DAY TWO THIRTY DAY CHALLENGE

Melissa suggested I take after workout photos. James took this yesterday after day one of 30 day challenge.

Happy Sunday to all. It is day two of the Melissa Bender Fitness 30 day challenge that I am taking part of. On days I do not work out with my trainer Mike I am doing her amazing videos, and I will exercise for all 30 days of this month. I felt it was time to take it up a notch, and not get too comfortable. She is not only a fitness dynamo but my best friend and I owe her so much. I will be checking in daily at https://www.facebook.com/MelissaBenderFitness?ref=br_tf

Here is the link to day two of her 30 day challenge. I am so in.
http://www.benderfitness.com/2014/03/30-day-challenge-day-2-cardio-hiit-15.html

So today I am going to go on a long walk, stretch and do this video. If it rains more I will be doing the treadmill and of course my burpees. Mike and I are making a video of me doing burpees this week. I have improved but still have a long way to perfection but I will do them and post the video to show progress. No embarrassment or fear.

I am collecting books for my book Drive for Reading to Kids. I will do a long post about them and the wonderful impact they have on the community here in Los Angeles. I am about 6 pounds from my next 10 pound milestone. 

Off for now. Happy Sunday to all.

WEIGH IN SATURDAY

I will be a steadfast and strong in my endeavors as this majestic tree.
Graceful and timeless.

Good afternoon and Happy Saturday to all. This week was a little different from my routine, I kept up all of my exercise and yoga, and I even got a ballet class in. I was out of town last weekend, so that through a wrench in my routine so to speak, and my trainer Mike was out of town this week.  Last week I was so happy I lost 3 more pounds bringing my weight loss up to 35 lbs. I am due for that monthly visitor, it is the end of the month and I gained 2 pounds. I know the scale goes up and down and I refuse to be upset. A few weeks the scale goes down and all of a sudden it goes back up. It is natural and since I am decided to focus on my fitness I am not going to stress about it. Scale fluctuations happen especially for my women of my age.

I will in shame admit I did something yesterday that was stupid and may have contributed to my small gain. I fell back into a day of eating disorder mentality. I hardly ate any real food on Friday and I did not drink enough water. I woke up with a headache and I realized that is the most stupid and insane thing to do ever to your body. I am a work in progress and I am not perfect but I am growing and learning from this project. To admit my mistakes, trials and tribulations is not an easy thing to do. I have opened up therefore I will be completely honest with everything I do, the good and the bad. I will not do that again, I promise myself this. The only way to healthy loss is to eat clean and not skip meals, exercise and be patient. Rome was not built in a day and losing weight is a marathon and not a sprint. I slipped up one day, caught myself and now I am back on track the healthy way.

This week my focus is on my nutrition and trying not to skip meals, and on my fitness progress. I also have to so some more research on future charities and giving back endeavors. Mike is back in town this week so I will be back to my Tuesday and Thursday workouts with him, and I am joining Francie Wednesday at Equinox in Beverly Hills, in addition to everything else I am doing. I am off for now, time to eat some healthy whole foods that nourish my body and well as my spirit. Taking a moment to meditate and manifest all that is good in the universe.

Love and Light and Happy Weekend
Rose

WALKING ON SUNSHINE

Good Monday Morning to all. I am up just a little bit earlier than usual, I have decided to wake up about a half hour earlier and walk for 30 to 45 minutes on the treadmill before work to give me just a little extra edge. I am still going to do all of the things I have been doing, but I think this may speed my metabolism up each day. I am going to do this Monday through Friday, before blogging and work. I would love to one day go to one of the early morning yoga classes at Yogaworks, but right now 6:30 is just too early for me and my schedule.

Next Monday October 7th, 2013 I will be marking my first ten pound loss by joining Mel and The Monday Night Mission in their beautiful work, feeding the residents at Skid Row. I am now at 13 pounds, but this has taken some planning. I work at a restaurant called Seasons 52 and they have offered to order food for the cause, and it has taken a few weeks to plan. I will write a complete separate post all about my first charity and all of those involved. Mike my trainer and friend is joining me, as is his girlfriend Maria and maybe some other friends as well. I really look forward to this humbling experience, and hope to help at least once a month as a regular volunteer.

Off for now, coffee and breakfast and then off to work. I wish you a beautiful last day of September. Love and light to all.
Namaste'
Rose

SORE BODY, HEAVY HEART

Stormy loved to travel, here she is in Delaware at the Bailey Home.

Good Morning to all. It is Thursday and I am so happy it is almost the weekend. I am really sore today. Tuesday I worked out with Mike, my trainer and friend and the new workout left me  really sore. I had a Vinyasa Yoga class last night with Nicole, and I am even more sore this morning. Sore in a good way mind you, but I may need to purchase some Epsom salts to soothe. Tonight I am taking either a Vinyasa class at Yogaworks, or a Inyegar class. It depends when I get there and how I feel. The Inyegar class is very challenging but slower, and may be a good fit since my muscles feel fatigued.

Off for today, this post is short and sweet. I am sleepy this week and a bit over emotional for some reason. My cat Stormy that passed away last January has been on my mind a lot. I was in the pet store and all of a sudden I was reminded of that horrid week, and other reminders hit me as the day progressed. It is strange how you go through your daily life and all of a sudden something from the past hits you and you are transported to that time and place immediately. I am a very emotional creature, so I choose to feel whatever comes my way, but then I find it necessary to block it out a bit so I can get on with everything I need to accomplish. I cannot believe it has already been eight months since we lost her. She was family and will forever be missed yet remembered.

Wishing you a beautiful Thursday
Love and Light
Namaste'
Rose

MY ROUTINE

I woke up with my usual pleasant demeanor, a little sore from my yoga and work out with Mike. I thought I would share my weekly workout and yoga routine.

Yoga 5 days a week
Working out with my trainer and friend Mike, 1 day a week for now
Walking 5 days a week
I have been incorporating beginning jogging as much as I can
I keep it flexible and sometimes change it up a bit. 

I may add Ballet classes, and other things as I progress more. I take the Richard Simmons Slimmons classes on occasion. They are so motivating and fun.  I am trying to really work on my yoga practice so I will return to his classes sometime in the near future. I believe my yoga practice will really open up by doing it almost daily. I am now an official yogi.

My eating plan is pretty much just eating healthy with lots of vegetables, and I am keeping a food journal. I sometimes do not eat enough and I can use to eat a bit more protein. I am a work in progress. I am not making any food off limits but I do not indulge usually. The time will come when I will get cravings, and I will deal with it then. In the meantime I am just eating clean with an occasional piece of dark chocolate from See's Candies. Coffee is my non negotiable. I love it, and not because I need the caffeine. I actually just love the taste. So every morning as I blog I brew.

This is what I am doing, and I work from ten to three Monday through Friday so I work out and take yoga in the early evenings and I blog first thing in the morning. I live for Saturday's, that is our fun day. 

Namaste'
Love and Light to all
Rose