I just had the pleasure of celebrating my 30th wedding anniversary with the woman who is my partner, my friend, my confidant, my love, …my wife. She has certainly been gracious enough to put up with me for 30 years and that says a lot about her. My hopes are that she’ll do it another thirty.

Reflecting back on these years and the moments we have shared, certainly there are too many things to write or put to words. But some things make you ponder what life is really about. Why do we do the things we do? Why do we walk through each day doing this and that? If it were just us, I mean … being alone and no one else in the world, what point would there be to it?

I reflect on these times and know that I certainly have been given the gift of having a person to share my life with. To wake up next to this person, knowing that they care about you and your life and what will happen throughout the course of the day. Now I’m no Saint and I struggle in life like everyone else, but having that person in your life who you can draw upon for encouragement or having that shoulder to cry upon when things are not going so well is truly a source of comfort for me.

On the flip side, we have shared and will continue to share many happy, funny and exciting times together. We just returned from a week in New York City. We’ve both been there separately for a few days here and there but never together. So this was a great time to have fun and do things that we’ve never been able to experience.

My good friend Kermit shared some of his favorite places to see and restaurant to eat at. I’ll actually post some of these separately but for now …. we arrived at the luxurious London NYC checking in and being waited on by an extraordinarily kind and attentive staff. The suite we had was wonderful and quiet. Not once did we hear kids running and screaming up and down the hall.

Out in the city we took off and traveled through Times Square, Restaurant row, 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, China Town, Little Italy, SOHO, and many others. Taking pictures, laughing, eating great food and even sharing some tense times as we tried to navigate the hustle and bustle of the city.

But we were together and enjoying life. That’s what was important during the whole trip. Living in the moment. Being together. These memories as well as the ones in the past are to be cherished. The ones to come will give us more delight and memories too. My wish for you today? Well …. it’s to find someone to make a memory with.

And since I’m sort of … you know….in the fitness part of it. Try to eat well, exercise some. Put your body in the best shape it can be so you CAN be out in life and sharing those precious moments with someone. It’s the only body you have and why not be the best you can be! Be well, enjoy today and look forward to tomorrow. Life has many surprises and I wish the BEST for you!

Please take a moment and share this story with someone if you found it encouraging and worthy to do so. My goal is to reach as many people as possible with a message of hope for their life. I don’t always write about fitness or nutrition, but hopefully someone will find and note of encouragement here! Enjoy!

Tweet This Post

It’s a bird, It’s a plane, It’s a Blog, no it’s a “Green Goddess Smoothie”!

Okay, not your typical blog here, but who ever called me typical?  But I did want to share this AWESOME little smoothie with you from my good friend Valerie Waugaman.  She might be seen flying high and be mistaken for a bird, or a plane, but she’s really “Siren” on the American Gladiators.  She’s also known in some circles as the “Green Goddess”.

I had the awesome chance of connecting with her and prying her weak little arms apart …NOT… away from her secret recipe for a smoothie concoction that is sure to set your day off right.  Now don’t turn your nose up, or start getting that green around the gills feeling.  This smoothie is VERY good!

So here’s the recipe.  Also I’ve included a short video of my friend and fellow Beachbody Coach.  Enjoy the drink and the show!

Green Goddess Smoothie

4oz.   Blueberry Pomegranate juice (other juice optional)

6oz.   Lite Vanilla Soy Milk (reg. milk optional)

1        Kiwi  (with the fur)

4-5    Strawberries

1/8    Lime

1/2    Medium Avocado

3 cups   Raw Spinach leaves (well packed)

1 scoop   Vanilla protein powder  (my current favorite is Beachbody Whey Protein)

Dash    Vanilla extract

10 drops   All natural Stevia sweetener, to taste (can be ordered at Sweetleaf.com my favorite is the vanilla creme stevia liquid)

1 cup   Ice

Blend all ingredients except ice.  Then add ice and blend.  Enjoy!

