Richard Simmons shared a message about enjoying life before his death

Richard Simmons sent an optimistic message about enjoying life in the months before his death.

The fitness guru, who died on July 13 at the age of 76, spoke about “living life to the fullest” in an open Facebook post on March 18 and gave tips for a healthy lifestyle.

“I have something new to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I’m… dying. Oh, I can see your faces now. The truth is we all die. Every day we live, we get closer to our death,” Simmons began the post.

“Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to live your life to the fullest every day,” he continued. “Get up in the morning and look up at the sky… be thankful for your blessings and enjoy it.”

Simmons then encouraged his followers, “Every day that you are alive, you must move,” while suggesting ways to stay active – and pointing to his workout videos on YouTube for motivation.

He ended his message with a poignant remark: “There is something else very important that you must do. Tell the people you love that you love them. Hug the people and children you really care about. A big hug can go a long way… Live today and don’t forget to pray.”

Simmons died one day after his 76th birthday, his longtime publicist Tom Estey confirmed to PEOPLE. He died at his Los Angeles home and no foul play was suspected, TMZ reported.

In the months before his death, the fitness icon regularly posted personal updates on Facebook.

Simmons initially received concerned reactions following his March post after mentioning that he was “dying.” However, a longtime friend of the star later told PEOPLE that Simmons was “healthy” and sharing a “purely inspirational message.”

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Ahead of his birthday on July 12, Simmons spoke to PEOPLE about his celebration plans.

“The candle will probably be on a zucchini. You know, I’m a vegetarian,” he said.

Simmons added that he felt “good” about turning 76, saying, “I’m grateful to be here, to be alive for another day. I’m going to spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is helping people.”