WEIGH IN SATURDAY

At The Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas

Hello to all on this last day of May, 2014. I was away in Vegas last weekend, and this week I really watched my diet since I had a pizza splurge with real NYC pizza at Grimaldi's Pizza in Las Vegas. I am happy to say I only gained one pound. My trainer Mike and I have definitely decided to work on my fitness goals first and not dwell on the numbers quite as much, but I still have to watch and monitor it. I am doing the book drive as I type, and I have collected one bag of books so far for kids.

I admit this week to feeling a bit stuck. My friend reminded me not to lose focus, and her advice hit me like a ton of bricks. I am so motivated and inspired with my goals and my project, but some other things have been weighing on me. I am going to move forward and look for ways to make changes where they are needed.

Off for my weekend, this post is short and sweet today. Wishing everyone a beautiful day.
Love and Light
Namaste'
Rose

SOAR WITH THE ANGELS MAYA ANGELOU

Today I am heartbroken and words cannot convey the great loss of legendary poet Maya Angelou. Soar with the angels great one. Your spirit will rise.

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may tread me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise. 

Maya Angelou

BACK FROM VEGAS

I am back in town from my trip to Las Vegas with my husband James. We had a wonderful time together. Now it is back to my workouts. Today I walked to my workout, worked out with my Trainer Mike, and walked home. I took the time to stop at the thrift store to buy some used book treasures for additional inspiration.

Icing my toe and off to bed soon. Love and light to all.
Namaste'
Rose

WHEN IN VEGAS

Good Morning to all on this holiday weekend. A moment of gratitude to our service men and woman who protect us and never get a vacation, and a moment of remembrance to our fallen heroes. I cannot imagine what it is like to be in the military but I am honored and humbled by those who sacrifice their lives for us. Thank you.

I am in Vegas, and we arrived late last night. We slept in, we both needed to catch up on some much needed rest. It seems totally inappropriate for Vegas to get a full 8 hours of sleep, but I needed it bad. Now it is breakfast and pool time. So far I have made healthy choices and keeping on point with my lifestyle. This is not a diet, it is the way I live mindfully and in a healthy manner. That does not mean I will not relax a little, I am just saying it is not an eating free for all just because I arrived in Las Vegas.

Wishing everyone love and light and happiness.
If you choose to be happy then you are.
Namaste'
Rose

WEDNESDAY WORKOUT

Me last summer and now.

I had my Wednesday workout with my trainer Mike before I escape to Vegas for a long holiday weekend with James.  I am getting really good at my push-ups and I am very proud at how far I have come. I will go much farther too, the skies the limit. I am really working on my fitness goals. My workouts are really changing my body, much more so than if I would have gone at it alone. I am very grateful for the help and expertise of Mike, he is a great teacher. 

I downloaded some music for my cardio, some fast 70's and 80's music to really get me moving.
Here are some of my new songs.

Wild Wild Life, Talking Heads
Turning Japanese The Vapors
Paradise by the Dashboard Light Meatloaf
Running on Empty Jackson Browne
Let it Ride BTO
Flashdance Irene Cara
Fame Irene Cara
Hollywood Nights Bob Seger
I'm Alive ELO
Shine a Little Love ELO
All Over The World ELO
Sweet Talking Woman ELO
I Got You Split Enz
I Ran Flock A Flock of Seagulls

Off to do some packing. Love and Light to all.
Namaste'
Rose

DRESSING ROOM SELFIES

I went to Marshall's today to look for a new bathing suit and a few summer dresses. For the amount of money it costs to purchase a pair of jeans I found a bunch of summer dresses on sale for my upcoming weekend away. A shout out to my future personal shopper at Marshalls, Debonie. She was incredibly kind and helpful and we decided when I get to my goal weight we are going to town shopping. I can use the help and I am so grateful I met her today.

I have lost considerably but I still have a ways to go. I decided to take selfies of my purchases to see how they look, and get the best reflection of where I stand. My bathing suit I bought is retro and fun, I am not yet daring enough for more. I need to get a sport one for swimming laps. I am very happy with my new finds.

Wishing everyone a beautiful week. Keep moving forward.
Love and Light
Namaste'
Rose

Retro bathing suit My arm looks huge, bad angle lol

Blue Maxi Dress

Cut out in the back

Bathing suit cover up

I did not get this one.

showing the cut out

WEIGH IN SATURDAY

NEVER ENDING WAR

Trapped in a golden shell,

Zero escape;

Nobody can tell,

My will has been raped.

Never-ending war,

Without a win;

Cuts me to my core,

Again, again.

Another day appears,

One more battle to fight;

Conquering endless fears,

Taking just one bite.

I admit to being a little frustrated that my weight loss has slowed down. I am holding steady at 169. I am focusing on fitness more than the numbers on the scale but I am human and I do get disappointed when I do everything right and the scale does not budge.

Do not get me wrong, I am very pleased with my results and happy where I am at the moment but I really wish I would have done my inches in the beginning. People who I see often in the neighborhood have mentioned my weight loss and asked if I work out so I know it shows in other ways besides the reflection of the scale. I also vowed I was going to focus on my fitness goals and that is true, but I am human and I would like to be successful on the scale as well as off.

