Category Archives: inspiration

HAPPY AUTUMN TO ALL

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Good Monday Morning and Happy Autumn to all. I have the whole day off today, I have to stay home to be here for the building inspector. They are coming by, and if no one his home they plan to come inside anyway. I have cats that can get out, so I must stay home between the hours of 11-4. Looks like I will catch up on my reading.

My husband and I had a great weekend. We went to Malibu this weekend to walk and get some fresh air. I believe being outdoors often is crucial to happiness and well being. The beach was cold, so we went to Malibu Bluff State Park. I was so happy, I brought a jean jacket that never fit, and now it buttons. We decided to snap some photos to document my weight loss so far. I was being silly and hugging the trees. If anyone knows me, I have this California Tree obsession.



Yoga yesterday with Nicole was awesome. My hamstrings are opening up, we did the leg up against the wall stretch and it was much easier this time. I have yoga again this week at Yogaworks. I practice 4-5 times a week and I love it. I know in a few months my practice will really begin to open and expand.

I have picked Monday October 7th 2013 to go down and join the Monday Night Mission to feed the residents of skid row. This is my first ten pound weight loss charity.  I am going to write all about what we are doing in a future post when I have a bit more time. My friend and trainer Mike is accompanying me because he loves to help people, and anyone of my co-workers and friends are also welcome to join us as well. The more help for the cause the better. 

I wish you a beautiful first Monday of Autumn. Get out there and jump in some leaves, or treat yourself to a Pumpkin Spice Latte’, skim of course. Just because it is Monday does not mean you cannot enjoy life. 
Namaste’
Rose

MY ROUTINE

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I woke up with my usual pleasant demeanor, a little sore from my yoga and work out with Mike. I thought I would share my weekly workout and yoga routine.

Yoga 5 days a week
Working out with my trainer and friend Mike, 1 day a week for now
Walking 5 days a week
I have been incorporating beginning jogging as much as I can
I keep it flexible and sometimes change it up a bit. 

I may add Ballet classes, and other things as I progress more. I take the Richard Simmons Slimmons classes on occasion. They are so motivating and fun.  I am trying to really work on my yoga practice so I will return to his classes sometime in the near future. I believe my yoga practice will really open up by doing it almost daily. I am now an official yogi.

My eating plan is pretty much just eating healthy with lots of vegetables, and I am keeping a food journal. I sometimes do not eat enough and I can use to eat a bit more protein. I am a work in progress. I am not making any food off limits but I do not indulge usually. The time will come when I will get cravings, and I will deal with it then. In the meantime I am just eating clean with an occasional piece of dark chocolate from See’s Candies. Coffee is my non negotiable. I love it, and not because I need the caffeine. I actually just love the taste. So every morning as I blog I brew.

This is what I am doing, and I work from ten to three Monday through Friday so I work out and take yoga in the early evenings and I blog first thing in the morning. I live for Saturday’s, that is our fun day. 

Namaste’
Love and Light to all
Rose

THURSDAY UPDATE 9-12-2013

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Good Morning and Happy Thursday to all. I cannot wait for the weekend, we are planning a day trip and picnic at one of the beaches in Ventura.  I am going to work out in the sand, burpees and all and walk on the beach. I may jog too. For now a bit of coffee will get me going this morning,  I swear it is like the elixir of the gods, I love coffee.

Yesterday I worked out with Mike my trainer and friend. We did a lot of upper body work because my ankle has been tender. I am purchasing an ankle brace, but I think it will be OK. We boxed, and I swear it must be a very funny sight to see me pack a punch.  He really is getting a great reputation at work, so I can see him building a very successful personal training business/boot camp classes in the future. He wants to up my intensity and I agree it is time, so I need to start working harder with my running and cardio. Yesterday I had my back turned to one of my friends at work and she came up to me and said she hardly recognized me, and how much smaller I look. Those compliments keep me going because sometimes I do not see it myself. I am very thankful for all of his help and expertise as I progress on this path of fitness. 

