Fitness Tips – Page 11

October 11, 2013

How to Live with the Aches & Pains

So you’re getting older and your body’s experiencing aches and pains that you never had before, constantly reminding you that youth is fleeting. And to add insult to injury (no pun intended), you can’t even stand-up straight in the morning when you first step out of bed.

Welcome to the club.

Because when it comes to having “issues” with your body parts, I’m the King of Pain. That’s right, I may preach about the benefits of Fitness & Yoga and looking 20 years younger, but I need two hands to count the problem areas in my body: neck, back, shoulder, wrist, forearm, knee, and even my big toe. But do they stop me from walking 1.5 miles to gym every morning (and back), or exercising every single day regardless of my aches and pains. No chance.

Rich Tola - Author, Actor & Yoga Master — Rich Tola – Author, Actor & Yoga Master

Because embracing a Daily Fitness Program is what keeps the body from deteriorating even more by firing up your endorphins and inhibiting the perception of painful stimuli. That’s right, and I’ve never taken a PED (performing enhancing drug) or any type of steroid in my entire life. All that’s necessary is physical exercise that enables the body to produce these amino acids that reduce the sensation of pain. Not to mention the sense of accomplishment you get when you’ve finished a workout or Yoga class (I certainly do). That’s why I recommend exercising first thing in the morning, even for a measly 15 minutes, especially if you’re like me and feel the most achy after a full slumber.

And whatever you do, never internalize these aches and pains by complaining about them or feeling sorry for yourself because that only makes them worse. Just put on that suit of armor everyday and power through them – like a Peaceful Warrior – and know that you’re doing everything you can to thwart Father Time and achieve my foolproof mantra…a Strong Body-Clear Mind. And if that doesn’t work, get your inspiration from someone else in the world who has the courage to power through life and smile in the face of adversity. Just like the paraplegic gal did in my fondest and most enlightening Yoga teaching experience when “She took the entire class with perfect posture and a smile so big it could light up Fifth Avenue” (listen below).

Enjoy – R

October 4, 2013

Daily Fitness & Yoga Pays Off

Everyone knows that by exercising every single day while embracing a Yogic lifestyle – for the rest of your life – you’ll certainly reap the benefits, right? Well if you didn’t, let me assure you that sticking to a Daily Fitness Program that’s based on Yoga principles will definitely pay-off.

Rich Tola - LA Magazine's One of LA's top 3 Most Sexy Men — Rich Tola – L.A. Magazine’s “One of LA’s Top 3 Sexiest”

Case in point: Yesterday Los Angeles Magazine named me One of LA’s Top 3 Most Sexy Men…at the ripe age of 50! Not too bad, considering the others were 20 years younger.

So what does it take to look and feel 20 years younger? Just follow my 5 Simple Rules for Looking 20 Years Younger and you’ll be set. Or at least you’ll be on the right path to achieving the physical and spiritual beauty and sexiness we all desire, with no regrets for putting on those useless pounds…especially as we approach the hectic Holiday season.

Now don’t get me wrong. Not everyone is blessed with good genes and a penchant for feeling hungry all the time, like I am. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Anyone can! It only takes the desire and discipline to respect yourself everyday and to put your body – and your soul – to the challenge. Start with believing you can, then get rocking with bite-sized workouts like my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts on YouTube (click HERE for my favorite Abdominals!). They’ll get on the right path to a stronger core and flatter Abs in no time, then take it from there. Just get started today. YOU CAN DO IT!

And then move to Los Angeles and maybe next year you too will be named L.A. Magazine’s Sexiest Man or Woman…hey, ya neva know!

Enjoy – R

September 27, 2013

5 Simple Rules for Looking 20 Years Younger

When most people reach the age of 50, they really look it.

Not me. Because I follow these 5 Simple Rules for Looking 20 Years Younger:

1) Exercise Every Single Day – embrace a Daily Fitness Program that’s based on Yoga and don’t bullshit yourself with talk like “I used to” do such-and-such because nothing matters but the PRESENT…and remember to maintain good posture and breathing in everything you do!
2) Ditch the Baggage – get rid of whatever emotional or mental baggage you’re carrying with you…because STRESS makes you look old!
3) Keep it Simple – don’t clutter your life with useless possessions you really don’t need…they just consume your space, time and money!
4) No Drama – never dwell on the past and always think positive and happy thoughts…and stay away from Drama-Queens that’ll just drag you down!
5) Stay Hungry – always challenge yourself, both mentally and spiritually in the pursuit of knowledge and experience, as well as physically by eating small and frequent quality meals and never OVER-EATING…keeping your mind, body and soul hungry for more!

Don’t believe you can look and feel 20 years younger? Nonsense. If I can do it, ANYBODY can!

