Tag: rich tola

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3 Tips to Improve Your Posture

It’s that time of year again, when the air is brisk and your Perfect Posture begins to wane in the face of Wintertime weather. I call that your Wintertime Posture, when your body naturally compensates for the cold with a defensive-type posture that seeks warmth by covering up and closing in. As opposed to your Summertime Posture, when the warm rays of the vitalizing sunshine make it easy to stand tall and lift your chin while opening your heart up to the sky, thus enabling a more offensive-type posture, and albeit, a much better one.

In the Wintertime we have a tendency to roll our shoulders in and lean forward, especially when we’re walking. It seems to protect us against the cold and get us there faster, or so we think. And because we don’t even know we’re doing it – who’s thinking about Perfect Posture when you’re walking or standing in the freezing cold – and because excellent health begins with excellent posture, that’s no excuse for letting good ol’ Mother Nature set you back.

Regardless of the changing seasons, arm yourself with my 3 Tips to Improve Your Posture:

1) Spend a few minutes every morning standing tall with Perfect Posture, i.e., feet planted firmly on the ground – shoulder width and hips distance apart, soften your knees and relax your butt, pull through your core (belly button) and feel your entire torso and spine elongating, roll your shoulders open with palms facing forward, shine your heart up to the sky, relax your shoulder-blades down your back and lengthen through your neck, soften and square your chin to the ground and reach your crown to the sky. Now relax your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply and let your inhales and exhales come naturally. Don’t hold your breath…and RELAX.

2) Repeat this Perfect Posture exercise many times throughout the day, for a brief as 10 seconds. Just do it. Like when you’re standing in line at the store, or on the corner before the light changes, or at the teller window, or waiting for a bus, or baking cookies, or even while you’re Watching the Ellen Show! It’s only for a short time and it reminds the body – and your mind – of Perfect Posture, thus creating a benchmark for success.

3) Spend a few minutes before you go to bed standing tall with Perfect Posture…you know the drill. Why, you might ask, considering if you did #1 and #2 then you already spent time working on your Perfect Posture, right? Because, you’d get the same exact answer if you asked any New Yorker that infamous question, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Practice, Practice, Practice.

Happy Veterans Day everyone! Enjoy- R

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BEWARE: 10 Most Frightful Pick-up Lines

Listen up ladies, and BEWARE this Halloween season! Don’t be fooled by wannabe Gigolos serenading you with my 10 MOST FRIGHTFUL PICK-UP LINES. Because we all know that ghastly pick-up lines can scare the skeleton out of you and are mischievously laced with good ol’ fashion bullshit that’s meant to keep you talking – so those blood-sucking bad-boys can penetrate your sweet coffin and suck you dry!

author, Rich Tola
author, Rich Tola
1. You live around here?
Probably the most classic of frightful pick-up lines from the most amateur of bad-boys with no shot at scoring. He’s just trying to bait you ladies into a conversation by asking you an innocent question. No chance suckas!

2. Where are you from?
Notice how these four simple words could spark a conversation? Don’t fall for it ladies! Or better yet, answer it with: Barsoom (the planet Mars from Edgar Rice Burroughs and the sci-fi classic, John Carter). Or just a sweet smile that says “cute, but not enough”.

3. What’s your name?
Ouch, this one hurts just reading it! If she wanted you to know her name, chucklehead, then she would have introduced herself in the first place! NEXT.

4. Haven’t I seen you in the movies?
What do think she’s an idiot! And what’s that mean, “in the movies”? Like Titanic or Twilight or We Bought a Zoo? So what are you thinking, pal? That this weak attempt at a complimentary statement disguised as a question will touch upon her deep dark desire to be a starlet? Think again my un-original friend, your feeble attempt at flattery will get you nowhere!

5. You’re really hot!
Really? You think this frightful pick-up line will work? Are you kidding me! How many times have you heard this one ladies? From every chucklehead on the street just throwing bullshit against the wall and hoping it’ll stick. Forgettaboutit!

6. Don’t I know you?
Of course she doesn’t know you, you idiot! Don’t you know that women are smarter than men and usually pay more attention when first meeting someone, especially a wannabe Gigolo like yourself trying to pilfer her trick-or-treat bag. If she already met you, then chances are you’ve already crashed and burned while trying to hit on her with another one of my 10 Most Frightful Pick-Up Lines from this list!

7. Have we met before?
Come on guys, another feeble attempt at striking up a conversation by asking an innocent question that requires her to really look at you before answering. Can be a tricky one that sneaks up on you ladies, but don’t be fooled! If you met him before then you already know that he’s probably haunted by ’50 Shades of Playerdom’. NEXT.

