“Ron, how do I lose the Fat?”
“Ron, how do I tone and firm my waist?”
“Ron, how do I lose weight, period?”
“Ron, how do I get myself back on track?”
Have you every asked a fitness professional or your doctor any of these top four questions? If so, you’re just like the billions of people worldwide who are suffering from some type of physical elastic disorder.
As a professional trainer and CEO’s life coach, I deal with the strongest of headstrong individuals. You’re not an exception to the rule if you think you are thick headed.
The Body Fat Cure.
Simply put, the answer to this question is in what I call “Elastic Conscience.” What I mean by this is where you get to a place in your life whereby you do well for a while but then, over several weeks, like elastic, you begin to stretch your thinking and say to yourself, “oh, just one of these cookies won’t kill me,” or, “that trainer does not really know my body; that coach doesn’t know everything.” Then, information begins to flow and your conscience has an inner identification or witness to what you hear. The slightest sign of compromise or “elastic conscience” needs to be shattered! Unsettled compromises lead to devastation in one’s life. However, a quote I have coined for years works:
Anything in life can be achieved successfully when it’s done repetitiously!
When life begins to invade your soul on levels where by you find yourself stretching the truth, it’s a subtle way for your spirit, soul and body to tell you that you’re beginning to dull your senses
The KEY: Catch It! Catch yourself and open your mouth and speak: “STOP. Body, you are going to achieve your goal and that’s not included in it! Mind, you are set on keeping your kids on a low sugar diet, so I’m sorry kids, but no late night eating. Body, stop thinking those thoughts. You know what real truth is!”
As you apply “self” to “self control,” you’ll be amazed as you watch your body refrain from the elastic conscience of life to a mind that is set to achieve anything you set your mind too—that includes consistent exercise and abstaining from foods that are high in sugar and fried. Sugar feeds cancer and hydrogenated oil make you fat and sickly.
Goal this week: ASSESS: What are the issues of my life that I have strong convictions about that I may be letting slip? What foods do I find myself eating? After you’ve asked these of yourself, bring them back into order. You’ll be glad you did and simultaneously be burning the belly fat!
Ron Kardashian
Ron Kardashian is a life coach, fitness expert, educator, conference speaker, author, national television and radio personality, and NSCA-certified strength and conditioning coach. Kardashian was one of America’s first life coaches. In 1994, he founded Kardashian Life Coaching & Personal Training and has since inspired hundreds to reach their full physical, mental and spiritual potential.
Kardashian has been twice nominated as Personal Trainer of the Year. He has been an honored speaker for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Considered a “coach’s coach,” he has empowered executives to operate at peak performance; personally, professionally, and most important , spiritually.
Ron also heads a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation that is relentless in its efforts of bringing optimal health to people of all walks of life. This organization’s mission is to fight obesity and related diseases on a global scale. Across the globe, Kardashian’s unique approach has garnered amazing results, making him a powerful, voice of change for professional athletes, CEOs, political leaders, and clergymen of every age, religion, and creed. Ron lives in California with his beautiful wife, Tia, and two children.
The Sharks lost to Chicago this spring in the Stanley Cup Playoff Western Conference Finals. They’ve never won the Stanley Cup. The Giants haven’t won the World Series since 1954, when they were the based in New York. The Warriors last won the NBA Championship in 1975, and the A’s haven’t won the World Series since 1989.
The list goes on. Cal’s last Rose Bowl trip came when major college players still routinely played both offense and defense. The Raiders have been at the bottom of their division for years, and even our crown jewel, the 49ers, haven’t been to the Super Bowl since the 1994 season or even made the playoffs since 2002. Stanford points to its entrance requirements when it can’t compete well in football or men’s basketball.
So what sustains us? Why do we buy the jerseys, paint our faces, pay high ticket prices, call KNBR, get tweets on our smartphones, and stay up late to watch the ESPN highlights and get the West Coast scores before bed? Is the rare playoff appearance or odd deep run in the playoffs worth the frustration of regularly falling short?
