Category Archives: weight loss

Vegan Vegetable Beef Soup

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I decided to come back to this blog, to figure out things by returning to what worked for me in the past. Losing weight, achieving fitness and wellness milestones while helping charities. I haven’t exactly figured out my 2023 spin on it yet, but I’m excited to be here. My other blog JuiceJavaJoy will launch once I wrap this one up in a big red shiny bow.  I plan on getting my spark back by finding my fitness, losing the weight I gained and helping others along the way, as I help myself.

Today I begin by tracking on the loseitapp ( sometimes I use the WW app)  My daily calories will be up to 1,600 a day. I’m starting with smoothies again even though I need a better blender. 

Cooking is important, as is planning meals. I have to not only plan meals for me but my husband.  That can be tricky, as it is if you have children too.

Here’s a delicious soup you can make for #Meatlessmonday  I’ve been under the weather so even though it’s 107 here in Texas, it’s a soothing dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day. 

Serve with a delicious crusty bread and oyster crackers. Remember your portion control. Let’s do this again. Welcome back to my mychangeforaten journey part two.

Bon Appetit

Vegan Vegetable Beef Soup 

Prep time 30 minutes

Cook time 45 minutes

Ingredients

7 stalks celery diced

Half bag shredded carrots

1 medium diced onion

6 diced cloves of garlic

3 handfuls spinach

2  1/2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon no beef base

1 bag frozen vegetables

8 cups water

2 cup noodles

1 bag frozen beyond beef steak or optional white beans or both 

Two tablespoons olive oil  

In a medium to large pot add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and celery, carrots and onions. Cook about 5 minutes or so until the onions are translucent.

Add diced garlic and continue to sauté another 3 minutes or so.

Add 8 cups of water and stir, adding the Better than Bouillon no beef base until it dissolves.

Add bag of frozen vegetables, stirring.

Add spinach and continue to cook for about 20 minutes.

Add noodles to soup and time according to the directions on the noodle package. If adding white beans drain and add after the noodles and cook an additional ten minutes. 

As the soup cooks add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a nonstick pan and cook frozen beyond steak according to package.

When the beyond steak is cooked add directly to the soup and stir.
Enjoy 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall 2023 Restart

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Hello, I’ve missed you. I kept falling off the wagon for five years and counting.  I started this blog in 2013, and I was totally on it once I committed. What most people didn’t know I went spent years yo-yo-ing. I need to get serious again.

I plan to start a new blog but I decided to stay here for now, to lose the weight and chronicle my struggles and successes.  At a later date I will start blog JuiceJavaJoy which will be more of a wellness lifestyle blog. I’m happy to be here and to have this opportunity for change. I’m Rose Bruno Bailey and this is mychangeforaten ❤️

In the meantime here is my recipe for happiness as I find my way back to being me.

Happiness Tips from me. 💕
1.Live in the moment, not in the past and not in the future. Embrace the now.
2.Don’t go it alone. Find your tribe, and keep all connections going even when you are not close physically. Try to visit loved ones and friends when you can. No one is an island.
3. If you don’t like living somewhere, just move. Adventure awaits.
4. Find your passions and follow your heart.
5.It’s never too late to dream a new dream or chase an unrequited one from the past.
6. Give back to someone in need, there is someone always needing your help who is worse off than you. It will serve both you and those you help.
7. Find joy in the simple and the grand.
8. Spend time with animals and or children. The innocent need your love and they reciprocate love in spades.
9. Live a life of no judgement, love all creatures of the universe.
10. Don’t do harm to others, we should be safekeeping animals and the environment. Try to not do harm to yourself, treat your body like a temple not a trash can.
11.Hold the elderly in high esteem and listen when they talk. They have lessons to teach if you listen.
12. Spend time in nature, it’s our home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TODAY IS A GREAT DAY FOR CHANGE

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It’s Sunday and I just started weight watchers Friday. I’m feeling a bit reflective.

It usually takes me a thousand tries before it sticks. I get sidetracked, I’m all over the map with my goals and I’m not a multitasker.

The reason I chose weight watchers again is because I don’t vilify food when on this program. It’s just food. It’s not bad or good. It’s super easy to do with the app, and if I need support I can attend a meeting.

If you really know me you know I eat a very healthy vegan diet, but it’s not enough. Portions, age related obstacles and the synthroid I take for hypothyroidism are all a part of my weight gain equation.

But that’s ok, I’m not looking backwards. I’m not going that way.

Those obstacles are not a dead end. I’m jumping over the road blocks, I’m finding how to navigate my vegan ways with some semblance of balance. If I want toast with coffee I will have toast with coffee, but I count it and usually don’t eat bread the rest of the day. It’s about the little choices you make that will help you journey to your destination.