Now that my toe is healing and I have new shoes I am going to up my cardio. I have signed up for The Color Run in June with some friends and that gives me something to work towards. I will do some other cardio besides running and walking. I am going to try cycle classes and swimming some laps but the bulk of my cardio will be running and speed walking.

Off for today. It is the weekend and I am hanging with my husband James, and getting a workout in of course. We leave for Las Vegas on Thursday so that will bring those out of town challenges. 

Love and Light to all,
Keep Moving Forward
Rose

BOOK DRIVE FOR READING TO KIDS

Good Morning to all. Since I am finally closer to my ten pound goal, and 40 pound total goal I am starting the leg work on my book drive for Reading to Kids. My wonderful friend and soul sister Xiomara made me this beautiful flier. I am so blessed to know her.

Tonight my trainer Mike and I work out, and I am ready to keep up the faster pace. I went running and walking yesterday and forgot water and that was a major mistake. It is hot now, and dehydration kicks in fast.

Off for my day, love and light to all.
Namaste'
Rose

LOST A POUND

Weigh in Saturday is here, and I lost one pound. I ate more chicken and eggs for dinner this week, and upped my cardio since I purchased new shoes. With my toe injury I was forced to buy new shoes and work shoes and it makes all of the difference in my workout performance. 

This week Mike and I did a whole cardio workout together, and we would stop and do burpees, plank, and squats. It was a challenge but with the shoes I held my own. We had a race to see who could hold a plank the longest, at three minutes I gave in. My toe was bothering me and I dropped. Now it is on, I am going to beat him at planking. The workout was a lot of fun and I look forward to doing more challenging workouts like that in the future. He said we have just begun, and I agree. The first year is just getting me fit enough to hold my own, now it is time to take it to new levels. I am ageless, fearless, and sometimes I actually feel weightless. 

I feel great and I am pondering the next items on my fitness bucket list and my fitness goals as well. It is a lot easier now with the shoes. I never realized how shoes make a difference in your sports performance. I am still buddy taping my toe and I may still go see a Dr. to make sure everything is ok, but I think I just have a bruised metatarsal. It hurts on the ball of my foot and my second toe joint. Taping relieves the pressure. Downloading music for further inspiration for my running.


Happy Saturday to all. Love and Light.
Rose

TO CARB, OR NOT TO CARB

Healthy carb i moderation.

Happy Sunday to all. I am contemplating a no carb diet, and wondering if that would help me get past this little weight loss plateau. To carb, or not to carb, that is the question. As soon as this thought popped into my head I saw Fitness Magazine posted an article about what to eat before and after a workout. Carbs are included in moderation. I have decided to try to only eat certain carbs, and listen to my trainer Mike and try to up my protein a little.

Here is the link to the article in Fitness Magazine if you are interested.
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/nutrition/best-workout-foods/#page=11

Some things I am going to incorporate into my diet.

Before workouts
Oatmeal, berries, greek yogurt.
Whole grain bread with peanut butter and bananas and cinnamon
Greek smoothies with fruit and no sugar
Eggs and vegetables and fruit
Chicken, fish and vegetables
Tuna, whole grain bread and vegetables

After my workouts
Chicken and vegetables and salad
Fish, vegetables and salad
Sweet potatoes

Sounds simple, but I do not excel in meal planning. Plus I am married so I have to think of someone other than myself, and that can be so challenging.
Making changes this week.
I will post how this is working mid week.

Namaste'
Love and Light
Rose

WEIGH IN SATURDAY

No complaining, I stayed the same this week. I am grateful for the fact I progressed this far, and I am so much stronger than I was.  I lost 2 last week and I am hovering at 171. I will get over this hump, and this week I am upping my cardio. I have been a little careful with my toe but I feel as long as it does not cause pain I am good to go. I understand as a woman over 40 this is much more challenging, but I am up for the challenge.

Back to my focus on fitness and fueling my body for my fitness goals. I admit this week I ate hummus instead of dinner for a day or two.Starting today I am cleaning up my diet, no salt, no carbs, I am eating clean to see how this week fairs. It is going to be chicken, salad, fruits and veggies. 

I am heading to the gym to attempt to swim some laps for the first in years. My toe is not 100% but it is getting better, and realized wrapping it does help me get through my active day. A little ibuprofen goes a long way.

Happy Saturday,
Rose

FITNESS GOALS

Good Morning to all. I am a bit sore today, but my toe feels so much better. I made it through the night with no pain and no ibuprofen after a hard workout with Mike my trainer. He is pushing me now, and even though I shoot him looks of terror and dread I love it. It is making me much stronger and I have to say I am very proud not to mention grateful.

We have a list of small fitness goals, not the bucket list but smaller fitness milestones to work on. Here is my list so far.

1. Man Push Ups
2.Five minute plank
3.One Pull up
4. Run 4 times around the park

This list will grow, this is what we came up with now. 
I am almost down to my chest on the man push ups.
Tonight is Laughing Yoga with my friend, yes laughing yoga. I will try anything one, hahahaha

Namaste'
Rose