Tag: guru

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Step it Up…When We’re Down

I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely been stepping it up with a few projects about to bloom, even during these “up-and-down-again” pandemic times. Gotta do it. Keep moving forward that is, when you have the time to make good use of your time, with actions and small victories.

With our recent setback, feels like a swimmer on the starting block who takes off only to be whistled back for a false start. I should know, I swam competitively as a child and for two years in high school, and no doubt getting called back sucks. That’s right, and it goes like this; you make a great start off the block, or so you think – and hope – the official didn’t catch you leaving early, then your heart skips a beat when you hear that whistle blow and you know it’s you. Now you swim back, pull yourself outta the pool, pull yourself together, then get set again. But this time you’re a little more cautious so you don’t get another false-start, and thus, get knocked outta the race.

Tola Talks is coming back in August!

Sound familiar?

For those of us in LA and anyone else who’s been told to lockdown – yet again – that swimmer is us. But we gotta stay positive and keep rockin’ our worlds.

No matter what.

And rather than bore you with my June Exercise Report Card – as you can imagine, it’s the same as the two months prior with some actual gym time in there, albeit not nearly enough, I’ve also been getting ready to publish my next book (woohoo!) as well as re-launch Tola Talks (podcast + on youtube.com/tolatalks).

We’re just two weeks away from the R &R, release and relaunch, so I won’t give any more away other than my next book is about Everlasting Youth and is definitely a one-of-a-kind creation. And the talk show is, well, ditto.

Have an awesome July everyone, and get your workout in! Peace – R

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Self-Correct…anytime you get Off-Track

Whenever you find yourself getting off-track when it comes to your fitness regime or worse, your body weight, no worries. Simply Self-Correct.

Anyone who has read my memoir knows that Chapter 67 is one of my favorites and is called just that, Self-Correct. Because it’s all about getting back on-track ASAP as soon as you start to deviate from your daily fitness responsibilities as well as from your ideal weight.

Case in point: Last month I gained the COVID 5, that is to say, 5 pounds of extra weight due to the overconsumption of food (mostly cookies) during this crazy pandemic. Not sure about you, but the prolonged ‘safer-at-home’ decree has really put a damper on my fitness routine, not to mention my usually good eating habits. So rather than get mad or frustrated, I confidently chose to Self-Correct and I’m right back where I started…5 pounds lighter.

How did I do it? I increased my aerobic exercises to 8 miles of walking per day (up from 7 miles/day last month) and decreased my weight training exercises by about 50%. Thus, I kept my total monthly exercise percentage the same (12%) while increasing my total calories burned. That said, with a little time and energy and discipline (of course), anyone can make the right choice versus the easy choice. For more self-correcting details, check-out my book on Amazon.

Here’s my exercise report card for May 2020:

  • 20 minutes/day of Abs/Stretching and Tola Yoga = 10 hours
  • 20 minutes/day of bodyweight training = 10 hours
  • 25 flights of stairs/day = 750 (about 3 hours)
  • 8 miles/day of fast-paced walking = 250 miles (about 60 hours)
  • 7 minutes/day of standing balancing poses = 3 hours

Have an awesome June everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R

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Make Note of Your Small Victories…They Count

Now that April is in the books, it’s a great time to reflect upon your small victories in the quest to win the war. Because when it comes to achieving your goals and aspirations – and your bountiful dreams – it’s all about making small advances on a daily basis as well as experiencing enlightenments along the way. Especially in these frustrating times of shutdown and uncertainty.

Small victories in the war also relates to your physical body, i.e., your temple and what you’ve done (today) to help fortify it for the journey. Thus, fitness is an everyday necessity, for sure, if you want to stay strong and youthful forever.

So, you gotta ask yourself one question: Did I workout enough in April 2020? Meaning, every single day or more specifically, 30 times. With ‘stay-at-home’ orders permeating the globe, how difficult was it for anyone on the planet aged 12 and up to squeeze at least 15 minutes of exercise into their busy day? And what about your Cardio, Abs/Stretching and Tola Yoga? I trust you got those in too. And if not, then hopefully my exercise report card for April will provide you with some much-needed fitness inspiration:

  • 20 minutes/day of Abs/Stretching and Tola Yoga = 10 hours
  • 40 minutes/day of bodyweight training = 20 hours
  • 25 flights of stairs/day = 750 (about 3 hours)
  • 7 miles/day of fast-paced walking = 210 miles (about 50 hours)
  • 7 minutes/day of standing balancing poses = 3 hours

When you look at my sum total for April, that equals 86 hours of exercise. To get my daily (and monthly) percentage of exercise achieved, simply divide 86 hours into the total number of hours in April (720), and that equals 12%.

Perhaps more than your average bear, but nothing too extreme. Now 12% may seem gargantuan compared to 1% – that’s exercising every single day for 15 minutes – because unfortunately most people don’t even do that. And if your exercise score is somewhere between me and 1%, you’re a superstar. I believe that. But if during April you’ve averaged less than 1%, than God help you.

