LITO Adiwang has always taken pride in being fully prepared each time he steps inside the cage.

But the 27-year-old is coming in at ONE: Inside The Matrix III as driven as ever, dedicating his match against Hiroba Minowa to his ailing mother.

"My mother has had a big impact on my life. She is the reason I am who I am today. I thank her for everything in my life, and I am proud and happy to be her son," she said.

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Adiwang shared of his family's struggles in caring for his mother Leticia, who survived multiple strokes and has been terminally ill for the past few years.

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It's a hard position to be in, but the Team Lakay bet is using this as an inspiration for his fight on Friday in Singapore, hoping to come home with a victory to his family back in Benguet.

"This fight is very special for me. I want to win for my family, especially my mom, said Adiwang.

It's for this same reason that the rising star is not letting up in training.

Though he won his last seven bouts, Adiwang never gets complacent as he seeks to inch closer and closer to his dream title shot.

"Its very important for me to keep my momentum in ONE Championship because its one way for me to be recognized as a top talent in ONE," said the Thunder Kid, who sports an 11-2 win-loss card.

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"My goal is to one day become a world champion. Nothing has changed since you last saw me. Ive only gotten better and Ive really done my best in training to improve myself. Thats the only way I can keep this up.

"Everytime I step into the circle, I want to give fans a show they want to watch. Each victory will keep moving me up the ladder until Ive reached the top."

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Ailing mom a source of motivation for Lito Adiwang ahead of ONE fight - Sports Interactive Network Philippines

Workout motivation tips for weight loss: Do not miss your workout. Think about why you started exercising in the first place and get moving, says lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho.

Exercise tips: Wear your workout clothes and shoes and it can encourage you to start exercising

Midweek blues are pretty common. Apart from finding it difficult to find the motivation to work efficiently, many people feel lazy and probably demotivated to workout. Well, we have got you covered! If you are someone who feels lazy today and has already taken the decision to skip your workout, then here's what you can do. Lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho, in one of his recent posts on Instagram, talks about a few simple tricks that can motivate you to workout on a day you absolutely don't feel like doing it.

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Being physically active is an important prerequisite for building stamina. Walking, jogging, cycling, running and other cardio exercises can help in boosting your stamina, stays Vinod Channa.

Workout tips: From sweet potatoes to cottage cheese, ginger and eggs, here are foods that can help you recover after exercise-induced burnout.

It is commonly said that when you feel like giving up on something, think of why you started it in the first place. The same goes with your daily workout and your workout goals.

Also read:Belly Fat: Ladies, Get The Abs You Have Always Dreamt Of, With This Glutes And Abs Workout By Kayla Itsines

People who exercise regularly know that not every day is the same while exercising. Energy levels, mood, stress, pre-workout meal and many other facts influence exercise performance.

And it is most likely to be on a day of high stress, low mood and low energy levels that you will not feel like working out at all. Coutinho says, "Remind yourself how you usually feel after each workout."

Here are other tips that can help:

1. Put on your workout clothes. Even better, invest in some fancy ones so that you want to wear them daily.

Invest in fancy workout clothes and it can motivate you to workout every day Photo Credit: iStock

2. Appreciate yourself. Regularly write down your progress in terms of inch loss or weight loss, or how well your clothes fit you now. Now put on your workout shoes.

Also read:Lunch Break Workout: Plank Jacks, Lunges And Other Exercises You Can Do In Just 10 Minutes

3. Start exercising. Even if you do it for a minute, it can help you get in a rhythm and continue for 10-15 minutes. And remember, that it is not important to take out one hour or more for exercising every day. High Intensity Interval Training, Tabata and High Intensity Circuit Training are a few workouts that can be done in a 10-15 or 20 minutes.

4. Compile a nice workout playlist. Fill it will the music you enjoy. Good music can improve your mood and also motivate you to exercise at times.

5. Make your workouts interesting. Try to do different kinds of exercises regularly. Variety in workouts can help in avoiding boredom. Also make sure your workouts are challenging so that you make progress continuously.

Also read:Weight Loss: This Power Workout Will Make You Feel Energetic Like Never Before- Try It Now!

