Monthly Archives: July 2015

WEIGHT WATCHERS ONLINE

I remember when I began this journey, my weigh ins were on Tuesday. I decided picking Tuesday as a weigh in was a great way to stay on track over the weekend. I also did Weight Watchers in the beginning, but I found with my schedule and my workouts it was hard for me to make it to meetings. Flash forward to today, I decided now that I have an iphone doing Weight Watchers online with the app was the way to get my weight to goal. I can keep track at the touch of my fingertips. For me food is always an issue, not eating too much or the wrong things but just skipping it completely and drinking a shake. Food was a chore.When I went out of town a few weeks ago I went on a little binge and actually gained 11 lbs and I realized that is a slippery slope.

This week I begin my third week of Weight Watchers Online with the WW app and I am loving it. I track everything that I eat and drink. The first week I lost 5 lbs and this week I lost 2 lbs with a total of 7 lbs since I signed up two weeks ago. My current weight is 169 lbs, up 4 lbs from my lowest weight. I gained a couple pounds when I went out of town and now I am tacking those pesky pounds with four more to go to get to where I was. Once I am at 165 lbs I am picking a charity and moving on to the My Change For a Ten format, getting myself to 155 lbs.

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I am also working out and running with Melissa Bender Fitness as my guide, my intention is to become strong, flexible, and be able to tackle all of my fitness bucket list items.

Through this slippery slope of change I am landing on my feet. Love and Light to all and keep on keeping on.

Namaste’

Rosebf

 

 

HEALTHY VEGETABLE SOUP

I just entered week two of my newest journey since I started this blog two years ago. I joined Weight Watchers Online last Tuesday to lose the eleven pounds I gained when I was away the fourth of July weekend, and to break my plateau. How did I gain that much weight in three days? Welcome to my struggle. If you do not know I lose weight slowly, and that may be do to an adrenal tumor and too much Cortisol. I work very hard, but for me slipping up causes havoc on my body. That is why I rarely do it. I lost over 50 lbs on my own and now I feel I need the help of Weight Watchers to help me keep track of my food and help to get the scale moving again. That with my running, yoga, and Melissa Bender Fitness workouts and guidance I should be able to take this to another level. I slip up a little, and the scale moves forward a lot. I have no room for error it seems. I sometimes feel like I have the worst metabolism ever, but I challenge it and come out fighting. I never give up and this will not happen again. Weight Watchers will help me to not make that mistake again, it is not extreme and easy to stay on track. I am afraid I was getting to obsessive with food and I ended up on a holiday weekend splurge as the result of eating too little.vegsoup

Today I am happy to report I lost five of those eleven pounds with six more pounds to get to what I call my fighting weight. I am now 171 lbs.  After I get back to 165, I plan on picking a charity and losing the next ten pounds and getting to 155. I will never have a three day cheat day again, it really did me in. Moving forward,  I am excited and motivated and enjoying my Weight Watchers Online experience. The WW app makes it a game changer for me with my new smart phone. I got  this. My final goal is around 135 lbs.

This was my dinner last night, and it was Fabulous.

This recipe is a combination of all the soups I make, and Weight Watchers zero points vegetable soup. I have formatted it how I like all of my soups. I took my recipes and their Weight Watchers Vegetable soup and came up with this. You can be really creative and use any fresh or frozen vegetables you have on hand. You can even add legumes if you want it to be a bit heartier. This is your soup, make it as you please and it will please everyone who eats it. It really was a fantastic Meatless Monday dinner. My version has 1 point because I choose to use oil in my soups, if you beans 1 cup would be 3 points.

1 oz of Parmesan cheese would add 3 points, as would one oz or Soy Faux Parmesan cheese.