Enjoy – R

Rich Tola (Age 50), Author - Simply Between Millions : From Wall Street to Hollywood (photograph by James Andrew) — Rich Tola (Age 50), Author – Simply Between Millions : From Wall Street to Hollywood (photograph by James Andrew)

September 9, 2013

What to Do When Life’s Got You Down

Did you ever feel like your dreams and aspirations are floating away while your life just speeds on by? Because life does go by quick, and realizing your dreams can take many many years.

Just ask Diana Nyad, the 64 year-old US endurance swimmer who just completed the 110 mile stretch from Cuba to Florida without the help of a shark cage. It was Diana’s 5th try – she tried three times in 2011 and 2012 while her first attempt was in 1978. She never gave up because that wasn’t an option. And she finally accomplished her goal…35 years later!

However challenging at times, keep believing in your dreams and keep striving toward them in a positive and happy-good feeling way. I say happy-good feeling because staying positive is not just about thinking positive.

More is needed.

That’s why it’s so important to feel good about yourself physically through proper diet and exercise, i.e., good nutrition complemented by a Daily Fitness Program, setting the foundation for positive thoughts and feelings to help you battle through those hopeless times. Because we all have moments when it seems like nothing is happening and you feel like giving up – because you’re just too tired or don’t know what happens next to get closer to your dreams.

So when life gets you down here’s what you do: Stand up as tall as possible with perfect posture, relax your shoulders and your body while reaching your crown to the sky, take slow deep breaths, then put on your biggest smile and think happy thoughts. You want to stretch out the body while clearing the mind of negative thoughts and disbeliefs. Now go for a walk, or do some Yoga, or combine of a few of my 5-Minute Fat Burning Workouts on the web (click HERE for some great AB workouts), or hit the gym…you get the picture. And drink some water. And for your next snack or meal eat an apple or a banana with some peanut butter. Forget the candy bar for that quick jolt of energy. Get it yourself from the inside-out. Because feeling good about yourself starts with some good ol’ fashion fitness and a positive mental attitude.

Strong Body – Clear Mind. That’s my motto, and I workout every single day. It also keeps you vibrant and looking young and feeling better about yourself, no matter comes your way.

And if that doesn’t work, get your inspiration from those less fortunate who keep smiling through it all – like the paraplegic gal I taught on my most memorable Mother’s Day. Here’s the sound-bite from my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood.

Enjoy – R

August 5, 2013

Forgettabout “I used to”

I can’t tell you how many times I hear this phrase every week about how this guy or that gal used to be in great shape, or used to walk 5 miles with their dogs every morning, or used to bike to work every day, or used to eat healthy with their fruits and vegetables, or blah-blah-blah.

Forgettabout it!

Like the forty-something year-old guy I met at the gym this morning who said, “I used to workout all the time and just last month I weighed 190, and now I weight 204.” That’s when I said, “The only thing that matters is your workout this morning and what you put in your mouth today – not what you used to do or even what you did yesterday. It just doesn’t matter.” Then I told him if he was really serious about taking care of himself, like he was – and did – in the past, he could easily get his weight below 200 pounds by Labor Day, and the rest by Halloween…or worst case Thanksgiving.

That’s right, because when it comes to health and fitness, whatever follows that infamous phrase, “I used to”, just doesn’t matter. You’ve got to be vigilant with yourself every day and not rest on your laurels of yester-year! Which is also par for the course when it comes to dating and even your net-worth (believe me, I know). What matters most is your positive attitude and self-respect and discipline today, i.e., live in the present and not the past.

So forgettabout the I used to’s and keep rockin’ it every day!

Enjoy – R

PS – hear all about all what “I used to” do in my heartfelt memoir, Simply Between Millions

August 1, 2013

Beach Yoga & Book Talk with Rich Tola (and Leah Murray)

Energize – Burn Fat – Learn Yoga on the Beach!

Watch me and Leah teach a 10-part Yoga sequence Anyone can do Anytime – Anywhere

And come join us August 1st from 7-8:30p for some energizing Book Talk & Yoga at the enchanted Mystic Journey Bookstore in Venice, CA, located at 1624 Abbot Kinney Blvd. I’ll be signing copies of my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood, followed by a short Yoga class – no mats or Yoga clothes required – just bring your friends!

Hope to see you there – R

July 10, 2013

5 Ways to Workout on Vacation

So you’re on vacation with lots of time for R & R and you’re thinking you want to workout – or what you’re really thinking is you don’t have to workout because you’re on vacation, right?

Wrong.

