Category Archives: weight loss

WEIGH IN MONDAY

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Happy St Patty’s Day. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday. This weekend I splurged a little on a veggie burger, tater tots, and Nada Moo Chocolate Chip Mint. My hubby made me a splurge meal, and the vegan ice cream was my version of a vegan shamrock shake. 

i rarely eat salt, and I try to not eat vegan processed foods on a regular basis. I weighed in this morning up a pound. I understand it’s water weight and I’m ok with it. I don’t plan to eat salty foods on a regular basis. I’m trying to eat mostly Whole Foods, plant based most of my days. I’m also trying to find balance with food. My aim is good nutrition, but I don’t want to become obsessive. I want my focus to be on fitness and health. I also occasionally think it’s ok to live a little. 

This week my plan is to focus on Whole Foods, with just one treat. My treat will be a small pastry or item from a new vegan bakery I’m hoping to try. I will let you know if I do. A vegan bakery and cafe opening up where I live in The Woodlands TX is a rare occurrence. I’m so excited to go there. 

I plan to eat to my standards, my vegan stance is a personal moral decision. There is no cheating, it’s a lifestyle not a diet. My weight loss/health Whole Foods plant based journey is a process, one where I may splurge from time to time. There’s a difference with the two, but I’m trying to balance it all. After all I’m human. 

Weigh in today up 1lb 183

Short term goal is 159 ( my weight before I moved from Los Angeles to Texas in May 2017) 

Next stop beginning my fitness journey all over again. Stay tuned. 

Love and light and Irish Blessings 

Rose 

 

 

 

 

 

WEIGH IN

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I had a little bug again, it’s been so cold here and everyone around me has been sick. It was just a quick cold and I’m back feeling  like brand new. 

Things are really starting to look brighter here, and I’m very inspired and motivated. I know I said I would only weigh myself once a month, but I lied. I am currently 182 lbs. I was 190 around the holidays. I am so excited to see the scale dropping again. I’m really trying to work on my nutrition and portion control. The Loseitapp keeps me in check. I keep a food journal daily, it helps me tremendously. I’m 24 lbs away from my lowest weight I reached on this blog, before the loss of my Mom and our move to Houston. I’m finding my way back to myself now, finding my way back to true happiness and all of my plans and goals. 

The one thing I’ve learned in the last few years is no matter how motivated I am, I am not perfect. I really believe in eating a Whole Foods, plant based way of living. Sometimes, I may splurge though. Cravings happen. The one thing I won’t do, is cheat on my vegan lifestyle. This is something that has nothing to do with diet, it’s my moral compass and I strive to follow what’s in my heart. I’m not perfect, but I strive to be my authentic self. So when I speak of occasionally splurging, I am referencing vegan fun foods that I choose to only eat occasionally. My daily way of eating is clean wfpb with limited oil, salt and sugar. I have chosen to say limited instead of completely omitting these items because like I stated before, I am far from perfect. 

As I type this latest post I’m watching Madonna. She is probably my earliest inspiration and one of the reasons I chose to dance in college. I’m getting back to my fitness and I’m excited to say I’m taking the American Council of Exercise group exercise exam in September. My plan is to start with dance inspired group classes. I learned a lot after  being in the Richard Simmons video and taking his classes, and I plan to use all my experiences in this blog as well as my classes. I’m lucky to have real women in fitness in my life, inspiring me and making a difference with their fitness careers. I’ve decided I would like to interview these wonderful real women warriors, so stay tuned. It will be a week long series, with one interview each day for seven days. My real life inspirations. I’m nothing without my influences. 

I will leave you with a snippet of an interview I saw with Jennifer Lopez. She said she remembers seeing Madonna running in Central Park. Here was this big star, but she was working hard. So if you have a dream, a goal or a plan; start by working hard. It’s the cement of the building blocks of your goals. Go get it now, but start at the base and build upon it with sweat and dedication. Don’t forget your inspirations and influences, they are there to teach you if you are willing to learn. We all uplift each other. 

If you believe you will achieve, but you have to put the work in. Nothing of worth comes for free. Believe, Achieve, Become the butterfly. 

 

WEIGH IN UPDATE

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Happy Monday to all. I would first like to begin by expressing my sorrow regarding the California fires. I lived in Los Angeles twice and we spent our weekends in beautiful Malibu, and we also lived in San Francisco. I’m just heartbroken for the people and animals and those in the wake of the fire. California is my adopted home and my friends there are my family. 