6. Try to be accountable by sharing your workouts on social media or by sharing details of your workout with a friend. This not only makes you more responsible but also motivates you to workout.

We are sure by now you want to workout today. Here's a no equipment workout that you can do at home, any time, anywhere, without any equipment. Get up and get started. You can do this!

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.

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Weight Loss: 6 Tips That Can Motivate You To Workout On A Day When You Feel Like Skipping It - NDTV Doctor

Could a single gene reduce our craving for sugary foods while at the same time increasing our desire to exercise? Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) believe theyve found such a gene in miceand that the discovery could point to new treatments for obesity.

The gene is called Prkar2a, and its particularly active in a small region of the brain that controls several responses, including those to pain, anxiety and reward. When the researchers knocked out the gene in mice, the animals cut down on their consumption of high-fat foods, even after fasting, they reported (PDF) in the journal JCI Insight.

The NIH study builds on a previous discovery in mice that lacked working copies of Prkar2a. When those animals were fed high-fat foods, they were less likely to become obese than their normal counterparts were.

A company was facing major challenges in a global clinical trial program with 30 studies for an uncommon indication. Not only did they need to transition all ongoing clinical trials to the Bioclinica Clinical Adjudication platform for better analysis but they also needed to do it within 60 days.

In this study, mice lacking Prkar2a showed decreased consumption of palatable, 'rewarding'foods and increased motivation for voluntary exercise, the researchers wrote in the study. In fact, Prkar2a-negative mice ran two to three times longer on a treadmill than normal rodents did.

RELATED: This cancer-related gene may also hold the key to beating obesity

The NIH researchers suggested that the key to Prkar2as influence in obesity-related behaviors is an enzyme called protein kinase A (PKA). The gene makes critical components of PKA, which speeds reactions inside cells in many species, according to a statement. The study concluded that the reduction in PKA signaling in the Prkar2a-knockout mice improved their motivation to exercise and decreased their craving for unhealthy foods.

Several research teams have linked particular genes with obesity. In May, a team led by the University of British Columbia showed that variations of ALKa gene that, when mutated, has been linked to some cancerscan make some people naturally resistant to weight gain.

An Australian team removed the gene RCAN1 in mice and found that those animals did not gain weight, even after eating a high-fat diet. The key there was that blocking the gene helped turn white fat into calorie-burning brown fatthe goal of many ongoing obesity studies. Harvard University researchers, for example, reported over the summer that they used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to activatethe gene UCP1 in white-fat precursor cells, creating cells that were more like brown fat.

The NIH researchers hope their new study on Prkar2a will inspire future research aimed at preventing obesity.

Achieving weight loss and maintaining energy balance by moderating food intake and increasing physical activity underlies the battle against dietary obesity and weight gain, the researchers wrote. Thus, further study of PKA regulation in the various distinct cellsubtypes is warranted.

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Obesity-related gene that controls cravings and exercise motivation in mice could inspire new therapies - FierceBiotech

Mike Rizzo will tell you he doesnt make a single offseason decision based on what other clubs are doing to their roster. The Nationals general managers sole focus is on improving his team, no matter what anyone else around the league is doing.

Its an admirable philosophy, of course, and it has served Rizzo well in his decade-plus in charge of the Nats. It also may be increasingly difficult to adhere to this winter, because theres reason to believe every other club in the National League East is going to be motivated to make significant improvements.

The NL East was supposed to be among baseballs most competitive divisions entering 2020, with four teams believing they could contend from the outset. As it turned out, only one of those four teams made the postseason (the division champion Braves) while the team nobody was talking about finished second and made it to October (the Marlins).

The Mets and Phillies, like the Nationals, had disappointing seasons. And like the Nats, both of those clubs are quite motivated to get better in 2021 and return to contention.

It all starts with the Braves, though, who had a fantastic regular season, then won their first postseason series since 2001, then were one win away from the World Series before blowing a 3-1 lead to the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.

Atlanta, which has now won three straight division titles, isnt going anywhere. The lineup remains stacked. The rotation should be healthier next year. And the bullpen continues to be a strength. And after coming so close to the promised land, you better believe the Braves are going to be feeling pressure to make whatever transactions are necessary to lift them over the hump in search of their first championship since 1995.

