It is almost the one year anniversary of this blog, and I remember saying I will always follow through with what I say I will do. That promise began when I was set to be in the Richard Simmons Video. I was not feeling well days before, and I almost backed out. Then I decided to stick to my word and it changed me in so many ways. I met the best people at that video shoot, and I had the best time ever. Almost one year later I find myself reflecting on that promise I made, and continue to make to myself over and over.
I have experienced some personal challenges in the last five days, life’s stresses that we all have them from time to time. Sometimes though, I get so caught up I forget how to breathe. I am coming out of the worry now, and back to work on all of my goals. I had a few days of rest because I strained my knee a bit, and now I my plan is to work out and focus my energy like I in the very beginning. Totally motivated and inspired. No excuses, I am going to work super hard on my exercise and diet like this is the first day of my blog. Back to square one.
Yesterday I had plans to meet my friend Francie and her Mother Fran for lunch in Beverly Hills. She asked me if I was up to it, and I said yes. I had made a commitment and I followed through, plus I so wanted to meet Fran. I am so happy I did, Fran is as lovely as I imagined her to be and I am blessed to be friends with Francie and well as Fran. Guess where I met Francie? The Richard Simmons Video. No regrets, follow through with promises.
So it is Tuesday, and I am focusing on focusing, breathing, and my weight watchers points. Yes, I am back to counting. It is funny when life throws you curve balls you tend to skip meals and forget how to eat balanced and healthy. Back to the drawing board for me, working out with Mike my trainer tonight. A lot has happened since our last workout less than a week ago, and I am going to have to get my hyper energy back.
To quote one of my favorite movies of all time, It’s A Wonderful Life
Dear George, remember, no man’s a failure who has friends.
I think I need to watch it soon.
Namaste’
Rose
Monthly Archives: June 2014
GROCERY HAUL
Sometimes for dinner I make simple tuna sandwiches with veggies with no salt albacore tuna and veganaise. I bought mahi mahi burgers to have with either brown rice or baked potatoes with fat free sour cream and lemon. I also purchased 97% lean burgers to eat with veggies and potatoes or brown rice and Dr Praeger veggie burgers with vegetables. I am hoping this works through Wednesday and next time I may walk to Ralph’s or Jon’s to see if I can do even better and buy food for a full week.
We have eggs, oatmeal, protein bars and vegetarian sausage and bacon on hand. We also have a loaf of Ezekial sprouted bread and bags of frozen fruits. I know I could be stocked up better but this is a beginning. I do all of the shopping on foot so this is where I began with my quest to eat healthy on a budget. I got a lot of my ideas from my bestie Melissa Bender Fitness.
http://www.benderfitness.com/2012/07/melissa-benders-grocery-list.html
Here is my grocery haul for the next five days. I still need to pick up a bag of onions, some 0% Greek yogurt and vinegar and more protein bars and coffee. I probably should make a list.
I have been in a major slump the last few days. I am trying to pull myself out of the gutter so to speak. This healthy eating and planning should help. I am a work in progress and this is my first meltdown so to speak in one year. I almost started crying out in public earlier. I think I may start a gratitude journal to get myself back to my Pollyanna ways. I am human, after all.
Namaste’
Love and Light
Rose
CRYING IN MY COCONUT WATER
I have to remind myself how far I have come even if some numbers are still high I am not a number I am a soul with a body I am trying to train |
I cheated and had pizza. I hardly ate all day and decided to splurge when my husband ordered pizza. If you have followed my journey in the past year I have rarely deviated from my diet and lifestyle.
I am going through some struggles at the moment and I gave in. This is not a weekend long splurge, just one meal and one time. I am trying to figure somethings out and make a plan. Next month is my one year Anniversary of this blog and I will get past the minor setbacks that are occurring in my life and make all of my goals a reality. I am not down or out, I just have to set the bar higher and work harder. I will be seeking balance as I try to accomplish multiple goals.
If I was not feeling bad already I had to go and throw salt on my open wounds. I finally had my fat percentage and measurements done today. I never did them a year ago so I do not have a starting point to compare them to. I was highly disappointed and I felt like all of my accomplishments of the year were taken away. I felt like I was back at square one. My total fat was 40%. I thought, wow, what the hell was it to begin with? My lower abs were 37, (high) my arm 12, my hips 42 and my thigh was 25. The guy at the gym was rushed for time and only did the right side of my body. He did not do around my upper waist around my rib cage so I did that, and that was 32. According to an online BMI chart mine is 30.1
The numbers really left me feeling down, especially with my personal issues I am dealing with now. I almost cried in my coconut water.
