LOOKING BACK AND FORWARD

It has been one year since I began this project and blog, and I am so happy where I am and where I am going, my journey is far from over. One year ago I was just too embarrassed to post my weight and before photos, and my trainer Mike explained to me to be authentic I have to come clean even if it feels awkward. One year later I am so happy I have those photos to chart my progress, and even though I am trying now to focus on fitness I am glad I have a before weight as well. Now at 167 lbs,  It is fun to look back, and  look forward into the future as I envision where this is leading me. I am reaching for the clouds.

This week I worked out with my Trainer Mike on Tuesday and Wednesday and we are really pushing it now, and I admit this week I struggled a little. I was running late on Tuesday and did not eat enough, and I am discovering the role nutrition plays on your workouts. I was a bit sluggish and off, and on Wednesday I ate more but I got a little sick to my stomach. Sometimes I notice if I eat too much right before my workouts, or if I drink too much water it affects me in a not so positive way. So now I am on a quest to find what works, a year later for tougher workouts. Mike is completely patient with me, and I am grateful for his guidance and knowledge, he is an excellent teacher and I cannot believe one year as gone by. 

I am still trying to collect books for my book drive, and I have two bags of beautiful books thanks to generous and talented friends. I need to hang more flyer's and get many more. I am in no rush to do so, my goal is to get as many books as humanly possible. My next charity will be announced after the books are delivered to Reading to Kids.

Last night was one of those nights when I needed sleep bad, and now today I feel completely renewed and refreshed. I am always learning and evolving in my quest to be as fit I can be. Sleep is one of those things when you are expelling so much energy that is non negotiable. Do not skimp on sleep ever.

Happy Thursday and keep moving forward.
Love and Light to all
Namaste'
Rose

One year ago I posted my first before photos, and here they are now.

JULY  10, 2013

JULY 10, 2013

ONE YEAR LATER

Here is a photo of me at the Richard Simmons Video Shoot on July 8th 2013 and a recent of of me. Update I now weigh 167 lbs one year later. I was 210 lbs last summer. I started writing on this blog July 6th 2013 but did not get into the full swing of diet and workouts until July 17th 2013, which was my first workout with Mike my trainer. One year later, 42 lbs lost and lots of new friends gained. I continue on my journey, loving the wild ride. Where will it take me? I do not know.

Happy Monday, back to work.
Love and Light
Namaste'
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

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

TUESDAY WORKOUT

I finally can do dancer's pose, that beautiful pose in yoga. I may not have perfected it yet but I am able to do it. It is a fitness and flexibility milestone for me, before I could not even grab my foot behind me. I was so excited I did it at work for a few co-workers/friends. My one friend said how much he loves my enthusiasm and how excited I get about all of the hard work that I have been doing. That got me thinking, it has been almost nine months. I have been diligent and patient and I am so happy where I am and where I am going. I am only half way to my goals but I am climbing that ladder to the top, and nothing will stop me. I am very grateful.

Workout tonight with Mike my trainer. Off for now, the morning is slipping by and work beckons. Love and light to all.
Namaste'
Rose

MARCH MOTIVATION

I don't believe you have to be better than everybody else. I believe you have to be better than you ever thought you could be.

Ken Venturi

Good Morning to all. Today is Thursday, and day six on Melissa Bender Fitness 30 day Challenge to exercise for every day out of the month. I am on it, no skipping. My ankle feels a bit tender, but a brace is helping me stabilize it. I am so grateful to Melissa. Not only is she an amazing best friend, but one on my main inspirations in life. I am so proud of her.

Tonight is my workout with my trainer Mike. I am trying to go further in my yoga and in my strength. I am focusing on the fitness and not the scale, but I have to admit I cannot wait until I get in the 160's. I am so so close. I have signed up for my first 5k, Run Seal Beach and I am signing up for Aerial classes at the Cirque School in Hollywood. I am knocking two things off my fitness bucket list. Life is an adventure and I am in competition with myself. 

Thursday my trainer Mike and I did a video of me doing burpees, and we are doing a redo tonight and I am going to post it. It is not instructional, merely me doing burpees to show my improvement in a month or so. They are not great, but in the beginning I could not do them at all. I wish I had video of that, or maybe not. Funny how you can really look like you have lost weight in still photos but video, that is another beast. I am doing it though, I promised no fear.

I am busy coming up. I am volunteering next week with Two Hands, Two Cans, and working on my book drive. Training, yoga, and James and I are heading to Arizona at the end of the month. This Month is already moving too quickly for my liking.  I am excited to see one of my dear friends Ally and to see Phoenix for the first time. 

Off for now, I need to give these Siamese cats a little attention. They make it so difficult to leave. Love and Light.
Namaste'
Rose

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

FOCUS ON FITNESS

Spanky and Rascal, this is what I wake up to. Precious kitties are finally sleeping together.

Good Morning to all, and Happy Tuesday. I am up and raring to go, even though my adorable Siamese kitties hate when we leave. I am so happy to see them sleeping together for the first time since we adopted Spanky last April. This made me so happy, it is the little things. Well, that and morning coffee. On that note I have decided to only have one cup a day, I am watching my caffeine from here on out.

This week I am focusing on my fitness even more, and less on the scale. I am still weighing in every Saturday and I am not doing anything different except not stressing about the scale. I am stepping up all of my workouts, focusing on becoming stronger and improving in my movements, exercises, flexibility and lastly but not least health. I am a Sagitarrius, the centaur and my bow and arrow is focused directly on my prize. What I want, I set my sights to.

I did my cardio exercise yesterday, I walked outside because the Santa Ana Winds created this amazing warm breeze and I had to be a part of it. Nothing like working out with a warm wind wafting through my hair. I believe exercise in the outdoors feeds all of your senses. I love the gym and classes too, but there is a unique feeling you get while exercising outside, an alive feeling as you improve your fitness and practice mobile meditation being one with nature.

I did my 25 burpees. Today is the second day of my 25 burpee a day challenge. It was not an easy feat to do those yesterday, and I admit my form needs work but I am practicing. Everything of value is worth the work. Tonight I am working out with my trainer Mike at the park, and I will do my 25 burpees when I get home after my workouts. I am also focusing on my yoga and flexibility, and getting my quads to open up.

Off for the day, the kitties would like me to play hookie and I wish I could, they are the best distraction. Happy Tuesday and remember to focus and never give up.

Love and Light, Namaste'
Rose