Update on my progress in the last week. I weighed in today, and for the second week my weight stayed the same. I weigh 182 lbs. in August I was 192 lbs so I’m happy I lost ten pounds. I admit last week I didn’t focus as much as I should on a clean diet, I stayed within my calories but I ate a little more vegan junk food than I should have. I try to only eat vegan convenience food once or twice a week but I gave in and had a veggie burger or two. It’s ok, this week I will do better. I’m planning to focus on routine, fitness and nutrition this week. 

We are moving into the holiday season, and even as a vegan it’s not easy to focus and not gain weight. My goal is to be in the mid 170’s by Christmas. We are having our first vegan Thanksgiving. I’m really excited to be living my most authentic life.

Our food drive for the Houston Food Bank is in full swing, as is the toy drive for Toys for Tots; courtesy of the kind people I get the pleasure to work beside. These are my last two charities for this particular project. After these two charities I plan to continue this blog as a vegan weight loss and fitness blog, but I will no longer be doing charities with each ten pounds. I’m planning a new project to help others,  and I will be posting about that at a later date. My plans to launch this new giving project are in February 2019. My goals are to really focus on changing my health and fitness on this blog, and keep my philanthropic goals separate with my new project.

We have been through a lot the last few years, but I feel the tide is about to change. A lot of good things are happening and we may be in transition again. I’m excited about the future and all new opportunities for both of us.

Life is definitely a road trip of hills and valleys, but it’s the people you meet along the journey that matter. They are with you as you navigate the lows and highs. Drive steady my friends. We all are here for one another to take the wheel when needed. 

So much love and light and prayers for my beloved California and to my California family we are with you in heart and spirit.

WEIGH IN MONDAY

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Happy Monday to all? Today is weigh in Monday and I lost 2 lbs, cue happy dance. That brings me to 182 lbs. I’m down 7.6 lbs. I’m keeping a journal of my meals and calories on the Loseitapp and I’m using Dr Greger’s Daily Dozen App to keep track of my vegan nutrition. I’m doing this six days a week and one day a week I allow a vegan cheat day. On that day I eat whatever vegan foods I like, but I do my best to keep my calories in check. 

Losing weight through stress or when you are in a personal crisis is not easy. For me what’s working this second try around is I’m focusing on my nutrition and my fitness. My meal plan six days a week is very clean, with very low salt, no oils and just a bit of raw sugar in my coffee. Using both apps keeps me accountable. My energy is definitely up since I started the Dr Greger Daily Dozen. My one vegan cheat day a week allows me to eat the vegan foods I love. This week I’m choosing that day to be Halloween.

Another bonus is how incredibly inexpensive this way of eating is. Lentils, tofu, split peas, canned beans no salt, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, quinoa, Ezekiel bread, oats, flax seeds, no salt peanuts and no salt peanut butter. It’s not always easy to tick off everybox, yesterday  I missed cruciferous vegetables; but that’s ok. I strive to each day do better. 

I am also working on some new and exciting projects, I also plan to waitress more than usual, and I’m continuing forward with this blog with the intent to post more regularly and I plan more videos in YouTube.

Dr Greger recommends exercise daily and I may start my workouts in the evening on my work days to be able to manage everything I’m working on. I bought an amazing planner from Barnes and Noble to keep everything organized.

It is all about a positive mindset. Stress gets me, and sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in it; than I remember I’m a good swimmer. Right now im treading water through my struggles and my eye is on my health, fitness, strength, flexibility, and longevity. I’m proud to be a plant eater. 

Stay tuned for next post when I announce how I’m doing my small part to help others in the community I live in with the wonderful people I work with.

When you find yourself struggling, it helps to help others.

Namaste’

Rose

DO WHAT YOU LOVE

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Depression, I think I was depressed for a while. I’m trying to understand the idea of depression. I’m such a happy go lucky person, for me to be depressed is unheard of. The loss of my Mom, leaving my beloved Los Angeles and losing our cat; among other things left me with this void. It’s not something anyone can see, it’s like a numbness. In Los Angeles I was so alive, like life on steroids. Things here in Texas are much slower and with all of what happened I felt my vibration at an all time low. Time to choose to change and raise my vibration.

Recognizing it is the first step. Making goals again and being impeccable with my word is the second step. I am here, posting every single day. My computer crashed, but this time I make no excuses and I make it happen with my phone. I keep a food journal every single day. I can feel already changes in my body. I’m so happy to be back, this is just the beginning. I’m laying the basic groundwork for bigger goals. 

Do what you love, do all things with love. I treat others with love, I should do so with myself. That means never giving up and making the commitment to stick to starting over.

What do I love? I love to write so I keep writing and submitting my work. I want to be a healthy weight loss success story again, and I want to help others. I’m interested in motivational speaking sometime in the future.

