Tag Archives: overcoming obstacles

ZEN NEW LOOK

My body is my temple, my spirit is my paradise within


Happy Sunday to all. James my husband suggested I change the look of my blog, a fresh look for a new year and a new life in San Francisco. This is what I have decided on for now. I may change it again, but I do like the zen quality of the color of sea foam green. I am taking everything to another level and a fresh face lift on my blog is just what I need.


Today is day 8 of month one of the three months of Melissa Bender Fitness Bikini Prep workouts. I will also do my cardio. It is a sleepy Sunday and I have not taken a rest day in over ten days. I finally made a Dr. appointment for next week to have my toes looked at. I have one injured toe on my right foot, and I actually lost a toe nail on my left foot and the one underneath is bruised too. I think my shoes are too large and it may be causing me major issues with my workouts and cardio. Challenges do not slow me down though. I adjust and get through the obstacle courses that come my way. 

Off for now. Wishing everyone a beautiful and zen Sunday.
Love, Light, and Peace
Namaste’
Rose


MONDAY UPDATE

Good Morning to all. I weighed in on Saturday and went up a pound. I did everything right so this frustrates me. I am trying so hard to get into the 160’s and be at my next ten pound charity. I am going to focus of my fitness goals and my charities I plan to help. I will get there, it will just take some time. My current weight is 171. I just want to make it into the 160’s in two weeks when I head to Phoenix AZ.

My Thursday workout with Mike was awesome. My workouts have become faster and more challenging, but they are a lot of fun. Mike has be doing a circuit, the ropes, burpees, push ups, boxing and kicking, then running back and doing it over and over. In workout language they call those sets I think. It is a lot of fun and I am grateful to him. I workout with him again tomorrow, and we are working on my running once again. 

We had an earthquake and I freaked out a bit. I am not used to them and I really was scared. I did not sleep at all on Friday night but I still made it to the Charity Boot Camp for 2 Hands 2 Cans taught by Corey Sousa of Revline Fitness. It is such a wonderful cause and I had a blast. A year ago I would not have been able to even do the boot camp. I met some great people and discovered a beautiful park near my house. The Pan Pacific Park is so lovely, I want to go back and bring my mat and do some outdoor yoga. Off for the day, work and walking and workout later.
Have a beautiful Monday
Love and Light
Rose

Here is a link to the facebook page of 2 Hands 2 Cans founded by Chris Willard.With the gang from 2 Hands 2 Cans.

https://www.facebook.com/2Hands2Cans

Some photos of the Boot Camp for Charity for 2 Hands 2 Cans


The gang from 2 Hands 2 cans
Masha from 2 Hands 2 cans
Kerry and friend
Founder Chris Willard
Trainer Corey Sousa from Revline Fitness

Kerry Flowers and me




WEIGH IN SATURDAY

I will be a steadfast and strong in my endeavors as this majestic tree.
Graceful and timeless.



Good afternoon and Happy Saturday to all. This week was a little different from my routine, I kept up all of my exercise and yoga, and I even got a ballet class in. I was out of town last weekend, so that through a wrench in my routine so to speak, and my trainer Mike was out of town this week.  Last week I was so happy I lost 3 more pounds bringing my weight loss up to 35 lbs. I am due for that monthly visitor, it is the end of the month and I gained 2 pounds. I know the scale goes up and down and I refuse to be upset. A few weeks the scale goes down and all of a sudden it goes back up. It is natural and since I am decided to focus on my fitness I am not going to stress about it. Scale fluctuations happen especially for my women of my age.

I will in shame admit I did something yesterday that was stupid and may have contributed to my small gain. I fell back into a day of eating disorder mentality. I hardly ate any real food on Friday and I did not drink enough water. I woke up with a headache and I realized that is the most stupid and insane thing to do ever to your body. I am a work in progress and I am not perfect but I am growing and learning from this project. To admit my mistakes, trials and tribulations is not an easy thing to do. I have opened up therefore I will be completely honest with everything I do, the good and the bad. I will not do that again, I promise myself this. The only way to healthy loss is to eat clean and not skip meals, exercise and be patient. Rome was not built in a day and losing weight is a marathon and not a sprint. I slipped up one day, caught myself and now I am back on track the healthy way.

This week my focus is on my nutrition and trying not to skip meals, and on my fitness progress. I also have to so some more research on future charities and giving back endeavors. Mike is back in town this week so I will be back to my Tuesday and Thursday workouts with him, and I am joining Francie Wednesday at Equinox in Beverly Hills, in addition to everything else I am doing. I am off for now, time to eat some healthy whole foods that nourish my body and well as my spirit. Taking a moment to meditate and manifest all that is good in the universe.

Love and Light and Happy Weekend
Rose

WEIGH IN SATURDAY

Gaining my composure after one stressful week, I plan to stand tall and graceful as my beloved trees.