Either way, make note of your small victories and keep moving forward. In everything you do, including your career goals and aspirations as well as your hobbies and your wildest dreams. And believe that anything is possible.

And finally, in addition to my fitness victory for April, I scored another small victory by completing my second nonfiction opus about everlasting youth. Another one-of-a-kind creation you’ll really enjoy, especially all the readers of my first book, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood.

Have an awesome May everyone, and get your workout in! Peace – R

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Have a Micro Presence with a Macro View

It’s always best to Be Present in everything you do, that is to say, have a Micro Presence. But it’s also best to set timely goals and have a big picture take on your life, and that is to say, with a Macro View.

Especially when it comes to business and fitness. Unless you’re independently wealthy or already retired, then just focus on the fitness part. And since you’ve already set your business goals – if not then get to it – let’s focus on fitness. Which includes getting on the scale – if you haven’t already – and setting a 5 pound range for yourself to maintain throughout 2020. That’s once you get to your ideal body weight, so get there quick. And if you need some inspiration, check out STAY ZEN: Episode #5 – Who’s afraid of the big bad scale? Because anyone can maintain a healthy and desirable weight.

So every morning get on the scale – yes that’s EVERY single morning – and keep that number within a 5 pound range or you’ll need to Self Correct. Remember that concept from my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood, from Chapter 67. A fan favorite and no doubt one of mine. In this case Self-Correct would be to eat more good foods (or whatever you want for that matter) to maintain or gain if you’re at the low end of your range – in my case 145 – or completely fast a full-day if you’re at the top – for me that’s 150. Easy peasy, then you’re back on track. No BS..it works. Today I was 146, so bring it on!

As for the exercising part, well just do as I do…and do it everyday. That’s correct. We’re 15 days into the new year and fortunately I’m 15 for 15. Bodybuilding at the gym, doing yoga poses, stretches and abs, plus walking 5+ miles every day and teaching two Tola Yoga classes a week. And no worries if you’re less than perfect or even 0 for 15, just start tomorrow and go 350 for the remaining 350 days. You can do it, so just believe you can and try. With all the aches and pains in my body, if I can do it, anyone can.

Have an awesome 2020 everyone, and get your workout in. Peace – R

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Tola Yoga at the InterContinental + Rooftop

No doubt you gotta always be looking up…at the bright side of life as well as to your dreams and aspirations. No matter what age, that energy drives you.

Not to mention you could be looking up from the 73rd floor of the InterContinental Hotel located in the Wilshire Grand Center, the 1,100 foot skyscraper and 11th tallest building in the United States, at 7th & Figueroa in DTLA. A beautiful building with an incredible view from our yoga class (pictures soon). Starting this Thursday, June 6th at 6a, you can catch me teaching the Rooftop Yoga class for Attitude Fitness. Come start your day with a great sunrise workout performed at some really inspiring heights!

I’m also teaching Tola Yoga at Attitude every Saturday at 10a, Tuesday at 6:15p and Thursday at 5:15p. Safe to say I love this club, by far the nicest in LA for sure. Find us on Class Pass or stop by for a test drive. Hey, ya neva know, you just might join.

Have an awesome week everyone, and hope to see you on the mat! Peace – R

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Tola Yoga every Monday at Castle Hill Fitness

Hey everyone, come to Austin, Texas and get your Tola Yoga  groove on before it’s too late! Because like they say here in The Lone Star State, the only sure thing in life are death and Texas…and now of course, Tola Yoga.

So come join me at the super welcoming Castle Hill Fitness Gym & Spa for a summer series of nine classes every Monday 10-11:15a.

Classes run the month of July and no worries about bringing your mat & towel because they’re provided free of charge. Better yet, use my promo code TOLAYOGA on their website (click HERE) and get a 50% discount of all class passes. Not to mention Castle Hill’s current promotions on spa services including therapeutic massages with aromatherapy, acupuncture featuring Acu-Moxa therapy, skin care and their muscle balancing M.A.T®.

Too good to pass up?

No doubt, especially if you’re visiting from out of town or out of the country for that matter. Because who needs to sweat it out in this 100 degree sweltering Texas heat when you can just take my class.

Any questions? Email me at: [email protected]

Have an awesome week everyone, and I’ll see you on the mat. Peace – R

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Tola Yoga finale extols Launch & Let Go

In our Tola Yoga finale of 2017, we could have been laser-focused on sending out boatloads of Love & Light. But I wanted to praise the mighty powers of two other L words that can really change your life.  Launch & Let Go.

As we began our challenging yoga workout, I told my amazing students to focus their energies on launching, i.e., beginning, three new things in the first three months of 2018. It doesn’t matter what they are, as long as they serve you well. Like a daily fitness program or a volunteer opportunity. Plus, everybody knows that good things come in three’s, right?

And more importantly, let go, i.e., take out the machete and whack it off, that one thing that REALLY doesn’t serve you well. Like a shitty boyfriend or a dead-end job.

So kudos to all the courageous souls who L&L in the New Year and change their lives for the better.  You deserve it.

Have a safe and Happy New Year everyone!  Peace – R