Manga’

HEALTHY VEGETABLE SOUP

  •   4 cloves garlic, minced   
  •   2 medium uncooked carrots, diced   
  •   2 cups green beans, fresh 
  •   2 cup(s) (shredded) uncooked savoy cabbage, or other variety, shredded   
  •   1 cup diced zucchini
  •   1 medium uncooked onions, diced  
  •   half cup uncooked celery, diced   
  •   2 tsp fresh basil, chopped   
  •   2 cartons reduced sodium vegetable broth   
  •   1 large can diced tomatoes
  •    1 can tomato paste
  •   2 Tbsp fresh parsley, or chives, fresh, chopped
  •   1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste    1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste  
  •   1 can legumes of your choice, low sodium. (optional)

 

  • Instructions

Saute’ onions, carrots and celery in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil until clear, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute’ 2 more minutes. Add tomato paste and stir. Add 2 cartons vegetable broth and 1 can of tomatoes, and all vegetables and seasonings, and simmer for 30 minutes.

This is super easy, and if you like you can add a can of beans, low sodium of course. I used great northern beans and added it after 20 minutes. A little sprinkle of Parmesan cheese really makes this feel like a decadent Italian soup.

Manga’

Rose

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

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This month is my two-year anniversary of this blog, and I feel I have been a success with losing and keeping off over 50 lbs yet I also feel I have only scratched the surface. I have a lot of goals and projects in the works as I type this. My plan is to take everything to another level, but I admit moving nine months ago from LA to the San Francisco Bay Area shook up my world and my plans.

With a blog comes a sense of transparency, yet I have kept some of my issues and worries to myself and have not been public with a lot of the things that have been bothering me.  I have chosen to stay silent with the negative aspects of my life. We all have things happen to us, that is life. It is how we choose to deal with these events that shows our true character and spirit.

We moved, and with a big move you would expect there to be unpacking, and that knowing feeling that there is a permanency with the move. Hanging the photos and getting excited about your new home and space. Well around February we found out that our landlord was selling our condo we rent, the condo we moved into with hopes of starting over. All of a sudden home was not a home, and there was that fear that we would have to move again. In hindsight, I almost wished we would have picked another place to live. Realtors, showings, the uncertainty of our living future took over our day to day life. 

It seems the unit was sold to an investor, and it is looking like we can stay yet I do not hold my breath. I am, however going to try to move forward and let the whole situation be. Like they say, whatever will be, will be. With that thought process I have decided I would like to turn my patio into a yoga space. I am looking for ideas and I plan to make it a place where I can practice at home, as well as spend time reading or drinking coffee. It has been nine months and I am ready to make a home.

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We have not decided yet if living in the San Francisco Bay Area is for us in the long run, but for now I plan to make the best of it. Exploring all of the majestic beauty this part of California has to offer. Life is short and I refuse to let problems define me or my goals. Time to shine with the NorCal sun.

Namaste’

Rose

 

COLD BROWN RICE SALAD

I believe we are all on a journey, for me it has been a phenomenal ride and I am loving every minute of it. Life is a journey and I love life. I believe if life hands us lemons, we can make lemon cookies and share with those around us. Love, life, and food should be shared. We are on this journey together.

JOURNEY

People often talk to me about their weight problems, and I always explain it is just weight. Weight is not permanent, as soon as we gain it we can lose it. We just have to put the effort in and be consistent in our weight loss efforts. A week of strict dieting all week and eating everything in sight come Saturday would have never worked for me. For me it is slow and steady, after all I have all the time in the world. Three, six, nine months will pass. I would rather go about my goals the healthy way than look for a get skinny quick scheme.  Exercise, including my yoga and running paired with a healthy diet wins the race in the long run. Fifty pounds down, and now ready to tackle my plateau with the next phase of my journey. With that comes with some new experimentation in the kitchen. I tend to skip meals, and that just slows your weight loss efforts.

Here is my Cold Brown Rice Salad. It is perfect for any occasion. You can pack it and take it on a summer picnic. Your vegan friends can eat it. It is gluten free and oh so delicious. I paired it with baked chicken over spinach and field greens. I have learned food is not the enemy. Food nourishes our body and soul, and gives us the fuel to do the things we love to do. Here is my recipe which I derived from a dish my roommate Rachel made for me back in Cleveland, Ohio. It was just as delicious as it was then, especially since it was made just for me from a beloved friend. So now I share it with you, food was meant to be shared with love. I made this in bulk so we could have some for days, and of course I offered some to my lovely neighbor. Continuing the tradition that food must be shared.