Yoga tonight at Yogaworks. I am taking one of two classes. I think I am taking the Iyengar class. (Named after and developed by B. K. S. Iyengar, is a form of Hatha Yoga that has an emphasis on detail, precision and alignment in the performance of posture (asana) and breath control (pranayama). The development of strength, mobility and stability is gained through the asanas)
I really want to expand and grow in my practice so my plan is to go to yoga three to five days a week. I will eventually add the ballet classes, and I am so close to doing so. I am going to set a weekly schedule and post it in the future. 

I hit my first ten pound mark, so I am setting the date this week to join the Monday Night Mission to help feed the hungry at skid row. I will know that date in a few days. I am really looking forward to giving back, and I just want to do more and more. Mike is also joining me, and I will see if anyone from work or my friends wishes to help out as well. It is very rewarding to volunteer, and it puts everything in life in perspective. I call it stepping outside of yourself and your own world. 

I wish everyone a beautiful Thursday
Love and Light
Namaste’
Rose

I LOST MY FIRST TEN

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Good Morning and Happy Tuesday. I am up early, I have to leave an hour earlier today for a meeting at work. It is weigh in, and I can say with a sigh I lost another pound. I made the ten pound mark, my first milestone. My weight as of today is now 187 lbs. I will set the date later this week to go to help The Monday Night Mission. 

I am so excited, I know the weight loss seems slow but in November 2012 I was 207 lbs, and when I started my My Changed For A Ten I was 197 lbs, so to see myself getting smaller and seeing the scale reflect my hard work is so amazing to me, no matter how slow it is. I will take slow over never any day.

Today is Yoga and walking, my ankle is on the mend but I have been babying it. Tomorrow after work I am working out with my trainer and friend Mike. I have not worked out with him in two weeks so it is going to be hard but it totally is helping me change my form. 
Off for today, with a satisfied smile that I lost my first ten pounds.
Love and light.
I wish you all a beautiful day.
Namaste’
Rose




ADJUST YOUR SAILS

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Good Morning, Happy Thursday to all. I am up early, making coffee and planning my workout routine for the next few days. My workout routine each week consists of my weekly Thursday classes at Slimmons with Richard Simmons but he was out of town for a few weeks. Today I can say he is back in Beverly Hills and I will be dancing to his retro aerobics tonight. I really need his electric dose of energy and motivation. I found myself slightly wavering this week, so it will be good to get back to his classes. Taking his class is a natural high, he is so high on life and I usually am too. His classes bring out the very best in me and inspire me to keep going. I am meeting my friend Francie from the Richard Simmons video afterwards, we have become fast friends and we are going out for chit chat and a little treat tonight. Mind you, a little treat, I am behaving myself.

My routine was adjusted, but that is fine. It works for me to try to have some sort of routine to guide me as I continue on my quest to get fit and lose weight. It as just as important for me to be flexible in my routine as things can change from week to week. I just have to imagine I am a sailboat, adjust my sails and continue to travel the vast ocean to my final destination and goals. Sometimes the seas will be rougher, and I just need to ride it out and make it there anyway I can. 

I went to Yoga last night with Nicole over at Pink Iron. I go to Yogaworks but I enjoy Nicole’s classes so Wednesday is a permanent part of my routine. She is an amazing yoga teacher. We did a lot of shoulder openers, and it was fantastic. My flexibility is really coming back, my nose is almost to my knees in a forward fold.  It was very hot, and I was a bit tired but I did not falter nor did I give up. I am so dedicated and I will find a way to make my goals happen, one lap at a time. 

Wishing you a bright and beautiful Thursday full of natural highs.
Namaste’ Love and Light
Rose


TESTY TUESDAY

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When you decide to dedicate yourself to a project, you can be assured a time will come when you are challenged. It is happening to me this week, minor challenges but they are testing my will and perseverance. I weighed myself Tuesday, and I stayed the same. I know I am losing and also shedding inches so I will not give up, I have lost weight and I am in a far better place than I was months ago. I am stronger and by stamina and energy are much greater. I am winning this battle and becoming a better, healthier version of myself.

That and a few other minor annoyances left me in a bit of a cranky mood as I started my day on Tuesday. My husband was a bit shocked, since I am rarely, ever crabby. My ankle is still a bit tender, and that has been really upsetting me. I have not been talking about it too much, and I have been working through it. I want to be 100% and when your body does not cooperate with your mind it can be a bit irritating. I have ordered new athletic shoes and new work shoes, I think that may be part of the problem.