After being in the Richard Simmons video and taking his classes, I too want to teach classes. I’m a former dancer and I love dance as much as I love writing. My husband James paid for me to get my American Council of Exercise group exercise certification. With all that has happened I missed my exam, and I was so disappointed in myself. I hit an all time low with that one. 

There’s always light at the end of the tunnel. I was told I still have one year to take my exam. Do what you love. That’s my motivation for me going forward. Round two is underway and going strong. 

It’s time to study. Do all things with love, for yourself and for others. 

So much love and light.

Namaste’

Rose


 

 

MINDSET

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Happy Thursday to all. I’m still blogging from my phone. Not having a working computer is not a setback for me. I’m just adjusting to whatever tools I have on hand. I committed to blogging daily again, and I will do so no matter the obstacles. It’s really helping me stay on track with my food. I’m on it, I’m accountable, I’m not perfect, but I’m doing it every single day. It’s not easy to do this on the phone, the keyboard is sensitive so if things look less than stellar my apologies. 

Mindset. Even though I’m really doing great with my food I admit this week my mindset is struggling. So much stress this week since we got back, so much to think about and decisions to be made. I admit I’m completely overwhelmed and had quite a few crying moments this week. I’m trying to pull myself out of this quagmire I’m in. That means exercise and sleep. This week my sleep has been compromised and when you are fatigued you cannot think clearly. 

I had a chat with one of my dear friends. He reminded me how strong I am. He said for me to be able to stay so focused on eating clean is a big accomplishment. I have to admit he’s right. I’m staying the course, I did the standard American diet crime and gained the weight but that’s in the past. I’m getting back to being the person who started this blog; strong yet not perfect, but one who doesn’t give in or give up. 

Day seven since I’m back. Seven days at being accountable to my word. I love the book the four agreements and the quote from the author. I will leave you with this. 

Always be impeccable with your word. 

Don Miguel Ruiz

Love and light

Namaste’

Rose

 

 

 

 

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

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Happy Sunday to all. Today is day three of my brand new journey, and of course there are challenges coming my way already. My computer is down, so I’m posting from my phone. I also live in Texas, and Texas has bugs, especially in the hot humid summer. If you know me I have a severe bug phobia. They spray regularly here in our apartment but these bugs that they say come from the trees get in. Most die immediately, but for me it gives me such anxiety to awaken to an insect graveyard. I’m trying to overcome my insect anxiety but it’s truly not easy. 

It’s ok, breathe in and breathe out. These are challenges not tragedies. I refuse to get frustrated and give up now or ever. I am all in on this brand new life journey. I will no longer make excuses or begin tomorrow on a better day. Today is the day, the time is now.

Daily challenges in life are like tiny grenades popping up in your path, for me the grenades are in the form of dead bugs. The trick is to jump over them, don’t step on them or look back. Keep going on your journey. You will be happy that you did not give up. Life is a literal obstacle course, keep moving forward. Working through challenges and anxieties is never easy but you will be happier when you don’t let the challenges and anxieties in your life take over. 

My plan for today’s post was to share a lot of the resources I’m using going forward in health and fitness. I will do that in a future post, I can use my Hubby’s computer. In the meantime I’m here and doing my best to navigate posting from my phone. 

As I post on the third day of my brand new journey I hear of another mass shooting in Jacksonville Florida.  News that puts my minuscule challenges and anxieties into perspective. Here I am anxious about stepping over one or two dead insects, at the same moment innocent people are dodging bullets and hiding until it’s safe to come out. Humbling for sure.

So today I send love and light into the world. We collectively are in constant healing mode. As I begin healing my mind/body and soul; my biggest wish is we can all heal together and one day live in harmony, safety and peace.

Love and light, 

Rose Bruno Bailey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOAL SETTING

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Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.

Tony Robbins

Happy Saturday to all. I am here after a long hiatus in blogging, and a few failed attempts to restart and reinvent my blog. I am a work in progress, at the moment I am just doing it despite some improvements I need on this website.

If you are new here I am a weight loss blogger, sponsoring a charity with each ten pounds. I started my blog in Los Angeles, moved to San Francisco and eventually back to Los Angeles. My weight went from well over 200 lbs to the lowest I achieved which was 159 lbs. We soon relocated to Houston TX, and after a few losses in the family my weight went up to what it is today, 191.8.

I own the slip up and how I stopped eating healthy and working out. Funny how we stop doing the hard work and we are surprised by the numbers on the scale.

My plan going forward is to document this brand new journey, a journey I am doing differently the second time around. I am a vegan now, for the animals and the environment; and I am learning how to eat best for my health. I started fresh this week with more of a whole foods/plant-based diet low in oils, sugars and salt. I do not promise to be perfect with the last part but that is what I am striving for. 

