PUMPKIN SEASON

Today is the first day of October, and you know what that means. Autumn, the smell of leaves cascading to the ground, the warm fuzzy feeling you have when you taste something pumpkin flavored. Who doesn't love a pumpkin spice latte? 

To me Autumn conjures up emotions of brand new beginnings.   Unfortunately a lot of the delicious seasonal treats are a bit high in calories, so what do you do to indulge in something pumpkin yet sticking to your program and goals? 

Yesterday I combined  nonfat plain Greek yogurt with canned pumpkin. The pumpkin has one ingredient, pumpkin. I used a little Stevia and some cinnamon and all of a sudden I had a delicious and creamy Autumn treat that was so good for me too. 

I would love to know what swaps you have come up with, to give yourself the same decadent feeling but without the guilt. What are you doing to stick to your goals?  I have a motto, We can never give up, but we can never go at it alone; we are all in this together.  
Love and Light
Namaste'
Rose

Check in Day Seven....Melissa Bender Fitness: Tummy Toning Fat Burn

The first year is behind me,  45 lbs are lost....onward and upward to the next forty and all of my fitness goals.

Checking in on my routine. Day seven of Month one is today, and yes I workout on a Saturday. Today I am going to the gym to do the treadmill as well as day seven. I am also doing home yoga until I move to San Francisco and when I get situated in will be back in the studio. I am doing all three months of Melissa Bender's Bikini Competition prep, the workouts she did to compete in a bikini competition. She has and always will be so inspiring to me, and I am always so grateful to her for being such an amazing  best friend as well as role model to many. 

Much love and light to all and a big thanks to Melissa Bender for helping me during this transition period. 

Namaste'

Rose



Melissa Bender Fitness: Tummy Toning Fat Burn: *Workout Video and Breakdown Below Hi Everyone! Who is up for some tummy time? Everyone wants a strong core, and sexy abs. This w...

FOOD FAIL

I am not a complainer nor have I ever been, but with that said I am human as well. I am working six days a week now, five days during the week and Sundays 12-5.  I personally would prefer to always have Sundays off, but right now it is working for me and I will not bitch about it. I am looking at it from a different vantage point. I need to make some money, and I am going in with the attitude of abundance. My workouts will not be compromised because my nights are still free. I am feeling inspired, happy and always ready to conquer all of my goals.

I got out at 5:30 and did not plan my meals or pack food. Work was busy, which is a gift but I hardly ate all day. I am home now, and off to do some running and walking. My dinner if you can call it that consisted of toasted Ezekial bread and a little bit of popcorn. I also drank a protein shake on the way home. I know this is a food fail, lacking in nutrition but hey sometimes it happens. I am aware I need to eat more and plan more.

So off to work out, the breeze should make it all worth it. No rest for the weary, progression is the key. I look forward to this brand new week, my workouts, and all of the abundance it shall bring.

Namaste'
Love and Light
Never Give Up
Rose

FIRST 5K, FIRST ITEM OFF MY FITNESS BUCKET LIST

Good Morning and Happy Friday. My first 5K is tomorrow, and it is the first thing I am crossing off my fitness bucket list. Number 11 done and done. 

I am thinking of new things, some are so difficult it may take forever to get there, like the trapeze classes.  I am a work in progress and I am making all of my dreams come true. 

Namaste'
Rose

Here is the revised list.


1. Trapeze Classes at the School of Trapeze in Santa Monica   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trapeze-School-New-York-TSNY-Los-Angeles/252082627475

2. Synchronized swimming classes at Aqualillies in Los Angeles   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aqualillies/315260815022

3. Michael Cornell Ballet Classes at   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Align-Ballet-Method/132494413452882  I am doing this very soon.

