Category Archives: fitness

5 Things I Did To Start Losing Weight

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wetsuit
One of my next items on my fitness bucket list is to surf in the Mighty Pacific. I would never have attempted this if I did not lose weight. I feel completely ageless.Here I am in my first very own wetsuit.

I meet a lot of people, and I talk to everyone. I met someone the other day who was so upset about his weight gain, and after speaking to me he later emailed me about his new resolve to do something about it. I explained to him it is only weight, we can gain weight and we can lose weight. To lose weight just takes a choice, and then action. Now he decided to take action, and I believe he will be a success.

Everyone has that light bulb moment when they decide the time is now to lose weight and become fit. I had two of those moments, but for me it was the second moment that struck a chord. My first moment was in 2011. I went to a Dr. in Beverly Hills who basically fat shamed me to the point of tears. I was walking home weeping and I was stopped by the Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino. He wanted my business card, he said he was interested in putting me in his latest movie. I was crying about the Dr. and blew my one moment. I did not have a business card with me, and because of how belittled I felt from the previous moment I just shared my name with Mr.Tarantino. This is why confidence is so important, opportunity will walk right past you if you do not have the confidence to bring your dreams to a fruition.
Rose Bruno Bailey Before Pictures
My second moment was the one that stuck in 2013. It was 2 years after the Quentin Tarantino moment, and I went to an open mic to read my poetry. I felt great, and I thought I looked great. My friend took a photo of me at the microphone, a photo that made me really look at myself for the first time in a long time. I did not think I was thin or fit, but I had convinced myself I was just a little chubby. I was beyond chubby, I was obese and the scale would soon cement my heavy weight of over 210 lbs. It took a few months but it was that moment when I decided to combine my weight loss efforts with helping others. Two years later, fifty pounds lighter and happier than I have been in a long time. Oh, and I put off my opportunity of getting my poetry book published back in 2013 because I lacked confidence. I am happy I will be a first time author in a few months. No more waiting for life to find me, I am finding life.
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As I am busy finding life I am also trying to break a plateau and move forward with my fitness goals and philanthropy. I have maintained my weight loss and exercise routine. I am now looking into all kinds of adventures as I move forward. It was that  2013 aha moment and the new routine I developed for myself that made me stay the course.
Here are the five things that kick started my weight loss journey
1. It sometimes takes a vulnerable moment to make you change. Do not wallow in the moment, use it to motivate you. Get on the scale, face your demons and tackle those pounds one day at a time. Start today!!
2. Find your tribe. I was in a Richard Simmons video, which introduced me to so many inspirational new friends. My best friend Melissa Bender was my biggest supporter. My new friend Mike Morello offered to help me and train me and he stuck with it even when I whined and complained. The list goes on and on but I never did any of it alone. Do not be afraid to get a little help from your friends new or old.
3.Find what works for your body in regards to exercise and nutrition. I began with Weight Watchers, and soon enough figured about how to eat. I did not really love running until this year thanks to Melissa Bender Fitness and being 50 lbs lighter. Before my weight loss I enjoyed speed walking.  If you love what you are doing you will stick to it. Exercise and eating right is like brushing your teeth. Daily movement and healthy daily eating are the keys to success. Lace up those sneakers and get moving. I once crawled in the dirt and I was horrified, and now I am not only 50 lbs lighter but I am no longer afraid to get dirty and be one with nature. Your journey may change how you view yourself.
4. Weekly weigh ins and keeping a food journal. This will keep you accountable and you can track how you are doing. The largest weight loss is in the beginning.
5. Believe you can do this, and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Keep going, keep moving, and love yourself. Love the body you are in today and know you are headed in the direction of health and self confidence. Trust me it feels amazing.
With love to all enduring the struggle, it is just weight. It comes on, and just as easily it can come off. You just have to work at the weight loss and fitness part. You can do it. It really is all about the work, but the rewards are magnificent.
Namaste’
Rose

IN FLIGHT

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When I lived in Connecticut I had a manager where I worked, he told me I was a butterfly and I needed to slow down and stay put. It is obvious that I have not headed that advice because since then I have done anything but slow down. I have lived in so many interesting places, never slowing down. NYC, LA, now the San Francisco Bay Area. These places have shaped me, my writing, and my whole world. Of course it is my partner in life and husband James who has made all of this possible, that never goes unnoticed.

