Monthly Archives: August 2019

LOSING WEIGHT IS A PROCESS

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Losing weight is a process, in the beginning it’s easy but sticking it out takes extra willpower. Life gets sticky, and it gets in the way. It’s easy to fall of the wagon and stop the healthy patterns you’ve developed in the beginning of your weight loss journey. You will know when this happens, and when you realize it nip it in the bud. 

This week was challenging to say the least. Nothing worth mentioning just adulting and all that comes with it. I didn’t track for days. I almost went for vegan whoppers at Burger King on nights when work was slow and stressful. Waitressing has bad days and bad weeks, it’s normal but when you go into work and stand around it makes you question things. In the end it’s is the way of working in a restaurant, good days and bad days. It always seems like bad days come when you are stressed. Time to reboot and recalculate, like a gps. 

So today I recalculate, I’m trying to check my mood and mindset. I’m back to tracking. I’m planning for Monday and a better and more productive week. Writing my weekly goals on Sunday night. I’m going to try to stress less and be happy in the moments, even the mundane moments that drive me mad. No reason to slip up on my weight loss goals because of a bad week. It’s a marathon and not a sprint, this road to weight loss goals. 

Love and Light

Rose

LIFE REPURPOSED

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We have moved a lot, and I’ve purged before each move and found wonderful new items for each new home. I love living a life of creativity. Does it take a lot of money? When you are on a budget you can still surround yourself with beauty by repurposing your ideas and things, and just getting a little creative while spending less cash. Abundance is for everyone and it’s not expensive. Moving has taught me this. This blog is about life and losing weight and getting in great shape, all while giving back. It’s also about living your best life. I’m definitely working on happiness on every level. We all deserve beauty in our life.

I have four beautiful black blazers, all different styles. I bought them at a discount day at a local thrift store for a little over a buck a blazer. Dry cleaned and they look fabulous and trendy with jeans. When you are losing weight it helps to feel good in all aspects of your life. Buying clothes is difficult as you are changing your body, so spending less makes a lot of sense.  Having an inviting space to live in is the ultimate comfort. Here are some of the creative ways I live my life for the better without spending a lot of green❤️ Wishing you beauty in all aspects of your life. 

Create your own art

Order used books on Amazon or find them at garage sales, thrift stores, library sales and discount book stores.

Make homemade and healthy treats.

I love finding pretty things at Marshall’s and Ross for Less.

Start photography and frame your work.

What to do with scraps when you prep fruits?

Add Chai Tea to scraps with cinnamon and water and simmer in a tea pot to make your home smell naturally delicious.

Simmer on low, add vanilla too. So much you can do to make natural room scents.

This was a dress for only 8 bucks at Ross. It’s my new fave girly robe. Morning motivation. Coziness and coffee.

I was curious about this book, got it used on Amazon for 10 bucks with prime free shipping. Another hint, with Amazon Prime you get discounts at Whole Foods.

A lantern makes an interesting piece stacked on books.

IKEA cart and inspiration from a coffee shop. Perfect book shelf and a place for fresh flowers.

Jonathan Adler butter dish I repurposed as decor for my living room.

Everything found in a thrift store. An Andrew Wyeth signed art work, the table, the cake plate Holding the apples. The candlesticks.

 

VEGAN SPLIT PEA

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I’m vegan now, but I was vegetarian for years. My Mother at first resisted, then she went to work creating recipes for me. It was the mid 90’s and vegetarian options weren’t a plenty like today. This is one of the many simple yet fantastic recipes she came up with. It happens to be vegan. I never liked split pea soup until she made it for me back in the day.  There are many more recipes I want to try, one being her vegetable stew with dumplings. This recipe is a lot less complicated, and oh so hearty and healthy. We like to eat it with a big salad and crusty whole grain bread. You can sauté the veggies in water if you choose to omit the olive oil. Manga like my Mama!! 

