Category Archives: working out with a trainer

DANGER ZONE AHEAD

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Good Morning to all on this sunny Thursday here in Southern California. I must do a short yet sweet post since I am running a bit late today. The cats are so happy we are home from Palm Springs, and the holidays are approaching so it is mandatory that I push even harder because this is the danger zone time.

You know the time of year, you want to snuggle at home with your honey and watch Christmas movies, and that takes time away from your routine. I need to stick to my routine and get through the next few months. If I can lose another ten pounds by the New Year I will be very happy. I gained a pound this week and I did not even cheat while I was in Palm Springs, and on Thanksgiving and Christmas I am allowing myself to finally cheat, so this time of year may be difficult if not impossible to lose weight but I will make it through and make it happen.

Tonight after work I am working out with my trainer and friend Mike and if I have time I am going to try my best to make it to Nicole’s Yoga Class at Pink Iron at 7:15. So I will be running with Mike, and then running to make my Wednesday yoga class, but it is so worth it.

Off to work in a bit, my cat Spanky is snuggled on my feet. These are the times when you all of a sudden want to stay home and play homebody.  Coffee is so needed for an extra nudge out the door. Wishing everyone love and lots of light.
Namaste’
Rose

WEIGHT UPDATE 10-22-2013

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Good Morning and Happy Tuesday. I have to admit I am a little disappointed this morning. I got on the scale and I stayed the exact same. I stepped on that thing 5 times or so, and it did not budge. That means in two weeks I have stayed at 180 pounds. My weight loss since July is still 17 pounds.  I have not had a cheat day, so not sure why I am plateauing so soon. I am happy I did not gain though, I have not had a weight gain at all since July, except once when I gained .5 of a pound.  So that is a relief.

I have decided I would start keeping a food journal again, I stopped and when I do not food journal I sometimes find I skip meals. I am also definitely incorporating more running. I am hoping next week will be that stellar weight loss week I have been working towards. In the meantime, back to work and back to the drawing board. Time to step it up just a bit more.

Time for coffee, and tonight I am either working out with Mike, or I am going to go running and then go to yoga. Time for my morning coffee now. I wish everyone a wonderful day. 
Namaste’
Rose

I RAN AND I LIKED IT

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Good Morning, and a Happy Wednesday to all. This weekend I plan on writing more in depth about the Monday Night Mission, and Seasons 52’s role in donating food. I have been very busy and I need some free time to get it done. It was definitely a humbling and moving experience and I plan on returning at least once a month if I can get a friend to accompany me downtown. I was proud to serve the residents of Skid Row for my ten pound goal, and hope to do more in the future.

Yesterday morning I weighed in and I lost 2 more pounds bringing my total weight loss to 17 pounds and my weight total is now 180 pounds. When I started in July I weighed 197 pounds. I am so happy to be making this happen the healthy way. I am also grateful to have such supportive people in my corner. I have pushed my next charity Project Cuddle to 30 pounds since it is going to take a little time to plan, so I am looking for a charity for my 20 pound goal. I am so close, and I will do the charity when I am a few pounds past my twenty pound goal to make sure I have the  20 pound weight loss set in stone. It feels amazing to get fit and lose weight all while helping others in the process. I always wish to give more of myself, and that will always be a goal of mine. 

Last night I worked out with Mike, and we really had a great workout. I bought some new shoes, and it really seemed to make a difference. At first I was scared, he almost found some stairs to climb. The stairs were not an option since the building was closed so he decided we would run instead. My ankle is about healed and I have new shoes so no more excuses, time to step up my game. I did great, and at a few points I actually ran fast, or fast for me. It was an amazing feeling to be able to do something that gives me anxiety. Part of the issue is I am a heavy breather and it is embarrassing. I even made a joke that we should prank someone when I am running, I sound like a heavy breather on the other end of the telephone. Off topic, do kids make prank calls anymore? We pranked people all the time, I guess with modern phones you cannot do that these days. I am guilty for some really bad prank calls back in my early teens.