I have been so  overwhelmed with a lot of things in my life, good things but even so a bit overwhelmed. I have slacked off on my daily posts on this blog and that is going to change right this minute. My book Camellia in Snow is in the process of being completed thanks to FinnLady Press back east, and there are details that have been a little all consuming. Now I am going to make the time for both my loves, my blog and my book. They are not one in the same but in a way they are, they are the essence of my being. Without this blog and my weight loss my confidence would have never returned. I had the chance to have my poetry book published back in 2010 and I passed because of my move to Los Angeles. I had a second chance in 2013 and I passed again when I saw my photo from the open mic. I just had lost all confidence and I needed to find myself again. 

Here I find myself, in 2015 and 50 lbs lighter with a lot of help from my friends and mentors in life. My friends are my teachers and I am eternally grateful.  I am a former dancer who hated running, and now I absolutely love it. I am a fitness buff and ambassador to Melissa Bender Fitness and clean eater. I love my blog which combines weight loss/fitness with philanthropy and I am looking into ways to make it grow and do a lot more good in the communities I live in, now and moving forward. I am planning all kinds of fitness milestones like surfing and running the Golden Gate Bridge, this time four or five times. All of this with my first poetry book coming out in a few months, along with book events to do locally and in LA and back in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. I still also play waitress in the evenings. Yes, I have been busy but I would not have it any other way. My motto is you can do anything at any age as long as you believe. All you need is a strong desire and belief in yourself, and maybe a little morning coffee. You deserve everything you dream of and more. Namaste’ Love and Light to all. 

Rose

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Don’t bully your body

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I started practicing yoga back in 2011, and I was still overweight at that time. I am a former dancer and I believe I was a yogi in soul and heart before I ever stepped on a mat, just like I was a poet before I ever penned my first poem. Some gifts are just part of your spirit, it just takes time for your body and mind to play catch up.

I was walking down the street at that time, and ran into a friend of mine, who was with a friend of hers. Her friend was a stranger to me, and when I mentioned I practiced yoga she shot out, you do yoga?

That hurt me deeply. I believe yoga is for everyone, whether you are overweight or in the best shape of your life. I did not understand the comment because to me yoga was about the mind and body connection, not who looks the best in their lululemons. Yes, I was over 210 lbs, but who was this person to question my passion for yoga.

Flash forward to present day, after my fifty pound weight loss. I sent my photo to a magazine calling for meditation photos in nature and I was really hoping this photo would be picked. It was not picked, and that opened the flood gates of not feeling good enough, or that my body did not fit the norm of what a yogi looks like. It brought back that comment from 2011.

I love this photo because I was simply stretching my back on this beautiful uprooted tree, and Melissa Bender from Benderfitness snapped it without me knowing. What I really love about this photo is it is me in my element. I love trees and water, and I was perfectly at home stretching and finding my serenity on that pillar of wisdom with the bay as my backdrop.

Even though I lost 50 lbs,  I am far considering myself an after, I am more like a work in progress. I have so many fitness goals/fitness milestones to accomplish and I wish to be stronger and in the best shape of my life. With that I also would love to believe my view of my own body has improved and that I no longer bully my body. I am human, and far from flawless and sometimes I do succumb even after my weight loss to feeling like I am not good enough or I do not fit in the circles of yoga and fitness.  I felt like I was rejected and started to really bullying my own body. I let a moment of rejection take away the beauty and stillness that was meditating on that exquisite fallen tree.

I realized I was negating all of my hard work and sacrifice and not showing gratitude to my healthy body. I went back to that photo, regained my composure and realized what such a moment in nature felt like to me.

I am grounded and centered, and when my zen is uprooted, I connect back with the earth below my feet and find my balance once again. I am a work in progress.

I am a work in progress,
Do not let any rejection reflect back to you in a negative way. You are beautiful, you are uniquely you. Perfect in every sense. Just like the tree, we come in all shapes and sizes, and we should own our diversity instead of trying to conform to be what everyone else is. 
 
Love and light to all
Namaste’

No one is a failure who has friends. I underscored that last week.