The Marlins arent going to outspend anybody; we know that. But with an impressive core group of young players headlined by some elite starting pitching, they arent going to enter 2021 looking to the future. Theyre going to be looking to win now and prove this season wasnt a mirage.

The Mets, meanwhile, might be the most dangerous team in the majors this winter. Not because theyve got a championship roster. But because theyve got a brand-new owner who wants to make a serious opening statement that his franchise is serious about winning.

New York is a big-market club that didnt always act like it when the Wilpon family was in charge. Now that Steve Cohen is writing the checks and Sandy Alderson is back in charge of baseball operations, look for the Mets to be aggressive and among the highest bidders for just about every free agent of consequence.

And then there are the Phillies. Theyve already spent a ridiculous sum of money to sign Bryce Harper and tried to surround him with a championship roster. It didnt happen in his first two years there, so they fired their GM. And now theres an enormous amount of pressure on the changing front office to give Harper the kind of help he needs and end a nine-year streak without producing a winning record.

So where does all of this leave the Nationals? Right in the thick of what figures to be another challenging division race with everyone staking some kind of claim to a postseason berth in 2021.

Rizzo doesnt need to pay too much attention to his NL East counterparts. He knows what roster holes he needs to fill, and hes going to try to do that no matter what anybody else does.

But Rizzo and Nationals ownership had better at least acknowledge they reside in a highly competitive division, one that includes a bunch of rivals with pressure and motivation to do something this winter that helps put them in a better position to win next spring.

By the time everyone reports to Florida in mid-February, the Nats cant afford to be left wishing they had done more to keep up with the pack.

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Every NL East club has reason to be motivated this winter - MASNsports.com

The New England Patriots have quickly fallen out of the playoff picture in the 2020 season. Cam Newton has been at the front of those issues behind his struggles to guide the offense forward. In light of that, Newton may have finally found the motivation he needs from head coach Bill Belichick to push through this year.

RELATED: Bill Belichick Uses False We Sold Out Claim to Excuse His Egregious Mistakes

The New England Patriots entered the 2020 season well aware of the notable change of trajectory with the franchise.

Things had begun at a promising pace through the first couple of weeks with Cam Newton under center. However, that has since seen the year quickly head south after three straight losses.

Newton has struggled to get a stable grasp of his performance, contributing significantly to the Patriots offensive shortcomings. The three-time Pro Bowler has thrown five interceptions in the last three games, including less than 200 passing yards in each contest.

The 31-year-olds play has remained underwhelming, but the Patriots have continued to stay behind him as their starting quarterback. With Newton trying to break through his porous trend, he may have found the motivation he needed from Bill Belichick.

RELATED: Bill Belichick Just Lost His $7 Million Answer to the Patriots Biggest Problem

Throughout the 2020 season struggles, Cam Newton has remained confident in his ability to bounce back.

The process has seen many more valleys than peaks, leading Newton to look for other sources of motivation. He may have just found that with Bill Belichick as he voiced to the media that seeing his head coach work behind the scenes has pushed him harder to get the most of out himself. (H/T WEEI)

When I see that, I look at it like I need to be doing something too. I need to be working on my mechanics, Newton said. I need to be working on my fundamentals. I need to be working on my strength. I need to be working on just the small things. Seeing that day in and day out. Early in the morning.

Late at night. It just gives you a boost of understanding to say, I always have to be working. Hes the head of the ship. For me to see that from him, it starts from top down.

Belichick isnt a coach of many words, which his work ethic and dedication to his craft speak for him. Over the last two decades, he has set the standard in New England. Newton sees that daily at the training facility with how he approaches the job.

The onus is on him to match that intensity to help finally guide the team forward this season.

RELATED: Bill Belichicks Latest Comments About Cam Newton Perfectly Illustrated the New England Patriots Problems

The Patriots have had no shortage of challenges this season, from injuries to COVID-19 heavily impacting the roster, but there remains an opportunity to push forward.

Cam Newton has the chance to breakthrough in the Week 9 matchup against the New York Jets. The Patriots will be facing a winless Jets team that is more than likely barrelling toward finishing with the worst record in the league this season.