Namaste’

Rose

 

COLD BROWN RICE SALAD

2 PACKETS SAFEWAY BROWN RICE/WILD RICE WITH QUINOA

1 CAN LOW SODIUM BLACK BEANS

1 CAN NO SALT CORN

2 ROMA TOMATOES CHOPPED FINE

1 RED ONION CHOPPED FINE

1 CUP GREEN BEANS (STEAMED AND FLASHED IN COLD WATER)

BALSAMIC DRESSING (RECIPE TO FOLLOW)

I used microwave rice, it is pure and has only three ingredients. Brown, wild rice with Quinoa. I am all about convenience but you could use 4 cups of a mixture of brown/wild rice and quinoa.

1. Follow instructions and microwave one packet at a time.

2. Add rice mixtures to a large bowl. 

3. Add chopped raw onion, chopped tomatoes, 1 can corn, 1 can black beans, 1 cup green beans and mix.

4. Add half cup of balsamic dressing and chill salad. You could eat this warm or cold but I prefer cold. Over mixed greens with baked chicken was delicious and so healthy.

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HOMEMADE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

1 1/2 Balsamic vinegar

1 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Combine and blend and you have a perfect dressing, no sodium and not processed. 

 

 

 

 

BLUEBERRIES AND KALE, OH MY.

I started weight watchers again, online. It will help me keep on track and lose my next 40 lbs. I sometimes do not eat enough and this should help me to eat more consistently and break my huge plateau. Losing fifty pounds was easy, now it is time to take this to another level. With my online ww tracking, my running, and my Melissa Bender Fitness workouts this should be what I need to move the scale. I will be talking about my charities and fitness bucket list once I feel back on track, I gained a few pounds on my weekend in Monterey and my plan is to lose that and start there.  Moving to the San Francisco area and my transition has not made my goals as easy as they were in Los Angeles, but I am ready to change that starting today. My first poetry book will be out in a few months and as I awaken with the sun I am reminded that life is beautiful, and I am always ready and willing to evolve and become a better version of myself.  Listening to Sirius XM Metropolitan Opera I am inspired for what is to come. It ain’t over till the former fat lady sings. 

“Recreate your life, always, always.
Remove the stones, plant rose bushes and make sweets.”
Begin again.”
Cora Coralina

KALE AND BLUEBERRIES, OH MY

The two foods I love to put on everything are Kale and Blueberries and they have zero points on weight watchers.

I eat Kale and Blueberries, a lot. I ask for them in my smoothies, and top all of my salads and sandwiches with them, This is why:

1. They are just tasty and delicious. The combo of bitter crunchy greens with sweet succulent blueberries adds a an interesting mix to my sandwiches, salads and smoothies.

2. They are quick and easy. I am all about how fast I can eat something healthy, because I am on the run and live for convenience. Kale can be found pre-washed and bagged and blueberries are easy, no pealing of a messy fruit.
3. I get instant all natural fiber.One cup of Kale has 1.3 grams of fiber and blueberries have 2.4  grams of fiber. Bam, I am getting my fiber in without trying. Making a sandwich with Ezekiel Sprouted Bread just ups the fiber content. Add a little protein and you have a clean eating, nutritious quick meal. I am all about convenience and food on the go. So I can go; go work out, go running.
4. Superfoods are super. Blueberries are little blue anti-aging wonders, loaded with antioxidants, and they reduce inflammation. They are delicious too. Kale is loaded with potassium, B6, Vitamin C. I love the crunch it adds to an unlikely combo of kale and peanut butter on Sprouted Ezekiel Bread. A wonder sandwich without the wonder bread. Wonderful!!
5. They keep me looking young, well that is my story and I am sticking with it. No, really, Kale is loaded with iron which helps with hair loss, and Vitamin C helps with building collagen for skin and hair. Blueberries are an anti inflammatory food, and we all know by now inflammation is not our friend.
This is not a scientific study of course, just my personal observation about two of my favorite foods. I find when you are losing weight, it makes sense to find what you like and stock your fridge with it so you are prepared to move forward in your weight loss endeavors with success. What are your favorite foods? Just go for it, and keep being wonderful.
Love and Light
Rose

5 Things I Did To Start Losing Weight

wetsuit
One of my next items on my fitness bucket list is to surf in the Mighty Pacific. I would never have attempted this if I did not lose weight. I feel completely ageless.Here I am in my first very own wetsuit.

