Tag Archives: getting over fears

WEIGH IN SATURDAY



Today is weigh in Saturday, and I did a gluten free experiment all week. I swear I feel less bloated and my face looks less puffy. I lost one pound, and I am completely happy about that. That brings my weight to, drum roll please, 170 lbs. I am so close to the 160’s.
I am loving this ride, and I am making it happen. I worked out every day of this month but one, and I am reaching fitness milestones and well as scale wins. My girl push ups are so easy now and the boy push ups are coming along too. 



My charity I am working on is a book drive for children for an organization called Reading To Kids. I will write more about them soon, and include links. I am still a few pounds away but I have started the ground work to this ten pound charity project. I am collecting books to donate and I also plan to volunteer and read to the children. I believe children, especially under privileged children can learn that there is adventure and beauty outside of the four walls they reside in. Books take you far away when you are unable to do so physically, and will inspire when you are old enough to adventure out on your own. The best education and escape can be found in a great book. 


I am off for now, it is the weekend and it is going to be 80 today.  I was supposed to volunteer with Two Hands, To Cans this morning but my co-worker who I was going to ride with had to work this morning, and it is farther than I thought it distance. This is not one of my chosen weight loss charities, just another chance to give back and help the community. I am trying not only to help my chosen charities, but give a little of myself through extra volunteer work here and there.  Two Hands, To Cans has opportunities for volunteering  weekly so I will have another chance to assist their wonderful organization.

I have not driven in years because of fear, and maybe, just maybe, once I tackle all of my other goals I may have to get over that and drive again. It is in my thoughts and one day I might just go for it and leave my fears in the dust. After all I  have decided to be fearless, so this I will have to work on in the not so distant future. 
Fear is the antithesis of everything I stand for.

Love and Light
Namaste’
Rose

THE LONG RUN


Sometimes periods of incredible inspiration and motivation are followed by moments of self doubt. It is like that evil elf sitting on your shoulder telling you, not so fast. You find yourself questioning how you will ever go the distance, and then he has you in the palm of his little charred hand. His hold on you feeds on your insecurities and all of a sudden that motivational high comes down a few pegs. What do you do then? Let him consume you or make a quick get-a-way?


I came home from another electric Richard Simmons class last night. I met a wonderful family from Houston, Texas and my friend Joanna joined me as well. Nothing happened to me to all of a sudden feel anxious yet I do. I need to nip these little feelings of uncertainty immediately. I have no reason to worry I will not go the distance, but reasoning has nothing to do with that other side of you that seems to speak way to loudly to your insecurities.

My plan is to continue to do everything I am doing, and then some. I will not get this fleeting moment of self skepticism get in my way. I will keep up with working out six days a week and tracking my food. I am having one weak moment but I will not let that get in my way to make my goals and My Change For A Ten a success. After all, anything of worth is work, hard work. That includes battling those belated moments of self doubt that seem to high jack your positive thoughts.

I will focus on the process, the slow process, and the charities at the end of each ten pounds. I am doing this for two reasons, for health, and to make a difference in the lives of others. Each day is a brand new opportunity to excel.  I will not let those ugly emotions get the better of me. I am an optimist, sometimes to a fault so I will rely on my usual upbeat demeanor to help me forge forward. Plus I am surrounded by many inspirational people and I continue to meet new people that inspire me with their stories. I silently tell myself  “you got this,” as I listen to one of my favorite bands, The Eagles, and sing along to The Long Run. I am in this for The Long Run. 
Namaste’
Love and Light
Rose

CRAWLING IN THE DIRT


Yesterday was my first workout with my friend/trainer Mike. He was so kind to offer to help me on my quest to be a better version of myself and help others in the process. I will have more information about him at later dates including photos. Let’s just say I am lucky to have supportive people like Mike in my corner as I continue on the path of fitness and weight loss. I am very grateful for that.

We arrived at this lovely little park with machines, a little path and a grassy area. We started with burpees, and I struggled I cannot lie. I actually ran a little, did some speed walking, did all the machines etc and I crawled in the dirt. Did you hear that correctly? This bona fine east coast girlie girl whose sister claims she brought a curling iron camping years ago crawled in the dirt. You know what? It may have felt a little awkward, a little hard to do but it was kind of like being a kid again. You know when you were a kid you were not afraid to get your hands dirty, and by the end of the day all other parts of you were dirty too. When I arrived home I had grass in my hair, and I felt like a kid again. This journey is going to also be an adventure, so why not approach working out like playtime when you were a kid. After all, in some ways I really am a kid at heart.

We continued on with the workout, and it was a bit of a struggle for me to keep up, to catch my breath etc. I am out of shape but that is changing now. I did my best and I will continue to improve as I venture forward. Now when I reflect on the exercises I cannot decipher if they were super difficult or just felt awkward and funny to do. I expected to feel somewhat intimidated working out with a trainer but Mike is so nice that I  felt relaxed. He is nice but not soft and he gets it done. I respect his manner of training very much. He even plans to do my measurements soon, ( more numbers), and a full body assessment including checking my oxygen levels. How cool is that? 