Learning fitness again is not easy, and I find myself out of shape and starting over. That is ok with me, if not today when? The hardest part was coming out and admitting I stumbled. I will be sharing every aspect of my new journey, the good and the bad.

I believe in a mind-body approach to life, and I am also a poet/writer so I will be sharing my thoughts on life, inspiration etc. A lot of the content on this blog will also be more lifestyle and wellness related.  I also plan to share all of my resources with you, what I am learning and where you can find the resources if you are ever inclined to do so.

I hope to start a YouTube Channel and a separate website for my writing and books. I say books because I am currently working on my second book.I have a lot to learn the second time around, blogging changes as technology changes. I am catching up though, and I am not waiting until I get the perfect computer, video camera, or updated website. The time is today.

I welcome you to join me as we are always reinventing ourselves and striving to be the best versions of ourselves. That is one of my main goals, to write content that inspires us all to live happier and more fulfilled lives.  No comparing ourselves to others, we inspire each other but we are each on our own unique journey. Join me on my path to wellness and happiness and I will join you on yours.

There is no yesterday and there is no tomorrow, today is the day I get it right. That’s my new formula. When I wake up on a brand new day I will repeat that mantra. Rose Bruno Bailey

every single day!

Namaste,

Rose

HEALTHY VEGAN

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“Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.” ~Henry Ford

Starting over, how often do we do this again and again? I hit my lowest weight on this blog over a year ago, and then life took over my will power and drive. I have spent the last six months visualizing what I want going forward, but not yet grasping what I did before that gave me weight loss success. In essence I talked about starting over, but I let life still rule my will. Now it’s time I talk the talk again, and walk the walk. It’s never easy, life does keep throwing us curve balls; but it’s time I start playing dodge ball and dodging those damn obstacles to make it happen despite the challenges. Today I weighed in at a whopping 192.8, but I own that because I believe I can achieve my goals the second time around. That quote is my hubby’s favorite, and now mine too. I think I can.

If you follow my blog you know I have chosen a vegan lifestyle, This is for the animals, and the environment. Is it a journey finding how to lose weight again since I gained my weight back? Yes, it’s a brand new journey but I am a work in progress. I am living my most authentic self, staying true to my convictions.

This new journey has a learning curve but I am up for the challenge. In the beginning I ate a lot of vegan convenience foods. I love these alternatives and I will have them occasionally, but going forward I am planning a whole foods and plant based diet. Still vegan for the animals, but cleaner eating for me. It’s a win win. I can have those vegan alternatives occasionally as a treat, but my day to day diet will be clean. I lost all my weight eating clean, but this time I am vegan. I am relearning everything I did the first time around but with a compassionate twist. Today is day one, and I will be sharing everything I learn on this brand new journey. 

So I am back, back to daily blogging, back to being me one day at a time. We just flew in from Delaware and today we are grocery shopping and working out, and spending time with our Siamese cats. Today is a brand new day, and I am grateful to be alive to have the opportunity to start over. There are obstacles and challenges as always, but every time a curve balls comes my way, I will duck and keep going because I think I can. 

Love and light,

Rose

 

WEIGH IN AND WILLPOWER

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“Take a lesson from the trees, watch the way they bend with each breeze, little victories.”

— Bob Seger

Good Afternoon.That quote totally resonates with me.  I lost 2 lbs, today I weighed in at 188 lbs, There has been much frustration on my end, struggling with my willpower that seems to wane in the evenings. I am almost there, but I need to tweak some issues with willpower. I am happy about the loss but I have to correct my inconsistencies. I started over weighing in a week ago at 190 lbs. I just need to work harder, period.

I am eating a plant-based diet and trying to have mostly raw foods when possible. There are moments when my husband James asks me to make him vegan comfort foods, and it can be hard to resist vegan Bolognese and vegan tacos when I am trying to eat as clean as possible. Those foods aren’t terrible, and they are definitely better than the meat alternatives; but for someone like me who is really having a hard time losing weight they are too high in starchy carbs and sodium. They are also the kind of foods we all tend to overeat.

I have been charting my calories on the LoseItapp and even with these little vegan cheats my calories never go over 1,600. I try to stay under 1,300. I don’t believe in full on cheat days, but working some foods into your calories without overeating. I can still do better and I will.

Today is a new day and a new week, I need to practice more mindful eating.  I am tweaking some things to see what works. When I started this blog 5 years ago I was not living a plant-based lifestyle, and I ate low carb and high protein. So this is trial in error for me. I am learning what works for my body, and doing tons of research. I will start posting what I am eating when I get on a roll and find out exactly what is working for me. This really is a brand new journey in more ways than one. Celebrate small victories and work a little harder each and every day.

Love and Light

Rose