Before you turn up this New Years, find out how alcohol is hindering your weight loss

If you think Christmas cookies, cakes and pies are the only indulgences you need to avoid this holiday season, think again. Alcohol consumption often flies under the radar because it is a liquid after all; but in terms of weight loss alcohol can put a major road block in the way of your weight loss efforts.

Alcohol is primarily made up of sugar and carbs which translates to calories.  In fact, having only a few drinks in one setting can increase your calorie count rather quickly. For example, a light beer averages around 110 calories; 5 ounces of champagne 95 calories; 1.5 ounces of vodka 96 calories. Those are just a few examples, combine these numbers with mixers such as grenadine, juice or soda and you could be adding anywhere from 50 to 700 additional calories. If those numbers don't get your attention try making your drink of choice a heavy hitter like a long island ice tea which is a whopping 780 calories per drink, just two drinks would equal more than half of your daily recommended calorie intake... yikes! Now base these numbers on the fact that most females with a weight loss goal tend to average about 1500 calories or less per day (not including exercise) and you can see how alcohol consumption can really add to your calorie intake.

If the calorie count doesn't have you convinced that alcohol is your enemy in terms of weight loss how about these apples: alcohol causes cellulite, alcohol slows your metabolism and alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which makes you more likely to eat bad food. Not only will you more than likely make a bad eating choice while imbibing but how often do you wake up after a night of drinking craving something to "feed" the alcohol? Bacon, egg and cheese bagel anyone? Also, alcohol contains a ton of sugar, you may as well sit down with a big bowl of sugar because alcohol plus the added mixers are loaded with the white stuff. Now, for arguments sake lets just say you were a good girl and got in a good burn by exercising before you begin drinking, well that's always good but you need to know that once you consume alcohol your body will focus all it's energy to burn the alcohol in your body first which can take about ten hours for your body to burn. In addition, consuming alcohol could stop your body from burning fat for 24 to 72 hours!

There are many of you who still think you can continue to drink and win the battle of the bulge but let me put it to you in a way that really made me sit back and smell the tequila! If you're finding it hard to cut the alcohol out of your daily life, you may need an AA meeting or 12 step program more than you need to worry about weight loss. Alcohol consumption has become a part of our social DNA and when you begin cutting it out your life you often realize how the lack of alcohol can put a damper on your social engagements. I personally discovered that my husband and I were consuming more than I imagined once I began trying to lose weight. A glass of wine or two with dinner on a Tuesday, a few drinks while listening to jazz on Thursdays and a full day of drinking and watching football on Saturday. It was so ingrained in some of our rituals that we hardly noticed! When I began replacing an alcoholic beverage with a water bottle not only did the weight seem to fall off a bit more easily but I was also one thousand times more likely to get up and workout the next day. In fact I begin to make exercising an absolute must after drinking because I refused to let drinking be the reason that I gave up on my goals. Now,  I'll be the first to tell you that I had to really take a hard look at what we considered "fun" and make some serious changes in order to cut the alcohol. For example now that I've limited my alcohol intake on those instances when I do allow myself to let me hair down, it has on occasion taken a full two days to recover. Feeling like crap for a full day is enough motivation for me to be mindful when I'm drinking and drastically limits my intake in a major way. So here's a few more facts that will hopefully prompt you to limit your intake: alcohol can lead to addiction; alcohol is empty calories that provide no benefit to you in terms of nutrition; alcohol diminishes your capabilities; alcohol can increase the chances of liver disease and diabetes.

I'm in no way trying to ban alcohol from your life, it is part of so many customary traditions in our culture, such as toasting in the New Year after all. What I am asking is that you take a hard look at your relationship with alcohol, especially if your goal is to lose weight. I strongly encourage you to limit your alcohol consumption to special events or outings. Also reach for alcohol with low sugar and carb content which means avoiding beer and sipping on a dry red or dry white wine such as champagne. Also drinking straight alcohol such as vodka, scotch and gin minus the sugary mixers is also a better choice when your trying to limit the calories. I've began mixing Crystal Light into my drinks and it's a pretty tasty substitute for fruit juice. Finally, I've gotten into the habit of drinking plenty of water when I'm having and drink and my personal rule of thumb is to always workout the next day, no matter how bad the first twenty minutes might suck I always I feel better in the end!

Can you improve your weight loss by limiting the alcohol in your lifestyle?

