MAKE LIKE A TREE

Make like a tree, reach for the sky. I am inspired to do more than I have done before, and in my own opinion what I have done so far is never enough. So I look to my beloved trees, limbs stretching towards the heavens and beyond. The sky is the limit, and I am reaching for it. Every new day is a new beginning to reach higher.

Good Morning to all and Happy Wednesday. They call it hump day because it is the middle of the week, the day to get you on the path to the weekend.  Yesterday Mike and I went to Pan Pacific Park in LA and it is a beautiful large park and a lovely change of scenery. It has all kinds of hills which we are incorporating into my workout routine. Today I am a little sore, we did a lot more cardio than usual, since my 10K I have been having issues with my toe and foot and I have been afraid to injure it further.  Mike has been an invaluable help in my quest for fitness. My push ups are almost there, and I am so proud of my progress. Sometimes it seems slow and I but then something opens up and I realize I have come a long way, especially for someone of my age but to me I can do anything I set my mind and heart to, the sky is the limit.

I met a wonderful person yesterday. I frequent a place that makes healthy protein shakes and they always recognize me. I got to talking with the man who works there, and he asked how my workouts were going. I told him they are great but I am trying to work through a toe injury and Plantars Fasciitis. He happened to of worked in Orthotics and came around to draw a foot diagram for me and explain what is happening with my foot and toes. It made so much more sense to me.  He explained to me that although I look very young my feet have had a lot of years of wear and tear. He encouraged me to continue to wrap it and purchase the correct shoes. I really appreciate the time and kindness he gave me and I feel like I can work through this, but I will see a Dr. as well to make sure I am in tip top shape. 

Tonight is my second workout with Mike, back at the park we always go to. I am determined to pick up the pace, the stamina feels a bit compromised in the last few weeks since I have been babying my toes. Off for now. Happy Wednesday to all.

Love and Light,
Namaste'
Rose

5 WAYS TO FIND WEEKDAY MAGIC

Magical Path

Monday, some dread it, others fear it but it comes around once a week like clockwork. The first day of the week gets a bad rap, so much so if Monday were a kid on a kickball team it would be the last to be picked. As unpopular as Monday is, it cannot be shunned or avoided. I think it is time we stop bullying the first day of the week and start looking at it from a different vantage point. So put on your rose colored glasses and start envisioning Monday to be the new beginning it is meant to be.

I had a magical Sunday, full of positive affirmations and the hope of what is to come. That got me thinking, what if we chose one thing to do each day of the week to bring a little magic in our mundane routine. Something that we can seamlessly fit into our workweek, workout week, and schedules. Here is my list of things of things to do to bring a little magic back to the doldrums of Monday through Friday. I was in the musical Pippin  when I was younger, and the song from the musical score puts it perfectly.  We've Got Magic To Do.

WE'VE GOT MAGIC TO DO -- JUST FOR YOU
WE'VE GOT MIRACLE PLAYS TO PLAY
WE'VE GOT PARTS TO PERFORM -- HEARTS TO WARM
KINGS AND THINGS TO TAKE BY STORM
AS WE GO ALONG OUR WAY

Five things to add magic to your daily life

1. Remember when you were a kid and you got all excited when you made a trip to the local pool to go swimming. Maybe it was only in the summer, or maybe you went swimming during the winter at an indoor facility. To me there was nothing better than swimming. To this day the smell of chlorine takes me back to my excitement for my swimming lessons, and I thought there was nothing more magical than swimming in the dead of winter. Go swimming, dive deep, get your hair wet. Trust me water is the best therapy. Find a pool, lake or ocean and make like a fish and swim.

2.Wake up early to see the sunrise once in the course of the week. Brew your coffee before, and set the alarm. Take a moment to revel in the magnificence of the moment, and the stillness before the world has risen. Our lives can be so noisy, sometimes a silent moment of solitude and beauty is all that we need to feel refreshed and rejuvenated. 

