IN A GOLDEN STATE

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I love California, and I love the lifestyle that comes with being a Californian. Recently my husband James had a few interviews with a company in NYC, and it was looking like a quick move was in our future. A move very similar to the one we made almost four years ago when we packed our bags and got on a plane with our two beloved cats and made the 3,000 mile journey from NYC to California. It was such an adventure for me since it was my first time in the golden state ever. We moved in three weeks, and when I look back I cannot believe we attempted such an endeavor and pulled it off  so seamlessly.

The company he interviewed with sent him an email and told him they were pursuing someone local, and we are both extremely relieved. I have so many plans for California, and those plans would have been lost in the smoke of the jet stream of the plane taking us back to the big apple. To say I am not ready is an understatement. My husband’s friend told me I am as California as the sun.

I have decided now that a move is behind us, to focus on writing and conquering a new fitness/adventure bucket list. I am evolving and a lot of things on my former fitness bucket list are still things I wish to do, but a lot of them are ongoing which would take more funds, or they are in other states.

Here is my list and I hope to start marking off items very soon. 

FITNESS BUCKET LIST/ ADVENTURE LIST
This list will always be evolving, and it is a little different from my fitness challenges and milestone list. These are the big accomplishments and adventures I wish to make happen.

1. Trapeze Classes at Trapeze school in Santa Monica.
2. Learn to surf
3.Paddle boarding
4.Go Kayaking
5.Snorkel ( I did this in Hawaii, would like to do so in California too).
6. Scuba Dive
7.Swim with dolphins
8.Heli Pad Yoga
9.Nature bike ride, no cars
10.Mud run
11.Hike to the Hollywood Sign
12.Rock Climbing
13.get my group exercise certifications
14. get yoga certified
15.30 day yoga challenge
16. Be featured in a magazine, as a before and after 
17.Aerial Yoga
18.Dance classes, ballet, ballroom, hula, belly dance, flamenco, you name it when I have the funds I will do it. 
19.Fire Groove classes
20.Learn Martial arts
21.Horse back riding
22. Go camping, for real
23.Go Kite boarding
24.Zip line
25. indoor skydive
26.Trampoline class
27. white water rafting
28.Whale watching
29.Maybe, maybe do a fitness competition
30.lose all my weight
31.Learn to ice skate


 I am not sure I am brave enough to bungee jump or sky dive, but never say never.


Also, when I visit Pittsburgh I want to work out with my best friend Melissa Bender@ Melissabenderfitness.

Do yoga with my good friend Tracy Gittens in San Diego at her studio Galazy lifestyle and fitness.

GROCERY HAUL FOR THIS WEEK

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 Grocery Haul, and a very bad Siamese cat who assumes it is all for him and jumped on my table when I turned my back. 

Food for the weekdays.

Mostly meat free

I eat tons of produce.

Just a sampling of what I purchased

Vegan burger with vegetables. Grilled eggplant, tomatoes, onions, kale and oil and vinegar and a bit of feta.

I heart eggplant.

I heart my Siamese Rascal even when he is not where he is allowed, on my table when I look away.

Weekday meals will be a breeze

MY CHANGE FOR A TEN: RICHARD SIMMONS CLASS BIRTHDAY BASH PHOTOS 2013

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 HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICHARD SIMMONS
We miss you.

There I was back in July 2013.

Here I am exactly one year later, 42 lbs lighter. I have met so many amazing friends in this past year, words cannot express how grateful and blessed I feel to have encountered such wonderful people.  This post is actually a repost of photos from Richard Simmons Birthday class at Slimmons one year ago. 

In honor of his birthday I am reposting them, and wishing Richard a wonderful 66th birthday. 

Happy Weekend to all. I glance back, and envision the road ahead of me.
Love and Light to all.
Namaste’
Rose

MY CHANGE FOR A TEN: RICHARD SIMMONS CLASS BIRTHDAY BASH PHOTOS

LOOKING BACK AND FORWARD

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It has been one year since I began this project and blog, and I am so happy where I am and where I am going, my journey is far from over. One year ago I was just too embarrassed to post my weight and before photos, and my trainer Mike explained to me to be authentic I have to come clean even if it feels awkward. One year later I am so happy I have those photos to chart my progress, and even though I am trying now to focus on fitness I am glad I have a before weight as well. Now at 167 lbs,  It is fun to look back, and  look forward into the future as I envision where this is leading me. I am reaching for the clouds.

