Category Archives: benderfitness

I LOST TEN POUNDS

Happy Monday to all. It’s July, and I love this month. Everything is warm and happy, it’s the best of the summer. I’m starting to really focus on all aspects of my life, and I plan to post more on here what I’m doing to live my best life, and to give back to others and animals. First things first, I lost ten pounds. 

This is the first time I have lost any significant weight in two years. For new readers I slipped back when we moved to Texas from Los Angeles, after losing my Mom and our cat Rascal. It took me a bit to get back to feeling like myself and I believe I am on my way. 

I really enjoy using the WW app to track my points. I have tracked no matter what, it’s important to stay accountable. Another motivational moment for me is when I committed myself to volunteering at Henry’s Home and Horse Sanctuary. They are my first ten pound weight loss charity, and I truly hope to volunteer with them on the regular. I can’t wait to meet the horses and wonderful humans that care for them. Much gratitude to Donna at the sanctuary.  I’m coming for you 20 lbs and a brand new charity, but my intention is to volunteer with the animals long after I pick my next charities. 

My day starts later since I work nights. So right now I’m having coffee as I blog, and after I’m writing down my short-term intentions, and my long-term goals. Some of my long-term goals may seem crazy, but I’m writing them down. Today begins my 30 day yoga challenge with Melissa Bender Fitness, so after I’m done writing I’m stepping on the mat. I will begin with gratitude in the moment, and stay present and grounded. Lots of positive changes are happening, and it all begins first in positive thoughts. 

Follow the 30 day yoga challenge, here is the link to what I’m doing. Melissa is my best friend and also I look up to her as a mentor too. Love and light and reach for the stars. Rose http://www.benderfitness.com/2016/10/daily-yoga-challenge-10-sun-salutations.html

Weight Watchers Online

Sometimes you need help and guidance. I recently started working out with my personal trainer Bethany, my best friend Melissa Benderfitness has amazing fitness and yoga videos I follow, but I was struggling with food. I finally caved in after realizing I can’t do it alone and I joined Weight Watchers Online and downloaded the app. They now call themselves WW and their latest program is called freestyle. It focuses on good nutrition but no food is outlawed.

I’m vegan but occasionally I like vegan fun foods, I can lose weight, have my vegan cake and eat it too. Portion control will help me feel in control, and I will learn to focus again on clean nutrition but not freak out if I have a little vegan treat once in a while. For me WW gives me power over food, anyone who suffers eating disorders understands the power food can have over you. I can’t live like that any longer. Today is my day two and I feel great. This program is livable and sustainable.

My  journey includes fitness. I am doing cardio five to six days a week. I’m working out with my trainer once a week, but soon as I learn what she’s teaching me I will do the workouts 2-3 times a week plus Melissa Benderfitness videos and yoga. I’m on this. I try to do my cardio outdoors when I can, there’s nothing like mobile meditation with nature as your backdrop. Below is me in May 2017 right before my Mom passed away and our move from LA to Houston.  I was in great shape, I did it once, I’m going to do it again. 

Well I’m off for now. I picked a charity for my next ten pound weight loss. I will post soon, I want to use the laptop for that so I can include all of their links. Monday I weighed in at 184.4. It’s ok, I got this. Love and Light to all. We are on this journey together, we can lift each other up as we each go about trying to reach our destinations. The journey is the reward. 

 

 

 

GOALS

Happy Friday to all. As I start anew I’m starting to set goals again. Im fighting some fatigue this second time around, I work late and usually I don’t get to bed late. I may do a lot of my workouts at 11 or 12 midnight since I’m so wired after work. My fatigue only hits me in the morning when I wake up, so prepping meals and giving myself time to wake up and have a morning routine before work is easier for me and my schedule. 

I am so blessed to have Bethany as my trainer, and to have Melissa Bender Fitness videos and guidance. I may join WW online to help me with my food monitoring. It’s a great program and it takes the fear away of food being good vs bad, it’s all food. As a vegan I’m trying to make sure I get everything I need, but WW will help with little splurges within reason. It helps keep me from binges. I’m signing up Monday. Today I weighed in at 183 lbs. 