Mike was not feeling well yesterday, so we did not work out together. I send him healing thoughts and hope he feels back to normal soon. He mentioned he wanted to work out today, so if he is well and able I will be doing my weekly workout with him this evening. If not, I will head down to YogaWorks and do some walking as well. 

I had a nightmare last night, one of those gut wrenching dreams that frighten you so much that when you finally wake up you are so relieved they are not a reality. I dreamed I was in Cleveland and all of a sudden the whole city was under some apocalyptic evacuation. All the residents were forced to gather in one location. I remember in my dream I was more concerned about making sure my family and pets was safe then I was about my own safety. This dream however disturbing put my silly little annoyances in there place. I woke up, and my family and pets are safe, so all is well with the world. 

My mother is the epitome of a survivor and her challenges were far greater than mere daily annoyances. She was such a stunning beauty as well, yet she never knew it. I get so much inspiration from her, her courage and way she looks life in the face. I should probably not say this here, but she cusses like a sailor and even though I never swear I love that quality about her, it makes her very human and very funny. 

Shout out to Shirley Bruno as I sign off. Life you wish to challenge me? In my Mother’s style I will say confidently and with a little does of her humor, bring it on B!@#& !!!! 🙂
Love and Light
Namaste’
Rose

My gorgeous Mother Shirley age 16  in the black bathing suit
Shirley my Mother in black again, with a friend and my eldest sister Dona as a child


LABOR DAY AND LORNA JANE

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Happy Labor Day to all. I had to work a few hours today and I slept in too late too be able to post this morning, so this post is a bit late. I am really excited for my weigh in tomorrow, I am really starting to see the results and I know I have this. After work I went over to Lorna Jane, I love their workout clothes. They are just my style and as a reward to myself I am going to buy myself a hot pink workout outfit when I hit around 15 pounds. Their sizes seem to run a little small, and I think I am almost at the point when I can wear their large comfortably. 

Every time I go in Lorna Jane in Century City California Jessie greets me with a sincere smile and she always remembers who I am. She has been following my blog as well. I am a big fan of their colorful workout clothes and they are also reasonably priced, so that is an added bonus. I am drawn to the hot pink, turquoise, and neon orange. You can find them at their Facebook page. If you stop in the Century City CA location be sure to say hi to Jessie, she is truly genuine and will assist you with your needs for working out.  We snapped a few photos today, and next time it will be me in their workout clothes. Inspiration from colorful workout gear and the lovely ladies that work at Lorna Jane. 

Namaste’
Rose
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lorna-Jane-Century-City/322352581201853

With Jessie from Lorna Jane Century City CA
Love their workout clothes and colors
Getting the blue and pink in a few weeks

RUNNING ON TIME TOWARDS MY GOALS

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Good morning and Happy Friday to all. Yesterday I was off to go to the DMV and that freed up my day afterwards.  I had time to go to YogaWorks and speak to the management and staff about my yoga needs and which classes are best for me as I begin my experience with YogaWorks. I have unlimited classes, but since I am new there they recommended certain classes for me to begin with, and as I progress with their teaching style I will be able to take more advanced classes. They stress proper form and they recommend I start at the very beginning to make sure I am  performing the poses correctly. They have a candlelight flow, which I am excited about and some of their classes are set to music. I am going Saturday morning for my first class, and I am truly excited to be able to take my practice to another level. Just another notch added to my journey of fitness and well being. I am making time for my My Change For A Ten by running towards my goals, and it feels so amazing.

Speaking of running, I  recently started running with Mike, my trainer and friend and he wants me to be able to run longer and with more ease. Yesterday I waited until the evening since it was a scorcher, and I walked to this little park up the street from my house in Beverly Hills. There is a fountain, and a little walkway that goes around the fountain. For me it is the perfect place to practice running, I can run around the park and then take walking breaks and then run around again. Yesterday I ran twice around the park with somewhat ease. I was listening to music, and it drowned out the heavy breathing sounds I probably make so I did not think about my breathing as much. Each day I will try to run just a little farther. 

