Tag Archives: Looking back

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

Happy New Year to all.  I am really looking forward to accomplishing all of my goals in 2015, and I am extremely excited for what is to come. I feel to move forward it is always good to take a glance behind and know where you are coming from. I am a firm believer in reflecting on what was so you can learn from your successes and failures.

Here are a couple photos from my 2014, mostly photos to show my weight loss and fitness accomplishments.  I am grateful to all who helped shape my journey and I feel blessed to have encountered so many amazing souls. My trainer Mike pictured below with his dog Apollo, changed my path for this project. I assumed I would exercise by speed walking, take some dance classes and help make a difference by sponsoring a charity with each ten pounds I lost. Mike offered to train me and opened up my mind and introduced me to a fitness world beyond my dreams, and I am forever grateful to him for his time, expertise, and friendship. Now it is time for me to go forward on my own. A new direction but still on the same journey,  Onward and upward in 2015. 

Love and Light

Namaste’

Rose

colllage

MY CHANGE FOR A TEN: RICHARD SIMMONS CLASS BIRTHDAY BASH PHOTOS 2013

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICHARD SIMMONS
We miss you.

There I was back in July 2013.

Here I am exactly one year later, 42 lbs lighter. I have met so many amazing friends in this past year, words cannot express how grateful and blessed I feel to have encountered such wonderful people.  This post is actually a repost of photos from Richard Simmons Birthday class at Slimmons one year ago. 

In honor of his birthday I am reposting them, and wishing Richard a wonderful 66th birthday. 

Happy Weekend to all. I glance back, and envision the road ahead of me.
Love and Light to all.
Namaste’
Rose

MY CHANGE FOR A TEN: RICHARD SIMMONS CLASS BIRTHDAY BASH PHOTOS

LOOKING BACK AND FORWARD

It has been one year since I began this project and blog, and I am so happy where I am and where I am going, my journey is far from over. One year ago I was just too embarrassed to post my weight and before photos, and my trainer Mike explained to me to be authentic I have to come clean even if it feels awkward. One year later I am so happy I have those photos to chart my progress, and even though I am trying now to focus on fitness I am glad I have a before weight as well. Now at 167 lbs,  It is fun to look back, and  look forward into the future as I envision where this is leading me. I am reaching for the clouds.

This week I worked out with my Trainer Mike on Tuesday and Wednesday and we are really pushing it now, and I admit this week I struggled a little. I was running late on Tuesday and did not eat enough, and I am discovering the role nutrition plays on your workouts. I was a bit sluggish and off, and on Wednesday I ate more but I got a little sick to my stomach. Sometimes I notice if I eat too much right before my workouts, or if I drink too much water it affects me in a not so positive way. So now I am on a quest to find what works, a year later for tougher workouts. Mike is completely patient with me, and I am grateful for his guidance and knowledge, he is an excellent teacher and I cannot believe one year as gone by. 

I am still trying to collect books for my book drive, and I have two bags of beautiful books thanks to generous and talented friends. I need to hang more flyer’s and get many more. I am in no rush to do so, my goal is to get as many books as humanly possible. My next charity will be announced after the books are delivered to Reading to Kids.

Last night was one of those nights when I needed sleep bad, and now today I feel completely renewed and refreshed. I am always learning and evolving in my quest to be as fit I can be. Sleep is one of those things when you are expelling so much energy that is non negotiable. Do not skimp on sleep ever.

Happy Thursday and keep moving forward.
Love and Light to all
Namaste’
Rose

One year ago I posted my first before photos, and here they are now.

JULY  10, 2013

JULY 10, 2013


ALMOST ONE YEAR GRATITUDE ( introducing my trainer for one year Mike)

It is Friday the 13th, and I cannot believe it is June already. In one month it will be the one year anniversary of this project and blog. I feel I have accomplished so much, and I have come so far but I did not do this alone. I am very grateful to the wonderful new friends and all the support I have as I continue on my journey. It may have almost been a year, but for me it has only just begun.



I began this thinking I would speed walk, diet, and then return to dance classes and at the same time assisting various charities. I never dreamed of the things my body could do, or would do, or would even endeavor to do.  I never knew what this body of mine was capable of. I am now 40 lbs down, but I have gained fitness knowledge, strength, and endurance. I did a 10K,A Richard Simmons Video, and I am conquering my fitness/adventure bucket list. I can plank for 3 minutes, do burpees and push- ups and more. I feel ageless, invincible, fit, strong, and free. I am reaching for the clouds.