My trainer Bethany and Melissa Bender Fitness are the experts,  but as a former dancer and this being my second go at fitness, I do have a lot of knowledge about proper form and the body. I’m beginning my studying for the American Council of Exercise group exercise certification, and I hope to take the exam in the fall. After being in the Richard Simmons Video, and taking two classes with him weekly I was so inspired. I thought, this is what I love, I can do this to. So my plan is to pass the exam and teach upbeat, inspirational dance aerobics classes like he did. I’m a dancer and this is in my heart and soul, it’s the one thing missing from my life. Once a dancer, always a dancer. I will leave the heavy exercise to the professionals, and do that only as a student and not a teacher. My plan is to learn to teach all the areas I excel in, stretching, dance, etc. I’m really excited about this new chapter and I have quite a lot of work to do to get there. 

I have chosen a new charity to get involved with once I lose ten pounds. I’m going to first lose 3 more pounds since I went up 3 lbs since Easter. So when I reach 170 lbs I will be volunteering alongside my trainer Bethany at a local non-profit near and dear to my heart. I will announce this Monday, the day I join WW online and do another weigh in. We also plan to register for a 5k locally and take a yoga class. I’m dying to study ballroom but unfortunately that’s not on my budget at the moment. More goals to come but I think this is a good head start.

It’s Mothers Day weekend and I wish everyone who is a Mother a Happy Mothers Day. That includes all the wonderful women who take care and love their companion animals. It’s your Mothers Day too. Happy Unconditional Love Day. Mothers Day and May 21st are not easy days for me, since I lost my Mom May 21st 2017. I send love and hugs to my sisters who feel exactly like I do, and all of you who also lost a beloved Mother. My Mother would expect me to keep going and never give up on my goals. She would always say to keep trying, all they can say is no. 

Love and Light 

Rose

 

MY DAILIES

Fall nine times, get up ten.

These are my dailies. I just committed to really try to post daily everything in regards to this brand new journey. I am starting from scratch and my plan is to be a much better version of myself at the time of my winter solstice birthday December 21st. I am not looking behind at past successes and failures, I am now striving to be completely forward thinking. I may start a Youtube channel with one video a week but for now below are my dailies. Of course there will be more but this is the basics that I plan to really stick to. One Hour workout, it may be one hour of cardio and some days my benderfitness workouts combined with TRX, yoga, weights and cardio. No rest days, on rest days I will take a long walk but I need to keep it going or I will quit. I am all or nothing. I also plan to workout on some days around midnight since I work nights.

My food lifestyle is vegetarian but I eat mostly vegan and my days are mostly raw foods. This may sound confusing. I am vegan 95% but if I am out I allow flexibility, In example I am going to a dinner party tomorrow and the host asked how I eat, my husband James responded vegetarian so tomorrow I will do my best to be vegan. On work days I eat mostly raw foods, I am not 100% raw but I am learning so much. I don’t think I can be 100% raw but I like incorporating more fresh and raw living foods into my lifestyle. I will do a post later about which online  raw foods influencer I am following for inspiration. I am also counting my calories on the LoseitApp. I am trying to stay under 1,300 calories daily. The calories help me incorporate foods on occasion without blowing my plan. My online food journal is a must.

The good, the bad, and the ugly. I will post every single day. I need to learn to post from my Iphone. I am not going to get into SEO’s and things I am not familiar with. I have time constraints and my plan is to document this journey and get inspired by those doing the same. To learn from others, experts and people going through similar challenges in life. I will blog and countdown to my winter solstice birthday every single day. I hope to hire someone to help me fix up my page to make it more user-friendly and to learn more about WordPress. In the meantime, I am present and in the moment. Today is day two, and my workout today will be late after work. No excuses. 

My husband James and I are working together to become better versions of ourselves. We are using affirmations and positive self dialogue. No more calling myself fat, or diminishing a complement when someone is kind enough to give one. There is a business center here in our complex and we plan to hold manifestation meetings at least once a week. I also plan to treat myself to swimming and the hot tub, feels so good after working out. Less television time and more doing. 

That is the basic plan. There are a lot of goals I am working on, some financial, personal, creative, and some to do with family and friends. This is the basic weight loss and fitness plan I am doing. Let me know how you get back to working on weight loss and fitness goals after a long hiatus.

It has been way too long, and I am so happy I am back. I promise despite my struggles and the nuances of life I will be accountable here and keep up my dailies. I also want to get back to doing charities so Monday is my day off, I will be making phone calls.