This week I worked out with my Trainer Mike on Tuesday and Wednesday and we are really pushing it now, and I admit this week I struggled a little. I was running late on Tuesday and did not eat enough, and I am discovering the role nutrition plays on your workouts. I was a bit sluggish and off, and on Wednesday I ate more but I got a little sick to my stomach. Sometimes I notice if I eat too much right before my workouts, or if I drink too much water it affects me in a not so positive way. So now I am on a quest to find what works, a year later for tougher workouts. Mike is completely patient with me, and I am grateful for his guidance and knowledge, he is an excellent teacher and I cannot believe one year as gone by. 

I am still trying to collect books for my book drive, and I have two bags of beautiful books thanks to generous and talented friends. I need to hang more flyer’s and get many more. I am in no rush to do so, my goal is to get as many books as humanly possible. My next charity will be announced after the books are delivered to Reading to Kids.

Last night was one of those nights when I needed sleep bad, and now today I feel completely renewed and refreshed. I am always learning and evolving in my quest to be as fit I can be. Sleep is one of those things when you are expelling so much energy that is non negotiable. Do not skimp on sleep ever.

Happy Thursday and keep moving forward.
Love and Light to all
Namaste’
Rose

One year ago I posted my first before photos, and here they are now.

JULY  10, 2013

JULY 10, 2013


ONE YEAR LATER

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Here is a photo of me at the Richard Simmons Video Shoot on July 8th 2013 and a recent of of me. Update I now weigh 167 lbs one year later. I was 210 lbs last summer. I started writing on this blog July 6th 2013 but did not get into the full swing of diet and workouts until July 17th 2013, which was my first workout with Mike my trainer. One year later, 42 lbs lost and lots of new friends gained. I continue on my journey, loving the wild ride. Where will it take me? I do not know.

Happy Monday, back to work.
Love and Light
Namaste’
Rose


HAPPY 4TH OF JULY AND WEIGHT UPDATE

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I hit my newest goal, lost two more pounds and I now weigh 167 lbs.

I have been MIA these last two weeks, but still working hard on all of my goals. I have been working a little more and have not had an opportunity to update my progress, but I will not let it slip again.

Happy 4th of July to all. I am almost at my one year mark, as a matter a fact I have to look back at the exact first date I started to write on this blog. I will write a post all about it once I have some much needed coffee.

I am still collecting books for my current ten pound charity Reading to Kids. I now have two bags and I need so much more. I am willing to take my time since it will take a while until I get to the next ten pound goal.

I feel very blessed to have today and tomorrow off to celebrate with my husband James. I am going to have a little splurge, no use derailing everything for one holiday. Veggie burgers, veggie dogs, and the works all of course portion controlled.

Love and Light and Happy 4th to all. xo


FOLLOWING THROUGH

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It is almost the one year anniversary of this blog, and I remember saying I will always follow through with what I say I will do. That promise began when I was set to be in the Richard Simmons Video. I was not feeling well days before, and I almost backed out. Then I decided to stick to my word and it changed me in so many ways. I met the best people at that video shoot, and I had the best time ever. Almost one year later I find myself reflecting on that promise I made, and continue to make to myself over and over.

I have experienced some personal challenges in the last five days, life’s stresses that we all have them from time to time. Sometimes though, I get so caught up I forget how to breathe. I am coming out of the worry now, and back to work on all of my goals. I had a few days of rest because I strained my knee a bit, and now I my plan is to work out and focus my energy like I in the very beginning. Totally motivated and inspired.  No excuses, I am going to work super hard on my exercise and diet like this is the first day of my blog. Back to square one.

Yesterday I had plans to meet my friend Francie and her Mother Fran for lunch in Beverly Hills. She asked me if I was up to it, and I said yes. I had made a commitment and I followed through, plus I so wanted to meet Fran. I am so happy I did, Fran is as lovely as I imagined her to be and I am blessed to be friends with Francie and well as Fran. Guess where I met Francie? The Richard Simmons Video. No regrets, follow through with promises.

So it is Tuesday, and I am focusing on focusing, breathing, and my weight watchers points. Yes, I am back to counting. It is funny when life throws you curve balls you tend to skip meals and forget how to eat balanced and healthy. Back to the drawing board for me, working out with Mike my trainer tonight. A lot has happened since our last workout less than a week ago, and I am going to have to get my hyper energy back.