Good Morning to all, and Happy Chinese New Year and the first day of February. Today feels like another new beginning to me, leaving this week behind. Last year at this time we lost our beloved cat Stormy, and this week has been a hectic and stressful week. Coincidence? Well, I have put the stress behind me and I look forward to regaining my zen and composure. 

Stormy doing her downward dog. I cannot think of that week one year ago, when I do tears take over.



I weighed in today, and I went up a pound. I know it is probably water weight. I am due for that monthly visitor and I did eat more sodium than usual this week. I had a few vegetarian products that taste delicious, and are low in fat and calories but so high in salt. I will try to limit those from here on out. My weight is now 175 lbs, and I hope to lose this water weight asap.

I admit I did not track my food and points, this week I will be diligent about that. It is amazing how worry and stress can overcome your plans and leave you vulnerable for slip ups. This week I shall breathe, drink my water, and make sure I am not skipping my meals. My workouts demand fuel and I should know better after all of this time. I am human so it is natural to have off weeks, I just need to nip it in the bud so to speak and start anew right now at this very moment in time. 

Wishing you a beautiful Saturday. Love, and Light. Onward and upward.
Namaste’
Rose




POOLSIDE MUSINGS



Is any encounter with a stranger ever random or is it a deliberate piece of a much larger puzzle with answers to the never ending riddle that is life?  Are we being tested every time we have a chance meeting with someone we do not know? Do we engage with the stranger, or simply walk away with our own agendas to fulfill?  We live such busy lives and we are more tuned in thanks to technology, but does that keep us from face to face interactions with others? Inspiration sometimes comes from unlikely sources, but if we walk around with blinders on our eyes and earplugs tuning out all outside noise how will we ever hear? We are blind and deaf and therefore missing out on the greatest messages of life. Listen to the wind whispering secrets of the trees, hear the harp of the birdsong up above. It is all there for the taking, you just have to look up from the screen that has held hostage of your time and make eye contact with someone who may mesmerize your life. You never know who is walking in your direct path if you do not look up every once in a while and smile. You may find the loveliest gifts from sharing hellos with your fellow creatures of the universe. 

Today I felt compelled to go to the pool and change my daily workout routine. I was meant to be there at that time and place. The minute I stepped my foot into the pool my eyes caught the eyes of Maggie, the subject of the essay I wrote months ago. Maggie was one of the last survivors of the Holocaust, and her stories had me spellbound. I also had the privilege of meeting Joseph her husband, and today he was at the pool as well. They wondered where I have been, and what I was up to these last few months. Maggie was telling me stories about Budapest and Europe once again. We were speaking of height and I complained I am too short, and Maggie reminded me that the best things in the world come small, like diamonds. I consider them my friends and I was very happy to see them and I promised I would see them again soon. My essay inspired by Maggie was recently picked for publication by Elephant Journal, so seeing her and her husband was kismet. 

After they left I did my water workout, and I found that water is a great medium to stretch in. My dancer’s pose comes with more ease in the water. When I was a ballet dancer the teachers would tell us to practice our leaps in water. Water is great for fitness, and it is completely cleansing as well. When in water this serenity washes over me and all of my thoughts become as clear as the pool water. Peace personified, swimming does that for me. Blue sky above as I float away with my cares of the day.

I had an encounter with another elderly lady, this poor soul seemed so troubled and picked me to talk to. Her 100 year old Mother had passed away recently and she was devastated and told me she felt alone in the world. My heart bled for her, and I tried to comfort her to the best of my ability. She was an eccentric artist and a painter and she had some interesting stories to share. I looked into her crystal blue eyes and wished her peace and happiness, feeling bad that I could not do more for her. There was such a lost look in those eyes, and I cannot forget the look she gave me when I had to leave. She actually apologized to me for chatting my ears off and questioned if I would ever talk to her again. I reassured her that I truly enjoyed conversing with her and I would look for her next time.

I often wonder if we are tested from above. To see how we will react, to see if we choose to do good with our time or walk along in our own narcissistic path of self indulgence. I have had many encounters in my life, which make me think we are being tested from a higher power. I pay attention always though, because I just see and feel too much. The aftermath of these encounters sometimes leaves me feeling melancholic and a little confused about the struggles of life. No one should ever feel as if they are alone in the world. I cannot imagine what that feels like, and I weep for those who wake daily feeling like there is no one that is there for them. I can only hope I made Marianne smile even if it was for a fleeting moment. This is one reason I feel the need to volunteer my time for those who need it most.

Life is a vulnerable experience, you are born naked into a world of chaos and uncertainty but I love every minute of it. We are all meant to be here for each other, to make a difference in the lives of others and then pass it on to the next. There is more to life than our own ego and we are here for a lesson and a reason. Make a difference as you are out making a name for yourself. You may find someone will pay it forward and make you smile when you need it most.
Love and Light to all
Namaste’
Rose