With love and Light

Rose

 

 

STARTING OVER

Happy Thursday and happy health to all.

I had an epiphany yesterday. I have been held back by my ego, my vision and memories of all my weight loss success I had on this blog. I was really doing it, than life literally kicked me in the caboose.

To move forward I have to realize it is for my health and fitness, and accept I slipped. I need to quit focusing on my appearance and do it because it is what I love and the end reward is health. Of course looking great is a bonus but I am not going to put the emphasis on my appearance. Looking at photos from one year ago just makes me sad and stagnate. I finally had my husband James take new before photos and I plan to really get to work on my fitness. These are the only before photos I will take for three months. 

It has been a year and I gained thirty of the sixty pounds I lost. I also lost my fit body because honestly I have not lifted a weight in a year and my cardio sessions have not been consistent. I own it all and now I am starting completely brand new. This blog is now my new journey with my starting weight of 188 lbs.

We got some bad news the past week,more than one bout with bad news. That’s the thing about bad news when it is about other people than yourself, you have to keep it private even on a public forum as a blog. So not only am I starting over, I am starting over after life decided to kick but again. It is ok, kick me down and I will stand back up. 

My tools for working out this time around are simple. Melissa Bender Fitness, my hubby James who works out daily, and the gym and pool where I live. Everything else is up to me this time around. Making it happen this time after all of the challenges is going to mean so much more. I am not yet on hypothyroidism meds and I am trying to tackle this without it for now.

Here are the photos, no more shame. I own this and will succeed round two. I admit looking at these brings tears to my eyes. That is motivation enough to push hard. Thank you to all for the support and I hope I can start losing weight again and help some charities along the way. Love, light and truth. 

WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY 2.0

Happy Tuesday to all. Today officially begins the second round of my weight loss journey and this blog. It is a brand new beginning. I am not looking back, I am looking forward. There are a lot of thoughts that occupy my mind but I refuse to let the negative ones take up my precious mental space. One thought that comes to mind is that blogging has changed so much since I began in 2013. Everyone seems to have professional blogs and sometimes I feel like my little weight loss blog doesn’t seem to fit anymore. I do not have professional equipment, heck I need a new computer and a new phone. When I began in 2013 I didn’t even have a cell phone. That didn’t work out for me so I decided to venture into the modern world and I have not looked back. I have noticed a lot of blogs and their Instagram pages seem to also have professional photos. So, what am I to do, wait until I have all of these material items or like my Mom would say, “suck it up kid and just do it.”

No negative thoughts, this is my blog and my journey and I do not like to put things off. Life is too short. So Here I am, day one with a lot of blessings that I have to be able to begin a brand new healthy lifestyle. Instead of looking at the negative reasons I do not fit, I am listing the things I am grateful for. These things help me as I begin my healthy lifestyle again. Weight loss journey 2.0

  1. I learned so much the first time around, my best friend is fitness blogger and I can do her workouts at home anytime. Check her out at www.benderfitness.com
  2. I know my body, and what it needs. I simply stopped doing it, but I know the ins and outs of nutrition and how to live a healthy lifestyle. I live a plant-based lifestyle and I really have learned in the past to treat my body like a temple and not a trash can. I am just relearning my former healthy habits.
  3. I may not have all the fancy equipment, but I do have a phone, a computer; and I live in an apartment community that has a two level gym, a pool and a jacuzzi, a computer room among other amenities. I can utilize these gifts for my blogging experience. I also live in an area that is amazing to run in. The weather is mostly warm and I should have no excuses going forward. Gratitude before grumpy excuses.
  4. Plant based and transitioning to Veganism in Houston sounds crazy, and in a way it is. HEB is the best grocery store with so many healthy options. I cannot say how happily surprised I am with their selection for so many types of healthy lifestyles. Vegan in Texas?  Heck yeah, with the help of HEB. 
  5. My husband James. Having someone on board is huge. He is really into working out and cardio, and is open-minded to transitioning to a plant-based diet. He walks the walk, and we work out together. He even paid for me to get my group exercise instructor Certification with The American Council of Exercise. I passed my CPR and my exam is on August 27th. I am so grateful to be married to my best friend and that we mirror each other’s stride.