To quote one of my favorite movies of all time, It’s A Wonderful Life
Dear George, remember, no man’s a failure who has friends.
I think I need to watch it soon.
Namaste’
Rose

GROCERY HAUL

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Ok, so I am new at trying to budget food but I think I have food for two for the next five days. That would balance out to ten dollars a day. I am trying to improve my food budget and I probably can do so even more. This is my first attempt.

Sometimes for dinner I make simple tuna sandwiches with veggies with no salt albacore tuna and veganaise. I bought mahi mahi burgers to have with either brown rice or baked potatoes with fat free sour cream and lemon.  I also purchased 97% lean burgers to eat with veggies and potatoes or brown rice and Dr Praeger veggie burgers with vegetables. I am hoping this works through Wednesday and next time I may walk to Ralph’s or Jon’s to see if I can do even better and buy food for a full week.

We have eggs, oatmeal, protein bars and vegetarian sausage and bacon on hand. We also have a loaf of Ezekial sprouted bread and bags of frozen fruits. I know I could be stocked up better but this is a beginning. I do all of the shopping on foot so this is where I began with my quest to eat healthy on a budget. I got a lot of my ideas from my bestie Melissa Bender Fitness.

http://www.benderfitness.com/2012/07/melissa-benders-grocery-list.html

Here is my grocery haul for the next five days. I still need to pick up a bag of onions, some 0% Greek yogurt and vinegar and more protein bars and coffee. I probably should make a list.

I have been in a major slump the last few days. I am trying to pull myself out of the gutter so to speak. This healthy eating and planning should help. I am a work in progress and this is my first meltdown so to speak in one year. I almost started crying out in public earlier. I think I may start a gratitude journal to get myself back to my Pollyanna ways. I am human, after all.

Namaste’
Love and Light
Rose



CRYING IN MY COCONUT WATER

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I have to remind myself how far I have come
even if some numbers are still high
I am not a number
I am a soul
with a body
I am trying to train



I cheated and had pizza. I hardly ate all day and decided to splurge when my husband ordered pizza. If you have followed my journey in the past year I have rarely deviated from my diet and lifestyle. 

I am going through some struggles at the moment and I gave in. This is not a weekend long splurge, just one meal and one time. I am trying to figure somethings out and make a plan. Next month is my one year Anniversary of this blog and I will get past the minor setbacks that are occurring in my life and make all of my goals a reality. I am not down or out, I just have to set the bar higher and work harder. I will be seeking balance as I try to accomplish multiple goals.

If I was not feeling bad already I had to go and throw salt on my open wounds. I finally had my fat percentage and measurements done today. I never did them a year ago so I do not have a starting point to compare them to. I was highly disappointed and I felt like all of my accomplishments of the year were taken away. I felt like I was back at square one. My total fat was 40%. I thought, wow, what the hell was it to begin with? My lower abs were 37, (high) my arm 12, my hips 42 and my thigh was 25. The guy at the gym was rushed for time and only did the right side of my body. He did not do around my upper waist around my rib cage so I did that, and that was 32.  According to an online BMI chart mine is 30.1 
The numbers really left me feeling down, especially with my personal issues I am dealing with now. I almost cried in my coconut water.

A friend once told me life is compromised of hills and valleys. I am stuck in a temporary valley at the moment, but I will climb out even if my fingernails end up bloody and torn, because I will believe that I can. I have come a long way in the last year and I will not let some little occurrence derail me and leave me stranded down in some creak in the bottom of a valley. I will climb high and believe in me. I am a majestic dolphin not a whimpering guppy. I will swim to the surface.

So those are my thoughts at the moment. I have been MIA lately and not been keeping up with my posts. I did volunteer with Reading To Kids last Saturday and I now have two bags of books for the children. I am hoping to have much more when I am finished with the book drive. Volunteering was very rewarding and I feel grateful for the opportunity to do so. I am grateful to friend and children’s author Benjamin Harper for his kind donation of his own books. 

No weigh in tomorrow. I am giving myself a break since I have been stuck at 169 lbs. I was told sometimes deviating from your diet tricks your metabolism so tomorrow I am back on track with some healthy changes. Starting now from square one and working my way towards my Birthday on the Winter Solstice, which is six months from tomorrow. That is the next time I will take my measurements and fat caliber test. 

Love and Light
Never Give Up
Rose