Mini Pre Christmas shopping haul

There's no way I can be the only gal guilty of going Christmas shopping and applying the "one for you two for me" ideology.  I'll be the first to admit that I may have soaked my sorrows in a bit of retail therapy this holiday season. With one child living many miles away while serving in the Air Force this will be our first Christmas with no children living at home, so it just "feels" different this year. It's more than fair to say that I've had no problems occupying a portion of my idle time with some good ole fashioned shopping, here's a peek into my mini pre-Christmas shopping haul.

I love this fragrance, RiRi by Rihanna is such a sweet, fruity fragrance. I tend to change up my scents through the work week but I've been reaching for RiRi day after day. I purchased a set that included a full size perfume along with a rollerball and smaller version of the full size. I thought I'd be reaching for the rollerball to touch up my fragrance throughout the day but this scent has staying power and my husband loves it also. If your into floral, fruity scents, give your girl Rihanna a test drive.


While shopping with my hubby a stylish pair of Timberland boots caught my eye. After trying them on I thought they'd be a fun addition to my weekend wardrobe. Also this feminine take on Timberlands will have me walking in style and despite the high heel the padded foot bed makes them very comfortable. I test drove these lovely ladies on casual Friday at work and a trip to the grocery store and I must say they are extremely comfortable and I just love the look, they get an A+ in my book!

I...love...accessories. I love accessories so much that I won't bother to capture all the accessories I purchased thanks to a visit to DFW this past weekend. For those of you who don't know DFW stands for Discount Fashion Warehouse and it's based in Columbus, OH. In short, it's basically a warehouse of discounted, out of season, possibly irregular merchandise from Limited, Express, Victoria's Secret, Cacique, etc. One could very well spend hours going through racks of clothing in search of deals but since my eyes were on accessories I was able to find a several gems that fit my needs perfectly.  In the winter months I'm a scarf lady and at $5 a pop for a luxury scarves I snatched up several. I also found a great leather belt for $5 and few pairs of fun, colorful earrings that will look great on the beach for our vacation next month. Couple these deals with a cute handmade scarf and headband I received in the mail this week from one of my favorite Etsy shops "One Stitch Away" as well as some cheap rhinestone headbands I grabbed from eBay all I can say is "Merry Christmas to me"! As many of you know headbands are one way I'm able to spice up protective styles with a bit of fancy.

My Ebay headbands as well as my handmade scarf and headband from Etsy

Full disclosure: I'm one of those people that has most of their Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving day so in all fairness my little splurges didn't get in the way of putting deep thought into meaningful gifts for my loved ones. Now, don't mistake that disclaimer as an admission of guilt, I took the opportunity to treat myself as we all need to do every once in awhile.  This week I'm looking forward to baking Christmas cookies for the kiddos to decorate, watching my favorite Christmas movies (and catching the new Star Wars flick with the hubs) as well as preparing a feast for the family. The dynamics of our family has changed but my heart is perfectly full this holiday season and for me, that's about as good as it gets.

This season give the gift of health..

2015 is the year that I committed to making my health a priority, period. While that commitment was easy on same days, other days were literally a battle with self. I'll be the first to admit that in the beginning the bad days sometimes outweighed the good but in the end there were a few items that helped me stay motivated and (dare I say) excited about working out and embracing healthy changes. So without further ado let me share my top picks of  gifts that would do wonders for any gal aiming to lose weight or increase her level of fitness this year and beyond.

