Tag Archives: Losing weight

It’s a Lifestyle

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Happy Day after Valentine’s Day to all. I hope the special day brought you joy, whether you have a valentine or not. I work in a restaurant at night so my day was all work and no play. That’s ok, it’s my hump day and soon my my off days will be here. I’m working hard for the money and grateful for my blessings. 

It’s day 4 of my 30 day Whole Foods plant-based challenge. I’m vegan and I’m trying to lean more towards a cleaner way of taking care of my temple. Day 4 and I feel fabulous, not as fatigued from waiting tables. For a while I thought I was getting sick, or old, and now I realize I just wasn’t feeding my body correctly. I’m doing the challenge to help myself kick it into high gear, to be accountable. At the end I will have a delicious vegan cheat day and do another 30 day challenge. I’m going to do this plan going forward. I plan to check my cholesterol in a few months, to see how this is working for my body. Staying away from all oils is the biggest hurdle, but I’m sticking to it. In 30 days I will jump on the scale, and going forward I will only weigh myself once a month. 

We had a cat health scare with Max, but it was a false alarm. I will take him in to be safe soon, but it seems he was constipated. I found out today my Mom’s sister, my Aunt Elaine in Chicago had a stroke. I think she’s going to be ok, but send her lots of prayers. In life, challenges pop up when you least expect them. No matter what comes, I’m not deviating from my food plan. This is for my heath, period. My weight loss will be an added bonus. 

Next week I will post on my fitness plans, and more of what I’m eating. I’m going forward and not looking back. Onward and upward for me.

Love and Light 

Rose

30 Day Challenge

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Good Day to all. Today is the first day of my wellness journey 2.0. I’m really starting over this time. I choose now because a lot of the struggles and stresses are quieting down, and I’m open for change. Sometimes you must wait until you are ready to commit to change. This is that moment for me. 

I am vegan for ethical beliefs, and I do believe it’s the healthy way to wellness. With that said, I’ve been kind of a vegan junk food addict.  I am happy all of my fave vegan comfort food exists, but I’m taking on the Whole Foods plant-based lifestyle again. My plan is to eat completely clean for 30 days, no oil with limited salt and sugar. To be honest the sugar will just be in my coffee each morning, that’s it.

I have so many reasons why I’m doing a 30 day wfpb challenge. I feel ill, my stomach aches. I’m bloated. I feel for me vegan convenience food should be rare treats like any convenience comfort food. In 30 days I will have one cheat day after my weigh in and I will do another 30 day wfpb challenge. Stay tuned for what I will be eating with recipes. I’m just starting new on this blog and finding my footing again after a long time of not being consistent. I’m starting my cardio this week with yoga and stretching. Workouts will follow, and daily updates on my blog. 

One of my favorite vegan influences I follow is Tabitha Brown. She said don’t wait until you are sick to make changes in your nutrition. That really resonated with me, so let my 30 day challenge begin. It’s the perfect way to start again on my blog.

This blog will be all about wellness, weight loss, veganism, plant-based life, workouts etc. Charities and giving back won’t be featured here anymore. I’m launching a brand new sister blog for all of that goodness. 

Let my challenge begin. 

Happy Brand New Beginnings 

Love, light, and good health to you

Rose

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY ONE

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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

Happy Friday to all. Today is my new official day one. I plan to post daily even if it’s just a quick update. There is a lot going on in my world, but to me that is the perfect time to begin anew before my weight gain gets out of control. I weighed in officially today, I am 191.8 lbs.   I was 159 lbs over a year ago. I own my slip up and I am ready to put the hard work in, this time I am vegan.

I am vegan for the animals and environment, and I am experimenting what works for my health and weight loss as I begin this journey to lose weight again. I am going to try to eat clean and whole foods/plant-based. I am lowering my oil, salt and  refined sugars significantly. I am also keeping a daily food journal with the Loseitapp. For the last six months I admit I did not try as I should have, and I ate a lot of vegan junk food. I am grateful those foods exist but from now on those will be occasional treats for me, just like meat based treats were occasional my first time around on this blog. I promise I will not get obsessive in my food choices, but to be frank I feel like complete crap and I am ready to get back to being me. For now I am shooting for 1,370 calories daily. That should translate to a over a pound a week weight loss.

Breakfast today was a half cup cooked oats with a small diced apple, one tablespoon chia seeds and soy yogurt. I had one cup of coffee with non dairy creamer, and I am on the look out for a non dairy creamer that is cleaner without added oils. I am open to suggestions. One cup of coffee for me daily is non negotiable. I love my morning java.

Wish me luck as I experiment and embark on this brand new journey. Off to workout before my night shift. Have a fabulous weekend full of gratitude for every moment. 

Love and Light

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