So, excuses be damned. I am in it to win it, and my prize is a healthier me. Day one done and done. Here we go!!

Love and Light

STARTING OVER

I Have taken to grinding my teeth, which means I have a lot of stress to deal with.  In the last six months I lost my way on this blog and my weight loss journey; my Mother’s passing, a move away from California and a very sick cat left me with thirty extra pounds. I did the unthinkable, I gained half my weight back. This post is not to complain about the changes and stress that I encountered. This post is me facing my weight gain and getting back to blogging and losing weight. I know what to do, it just took me a while to find my way back to me. Half the battle is facing the music head on, admitting it happened and making the necessary changes to get back on track. My name is Rose and I went from 159 lbs in May of 2017 to 189 lbs as of Today November 29th 2017. For the sake of blogging I am going to say I am 190 it is easier to manage the numbers.

Today is my real day one, I am starting over.  I am going to lose my first ten pounds of the thirty I gained. I am going to do my food drive when I lose the ten pounds. I am back to committing to a charity and committing to myself and my health. I couldn’t be more motivated. It took me six months to get here but here I am, ready to get to work. Each day I workout and eat healthy I will collect a can to be donated when I lose my first ten pounds.

How am I going to do it? How did you do it? These are questions I am often faced, but I am in unfamiliar territory having had the moment when I slipped up and lost my momentum. I spent six months eating foods on a regular basis that normally I would only eat as a treat. I also ate a lot of carbs. I know my body and what diet works best for my body type. This is not my first rodeo. I am doing what I always did successfully but I am doing a do over.

Exercise, I am doing cardio mostly walking nightly on the treadmill after work with my husband James. We call it date night. We are getting healthy together and getting back eating mostly plant-based and lower carbohydrate and some lean protein for me. I am also doing body weight exercise based workouts from Melissa Bender Fitness and in a few weeks when I feel ready I plan to tackle the machines at the gym. I plan to run three times a week and Yoga and stretching to round it out. I am also working a server job again, which helps because it is an active job and I can bring home healthy salads and fish dishes.

Here it goes, I got on the scale, all the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone. I have my challenges but that is life. Dealing with my weight gain head on with diet and working out will only help me with these challenges. I also plan to post more often, and some posts will just be quick updates with no fancy writing. I plan to plan to be here and be accountable. Less photos for now and more of the struggles we all face. I will save my writing for publications and photos for when I start losing again. For now it is all about the hard work. I have a slow computer and my goal is to be here and get it done and get to work on my fitness. There will be time later when I get a faster pc for more photo uploads when I start losing again. No excuses.

There is no shame in admitting you stumbled, there is no shame in admitting you fell on your face. Can you get up? Stand back up? Fall nine, get up ten. I am getting back up, my self esteem is bruised but soon it will heal.

After all, we are all human. I found out how human I really am. I also remembered feeling strong, fit and healthy feels better than eating pie.

Love and Light, 

Namaste’

Rose

 

 

I GOT A NEW ATTITUDE

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.

Maya Angelou

That quote sums up what I need to do since I moved from my beloved West Hollywood CA to Houston, Texas. It’s time to make radical changes in my thoughts and attitude. I am starting over fresh, in this blog and my goals; to commit to posting at least every other day and to start over in my weight loss/fitness journey. As soon as I settle in I will be looking for new charities to help again. No more complaining I miss California, as I plan to embrace all of the positives of where I am living at the moment. I have landed in Texas, but I plan to take off in my goals and dreams. This is a gift of a new beginning. There is beauty when you open your eyes and look for beauty.

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Since 2014, We moved from LA to San Francisco, from San Francisco to LA, and recently from LA to Houston. That is one move a year. My husband James was unemployed for over a year and my Mother passed away recently. Sometimes I am surprised we are both still standing. That was a lot of changes and a lot of new beginnings, but each new beginning is just that; a new beginning. Life happens, we adjust, we falter; and we finally pick up the broken pieces and put them back together again. We figure it out. I am doing that now, I am figuring it out.

For the first time since I began this blog I gained weight. It started with 6 lbs and went up to 13 lbs. I realized I needed to go back to #weightwatchersonline before it was too late. It’s been one week and tomorrow is my first weigh in day. Starting over again at 173 lbs. I went from 159 lbs up to 173 lbs but now the scale will be moving in my favor again. The goal is to treat this blog as brand new, with new excitement and ideas. 