New York has struggled mightily defensively, currently ranked sixth-worst allowing 29.8 points per contest, fourth-worst against the pass, and hold the 26th overall defense. All that sets up a chance for Newton to put forth a much-needed bounce-back performance.

If the Patriots are unable to secure a convincing performance on Monday night, the concerns around the franchise should ramp up another notch.

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Bill Belichick Is Motivating Cam Newton In More Ways Than He Knows - Sportscasting

Being picked eighth in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll didnt sit well with the UMass mens basketball team.

Thats most definitely a chip on our shoulder, senior guard Carl Pierre said. I think everybody in our programs believes we can do much better than that.

The Minutemen closed last season 5-3 and lost two of those games by single digits. They bring back six players, including their three leading scorers. UMass also added a talented, five-member freshman class and two experienced transfers. The Minutemen will begin the season at Mohegan Sun from Nov. 25 through Dec. 2 for the Bubbleville tournament. They start A-10 at La Salle on Dec. 9.

We have a lot to prove, but I think we had that chip before we had that number, sophomore center Tre Mitchell said.

Mitchell is the reigning A-10 Rookie of the Year and was named to the preseason all-conference first team. He averaged 17.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, shooting 48 percent from the field and 33 percent from 3. The Basketball Hall of Fame included Mitchell on its 2021 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Watch List along with players from top-10 teams like Duke, Gonzaga and Baylor.

No matter what is put on me I always view myself as an underdog and Ive always got something else to prove, Mitchell said.

Hes one of three starters returning along with sophomore Preston Santos and senior Carl Pierre. Pierre is one of UMass most reliable shooters, making 75 3s last year. Santos started 12 games toward the end of the season and can play multiple positions.

The Minutemen will also benefit from a full season of sophomore guard T.J. Weeks. He was limited to 10 games in his debut campaign after requiring surgery for a hernia. At the time, Weeks was shooting 48.5 percent from deep and scoring 14.7 points per game. That would have led the nation if he qualified over a full season.

Of the five freshmen joining the program, four boast three-star ratings from 247sports.com. UMass also added sophomore guard Noah Fernandes from Wichita State and grad transfer Mark Gasperini from American.

This is as deep of a team as Ive had since Ive been here, said fourth-year UMass coach Matt McCall.

That depth will be critical to the Minutemens quest to outpace expectations. McCall brought a fast-paced, pressing system when he was hired from Chattanooga. It has taken him time to implement the system and find the right players to execute it.

We want to press, were committed to pressing. Youre going to be able to play nine, 10, 11 guys, McCall said. Theres not a lot of drop-off with these guys.

UMass went 14-17 last year and has gone 38-58 over McCalls first three seasons. The Minutemen havent been to the NCAA Tournament since 2014. They last earned a bye in the first round of the A-10 Tournament in 2016. Despite that history and a modest upward trajectory over the previous two seasons, winning three more games last year than in 2018-19, the Minutemen believe they can achieve something special. What does special mean?

Something special would be wining the A-10, making it to the tournament, Pierre said. We think its something thats doable for our group. The only thing that could stop us is ourselves. Why not set the goal high? Why not us?

Mitchell took it a step further.

Were ready to get the tournament, get a couple wins, get this thing rolling, he said.

That confidence comes from the bond the group has already formed. Eight of the rosters 14 players spent time at Woodstock Academy in Connecticut. They also have connections from AAU teams during their prep seasons.

Its more of a mindset thing, Mitchell said. There would be no point in us putting all this work in If we were going to say were going to finish eighth in the league.

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Motivated UMass out to prove preseason conference ranking wrong - GazetteNET

As the investigation into a racist campaign flyer mailed to Edison residents just days before the 2017 election stretches into the fourth year, a report from the United States Postal Inspection Service is being blasted by the men named in it as inaccurate and politically motivated.

The list of men accused of helping send a flyer that said The Chinese and Indians are taking over our town reads like a whos-who of Edison Democrats, and includes a candidate featured on the flyer, a sitting council member, the former head of the local Democratic Party, and an apparent Board of Education member-elect.

Five of the men named in the report have denied having any part in or knowledge of the flyer, and a sixth person could not be reached for comment.

