Tag Archives: exercise

Motivation Monday

Good Morning to all. It is another Monday. I am on the brink of some amazing things happening and I feel like I am about to take flight. Some big changes may be happening as well. My book will be out soon and I will do a whole separate blog post to announce it. With the book release comes events to be planned, and contacting the independent book stores that agreed to carry my book. I have a small but wonderful small east coast press publishing my book and most of the marketing is on me. One of my poems in the book has a line, “change comes on slow than rolls you over.” That statement could not be more true for this moment and time, and I am just trying to focus on my daily goals as I wait impatiently for the change to happen. I will come out better on the other side if I continue to focus on my daily and weekly goals. Large goals cannot be obtained without the daily little goals you set for yourself.

Robert Frost once said, “The best way out is through”

So here I am, week three of my Melissa Bender Fitness Bikini Prep workouts and challenge. It is Monday and I am motivated. I am taking it day by day, and week by week. I had a cheat day over the weekend and I realized there was a reason why I rarely had cheat days. They just do not make me feel good. I would rather use a few of my extra points and count in a mini treat than have a day that makes me feel ill and cheats my goals. That is just me. I hope you are chasing down your goals and living in the moment.

Here is the breakdown of my weeks schedule of workouts, again tailored for my Monday-Friday Schedule. You can find these workouts a www.benderfitness.com and I am on week three, month one of the 12 weeks. My weight is still stuck in the 160’s but I will get to the 150’s as I focus on fitness, strength and health; and I plan to share a home yoga schedule soon. Happy Monday to all and remember to love the body you are in as you focus on the body you want. You only get one so love it as you love others and it will love you back.

Namaste’

Rose

Day 15: Monday Full Body Home Workout, 30 Minute Cardio

Day 16: Tuesday Home Workout For a Tight Body

Day 17: Wednesday Improve Your Rear View Workout 30 Minutes Cardio

Day 18: Thursday Fitness Transformation: Workout 4, 30 Minutes Cardio

Day 19: Friday 30 Minutes Cardio

Day 23: Saturday Off

Day 22:Sunday Full Body Shaping Home Workout

GOLDEN GATE GOALS

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Good Monday Morning to all. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I had an awe-inspiring Saturday with my husband James and friends on a boat cruise in San Francisco. It really was a special moment and it truly showcased what a stunning city San Francisco is. I am blessed to have the opportunity to live in such amazing cities and I am forever grateful. I try to schedule my fun days on days I take off from working out, since it just makes sense. I love making new friends, and meeting new people.

I am so determined, even with the struggles and challenges that come my way. My husband and I have decided we are going to really live and we definitely have in the past, but from now on nothing will get in our way as long as we have our health. I am definitely much healthier and stronger than I was when I began in 2013, and I am far from done. Now it is time to lose my remaining weight, get much more fit and strong and tackle my fitness bucket list. I have also contacted a charity I am interested in, and I am planning a run over the Golden Gate Bridge to raise funds for an animal rescue locally. If I do not hear back I will contact another rescue, time is of the essence because they may be another transition in the near future. I got this though, and I am not stopping. The Golden Gate Bridge is iconic, and I can say I drove over it, walked it twice, ran it twice, and now I went under it in a boat. I am so grateful for the places I have lived, and the amazing souls I encounter and make the journey such an adventure.

Here is week two of Melissa Bender Fitness Bikini Competition workouts, a 12 week program. I am on week two, and I am tailoring the workouts for my schedule so it may look a little different here than on her site. Tomorrow is week five of my Weight Watchers Online experience and I am also loving that as well. I weigh in tomorrow. So far I have lost an additional 8 lbs since beginning Weight Watchers Online. Taking photos on special occasions is so much more fun when you feel good about yourself, no longer do I avoid the camera like I did in the beginning of 2013.

Here is my schedule for the week. Namaste’ and go get it!!