Exercise is huge. I couldn’t do it without movement. I will keep working on it to be as fit as this body will be.

The one thing I do know, when my food feels in control and balanced everything else follows. My journey this time is not that much different than it was in July 2013 when I began mychangeforaten. I am better and chasing goals, better at life when my food is in control. 

Today is a great day for change. As my husband James always says, don’t think, just do. He also says don’t live in fear, because if you do, you are not living at all. I think we can all relate to fear after the last year and a half. 

Live, and thrive today. You can’t make a difference in the world if you do not take care of your health. We want you here. So if you need to change, today is a great day for change. Begin Today. In six months you will thank your younger self. 

Love and Light, 

Rose 

 

WEIGHT WATCHERS VEGAN

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Happy Wednesday to all. I restarted my wellness journey after a long hiatus, and a lot of attempts to begin again. In that time period I did lose some weight, but I was not consistent and my fitness journey became non existent during the pandemic. That, coupled with a few minor health snags messed with my positive mindset. Now I’m back in a new frame of mindset, in a new apartment ready to make a fresh start here in Texas. I am a vegan and I’ve written for VegWorld Magazine. I’m proud of my vegan lifestyle.

I’ve decided to use the WW ( Weight Watchers) app to keep accountable. It really helps when you are trying to lose weight. My starting weight a week ago was 174 lbs, and I currently weigh 170 lbs. My short term goal is to be in the 150’s, and my long term goal is to be around 135-140 lbs. I have wellness goals and fitness goals that I will get into at a later date. I’m chasing the whole package ( happiness and health) not just the shiny ribbon. It’s great to look better but so wonderful to feel better.

If you are wondering how WW online works I will share my plan. I signed up for online only, which is $19.99 a month. With that I downloaded the free app and there I count my daily points and journal my food. The app tells me how many points my food costs, and the search engine has most foods listed so it’s a seamless way to stay accountable. My budget is 30 points because I chose the green plan with the most points but less free point foods. Fruits and veggies excluding corn and avocado are all free. Once a week ( Monday’s) I weigh in and record my weight.

There’s two other plans too, Blue and Purple. Purple has the most free foods. A lot of vegans choose that plan but Green works for me best. I don’t need brown rice to be free.

That’s how I’m beginning my blog this time around. If you followed me before I sponsored charities with each ten pounds I lost. Now I’m working on my weight loss, wellness, and overall happiness and doing charities but not at every ten pounds. Is National Love People Day so it’s the perfect moment to share. I founded a Facebook group called Letters From Uncle Louie and we send letters to Seniors in homes. It’s really growing and I could be prouder of what we are accomplishing. If you would like to write to a senior twice a month come over and join our page, and message me and we can pair you with a senior. Giving back is part of my happiness journey, to be of service to others, so it’s completely relevant to this blog. I’m working on my outer and inner health. Let me know if you are beginning a wellness journey despite the crazy year we are having. It’s made me realize the time is now. Happy Wednesday to all and love and light.
With Gratitude,

Rose

 

THE TIME IS NOW

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Get busy living or get busy dying.
The Shawshank Redemption

 

I often here people say they wish they would have started their health journey a year ago. If I learned one thing from the last three years it’s to live that quote from The Shawshank Redemption with a vengeance, so next year I don’t have to wish I would have already started my wellness path.  So much has happened in the last few years yet I feel like I could have accomplished so much more. I am proud of my writing and publishing credits, and I worked hard and kept my family from sinking in a crisis. These are all things to be proud of, but I wasn’t consistent here on this blog. I gained half my weight back and did not keep up with my fitness journey. So today here I am, at 170lbs ready to get busy living my healthiest life. It’s going to take work to be consistent again, it’s been years since I’ve been successful at being consistent. What else do we have but time? So here I am, starting now. I’m done with waiting for tomorrow to come. Tomorrow is today. Are you with me?
With Gratitude,

Rose

Ro

QUARANTINE WEIGHT LOSS

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Happy Thursday to all. My quarantine started rocky in mid March when my allergies sent my health anxiety to new levels, coupled with a world pandemic. I had goals for the sequestered time, but all I did was worry and fear, and complain about my symptoms while watching Netflix with my hubby James. Ozark is really great btw, a world more messed up than the one we are living  through.