I meet a lot of people, and I talk to everyone. I met someone the other day who was so upset about his weight gain, and after speaking to me he later emailed me about his new resolve to do something about it. I explained to him it is only weight, we can gain weight and we can lose weight. To lose weight just takes a choice, and then action. Now he decided to take action, and I believe he will be a success.

Everyone has that light bulb moment when they decide the time is now to lose weight and become fit. I had two of those moments, but for me it was the second moment that struck a chord. My first moment was in 2011. I went to a Dr. in Beverly Hills who basically fat shamed me to the point of tears. I was walking home weeping and I was stopped by the Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino. He wanted my business card, he said he was interested in putting me in his latest movie. I was crying about the Dr. and blew my one moment. I did not have a business card with me, and because of how belittled I felt from the previous moment I just shared my name with Mr.Tarantino. This is why confidence is so important, opportunity will walk right past you if you do not have the confidence to bring your dreams to a fruition.
Rose Bruno Bailey Before Pictures
My second moment was the one that stuck in 2013. It was 2 years after the Quentin Tarantino moment, and I went to an open mic to read my poetry. I felt great, and I thought I looked great. My friend took a photo of me at the microphone, a photo that made me really look at myself for the first time in a long time. I did not think I was thin or fit, but I had convinced myself I was just a little chubby. I was beyond chubby, I was obese and the scale would soon cement my heavy weight of over 210 lbs. It took a few months but it was that moment when I decided to combine my weight loss efforts with helping others. Two years later, fifty pounds lighter and happier than I have been in a long time. Oh, and I put off my opportunity of getting my poetry book published back in 2013 because I lacked confidence. I am happy I will be a first time author in a few months. No more waiting for life to find me, I am finding life.
colllage
As I am busy finding life I am also trying to break a plateau and move forward with my fitness goals and philanthropy. I have maintained my weight loss and exercise routine. I am now looking into all kinds of adventures as I move forward. It was that  2013 aha moment and the new routine I developed for myself that made me stay the course.
Here are the five things that kick started my weight loss journey
1. It sometimes takes a vulnerable moment to make you change. Do not wallow in the moment, use it to motivate you. Get on the scale, face your demons and tackle those pounds one day at a time. Start today!!
2. Find your tribe. I was in a Richard Simmons video, which introduced me to so many inspirational new friends. My best friend Melissa Bender was my biggest supporter. My new friend Mike Morello offered to help me and train me and he stuck with it even when I whined and complained. The list goes on and on but I never did any of it alone. Do not be afraid to get a little help from your friends new or old.
3.Find what works for your body in regards to exercise and nutrition. I began with Weight Watchers, and soon enough figured about how to eat. I did not really love running until this year thanks to Melissa Bender Fitness and being 50 lbs lighter. Before my weight loss I enjoyed speed walking.  If you love what you are doing you will stick to it. Exercise and eating right is like brushing your teeth. Daily movement and healthy daily eating are the keys to success. Lace up those sneakers and get moving. I once crawled in the dirt and I was horrified, and now I am not only 50 lbs lighter but I am no longer afraid to get dirty and be one with nature. Your journey may change how you view yourself.
4. Weekly weigh ins and keeping a food journal. This will keep you accountable and you can track how you are doing. The largest weight loss is in the beginning.
5. Believe you can do this, and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Keep going, keep moving, and love yourself. Love the body you are in today and know you are headed in the direction of health and self confidence. Trust me it feels amazing.
With love to all enduring the struggle, it is just weight. It comes on, and just as easily it can come off. You just have to work at the weight loss and fitness part. You can do it. It really is all about the work, but the rewards are magnificent.
Namaste’
Rose