Monday Day 8 Quick Fit Full Body Workout

Tuesday Day 9: 30 Minutes Cardio (run)

Wednesday Day 10: Abs On Fire Workout

Thursday Day 11: HIIT 15 Minute Home Fat Burning Cardio, 2 Mile Run

Friday Day 12: Fitness Transformation: Workout 3

Saturday Day 13: DAY OFF

Sunday Day 14: 30 Minutes Cardio (run)

TRAINING SCHEDULE WEEK ONE

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Good Day to all. I am so sore from my first two days of training with Melissa Bender Fitness. You can find her workouts at www.benderfitness.com. I have so much going on, but I realized I have goals and I need to get there. So I decided to tailor her workout schedule to my schedule, and this is week one. Here is today’s breakdown of my Wednesday workout. I have lost 8 lbs in the last four weeks and I am definitely on the road to goal. As soon as I get to 165 lbs I am picking a new charity and plan to get to 155. I am not slowing down no matter what comes my way. Here is my workout I am doing today. I am also running and walking for cardio. I have a 5K in September and I plan another run over the Golden Gate Bridge here in San Francisco.

I am breaking her schedule down, so this will look a little different since I am tailoring the first month of the 12 week program for my Monday-Friday Schedule with days off falling on the weekend. I am currently on day three and I am so sore. I am about to do my workout as soon as I have a little coffee to get going. My day off will be Saturday and that is perfect because James and I are spending the day in the city. We are having Brunch on Hornblower’s Cruise in San Francisco. It should be an amazing experience and perfect timing with my day off.

I hope you are chasing your goals and that you know how fabulous you are.

Love and Light

Namaste’

Rose

http://www.benderfitness.com/2013/02/my-first-bikini-competition-prep-month-1-workouts.html

This is my week one August 3-9th.

Day 1: Monday Full Body Fitness Makeover done

Day 2: TuesdayFull Body Shaping Home Workout done

Day 3: Wedensday Fit Test and Fitness Transformation Workout 1 today

Day 4:Thursday Lower Body Fat Blaster

Day 5: FridayTummy Toning Fat Burn

Day 6: Saturday OFF

Day 7: Fitness Transformation: Workout 2 and Booty Bump Workout

What it means to me to be a fitness ambassador for Melissa Bender Fitness

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I began my project to sponsor a charity with each ten pounds back in 2013, and I am proud to say I have lost 50 pounds. I had the help of an amazing trainer in LA named Mike, and he gave me the keys to fitness and opened so many doors for me. At present, I am far from done — yet I still consider myself to be a success, or, well, a success in progress. Not quite an after, but so much better than before.

“I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” — Lewis Carroll

Now I find myself navigating a new city, and making my goals happen here in the San Francisco area. Melissa Bender Fitness asked me to be her first fitness ambassador and of course I said yes. She is such an inspiration and has guided so many people with her amazing workouts online. She has shown it can be done at home and has been very successful helping others reach their goals. She is a nurturing human being, and to me that is a prerequisite to helping people learn fitness; and she is a perfect fit for me as I continue to blog about the weight loss/fitness/philanthropic journey I am on.

Here is what it means to me to be a fitness ambassador for Melissa Bender Fitness.

1. It means I am dedicated, but I am not perfect. I have come a long way already when Melissa asked me to represent her as her fitness ambassador. I have lost 50 lbs and did it while helping charities with each ten pound weight loss. I now do her workouts daily, and I have recently begun AM workouts. I run/walk and I do yoga. I am a former dancer and I have always been in tune with my body; I was just on a little hiatus. If I stumble I catch myself before I fall. It does not mean I have a perfect body, but I am striving to be in the best shape for me. I still have a ways to go and my goal is to lose 35 more pounds. Melissa Bender Fitness home workouts are a lifeline for me and my new schedule in my new city.