4.Ballroom Latin Classes at 3rd Street Dance in Los Angeles   I want to get shoes, get a partner and compete down the line. https://www.facebook.com/3rdstreetdance

5. Go to Pittsburgh, work out with best friend at Melissa Bender Fitness http://www.benderfitness.com/

6. Go to San Diego, take yoga and aerial yoga with one of my best friends Tracy Gittens at Galaxy Lifestyle, Fitness, and Aerial Yoga. Grand Opening July 19, 2013.
https://www.facebook.com/GalaxyLifestyle

7. Surf if I am not too afraid of sharks.... I have an update on this, Mike my trainer has offered to teach me when I am ready and when I can do a good push up, and I will take him up on that. He said next summer when the water is warmer. I am excited to do this and I have really been working on my push ups to prepare. I think I may go swimming too.

8.Run around the park 4 times. Do guys push ups all the way and perfect burpees and lunges.

9.Some type of Yoga Retreat by the ocean.

10. Be in or on the cover of Weight Watchers Magazine or inside the magazine. (Hey, a girl can dream and they use real people all the time). 

11.DONE  Do a 5K in 2014. I am doing The Seal Beach 5k in April 5th with a team from Seasons 52.

12. Practice my yoga and get into the difficult poses I am struggling with. Do inversions, backbends, and anything to do with my leg behind me. This means gaining more flexibility in my quads. I want to take photos by the trees I love in yoga poses and I can now do dancers pose. I think I will do the poses and photos this summer.

13. Do a 30 day yoga challenge, and do yoga every day for 30 days in a row.

14. Swim with dolphins, not really fitness related but is in a way. I would love to have this experience.

15. Learn Tai Chi or some sort of Martial Arts.

16. Get some sort of certifications down the line so I can pass on my new knowledge and help those who need it. Maybe volunteering for the needy.I am going to do this through ACE, The American Council of Exercise and a yoga certification.

17. Take Fire Dancing classes at Firegroove here in Los Angeles. Francie did it and it sounds amazing, maybe a little dangerous but that makes it even more intriguing.

18. Aerial Yoga here in Los Angeles.

19. Take a reformer Pilates class.

20. Paddle boarding or rock climbing

21. Kayaking.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

My Mother Shirley in the black with a friend and my older sister Dona

Me and Mom at my wedding on April 7, 2001. I took a photo pic of the original photo so this is blurry.

Happy Birthday to my dearest Mother Shirley Bruno. No one in my life has taught me to be a survivor as she has. She is still a spitfire of a woman and does not let anyone get her down. My Mother was never heavy until she got older. She was a smoker and had to quit when she had triple bypass surgery. She got through with flying colors but had gained a lot of weight. In the last few years she had both knees replaced and cannot exercise too much. Last summer she decided that her weight gain had gone too far, she started counting her Weight Watchers points and since that moment has lost a whopping 41 lbs without exercise. She is ahead of me in my weight loss and I exercise all of the time. I am so proud of her, and I am trying to catch up.

Happy Birthday Mom. Today I celebrate you, your weight loss success, and your inspiration. You are the epitome' of what a survivor is, and at 78 you keep at it. I am very proud of you and honored to be your daughter.

My Mom at 16 in the black bathing suit with a friends Mother.

Photo booth pic of me at 19, I am her look a like

Namaste'
Happy Birthday Mom
Rose

BEFORE AND HALF WAY MARK

JANUARY, JOURNAL AND BACK TO THE GRIND

Good evening to all. I am on late tonight. I am back to the grind, and I will be in bed before 10:00 PM. I am happy to say my husband James has gone back to work and we can resume our normal routine. December was busy, and now it is time to get back to business.

I am starting with resuming my Monday through Friday routine of yoga and working out. I am also keeping a food journal again.I need to play a little catch up. I have a 5k in March, a charity to plan and my husband asked if I would be willing to go to Hawaii in February. Umm, who would say no to that question.

I am happy to say December was not a complete wash, I only cheated for two days, but I did eat a lot more sodium than usual. Today I am eating completely clean and low sodium. My stomach will thank me for this, since I have not felt well.