Moxie Fitness Apparel

Polar FT4

1. Of course I have to stroke the vanity hiding beneath the layers we'd like to lose by wrapping myself in stylish workout clothes. Compression leggings and stylish workout clothes can not only give you a boost of confidence in the gym but they actually make me want to workout. I've had some great luck finding quality workout gear at discount prices at Walmart, TJ Maxx and Marshalls but when I'm in the mood to splurge I head over to Moxie Fitness Apparel and snag a tee with a spunky saying and a pair of matching leggings.   
2. I love my Polar Heart Rate monitor, now I realize there are a lot of new gadgets out there but this gal is committed to Polar. While it does require a chest strap for monitoring your heart rate I don't mind since I only utilize it when I'm working out it really doesn't bother me. I have two goals when I'm breaking a sweat: to accurately track my calorie burn based on my personal data (age, weight) and also to keep an eye on my heart rate. It's really a great tool to determine if your burning enough based on the calories your eating, especially if your utilizing My Fitness Pal to track your daily intake.     
3. Sweatproof earbud headphones, I love these! I'm a heavy sweater and nothing breaks my stride like the feeling of my sweaty headphones slipping out my ear drums and eventually falling out, getting tangled between my legs and temporarily taking the focus away from my workout. With sweatproof earbuds this aggravating scenario is a thing of the past. Since we're on the subject another great gift for the fitness minded would be an Apple iPod mini loaded with fast paced songs, music is a great motivator!
4. This category isn't specific due to the fact that this list is based on my fit must haves but I couldn't create a fit gift list without a few heavy hitters. A great piece of fitness equipment weather it be a weight bench, elliptical, stationary bike or free weights. Based on the intended recipients weight loss or fit goals having a piece of exercise equipment (or three) has worked wonders in adding variety to my workouts.
5. Support and by support I literally mean your time. Outside of my current lifestyle I was once able to maintain an awesome fit life when I had an equally amazing accountability partner. Like so many of the great things in life fitness is better together. Not only are you more likely to challenge one another your also more likely to show up! If that's out of the question why not purchase a few personal training sessions or classes to give them a boost in the right direction.

When it comes to fitness this listing provides a few of my favorites that not only make me want to workout but also helps me to maintain my drive and enthusiasm. If you have someone that really wants to make change in the right direction, give the gift of healthy, it keeps on giving!

One inch of hair growth in one week, who's up for the challenge?

Looking at the calendar it's about that time! Challenge time that is, for all you #yougrowgirl15 hair growth challengers I have a method that claims to achieve one inch of hair growth in one week and based on my past experience utilizing this method it actually works!

Has anyone heard of the "inversion method" for hair growth? Well whether you have or haven't I'm here to break it down for you in a few easy steps. The inversion method in a nutshell is where you "invert" yourself in order to allow the blood to flow to your head and scalp for approximately four minutes a day for five to seven days. You can invert by allowing your head to hang off the side of your bed, sitting and allowing your head to hang between your knees or getting in downward dog type of position and allowing your head to hang. The details behind this method is that the increased blood flow to your scalp and hair follicles also increases hair growth. The caveat to this method is that it's not something you can do weekly with the expectation of receiving the same results. Sorry to disappoint you but as your body get's used to the increased blood flow the "magic" wears off therefore in order to see results the recommendation is to perform the inversion method only once per month.

I didn't give this method much attention until I read an article that grabbed my attention followed by  a YouTube video breakdown by LongNHealthy that explained her miraculous hair growth of two inches in five days. Based on her overview I was convinced to give it a try along with my sister, niece and two of my little cousins.  In addition to the inversion method this particular video also called for drinking bamboo tea (which contains high levels of silica which greatly benefits skin and hair), applying Hairdrenalin oil to the scalp and massaging it in and then performing the inversion method for approximately four minutes per day. In the end of our experiment it's fair to say we all achieved approximately one inch of hair growth. I personally wrapped an elastic band around one lock of hair and kept it in for the length of our trial. I measured that lock of hair at the start and finish of our experiment. I was happy to achieve an inch of growth in a week even if I fell a full inch short of LongNHealthy's results.  Based on several other videos I've viewed prior to taking on the experiment many others have achieved significant growth as well. In order to get the details behind the inversion method and Hairdrenalin (which is no longer available for sale but you can buy the ingredients to make it yourself) please hit the link above to view LongNHealthy's YouTube video.

My results with the inversion method

Now that you know the details behind the inversion method please note that I'm not asking for you to go all out as described in the video but I am challenging you to apply your Jamaican Black Castor oil, hair growth oil or oil of your choice directly to your scalp and massage it in everyday for the next five to seven days followed by a four minute investment to perform the inversion method. Realistically between the oil application, light massage and inverting this can be done in about five minutes a day and with the possibility of achieving one inch of growth the investment is more than worth it.  Considering the fact that hair grows approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch per month achieving even a tiny growth spurt of 1/2 inch or more in a weeks time is definitely a bonus. Now, I call that time well spent, so I ask you #YGG gals...

Are you up for the challenge?



How $10 and online training is transforming my fit life...