8. Is that you VANESSA? (or any other name)
This is definitely one of those classic Trick-or-Treat lines: if he’s wrong, then who does he think you are, some two-bit hussy who doesn’t leave an impression? And if you met him before and told him your name, then he should at least remember the place where you met and not guess wrong. Especially if you made a connection. And if he guesses correctly, then go for it! He’s either telling the truth and you’re in for a real Treat, or get ready for a wild hayride because he’s a real psychic and a goblin with a bag full of Tricks!

9. You have BEAUTIFUL eyes! (or any synonym)
Once again, let me ask my favorite question, “So what does that mean?” Because any subjective comment complimenting a woman’s asset, whether it be her eyes or her earlobes is just that: subjective. And usually full of Gigolo bullshit that’s meant to move the conversation forward. Don’t be fooled ladies! If you have beautiful eyes, a wonderful smile, great legs or whatever, you already know it and have been told a million times. BEWARE of all these Mr. Right-Nows with Frightful Pick-Up Lines that make you feel like they CARE!

10.Do you believe in love at first sight?
Give me a break! What decade do think this is, the Psychedelic 60’s where Peace & Love was all the rage? Come on guys, you can do better than this. It’s embarrassing! Because if you were truly blessed with love at first sight, you wouldn’t have to inquire about it. It’ll just happen, because it’s meant to be and the Universe wants it to be. I know, a lot of Zen master mumbo-jumbo that’s not fit for a player like you. Well think again, you ethereal chucklehead, and put your frightful pick-up lines to bed! Amen

And for all the ladies who didn’t know me back in my bad-boy party days – and that’s a good thing – here’s some Jersey Shore mischief from my sexy memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood . Enjoy – R

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How to Live Strong and Stay Sexy

Everyone knows the expression “easier said than done” right? Well, that’s certainly not the case when it comes to Living Strong and Staying Sexy. At least it’s not if you’re always feeling good about yourself and radiating your Inner Beauty out into the Universe. Not to mention sticking to an energizing Daily Fitness Program that keeps your body (and your mind) strong and clear.

Believe in and commit to a Strong Body – Clear Mind. That’s my mantra, and it works! Just like the folks at Livestrong.com who are dedicated to building stronger, healthier and happier lives by offering authoritative expert content about diet, nutrition, fitness, wellness and lifestyle.

So if you’ve lost that strong and sexy feeling and could use a little fitness inspiration today, check out my “How To” videos on the healthy living website (click each title to watch the video):

#1 How to Burn Belly Fat & Lose Weight with a 7-Minute Interval Workout
#2 How to Do a Handstand & Touch Your Feet to Your Head
#3 How to Stay Active All Day
#4 How to Do a Back Stand
#5 How to Know Your Weight-to-Waist Ratio
#6 How to Warm-up for Squats
#7 How to Roll After a Jump
#8 How to Roll on the Ground
#9 How to Look for Yoga Teacher Trainings in Macomb County, Michigan
#10 Yoga Shoulder Shrugs

Enjoy – R

"LA's Sexiest" by Los Angeles Magazine (photo taken at the 'Sexy LA' premiere at Hakkasan Beverly Hills, October 2013)
“LA’s Sexiest” by Los Angeles Magazine (photo taken at the ‘Sexy LA’ premiere at Hakkasan Beverly Hills, October 2013)

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5 Simple Rules for Looking 20 Years Younger

When most people reach the age of 50, they really look it.

Not me. Because I follow these 5 Simple Rules for Looking 20 Years Younger:

1) Exercise Every Single Day – embrace a Daily Fitness Program that’s based on Yoga and don’t bullshit yourself with talk like “I used to” do such-and-such because nothing matters but the PRESENT…and remember to maintain good posture and breathing in everything you do!
2) Ditch the Baggage – get rid of whatever emotional or mental baggage you’re carrying with you…because STRESS makes you look old!
3) Keep it Simple – don’t clutter your life with useless possessions you really don’t need…they just consume your space, time and money!
4) No Drama – never dwell on the past and always think positive and happy thoughts…and stay away from Drama-Queens that’ll just drag you down!
5) Stay Hungry – always challenge yourself, both mentally and spiritually in the pursuit of knowledge and experience, as well as physically by eating small and frequent quality meals and never OVER-EATING…keeping your mind, body and soul hungry for more!

Don’t believe you can look and feel 20 years younger? Nonsense. If I can do it, ANYBODY can!