Here’s my friend Valerie in real life and as our favorite Super Hero! And you can find her at http://www.valspace.com  and don’t forget to SHARE this with all your friends if you enjoyed it.  But if it made you turn green ….then we may just have to go speak to the “HULK”!

Tweet This Post

Motivational Monday’s

Hallelujah!

This one is just going to speak for itself!  But let me say, whether it’s getting out bed and trying to get started in that ‘thing” you’re going to do today, maybe working out, getting the courage to eat the right meals today, trying to put down the butterflies for that speech you’re giving or just knowing you have to stand up in front of a crowd and speaking or in this case singing from your heart.

My good friend Edward Elliott posted this on faceboook of Diane Hochman’s daughter and I grabbed it off of the authors Youtube, so I hope it encourages you today as it has me.  Enjoy ….  and PLEASE don’t forget to hit the Share button below and Tweet at top.  Thanks!

Tweet This Post

Dessert Overboard

Oh my gosh!  A moment of weakness. Totally lost control.  What?  Dessert overboard that’s what I’m calling it.  We’ve all been there.  We’ve all had that moment of weakness after a nice meal and then came the server with these tempting desserts to really push you over the edge.

That’s what happened to me when my wife and I were invited to the dining event at a Mitchell’s Fishmarket before opening day of their new location in Winter Park, FL.  We were happy to attend, especially since all the food was free.  Driving up and then walking in we were treated like we were really worth something,…boy if they only knew … LOL.  We ordered some really great dishes.  She had the Salmon and I had Alaskan King Crab.  Both were great and had some nice steamed vege’s on the side.  So now I’m thinking we didn’t do too bad as far as calorie counts, then came the hook.

Our dessert choices were explained and these to were….yep….FREE.  Jeepers, who can pass up that?  So in for a penny, in for a pound…literally!  I think it was called “Sharkfin Pie”.  Oreo cookie crust, butter fudge ice cream, honey roasted peanuts, fudge and peanut butter.  Like I said “Oh My  Gosh”!  The calories in this had to have been in the red zone.  I know that there must have been a paramedic waiting in the kitchen for me to collapse from either dessert overload or cardiac arrest.

So here’s my point of all this.  Yep, I had a moment of weakness.  But I’m not beating myself up over it.  I did it, I was satisfied and I’ll move on towards a more successful day tomorrow, which I had by the way, especially with all the guilt…LOL.  Seriously though, it’s okay to splurge occasionally.  Get it out or in, and get over it.  But I have one word of advice to all of you who go to this restaurant and try this dessert, SHARE.  Please visit my earlier post on “Healthy Eating Habits” too.  I know I need to.

And please have fun sharing this post too by clicking the SHARE button below and maybe giving it a little “Tweet” up top.  Enjoy!  Yum!

Tweet This Post

Motivational Monday’s

I came across this book and it’s leadership techniques when I was out in California at our annual Coach’s Summit.  Our team are so motivated to help people reach their fitness and nutrition goals AND to help other coach’s along their path to fitness, fun and financial freedom that we focus a lot on leadership and development.

The principles found in this “must read” book 212 Degrees by S.L. Parker and Mac Anderson are designed to help get you on the right track to success.  You can apply these thoughts and principals to just about any area of your life and that’s why I wanted to share this quick video with you.  Should you care to get a copy of this book, please visit their site at “Walkthetalk“.  I’m not an affiliate and I receive NO financial benefit from this referral.  My ONLY goal is to help you reach what ever goal you set for yourself.  And if that means I do it for free and you succeed, I count that as a win in my book!

Also, if you need a few other resources to help you, check out an earlier post, “Self Help Books To Get You There“.

Enjoy!  (And don’t forget to click on “SHARE” at the bottom and then a little “Tweet” up top).

Tweet This Post

Turbo Fire is HERE!

Okay, the great thing about what I do is I also get to review NEW stuff!  SO……………  I actually got to do some of this in California with the none other than the author, producer and workout guru herself, Chalene Johnson!

Turbo Fire is one of those programs that comes around only once in a couple hundred years.  What?  Okay, a little stretch there, but it’s about to take this country by storm like her other  big hit Turbo Jam.