3. I always workout outdoors but I bet most people spend there workouts at an indoor gym. Do not get me wrong I also go to the gym, but working out amongst nature is a completely different experience. You have a cool breeze, sunlight, and the trees above as companions. I love it when I am planking and I get an impromptu kiss from a slobbering yet friendly canine. I call this Mobile Meditation.  Try it, pack the car with your mat and free weights and see what a different perspective you have after an outdoor workout. 

4.Make time for a little weekday learning. Education does not end when you throw your graduation cap in the air. There are many little things you can do to expand your mind, your world, and have a little fun. Find a new hobby. If you have been wanting to take a cooking class, look on Groupon to get a great deal and make it happen. A golf lesson? How about attend a pottery painting class. There are no limitations, and I find browsing Groupon gives me ideas for my fun to do list. You are never too old to rediscover old interests and pursue new passions in life. 

5. Pack a blanket, and have an after hours picnic in the park and go stargazing. Nothing like lying flat on your back and looking up at a night sky, realizing how vast our miraculous universe is and how small we really are. It definitely is one of my favorite things to do and something I need to do a lot more. I see plenty of stars here in Hollywood but there is nothing like the twinkling wink from the real deal above.

MY AUTHENTIC SELF

 

NEVER BEEN DRUNK

I consider myself adventurous, spontaneous and fun to be around. I am not shy and can walk up to anyone and say hello. I can be the life of the party so to speak, the first person on the dance floor but when I am around new friends the fact that I have never been drunk is always of question. Yes, I have never been drunk. I do drink a cocktail on occasion but I admit those occasions are far and few between. I have never felt the need to be inebriated and this has always been the case. I am a leader and not a follower so in my teen years I never succumbed to the pear pressure to drink.

Flash forward to the present, I am married and yes my husband does drink, he enjoys his weekend Corona and lime. He finds it fascinating that after all of these years I have never even been curious what it feels like to feel the affects of alcohol or the desire for intoxication. My lack of drunkenness comes up in his conversations with friends who question how does our marriage work when we are on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of the desire for a drink. It works because I am not against alcohol nor do I fear it. I believe everything in moderation unless one has an addiction. I am a non judgemental person and I do not impose how I live my life on others.

With that said, why do I not feel the urge to be buzzed, high, three sheets to the wind? I could tell you my body is my temple and that is my reasoning but I would be lying through my teeth with my history of eating disorders when I was younger.  My body is my temple now, but it took me years to learn to treat it as such.  I am a work in progress much like many other people finding their path in life.  I just never felt the attraction to being under the influence and unaware of my surroundings. I have always felt so high off the joy of being alive and I did not need to be out of my body to get that sensation. I was already feeling the euphoria without the hangover. 

My husband and I were walking home from the grocery store, and we had a heavy bag and a case of Corona. I offered to carry his Corona and he quipped I could not carry that. Working out regularly has made is much easier to do mundane chores and I carried the Corona with ease. He found this image of me holding his beer to be quite humorous and he decided to snap a photo to share with his doubting friends who told him to never trust a person who has never been drunk. I guess I may be the acceptation to the rule. 

Salute

Opa'

Cheers

Or in my own language

Namaste'

Rose

EASY CHICKEN CHILI SOUP

This is one of my favorite soups to make. It is healthy and so easy. Seriously it is the most seamless way to make soup, it takes just an hour to make and if you buy everything pre-cut from Trader Joe's so there is no prep time. It is my convenience go to dinner. Served with toasted Ezekial bread with lite butter and crushed garlic, it is the ultimate healthy impostor for comfort food, minus the high calories and fat. I make mine on the spicy side.

Here is the recipe supported by photos to show how easy it is, and if you cannot find a Trader Joe's to buy all of the ingredients you could substitute the same ingredients from another grocery store.