Why do we put up with steroids, blood doping, cheating, disinformation, tape-delayed Olympic events, and often boorish behavior of high-profile athletes that we have to explain to our children? And based on the size of our market or what local owners are willing to pay, often our best professional players leave for greener pastures once they establish themselves as stars. Yet, for some reason, we keep watching.
According to the New York Times, some researchers have found that fervent fans become so tied to their teams that they experience hormonal surges and other physiological changes while watching games, much as the athletes do. The self-esteem of some male and female fans also rises and falls with a game’s outcome, with losses affecting their optimism about everything from getting a date to winning at darts, one study showed.
One theory the Times quotes traces the roots of fan psychology to a primitive time when human beings lived in small tribes, and warriors fighting to protect tribes were true genetic representatives of their people.
In modern society, professional and college athletes play a similar role for a city in the stylized war on a playing field; the theory goes as quoted in the Times. Even though professional athletes are mercenaries in every sense, their exploits may re-create the intense emotions in some fans that tribal warfare might have in their ancestors. It may also be these emotions that have in large part fueled the explosion in the popularity of sports over the last three decades.
”Our sports heroes are our warriors,” Robert Cialdini, a professor of psychology at Arizona State, told the Times about sports fans. ”This is not some light diversion to be enjoyed for its inherent grace and harmony. The self is centrally involved in the outcome of the event. Whoever you root for represents you.”
So there we have it. If Professor Cialdini is right, we almost have no choice. We root for teams representing our place or other important association, and we have visceral reactions to the results of those contests. Is that enough to sustain Warrior fans through one playoff appearance in 16 seasons, or Giants fans through years of anemic hitting since the departure of Barry Bonds? Apparently it is.
What do you think? Why do you root for your favorite teams? Do results matter, or do you identify with the old Brooklyn Dodger fan lament of “Wait ‘till next year,” almost no matter what? Is it the journey or the destination? I’ve set up a mailbox, paullhirsch@yahoo.com (don’t forget the second ‘l’) to collect your responses for use in a future column. Maybe we’ll gain some insights as to why we do the things we do in the name of sport.
Before golf became widely popular, business deals were sealed with a handshake after a round of golf. Salesmen who played golf were using an 18-hole round to entertain key clients and to solidify business transactions while on the course. Meetings were scheduled by making a tee time. Many members used their private memberships for business purposes.
Mark McCormack, founder International Management Group landed a colossal deal with non other then the King himself, with a simple handshake deal at the conclusion of a game of golf. The popular Arnold Palmer and Mark McCormack forever changed the world of golf on that fateful day. Sponsorships, TV contracts and corporate America jumped on board.
Today, young business men and woman are recognizing the value of knowing how to play as opportunities present themselves on a regular basis. You don’t have to be an expert to take advantage of the opportunity, but you need some understanding of the rules, etiquette, and how to get around the course in a timely manner. Many parents recognize the value of learning golf at a young age and send their kids to golf camps. Learning the fundamentals at a young age makes the game a lot easier later on. Many junior golfers come back and take a few lessons once they finish college because everyone at the office plays. I often see them quickly gain confidence with a few refresher lessons.
The PGA of America has introduced a wonderful program called Get Golf Ready and it is designed to teach new golfers how to get onto the course in just five days for only $99. I run that program at Boundary Oak and recommend it as a starter course for any adult new to the game. Graduation programs are offered after the five classes have been completed. For juniors, I recommend my Junior Camp which runs June through August. It is tailored for juniors of every level, beginner, intermediate and advanced.
My Corporate Golf Outings target employee and clients alike. Tailor-made for large or small groups, they include a group lesson or clinic, nine or 18 holes of golf and a meal. This is a great way to invest in your key people, and it’s local. Gather up your people in the office and come for a half day Friday or any day and I will bring them up to speed with how they can join the next company scramble and partake in the fun!