The origins of the flyer have been shrouded in mystery since they first landed in mailboxes around Edison in November 2017. Featuring pictures of then-Board of Education candidates Jerry Shi and Falguni Patel and the word deport stamped across them, local and state leaders decried them as racist and unacceptable.

But a recently released report by the United States Postal Inspection Service obtained by NJ Advance Media suggests that all those involved in sending the flyer are of Asian or Southeast Asian descent themselves, including Shi.

The Postal Inspectors report relies on testimony given by Chandrakant Patel, the owner of Chowpatty Restaurant and an active member of the Indian-American community.

The flyers were traced back to the restaurant after fingerprints belonging to an employee were identified on a flyer, the report says. The employee said he did help put labels on the flyers after being instructed to do so by Chandrakant Patel, the report says, but denied knowing what they were.

During a September 2020 interview, Chandrakant Patel told investigators that the flyers were assembled in his restaurant after Satish Poondi, a local lawyer and delegate for the New Jersey Democratic State Committee for Democratic President-Elect Joe Biden, had asked to use the space. This request didnt raise any alarms because Chowpatty is occasionally used as a cultural hub, Chandrakant Patel said.

Chandrakant Patel did not respond to a message left at Chowpatty seeking comment, and could not be reached via email on Monday. Poondi declined to comment when contacted by phone Monday morning, saying he had not yet read a full copy of the postal inspectors report.

In addition to Poondi, Chandrakant Patel told investigators several men were involved:

Shi has repeatedly denied any involvement in sending the flyer.

This is ridiculous, they (the Committee of the Whole) have been doing this every single year right around election time, primary and general election, Shi said on Thursday, accusing the committee of bringing the issue into the spotlight only during election seasons.

The report was read out loud during a Thursday night Committee of the Whole meeting held at the Edison Municipal Building, before those named had read the report, several men told NJ Advance Media. (A Committee of the Whole is a special committee with limited subpoena powers convened for an investigatory purpose.)

Postal Inspector David Comer was set to testify, before the United State Postal Service Inspection Service attorney declined his participation, Edison Councilman Bob Diehl said during the meeting. Its not clear why Comer was not allowed to testify.

The Attorney Generals Office, which NJ Advance Media has confirmed is also investigating the flyers, has repeatedly declined to confirm or deny an investigation.

Councilman Ajay Patil met with postal officials and fellow council members Thursday morning ahead of receiving the report, Diehl said, and corroborated the names in the report.

Patil said he was at the restaurant and remembered seeing something happening, but denied having any role in sending the flyers.

I might have been at the wrong place at the wrong time but I have no relevance with this racist flyer and I strongly believe with further interviews something else will come out about this, Patil, who was the only council member to attend the meeting virtually, said at the end of the meeting.

Patil later walked back those claims in an email sent to councilman Diehl and councilman Alvaro Gomez, and reviewed by NJ Advance Media.

At no point ever have I seen Shariq Ahmad, Mohin Patel, Jerry Shi, Mahesh Bhagia, and Satish Poondi in Chowpatty, handling any of the flyers in question, or carrying stamps for those flyers, Patil wrote in an email Friday afternoon, adding that he saw some type of flyer being prepared in the restaurant but did not see what it said and left immediately.

Patil has not responded to several phone calls or an email seeking comment.

Mohin Patel, who appears likely to win his Edison Board of Education race, denied the report, telling NJ Advance Media the claims are patently false and defamatory, adding he was never contacted by inspectors or any other investigators.

This episode has tarnished Edisons good name and caused pain and anguish for many. I implore you to terminate this Committee and bring an end to this fruitless campaign to smear the names of many good Edison residents, Mohin Patel wrote in a letter sent to Council President Joyce Ship-Freeman and provided to NJ Advance Media.

Ahmad told NJ Advance Media that postal inspectors who contacted him claimed to be investigating identity theft for his bank, not the flyers. Once postal inspectors admitted the identity theft angle was a ruse to discuss something else, Ahmad referred questions to his lawyer and declined to be interviewed. He only later realized they were attempting to discuss the flyers, Ahmad said.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Ahmad denied any involvement in the flyers and said he never participated in any flyer assembly event at Chowpatty.

Both Patel and Ahmad said Chandrakant Patels statements given to Postal Inspectors were politically motivated and false.