When it comes to working out I'm 100% committed. What I am not committed to however is one particular type of workout, from zumba to spinning I change like the wind. I love weight lifting, that maybe the only constant in my fit life but I crave variety, new challenges and a constant change of pace. Keeping all that in mind Noelle Benepe's 30 Days to Go All Out" challenge seemed like the perfect mix to keep me on my toes and end the year strong.

I follow Noelle on Instagram, she has a great body, good energy and I enjoy her mini workout videos. When she offered her 30 day challenge for only $10 I jumped at the chance to really get an inside glimpse inside her training regimen. Noelle's program includes some recipes, weekly PDF printouts for home or gym workouts as well as daily video demonstrations. The program is available online via Trainers Vault and once paid you simply login to an account you create to view your session and access Noelle's 30 day challenge. I've seen many only trainers offer these challenges but because I'm not prone to commit to any particular workout I've been hesitant to sign up in the past. Well let me tell you now that I've gotten a taste the past is behind me, I think I'm hooked. This format provides a variety of workouts in an easy to use format, the only draw back as I see it is you must hold yourself accountable to put in the work.

A glimpse of Noelle and her killer body

Last week I performed all my workouts in the comfort of my home and I have to be honest, her workouts were tough! I definitely felt my body adjusting to this break from the norm and my abs, shoulders, hips and buns were feeling the burn! I was really sore but the exercise challenge was surprisingly refreshing. Her workouts included jumping jacks, mountain climbers, body weight and resistance band exercises and a variety of abdominal work with lots of sets and repetitions. Keep in mind I chose the home version last week, today I'm on day 2 of the gym version and again the change of pace is right up my alley.

Lots of online trainers offer these incentives and typically they're pretty inexpensive. Being that I love diversity in my workouts this platform is perfect for me and I will take advantage of future online offerings. I follow Noelle on her IG page NoelleBenepe; I'm not sure if this challenge is still open but I do see that she offers them pretty regularly and I strongly encourage you take advantage of this virtual training option as an inexpensive, challenging program that can be performed at home or in the gym. I give this training platform and Ms. Noelle two thumbs up, best $10 purchase I've made thus far!

Sweet satisfaction: Low fat pumkin cake recipe

My Thanksgiving goal to stay focused on my healthy lifestyle wasn't too bad. I worked out consistently, ate moderately and avoided sweets, which really aren't my "thing". However after being surrounded by decadent desserts the days following Thanksgiving went something like this: avoids desserts in lieu of real food; offered helpings of my two prized desserts (sweet potato cheesecake and deep dish peach cobbler) only allowing myself to sample the sweetness that lingered on my knife or serving spoon; opened the fridge and eyed cheesecake; began finding it hard to resist cheesecake; decided to enjoy a slice of cheesecake only to get home on Monday evening, make a beeline to the fridge and discover, no cheesecake.  Turning a disappointed face to my husband I ask "did you put the cheesecake in a smaller container"? To which he replied "sorry babe I just demolished it". Oh I could taste the agony, literally!

After my turkey day dessert let down I made the decision not to make another cheesecake, knowing full well that with the children and family gone that was too much temptation for me to bear. I wanted sweets, I wanted the "feel" of Thanksgiving but I didn't want all the calories. Well I found sweet satisfaction in this easy little dessert. Here's what you'll need to whip up this tasty treat:

Cake

1 (15 ounce can pumpkin puree
2/3 cup low fat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Cooking spray

Icing

5 ounces light cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 chopped almonds

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8x8 inch cake pan with cooking spray.
2. Mix pumpkin, yogurt, vanilla, egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add in dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cake comes out dry when inserted with fork (my cake cooked 40 minutes).
4. For the frosting: Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. After the cake has cooled, frost and garnish with toasted almonds.

I sat down to enjoy a piece and while it's not the cheesecake I've been dreaming about it definitely cured my sweet tooth, the icing was especially delicious. It's pretty dense so a little piece goes a long way. The real test came after my husband got home. I took the picture for the blog post and proceeded upstairs to get ready for our date night, leaving the cake on the kitchen table. Soon after he joined me and added "a little elf dug into your cake". He liked it, that's a bonus because he really enjoys his desserts. Am I still eating "junk food", you bet, but when I compare it to my cheesecake I'm getting pumpkin wasted minus 600 plus calories per serving.

