Coming Soon!!! Rich Tola’s Fat Burn America Tour: 100 Cities in 100 Days
Check out the full length Hollywood Sneak Peek. We’ll be doing this in every City!
Domestic Violence, Yoga & Hollywood Sneak Peek
We’ll soon begin a 30,000 journey across America visiting all 50 states – 100 Cities in 100 Days – to raise money for my charity, The Boulevard Zen Foundation. We teach yoga to women and children living in domestic violence shelters. Ambitious? Yes. For a great cause? Yes. Impossible? Certainly not! I expect it to be life changing. For all of us, as well as all of you because we intend to EDUCATE, INSPIRE, EMPOWER and ENTERTAIN you with cool, trivia-filled workout videos from historical sites everywhere.
Here’s me teaching the women and children at the San Diego domestic violence shelter:
Here’s the Hollywood Sneak Peek Trailer for my Fat Burn America Tour. Enjoy! – R
“I’m glad you’re here”
It felt like a ghost-town when I walked into the gym this morning at 6am. I expected it to be light because of the holiday, but it was barren. And as I was making my way past the Chest machines, this older gentleman sat up tall and said to me, “I’ll glad you’re here.” Of course, right. Because when it comes to a daily fitness program, sometimes it helps to get a little boost from your compatriots. Let’s face it, honoring our Nation’s Independence deserves a day off from exercise, right? Wrong. That’s all the more reason to honor yourself and your freedom with a strong body – clear mind. So don’t let the Fourth of July festivities spoil your routine. Grab a fellow barbecuer and challenge yourself with today 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #95 – Dancer’s Pose. Enjoy – R
Happy Independence Day Everyone!
I believe in you Ladies!
This goes out to all the Ladies living at the domestic violence shelter in San Diego where I taught a 2-hour yoga & lifestyle class last night. Because after teaching a 75 minute yoga class followed by a 45 discussion about embracing a positive mindset, a healthy diet, and most importantly, a daily fitness routine, I truly believe in each and every one of them. I know you’re reading this Ladies, so don’t forget to do your Peaceful Warriors, Temple Poses, Side Body Abs and Stretching, Chair Poses up against the Wall, and of course our favorite, Viparita Karani or Legs Up the Wall. Today and every day this week until I come back again next Thursday to “kick it up a notch”. Always remember to stay present with your thinking and live positively and happily, moment to moment. Because whether or not your past experiences have been negative or abusive, you never have to carry that energy with you. Let it go. And if it begins to creep into your mind and body, go outside and do some yoga and my fat burning workouts, or better yet, work on some balancing with that meditative breath I taught you – and remember to pick that point of focus and use all distractions to help you focus more. So respect yourself each and every day, especially during this long holiday weekend, and enjoy sculpting your thighs and butt today with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #96 – Killer Squats II. Namaste – R
Are you Free Squared?