Because the only way to keep that Strong Body – Clear Mind is to do something physical fitness related EVERY single day. So keeping with your Daily Fitness Program, here’s 5 ways you and your entire family can workout together while on vacation that’s effective and affordable:

#1 – Walk, Jog or Run

There’s nothing better than lacing up your Chuck Taylors and Kicking the Bricks…literally. Whether it’s a brisk walk, steady jog, or a fast paced run, this is the simplest way to get your heart-rate up while taking in the natural beauty of your surroundings. I always prefer a long walk first thing in the morning, but no matter what time of day, lace’em up and get going!

#2 – Bike or Swim

Perhaps a bit more complicated than #1 since you’ll need a bike or a lap pool, but if you’re anywhere near the beach you’ll certainly find bike rentals, or check-out the local YMCA since they usually have a 25 yard pool. Two more great fitness activities the whole family can enjoy!

#3 – Push-ups and Sit-ups

How can you go wrong with good ole push-ups and sit-ups that you can do just about anywhere with no props required. Start with push-ups and do as many as you can – Chaturanga style for you yoginis – then lay on your back with your legs bent (or bicycle them) and do as many sit-ups as you can. Then do it again and again until you can’t do any more!

#4 – Take a Class: Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Cross-training or Whatever

Whatever suits your fancy – of course mine is Yoga – research the local health clubs and private Yoga and Pilates studios and treat yourself to an invigorating group fitness class. Albeit, the most expensive of your 5 workout options, but certainly a great way to meet people and experience the local teaching styles as well as learn from other popular teachers!

#5 – Rich Tola’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts

The most effective of your choices because my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts on the web are simple, easy-to-follow and effective. Plus there’s 100 Workouts to choose from, and you can combine them to equal as much time as you have to workout. And if you’re spending all your time at the beach or poolside, here’s Workout #84 – Lounge Chair Abs to get your started!

Enjoy – R

April 8, 2013

Mindful Meditation in Everything You Do

Have you read the recent articles about how mindful meditation can improve test scores?

Mindfulness studies were done at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where “researchers found that after a group of undergraduates went through a two-week intensive mindfulness training program, their mind-wandering decreased and their working memory capacity improved. They also performed better on a reading comprehension test — a section from the Graduate Record Examination, or G.R.E.”

And if you know a thing or two about meditation – it can be done anywhere. Although the best results may be achieved by following the secular pillars of the practice, including sitting in an upright posture with legs crossed and gaze lowered, you can incorporate mindful meditation into all aspects of your life…including your workout regime.

Because when it comes to clearing your mind and strengthening your body with a Daily Fitness Program, it’s always best to keep your thoughts – and feelings – focused on the exercise at hand. Don’t obsess about the past or futurize about what you have to do later that day.

Make it a moving meditation. Stay purposeful, focused and relaxed (breathe), and BE PRESENT in everything you do.

Enjoy – R

RIP Margaret Thatcher

March 25, 2013

Perfect Yourself with Perfect Form

A sixty year-old man stood watching me blast my biceps in the gym this morning before he approached me and said, “This is my very first time here and I think I know what to do, but not how to do it.” I relied, “To perfect your body in the gym, knowing what exercises to do is not enough. It takes perfect form – including your posture and breathing – in everything you do. Not to mention good focus and concentration, just like a surgeon would in the operating room.”

That’s right…like a surgeon in the operating room. Because getting results from any kind of exercise regime takes a seriousness that goes beyond just knowing what to do.

So if you’re one of those fitness buffs who thinks you can perfect your body with ‘speed and quantity’ rather than ‘precision and quality’, think again. No matter what you do in the fitness world – weights, yoga, pilates, or my 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts – take your time, pay attention to your posture, breathe deeply and slowly and don’t hold your breath, and use perfect form.

Trust me, it works.

Because achieving a perfect body – or one that looks and feels 20 years younger like mine does – takes a hellava lot more than knowing what to do.

Enjoy – R

RIP Joe Weider

www.RichTola.com

March 18, 2013

Boost your Self-Confidence with Good Posture and Balance

This weekend I spent time with a bunch of twenty-something year-olds talking about exercise and the importance of a Daily Fitness Program – a concept as foreign to them as The Jack LaLanne Show.

When I said “good posture and balance will boost your self-confidence”, they looked at me like I had three heads!

Because good posture and balance (and NOT slouching) exudes self-confidence to everyone around you as well as: 1) properly aligns your spine and puts less stress on your joints, 2) helps the bones, muscles and ligaments in the spine to move smoothly and pain-free in everything you do, 3) improves your breathing by making it easier for your lungs and diaphragm to expand, and 4) engages your abdominals at all times enabling a strong core and flatter midsection – and better looking Abs!

So get your Yoga groove on today and improve your posture and balance like I did with Ardha Chandrasana (Half-Moon pose) in the beautiful sculpture gardens at The Huntington Library.

Enjoy – R