EASY CHICKEN CHILI SOUP

Chopped onion, shallots and garlic, saute' this in three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 

add 1 packet of Mirepoix mix( chopped onion, celery, and carrots), saute' until carmelized about three minutes.

add 1 packet of frozen pepper strips, mix all ingredients together

add 3 cans of fire roasted tomatoes

add 1 packet of roasted frozen corn

add one can of organic black beans ( lower in sodium I find)

add pre-cooked low sodium just chicken and 1-2 cartons low sodium vegetable broth

Mix all ingredients together, spice with a little sea salt, ground pepper, and cayenne to taste

Cook for one hour on low and garnish with fat free sour cream or Greek yogurt.
It is one of our favorite dinners to make, and you can change it up if you please. So easy and quick and perfect for my weekdays when I am working and working out. I hope you enjoy adding a little spice to your weekdays with my Easy Chicken Chili Soup.
Namaste, 
Happy Eating 
Rose

WEIGH IN SATURDAY

Carrot juice for an inner glow

Good Morning to all and Happy Saturday. I lost the two pounds I gained, and I am very happy about it. I am back at 171 lbs and hopefully it will be downhill from here. I am working hard with my workouts and watching my food and trying to make sure I eat more before I exercise.

My trainer was right, I looked up the calories of the tuna roll I eat daily and it is just 210 calories, so I will mix it up this week. My book drive will take place once I hit my elusive ten pound goal but I am definitely on my way.

I am researching more things to do for my fitness bucket list and more races to take part in. My toe is healing slowly. 

Off for now, I have a delicious soup recipe I will post later tonight.
Love and light to all
Namaste'
Rose

HAPPY EARTH DAY

Good Morning to all and Happy Earth Day. I love nature more than ever since moving to southern California. There is nothing like a being amongst the trees and feeling a tepid breeze kiss your cheek. The ocean, the sand, the wind and the sound of the waves. I am completely in awe of nature and so grateful to have the opportunity to work out in the outdoors verses always being in a gym atmosphere. It makes me feel at one with the earth, at peace. I call it mobile meditation. Do not get me wrong, I love going to the gym but this is completely different and you tap into your mind and body and feed your soul as you are working out your body.

Tonight is my workout with my trainer Mike. I am completely grateful to him for introducing a whole new world to me. When I started this project my intention was to help charities as I lost weight, and I assumed I would get there by a little speed walking and dieting. Never in my wildest dreams did I assume I would do a 10K and plan the fitness goals I have on my bucket list. If you told me I would be doing burpees and pushups I would have told you that you are crazy. 

My other fitness motivator is Melissa Bender Fitness. has not only been a best friend but a huge inspiration to me and the masses. I am lucky to have such a fitness support network guiding me as I do whatever I tell this body I can do. A shout out to Mr. Richard Simmons as well, it is time I make a visit to his classes again. 

I am at awe of my friends old and new, and so grateful for the inspiration they grant me on a daily basis. I am overflowing with gratitude for all that have touched my life in one capacity or another.

You never know who you may turn out to be, and life sometimes takes turns in directions you never dreamed of going.
Happy Earth Day
Love and Light to all
Namaste'
Rose

MONDAY AGAIN

Monday morning, you keep coming back with a vengeance but you do not frighten me. I actually look forward to you and revel in your newness. It is not only the beginning of my work week but also the beginning of my work out week, and I plan accordingly. I look forward to challenging myself and making my goals a reality starting with my Monday routine. So Monday, your bark is much louder than your bite. Bring it on Monday Monday, I trust you and you are just as good as Friday.

I worked out all weekend, trying to get back on track from being out of town in Phoenix. Tonight I will walk and workout and tomorrow is my work out with my trainer Mike. I am determined to get past anything that is holding me back, and I have cleaned up my eating habits once again. I gained two pounds last week, so I am doing a self access and forging forward with nothing but determination and positivity. 

A little note about injuries. I have been plagued by a slight foot injury which was made worse when I did the 10k, and then in Phoenix I tripped barefoot and stubbed my toe bad. I have been to lazy to make a podiatrist appointment so I went to the minute clinic at the local pharmacy and she said I have Plantar Fasciitis. 

I am not sure she is correct, but it is not serious and I am making efforts to heal my foot and toes. I am wearing an ankle brace, and as soon as FrontRunners opens near my house I am getting good running shoes. I am taking extra Magnesium and watching my Potassium and wrapping my toe when it hurts. A little ibuprofen goes a long way as well. Today the pain is much less, and I am still working out but passing on running until I have the new shoes and I feel it is completely healed. I am going to do another 10K soon with seasons 52. I am picking the item to do off my Fitness Bucket List  for May in the next few weeks.