I am in the process of picking my charity for my next ten pound weight loss, and I have to put in the work to lose the weight.I am also trying to decide which item on my fitness bucket list to do this month. So much going on, sometimes I get overwhelmed but I will never forget the feeling of shopping for the first time in ages and not being reduced to tears.  Smaller size plus helping charities, this is a win win and the reason why I stay the course. I will not fail. It may take me time to get to my final destination, but the journey is one incredible joy ride.

Off for now, I need sleep since two Siamese cats will be torturing me around 4 am.
Namaste'
Love and Light
Sweet dreams
Rose

ADJUST YOUR SAILS

Good Morning, Happy Thursday to all. I am up early, making coffee and planning my workout routine for the next few days. My workout routine each week consists of my weekly Thursday classes at Slimmons with Richard Simmons but he was out of town for a few weeks. Today I can say he is back in Beverly Hills and I will be dancing to his retro aerobics tonight. I really need his electric dose of energy and motivation. I found myself slightly wavering this week, so it will be good to get back to his classes. Taking his class is a natural high, he is so high on life and I usually am too. His classes bring out the very best in me and inspire me to keep going. I am meeting my friend Francie from the Richard Simmons video afterwards, we have become fast friends and we are going out for chit chat and a little treat tonight. Mind you, a little treat, I am behaving myself.

My routine was adjusted, but that is fine. It works for me to try to have some sort of routine to guide me as I continue on my quest to get fit and lose weight. It as just as important for me to be flexible in my routine as things can change from week to week. I just have to imagine I am a sailboat, adjust my sails and continue to travel the vast ocean to my final destination and goals. Sometimes the seas will be rougher, and I just need to ride it out and make it there anyway I can. 

I went to Yoga last night with Nicole over at Pink Iron. I go to Yogaworks but I enjoy Nicole's classes so Wednesday is a permanent part of my routine. She is an amazing yoga teacher. We did a lot of shoulder openers, and it was fantastic. My flexibility is really coming back, my nose is almost to my knees in a forward fold.  It was very hot, and I was a bit tired but I did not falter nor did I give up. I am so dedicated and I will find a way to make my goals happen, one lap at a time. 

Wishing you a bright and beautiful Thursday full of natural highs.
Namaste' Love and Light
Rose

GETTING STRONGER BY THE DAY

On Tuesday's I weigh in, and I work out with Mike my trainer and friend. I lost two more pounds this week bringing my total to 190 LBS. This made me so happy, I have been really working hard and sticking to everything I say I will do, and to see the scale go down seven pounds is such a wonderful reward. I know I have a long way to go but to know this is all working motivates me even more. I am almost to the ten pound mark, and a few weeks after I lose the first ten is when I will be volunteering with The Monday Night Mission. Of course all the time I will be working on my twenty pound loss, this is a lifestyle change and I choose to make being healthy and fit a part of my life.

My workout with Mike at the park was wonderful, I can see and feel I am stronger than I was when we began a little over a month ago. Some of the exercises are not as awkward as they once were, and my strength and balance are improving.  I can feel my once dancer's flexibility coming back, which made me elated. He truly is a great trainer/teacher and I am grateful to him for the time he puts in. I know I am a work in progress but it is all starting to feel quite natural to me. Tuesdays are the day I measure my true progress.

We did something I would have never dreamed of doing, he brought boxing gloves and I practiced punching the targets he wore on this hands and  then he had me alternate arms and do all these boxing moves. It was fun, of course I hit like a girl but I got better and I will get better. I do have this competitive side with myself and I do not give up. We plan on doing it again, it was fun and I can totally feel the effects on my body this morning. I am sore but it a good way. The jogging felt easier for me, especially when I discovered to try to stay on the heals of my feet and not on the ball of my feet. I tend to naturally do everything on my toes.  

Today after work is my one hour walk and my yoga practice. I love the way yoga makes me feel, totally zen inside and out. If I could find a way to practice five days a week I would, it truly makes me feel peaceful inside. I wish all of you love and light and a beautiful Wednesday. full of peace and joy.
Namaste'
Rose