The calorie breakdown for my sweet treat is: 16 servings; Calories 183, Fat 2.2 grams, Cholesterol 6.1mg, Carbs 36.1, Protein 5.2, Dietary fiber 2.5 and Sodium 251.

Why half wigs have become my protective style of choice

Outre Yasmine                            Vanessa Express LaFasta

If you've even bothered to glance at my blog post lately you're well aware of the You Grow Girl hair growth challenge and December's mini challenge which happens to be protective styling for thirty days.  I've sang the benefits of protective styling on several previous blog post and just when you thought you'd had enough let me reiterate the benefits to you once again. Protective styling ensures your hair and particularly your precious ends are tucked and protected. Also it protects the hair from day to day manipulation from brushing, combing, flat irons, etc. Finally, protective styling allows for better moisture retention.

If your goal is to grow long hair protective styling definitely needs to be utilized in your regimen. I personally tend to increase my protective styling when my texlaxed hair is in the middle of or towards the end of a stretch between touch ups. Also, due to the dry air indoors and cold air outside I also increase my protective styling in the winter months. As I've progressed through my hair journey I can honestly say I've tried a majority of the styles available to me and I find myself returning over and over again to half wigs as my protective style of choice. I love the versatility of changing my look and I also appreciate that a good half wig often closely resembles a flexirod or braid out hairstyle. Finally, for beginner wig wearers, curly or wavy wigs are an easy way to experiment with blending your own hair for a more natural look.

I recently ordered two more wigs to add to my collection, not only because I'm committed to the 30 days of protective styling challenge but also because I want to give my hair a fighting chance in recovering from the set back I experienced after the passing of my father. My hair was damaged by being neglected for weeks on end, in a high bun, in the dead of winter. My recipe to remedy the damage includes deep conditioning, castor oil, moisture and of course protective styling.  In addition to the versatility offered by half wigs here's a few of the reasons I'm loving half wigs right now.

1. Have you ever had a sew in or braid install before that you HAD to get out or you'd lose your mind? Please don't tell me I'm the only one that's gone crazy with a pair of scissors in order to get to my real hair because you can't tolerate one more day with that weave in your head. Well with wigs I remove them every night, I can apply my moisturizing spray and castor oil to my scalp. I don't have that annoying, impossible itch that's trapped beneath a track I can't reach or that feeling of an itchy, foreign object sitting on my head. It gives me access to my hair and that's important to me.
2. I where my hair in cornrows underneath my wig minus a small section of leave out in the front. With that said wearing a half wig allows me to take down my cornrows every couple of weeks and perform a proper pre-poo, shampoo and deep conditioning session. After that my hair goes right back into cornrows having only been down long enough to get some much needed TLC.
3. Lets face it, no matter how good I've become at protective styling when I go out on the town with my husband or to a special event, half wigs often allow me to continue my commitment to protective style without sacrificing my overall look. Don't get me wrong, a haute high bun is classic and versatile as well as a host of other protective styles but sometimes you just want that extra umph!
4. Finally, I don't have to touch up my style in between workouts. I can spray my hair down with my little water & aloe mixture, apply my Jamaican Black Castor oil and tie it down for the night, with the cornrows in tact. All I have to care for is about a half inch of leave out and that's easy as pie!

Outre Tammy one of my favorites

Now as much as I love a good wig I also have a few personal "don'ts" that I practice when wearing a wig, they include:

1. I avoid or remove that little comb in the front and back of wig units. I simply place the wig on my head and add bobby pins along the perimeter and center to keep it in place. I don't dare dig that comb into my hair, it just seems like a recipe for damaged edges. We've all seen what tugging and pulling can do to those precious edges so I just avoid that little feature all together.
2. I remove it nightly and often over the weekend. When I'm lounging around the house with the hubs I tie a cute silk scarf on my head to the side or in a chic top knot and keep it moving. A well tied scarf can really elevate your look and if it's done right you won't look your donning a bonnet for bed. Finally, if we decide to go out on the town I can just toss on my 'do and I'm ready to go!
3. I don't wear a wig cap, it feels like it's drying and personally it's very irritating to me. I've been told they cause damage but I haven't seen any real proof of that, it's just my preference not to wear a cap.
4. Don't pop a wig onto your head straight out the bag. Cut the wig to match your face or have it cut if your not comfortable. Also, find a wig that closely resembles your hair texture. If it's too shiny apply a small bit of cornstarch to dull that "wiggy" shine. Play with the unit and where it in the house a couple of days before venturing out in public with it.
5. Finally, if your wearing a half wig it's probably only good for a week or two, let it go! They typically are less than $30 which is the cost of a salon visit. Don't hold on for dear life to a wig that's seen better days, it's a terrible sight.