2. It does not mean I have the best workout clothes and shoes. To be honest I own one pair of running shoes, but those shoes lace up and get me to where I need to go. One is enough for me for now. As long as I have my music, my computer, and my sunny outlook I am raring to go. I have never even tried on a pair of Lululemon. I am sure they are amazing, but I am yet to find out. One day maybe.

3. It means even though I have injuries, I keep moving forward. Maybe this is not the right way, and maybe my progress has been slowed a little with my injured toe, but I have never stopped nor will I ever give up.

4. It means I practice what I preach. I really eat clean and I drink a lot of water, and strive to treat my body as my temple. Melissa Bender Fitness reminds me to eat more, in that regard I struggle. When I eat out I make healthy choices that do not derail my lifestyle. That is the key, this is my lifestyle and not a fad diet. I believe fitness includes achieving a mind and body connection. I call outdoor exercise mobile meditation. Helping others through my charities gives me so much more back then I give. I blog about the ways I believe one can find calm within the chaos. I am all about the mind/body/spirit connection.

5. I do not play the comparison game. I am in competition with the me from yesterday and that is it. My weight loss may be slow because I am not as young as I once was, so I have learned to practice the two Ps, namely Perseverance and Patience. Time passes anyway, and I soon will get to where I am heading. I am in no rush nor will I succumb to the pressure of a time limit. This is for life.

6. I try to silence my inner dialogue of body bashing. I also have decided not to be a slave to the scale, and not obsess as much as I used to. This is probably the hardest accomplishment and I still struggle with self-shaming. We can be our biggest fans or our worse enemies. I strive to be my biggest fan but I am human.

7. I try new things and I live ageless, fearless, and full of enthusiasm for fitness and living a healthy lifestyle. I shared Melissa Bender Fitness workouts before and I do now, because I believe everyone can benefit from her help. I am sincere and I am one of her biggest fans.

8. I have a fitness bucket list I am working on, and it may take time but I will make my dreams a reality. As long as I am breathing I have the opportunity to begin anew.

9. I do the exercises and modify those I cannot do due to injuries. For example, I have an injured toe so plank jumps are difficult so I just do a normal plank. I have a very strong core and I once planked in LA for over five minutes, and I beat my trainer Mike once. I know my weaknesses and I work on them. I may not be able to master every exercise, but I always try my best.

In essence I am the best me possible, and even though I may trip from time to time, I stand up and dust of the dirt and keep moving in the direction of my destination and I enjoy the ride.

A body in motion stays in motion, and a body at rest stays at rest. That is Newton’s Law. Keep it moving.

Love and Light

Namaste’

Best Foot Forward

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I am on day nine of my workouts that I am doing since I became a fitness ambassador for Melissa Bender Fitness.I am doing the 12 weeks of bikini competition workouts and feeling great. http://www.benderfitness.com/2013/02/my-first-bikini-competition-prep-month.html

I ran to the running store yesterday, since I do have my share of challenges as I progress. I have a foot/toe injury and I feel so much better when I have inserts from a running store. It takes the pressure of the front of my foot and it really makes a difference how my feet feel all day. I am now putting my best foot forward and chasing after my goals pain free.

My diet is on track and you can find my food journal on my facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/MyChangeForATen

When I work I usually eat the same things in the am and afternoon, to make it easier to plan.

Week two is underway, and I am so happy to be back in the swing of things. I had two months off from the move and it really depressed me, I need those endorphins.

I am looking into doing a raffle for my next charity, and raffling off something exciting. The photo on this post holds a hint of what I will be raffling off. I have not been on the scale in a while, since I have been focusing on my fitness and clean eating and trying not to obsess. I will do another weigh in soon and I am purchasing a new scale tonight since mine broke in my move.

Off for my day, I admit I am a little sleepy this morning, it is that darn San Francisco fog. Much different then the LA sun I am used to.