While those who spoke to NJ Advance Media painted the investigation as a baseless political attack and decried the release of the report during election season, Council President Joyce Ship-Freeman said the Committee of the Whole meeting was purposefully held after election day to avoid impacting the election.

A woman who identified herself as Bhagias wife declined to provide Bhagias phone number when reached by phone Monday morning; Bhagia did not return a message seeking comment.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.

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Investigation into racist campaign flyers is politically motivated, men accused of sending them say - NJ.com

RICHMOND, Va. -- Vallin Bingley is a life coach, author, and motivational Speaker.

In today's Motivation Monday message, she shares why our experiences, ups and downs, can be our superpower.

"Each one of us has unique experiences. And some of those experiences are unfavorable, favorable. But each thing that we have gone through, has taught us a lesson about ourselves, about this world, about the people around us, and how we're able to implement that into how we speak and teach others.

Sometimes we may feel like the things that we've gone through no one understands, or that somehow way or another, that our experiences aren't relevant. But they're everything that we need to propel us forward in our life, that everything we need for us to be able to share their testimony.

And because of that, it is so important for you to know that you are unique, you are powerful, you are designed in a way that no one else could ever be designed.

And so take those experiences, take those lessons, and allow for you to thrive in everything that you are in your purpose. In your words, in the way you move in the way you speak every single day.

Be confident in who you are. Because everything about you the unfavorable things, the favorable things and the things you probably have never shared with anyone else has made you who you are today is a reason why you are a blessing to someone else.

Have a fantastic day. Have a fantastic week, and know that you are mighty powerful, and absolutely blessed."

You can watch Bingley's full Motivation Monday message above.

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Life coach Vallin Bingley shares Monday Motivation: 'Be confident in who you are' - wtvr.com

"I was running a fever of rage over how badly the [COVID-19] response was being handled by the federal government," says the Oscar- and Emmy-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney onThe Hollywood Reporter'sAwards Chatter podcast as we discuss what inspired his latest documentary, Totally Under Control, which he directed with his Jigsaw Productions colleagues Ophelia Harutyunyan and Suzanne Hillinger.

The trio began work on the film last spring with the goal of determining if the deadly mistakes of PresidentDonald Trump and his administration had been avoidable, and then sharing their findings with the world before the Nov. 3 presidential election. Says Gibney, "It felt like if that was true, and we're in an election year, then this is important information for voters to have."

* * * You can listen to the episode here. The article continues below. Past guests include Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, Lorne Michaels, Barbra Streisand, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Jennifer Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, Gal Gadot, Warren Beatty, Angelina Jolie, Snoop Dogg, Jessica Chastain, Stephen Colbert, Reese Witherspoon, Aaron Sorkin, Margot Robbie, Ryan Reynolds, Nicole Kidman, Denzel Washington, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Matthew McConaughey, Kate Winslet, Jimmy Kimmel, Natalie Portman, Chadwick Boseman, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John, Judi Dench, Quincy Jones, Jane Fonda, Tom Hanks, Amy Schumer, Justin Timberlake, Elisabeth Moss, RuPaul, Rachel Brosnahan, Jimmy Fallon, Kris Jenner, Michael Moore, Emilia Clarke, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Helen Mirren, Tyler Perry, Sally Field, Spike Lee, Lady Gaga, J.J. Abrams, Emma Stone, Al Pacino, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jerry Seinfeld, Dolly Parton, Will Smith, Taraji P. Henson, Sacha Baron Cohen, Carol Burnett, Norman Lear, Keira Knightley, David Letterman, Samantha Bee, Hugh Jackman, Melissa McCarthy, Kevin Hart, Carey Mulligan,Seth MacFarlane,Amy Adams, Trevor Noah, Julia Roberts, Jake Gyllenhaal, Glenn Close, James Corden, Cate Blanchett, Sacha Baron Cohen, Greta Gerwig, Conan O'Brien and Kerry Washington. * * *

Gibney, 67, was born in New York and raised across New England, the son of an academic and the stepson of an activist. He went off to Yale University initially to study Japanese, his father's area of expertise, but soon "caught the bug" of film and filmmaking through campus screenings of documentary productions like Gimme Shelter and narrative productions like The Exterminating Angel. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA Film School, which he "absolutely loved," but dropped out when he landed a job working at the Samuel Goldwyn Co. cutting trailers, re-editing films made by others and eventually serving as a film editor in his own right.