We ran, and did more core work and worked the machines over and over. It was challenging but I am feeling so much lighter and stronger. I planked and went up and down from an elbow plank to a hand plank, and that was definitely challenging but I did it. Towards the end we were running around the park one last time, and this dog jumped at me to as if to say hello as we ran by, and Mike made a joke that the dog was my cheering squad there to get welcome me over the finish line. I imagined all of these dogs lined up  at the finish line to cheer you on as you complete your marathon. One of the things I love about this park is that there are dogs everywhere, and you always make a new dog friend each week. This week I made friends with Dexter, a beautiful German Sheppard, and of course my white fluffy furry cheerleader.

Today is work, I slept well for the first time in days so I feel great. Yoga with Nicole later this evening. I am going to try to sneak in a treadmill workout in between work and yoga. I wish everyone a bright and beautiful Wednesday. Love and light to all.
Namaste’
Rose

WEEKDAY HURDLES

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Good Morning to all, and it is Wednesday which means the weekend is almost here. I love this silent time of the morning, when James is showering and the cats have settled down. It gives me time to get in my head. The marine layer is out, and I wish I did not work today so I can go somewhere and just write some new poems. Funny, I am very outgoing and a tend to be a talker, but there are times when I really enjoy silence, you have to really know me to know this. When I get quiet James always calls me cranky, but it is not crabbiness but a stillness that comes over me at times, the best moments to write poetry.

I worked out with Mike, my trainer and friend and it was great and challenging as usual. We actually got at the park when it was getting dark, but everything was illuminated from the park lights and people were gathering for their practice for whatever sports they play. Trees are everywhere, I have this little obsession with trees, so I love that.  I always notice everything around me, and I can feel the positive energy of the park even after dark.

As soon as I get the new shoes I need and my ankle is completely better we are going to resume jogging and up my intensity. We did more TRX, and today I am a bit sore but not nearly as sore as I was last week. We also did a lot of core work, and I laugh at myself because I actually do it in the grass without a mat and I am ok with it. Since moving to California I become more and more of an outdoor person, and it is amazing coming from an east coaster whose only outdoor time was a sidewalk cafe at brunch in Manhattan or Astoria, Queens.

I am very grateful to Mike for training me, and I am really beginning to get positive comments from people. I will have more information about him as he progresses in his fitness training goals. He said I am his protege’ and I am happy to be that. I have a long way to go to get to where I want to be but this is giving me the foundation to build upon. I want to be in the best shape of my life and I am thankful and I know Mike has the expertise to get me there. I cannot wait to buy my leotard and head to ballet class, but not until I feel ready. I am on my way.

Tonight is yoga with Nicole at Pink Iron. She is so fantastic, and I love her class. She also has a company Honu Yoga, which makes tee shirts for the stylish yogi. I have a few, so as soon as I get a chance I will post some updated photos of me in my bright colored Honu Yoga tanks. 

I am off for now, I have coffee to drink and then I have to get ready for work. I wish everyone a beautiful day full of lots of illumination and radiance.
Love and Light
Namaste’
Rose

TUESDAY WEIGHT UPDATE 10-1-2013

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Good morning to all on this first day of October. I woke up and got on the scale first thing, and I am happy to say I now weight 182 lbs. I have lost another 2.5 and I am so excited. That brings my total weight loss to 15 lbs since I started this project. In actuality I weigh 25 pounds less than I did last January, but for the sake of My Change For A Ten I am down 15 lbs since mid July.

I am thrilled, and I will definitely keep going. I have decided to make Project Cuddle my thirty pound goal, because having a virtual baby shower is going to take a little more time than I have anticipated, and I want to do it right. I am probably going to do it outdoors at a park so I can invite more people than my apartment can hold. So Project Cuddle is my thirty pound goal, and now I am on the lookout for a charity for the twenty pound mark. I need to brainstorm.

My ten pound goal charity is next Monday, I am assisting The Monday Night Mission in their efforts to feed the homeless and hungry residents of skid row. I know I am five pounds past my ten pound goal, but this one took planning as well, plus I wanted to get well past the ten pound mark to make sure it is official, as a woman I was worried I would announce my ten pound loss, and then gain water weight the next week. I have now cinched it since I am at fifteen pounds. I am going to write two complete posts, all about the Monday Night Mission, and another about Seasons 52 and their role in my efforts to help feed the homeless. 

