Category: Motivation
October 14, 2026

Cardio after 50: Build stamina alongside strength

Build stamina for the life you enjoy

Want more stamina for climbing stairs, taking longer walks, or enjoying an active vacation?

Cardio deserves a place alongside strength training—not just as something you do to burn calories.

The National Institute on Aging identifies three important types of exercise: aerobic activity, muscle strengthening, and balance. Aerobic exercise supports the health of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system.

Regular physical activity can also help lower blood pressure and support thinking, learning, and judgment as you age.

At Preston Ray Fitness, we combine cardiovascular work with strength training. The goal is to help you work toward better stamina and overall fitness.

I select exercises and adjust the workload around your current fitness level, goals, and available equipment.

I offer both one-on-one personal training and online training. If you’re ready to make cardio part of your strength-training routine, reply to this email and tell me which option interests you.

You can receive 30% off your first training package. I’ll explain the options and how the discount applies.

Preston
Preston Ray Fitness

Preston Ray No Comments
May 12, 2022

Top 3 Ways to Add Positive Habits to Your Life

“Good habits make time your ally and bad habits make time your enemy.” -James Clear, Atomic Habits

In today’s message, I would like you to think about your habits and your time. Are they your ally or your enemy? Do you have good habits? And if so, how many do you have and how many do you need to work on? Learn how to make habits your friend by first understanding how they are formed. Below are the Top 3 methods for habit creation.

#1) Forget about goals! 

Counterintuitive, I know. But hear me out. I say forget about goals because they are so short lived. Lose 50 lbs., then what? Hit your body fat goal, what’s next? Understand this: goals are for direction, but systems are good for progress. 

If you create a system that includes weighing yourself daily, scheduling exercise on your calendar, eating at the same times every day and going to bed at the same time every night, you are much more likely to maintain your weight, hit your body fat goal and keep it where you like for as long as you wish. And for extra accountability you can hire a personal trainer, nutritionist, and/or behavioral psychologist as part of your system.

#2) Change your identity! 

According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, “True behavior change is identity change.” He goes on to say that “Your old identity can sabotage new plans for change.” And guess what folks, I hear it all the time. 

Clients, family members and even friends say things like, “I need to get my fat a$$ to the gym” or “look how fat I am.” It always hurts me when I hear my loved ones speak this way because I understand that until their identity is changed, the weight loss and body transformation that they desire will be fleeting. Change the way you speak to yourself and others about yourself. And always remember, you HAVE fat, you are NOT fat. 

#3) Implementation Intention! 

This is about where and when to act. You can’t have a system if you have not determined where and when the act will take place. And you can’t truly schedule the activity on your calendar until you have determined the when and where. 

A great way to do this is to stack a new habit on an existing habit, aka, “habit stacking.” It goes a little something like this… After I pour my cup of tea each morning and meditate (Old Habits), I will exercise for 60 minutes at Preston Ray Fitness in Oakland every Tuesday and Thursday at 7am with Preston by my side. 

Tie your desired behavior into something you do each day. Exercising more or eating better does not provide instruction on how or when to act. Time and location are a must in habit stacking. Don’t forget that. Without it your system will fail. 

Accepting the fact that in today’s world we need to schedule everything just to get anything done can be a hard pill to swallow. The more things you have on auto pilot the more likely you are to “win the day.” In doing so you will slowly begin to change your identity by following your system which leads you where you intend to be. 

Preston Ray No Comments , ,
January 29, 2020

Public Declarations for Big Gains

2019 was one of the best years of my life. We closed on a home. Vacationed every other month. Connected with old friends and family members throughout the year. Was direct booked for my first ever modeling gig. Took an acting class. And, joined the PTSA at my daughter’s middle school. 

But, the boldest thing I did last year was make a public declaration via Instagram to read 60 books in 2019. (I read 50.) And, on December 31 I announced again via Instagram that I had in fact stayed the course but had fallen just short of my goal. (Somewhere I read the average CEO reads 60 books per year.)

So why am I sharing this story you ask? And, how come I consider this goal to be bigger than buying a house? Especially in the Bay Area. It’s because no one knew that I was buying a home. If that fell through, I could keep it a secret. But sharing via Instagram was different. There was social proof.  

There wasn’t a week that went by that I was not aware of the statement I made to read 60 books. It was as fresh on my mind in December as it was in January. I knew I had set a lofty goal and I was determined to be a man of my word so to speak. And giving my word is something I don’t take lightly. 

The point that I am trying to make here is that goal setting can be powerful. Especially, when you are willing to make a public declaration on a popular social media channel for all to see and hear. Now I am not saying that you need to make a public declaration on Instagram the way I did, but I am saying you better tell somebody.  

I want you to consider making a public declaration or at least sharing with a group of friends a BIG goal that you have for 2020. One that will require you put in a little work each day in order to achieve it. Something that’s going to make you a better/different person than you were the previous year. And after all, isn’t that what life’s all about?

Yours in health,

Preston

P.S. I would love for a few of you to make a public declaration to a large group or even to me about something BIG you want to accomplish in 2020. And, if you need me to remind you every month or quarter, I can do that too. 

Preston Ray No Comments
October 5, 2015

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace

A highly touted book by The New York Times and Oprah Winfrey, “The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace,” by Jeff Hobbs, details the life of a highly intelligent man who undervalued his talent and ability.
Born and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, Rob begins his life surrounded by poverty, drug dealers, and gangs. With the support of his family, mostly his mother, he bypasses the hardships of his childhood and eventually graduates from Yale University. This “Yalie” was very different from his college peers, though. (more…)

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October 1, 2015

Now, Discover Your Strengths


“Learn your top 5 mental strengths/talents and see what greatness is upon you.”

Today’s message is about how anyone is capable of learning how great they are. Go out and purchase the book, “Now, Discover Your Strengths,” by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, and learn your top 5 mental strengths/talents and what kind of greatness is upon you. You are capable of more than you think possible. You just have to learn what your strengths mean you are capable of. (more…)

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