So I crawled in the dirt, and did my stretches in the grass sans mat and loved every minute of it. I am going to do the workout again this week on my own. I probably for now will work out with Mike on Tuesdays schedules permitting but will perform his workout two times a week to start on my own.  It was fun and I can see how it makes you stronger and fit. Luckily I am not too sore as I wake up this morning.  I never expected to feel so liberated with everything I am trying and doing to make My Change for a Ten a success. I am feeling grateful, inspired, liberated and extremely motivated. 
Namaste’
Rose

MONDAY MONDAY

Monday has come again, like it does week after week. As I wake up, I ponder Monday, a not so popular day and word.  I really do not mind you at all, without Monday there would be no Friday to look forward to. So I awaken to coffee and water, and a healthy breakfast to get my day going.  I wish a sincere Happy Monday to all, as I continue on my journey of getting fit, losing weight, and sponsoring a charity with each ten pounds I lose. Yes, it is Monday, but it is ok.

So now another unpopular word. Weight. I have finally posted before photos and if I do say so myself I took more than I would have thought I would. I have lived through the dreaded full body photo.  Now comes the business of posting my beginning weight. It is not such an easy thing to put all of  your digits out into the world. Your age? 46  I have come clean there. Your weight? Ok, so tonight after work I am weighing in at Weight Watchers so my weight will be here tomorrow morning. No more hiding, no silk screens here. I will post my beginning weight each week after weigh in with more photos.

So Monday, and weight. I am facing my  fears and challenges head on and they are not as frightening as one may seem. I can do this, and I feel exuberant as I make my way through my Beautiful Monday. After all,Monday it is just a few days off from Friday.
Namaste’
Rose


HIGH ON RICHARD SIMMONS’ ENERGY


I was up late last night, and my husband basically did not think I would wake up to go to the Richard Simmons exercise class. It was his 65th Birthday yesterday, and today’s class was a special one. You had to be there early to secure a place. I had promised Joanne and Susan from the video shoot that I would be there. It has been on my bucket list since I have moved to Los Angeles, and the icing on the cake was the opportunity to be in his video, but I still wanted to attend his class as well.

I woke up  completely tired and almost decided to stay home. Then I remembered a promise I made to myself, to follow through with everything I say I will do.  So I got myself ready, ate a little oatmeal and fruit and made my way to the Slimmons Studio in Beverly Hills.

The minute I arrived people were already signing in two hours in advance. I met some new lovely people and caught up with Joanne and Susan from the video shoot. The energy in the room was like nothing I have experienced, it was completely electric and Richard wasn’t even in the building yet. People mingled, the music played loud and I swore I was going to jump out of my skin. I had goosebumps.

All of a sudden  Richard Simmons enters the studio, in all of his glory dressed in orange as bright as the sun, and I think he radiates as much energy as the sun. One could bottle this feeling and make a million dollars. I can see why he is considered such an icon. He comes in, yells “Hi Everybody” and basically the room takes off like a firecracker on speed.

We did a dance aerobic routine that made me sweat bullets, and the music was fantastic. It was a mix of old and new. He played Neon Trees, my favorite. Everyone sings along as they move, and I have not had this much fun since my theater and dance days. Then comes the soul train style dancing, when he picks people to go in the middle of the room to dance with him.  He makes the men take off their shirts, and you almost feel like you are either at a strip club or a rock concert. Everyone is moving, sweating, smiling, hooting and hollering. I don’t think I have smiled or laughed that much in ages.

After the aerobics and dance portion, there was free weights and mat work. At the end of the class everyone sits up on their mat and listens to Richard’s motivational speech to wrap up the class. He basically said if something is wrong, change it. Your birthday is not your dead day, it is a birthday so get to living. 

The class ended and Mr Simmons had time for some quick photo ops and then  he was off to finish a portion of his music video. This man is 65 and he is so energetic. I was completely moved, inspired and high on life. I plan to go back, it is literally just blocks from my house.

I left with an extra pep in my step. I exchanged contact information with the wonderful new friends I encountered. I felt like I was walking on a cloud. If anyone is ever in Los Angeles I highly recommend you attend a Slimmons class in Beverly Hills. You will not be sorry. 

This was a perfect way to motivate me to continue on my quest to get to my first ten pounds the healthy fit way, while having fun in the process.  My first week of My Change For A Ten wrapped on a high note, not unlike the voice of Richard Simmons as he yells at you to get moving and sweat. 

Namaste’
Rose

RICHARD SIMMONS VIDEO SHOOT TOMORROW

Today seemed like it was the longest day ever. I went to the Dr. and got the go ahead with my workout plans, went shopping for new workout gear which I have not done in one year. That is a tough one when you are beginning, easy when you start to feel the results of your hard work. Getting over that first hump is the hardest leap to take. Tomorrow I am shooting a DVD with Richard Simmons. I am hoping to get a photo with Mr Simmons. I will tell all tomorrow after the video shoot. I feel it is the perfect beginning to my quest, as he has inspired people for years to be healthy and active. My Mother once said I will live to be 200, and I want to be as healthy as possible and prove her right.

This week I plan on weighing in at Weight Watchers, and I will post my beginning weight. I am a few days late because I was ill but I am starting to feel like my old self again. I will also post a before full body photo or two. I know photos of my face are deceiving, so I will make sure to post those photos by Friday. That is the hardest part in this journey, coming clean and admitting my flaws. Knowing I am helping others in the process takes away the fear of putting myself out there. I am done with fear, and will not have any regrets from here on out. A friend of mine passed away last night, and that reminder of the fragility of life puts everything into perspective. Our time here is short, and I intend to make every precious moment of mine count…living passionately about everything that I am about.  As my late lovely friend Chris Dickerson would say, and so…..goodnight.
Namaste’
Rose