Today I am working, and after I am working out with my friend and trainer Mike. I am so appreciative of him, his friendship, and his expertise and time. I was so sore last week after our workout, and I know tonight will be much of the same but I can take it. A few weeks ago he suggested a do something called a Mud Run, and I kind of smirked at the idea. Yesterday I was talking to my two managers at Seasons 52, Chef Jessica who has ordered the food for The Monday Night Mission, and my manager Laura. They did a Mud Run once and loved it, and they have offered to do it with me if I decide to do one. They said it was a riot so I am contemplating looking into this new challenge, albeit a dirty one. 

I am off for now, coffee and I must get moving. My two Siamese cats are so cute now, they make me want to stay home with them and just be lazy. One is burrowed under the blankets, and the other loves to sleep in his cat bed. Wishing you a beautiful first day of October. Love and light to all.
Namaste’
Rose


WAKE UP IT’S WEDNESDAY

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Good Morning to all. I am so sleepy today, and I am so happy it is Wednesday. The weekend is almost here, we are almost over the hump. My little rascals were in rare form this morning, so my sleep was really compromised last night. I had to lock both cats out of the room, but of course Spanky howls loud and I had to let him back in. I adore my cats but they really love to mess with our sleep. I think they think we are their  personal play things.

Yesterday I did a new workout with Mike my trainer and friend. He had these cords you put on a tree and then you use the resistance of your own body weight.I love working out in the park, I get the fresh breeze on my face and I am surrounded by trees.  The workout was really challenging which is good, I can see this new feature to my workout is going to really work. My body is really changing and I am so happy and grateful. I am stronger, fitter and I weigh less. I cannot weight to see my weight get in the 170’s. I am so close. 

I got to meet Mike’s lovely girlfriend Maria and three precious dogs. I love dogs, we just have cats since it is a bit more convenient for us. Cats are a handful but they do not need walking. One day we will get a dog too. I would take in all animals if I could. I think it may be time I visit the animal shelter again.

Tonight is my weekly yoga class over at Pink Iron with Nicole. I love her Nicole and her class. It is not until 7:00 so it gives me time after work to figure out dinner and relax a little. I am off for now, I am so sleepy I can hardly function. Coffee, yes coffee is definitely needed today and not just for the taste. Today I need that bolt of energy from caffeine.

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday.
Namaste’
Love and Light always,
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


MASTERING THE ART OF BURPEES

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When you learn something new that is outside your comfort zone, you feel awkward doing it. For me, exercise has always been dance related. When I speed walk I dance in my head to the music I am listening too, everything for me up until this point had a rhythm to it. My heart would follow the beat, and it was seamless and natural for me and I loved it. 

I still love to work out to dance moves or  walking outside or on the treadmill to music, but I have added a lot of new exercise moves to my regimen since I started working out with Mike my trainer and friend. Like I have said before in recent posts, his help is invaluable and I am learning so much. He is really helping me through our weekly workouts. Now, a lot of what I do with him is completely foreign to me, and some things are down right difficult since I have never had arm strength. In the six weeks we have been working out though, I can see significant changes in my form as well as my strength. I am definitely getting better, and that is when he mixes it up and makes it more difficult for me. I love a challenge and I am working really hard, and each week I get a little stronger and more fluid in my movements. I am so grateful for his expertise, assistance, and time.

Burpees feel so awkward to me, and I am yet to master the push up part so I do the burpees without the push up. I do not know what my hang up about this exercise move is, but for some reason I feel like I look completely silly when I do it. My best friend Melissa at Melissa Bender Fitness has asked me to see if Mike would video tape me doing burpees for her website. He loved the idea, me not so much. It looks like we will tape me doing burpees next week. I am going to practice the hell out of them in the week to come. This is an adventure, and sometimes you have to not fear and just do. 

We also worked out a lot with a kettle ball, and a jump rope as well as the machines that are at the park we go to. I can jump rope fast but my endurance is not as good. More things to improve upon. Each week is different and each week I get a little more natural at everything we do, and if I do say so myself I am very proud I have stuck to my regimen thus far. I have a long way to go to my goals, but I am definitely just around the corner to my first ten pound goal. I can tell I am losing inches too.  I feel stronger and I have more energy, and it feels completely wonderful. 