Often times I will take on a project where a person must learn golf and has a time line for a date with the links. Companies will often pay for them to learn golf so they can take part in the annual company golf outing. The challenge though is that golf can take awhile before you get the hang of it. People in general don’t do well under that kind of pressure with a game like this. The harder they try, often the more frustration the experience. Never the less, they must learn in a set time frame. My suggestion is to first read the summary of rules booklet. Next, private lessons with an emphasis on fundamentals while learning with five or seven clubs, instead of trying to figure out what all 14 are for. Then, mixing some lessons up, with time on the course (not just the range), and placing a greater emphasis on etiquette then performance. There is little chance that the golfer will achieve as high of proficiency level as they would like but they can learn how to behave and conduct themselves appropriately. Perhaps the later is more important anyway, rather than trying to become a decent player in a very short time. That can happen but it will take time and effort!
So, the next time you are invited to play a round of golf, join the company golf scramble, or just meet up with some co workers or friends, you too could be doing business and networking on the course!
I consider myself a Patriot (yes, capital P). I don’t usually cry at movies. I didn’t even cry during Beaches or Terms of Endearment. Now I know that probably comes off a little hard core, but before you judge me, I want you to know that I always cry during the Star Spangled Banner or when the American Flag in front of a marching band goes by.
Taking Chance is a truly amazing movie. It doesn’t scream at you, it quietly gets under your skin. The films power comes from a simple word – Reverence. Yeah, I guess that one would have to be capitalized as well. Taking Chance tells a true story, adapting Marine Colonel Mike Strobl’s personal journal of his assignment escorting the remains of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps, killed in Iraq in 2004, to Phelp’ family in Dubois, Wyoming. Mike, who served in Desert Storm is now sitting behind a desk stateside and feels guilty for not requesting combat duty in Iraq. Living comfortably at home with his wife and children had been the choice. He often wakes in middle of the night and checks the KIA list. One night while Mike is perusing the list he sees a name listed from his home town. He volunteers to be Phelp’ escort home. It changes his life.
Director and Screenwriter, Ross Katz has done a brilliant job telling the story of one man’s coming home in death and another’s coming to life. It’s a delicate balancing act, keeping focus on both the mourning of Phelps and Mike’s personal journey, neither overshadowing the other.
Kevin Bacon, who plays Col. Strobl, is incredible. He does so much with just his facial expressions. Lean and chiseled, Bacon is the consummate Marine. Slow, deliberate and did I mention Reverent with his actions, Mike’s devotion lends the story great intensity, and his struggles lend it great honesty. This is probably Bacon’s best.
The film also shows how we honor our fallen heroes, a chore revealed in great detail. It is all very informative. From the time Lance Corporal Chance Phelps leaves the battlefield, packed in ice, to his arrival at Dover in the States, it’s an amazing journey. His body is cared for. His belongings are cared for. A new uniform was created especially for him even though it was a closed casket. No detail was left undone. We also see the custom of how the escort salutes the casket every time it is moved from one mode of transportation to another, all working to guarantee that what may look like a giant cardboard box being shipped cross country is truly a “pearl of great price.”
Don’t misunderstand; Taking Chance is no mere documentary about how military remains are transported. It is a story about grieving. It is a story about honor. It is a story of Americans at our finest. No political agenda—no “support our troops” platitudes—just Reverence with a Capital R from Dover to Dubois.
Comfort Food is a fun novel by Kate Jacobs, author of the bestselling Friday Night Knitting Club. The main character is Augusta “Gus” Simpson who is a well-known hostess and has her own show on the Cooking Channel. After being the top dog for years, her ratings are slipping and the producers want to pair her with an up and coming new Cooking Channel star. Carmen Vega is a former Miss Spain and a decidedly ambitious diva. She and Gus constantly butt heads and their debut live show seems headed for disaster when their guest stars can’t show up.
Quick thinking Gus quickly grabs a motley crew of friends and family in the audience to help her and Carmen cook on air. There are her two slightly dysfunctional daughters, Sabrina and Aimee and Sabrina’s ex-boyfriend Troy. There is Oliver, an ex-financial wizard turned chef and Hannah, an ex-tennis star turned recluse. The mixture of these crazy personalities produces chemistry on air and the show becomes a hit. The rest of the book is a madcap story about what ensues.