Happy Transformation Tuesday to all

Namaste’

MIND BODY SPIRIT

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I think to be fit in body one must be fit in mind and spirit. I am a firm believer in a mind/body/spirit connection. It all begins in our thoughts, and our thoughts can be transformed into actions. I am one who finds solace in nature, and creating art. Working out helps balance my happiness as well as my fitness, as does channeling my creative and philanthropic side. When I do cardio, I prefer to do so outdoors so I can benefit from what I call mobile meditation. I get lost, I am a wanderer, wondering always about what is to come and pushing the limits on my dreams. The sky is the limit and I am forever reaching in my sun salutations for the sun above. I find weight loss is not such a lofty goal when you finally make the connection.

Check out my facebook page to see some of the tree photos I snapped on my running path. https://www.facebook.com/MyChangeForATen

Friday night my workout was done at midnight, yes it was late but I preferred to do it after my ten hour day rather than before. Skipping is not an option for me. When I began this project I promised myself when I commit to something I will follow through. I say it, and it gets done. I also walked two miles yesterday but I admit I did not eat nearly enough. I will have to improve upon that.

Today is day seven of MelissaBender Fitness workouts, and day seven of being her fitness ambassador.http://www.benderfitness.com/2013/01/lower-body-fat-blaster.html

Yesterdays workout was awesome and I really worked up a sweat. It is amazing how everything else in life feels right on point and happiness quota rises as if on steroids when you get high off your own endorphins.

I am so grateful for this life I live and it never escapes me that so many people are struggling and my heart always goes out to them. That is one reason I do this project, to do a little to make a difference. Yesterday I met a young girl who is obviously battling cancer, but her smile on her face could light up a starless sky. Inspiration comes in so many forms. Her radiance and positive attitude will stay with me as I continue on in my own journey of this elusive phase we call life, loving every second of feeling totally and utterly alive yet never taking it for granted.

May the sun bring you warmth and the stars light your path

Love and Light

STARTING OVER

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The last few months have been challenging, navigating a new city and a new job. Now that 2015 has arrived I feel ready to begin anew in my project. I will be announcing exciting news soon. I also plan on doing an event/raffle and raising money for a non profit who really needs funds. I am going to raffle off a prize that I feel people would love to win.

For the beginning of 2015 I am going to focus on fitness and not be a slave to the scale, yet still helping charities and others along my journey. I have so many fitness goals and of course a fitness bucket list I wish to tackle. The idea of this project and blog is to help myself and help others in the process. I have been successful so far but that was just practice, it is on now. I am so ready to be the best version of myself.

Love and light to all

Namaste’

Rose

NATIONAL POETRY DAY

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Good Morning to all. Today in the UK is National Poetry Day, and since I am a poet I decided to include a poem in my daily post. Writing helps me channel my thoughts and get through the challenges and transitions in life, as well as working out. Life is hills and valleys, at one moment you are king of the hill the next moment you find yourself stranded at the bottom without a safety net. It is how you channel your thoughts that makes all of the difference.

What do you do to keep the calm amongst the chaos? With my move I am working out daily doing Melissa Bender Fitness first month of her three month series of the Bikini competition workout and daily trips to the gym. I also love to work out in nature. Movement has helped me keep my sanity as we transition from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I would love to hear your thoughts, how you channel your anxieties and worries. Nature always has a way of bringing us back to earth.

Love and Light to all.
Namaste’
Rose

NATURAL THERAPY

The azure sky above tints my reality

with a little glow of heaven,

An existence formally tainted

within the eclipse of my soul.

Depleted unfulfilled and lost

within a colorless endless Monday;

searching for a free haven,

a place where weariness

drifts away in the haze;

illuminating the shadows.

Clouds take on a new shape,

artistry and the allure of the earth,

nature and spirit are entwined in bliss.

Fluttering in the mist of the rain,

water blesses me to begin anew;

I become the willow in the wisp,

communing with the celestial one.

Climb trees, reach high, embrace;

mother earth and all she stands for.

The scent of damp cedar,

captures my senses and I am aware;

there is more to myself than me.