The moves, the cardio, the music, the class………….they’re all primed for you to get the best results of your life.  11,…count them, ELEVEN DVD’s that will have you stretching, punching, leaping, dancing and moving like never before!  You’ll go through intense Fire Drills so HOT sweat will literally be running off you.

But don’t take my word for it, WATCH the video !!!

So here’s what’s in the box.  Unless you go for the DELUXE version of course.  And always for more fantastic information on this, just click here “Fitness Programs“.

My last words to you today are “What are YOU waiting for?”  If not you, then please share this with a friend.  Just click on the SHARE button below and then give it a little “Tweet” up top.  Decide!  Commit!  Succeed!

Tweet This Post

Smiling!

Even as we read the word and think of its meaning we smile inside.  It’s just the nature of things or the Spirit within us that yearns for a moment of happiness expressed in the simple, almost effortless movement of our face, especially when another person is doing it and directed at us.

It’s been said that it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown.  I’ve heard something like 43 to frown and only 17 to smile.  While most of us assume that’s a true statement, it’s not.  Opps, sorry did I just bust your bubble and make you frown?  I apologize for that and I’m giving you a great big warm smile to show you my sincerity.   With a little research we all can find out that there are only about 37 facial muscles, so the numbers just don’t add up.

As a matter of fact others have written much on this subject and a plastic surgeon by the name of Dr. David Song has been interviewed  and he concludes that it takes 1 more muscle to smile than it does to frown.  Hmmmm….  Very interesting.

So as I wonder about this and read much on the subject,  I’m convinced that there will never be a definitive answer for us.  So why do I even bring this up?  Well, for one thing I feel good when I smile.  I feel good when someone smiles at me.  And the opposite is true of course for the frown.  Now I have a vested interest in people’s lives, fitness, health and wellness.  The smile is one extension of what I’m about.  I like to think about that one extra muscle and whether a person knows it or not, that smile at me means all the more because it took more effort.

So let’s think about it for a moment.  You can see all over my site there is much about fitness, nutrition, workouts, energy, weights, cardio, exhaustion, sweat equity and the like.  I wanted for us to just take a moment and think about exercising those facial muscles, more specifically the ones that create the smile.  No barbells, no resistance bands (unless you count the ones in our braces) and no sweat pouring off  us.  Just good old fashion, think about it and do it!  Walk around all day today.  Smile at everyone you encounter.  Smile at your dog (of course we all do that), smile at your neighbor, smile at the checkout clerk, smile at the deputy giving you a ticket, just smile!

You will no doubt alter someone’s day and it just could be yours. So go exercise those muscles!

So let me leave this with you….If you found these musings about smiling worth a thought or two of your time today, please SHARE this post by clicking the Share button below and then tweeting it up top.  Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Tweet This Post

Simple question right?  But let me tell you, it’s one that makes you really examine your day, your night, your week and your life.  How does the day come and go?  What’s it like, …your life?  What do you do after you wake up in the morning, shower, dress and go off to work, or meet friends or play?  What’s your day like?

If your  day is anything like mine, then you ‘ll have to get a few towels and mop up the sweat!  As my good friend Tony Horton once commented on a friend of his teaching him to ski, who  said “I only have three rules… Keep Up, …Keep Up, …Keep Up”.  That’s what my day is like.  Whew!  I’m tired just thinking about it.

Up at 3:50 am.  Down a bottle of water, pop in a workout DVD and huff and puff to some cardio or grunt and clink weights with some resistance training.  My friend, this is no fun that early in the morning.  Afterward, a quick shower…”thank gosh”…then in the car for an hour drive to work.  I can’t believe at 615 am the email is beeping at me, the phone starts ringing off the hook, the radio is squawking and people are literally streaming in the door for help, direction or a badly needed kick in the butt  .