For years thereafter, he moved around the industry cobbling together a living while hoping to one day have the chance to direct films of his own. "Slowly but surely," he recalls, he began getting the opportunity to make docs for television. And then he landed a job as a producer on aMartin Scorsese-EP'd docuseries called The Blues (2003), on which he worked closely with the likes of Wim Wenders and other prominent directors."That was a game-changer for me because I got to see up-close how fiction film directors treated documentary," he explains. "They had great respect for real-life, but at the same time they had a stylistic vision of how they wanted to be the authors of those films. And that changed everything for me."

Two years later, at the age of 52, Gibney became a noted director in his own right with Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005), an edgy doc that landed him his first Oscar nomination. Over the years since, he has been as prolific and lauded as any doc filmmaker, along the way picking up an Oscar for 2007's Taxi to the Dark Side, an Emmy for 2015' Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief and Peabody awards for Taxi, Going Clear, 2012's Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, 2014's Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown and 2016's Zero Days. And in 2013, the International Documentary Association presented him with its career achievement award.

Totally Under Control features all of the ingredients of Gibney's best work: revealing interviews (including a jaw-dropped with one twentysomething Max Kennedy,who worked for Jared Kushner trying to procure PPE during the early days of the pandemic); stylish visuals (including many captured using a 'COVID-cam' invented to allow the filmmakers to interview people remotely); dark humor; and, ultimately, exposure of people who through some combination of corruption, hypocrisy, ignorance, self-deception and abuse of power have wronged others and cannot be allowed to get away with it.

Gibney's ultimate conclusion about Trump, who was diagnosed with COVID himself a day after the film was in the can (a fact acknowledged with a post-credits card)? He was aware of how dangerous COVID was and is, but turned a blind eye to try to preserve his own prospects in the 2020 election. "It was just purely for self-motivated political advantage," says Gibney. "He thought, 'Maybe the virus won't be that bad, the economy will still be great." But, Gibney emphasizes, "He knew, and that's the damning part of this. It's not incompetence; it's willful denial."

Totally Under Control, which was made with Neon, dropped on Apple TV+, iTunes, Amazon, FandangoNow, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu and other on-demand digital services on Oct. 13, and has been available since Oct. 20 on Hulu.

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Alex Gibney on "Fever of Rage" That Motivated the COVID-19 Doc 'Totally Under Control' - Hollywood Reporter

This time of year the leaves change colors, the sun sets earlier and the temperature continues to drop.

People make adjustments from enjoying their time outside to moving the enjoyment inside their cozy homes.

But there are people who enjoy the great outdoors year-round.

Those people include runners and walkers.

Aaron Arens, a field tech supervisor at Sparklight in Norfolk, has been running for 30 years and enjoys everything about the activity of running.

"It's a stress reliever all-around mental and physical health, it makes me feel better," Arens said.

Arens loves being outside, whether it involves mountain biking, four-wheeling, camping, hiking or swimming.

"I'm a big outdoor activity type person. I think of what I can do outside because I can't stand sitting still," Arens said.

All of the outdoor activities help when Arens decides he wants to go out for a run no matter what weather conditions are thrown at him.

"I love the extreme weather. The only thing that keeps me from running outside is that I hate it when it is really windy or raining," Arens said. "If it is 105 degrees or a blizzard with downpouring snow, I'm like 'Oh man, I've got to go run in this.'

Arens said people who like to run like the change of scenery and the different elements that are thrown their way.

"I like doing stuff normal people don't do," he said. "I just love the feeling of it all; the winter air really feels fresh."

John Boeshart, another avid outdoor runner in Norfolk, said he enjoys going for runs and walks six to seven days a week during this time of year.

"My limit for not going outside is 0 degrees," Boeshart said. "The coldest I've ever run in was negative 14, and I don't think I'll ever do that again."

Boeshart, a custodian at Bel-Air Elementary School, said he walks around 9 miles at work and usually another 3 to 4 miles later in the day.

This means he is walking a half marathon basically every day.

"It's crazy," Boeshart said with a laugh.