A friend once told me life is compromised of hills and valleys. I am stuck in a temporary valley at the moment, but I will climb out even if my fingernails end up bloody and torn, because I will believe that I can. I have come a long way in the last year and I will not let some little occurrence derail me and leave me stranded down in some creak in the bottom of a valley. I will climb high and believe in me. I am a majestic dolphin not a whimpering guppy. I will swim to the surface.
So those are my thoughts at the moment. I have been MIA lately and not been keeping up with my posts. I did volunteer with Reading To Kids last Saturday and I now have two bags of books for the children. I am hoping to have much more when I am finished with the book drive. Volunteering was very rewarding and I feel grateful for the opportunity to do so. I am grateful to friend and children’s author Benjamin Harper for his kind donation of his own books.
No weigh in tomorrow. I am giving myself a break since I have been stuck at 169 lbs. I was told sometimes deviating from your diet tricks your metabolism so tomorrow I am back on track with some healthy changes. Starting now from square one and working my way towards my Birthday on the Winter Solstice, which is six months from tomorrow. That is the next time I will take my measurements and fat caliber test.
Love and Light
Never Give Up
Rose
ALMOST ONE YEAR GRATITUDE ( introducing my trainer for one year Mike)
MIke, trainer and friend |
TRX using a tree |
Just a sampling of equipment I have to conquer |
Mrs Jones, a local favorite and friend of ours at the park |
MARGUERITE SANDWICH,VEGETARIAN BRIE AND APPLE
WALK IN EMPATHY
Step into my worn shoes,
How would you feel?
When People walk by,
Forgetting you are real.
Beyond your reach,
The hopes of a warm meal;
Or a place to lay your head,
To let your weary body heal.
Your spirit is broken,
Yet your head held high;
Only to be ignored,
By oblivious eyes.
A face with no name,
Is what they see;
Unloved, forgotten,
Throughout society.
Such lonely solitude,
Unanswered prayers;
Hopelessness and sorrow,
But no one cares.
Who will miss you
When it’s your time to go?
Will anyone remember,
Your name is not John Doe.
© Rose Bruno Bailey
The name Rose has caused many a remark from people when they first meet me. Usually it is the standard “that is my great great grandmother’s name,” thanks a lot for making me feel ancient. Or sometimes it is the cheesy “oh Rose, the name of beauty, the flower,” by some guy dripping in too many chains and wearing too much men’s cologne. When the movie Titanic premiered I got lots of “never let go Rose.” When I first met my husband he actually believed I gave him a fake name.
That brings me to the Sandwich. It was named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, he was an 18th-century English aristocrat. Apparently he requested his valet bring him his meat inside two slices of bread. He was playing cards and wished not to get his hands greasy. Soon others followed suit requesting to have what Sandwich had.
Many sandwiches over the years have gained individual names of their own. The BLT, The French Dip, The Dagwood, The Club Sandwich to name a few.
This inspired me to make my favorite sandwich to take on a picnic in the park or a day outing to the shore. Malibu breeze and a delicious light sandwich to feed my senses. I first had this unusual yet simple sandwich at my friend Marguerite’s house back in Cleveland, Ohio. Marguerite was French,world traveled, sophisticated, and whimsical. She sliced a french baguette, and spread some Dijon mustard on both sides. Then she topped it off with thinly sliced green apples and sharp cheddar cheese. My version is a bit more gourmet, but in honour of my long lost friend( I used the English spelling of honor since Marguerite lived in London), I have decided to name it THE MARGUERITE. A whimsical, sophisticated sandwich with a french origin just like it’s name sake.
You will need for one MARGUERITE
A good french baguette or whole grain roll
Extra virgin olive oil.
One green apple, sliced thin.
Brie cheese, enough to spread on both sides of the baguette.
Arugula, a generous handful
Toasted pecans( lightly spray cooking spray on a cookie sheet. Place pecans on sheet,and toast for five minutes in an oven set at 350 degrees for about five minutes).
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil, and a teaspoon of a good Dijon mustard.
Drizzle olive oil on baguette and place on a cookie sheet in a pre-heated oven set at 400 degrees.Bake baguette for about ten minutes til crusty.
Spread Dijon on both sides of the baguette.
Spread a generous amount of brie on each side of the baguette.
Top brie with a handful of the toasted pecans, spread them in the brie so they are firm in the sandwich.
Place thin slices of apple on one side of the baguette in a uniform line.
Top it off with a generous handful of fresh arugula.
Drizzle balsamic vinegar on the arugula,and a bit of sea salt and ground pepper.You may wish to use a bit more olive oil, the choice is up to you. I think the olive oil on the baguette suffices but again individuality comes first. It is your Marguerite Sandwich.
Close tightly, slice in half, and enjoy this distinctive yet delish sandwich which is reminiscent of walking barefoot in a field in Paris during springtime in a Monet painting.