Today I met with a friend I know from The Richard Simmons community who also happens to be an author. It was an inspirational lunch, and I got my copy of her book signed. She even brought me a copy of her children’s book that just came out. Her first book, An Exodus From Obesity is filled with so much insight from someone who lost a lot of weight. Wisdom, inspiration and life’s lessons. I also picked up a copy of The Alchemist. Everyone who read it said it was life changing literature. It is just what I need for my new tomorrow.

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To Tomorrow, and new beginnings and life’s changes. Out with the old and in with the new.

Namaste’

Rose

RUN, WALK, CRAWL

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”
Dean Karnazes

I watched a bird walking the other day, he stepped with one foot ever so slowly, and stepped out with the other foot; walking without a care in the world at his own pace. He is not on a schedule, he is just walking tuned into his own rhythm. No worrying about the pace of another bird, he is just free in his graceful moment. 

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I feel in weight loss, fitness and running we often compare ourselves to others. Sometimes we feel we cannot compete so why bother. I am here to tell you it doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing. Yes, we should cheer them on and be happy for them, but at the same time everyone has a different journey.  If you commit to something just commit to doing it to the best of your ability. Do not mind what others think, and I think you will be surprised at the amount of support you get on your road to fitness and new health. 

Today I joined a Monday running club. I have navigated so many changes recently it left my head spinning, than I took a spill last week and that almost left me down for the count. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to run today but with the help of my new Saucony running shoes I was able to run a 5K this evening. Of course I ran at my own speed and listened to my body. I also met one of the veteran runners and she gave me a piece of runner’s wisdom; there is no fast or slow just your own personal pace. She also runs a Thursday running club I may join soon.

Tonight I will ice my knee and stretch but I am so proud I ran my first personal 5K since the move to Houston. There will be time for me to work on my speed, but today I am happy that I ran 3.1 miles without stopping. I am happy in the moment. No matter what your level is, be happy in the moment. You are doing more than you did yesterday, be proud and pat yourself on the back. I am working with Melissa Bender Fitness to get back to a formal workout and running schedule. Today I am proud in my moment, I put one foot in front of the other and ran to my own rhythm.

If you spend your time looking back at everyone else you will never cover any distance, keep your eye on your path. You can do it and I can do it. Here is to the beginners, the novices, the people who are starting over as well to those who are faster and inspire us to keep going. Here’s to each and every one of us.  Hurrah to day one. Are you with me? Let’s see where this new path goes. Happy Monday to all.  Let’s do this.

Namaste’ 

Rose

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WEIGHT LOSS AFTER LOSS

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Losing a loved one knocks you down,and then you get back up and the memories knock you over again. It is a never-ending cycle, this grief stuff. I guess I just need to navigate my way around the emotional grenades and go on, and we must go on. 

Losing weight after losing a loved one, this is what is on my mind at the moment. Nothing knocked me down, nothing until I lost my Mother. I made it to my lowest weight on this journey, 159 lbs and I did it through a move from LA to San Francisco, my husband’s job loss and a move back to LA. I kept going through all of those life changes, and life did not break me and I never gained a pound. I kept losing and I am proud to say I did it, until the last month.

Now life after losing my Mother left me with a few pounds of extra weight. I admit I fell of the wagon. That’s the thing about wagons, they keep going, you just have to catch up and jump back on. I am committing to my healthy lifestyle and workouts and goals, it is not easy now. Our new kitchen is barely set up but I can do this. It starts today, I know how to do this and I know how to get to where I am going. I am back on the wagon and on the road to all of my goals. I will lose the 10 lbs I gained and get to my goals.

I am about to run to the grocery store, my hubby James is working and we need something healthy to eat. I am going to wear my runners belt and run there even with this heat and humidity. I plan on making a schedule soon, and tomorrow I have an interview to work in a local restaurant for some extra cash for my goals and our new life. I will post my workout/running/yoga schedule once I begin my job and new routine. No more slacking off. 

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I would love to know how you kept working towards your goals through a life crisis. What tips do you follow to keep at it? We are all here to inspire each other.

So much love and Light

Rose