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This past week I was at home in the Bay Area, but essentially on a fitness retreat. My friends Melissa (of Bender Fitness) and Nicole came to town to spend the week with my husband James and I. It was truly a special week — full of sightseeing, reuniting, fitness and fun. I learned so much to take with me as I progress in my fitness goals and weight loss endeavors.
Everything I learned I will be sharing all week: what we ate (along with recipes), my new running and workout schedule, and all of the fitness forward things we did.  Most of all I reunited with my wonderful friends and I learned a lot about myself. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to see my friends and have eight days off and rejuvenate my mind, body and soul.
Going public with a weight loss and fitness journey can put you in a vulnerable state of mind. When I began working out with my Los Angeles trainer Mike in 2013, I was at first intimidated  and feeling embarrassed  if I could not do all the moves he asked me to do. Soon after we got into a rhythm and I realized there was no embarrassment; he just wanted me to do the best I could.
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Flash forward to this week. I learned a lot about how I view myself, even after losing fifty pounds I am still a work in progress; coming back from a broken toe and a difficult move from Los Angeles to the San Francisco Bay Area. I am now a BenderFitness Ambassador and I want to really progress and do the best I am capable of.  I had a couple of self-bashing moments that I quickly tried to check at the door. I realized that I am not letting anyone down, especially myself. Having role models — and friends who believe in you — makes all the difference in the world. I will continue forward and realize I am human, and I have come a long way. I have said from the beginning no one is a failure who has friends. That’s my favorite quote from the film It’s A Wonderful Life.
Here is one of the videos we did this week, in my new running spot by the Bay. I am so motivated and inspired from this week, and I am ready to conquer the next phase in my weight loss/fitness journey. I am grateful to Melissa for really pushing me always and believing in me, and Nicole as well. Beautiful ladies, inside and out. This was one of the best weeks I had in a very long time, and saying goodbye was not easy.
When you believe, you achieve. It helps to have friends who also believe in you. I am surrounded by the best of friends.
Love and Light to all
Rose

My love-hate relationship with running

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I have a love/hate relationship with running. When I first started this program in 2013 in Los Angeles, I resisted running with my trainer Mike. He would try to get me to run, and I would hem and haw and take my time transitioning from walking to running. He was incredibly supportive even when I whined about running.

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When I signed up for my first 5K, I actually missed the turn and did the whole 10K, and it was the best feeling ever crossing the finish line. It was such a sense of accomplishment and a natural high. I was so proud of myself but there were times when I had to walk/run. I had never developed my running pace and my running was inconsistent. Soon after I broke my toe and my running schedule was off and on. I remember that high I felt and I have been inspired to push my running to a new level.

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Now I am running again, with the help of Melissa  Bender of BenderFitness. She is in town and not letting me rest on my laurels. I am her fitness ambassador and I want to make her proud, and push myself farther than I have before. I am only competitive with myself and I am ready to take it to the next level. I am appearing in a few of her workout videos and I have a new sense of motivation.
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Melissa is also my running coach and we have been running now all week. She really is pushing me and I did not think I could do what she got me to do.  Melissa and Nicole got me to run the first day for 1.3 miles nonstop run, and another 1.3 run/walk. On Wednesday afternoon we ran a total of 3.1 miles, the equivalent of a 5k. I am so proud that I can do this. Again, I hemmed and hawed and gave Melissa looks that could kill the whole time she pushed me. I did it, and I am so proud and this is just the beginning. I plan on signing up for a race this summer and I am beyond excited.
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I will be sharing my workout program and schedule soon.  I plan to run three days a week. of course the beautiful bay front park that we discovered in my neighborhood  makes my destination worth every mile. I was so sore afterwards and later I was caught crawling up my stairs. Soreness will not stop me though and I am looking forward to working harder for all of my fitness goals.
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When you believe you achieve, even if afterwards you have to crawl up stairs.
Just one step in the staircase to my goals.
Love and Light to all
Namaste’
Rose
Melissa Bender Rose Bruno Bailey

Melissa Bender’s in town, and we’re both learning new things

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It can be frustrating when you are on a roll losing weight — and then, all of a sudden, your weight loss comes to a complete halt.

My move from Los Angeles to San Francisco (about six months ago now) has caused some struggles, yes, but I have found a new sense of motivation. Melissa Bender from BenderFitness is in town with our friend Nicole — and it is so amazing having such wonderful company. Melissa is really breathing new life into my routine. I did my first workout video with her and it was challenging yet awesome. I now have a new barometer where to begin and I will be posting my new fitness plan in the near future. Working out on video is completely different but she makes it look so easy. I was able to watch it and see how I am actually performing the exercises. It is amazing I thought my squats were low enough and the video was a real reality check. I will not be hard on myself though, I had a broken toe and I slowed down yet I never once stopped. First fifty pounds is off and I am now working on my next 40 lbs. I know I can do this, and it is wonderful to have such a support network. I love fresh starts.

 

Rose Bruno Bailey and Melissa Bender

Melissa and I.