Full of yummy descriptions of gourmet meals, Comfort Food is a feast for the senses. The plot has some twists and turns and some of the characters are just plain zany. I loved the relationships between such a different personalities and how they interact. There’s some romance thrown in there and a twist on who gets the girl. It was an altogether enjoyable light read. It is good for reading on the beach or near the pool this summer. If you’re looking for a great escape without the calories, try Comfort Food.
“The Arts are very necessary for young people…” Actress, Carol Channing
When the economy tightens and school budgets shrink, music programs and other arts courses are often the first to be cut. Young people are then deprived of the unique opportunity the Arts provide – helping develop their own creativity, learning self discipline, teamwork and leadership skills to increase their sense of self-worth and enjoyment of life.
“Rather than think of courses in the Arts as a sort of ‘whipped cream’ they must become basic experiences in education,” stated Psychologist, Abraham Maslow. “Education is learning what to grow toward, what is good and bad, what is desirable and undesirable to choose and not to choose.”
Students involved in the Arts are more likely to be high achievers on tests, less likely to drop out by grade 10 and are more engaged with learning during the school day, according to a study by the Arts Education Partnership. Students exposed to the Arts do better in other subjects than those who are not. “Students would stagnate without any form of visual or performing arts training,” said, Bruce Smith, a lifelong artist and high school art teacher. Training in the Arts is essential to be a well-rounded person.
Late in the 20th century educators, researchers and other enlightened people were in common agreement that the visual arts and performing arts (music, theater and dance) all belonged in the “core” curriculum of our public schools. No longer were Arts courses thought of as peripheral or nonessential for the education of our youth. Today it’s a different story. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts these courses are considered nonessential and are being dropped in many of our public schools.
Visual and performing arts are at the very heart of an intelligent and well- informed citizenry. Teachers, administrators and curriculum coordinators of our public school system embrace this philosophy, and the University of California system and the California State Universities do also. This is evidenced by the fact that visual and performing arts are one of the required courses for admission to a university and have been for a number of years.
One of the greatest values of a comprehensive arts program (music, art, theater and dance) is that it allows all students to develop, to the best of their ability, those qualities that will help them understand and enjoy life to its fullest.
After a member of the British House of Commons during World War II said that everything, including the Arts should be set aside for the war effort – Winston Churchill rose and declared, “But that’s what we’re fighting for!”
Long live the Arts! They help define our culture and who we are. They should be at the basic core of learning in our schools. The Arts are not a frill but an important mode of expression that defines our humanity and our happiness.
Third of a four-part series dealing with retirement.
Update: When we last met our retired hero, Rob, he had just returned from his first-ever SIRs meeting.
Rob’s mind was a bit muddled. The meeting had been OK. The guys he met had all been friendly and helpful. The lunch itself was about a six on Rob’s scale of zero to ten. The meeting was precise, and the boss at the head table, who apparently held the title of Big SIR, had kept things moving – a trait Rob appreciated. He had enjoyed the speaker. Once again, the presentation had been about the right length – not too long – but entertaining enough to keep his interest. One of the officers had given him an application blank with only a mild amount of perceived pressure.
So, considering all this, what stood in Rob’s way of filling out the application and signing on?
In short, he missed a younger crowd. It was a step for Rob to admit he fit into the group. He needed a little push, and how was he to get it?
Well, when he left the meeting he had been given a monthly newsletter. As he paged through it he began to find himself leaning toward joining. Then a bright idea came to him. He looked at the newsletter and found the guy in charge of golf. He recognized that he would like some of the other activities as well. It would be fun to get back to bridge, maybe a little poker, and the idea of an exploratory walk with the group appealed – but the true test for Rob would be golf.
He called the person listed as chairman of golf and lied just a bit by telling him that he was joining the branch and would love to meet some of the men for a game of golf. The chair told Rob how to log onto the branch golf web site and how to register to find the upcoming events. Then he said, “Rob, because you’re new I will put you with a group of men with about your skill level until you are properly registered.”