Enjoy – R

Rich Tola (Age 50), Author - Simply Between Millions : From Wall Street to Hollywood (photograph by James Andrew)
Rich Tola (Age 50), Author – Simply Between Millions : From Wall Street to Hollywood (photograph by James Andrew)
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What to Do When Life’s Got You Down

Did you ever feel like your dreams and aspirations are floating away while your life just speeds on by? Because life does go by quick, and realizing your dreams can take many many years.

Just ask Diana Nyad, the 64 year-old US endurance swimmer who just completed the 110 mile stretch from Cuba to Florida without the help of a shark cage. It was Diana’s 5th try – she tried three times in 2011 and 2012 while her first attempt was in 1978. She never gave up because that wasn’t an option. And she finally accomplished her goal…35 years later!

dontworrybehappy However challenging at times, keep believing in your dreams and keep striving toward them in a positive and happy-good feeling way. I say happy-good feeling because staying positive is not just about thinking positive.

More is needed.

That’s why it’s so important to feel good about yourself physically through proper diet and exercise, i.e., good nutrition complemented by a Daily Fitness Program, setting the foundation for positive thoughts and feelings to help you battle through those hopeless times. Because we all have moments when it seems like nothing is happening and you feel like giving up – because you’re just too tired or don’t know what happens next to get closer to your dreams.

So when life gets you down here’s what you do: Stand up as tall as possible with perfect posture, relax your shoulders and your body while reaching your crown to the sky, take slow deep breaths, then put on your biggest smile and think happy thoughts. You want to stretch out the body while clearing the mind of negative thoughts and disbeliefs. Now go for a walk, or do some Yoga, or combine of a few of my 5-Minute Fat Burning Workouts on the web (click HERE for some great AB workouts), or hit the gym…you get the picture. And drink some water. And for your next snack or meal eat an apple or a banana with some peanut butter. Forget the candy bar for that quick jolt of energy. Get it yourself from the inside-out. Because feeling good about yourself starts with some good ol’ fashion fitness and a positive mental attitude.

Strong Body – Clear Mind. That’s my motto, and I workout every single day. It also keeps you vibrant and looking young and feeling better about yourself, no matter comes your way.

And if that doesn’t work, get your inspiration from those less fortunate who keep smiling through it all – like the paraplegic gal I taught on my most memorable Mother’s Day. Here’s the sound-bite from my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood.

Enjoy – R

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Oceanside Yoga with Rich Tola

South Beach Part at Barnard Way & Speedway in Santa Monica
South Beach Park located at Barnard Way & Speedway

So you say you ‘used to’ workout
And now your body’s gone astray,
Whatever happened to that waistline
Like the wrinkles that won’t go away,
No worries and no regrets my friend
Because help is there today,
Just get your butt to Santa Monica
And let Tola’s Yoga show you the way!

In honor of National Yoga Month, join me everyday in September for a free 45-min Oceanside class in beautiful Santa Monica.

Classes are from 10:15-11am in South Beach Park at the corner of Barnard Way & Speedway in Santa Monica, CA 90405 – take Marine Street all the way to the ocean, it’s just north of the Venice Beach Boardwalk.

Anyone can do it…no mats or Yoga clothes required.

Have a great Labor Day everyone!

Enjoy – R

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Forgettabout “I used to”

I can’t tell you how many times I hear this phrase every week about how this guy or that gal used to be in great shape, or used to walk 5 miles with their dogs every morning, or used to bike to work every day, or used to eat healthy with their fruits and vegetables, or blah-blah-blah.

Forgettabout it!

Rich Tola
Rich Tola

Like the forty-something year-old guy I met at the gym this morning who said, “I used to workout all the time and just last month I weighed 190, and now I weight 204.” That’s when I said, “The only thing that matters is your workout this morning and what you put in your mouth today – not what you used to do or even what you did yesterday. It just doesn’t matter.” Then I told him if he was really serious about taking care of himself, like he was – and did – in the past, he could easily get his weight below 200 pounds by Labor Day, and the rest by Halloween…or worst case Thanksgiving.

That’s right, because when it comes to health and fitness, whatever follows that infamous phrase, “I used to”, just doesn’t matter. You’ve got to be vigilant with yourself every day and not rest on your laurels of yester-year! Which is also par for the course when it comes to dating and even your net-worth (believe me, I know). What matters most is your positive attitude and self-respect and discipline today, i.e., live in the present and not the past.

So forgettabout the I used to’s and keep rockin’ it every day!

Enjoy – R

PS – hear all about all what “I used to” do in my heartfelt memoir, Simply Between Millions

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Beach Yoga & Book Talk with Rich Tola (and Leah Murray)

Energize – Burn Fat – Learn Yoga on the Beach!

