which hawks various bowling products on its website ... including a ball emblazoned with the words, "Lights Out."

Of course, Merriman claims he owns the trademark to "Lights Out" -- the nickname he's had since high school -- and demanded the company stop selling the balls ASAP.

But in a lawsuit filed in California, Shawne claims the company refused to comply with his demands -- so now, he's asking a judge to force them to pull the balls from their cyber-shop.

Amanda Bynes is OUT of her manic state ... acting completely "normal" and her family thinks it's nothing short of "mind blowing."

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Amanda is off all meds, including Adderall, which caused her to get a DUI.

When you speak with Amanda there is no way you would know she's been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolarity. She is completely lucid.

We're told things have stabilized so much, her parents have given her limited access again to bank accounts. She spends her time reading, doing yoga, meditation and pilates ... all stress reducers which doctors say are important for these mental disorders.

We're also told Amanda's recent trip to USC -- where she'd like to enroll as a psych major -- was all planned by her.

Here's the rub. Doctors have told Amanda's family, people with such mental illnesses sometimes rebound and they can be ok for months, only to relapse again.

Richard Simmons is still MIA ... nearly a year after he was last seen, and there are no signs of XMAS or even life at his home.

His friends are more worried than ever. They haven't heard from or seen him since January 11. He hasn't been to his exercise studio in 6 months.

There are no XMAS decorations at his Hollywood Hills house. Friends are not allowed to visit. A housekeeper seems to stand guard whenever anyone tries to enter.

Simmons' rep told us the exercise guru was depressed over a knee injury and that's why he has gone radio silent, but his friends are convinced it is far more serious. They say Richard was the ultimate caring person who loved interaction, and now there is none whatsoever.

Astrid McGuire can handle celebrity asses, but she's done with her husband's -- the famed trainer is calling it quits on her marriage.

McGuire filed papers in L.A. last month after ten very healthy -- on her end at least -- years of marriage to husband, Michael Heier McGuire.

Whipping stars like Christina Applegate and Julianne Hough into shape at Barry's Bootcamp has put her in high demand -- and she's modeled since she was 15.

According to the divorce docs ... divvying up of their property will be handled by a written agreement -- so, should be a clean split.

Astrid's clearly taking her best assets with her.

Riff Raff has been touting his cocaine and molly addictions for 4 years ... but now, the rapper tells us he's giving up both FOR GOOD -- even though he'll continue puffing sticky icky.

The "Kokayne" rapper says he decided to get sober a few months ago ... after he got so wasted the night before a celebrity basketball game for charity he couldn't play.

Riff Raff says that's when he realized he had a bad cocaine problem and had to turn his life around.

The 32-year-old says he isn't going into treatment ... he says fitness is the solution: "Whenever I have the urge to do coke or molly, I just pick up weights instead."

He's been sober a few months -- except for weed smoking -- and Raff says he feels great.

Plus, he's gained 40 pounds ... and is looking swole again.

The death of Richard Simmons' dog played an important part in the depression that has turned him into a shut-in ... a dog he considered his child.

TMZ broke the story ... Richard hasn't been seen in public for almost 11 months ... and the trigger was a looming knee replacement which shut Richard down professionally and socially.

Sources close to Richard tell us his Dalmatian Hattie died within days of his last public sighting back in January. Richard took the dog with him when he was out and about in L.A. and would often brag about her in his exercise classes.

Richard -- who never had kids of his own -- treated Hattie like a child. Richard had several Dalmatians and Hattie was the last survivor.

Richard had a deep bond with the dog, who was 17 when she died ... and it destroyed him.

The knee was the trigger, but the dog was the emotional tug that contributed to Richard's life paralysis.

2:40 P.M. PST -- Richard just posted a message on his Facebook page:

Something is seriously wrong with Richard Simmons ... he disappeared for almost the entire year ... and we're told there's a physical problem that has led to debilitating depression.

Simmons was last photographed in public January 11th at a charity event. TMZ got video of Richard later that evening, but that's the last time anyone has seen him in public.

Various people who are extremely close to Richard tell TMZ ... he has gone radio silent with them, he does not accept or return phone calls, and he has his housekeeper turn people away when they come to visit him.