Well, the golf match did it for Rob. He arrived about a half hour before his tee time. The three other guys he was to play with greeted him. He didn’t have to hassle with tee times, and the other players were great. (By the way, he beat two of them which helped.) And, the price was under what he paid on the weekends.
The three men all loved golf, talked up their SIR branch, and were loose and easy to be with.
It didn’t take Rob long to fill in his application and send it along. After all, they were scheduled to play again next week. He might just check out the walking group. That one didn’t even require a sign-up sheet.
Well, I went ahead and did it. In the little quiz a month or so ago, I said that Doc Medich and Fritz Peterson were the Yankee pitchers who swapped wives. Shame on me! Thanks to reader, Dominick Collichio, my error was pointed out. It was Mike Kekich, not Doc Medich. I got my “iches” crossed. Thanks to Dominick for pointing this out. I am happy to see he reads this nonsense. I promise to keep my “iches” under better control. Speaking of “iches” or “itches,” let’s go.
Who was the male star of the 1955 movie “Seven Year Itch”?
Who was the long time second baseman for the Orioles and Angels in the 70’s and 80″s?
Whose first hit record was “Rags to Riches” in the 50’s?
The original name of this TV series was “You’ll Never Get Rich.” Who was the star and what was the name of the character?
Michael Richards played Kramer on the “Seinfeld” show. What was Kramer’s first name?
Who made a classic introduction to a long movie career when he played Tommy Udo in 1947’s “Kiss of Death”?
AUGUST’S TRIVIA ANSWERS:
1. June Lockhart 2. Ray Milland 3. Cy Young 4. Shangri-la 5. Ira Gershwin 6. Hubert Humphrey
AUGUST TRIVIA WINNER:
Debbie McGaffey of Livermore
WIN LUNCH ON BEN!
The first person to email or mail, no calls please, the correct answers to all of the above questions will win a $25 gift certificate at The Uptown Cafe in downtown Danville, compliments of Ben Fernandez! Entries must be received by September 25, 2010. In the event of a tie, the winner will be drawn at random. Please email your answers to info@aliveeastbay.com, or mail to ALIVE East Bay, 199 East Linda Mesa Avenue, Suite 10, Danville, CA 94526. Employees and family members of employees of ALIVE East Bay are not eligible. Restaurant may be changed without notice.
Five years ago, Chelsea Gerber, 19, a Danville resident, was about to begin Monte Vista High School, becoming a more independent teen, enjoying friends, and living a life filled with promise. Today Chelsea, 100% dependent upon others, is confined to a wheelchair and is unable to walk, talk, or adequately think. Chelsea has been diagnosed with Lafora.
Lafora is the most virulent, progressive and degenerative form of epilepsy known and usually strikes young healthy kids in their early teen years. With its devastating nature, Lafora slowly tears away their ability to walk, talk and function. Children with Lafora suffer from rampant grand mal seizures, loss of cognition and generally, within 10 years, they lose their life. LAFORA HAS NO CURE.
What transpired between Chelsea’s diagnosis in January 2006 and now has been the birth of Chelsea’s Hope: Lafora Children Research Fund. Chelsea’s Hope began out of helplessness, isolation, devastation and a need to believe in miracles. With just a few hundred diagnosed cases of Lafora worldwide, there was little information available, no resources for families, and essentially no funding for research.
Chelsea’s Hope, an IRS non-profit corporation, is the only organization dedicated to connecting families, creating awareness and raising funds for Lafora research. Within these past several years, our organization has grown into a community of families dedicated to emotionally supporting one another, who have become in their own right, experts in the care of their children’s medical needs.
We have developed a strong bond with the few leading Lafora researchers in the world, presently at UCLA Medical Center and Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto, helping them by bringing forth an awareness of Lafora publicly, and thus, have been instrumental in helping families receive long sought after diagnosis for their children.
We are proud that Chelsea’s Hope has raised over $225,000 for Lafora research. With these funds, protocols have been supported which has led to the recent FDA approval for the drug, Gentamicin, to be used on Lafora patients, those with certain mutations. This long awaited approval represents HOPE, while it is not a cure, it promises to halt the progression, temporarily, while a search for a cure continues. This is the first medical treatment that will be used on Lafora children as opposed to medications administered solely for seizure control.