My journey is an ongoing one, with hard work and dedication and I understand not everything will be simple or in my comfort zone. I accept that and I know I will progress as time goes by. Time will pass, I might as well make the best of the time I am given. Time is elusive, we think we do not have enough time but in reality we have all the time in the world, it is just how we use it that really matters. I am managing my time, it is not managing me. I will no longer let time hold hostage of my life, I own each and every day and I will continue to run towards my goals and away from the fears that held me back in the past. 
Wishing everyone a beautiful day.
Namaste’
Rose

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE 8/27/2013

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Good Morning Tuesday. I just weighed myself and I lost two pounds bringing my total weight loss to 9 pounds and my weight is now officially 188 lbs. I am so excited, last November I actually weighed 207 lbs, so I have lost 9 pounds since I began my My Change For A Ten Project but since last November I have lost a total of 19 pounds. I am almost at my first ten pound My Change For A Ten goal, and then I will set the date to feed the homeless with The Monday Night Mission. I am really proud I am sticking to whatever I say I will do. This is just the beginning for me to change my life and to help make a difference in the lives of others. I am reaching for the moon.

Here is a photo of me and my wonderful friend Amy this weekend, we were out with our husbands at Barney’s Beanery in West Hollywood CA.  I will have more full body shots when I return to Richard Simmons this week, he was out of town but I believe he is back Thursday. I went out and I was disciplined. I ate extremely healthy, a turkey sandwich on whole grain with Dijon mustard, avocado, lettuce and tomato and steamed vegetables. I also had a cup of bean chili with no meat.  I believe you can eat healthy almost anywhere. I drank Perrier and tons of water since I do not drink, which helps me save on calories.



Tonight is my workout with Mike, and I am really learning so much. I am also learning how much food my body needs to sustain my workouts, walking, and yoga. So I will be sure to eat enough from here on out. The whey protein shakes help me fill in the blanks when I do not have time to sit down to a meal. I have also been watching my sodium intake. It really makes a big difference. At work I have been ordering my chicken plain with no marinade and no dressing, and I use oil and vinegar. Little changes add up for big results. I buy tuna and peanut butter with no added salt, and I try to eat as clean as possible without obsessing or depriving myself. I am achieving mind and body balance.

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”


― Mark Twain


I wish everyone a terrific Tuesday.
Namaste’
Rose




MONDAY GRATITUDE

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Happy Monday to all.  I am on my first cup of coffee and smiling already, coffee and the fact that I wake up each and every morning is enough to make me smile. I am alive and able to drink this hot creamy cup of perfection, so I greet Monday morning with a big thank you.  I prefer to savor the little things in life as well as the grand.  I have chosen to make my life a happy adventure, full of creative endeavors. Yes, it is Monday morning but I am up early and ready to embrace my day with an open mind and heart. I am creating the life that I wish to have.

Tomorrow is my weigh in and my weekly workout with Mike. We are going to videotape me performing burpees either this week or the next. Melissa at Melissa Bender Fitness is going to post the video, with future videos of me improving on the move. We all know I need to improve on the move, since I feel so awkward doing them. She is such an amazing motivator. I am so grateful for her help and for Mike’s help. Mike really is a one of a kind trainer and I am so lucky to have his help.  I feel incredibly blessed to have such positive people in my corner. I could not go it alone, no one can. 

I have been working hard on my My Change For A Ten project and I am just around the corner from volunteering with my first charity The Monday Night Mission. My plan is as soon as I reach my first ten pound loss, I will give my place of employment heads up two weeks in advance so they can order the food that they are donating to the Monday Night Mission on my behalf. Then we are going to join the lovely people at the Monday Night Mission to help feed the residents at skid row. So the actual date of my first charity volunteer work with be a few weeks after I reach my first ten pound goal. Mike is going with me, and any other friends are welcome as well, I think Francie may join us. The more to help the merrier. Compassion for others is contagious.

I wish you a sunshiny day full of everything your heart desires. Yes, that may be a tall order for a Monday morning but greatness has to begin somewhere. Just order yourself a tall latte’ to inspire caffeinated creativity, after all a little coffee always helps.  Think it, believe it, and make it happen. 
Namaste’
Love and Light to all
Rose