Tag: food

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Fountain of Youth Wins The Firebird Book Award

EIGHTY FOUR AUTHORS AWARDED THE FIREBIRD BOOK AWARD

April 2021 – Speak Up Talk Radio announced the winners of 2021’s first quarter FIREBIRD BOOK AWARDS contest. Eighty four winners were announced in 98 categories.

One of the winning entries was from California author Rich Tola whose book titled How to Drink from the Fountain of Youth: 30 Steps to Everlasting Youth, won in the Aging and Mind/Body/Spirit categories.

Authors and publishers from around the world submitted their work to the Firebird Book Awards. A panel of 12 judges within the writing and publishing space then read every book and independently scored each entry according to a set of standardized criteria that evaluates the quality of the writing as well as production aspects. Only entries with the highest of scores are awarded the coveted Firebird.

Patricia J. Rullo, founder of the Firebird Book Awards, says, “This quarter’s entries were a joy to read and speak to the talent out there. At Speak Up Talk Radio, our mission is to offer radio interviews and podcasting services to help authors expand their reach. In addition to additional prizes, our winners have the opportunity to be interviewed and aired on iHeart Radio, Pandora, as well as 50 additional online venues, giving them new ways to speak up and share their work.”

Pat adds, “We’ve included a charitable component to our awards by making all entry fees tax-deductible to the author. In return, we personally make and send handmade fun and whimsical pillowcases to women and children in homeless shelters via Enchanted Makeovers, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. All entry fees fund this project. In this way, authors can get notoriety for their work while doing good for others. It’s been such a rewarding venture for everyone.”

The Firebird Book Awards run quarterly contests so authors can receive recognition on a timely basis. Authors from all genres, mainstream, independent, and self-published are welcome. Additional winning authors and titles as well as entry information is available at https://www.speakuptalkradio.com

How to Drink from the Fountain of Youth is available in paperback and eBook (English & Chinese) plus the Audiobook narrated by Rich. For information visit www.richtola.com

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Thank you Seattle…until we meet again!

Top of Denny Way in Capitol Hill looking West

Thank you Seattle, for a wonderful six months of teaching yoga to well over 1,000 students in exactly 136 classes. Because as you may already know, I’ll be returning to my beloved Los Angeles (aka Home) where I first began teaching my fitness style of yoga in 2007 before it was even known as Tola Yoga.

And who says you can’t have a blast walking around and exploring Seattle in the rain? Plus, you never really get those torrential downpours like Chicago does, so who needs protection? Seattleites with an umbrella, that’s something you rarely see. I guess that’s why people would always ask, “You’re not from around here, right?” With my black leather jacket and biker boots and carrying a red umbrella, go figure. Or maybe it was just my California tan 🙂

Relaxing in Martin Luther King Jr. Park looking North

And what a great place to stay in shape and to keep moving forward, or I shall I say, upward…on the plethora of hills that traverse the Emerald City.

No doubt your butt works overtime in this town. I should know, I’ve walked more neighborhoods than Oprah has houses (well, maybe not) and loved every minute of it!

But what I’ll miss most – other than my yoga students, especially Charisma, Jodi and Sallie who never missed a class – are the amazing views of downtown Seattle you get just by walking around or lounging in Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, including my three favorites you see here.

40th & Stone Way in Fremont looking South

So thanks Seattle, and until we meet again I wish you the very best. Continue growing and providing your good citizens with more great buildings, parks, restaurants, culture, grunge-free fashion and of course, a Tola Yoga studio in the near future.

Hey, ya neva know!

Peace – R

 

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500th Yoga Class in the First 50 Weeks: Chicago

Rich Tola - One Armed PinchamayurasanaI’m heels over head for teaching my 500th Yoga class since arriving in Chicago last September.

I’m grateful to my courageous students, fellow teachers and managers, and the owners of Chicago Athletic Clubs for giving me the opportunity to spread my passion for fitness & yoga, and specifically my style of Tola Yoga.

Looking forward to inspiring the world with YogaStyles of RICH and the Almost Famous.

Peace – R

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Resist the temptation

You may have heard the ancient proverb, ‘good habits result from resisting temptation’.  I would go one step further and say that good habits result from resisting temptation and embracing change.  Because good habits are derived by doing things that are considered good for you, versus bad habits that are usually derived from the not-so-good things that constantly tempt us – like unhealthy food groups and the aversion to exercise.  So if you haven’t already, get with a new habit in the form of a daily fitness program.  And resist the temptation NOT to workout because who doesn’t have 5 minutes a day to respect themselves?  Enjoy opening your hips and hamstrings with fat burning workout #26 – R

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TGIF

I was just thinking about TGIF.  That is to say, how Time Goes Incredibly Fast.  We’re 10 weeks into the New Year – which feels like yesterday – yet it seems like everything we strive for takes so much time.  Like fat burning.  On a day-to-day basis it seems like not much is happening.  But in reality, something good is happening.  That is, if you apply yourself.  Apply yourself to a lifestyle that includes thinking and feeling positive, making the right food choices, and sticking with a fat burning mindset and daily fitness routine. Because time goes incredibly fast.  So TGIF & enjoy your 5 minutes of fat burning #16 – R

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Making Progress with a Pass-Fail Approach

About a month ago I gave my 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts to a friend in New York City.  He was actually one of my “prototype” users when I was customizing the full body low-impact exercises.  Think Tony Soprano but shorter.  He’s also late 40’s with amazing abilities in the kitchen.  Albeit, his love of food has certainly helped sustain his 70 lbs. of extra weight.  And since he’s never been much of a gym person – nor would he be caught dead in a yoga studio – the 1% or 15 minutes of your life routine works great. It’s also one that anybody can complement with power walks or abdominals & stretching.  And in my friend’s case, I’ve encouraged him to take my Pass-Fail Approach.  It goes as follows:  At the end of each day you write a P or F into your calendar, P for pass if you worked out that day (15 minutes or more) and F if you did not;  at the end of 7 days you’ll grade each week with a P or F, Pass if you have more Ps than Fs, and Fail if vice versa;  and at the end of the year or 52 weeks later, if you have 26 or more Ps, you PASSED for the entire year.  Which means you worked out at least one hour a week for at least half the year – 26 hours – which is excellent if you really don’t workout.  Like my friend who says he’s making excellent progress.  Progress with his personal Pass-Fail Approach, and progress with all the challenging yoga and balancing I’ve got him doing as he gets stronger and more confident with each workout.  So take a Pass-Fail Approach and keep on progressing.  I’ll see you tomorrow – R

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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.

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Sick and tired of being sick and tired

I was speaking with a friend today about how most people are sick and tired of the same old thing.  That is to say, the state of our economy, the 12.5% unemployment rate in California, the depressed real estate markets throughout the country, how it’s more difficult to make the same amount of money for the same amount of work (or more), how going to a gym or yoga studio has become so expensive that it’s prohibitive for most of his twenty-something peers – $15 for a gym workout and $25 for a drop-in yoga class in his neighborhood, and finally, how bad overindulging with food and alcohol at holiday parties – or anytime for that matter – and not working out can make you feel.  But really, who isn’t sick and tired of being sick and tired?  There’s a new year coming, it’s time to reflect, refuel and re-focus, and it’s time to get your mind and your body in the best possible condition via the simplest and most affordable way. So forget about being sick and tired and get with a 15 minute fat burning daily fitness program today!  It’ll make that same old same old seem much much better. And I’ll see you tomorrow.  R