Ingredients for Split Pea Soup
1 bag dried green split peas
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
I used to containers of mirepoix mix, or a generous 2 cups of celery, carrots, and onion
7 cloves of garlic chopped
2 cartons of low sodium or regular vegetable broth
salt, pepper, basil
This is so easy
In a large pot warm 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
add mixture of celery, carrots, and onions
cook until translucent
add chopped garlic
season with a generous amount of pepper and basil, and a couple shakes of salt
add bag of green split peas
half bag of chopped carrots
2 cartons of vegetable broth
Bring to a boil on high uncovered, and then lower temperature to simmer, and cook for one hour covered, stirring frequently. Enjoy and try to save extra for the next day. Sometimes I cook it just a bit longer, but I never purée it. 
Such a simple soup yet a soup that truly warms your soul.
It’s a meal we eat again and again. 
Enjoy!! 
Rose 

Rose Bruno Bailey Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

 

WHAT I EAT ( weight loss and vegan)

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Happy Tuesday to all. Here I am, day three of posting each and every day. This week I stayed the same, but I think I’m killing it in the weight loss game. I use the WW app to track what I eat, and as a vegan I try to be careful how much starchy foods I eat. I don’t limit them all together, I just keep all of my portions in check. It’s all about good nutrition and portion control for me. 

Food, it’s something we have to learn to have a healthy relationship with, and I’m definitely starting to achieve balance. Monday’s are my vegan cheat day, on that day I eat vegan comfort foods like pasta or a veggie burger. Tuesday’s through Sunday I eat Whole Foods/plant based; basically cleaner vegan. I do limit my oils, salt and sugar but I do not eliminate them completely. I have really cut down though, my olive oil bottle lasts a very long time now. I always drink 16 oz of water when I wake up, and about 6 oz of coconut water. I immediately eat a banana as I wait for my coffee to brew. Breakfast is usually something quick, overnight oats or a vegan protein bar and coffee with silk soy creamer and a bit of raw sugar or blackstrap molasses. I’m a zombie until after a drink my java. My eating plan is pretty much 80/20. Mostly clean with a little wiggle room. It keeps me from over obsessing about food. I try to get around 60 grams of protein daily through plant based options. 

Here are some photos of what I eat for breakfast and dinner. Vegan pancakes are a day off treat. I usually only eat twice a day on work days with my schedule. Lots of fresh fruits, greens, veggies, and some frozen as well. Pasta only on occasional Mondays. I make a lot of high protein bean soups, like split pea and lentil soups. I admit I eating vegan protein bars for breakfast when I feel rushed is not the healthiest but it works for me.  Ezekiel bread, hummus, baked tofu with veggies, legumes, so many delicious and healthy vegan options. Here’s pics of some of my go to get healthy meals. I will post recipes soon. What are your staples? Happy Eating and losing weight!

Vegan Split Pea Soup

Vegan Bean Chili

Vegan faux meat balls with homemade marinara and veggies

Pancakes with bananas, oat flour and soy milk. Dark Chocolate Chip version.

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

Soda alternative

Natures Candy

Staple main dish salad

Vegan tomato basil cream sauce fettuccine

Cheat day treat, I add vegan mayo

Vegan tomato bolognese with red wine

Baked tofu and kale or spinach with veggies. Italian seasoning with a bit of olive oil

Vegan tomato bolognese penne pasta.

Vegan banana pancakes with berries

Avocado chocolate mousse from Melissa Bender Fitness adapted by Chocolate Covered Katie

Meal prep berries with lemon juice

Trader Joe’s steamed lentil and veggie salad

WEIGH IN MONDAY

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Happy Monday to all. It’s Monday weigh in day. Today my weight is 171 Lbs. I’m 13 lbs down since beginning ww online and 18 lbs total. I’m stuck at the same weight for two weeks but that’s ok. I admit my tracking and my meals were not exactly on point last week. I realized when there’s pressure and stress sometimes I revert to bad habits, skipping meals, making a pasta dinner and overeating pasta. My cat Max had a little trip to the vet due to a health scare but he’s ok. Work of course is my main source of losing energy, but I’m working around that to stay on course for all of my goals, including the main ones of losing weight and getting fit again. Each weigh in day is a day to reset and begin anew. I’m really going to focus this week on fitness ( flexibility, cardio and workouts) and clean vegan nutrition. I’m doing Melissa Bender Fitness Workouts and yoga.  