I have to give a huge thank you to my friend and Trainer Mike who has taught me so much about fitness, and guided my way. He is more like a teacher and a coach than a trainer to me, and I am so thankful for this last year of working out with him, and more to come. He is one of my fitness inspirations, he is doing a triathlon in Malibu in September. At first he asked me to do it as well, it is amazing when you have someone training you that totally believes in your ability to conquer even the biggest goals. We work out twice a week at the park,  I call it Mobile Meditation because you work out side by side with the trees, the clouds overhead, and a refreshing breeze that makes it all worth while. There are dogs everywhere and I admit to giving in to the cute canine distractions as I plank and a cute dog licks my face. I have taken many breaks because of the friendly dogs.

Now the workouts are getting harder, and Mike is pushing me. He knows how to strike the best balance between pushing someone and holding back so they do not get injured. It is an honor to have him in my corner as I continue on my journey. Anyone who trains with Mike is very lucky. His expertise, kindness, and motivation have truly helped me to get to where I am today. 
The journey continues, the destination a little elusive but I am chasing down my dreams and never too proud to say thank you to those who have guided my steps.

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

One regret is I never took the time to do my measurements and fat caliber, and the gym does it for free. Better late than never, I am going to get it done asap and go from there. I know I have lost inches, and since I want to lose 40 more lbs it is definitely not to late to have this done.

Off for my day. I am doing my book drive and tomorrow taking a few hours of my time to go read to the children at a local elementary school for Reading To Kids. Life is beautiful, embrace it. There is inspiration everywhere, you just have to open your eyes and look.
Love and Light
Namaste’
Rose


2013 YEAR IN REVIEW PART ONE

As the end of the year dawns I find myself lamenting on all of the moments, good and bad. At the start of 2013 I was not in a happy place. I started working for the first time at Seasons 52 in Century City CA, and while this job would later prove to be an instrument in many of my positive changes that were to come later in the year; at the time it created a time management problem. I ceased all yoga and working out and let myself go.  At the start of the New Year my weight had risen to an all time high, I was 207 lbs. I refused to let anyone take a picture of me that was full body. I had tried to hide my weight gain to everyone, especially to myself. Denial is common with weight gain.



For me, confidence and weight go hand in hand. My confidence was at an all time low. In NYC I had attended poetry readings and open mics frequently and I loved reading my poetry in front of an audience. Here in California I refused to read publicly, I did not feel like myself and did not wish to put myself out there. As a former dancer I mourned my dancing days, and I felt full of regret. I had taken a self esteem dive, and I was drowning in the after affects of the tsunami that my overweight sense of self had created. I did attend one poetry reading with my wonderful friend Xiomara, and this photograph above would help me take a long hard look at myself. It would be months before I had the courage to make positive changes, A storm was literally about to brew.


The last weekend of January I noticed our beloved tabby cat Stormy was not eating. I immediately took her to the veterinarian, and within a day she was diagnosed with renal failure. James and I were walking zombies, but we made the decision to try to give her a chance with home fluids. She deteriorated fast, and on that Thursday she passed away in our bed. It was a surreal moment, we heard a cat rustling around in the living room and a meow come from that direction and minutes later she was gone. We believe she was telling us that she was ok and it was time to go. 2013 had a cruel beginning. We were completely crushed, to us pets are family. Our family unit was broken, and we were truly devastated. Picking up the pieces would take a few months of healing and love.



A lot of the love came from our friends and family. The out pour of support was so comforting. The staff at Trader Joe’s in West Hollywood gave us a Dragon Plant for healing. We burned sage, had the apartment professionally cleaned and bought new bedding. We were told to do all of these things to clear out the sickness and negativity that lingered. It did seem to lighten up the space. 

Our other cat Rascal was grieving too, so in April we decided to adopt our second Siamese cat Spanky. Spanky was found by a wonderful couple in Long Beach, and we made the trek to bring him to his forever home. We would always love and miss Stormy but we felt Rascal needed a companion.  We love Spanky with all of our hearts, he is a quirky yet loving cat. We were finally starting to see some light again.



In May we decided a get-a-way was badly needed, so we booked a weekend in San Diego at the Grand Hyatt Regency. Trains are my favorite way to see the country, so we took Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner all the way to San Diego. The Grand Hyatt Regency was an amazing experience.  We received the best service and a room with a beautiful view of the bay. We took the ferry over to Coronado Island and visited the famous Hotel Del Coronado, where the film Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe was filmed. Getting away was just what I needed to inspire me to move forward with my goals. Sometimes you need to get away to see your life from a different vantage point. You relax, rejuvenate and are able to see the possibilities that await back home….. 


My New Year’s resolutions for 2013 would take six months to begin, but better late than never.