Law & Order SVU Star Ice-T Talks His Partnership With Cheerios for American Heart Month

By Nicole Drum

Monday may have been Valentine's Day, but this February, legendary entertainer Ice-T wants people to think about something other than chocolate hearts. With February being American Heart Month, the rapper and star of Law & Order: SVU has teamed up with Cheerios to get people up and moving to take care of their hearts with the "Pour Your Heart Into It" workout series. The series features Ice-T as the coach for a series of 4-minute walking, stretching, core strengthening, and dance workouts designed to show people that exercise and eating healthy can be simple—as simple as a bowl of Cheerios and getting up and just moving. Speaking with ComicBook.com, Ice-T explained that there was some excitement for him in being asked to be part of the campaign as he appears on Cheerios boxes for the campaign, but also that promoting health is something very important to him.

"I'm about promoting health. It's something that once you hit 40, you really start thinking about," Ice-T said. "Unfortunately, some of your friends start to pass away in their forties just because they're neglecting their health and you're like, 'wow, this is serious.' As a kid, you never think about it. But you start watching your diet, you start watching what you're eating. And so, anything I can do to promote people living longer and being healthier, why wouldn't I? It was a perfect connect … everyone loves it, and everybody loves Cheerios. It's a good match."

Ice-T also said that the workouts aren't meant to be taken super seriously—they're are meant to be fun and get folks up and moving, which is an important component to heart health. And accessing the workouts is easy as well via the QR code on the back of limited-edition happy heart shape boxes of Cheerios. Those boxes come in five flavors: Honey Nut, the yellow-box original Cheerios, Apple Cinnamon, Chocolate, and Strawberry Banana.

"Just get up and get moving," Ice-T said. "There's a QR code on the back. I mean, we're in the age of everything wants to be interactive. You go to the QR code, and you get to hear me talk a little more. It's kind of getting a little bit more of me actually talking to you and it's fun. At the end of the day, what we're really just saying is think about your health."

For Ice-T, thinking about your health means improving your ability to be around longer for the people you love, and the entertainer knows a little something about longevity. Ice-T has played Fin Tutuola in Law & Order: SVU for more than two decades, something he said that he never anticipated when he came on for what was originally supposed to be a four-episode arc.

"Absolutely not," he said. "I mean, I've been living in the land of impossible for so long. I didn't ever think I was going to get out of the street hustling. Now, all of a sudden, I'm making music, I'm like, I didn't think I'd make music. I didn't think I would ever act. I didn't think I was going to be on TV playing a cop for 23 years. And I definitely didn't think I was going to be on a cereal box. I'm at this point where I'm like, you don't guide life, you ride life. If all my life added up to was my predictions I probably wouldn't be anywhere. You would never have heard of of me because I didn't predict much, but all these things happened because I took advantage of the opportunities that came to me. I was only supposed to be on Law & Order for four episodes. It's been 23 years."

You can check out more about Ice-T's partnership with Cheerios for "Pour Your Heart Into It" below.

To help Americans get their feet pumping and heart thumping alongside a heart healthy diet, Buzz Bee and actor and rapper Ice-T have teamed up to lend their uniquely positive coaching style to the new Cheerios "Pour Your Heart Into It" workout series.

Fans can join Coach Ice-T on Pandora as he narrates the 4-minute walking, stretching, core strengthening and dance workouts, which are accessible via QR code on the back of the limited-edition happy heart shape boxes.

Cheerios will also help you take your happy heart shapes on the go, by giving away a free* cereal snack bowl from S'well as part of the brand's National Heart Health month efforts.

Buy 3 qualifying boxes of Cheerios in a single purchase and upload your receipt at www.HappyHeartsCheerios.com to get your Cheerios S'nack by S'well cereal bowl.

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