Tonight is yoga with Nicole, and I look forward to it so much. Last week she was explaining the difference between sensation and pain. I still cannot decipher which is which. I also signed up for a Groupon for one month unlimited classes at YogaWorks, thanks to  my friend Francie from the video shoot. She sent me the link and I had just enough time to get the amazing deal. I have to say I am so happy our paths have crossed, she is a fantastic human being and friend. We are both excited that the Richard Simmons video comes out this Friday. We had so much fun dancing in it.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Wednesday full of love and light.
Namaste’
Rose



GETTING STRONGER BY THE DAY

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On Tuesday’s I weigh in, and I work out with Mike my trainer and friend. I lost two more pounds this week bringing my total to 190 LBS. This made me so happy, I have been really working hard and sticking to everything I say I will do, and to see the scale go down seven pounds is such a wonderful reward. I know I have a long way to go but to know this is all working motivates me even more. I am almost to the ten pound mark, and a few weeks after I lose the first ten is when I will be volunteering with The Monday Night Mission. Of course all the time I will be working on my twenty pound loss, this is a lifestyle change and I choose to make being healthy and fit a part of my life.

My workout with Mike at the park was wonderful, I can see and feel I am stronger than I was when we began a little over a month ago. Some of the exercises are not as awkward as they once were, and my strength and balance are improving.  I can feel my once dancer’s flexibility coming back, which made me elated. He truly is a great trainer/teacher and I am grateful to him for the time he puts in. I know I am a work in progress but it is all starting to feel quite natural to me. Tuesdays are the day I measure my true progress.

We did something I would have never dreamed of doing, he brought boxing gloves and I practiced punching the targets he wore on this hands and  then he had me alternate arms and do all these boxing moves. It was fun, of course I hit like a girl but I got better and I will get better. I do have this competitive side with myself and I do not give up. We plan on doing it again, it was fun and I can totally feel the effects on my body this morning. I am sore but it a good way. The jogging felt easier for me, especially when I discovered to try to stay on the heals of my feet and not on the ball of my feet. I tend to naturally do everything on my toes.  

Today after work is my one hour walk and my yoga practice. I love the way yoga makes me feel, totally zen inside and out. If I could find a way to practice five days a week I would, it truly makes me feel peaceful inside. I wish all of you love and light and a beautiful Wednesday. full of peace and joy.
Namaste’
Rose






WEIGH IN TUESDAY

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Left to right….Rose, Santa who I just worshiped, and sister Gina

It is Tuesday August 13, 2013 and before I get to my weigh in I would like to wish my big sister Gina a very Happy Happy Birthday. Just a shout out across the miles, and some nostalgic family photos. I miss my family, but I send them love and light back east. I hope to see them soon. 


I weighed in this morning. I have decided I would weigh in at home on Tuesday Mornings and follow Weight Watchers on my own and online. I prefer to weigh in at home to get the most accurate read, and that gives me more time to workout. 

I lost two more pounds, bringing my weight to…..drum roll…..190 LBS. That makes my total weight loss since I started My Change For A Ten to seven pounds. I am almost at my first milestone of ten pounds. As soon as I lose my first ten pounds, it will be a few weeks before I do my first charity which is The Monday Night Mission. I need to give my work  a few weeks notice so they can have the food ready. I also want to make sure I am past the ten pound mark since sometimes there are those weeks when we gain a few. I want to have the first ten pounds lost for good so I can focus on the charities and then getting to the twenty pound mark.

Today is my weekly Tuesday workout with Mike. I always look forward to it, it is hard but I can see it works and of course I am so grateful that he gives his time to help me. I am also handing him my food journal, that really helped me stay on track. I promised I would have more information about him and his  personal trainer services in the future and I will. He is a wonderful trainer and friend. I was saying just yesterday. You can never have enough friends. I love the quote from the film It’s A Wonderful Life… “No man is a failure who has friends.”  It is such an inspiring film about appreciating your life, a must see.

Off for the day. Happy Birthday Gina, and I wish everyone else a beautiful day today. You woke up, you are breathing, now anything is possible as long as you have that opportunity to make it so. Every day is a Birthday if you look at it that way. 
Namaste’ 
Love and Light
Rose

left to right Niece Nerissa, Uncle Edward, Gina, me, Sister Dona and sister Frankie

Me on the bottom, My Aunt Elaine in center, left to right from top, Dona, Frankie, My lovely Mother, and Gina

Left to right me and Gina

The girls, all of them. Left to right Niece Calli, me, Gina, Niece Nerissa, Frankie, Dona, and babies Satya and Clara