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I am also eating a lot more — healthy of course — but my meals are definitely more consistent. I have learned some amazing recipes and I will post the recipes. Melissa Bender made me the most amazing cauliflower mashed mock potatoes. I am seriously obsessed with them and I love them cold too. I will post my recipes as well as some of the recipes Melissa shared with me. I understand to lose I need to eat more, a concept I know yet I fail to follow it on a regular basis.
I am well into the second phase of my project and blog and pumped for what is to come. Losing weight is no easy feat yet I believe I am up for the challenge. I am taking my next forty pounds on and I will not give up.In a way this is like starting all over, and the beginning is always the most fun.
Love and Light
Namaste’
Rose

 

Rose Bruno Bailey Fitness Ambassador for Melissa Bender Fitness

What it means to me to be a fitness ambassador for Melissa Bender Fitness

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I began my project to sponsor a charity with each ten pounds back in 2013, and I am proud to say I have lost 50 pounds. I had the help of an amazing trainer in LA named Mike, and he gave me the keys to fitness and opened so many doors for me. At present, I am far from done — yet I still consider myself to be a success, or, well, a success in progress. Not quite an after, but so much better than before.

“I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” — Lewis Carroll

Rose Bruno Bailey Weight Loss

Now I find myself navigating a new city, and making my goals happen here in the San Francisco area. Melissa Bender Fitness asked me to be her first fitness ambassador and of course I said yes. She is such an inspiration and has guided so many people with her amazing workouts online. She has shown it can be done at home and has been very successful helping others reach their goals. She is a nurturing human being, and to me that is a prerequisite to helping people learn fitness; and she is a perfect fit for me as I continue to blog about the weight loss/fitness/philanthropic journey I am on.

Here is what it means to me to be a fitness ambassador for Melissa Bender Fitness.

1. It means I am dedicated, but I am not perfect. I have come a long way already when Melissa asked me to represent her as her fitness ambassador. I have lost 50 lbs and did it while helping charities with each ten pound weight loss. I now do her workouts daily, and I have recently begun AM workouts. I run/walk and I do yoga. I am a former dancer and I have always been in tune with my body; I was just on a little hiatus. If I stumble I catch myself before I fall. It does not mean I have a perfect body, but I am striving to be in the best shape for me. I still have a ways to go and my goal is to lose 35 more pounds. Melissa Bender Fitness home workouts are a lifeline for me and my new schedule in my new city.

2. It does not mean I have the best workout clothes and shoes. To be honest I own one pair of running shoes, but those shoes lace up and get me to where I need to go. One is enough for me for now.  As long as I have my music, my computer, and my sunny outlook I am raring to go. I have never even tried on a pair of Lululemon. I am sure they are amazing, but I am yet to find out. One day maybe.

3. It means even though I have injuries, I keep moving forward. Maybe this is not the right way, and maybe my progress has been slowed a little with my injured toe, but I have never stopped nor will I ever give up.

4. It means I practice what I preach. I really eat clean and I drink a lot of water, and strive to treat my body as my temple. Melissa Bender Fitness reminds me to eat more, in that regard I struggle. When I eat out I make healthy choices that do not derail my lifestyle. That is the key, this is my lifestyle and not a fad diet.  I believe fitness includes achieving a mind and body connection. I call outdoor exercise mobile meditation. Helping others through my charities gives me so much more back then I give. I blog about the ways I believe one can find calm within the chaos. I am all about the mind/body/spirit connection.

5. I do not play the comparison game. I am in competition with the me from yesterday and that is it. My weight loss may be slow because I am not as young as I once was, so I have learned to practice the two Ps, namely Perseverance and Patience. Time passes anyway, and I soon will get to where I am heading. I am in no rush nor will I succumb to the pressure of a time limit. This is for life.

6. I try to silence my inner dialogue of body bashing. I also have decided not to be a slave to the scale, and not obsess as much as I used to. This is probably the hardest accomplishment and I still struggle with self-shaming. We can be our biggest fans or our worse enemies. I strive to be my biggest fan but I am human.

7. I  try new things and I live ageless, fearless, and full of enthusiasm for fitness and living a healthy lifestyle. I shared Melissa Bender Fitness workouts before and I do now, because I believe everyone can benefit from her help. I am sincere and I am one of her biggest fans.

8. I have a fitness bucket list I am working on, and it may take time but I will make my dreams a reality. As long as I am breathing I have the opportunity to begin anew.

9. I do the exercises and modify those I cannot do due to injuries. For example, I have an injured toe so plank jumps are difficult so I just do a normal plank. I have a very strong core and I once planked in LA for over five minutes, and I beat my trainer Mike once. I know my weaknesses and I work on them. I may not be able to master every exercise, but I always try my best.

In essence I am the best me possible, and even though I may trip from time to time, I stand up and dust of the dirt and keep moving in the direction of my destination and I enjoy the ride.

A body in motion stays in motion, and a body at rest stays at rest. That is Newton’s Law. Keep it moving.

Love and Light
Namaste’