All posts in Lifestyle

Workout Motivator – Fear Tastes Good

by John Heringer on September 19, 2012 in Fitness, Health & Beauty, Lifestyle

Editors Note: To find out more about F.A.T and their life transforming programs check out: www.fastactiontraining.com

As the weather starts to turn a bit foggier in the morning and daylight leaves us a little earlier, it’s especially important to keep your motivation fired up! Today’s short but sweet Monday Motivator is all about embracing fear. Self-help expert, Susan Jeffers, said:

“Feel the fear and do it anyway.”

Stepping into unknown things like a new fitness program, a new nutrition plan, or breaking old habits can be uncomfortable and downright scary! When you have feelings like this you need to re-read this quote and go rock it anyway! Fear and self-doubt can be the ultimate downfall to someone trying to achieve their health and fitness goals and even any goal in life for that matter.

You’ve got to dig deep. And while you can allow yourself to “feel the fear,” you still have to push through and get the job done. The best part is that by attacking the fear instead of backing down, you will create a pattern of success. You will build your self-confidence and self-esteem so that the fear begins to inhibit you less and less. Ultimately, you will put yourself in the driver’s seat for all of your fitness and fat loss goals and it will be a cinch to achieve each and every one of them.

So go give fear a big hug, (perhaps scream some obscenities at it and create the health and fitness lifestyle you deserve!

Till next time, have a terrific start to your week!

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer and the F.A.T. Team

Become a Fan on Facebook: FastActionTraining

P.S. I’ve got a special blog post coming this week about our F.A.T. Scholarship Program. One of our main core values is making an impact and giving back helps us do that with those that are less fortunate. Stay tuned for this great story.

The Pearl Fishers

by Paria Amini on September 12, 2012 in Events, Lifestyle, Local, Review

On Saturday evening, Opera San Jose opened its 2012-2013 season with Georges Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers. First performed in 1863, when Bizet was only 25 years old, The Pearl Fishers is a story about the troubles of friendship and love. Taking place on the island of Ceylon, two men and old friends, Zurga and Nadir, reunite after many years apart. Some time ago, Zurga and Nadir had fallen in love with the same woman–a love that nearly destroyed their friendship. The two vow to remain faithful to their friendship until death, that is, until the beautiful woman from their past returns, and Zurga and Nadir must face their demons once more.

Sung in French, The Pearl Fishers is divided into three parts. Rarely performed, the opera is well-known for the duet between Zurga and Nadir, Au Fond du Temple Saint (In the Depths of the Temple), otherwise known as “The Pearl Fishers Duet.” The famous excerpt combines the tenor and baritone in a song about friendship, brotherhood, and love. Sung exquisitely by Alexander Boyer (Nadir) and Evan Brummel (Zurga), the audience simultaneously feels each of the emotions Zurga and Nadir experience as their inner turmoil is translated into a beautiful and complex aria. This duet sets the stage for this sublime and wonderfully executed opera.

The Pearl Fishers is a fabulous way to begin the 2012-2013 season at Opera San Jose. We are anxiously looking forward to the coming performances! The Pearl Fishers runs from now until September 23rd at the California Theatre, 345 South First Street in downtown San Jose. Tickets are on sale at the Opera San Jose box office, by phone at (408) 437-4450, or online at www.operasj.org.

Get fired up!

by John Heringer on May 22, 2012 in Health, Health & Beauty, Lifestyle

It’s time to get rockin for the week, get fired up and attack your fitness and
fat loss goals….you ready?

It seems that many of us fall into our daily and weekly habits and are not
truly present or aware about truly preparing for each week, mentally, physically
and spiritually. Yet this is one of the most important things you can do for
yourself and should be done without fail.

This primes you and helps ignite those motivational fires because you realize
that you are in control.

And speaking of motivational stories, you should have been at our Pushups for
Charity event this last Saturday. It was un-freaking-believable. From our kickass
DJ rockin some great tunes, to our pumped up pushup participants, our Fast
Action Training Team firing everyone up and the support of the entire crowd….it was
simply amazing.

The support, feeling of community and overall atmosphere touched every person
that was there. And it is this type of motivation that you need to have present in your
life. Whether it is coming to our bootcamps, staying engaged in our blog posts or
Facebook fan page, going to WW meetings, or anything else to stay involved, it must
be present if you want to be successful.

The more the better. So get on top of your game, plan your week out and let’s do this.

By the way, more to come this week with pics and videos of our awesome Pushups for
Charity event. We have smoked past our 10k goal and we’re still going! Donations are
still good so if you couldn’t make it but want to still show some support for your troops,
you can. Click here to donate.

Have an awesome start to your week Mani and remember that you deserve it.

Dedicated to your success,

John Heringer and the F.A.T. Team

P.S. Special thanks to all of our Pushup participants, DJ Jeff, our awesome bootcamp team
(Kevin, Nadia, Keith, Diana and Kayla), Team AVAC and all of our kick butt supporters that
cheered us on. You all rock and we couldn’t have pulled of such a great event without all
of you.

Million Dollar Quartet – Broadway San Jose

by Paria Amini on May 11, 2012 in Events, Fashion, Lifestyle, Local, Review

Cody Slaughter (Elvis Presley) (Photo by Jeremy Daniel)

On December 4, 1956, one man brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley together for the first and only time. His name is Sam Phillips. The place was Sun Records. That night they made rock ‘n’ roll history.

Million Dollar Quartet relives this historical moment, giving the audience a chance to witness what happened on that infamous day. Many of us have imagined what it would be like to attend a concert and see one of these legends live, let alone all four in one place at one time. The Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of the day that by some sheer act of fate, Cash, Perkins, Lewis, and Presley gathered together with Sam Phillips, the man responsible for discovering and launching each of their careers. Although we will never have the opportunity of seeing these men together again, or in a show, Million Dollar Quartet is the closest you’ll get to the real thing. The characters cast for the show fully embody these musicians in every way possible—they look like them, dress like them, act like them, and sing their songs and play their instruments as close as they can in their tribute to these artists.

Watching the performance, there were moments I would close my eyes and marvel at how closely “Folsom Prison Blues” sounded like the original track. I would open my eyes, and I’m staring at the spitting image of Johnny Cash. Actor Derek Keeling even handled his guitar like the Man in Black. With a score of songs ranging from gospel to country to rock ‘n’ roll, I was dancing along in my chair to “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Hound Dog,” and “Great Balls of Fire.” All throughout the show, the audience was doing the same as they heard all of their favorite songs. Rarely do we get a peek into history; an evening of Million Dollar Quartet and you’ll feel like you were there to see this unforgettable day happen—the music and the drama. The show ends with an unforgettable ending—one better than Sam Phillips could have dreamed of himself. Here I am sitting front and center at the greatest concert that never happened. Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll Elvis Presley are on stage together, and the crowd is up on their feet.

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis Presley is alive and here in San Jose. Don’t miss your chance to see him and other American music legends, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins! The show runs from now until May 13th. Tickets are on sale now at the www.sjtix.com box office or call 408-792-4111 for more details. Be sure to follow Broadway San Jose on Facebook and Twitter for updates on their 2011-2012 season (as well as their incredible upcoming 2012-2013 line-up) and special messages for fans/followers!

Photo Credit: Jeremy Daniel