Richard has not shown up at his famed studio, Slimmons in Beverly Hills, for months. Simmons was a fixture there, regularly teaching classes. The staff offers no explanation for his prolonged absence.

A source extremely close to Richard -- one of the few people with whom he is in contact -- tells TMZ the fitness guru is in a massive state of depression over a bum knee. He says doctors told Richard he needs a left knee replacement and if he doesn't get one he will never be able to exercise again.

The source says Richard is terrified of the surgery and has put it off all year. He had a right knee replacement 4 years ago and he put off that surgery for nearly a decade ... he was that frightened.

We're told Richard has tried stem cell and red blood platelet therapy -- like Kobe Bryant -- but it failed.

We're told he's paralyzed with fear and depression, which has made him a shut in for 2014.

Other friends and business associates tell TMZ they don't believe this is just a knee problem ... they think it's more serious.

We left a message for Richard, but he did not return our calls.

His NBA career is likely over ... but Lamar Odom is still working out hard -- possibly preparing his body to reenter the dating pool.

With his estranged wife Khloe Kardashian having moved on to French Montana ... Odom has been spotted working out at an L.A. gym and running along the beach in the last few weeks.

As we previously reported, Lamar has been putting off finalizing the divorce ... but maybe the fact he's tuning up his body is a sign that he's finally ready to rebound.

Fun Fact -- today's Lamar's birthday. Happy 35th!

Age means NOTHING to James Harrison -- especially when it comes to brute strength -- 'cause the Steelers linebacker just knocked out a set of push-ups with a 304 lb. lineman on his back!!

The 36-year-old superstar -- one of the oldest guys in the NFL -- let teammate Maurkice Pouncey sit on his back while he got some chest work in during a gym session early Tuesday morning.

Do the math ... 275 (Harrison's weight) + 304 (Pouncey's weight) = STRONG.

Of course, Harrison came out of retirement to rejoin the Steelers this season and absolutely KILLED IT this weekend ... single-handedly terrorizing Ravens QB Joe Flacco all game long.

Then again, James never really stopped working out ... the guy was pushing serious weight in the Steelers gym even before he officially resigned with the team.

#Beast

Tennis champ Caroline Wozniacki didn't just run her first New York City Marathon over the weekend ... she finished it by shaming some world class male athletes too!

Caroline was greeted at the finish line by her BFF Serena Williams -- and nearly TWO HOURS later ... former New York Giants star Tiki Barber crossed the finish line!

Wozniacki's time was 3:26:33 -- an amazing time for anyone, much less someone running her first marathon. Besides Tiki ... CW also beat NBA players like Dikembe Mutombo, Allan Houston, and Charles Oakley -- who ran on a relay team. Checkout our gallery for shots of all the famous marathoners (and some spectators.)

French Montana admits he packed on a few lbs while he was dating Khloe Kardashian ... but now that they're history, he's transformed his oversized gut into rock-hard abs.

French saw Khloe turn into a fitness machine after their breakup in early September, and he followed suit ... hitting the weights with producer Mally Mall at CrossFit in Sherman Oaks.

We're told Khloe's appearance in workout videos and her obvious weight loss the last couple months has been French's inspiration.

Another motivation ... French also has a new album set to drop in December.

Rob Kardashian, your move.

Kimmy Gibbler is gonna be jealous ... 'cause her best bud DJ ditched her to hit up a yoga class with Aunt Becky.

Candace Cameron Bure and Lori Laughlin were photographed in Vancouver outside a yoga class Saturday -- probably just catching up on their relationships with Steve and Jesse.

Also spotted ... Uncle Joey nearby with Mr. Woodchuck, Danny at home cleaning and Michelle just being cute somewhere.

Two strippers won't be hitting up the champagne room for the next 21 days because they're in Ebola quarantine ... but once they get out, would you still let them rub their junk on your lap?

Texas flop jockeys Axl Goode and Taylor Cole say they sat 3-feet from Ebola patient, nurse Amber Vinson -- during a flight from Cleveland to Dallas on Monday -- so they called the CDC.

The buffed out strippers were on hold for 81 minutes before they finally got an official on the line. After that, they were placed on a 21 day voluntary quarantine.