Oh la la c’est marveilleux
MATTIE STEPANEK PEACE DAY
https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/president-barack-obama-declare-july-17th-mattie-j-t-stepanek-peace-day?recruiter=105128120&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition
Please sign the petition and share with your friends. This little boy made such an impact on me. He is one of my favorite modern poets and peacemakers and he only lived to be 13.
Love and Light,
We can use a Peace Day in the name of a very special little boy.
RAINBOW BERRY COFFEE CAKE
I have decided to bake today, and in honor of LA Pride I baked a Berry Coffee Cake and renamed it Rainbow Berry Coffee Cake.
I bought Trader Joe’s Multigrain Baking and Pancake Mix, and inspired by their recipe on the box made my own version with some healthy changes.
You will need:
Trader Joe’s Multigrain Baking and Pancake Mix, or another brand if you please Use 2 1/2 cups
1 egg
1 cup low fat buttermilk, I substituted low fat milk
3 tablespoons oil, I used extra virgin oil because that is all I had, but you can use vegetable oil
1 bag Trader Joe’s frozen mixed berries no additional sugar (I used most of the bag)
1/2 cup raw sugar, or sugar or agave
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl mix together 1 egg, 1 cup low fat milk and 3 tablespoons oil. Stir in 2 1/2 cups Trader Joe’s Multigrain Baking and Pancake mix and 1/2 cup sugar. Fold in almost a full bag of frozen berries but make sure to thaw the bag first. I used most of the full bag, I wanted tons of berries.
Mix well and spray a glass pie pan with cooking spray. Spread evenly in pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for ten minutes and serve this not so decadent treat with your favorite coffee or tea. I am of course practicing self control over the portion size. It was oh so delicious.
This recipe is very low cholesterol, low fat, low sugar, high fiber and whole grain. It is a little higher in sodium than I usually eat but it is an occasional treat.
It was the perfect Sunday accompaniment for some quiet reflection on life before I have to get moving and work out. No rest for the weary, but who is weary anyway? I love working out,yoga, meditation and dancing, and I forgot how I much I love to bake and cook. Sundays are a great reminder to slow down and smell the roses and LA Pride is a reminder to wear your colors with confidence. Be you, your best authentic self always; critics be damned.
Gotta love life.
Love, Light to all.
Namaste’
After all Namaste’ means we are all one
Rose
EVOLUTION OF MY PROGRESS
Weigh in Saturday, and I am holding steady at 169 lbs, and I the first 40 lbs seems to have been much easier than the second 40 lbs. 135 seems so far at the moment, but I am happy with the results so far. I said this before and I will say it again, I am now focusing on my fitness goals and I refuse to be stressed out from the scale. I have made tremendous strides and I will continue to do so, so what if I am in a silly plateau.
Today I am going to go to the gym and see if I can have my measurements done. I wish I would have done this in the beginning, I know I have shrunk in inches. I am even much smaller than I was in April and I am only a few pounds less.
Off for my day, Love and light. Here is some photos charting my progress from when I began my journey last July.
Love and Light
Rose
2013 The photo that started it all with tears and realization I was 210 lbs |
The beginning July 2013 kicked off with a bang doing s Richard Simmons Video |
August 2013 back at Richard Simmons
October 2013 at the Hollywood Sign hiking |
November 2013 yoga with Nicole at Pink Iron |
December 2013 At Slimmons with Susan and Joanne on my bday |
January 2014 Santa Barbara CA |
February 2014 La Jolla CA |
March 2014 Hair do |
April 2014 In Beverly Hills |
May 2014 first new bathing suit in forever |
May 2014 |
May 2014 |
May 2014 In Vegas |
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY TRAINER WORKOUTS
Before and Now, and I am not stopping even when in a bad mood |
Hello to all. I have been working really hard, and this weeks workouts with my trainer with Mike are no exception. I am running again, my toe is healing and it feels good to be picking up the pace. Mike has changed some things up for me, since I am getting stronger. I admit to being slightly sluggish though, this week for some reason feels extra emotional for me. I cannot grasp exactly why, but I feel a bit out of sorts.
Nothing I cannot face, a little time to myself and a little upbeat music should do the trick. I do not wallow in my woes for long, and I always find the light at the end of the tunnel.
Off for now, tomorrow comes all too soon and I am in dire need of sleep.
A little something I wrote this past weekend, to remind me to count my blessings.
Lessons in Joy
Love and Light to all.
Namaste’
Rose
FLYER FOR BOOK DRIVE FOR KIDS
I believe a book can take a child and transport them to a place where dreams come true, when they are unable to travel beyond the four walls of their own dwellings.
Off to have coffee and do a little poetry writing, work out later. No rest for me.
Happy Sunday to all, much love and light.
Namaste’
Rose