Pretty robes and coffee for my semi morning motivation routine.

I will start posting all of what I’m doing regularly , since I’m committing to blogging daily. I do not have a laptop at the moment, so every blog will be done from my smart phone. One thing I’m doing from here on out to begin everything else is to stress a lot less. No longer will I worry about tomorrow or yesterday. I’m focusing on the present and keeping all of my thoughts positive. Thoughts become things. Eckhart Tolle is someone we listen to daily. You should check him out, very enlightening. 

Accept – then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.

Eckhart Tolle

 

I’ve chosen this present moment. Yesterday I began changing my approach on how I’m going to travel the path to achieving all of my goals.  Tony Robbins always says if something isn’t working, change your approach. I understand great goals take greater sacrifices, so I’m going to work harder and try to be more disciplined. I’ve already started blogging daily, and I’m going to bed just a little earlier. Today I plan to begin the second phase of my fitness journey, and start really studying my American Council Of Exercise Exam, I may even call and set the date for the exam. I’m going to be volunteering and trying to help others, my first volunteer experience in Texas will be at Henry’s Home and Horse Sanctuary in a few weeks. I’ve put it on hold due to my husband James, he really wants to go with me. I plan to share all with each new post.

Those are my first four goals, as well as marketing my books and doing social media regularly, writing, submitting and reading more. I also have some tech goals for my blog, a website for my books and blog, etc but those tools I will worry about later. Right now I’m focusing on the work I must put in. I understand it’s been a few years since I’ve blogged regularly, and getting an audience  back may be a challenge but it’s ok, I’m doing it anyway, build it and they will come.  I came up with this quote, and I plan on living my own words. I’m definitely worth the extra effort, and so are you. Find the system that works for you, and stick to it. It may not be easy, and you may struggle. Just keep moving forward. I would love to know if you are on a Journey to your goals. Let’s do it together.

As always I wish you love, light and happiness on the road to all of your goals. There are no obstacles, no age barriers, no blocks. Only you and the decision to do whatever it takes to make your soul sing happiness.

Namaste’

Rose  

 

CHANGING MY HABITS

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I’ve been thinking a lot of habits. Everything begins with a habit, and those habits can be positive or negative. I’ve been meaning to begin blogging daily, but I’m yet to actually start the habit of signing in daily. It’s something I really want to commit to, so today is day one. Habits sometimes happen when you adopt other habits which become your routine. Changing for the better is not easy, but the first steps to change is the willingness to do so. 

Habits can make or break our goals. There are healthy habits that become life changing routines, or unhealthy habits that develop when we are busy grinding through the mundane chores of life. Our business of being so busy often gets in the way of developing healthy habits and routines. We reward our hard day with fast food instead of taking the time to grocery shop and meal prep. The drive through is convenient, it’s open late. There is no clean up, or thought that has to go into it. It’s fast, delicious, and takes almost no effort. Changing your habits is especially difficult when you are strapped under financial and time constraints. 

My unhealthy habit is sleeping in late. My schedule and routine has altered in the last year when I began working nights waiting tables. I often do not get home until 11 pm and sometimes later, and I tend to stay up until 3-4 am. If I’m suffering through anxiety induced insomnia I will even fall asleep even later. I need my sleep, that’s a non negotiable, but I also have a laundry list of goals I wish to accomplish to change my life for the better. It all begins with slowly beginning new habits and adopting a routine which can work for my schedule and my goals. It all comes back to habits. 