Honeysuckle tickles, provokes, lingers;

teases my greedy nostrils

with the promise of the coming dawn,

and all the abandon that she offers.

The endless monotony of Mondays,

are replaced with the beauty of a blue beyond.

Slow down, breathe, take time,

be serene, own your peace.

The wonder of a midsummer delight

replaces the constant inner struggle,

when an individual steps outside

their vanity, their Jones’ mentality.

Looks at their former world

from a different vantage point.

Grasps what is truly valuable,

We are all one with the earth

and the earth is one with us.

Rose Bruno Bailey

WORKOUT, YOGA, REFLECT, REPEAT

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Good Thursday Morning to all and a very Happy Birthday to my husband James. I owe so much to him, and everything I have evolved to be is because of his influence. We are two adventurers of life, never knowing what destination we will call home. I love living life like it is a big adventure. Happy Happy Birthday Jamesy!!

We are Palm Springs bound tomorrow, so I will take lots of photos and share them. I am so excited to have a get-a-way, and I look forward to eating healthy yet delicious. I did promise my husband James I would eat some Birthday cake, even though he wants to me indulge more with him but I am not giving in. My first real cheat day is Thanksgiving. My healthy lifestyle does not slow down for weekend get-a-ways. That does not mean I will not enjoy myself, but within reason and with healthy and delicious choices.

James and Rose 1998 at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland Ohio

Yesterday was my workout with Mike, and it is now getting harder. He actually said he has never seen me sweat like that. No complaints though, I know when things start to get too easy or simple it is so important to climb to the next level even if the challenge makes you feel like you are right back to being a beginner. We did the circuit machines and the TRX, and I planked on my arms with the TRX in my legs. I thought I was so good at planking, and then a new challenged fed me humble pie, it was so so hard. We ran, and we keep running more and more each time and I think I may be improving. I still struggle with my breath but I think it may be getting a little better.

I love the park at that time of night, it is dark but the whole park is illuminated my lights. People are there doing their own personal workouts or practicing softball. There is the distraction of dogs everywhere. As we were running my eyes caught this beautiful black lab leap mid air for a softball. Right there was inspiration, grace in motion from a canine. There is a feeling of camaraderie, that spirit envelops the air you breathe and you almost feel like you are a kid playing outside after hours. I am so grateful for Mike, not only does he take the time to train, motivate and teach me, but working out with him is just plain fun with lots of laughter and it never feels like a chore.

I love feeling like a kid again, and I believe since I have moved here to Southern California I have truly become the epitome’ of a Californian. I wonder if a lot of the New Yorker in me is fading. I am a true outdoor girl now. I am making progress and that makes me very happy indeed. Life is always evolving, and it is never ever to late to learn something new and be a better version of yourself. I will continue to always have this zest for life no matter how old I get. I love life, living, and the people and animals that make it so worthwhile.

Tonight I am just doing some cardio after work than getting ready for our weekend trip, and hanging out with that cats and James.
Wishing everyone a beautiful Thursday of love and light.
Namaste’
Rose

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

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Happy Halloween to all. I am a bit under the weather so I am taking a few days off to rest and hoping I do not come down with the flu. I have been lightheaded with major body aches but this morning I feel slightly better. Mike has been really busy and unable to work out, and this week it works out for me since I need to reserve my energy. I will train with him again as soon as his schedule opens up. I am grateful for his time always. This weekend I plan on going to the gym and using the weight machines so I am not to behind when we resume working out.

James and I have this Halloween tradition we started in Pittsburgh. We make a feast, turn on our Halloween lights, carve a pumpkin and watch scary movies together. The cold of Pittsburgh really fueled the feeling of the tradition but we still do it even here in California. Of course I am modifying the food because I am not cheating until Thanksgiving. I may try to get a walk in if I feel better after work before he gets home.

Off for now. Happy Happy Halloween to all.Be safe with your trick or treats. xo
Love and Light.
Namaste’
Rose