Real love is…willing to share a seat on the bus

Oprah Winfrey once said, “The roses, the lovely notes, the dining and dancing are all welcome and splendid. But when the Godiva is gone, the gift of real love is having someone who’ll go the distance with you. Someone who, when the wedding day limo breaks down, is willing to share a seat on the bus.”  Although I’ve never been married I have been in love.  Thus, I would agree with Oprah, because real love is about courage and selflessness…and the ability to get on that bus and ultimately make it to the altar. Congratulations and my best to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!  – R

Enjoy your 65th consecutive 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout – Stronger Chest & Arms II

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!

Pain relief

What do you do when there’s pain in the body that affects your daily activities?  You can address the pain with rest and/or with controlled stretching exercises. Depending on the specific injury and severity of your pain and injury – it’s best to consult your Doctor on that – I would recommend both.  As for sciatica relief (from leg pain due to compression of the sciatic nerve) here are some simple stretching exercises that can help.  Always remember to breathe slowly and deeply and send your positive energy to the area of discomfort.  And smile!  Enjoy your 5 minute fat burning workout #20 – R

Years of preparation

The Japanese have been preparing for years for fear of “the big one”.  Preparations have become part of their culture in a country where minor earthquakes occur daily.  That preparation saved many lives Friday when a magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck off Japan’s main island.  A preparation mindset gives all individuals the power in knowing you’re ready for anything – to the best of your ability.   So maintain a preparation mindset and apply it your mental & physical well being in the form of a healthy lifestyle and daily fitness routine.  And radiate your positive thoughts and prayers to all those in need – R

Point of no return

I just visited my thirty-something year old friend who was speaking about her weight when she said, “I know what it’s like to be past the point of no return”.  She spoke with such conviction about how everyone struggling with weight loss reaches a specific point of no return.   Last week I gave her my 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts and stopped by today to check in on her and to drop one off for her girlfriend.  She hasn’t started the workouts, but said she would today – after much cajoling on my part. When I asked her why not, she said it was “mental”.  Actually she’s doing quite well, mentally and physically, considering she weighed 218 lbs. two years ago.  She also said her exact “point of no return” was 180 lbs, and that once she reached that point she pretty much gave up hope – and desire – of getting the weight off and skipped right past 200 until her final stop at 218.  And can you believe this adorably funny gal started college weighing 106 lbs? The good news is when she finally reached 218 she started with a well-known weight loss program that helped get her down to today’s weight of 180.  Hmmm.  I suppose now it’s the “point of return”.  Next stop 140.  So she says.  And so I believe – as long as she believes and continues to make good choices.  Because with a daily fitness program complemented by a positive mindset and positive lifestyle choices, anything is possible.  Enjoy your workout – R

 

Healthy lifestyle

Rich's Healthy Lunch

I forgot to mention the bonus part of my 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts:  my succinct intros and outros reinforcing the concept of positive thoughts, speech and feelings with the forever mindset of making good choices and embracing a healthy lifestyle.  Like my lunch today.  Check it out – I made it myself.  Just like having a well-balanced diet of exercise, the same applies to what you consume on a daily basis.  So always take that positive attitude out into the world and don’t forget to get your workout in.  R Salad Ingredients:  European salad mix, bean sprouts, cut & peeled baby carrots, fresh tomato, fresh ginger, one can albacore tuna in water, topped with Sriracha hot chili sauce (my fav!).  Plus a non-alcoholic beer and cup of dried cranberries.

Cultivate self-discipline

The topic of my horoscope today was self-discipline and how no one is born with it, but is something that must be fostered.  I believe self-discipline is something you can cultivate everyday with conscious thoughts, feelings and actions.  And since actions lead to results, than it’s best we take positive and deliberate actions on anything in our lives that will lead to positive and desired results.  In the case of physical well being, it’s therefore important to take action that will lead to a healthier, leaner and longer life.   By embracing a daily fitness program, whether it be walking, biking, weight-lifting, yoga, or any other preferred form of exercise, you’ll be cultivating self-discipline everyday in the realm of physical well being.  Which also helps strengthen your mental well being.  So if you’ve already broken that New Year’s resolution to workout every day, don’t despair.  Leave those negative thoughts behind and start your new routine today.  Because who doesn’t have 15 minutes a day to achieve a strong body and a clear mind?  Enjoy your workout!  R

Ode to my sister

I spoke with my sister yesterday after I received her beautiful pictures of my nieces and nephews, including my brother’s children. This holiday season my family is 3,000 miles away, but for sure I’m there in spirit.  And keeping with that holiday spirit, my sister told me she just started my fat burning workouts and intends to lose 12 pounds.  The key word here – intends – as opposed to hopes.  Because with anything you do that requires action, it’s better to set your intentions and make it happen than to hope for something good to happen.  She also told me the first two days her legs were so tired she couldn’t go for her 2 mile walk – which she also just started.  I told her after a week or so that muscle fatigue will get better and she’ll be jogging those miles in no time.  This Ode’s for you sis…

Burn Fat Burn

Sometimes the path seems filled with pain,
but the only thing that hurts is your ego in vain.
Who says you’ll find success by pushing yourself daily,
when the results seem as far as the comet Halley.
But wait, you say, there’s a simple solution,
because reasons and excuses are just an illusion.
So keep on trucking with that positive attitude,
with fat burning workouts there’s no room for platitude.
Always set your intentions and just let’em fly,
no judgment, no worries, to your old ways goodbye!

Merry Christmas Everyone – R

No judgment

In my opinion, this is the most important lifestyle and yoga principle that everyone should embrace.  And I truly dislike that word should because it implies that one is projecting their personal standards and opinions upon another.  But in this case it applies.  Because whether or not you did or didn’t do something, like shirking a responsibility, or not working out, or partying too much, or being mean to your parents or your dog, well, forget about it and don’t judge yourself for doing it.  It’s in the past and every new moment gives you a new beginning.  No reason to waste energy, effort and feelings on something you can’t change.  Especially when it comes to other people.  Because for sure we can’t change what others do or say.  And why should we or even want to?  That’s what makes life interesting.  The uniqueness of people we meet who impact our lives and help us evolve in whatever subtle or major way.  All this coming from a guy who was once the life of the party who also judged.  Believe me, anyone can change at any given moment, if you really want to.  Or like my father used to say to me in baseball, “you gotta wanna bunt”.  So let go of any judgment you may have for anything you did today or this holiday season.  And I’ll see you tomorrow.  R

A little above the weather

Monday's Fat Burning Workout

Everyone knows the feeling when the weather’s got you down and you’re ‘a little under the weather’ right?  Well how about turning the tables on today’s bad weather and telling yourself exactly the opposite – that you’re a little above the weather!  Because that weather malaise is just a temporary mindset you can enthusiastically change.  I know for most of you Mother Nature has been rather frigid and snowy and all around nasty, but for those of us in LA it feels like we should be boarding Noah’s Arc right about now.  And since we’re relatively spoiled with our clear blue sunny skies – well, who says you can’t move to LA – it’s especially easy to feel under the weather and fall off your daily routine.  Don’t do it.  Or if you do, just make it one day only, not two or three in a row.  Because while everyone else around you feels a bit more weather-like with each passing day, you’ll be the bright a cheerful one who got your workout in.  For sure you’ll feel better and for sure your positive energy will radiantly affect everyone around you.  And maybe you’ll even motivate your loved ones to do the same, so they can bask in the sunshine of their own positive energy.  So get your 15 Minute Fat Burning Workout in today.  And I’ll see you tomorrow.  R