My husband James explained to be my hours are not that unusual. When a person works 9-5 they pretty much do the same as I do. They get home around 6 pm, have dinner, and they normally unwind for hours doing what they enjoy before bedtime. I get that I’m doing the normal things, but because my shift is different, I do it at an abnormal hour.

I also have friends that tell me to be gentle with myself, and treat myself with grace. These things are true but being too easy on myself won’t get me to where I’m going.  Sometimes putting in the work to accomplish goals takes great sacrifice. I’m a work in progress but I’m trying to figure it all out. Habits, it all comes back to my habits. I want to be a habitual go getter, so going forward my routines are going to be changing, and that’s all the better for me.

 

Here are some of my goals that cannot happen if I do not change.

Blog daily, track food, lose weight, incorporate fitness through cardio, flexibility and yoga and strength training, help charities, study for American Council of Exercise group exercise certification exam, take exam in the fall, write more, submit writing to be published, work on marketing for books, blogs and do social media. Not to mention personal goals like financial, family, travel etc. This list can get out of control but I’m putting it out there. Tomorrow is Monday, and I love a new beginning. I’m beginning my Monday with weigh in, blog post, workout and study.

Ok, now I’m tired but I feel good. Time for a delicious cup of coffee to begin fueling my day.

What are your goals? Do you have a routine? Is it a morning routine? I would love to hear how you get it done. With much love and Light. Let’s be goal getters together.

Namaste’

Rose  

EASY VEGAN ALFREDO

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It’s Tuesday and I’m late to updating my weight loss. I’m down another 2 lbs, weighing in at 171 lbs. That’s 13 lbs since I joined WW online and 18 total weight loss. I was 159 lbs when I moved to Houston from Los Angeles in June 2017. I’m almost there. My first weight goal is 159 lbs. My ultimate weight loss goal is to weigh in around 140 lbs.

Soon I will also be sharing my fitness journey and my volunteering journey. I plan to try on new routines to help me get to all of my goals. Waitressing has taken up most of my time, and  some new time management skills are needed.  I am a work in progress for sure, but I keep on keeping on despite life’s stresses. I am losing weight again and I’m living my authentic life as a vegan, for that I’m immensely proud. 

I love to experiment with vegan cheat meals on my day off after weigh in, of course always counting my portions. I was craving Alfredo and my vegan Fettuccine  Alfredo hit the spot. It’s an easy recipe and just as creamy as Alfredo made with dairy. Here’s the recipe below, even vegans need cheat meals. 

Easy Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

1 lb Fettuccine

2 Tbs olive oil, 1Tbs earth balance vegan butter

1 cup vegan creamer non sweetened or unsweetened soy milk

1 cup vegan Parmesan cheese, I used GoVeggie

4 cloves garlic

handful of fresh chopped basil, parsley

salt and pepper

Half of a fresh squeezed lemon juice

Cook Pasta  according to directions. I bring my water to a rolling boil and cook Fettuccine for 12 minutes. 

Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. 

In a large pot sauté garlic in olive oil and earth balance for 3 minutes.

Salt and pepper.

Add unsweetened vegan creamer or unsweetened soy milk, bring to a boil, cooking for two minutes.

Add reserved pasta water, fresh lemon juice and vegan cheese. Bring to a boil and stir until lumps disappear.

Add salt, pepper, lemon juice and fresh basil.

Continue stirring until smooth.

Stir in cooked pasta, mixing well.

Garnish with fresh or dried parsley and additional vegan Parmesan cheese. 

You can add broccoli, or any vegetable you prefer. A little crushed red pepper would be delicious, or a can of diced tomatoes would be a wonderful addition. We loved it and I will make it again. My first attempt was a fail, I accidentally used vegan creamer with sugar. My second attempt was a major hit!!  I hope you love this as much as we did. 

Manga, 

Love and Light 

Rose