The other night I had dinner with Stephani Drapeau, my dear friend and co-star of my film, Boulevard Zen. We were discussing the concept of “freeing your mind and your soul” from anything that prevents you from evolving to a higher level. That is to say, letting go of the “ties that bind” you to past beliefs, or rather, disbeliefs about your dreams, your desires, and your life’s destiny. Because when you free your mind and your soul, you evolve to a much better and brighter place. A place where anything is possible if you truly believe it. So make a conscious effort to become Free Squared, especially when it comes to fat burning and a daily fitness routine. Because anyone and everyone has at least 5 minutes a day to respect themselves with a little exercise. So enjoy firming your Core & Abs with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #97 – Side Plank. My best – R
Keep it like Clarence Clemons
I just read an LA Times editorial by Randy Lewis expressing his appreciation for the late Clarence Clemons. Similar to Randy, I’ve also been a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band fan for more than 35 years now. And I agree with Randy that, “Clemons was there to express that which transcended mere language.” Because with the Boss and the Big Man, it was about reaching into your mind, body and soul to echo feelings and images, not just sounds. I still remember a bootleg version of Prove it All Night from 1979 with the Boss’s heart-felt guitar riff and the Big Man’s incredible sax. “The wondrous thing about Clemons was that everything he played, in solos or accompanying his bandmates, was astonishingly simple from a technical viewpoint.” Thanks for pointing that out Randy, especially to us non-sax people, because technical simplicity should also apply to your daily fitness program. So keep it simple and technically correct with today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #98 – Elevator Squats. And thank you Clarence Clemons! RIP – R
Take compliments to Heart
Oftentimes we receive compliments from friends or people we recently met, and just let them slide off us without really absorbing their energy. That is to say, really taking compliments to heart and warming yourself with the admiration. Especially guys. We can easily prefer criticisms to compliments because of our male conditioning. But it’s OK for anyone to basque in the moment of the compliment. Like what happened to me this morning. I saw a friend in the gym I haven’t seen in a while who complimented me on my film, Boulevard Zen, and my 100 days of blogs when she went on about how she loved the film’s characters, and my “totally believable” girlfriend, and my “powerful blogs”, until she finally said, “And you know what Rich Tola, you got heart.” Now that made my day. And why shouldn’t it, right? So take note and absorb that positive energy. Take compliments to Heart! And enjoy firming your Core & Abs as we countdown with my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #99 – Core Power II. – R
Mind games never work
I was working out next to this very large twenty-something year old guy in the gym the other day when he says to his friend, “I told myself I’m going to lose 15 pounds, so when I don’t make it and only lose 10, it’ll be a success. Because I only need to lose 10.” So what’s wrong with this statement? Besides the fact that he’s just casually throwing around words and talking about what he’s going to do, he’s playing mind games with himself and not facing up to the truth. Because when it comes working out and/or significant weight loss, it’s critical to be honest with yourself. Never judge yourself or the outcome, but be honest. Mind games never work. Because your subconscious knows the truth and will always sabotage your games. Rightly so, since any successful program begins with honesty, commitment and self-discipline. So forget the mind games and let the real games begin with a daily fitness program. With today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #100, why not BRIDGE your way backwards to the next 100 days! Enjoy – R
Vacation workout
Twelve days ago I posted my 100th video/blog for my 100 days of 5 minute, low-impact, yoga-based, fat burning workouts. Since then I visited my family in New Jersey, and spent some time with friends in New York City, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Of course I continued with my daily fitness program, as well as took a few yoga classes. Challenging, yes, since you’re busy enjoying your time off. But do-able. Especially with my Fat Burning Workouts. That’s why I wrote this poem…to inspire you to keep with your daily fitness program even while on vacation. Enjoy your Daily Workout. – R
YOU CAN DO IT
I’m here to help you
There’s no need to fail
If you know what to do
Then just step on the scale
Believe you can tighten
Believe you can win
Cause who better than you
Conquers that battle within
Mother Nature’s quite cruel
Father Time’s a quick chime
Who says you can’t switch
To a program like mine
Don’t despair my good student
You’ll never be bored
With a daily fitness program
You’ll love your reward
100 Workouts in 100 Days
When you read this you might think, what’s so special about exercising 5 minutes a day, everyday, for 100 straight days? I mean, you walk around and climb stairs everyday at work and home, and even work-up a sweat doing the household chores like scrubbing the bath tub. But are you really embracing a daily fitness program? One that’s effective, simple and attainable, and most importantly, one that becomes an integral part of your subconscious. Because moving the body around isn’t the same as exercising the body. With exercise there’s a purpose and a goal. And if you exercise daily, you will see results. You’ll not only benefit from having more strength and flexibility, increased bone mass, better posture, better circulation, and better breathing, but also from the mental clarity and strength you’ll get from succeeding everyday at something quite challenging. All it takes is the belief and the courage to try. So believe and achieve with today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #100-Bridge Pose II. It’s also the finale of this fat burning series, with details coming soon about my Burn Fat America Tour. Thanks for tuning in! – R