We are doing what we can, with a mournful yet empowered heart, to make a difference in Chelsea’s life and every other child’s life that is affected by Lafora. What these children have lost should not happen to any other child. No parent should have to wait years for a diagnosis only to hear, “I’m sorry, there is no cure.” It is our dream, our wish and the reason for our existence, that one day when a child is diagnosed with Lafora, that instead of hearing the word fatal, parents will learn there is a treatment.
Last year, at our first fundraising event, Dr. Escueta of UCLA, stated in his 20 years of Lafora research no one had ever raised funds to support this work. He also mentioned that if medical research funds were made available, it is believed a cure could be found within a few years.
Please join us for the Premiere of The Chelsea’s Hope Documentary Film, meet the researchers and participate in keeping hope alive at our second annual fundraiser September 26, 2010 at the Blackhawk Museum.
Chelsea’s Hope brings hope to many and, is indisputably, making a difference for children suffering from Lafora.
To learn about Lafora, read about our children, make your donation, and attend our event, go to www.chelseashope.org.
The challenging economic environment seems to have everyone’s attention these days. Now more than ever, consumers should take the time to improve their financial knowledge in order to make better financial decisions. That is what Financial Planning Week™ is all about. The Financial Planning Association (FPA®) is excited to be celebrating the ninth annual Financial Planning Week™, October 4-10. During this week, the FPA® strives to build public awareness of the financial planning process, enabling individuals to make prudent financial decisions to achieve their life goals and dreams.
The FPA® is a non-profit member organization that believes that everyone is entitled to objective advice from a competent, ethical financial planner to make smart financial decisions. We have one of the strongest chapters in the nation right here in our own backyard. Our local chapter, The FPA® of the East Bay, has a membership of over 400 local financial professionals representing some of top financial planning minds in the Bay Area. Our members demonstrate a professional commitment to education and a client-centered financial planning process.
The FPA® offers some excellent resources to consumers. Please visit www.fpaforfinancialplanning.org and explore some of the free resources available that include: Find a Planner – The FPA offers consumers an easy way to search for a CFP® professional in their area. Ask a Planner – Use the Ask a CFP® professional hotline to ask a general personal finance question by email. Free Literature – The FPA offers a number of free brochures on a variety of personal finance topics. Career Center – The FPA provides a wealth of information for those interested in a career in financial planning.
20 Ways to Celebrate Financial Planning Week
Balance your checkbook
Make a monetary contribution to your favorite charity
Start a savings account for a child, vacation or a gift for yourself
Help teach your children how to save and spend wisely
Get your estate in order: Create or revise your will and other estate-planning documents
Call your financial planner and share your appreciation for their service
Pay off a credit card
Get a head start on college — investigate college planning options
Establish an emergency fund
Evaluate your employee benefits and begin planning for open enrollment
Develop your holiday spending budget
Plan for year-end tax strategies
Purchase a session with a financial planner for a relative, friend or colleague
Give a relative, friend or colleague a subscription to a personal finance magazine
Invite a financial planner to speak at your workplace
Review your insurance coverage
Write down your financial goals and revisit them periodically
Start using personal finance software to help you better understand your money
Look up three financial terms that have baffled you and resolve to understand them
Talk to a relative about their plans for long-term care
Financial Planning Week™ is an excellent time to asses your own personal finances and to discover the value of financial planning. I strongly urge you to do one of the things on the list above and visit the site to take advantage of the free, objective content made available by the Financial Planning Association™. Happy Financial Planning Week™!
Damien helps individuals invest and manage risk. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and a principal of Walnut Creek Wealth Management. These are the views of Damien Couture, CFP® and should not be construed as investment advice. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Not all recommendations are suitable for all investors. Each investor must consider their own goals, time horizon and risk tolerance. Your comments are welcome. Damien can be reached at 925-280-1800 x101 or Damien@WalnutCreekWealth.com.