Off for my day, my cats make me want to be lazy and stay in bed with them all morning. Love and Light to all.
Namaste'
Rose

I HIT A WALL, AND FIGHTING BACK

I hit a wall, before I went out of town I hit a plateau, and I cheated a little when I was away. I also did not work out when I was in Phoenix, except for some light outdoor yoga, walking, and a bit of swimming. Now I am back, my toe is on the mend and I weighed myself this morning. I am up to 173 lbs. I put on two pounds while I was away, it may be water weight but I have to now work harder than ever. 

This is a slow process and I am fine with that. I know I am gaining muscle, and losing inches and the scale may deviate from time to time. I hit a wall, and I am not taking it lightly. I am determined now more than ever, and I am fighting back. I will get out my pink boxing gloves, and hit that damn wall back until it crumbles into a million tiny pieces. I will not ever give up on my goals or let myself slip up. I just need to change up my eating a bit, trick my lazy metabolism so it works harder than it likes to. I know I can do this, and I will persevere. 

Here is a photo of me before at around 210 lbs and now. I am not an after yet, far from it. I also am focusing more on my fitness goals than obsessing over the scale. My Book drive is on, as soon as I reach 167 lbs. I am doing the leg work on that as we speak. I am also picking which item on my fitness bucket list to do in the month of May. Mike and I are picking 5 short term fitness milestones to work on and accomplish as well.

When I started this, I thought I would lose weight, do a little walking and dance again and help a charity with every ten pounds. I had no idea I would be doing the things my body is capable of doing now. I am so excited for what is to come, so proud of myself and grateful to the people I have met along the way. I refuse to beat myself up about a minuscule fluctuation in the scale. No time for that, I have to go work on my fitness goals and get out there and earn them. I will set this place on fire and fight back, pink boxing gloves and all.

Love and Light to all.

Happy Easter, Happy Passover. Happy Weekend, Happy Life

Love and Light to all

Rose

HAPPY WEDNESDAY

Happy Wednesday to all. I just read a quote from Dr Wayne Dyer, "One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." I totally agree. I believe you can manifest the mood and direction of your day. I try to live by this and begin my day on a bright note. I have many reasons to be happy, and one of them is the opportunity to change my form, change my attitude, and change my life. I am honored I can assist charities along my journey. It is taking me forever to break my plateau but my book drive is still on for Reading to Kids when I finally lose another ten pounds. It will happen, and I am in a positive frame of mind. The little things, like my ThinkThin bar and coffee make me smile.

Yesterday was my first workout with my Trainer Mike in a week. I took off a few days of exercise to recuperate my muscles after my accidental 10K. I was sore and needed to rest, plus I was out of town. My workouts with Mike are awesome but always challenging, and yesterday I felt a little fatigued from lack of sleep and of course taking time off made everything seem more difficult. We did some new things, I lifted a sand bag and that was not easy. Running is on hold for a few weeks until my slight injuries heal, we do not want to take any chances. My girl push ups are great now, and I am also getting better at squats and the TRX exercises. I am definitely much stronger than I was late July of 2013. I am incredibly proud of myself, and thankful to Mike. I also have a lot of work to go, and I am far from done. I have a lot of fitness milestones to accomplish and my fitness bucket list to do. For the month of April I did the accidental 10K, so now I need to pick something for May. 

Off to get ready for work, than another workout with Mike later this evening. I will be sore tomorrow, it has not caught up to me yet. Love and Light to all. Think beautiful thoughts and have a beautiful day and do not forget to smile at a stranger today.

Namaste'
Rose

BACK TO THE GRIND

Happy Monday to all. I have been out of town and off the grind for a few days. To make matters a little more difficult my router for my wifi is out at home. I will have that fixed in a few days. Tomorrow it is back to the grind and back to my workout schedule with a workout with Mike my trainer.

