Set your sights and manifest it

I was reading Architectural Digest this morning when I came across an eye-catching ad for the new solar-powered luxury car by Fisker Automotive.  It’s called the Karma and I’ve been reading about it for the past year.  Actually, I’ve been thinking how great it would be to own one.  But since I don’t currently have an extra $100,000 laying around, I’ve opted to set my sights and just manifest it, i.e., make it happen. I even cut out the great looking ad, placing it on my filing cabinet so it stays fresh in my mind.  Like anything in the world you deeply desire, set your sights and manifest it.  Even a daily fitness program.  You can start with only 5 minutes a day.  Like today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #48 – Down Dog Chest & Arms.  Enjoy – R

It’s all relative with Einstein’s Relativity

Exactly 105 years ago today Nobel Laureate Albert Einstein introduced his “Theory of Relativity”.  Although his ‘curved space-time continuum‘ doesn’t really affect our lives because we travel at speeds much less than the speed of light, it was one of the most significant scientific advances of our time.  When you think of relativity, it’s applicable to everything in your life.  Just ask yourself a yes or no question, like whether or not you work too much.  Before you answer, think: relative to whom?  Because it’s all relative. Like fitness.  If you exercise all the time, then working out 5 minutes a day seems like nothing.  But if you don’t workout at all – and you know if you don’t – then 5 minutes a day is significant.  But rest assured, 5 minutes a day becomes 15 minutes. Then 15 minutes becomes whatever your heart desires. Enjoy sculpting your body with today’s fat burning workout #47 – Crane Legs (remember the movie, Karate Kid).  See you next time – R

Is luck finding you?

Thomas Jefferson, author of The Declaration of Independence and third President of the United States, once said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” Similar to General George Washington’s belief ‘if we’re always doing’ (see blog from April 6th), luck has a way of finding us if we’re working hard at something. Like fitness.  If you workout everyday and begin to experience A) more energy, B) increased self-esteem, C) a more positive attitude toward yourself and others, or D) a healthy glow in your face, are you just lucky or is luck finding you?  Of course luck is finding you because you’re “doing”, and in the “doing” comes results.  It’s not luck.  It’s your hard work getting rewarded with the benefits of a daily fitness routine.  So keep it going with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #46 – Killer Squats – and let luck find you!

Thank you Manny Ramirez

About 20 years ago my father showed me a baseball card of a rookie he said would become one of the greatest.  His name was Manny Ramirez.  My father was right.  In 19 years in the majors, Manny hit more home runs (555) and drove in more runs (1,831) than Mickey Mantle.  As a long time New Yorker and Yankee fan at heart, this means something.  And with a lifetime batting average of .312, not to mention his ability to intimidate opposing pitchers by just stepping into the on-deck circle, he’s a Hall of Famer in my book.  What I remember most about Manny was the way he electrified the city of Los Angeles and led the Dodgers to the National League Championship Series in 2008. The energy and excitement was something the whole city felt, whether at Dodger Stadium or Venice Beach.  Yes, he violated baseball’s drug policy (2 times), and yes, there was always Manny being Manny. Yet he played with such confidence and poise that it inspired everyone, especially his younger teammates.  Love him or hate him, he was the ultimate baseball warrior.  Thank you Manny Ramirez. My best always – Rich

And don’t forget today’s 5 minute workout #45 – because we all could use some Balance!

Thwart the boredom

Last night I met a 22 year old gal who said she starting working out again after taking the last six months off.  When I asked why the long sabbatical, she simply responded she was bored with her workouts.  I know the feeling.  After 32 years of daily workouts, who wouldn’t, right?  The key to thwarting boredom is to have your mind supremely focused on the task at hand.  Not that easy, you say?  It is when you treat your workouts as a moving meditation with exercises attached.  If you’re doing the right exercises – and exercising right – you don’t have to workout for hours on end.  Keep them short and sweet (as in yesterday’s blog) and stay focused on every movement you make.  Or better yet, spice it up my 5 minute fat burning workouts and you’ll have many more exercises for your repertoire.  So keep it going and don’t let your mind get the best of you.  Enjoy opening your hips and low back with today’s Workout #44 – Frog Legs.  My best – Rich

Short and Sweet

Everybody knows the expression short and sweet, right?  Quite simply it means “to the point”.  And with most challenging activities in life, it’s usually best for them to be short and sweet rather than drag on for some infinite period of time.  Like working out. Because if you know what to do and have a specific game plan for any given day, your workouts will be effective, rewarding, painless and most importantly, to the point.  Well, I guess painless is a relative thing, so let’s settle with effective, rewarding and to the point.  So have fun toning your Arms and Abs with today’s short and sweet 5 minute fat burning workout #43.  Enjoy – R

…if we’re always doing

One of my idols growing up was Revolutionary War hero and first president of the United States, General George Washington.  Washington once said, “It’s wonderful what we can do if we’re always doing”.  Words that hold true no matter what the circumstance. Because in the “doing” comes results.  Like physical fitness.  If you want to achieve results like burning fat while positively affecting your mental and physical well-being, then focus on the “doing”.  And enjoy today’s 5 minute fat burning workout #42 – Warrior Lunge. Because it truly feels wonderful to see the benefits of a daily fitness program! My best – R

Can’t see the forest through the trees

You probably heard the expression, can’t see the forest through the trees, about losing oneself in the details (trees) so much that it’s tough to grasp – and easy to forget – the bigger picture (the forest).  Imagine that 5 minute workouts are like trees.  And each tree represents a daily fitness slice of the bigger picture – a healthy lifestyle.  So if you’re desiring a healthier lifestyle and don’t know where to start, here you go.  Whet your appetite with Workout #39 of my 5 minute fat burning fitness series.  Enjoy – R

Turn down the music

American writer and Nobel Laureate John Steinbeck once said, “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”  Well, much like handling rabbits, I’ve been churning out 5 minute fat burning workouts everyday for the past six weeks.  Today is no different with three simple exercises that’ll make your abdominal muscles scream.  At the very least, you can tell your friends you’re doing a little something to prepare your midsection for those 90 degree bikini days – which, for those of us living in LA, began yesterday.  So turn down the music and enjoy listening to your soon to be ‘beach-ready’ abs scream in workout #38.  Have fun!  -R

Rich Tola to star in ‘Godfather’ remake

April Fools!  But really, wouldn’t it be nice if all our dreams came true?  At least in the world of make believe – and I don’t mean Hollywood – anything is possible.  Today, why not consider your world of make believe the real deal?  Like rapper sensation Drake croons in Nicki Minaj’s hit single, Moment 4 Life, “everybody dies but not everybody lives”.  So on this April Fools’ Day 2011, imagine yourself in your wildest possible dream, and just live.  Because life is short and the days fly by.  And if by chance your wildest dream includes you looking like a movie star with that perfect body, here’s your chance to get started with my 5 minute fat burning workout #37 that combines some Zen with that Warrior in you.  It’s called Peaceful Warrior.   And I’ll see you next time! -R