Watch me and Leah teach a 10-part Yoga sequence Anyone can do Anytime – Anywhere

And come join us August 1st from 7-8:30p for some energizing Book Talk & Yoga at the enchanted Mystic Journey Bookstore in Venice, CA, located at 1624 Abbot Kinney Blvd. I’ll be signing copies of my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood, followed by a short Yoga class – no mats or Yoga clothes required – just bring your friends!

Hope to see you there – R

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Do it Your Way

As part of my book event on August 1st, Mystic Journey Bookstore invited me to contribute to their blog and specifically called it “a personal message from you to our readers”.

Simply put, my message is this: Do it Your Way.

Rich TolaNo matter what conventional wisdom holds, and no matter what others believe you can and can not do. It doesn’t matter – you’re the only one that matters when it comes to what you believe is possible. Not to mention what you put in your mouth and what you do to preserve your body every day, i.e., diet and exercise. Which happens to be the exact same message you’ll get from my memoir, Simply Between Millions: From Wall Street to Hollywood.

It’s 69 short and witty chapters about following the herd and living a wild and colorful life – with Wall Street excesses, exotic locales and scores of bad-boy romances with NYC strippers and wealthy married women. Then finding the peace and courage through Yoga to finally change my evil ways, evolve my soul, and follow my dreams to Hollywood.

Because anyone can change…if you believe you can and want it bad enough to confidently set your sights and try. Just like the women and children living in domestic violence shelters where we teach the benefits of Yoga. Upon completion of my film, Boulevard Zen, I founded The Boulevard Zen Foundation to bring the powers of Yoga to families overcoming adversity, specifically survivors of DV. So in 2005, after 20 years of wanting to change my lifestyle and really go for it on that daunting ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’, I became enamored with this 6,000 year-old mind-body-spirit practice that truly changed my life. Two years later I bought a one-way ticket to LA and never looked back.Rich Tola (Age 8)

I also went bust along the way. But did I fail? On the contrary, I succeeded in following my dreams and I’m still standing. Happily I might add, with a film, a self-published book in paperback, digital and audio (narrated by me), and more than 15 hours of instructional Yoga videos on the market. Not too bad for a poor Sicilian kid from Trenton, NJ who overcame the odds and went on to graduate from the Wharton and Kellogg business schools with no particular background in the Arts.

So anything is possible, wouldn’t you say? Just Do it Your Way.

Hope to see you there! – R
RichTolaBookTalk

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5 Ways to Workout on Vacation

So you’re on vacation with lots of time for R & R and you’re thinking you want to workout – or what you’re really thinking is you don’t have to workout because you’re on vacation, right?

Wrong.

Because the only way to keep that Strong Body – Clear Mind is to do something physical fitness related EVERY single day. So keeping with your Daily Fitness Program, here’s 5 ways you and your entire family can workout together while on vacation that’s effective and affordable:

#1 – Walk, Jog or Run

There’s nothing better than lacing up your Chuck Taylors and Kicking the Bricks…literally. Whether it’s a brisk walk, steady jog, or a fast paced run, this is the simplest way to get your heart-rate up while taking in the natural beauty of your surroundings. I always prefer a long walk first thing in the morning, but no matter what time of day, lace’em up and get going!

#2 – Bike or Swim

Perhaps a bit more complicated than #1 since you’ll need a bike or a lap pool, but if you’re anywhere near the beach you’ll certainly find bike rentals, or check-out the local YMCA since they usually have a 25 yard pool. Two more great fitness activities the whole family can enjoy!

#3 – Push-ups and Sit-ups

How can you go wrong with good ole push-ups and sit-ups that you can do just about anywhere with no props required. Start with push-ups and do as many as you can – Chaturanga style for you yoginis – then lay on your back with your legs bent (or bicycle them) and do as many sit-ups as you can. Then do it again and again until you can’t do any more!

#4 – Take a Class: Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Cross-training or Whatever

Whatever suits your fancy – of course mine is Yoga – research the local health clubs and private Yoga and Pilates studios and treat yourself to an invigorating group fitness class. Albeit, the most expensive of your 5 workout options, but certainly a great way to meet people and experience the local teaching styles as well as learn from other popular teachers!

#5 – Rich Tola’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts

The most effective of your choices because my 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts on the web are simple, easy-to-follow and effective. Plus there’s 100 Workouts to choose from, and you can combine them to equal as much time as you have to workout. And if you’re spending all your time at the beach or poolside, here’s Workout #84 – Lounge Chair Abs to get your started!

Enjoy – R