I decided this week as I am starting to feel better to get off my but and start blogging about my new quarantine weight loss journey. As many of you know I had weight loss and fitness success, and a few years later gained half after some personal losses. I’ve tried time and time again to start over and I dropped the ball. That’s the beauty with dropping the ball, you can pick it up again and try harder. That’s where I am now.

in the last month I ate more pasta than usual, and I didn’t even attempt to count my points. Today is weigh in and I currently weigh 175 lbs. Today is day one, I’m up 3 lbs. I’m hoping my allergies have cleared up so I can focus on all my goals, fitness, weight loss, wellness and creative goals. I plan to start fresh with the WW app (Weight Watchers) because I plan to incorporate the 80/20 rule. It’s always worked for me in the past. 80% of the time I will be eating clean vegan with low salt, sugars, and oils and 20% or less of the time I will count in occasional small splurges like vegan cream cheese on my toast. The idea is to eat highly nutritious vegan food but also enjoy in life’s little indulgences, counting them in as part of my daily points. I believe Friday we are grocery shopping to stock up for the week. I’m cooking a lot more these days. 

Tonight I’m making Split Pea Soup for dinner. I’m going to bake some vegan treats to enjoy with coffee or tea. I will be posting more about what I eat in a day, my grocery haul and my quarantine fitness routine. All things I’m doing to try to find wellness, joy and fulfillment during these unprecedented times. I’m making a commitment to myself and accountability to anyone who is reading my words. I’ve fallen before but I keep getting back up, bruised backside and all. There is no failure, only the fear to begin again, so just pick up where you left off. With love and light Rose Bruno Bailey

I will leave you with a few quotes about failure and starting over fresh by some very important historical figures.

 

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
― Thomas A. Edison


“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
― Theodore Roosevelt

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
― Winston S. Churchill

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” 

― J.K. Rowling

“It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce that counts.” 
― Zig Ziglar

 

 

Trader Joe’s Vegan Grocery Haul

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Happy Tuesday to all. Ok, last night I did my second part of my vegan on a budget grocery haul. Spanky my Siamese cat was excited too, don’t judge. My goal was to spend $80.00 total for the week, but I went over that just a bit. Our vegan grocery haul for the week total with Trader Joe’s and HEB combined was $107.00. I ended up getting some produce that was higher than I thought. I got flax seeds, chia seeds, tons of fruits, veggies and greens. Lentils and canned no salt beans. I ended up getting healthier flax tortilla chips and salsa for my hubby James, because he’s going to need some foods that resemble what he’s used to. The goal is for him to eat wfpb and not feel deprived, so a little balance here is needed. We also bought all paper products etc so we won’t need to go to the store at all until next Sunday night. I can’t wait to see how I feel with very low salt and sodium.

Overall I think I did well. Plus we don’t eat out, so that’s it for the week. All the other money will go to debt and bills, and new work shoes for me. If you are wondering what meals I’m going to make I will do what I eat in a day in the near future. I’m going to make my own hummus. As far as exercise I’m starting with walking and stretching. My knee needs to heal so I’m taking it somewhat easy. It’s still really swollen. Legs up a walk pose every night for 15 minutes for better circulation. I’m not going to deny I’m in a little pain, so it’s a little concerning. I’m determined to heal though, and losing weight is always recommended for the knees and joints. My long cardio sessions will have to wait.

What is your grocery budget? Do you eat out? I’m curious to know how you manage your grocery budget. Happy Tuesday to all. Like I told my hubby, January I’m doing the grudge work, the healing, building the foundation of my new year. My happiness begins with good health, better finances and less worry. Happy Tuesday to all.

 

How to eat vegan on a budget

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Happy Monday to all. Let’s crush some goals so we worry less and spread joy more. We are happiness gurus today, not tomorrow or next week. For me it begins with two of my categories I need to work on, bills and my healthy vegan food budget. I’m getting healthy now, and my husband James is on board. To eat clean vegan doesn’t take a lot of cash. This week I’m doing it for $80.00.

These are two categories that are important in my life to be happy, getting on top of bills and debt and health. Beginning on Mondays I set the foundation for my week. I set my intentions for my day, and I honor those intentions. Here’s my food haul from last night. One more haul tonight and I’m done and then I decide which bills to tackle first, this plan is a proactive plan. To be happy you need to stop procrastinating, and find money somewhere to take care of issues. No more vegan junk means money to pay off things. I will reserve vegan junk for occasional splurges. Don’t get me wrong, I love vegan junk, only once in a while and definitely not daily. Eating clean vegan will help me on my path to weight loss/and vegan wellness.

