Reward yourself for Embracing Tough Love!

Who says you can’t reward yourself for losing weight by eating cookies?

Another Tola Talks discussing Step 4 – Embrace Tough Love from my new book, How to Drink from the Fountain of Youth. We also talk about what it means to be held accountable for your actions and to be resilient and determined and strong – with all your commitments. Plus there’s a Happy Anniversary shout-out to my parents for their 60 years of marriage…and for teaching me how to “respectfully” stay young forever!!

Thanks for tuning in everyone, now get your workout in! Peace – R

Step 1 – Keep Moving (to stay young forever)

First and foremost, when it comes to drinking from the mythical Fountain of Youth, you gotta Keep it Moving whenever humanly possible. And if you need a little inspiration in that department, take heed from my favorite animal, baby Dolphins in today’s Tola Talks #154.

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

Get out of your FUNK & FEAR during COVID

Are you living in FUNK and FEAR during this COVID pandemic? Take my advice and be fearless in Tola Talks #153, plus some Trump vs Biden preliminary election talk including what “darkness” is Joe Biden talking about?

Plus, some cinema talk about the romantic comedy, “Knight and Day” with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz (love that movie!). Check-it out in under 10 minutes…and get your workout in!

Peace – R

PS – it’s always good to know How to Drink from the Fountain of Youth

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

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

Keep Moving…Forward

Hey everyone, hope you’re staying strong, safe and sane during these crazy pandemic times. No doubt a great time to stay calm and to feel positive, as well as to keep – yourself and your dreams – moving forward.

When it comes to empowering your physical being, it’s always best to Keep Moving. All throughout your day, you gotta keep your body moving as much as humanly possible. Especially when all the gyms and health clubs and wherever else you fancy are closed to the public. I should know, I lift weights every single day and it’s been three weeks since the lockdown shut us down. Safe to say I’m really missing my daily dose of iron, not to mention I’ve had to be even more creative with my workouts during these “safer at home” times. Likewise for you, I’m sure, and hopefully you’re getting creative and getting it done.

And if you need a little help with ideas around-the-house, check out my Stay Zen – Web Series. Made them in 2014 for anyone who can’t find the time to exercise . Fun, fast and effective.

Stay Zen Web Series – Episode #4 – 10 Ways to Workout with a Stool

And I don’t know about you, but I’ve also gained 4 pounds in these past three weeks. The good news is, I wanted to gain 2 pounds to power up my immune system and stay even stronger in the face of the ‘invisible enemy,’ aka, Coronavirus. But 2 pounds became 4 pretty quick – you know how that goes.. So today I’m fasting and expect to be 2 pounds lighter by tomorrow when I get on the scale – another cool Stay Zen episode, Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Scale. That’s right, all I’m having is unlimited coffee and one apple (already had it) and bam, I’ll be back on track. A concept I refer to as Self-Correct in my memoir, plus it’s also the final chapter of my new book. Coming soon!

As for the second meaning, Keep Moving Forward, especially during shutdowns and more spent time at home, you gotta stay focused and keep the ball moving up the field. Day-in-day-out. As in your studies, your profession or your dream career. Keep moving forward. And unfortunately, hanging out on the couch drinking beer or wine all day may sound nice, but it doesn’t move the ball up the field. Unless, you’re a beer and wine distributer. LOL.

Stay strong in the face of adversity everyone, and remember it’s easy as 1-2-3: 1) keep moving your body, 2) keep working out, and 3) keep moving toward your respective goals. We may be halfway through the woods, but no doubt we’ll get through them.

Peace – R

PS – more workouts, try my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts: 100 Days in a Row.

Holidays are Made for Workouts…Really!

Happy Holidays everyone!

That means more time spent running around as well as more time spent lounging around the house, mostly before and after meals, right?

Wrong…because the holidays are a great time NOT to lounge around doing nothing but to instead, get your workout in. Whether it be the extra cardio – yes, zipping around the mall counts – or making use of that “lounging” time by hitting your gym or local community center for a quick 20 minute workout, just do it. That’s right, it’s easier to get your workout in during the holidays because who really wants you standing around the kitchen or taking up space in the living room hours before the meal. That’s how I look at it, squeeze every workout or group class or Tola Yoga class into your schedule, no matter where you are, and make that time all about maintaining your strong body – clear mind. No doubt good health always triumphs over bad. So make it good.

And if you need a little inspiration for some additional get up and go…or if you really need to Get Your Sh#! Together then watch my two films, Skateboard Bandits and Zen Diaries: The Lockdown. Sometimes we all could use a swift kick in the butt from badass attorney turned yoga master, Bobby D’Angelo.

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