While there are a few people who enjoy running outside year-round, not all local runners enjoy running in freezing weather conditions.

Jason Busch, an insurance agent at the Jason Busch Agency, American Family Insurance in Norfolk, considers himself a summer runner and would rather run in the spring and fall months.

"If it's 90 degrees out there and I have to run 6 miles, I just see it as an extra challenge, but I enjoy that," Busch said. "When it gets down to 20 or 30 degrees, I don't even want to go outside. I don't have that motivation to go out there."

When it gets cold, runners come up with different alternatives and ways of getting in the miles.

They will go to the YMCA or other gyms to find a track or treadmill to run on. They also might get into other ways of fitness such as cross-fit, lifting weights and other kinds of workouts to stay active.

"I'll go as high as 15 or 16 mph on the treadmill," Busch said. "I know most runners will slow down in the winter, but my ideal time to race is in the fall. If you are talking winter or the summer, I'll take the summer over the winter any day."

Busch in his lifetime has run in four marathons and nine half marathons, along with several 10K and 5K races. He finds his motivation through his family, including his wife and three children.

"I like to see myself be active in whatever or anything I am doing. I encourage and I really try to motivate them (his kids). So when I go out and do something, I push as hard as I expect them to push for me," Busch said. "It's a good time to unwind and to get away from the stress of daily life."

Even though he has found a love for running, Busch understands that it is an activity that isn't made for everyone.

"If running isn't your thing then find what is as long as you're being active and staying healthy, then I'll support it. I just like to see people be active and involved," Busch said.

Courtney Maas, a passionate runner in Wayne, has asthma so it can be difficult to go out for runs, and she finds it difficult to get motivated during the winter.

"I enjoy it if I can feel my fingers and toes. Beyond that, it's not enjoyable for me," Maas said. "I like cool, fall weather."

Like Busch, Maas looks for different ways to get workouts in during the winter months and will usually have to turn to the "dreadmill."

"I am very fortunate to have a nice dreadmill, bike, free weights and other in-home equipment, she said. During the winter months, I do my best to mix it up so I'm not always just running. I trained for a marathon during a bad winter and did a lot of my mileage on the dreadmill. I have a love/hate relationship with it.

Despite that love/hate relationship, the treadmill helps when I need a good stress-relieving run or I'm trying to build base mileage," Maas said.

"But, if I have to do super long runs and it's forced to do it on there, it's a struggle. I have found that if I start a good movie, I enjoy it much more because I just continue running throughout the movie. I like to do some HIIT workouts or just lift some free-weights, too."

Maas, a former cross country runner for O'Neill St. Mary's, coaches the Wayne girls junior high and high school cross country teams. Maas has been around the sport nearly her whole life and always looks for motivation year-around to get her to go out for runs and walks.

"Find someone to hold you accountable. I have three friends that I have a Snapchat group with and we are always snapping each other before, after or during our workouts, Maas said. It helps motivate and support each other. We don't always get to train together because we are at different fitness levels and all four of us have very crazy schedules, but just pushing each other, empathizing with one another, and giving words of advice or encouragement is so helpful.

"Also, just knowing that you are having a fit lifestyle is motivation to work out. Be fit for yourself, your spouse, your children and to teach others the importance of a healthy lifestyle. I guarantee you'll feel better about yourself."

Running isn't made for anybody, but there is plenty of advice from those who enjoy the activity.

"It's one of the cheapest forms of exercise you can do; it's one of the best ones for you and you can do it anywhere, at anytime," Arens said. "It's one of the easiest things you can do and you just need a pair of tennis shoes."

The Norfolk Run Club is an active running group in the area, meeting a few times a week nowadays, and the club is always welcoming in new people.

"It's open to all levels. We've got people that are more walkers and not even runners, we've got those who run lots of miles, but we've got the whole gamut of people," Busch said. "Everyone is welcome, and everyone encourages each other."

Despite the change in weather conditions over the next couple of months, runners around the area will find a way to get their weekly runs in.

"I try to run every day as much as I can, Arens said. Running outside makes it a lot more challenging, but I love it.

The rest is here:
State's winter weather challenges motivation of year-round runners, walkers - Norfolk Daily News