If you want to eat clean on a budget I suggest you stick to fruits, vegetables frozen and fresh. I look around for deals first, and then I make my choices. I do the same with veggies and greens, and I buy a lot because this is the bulk of our meals. I look for seeds that may be on sale, I found chia seeds for $5.99. I buy only one bread, Ezekiel. One loaf should last a week. I have whole grain rice and a big container of oats at home, including oat flour, dark vegan chocolate chips for occasional homemade treats. At home I also have spices, nutritional yeast, and apple sauce. I have coconut oil and olive oil but we will rarely use oil. Applesauce is great for baking. We have nut butters, all natural with no salt or oil. Canned beans no salt, dry legumes like split peas and lentils. I do buy some condiments to help my hubby transition to clean vegan. Vegan mayo, vegan butter, and vegan sour cream. I will use sparingly.

Tonight at Trader Joe’s I’m finishing my haul. I will post in another blog what we are eating with this $80.00 vegan food budget. Oh, and there’s always coffee. I think it’s going to be easy to stick to this plan. After the holidays and all the salt I know eating this way will help me in three ways, losing weight, get rid of water retention from all the sodium, and save money to pay bills. It’s a win-win. Now doesn’t beginning your week this way make you happy?

One more thing, we are making a donation for Australia. I can take a little extra cash to show my support. It’s heartbreaking for all the people and animals. I can’t even look at the images, I just cry. If you can, donate a dollar or two. If we all did that imagine how much relief they can get. Part of being a happiness guru is being kind and giving. Love and light to all and prayers for our neighbors down under. Rose

2020 Clarity

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January 2, 2020

Happy New Year to all. I’m finding clarity with the new year. I decided to continue with this blog, rather than begin a new one. I’m still going to be focusing on my vegan wellness journey/ fitness/ weight loss and philanthropy. I’m also going to be my own self development and happiness guru, sharing what I’m learning on this journey of mine. It all began in 2019 when I was having a moment of feeling stagnate. I heard a quote from one of my inspirations. Tao Porchyn Lynch is is over 100, a yoga instructor and the oldest ballroom dancer in the Guiness Book of  world records. She once said she wakes up every day and tells herself today is going to be the best day ever. I started thinking  how can that be when I’m working long hours and money is tight. So many things I want to do cost money. My first reaction Was sorrow. It was Christmas and I felt like 2019 was not what I expected it to be, but then I decided I would make 2020 be everything I dream of and more. How am I going to do this? Stay tuned. I’m going to take each day by setting intentions, and as my husband James said I’m getting out of the loop. The loop is where you keep repeating the same actions and expecting different outcomes.

So here I am, changing  my approach. My fitness journey may be slower since I’m dealing with a knee injury but I’m going to work around it. I made ten categories I wish to work on, the areas of life I’m passionate about and things I feel are necessary for my happiness. Some are simple and some are grand. I’m chasing happiness and seeking joy. I’m going after my goals and dreaming big. Beginning with today’s intention to do very that. My first accomplishment of 2020 is my article about vegan beauty on a budget was featured in VegWorld Magazine.

I’m very proud to begin 2020 with this accomplishment. I’m my own happiness guru, and I’m sharing joy with all those around me. Let’s be happiness gurus together. Together we make a difference. When you are out there in the world making a name for yourself remember to make time for others. We are all connected. 

Love and light,

Rose

WEIGH IN WEDNESDAY

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It is Weigh In Wednesday and a few days before my Birthday, and a week before Christmas. I fell off the wagon the weeks after Thanksgiving, so I decided to start WW Green plan, which is the former weight watchers smart points plan revamped. For future reference WW is the former Weight Watchers, and they have three plans. The three plans are green, blue and purple. Green plan you count everything but most fruits and veggies, blue has free lean protein options added, and purple allows free grains and whole grain pasta. I’ve chosen green because it’s easier for me to be in control when I track everything, and tracking makes me less likely to binge and gain. I did that after Thanksgiving, my weight went up to 179 lbs.

Today I weighed in at 176 lbs, after being on green for one full week. My next weigh in day is Christmas, and I hope I can get through the holiday week with another loss. Going forward it’s all green for me, it just seems much easier to manage my life this way.

Speaking of life, in January 2020 I’m making some changes on this blog. I’m still going to be documenting my vegan weight loss and my fitness journey, and I plan to still be into philanthropy. I’m adding more categories though, things I feel are needed to better my life. I will post a blog how I got inspired to make this change. My blog will still be what it has been, but much more. I guess you can say it’s going to be a self development/lifestyle/wellness blog. I’m really enthusiastic about the change. At first I wanted to start a new blog and continue as us with this, but I decided to combine my ideas. I’m also planning a Youtube channel in the future.

All brand new for the new Roaring Twenties. In the meantime it’s Christmas, and I’m pulling myself out of a long melancholic mood and starting over by choosing joy. Happy Wednesday to all.
Let’s share sunshine and be happiness gurus together. Rose