Hours and hours later, I’m finally out the door for another trip home.  Arriving there, it’s time for another workout.  And usually my heart is not in this one!  Then Samson my dog keeps wandering in looking at me with those serious stares probably thinking “Are you EVER going to take me out?”.  So out the door we go for a 30 minute jaunt around the neighborhood.

By this time, SWMBO’d (She Who Must Be Obeyed) is home and we take a few minutes to cook and eat dinner.  We spend a few minutes talking then we both graduate towards something soft and cushioning to collapse on (That’s IF I don’t have a lot of work to do on the PC).  We either watch a bit of TV, read a book or chat.  But by this time it’s almost time to hit the hay and cry ourselves to sleep knowing that the cruel little box on the nightstand is going to shrill and scream at us all over again when we least want it to.

SO……What’s the point of all this rambling?

Take a moment today and examine your life, or just the day.  Plan a little down time, something special just for you or with your significant other.   Break the routine, refresh your mind, body and Spirit with something that your body knows it needs, but you’ve been unwilling to give it.

If you’ve been out of the exercise routine for some time, take this opportunity to try something to get your blood pumping and your heart going.  Plan 45 minutes to an hour of exercise with some proper warm up and stretching before and after.  There’s no better time to do this then now.

If you’re a workaholic or a couchaholic, break the routine.  Go home early from work one day, you know it’ll be there when you get back.  Stop by a lake or a park on the way home and sit on a park bench or watch a kid’s softball game.  Enjoy the moment, relax and breathe.  If you’re a couchaholic, see my paragraph above!

Life is way too short for us to let it pass by and our not even seeing it or experiencing what Joy there is all around us.  I admit, my life is way too busy and that’s why I’m writing this.  I’ll take my own medicine and do some of the above and check back in with you later on what I did, but my challenge for you today is……….Just do it!

AND …..please take a moment and click the SHARE button below and then give it a little ‘Tweet” up top……Just do it! 

Tweet This Post

Hi There!

No Push-ups, No Sit-ups, No Lunges, No Cardio ….No Sweat!

Just letting you have a peak into my typical weekend morning waking up with Sam!

Well, I just wanted to bring you into my “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” so to speak, so I got my camera out this morning, whistled for my loyal buddy Samson, leash in hand and off we went.  Just a quick walk out the door to the dock and a view of my neighborhood that I wake up to every morning.  Well usually I’m out the door at O’Dark thirty, but you get the drift as I see it on weekends.

I’m still a little sleepy as I describe the view, but I hope you enjoy seeing the water, hear th birds and see what beauty is all around us, even my very furry friend “Samson”.  Enjoy…

Tweet This Post

Hi Gang! Here’s part 2 of the Warm-Up and Stretching series I’m writing about. Keeping it short and simple so that I don’t go into too much boring detail and keeping it somewhat interesting for you.

So, we learned in the previous blog, Warm Up Before Stretching, to warm up first. Now after our body temperature has been raised and our muscles, tendons and ligaments are warm it’s time to stretch.

Stretching and flexibility go hand in hand. And as the word basically describes itself, flexibility is the degree of movement that a joint can make. I’m envious of those people who are born with a large amount of flexibility but for the rest of us, we all tend to have a limited amount of flexibility which may even decrease over time. The joints themselves also determine the amount of flexibility we have, but we can improve things by stretching our muscles, tendons and ligaments. Basically there are two types of stretching, Static and Ballistic. For now, just focus on the Static stretching. Move your arm, leg or whatever as far as comfortably possible, and hold it in that stretched position for about 15 to 30 seconds. I have to emphasize here, don’t bounce your way to this point.  That could cause injury which is the sole thing your trying to prevent.  Ballistic stretching can be OK, but just not right now.

Do this for all parts of the body and you’ll put yourself on the road to improved performance in sports and daily activities. Keep this routine up and you may just be able to bend over and tie those shoelaces once again.  If not, then maybe we need to talk about that mid section and getting rid of that.

I hope you found this article helpful and I would really appreciate your help in getting the word out.  Click on the “Share It” button below and you’ll have possible helped someone from getting injured!  Have a SUPER day!

Tweet This Post