Love and light to all. My internet my have temporarily stopped but I will not follow suit, I will not stop for anything. I have fitness goals to accomplish as well as more charities to assist and weight to lose.

Love and Light to all.
Namaste
Rose

WHAT TO WEAR

Hello to all. I am out of town for a weekend getaway in Phoenix, Arizona. I wanted to touch base on a subject that is hard for me to face since I have been overweight, fashion. I feel wonderful that I am slowly achieving my weight loss and fitness goals but I admit shopping for clothes has been a daunting task. You are no longer as overweight as you were but still a long way off to your goal. Not knowing which fashions will look good on your transitioning physique is problematic when you have an event you must shop for. I am not at the point where I feel I can make fashion risks so I play it safe with jeans and summer dresses. I normally live in work out clothes but there comes a time when you have to wear more than yoga apparel and look a little more refined. Sometimes I wish I could have a stylist when I get to my goal weight to help me reveal my new figure with fashion.

I purchased two new summer dresses for my weekend in the valley of the sun. One I wore, the other I never had the chance to wear since we spent so much time swimming. I did decide to buy the white dress when a kind stranger in the dressing room said it was beautiful on me. I could not see that myself because my mind is still over 200 lbs. An extra eye when shopping is necessary when trying on clothes after weight loss. Sometimes are own vision of our reflection is distorted with a memories of how we used to feel and look when we were overweight. Time to make over our body image as well as our wardrobe. I am a work in progress always.

Namaste'

Rose

FITNESS MILESTONES

Working on my strength so I can take trapeze classes soon.

Good evening to all. My modem is broken at home so I am behind on my posts. Today we arrived in the valley of the sun Phoenix, Arizona and we are here for a long weekend away. I am taking this time to rest and recuperate my muscles so I will be raring to go when I get back. After the 10K I was a little roughed up, and I strained my muscle just a bit. I am taking it easy as a precaution, but there is a pool here so I will still be active. I also brought my yoga mat so I can practice my yoga and keep my muscles stretched.

My trainer Mike and I decided we are really going to focus on goals more, and I am not going to be so wrapped up on what the scale says weekly. Now mind you, I am still going to document my weight loss and as soon as I get to my elusive next ten pounds I will do my book drive for Reading To Kids.I am still hovering at 171 lbs, and I am officially in a plateau. We are just really going to focus on my goals and making those happen. I am really inspired. Here are a few of the first goals.

1. 10 guy push ups
2. five minute plank. I am currently at 2.5 minutes
3.Run around the park 4 times, improve on my running
4.Do pull ups
5.10 minutes of rowing

We will be working on these and other fitness milestones as we continue on my fitness journey. The fitness milestones will help me with my fitness bucket list. In example, the pull up will help me with my strength needed for Trapeze classes.

Love and Light to all.
Namaste'
Rose

PHOTOS OF SEAL BEACH RUN

It's on. Run Seal Beach.

So many runners

Over 9 minute miles.

Runners

Almost there.

Motivation to keep going.

Just about finished.

Confused at this point.

Took a water and kept going.

Lovely scenery

Tree obsession continues

Starting to slow a little

Starting to question what happened

It is obvious now.

Doing an accidental 10K

Judy and Barbara told me I was on the 10K

Judy and Barbara making their way to beat their little sister to the finish line.

No way

Jonathan caught up with me and crossed the finish line again to accompany me

I got a congratulatory hug from Judy at the finish line.

Shane, me and Jonathan mocking my mistake.

Which one did I do?

Accidental 10K

It was  Rose thing to do. I tend to get lost.

Team Seasons 52, Shane, Christine, Jonathan, Caroline, Laura, Me, and Whitney

Group shot great people

I love Laura

Whitney, Christine, and Jonathan being silly

Silly fun

Whitney, Caroline with Christine and Jonathan in background

Fun Shane

Love Christine, we are going to practice yoga together.

Love this girl

Jonathan and I recreating the moment he ran with me through the finish line.

Run

With Shane in Seal Beach tee shirts

Shane, Jonathan, Christine, and me. It's a wrap.