In a nutshell, a good wig can look great and keep you from getting stuck in a protective style rut. It allows me to access my hair and scalp and not feel trapped in a permanent protective style like braids or sew in weave. Finally, just like a bra, I remove that bad boy at night and breath a sigh of relief. It's versatile, fun and easy to care for. If you find one you love buy two, trust me it won't go to waste. Did I forget to mention they're perfect for bad hair days. For a change of pace or an easy way to begin protective styling invest in half wig and have some fun!

What will be your protective style of choice for the December mini challenge?

Fall shoe preview: Work and Play boot and shoe haul

I love a comfortable stylish shoe and I've found myself drawn to booties this season above anything else followed closely by the popular block heels which seem to be growing in popularity. I indulged a bit thanks to a fab sale at Macys and found a few pairs that were exactly what I needed in terms of comfort, detail and style.

The tan Mary Jane heels by Ralph Lauren we're love at first sight. These beauties put me in a vintage seventies state of mind with the wooden block heel. Not only do they look great on my feet after wearing them a day in the office I found them to be very comfortable as well. I can envision a thousand outfits to wear these bad boys with and above all else these chunky heels are easy to walk in, comfort is mandatory at this stage in life. The Clark Mary Janes are also pleasing to the eye and an excellent contributor to the strong grey palette in my wardrobe. I think the textured heel really adds a pop of style to the shoe and most importantly they feel good on my feet. These are my first official pair of Clark's, I don't know if that means I'm getting older or they're getting more hip but I like them and that's what matters. Both of these are great additions to my work wardrobe, I'm off to a good start for someone who began my fall/winter wardrobe shopping somewhat late, was I the only one holding onto summer?

If you haven't noticed by the pictures my sights have been set on booties. My guy Vince Camuto offered up two pairs that I couldn't resist in a camel suede and black zippered bootie. Again, the name of the game for me is comfort and style and I believe I've got a good mixture of both. I can picture myself trouncing around Easton Fashion Place getting my Christmas shopping done in these grey White Mountain booties, the lining makes them warm and they'll go perfect with some fitted jeggings and this seasons hooded poncho. Finally, I'm not completely sold on the black Calvin Klein boots, I like the gold detail above the heel and on the buckle and I appreciate the way they hug my slim calves, but for some reason I'm not in love with the look of them on me. To be honest, my husbands compliments about this boot has kept them around but I saw a short boot by the same designer that may tickle my fancy a bit more than this pair. Decisions, decisions...it's a woman's right to choose, that's my motto!

I believe these babies are good additions to my existing shoe wardrobe, what's on your fall and winter shopping list B&B dolls?

Special Feature: Gen Elizabeth shares her weight loss transformation from size 20 to size 8 with weight training

Now that the biggest eating holiday of the year is behind us I thought it would be a good time to motivate you to focus on your fit goals. This past year I was introduced to a remarkable woman that became my weight loss idol- Gen Elizabeth. I happened upon her transformation while reading the success story posts on My Fitness Pal. The title immediately caught my eye "From a size 20 to a size 8 with strength training, in one year". Not only did the title speak to my love of lifting weights, it also spoke to the part of me that often wondered if I could focus on just lifting and experience the results I so desired. Having become a follower of Gen's journey via befriending her on My Fitness Pal and her Facebook page I was beyond thrilled that she was willing to answer some of my burning questions for B&B readers. Without further ado, let's dive into the details behind Gen's awesome transformation.

 

1. Can you tell us a little about your history with fitness and body weight/image. For example, have you always been active or did you adopt this lifestyle later in life?

 

I have struggled with my weight and with low self esteem my entire life. I never knew anything about how to eat right and how to exercise, nor was I athletic growing up. Everything I know now that's given me results, I've had to teach myself, with lots of research as well as trial and error.
 

2. What made you decide to commit to weight loss?

I was tired of being unhappy with myself. I had a great family, a great husband and great friends but I always hated my body. I wanted to feel normal for once and have a healthy self esteem like everyone else seemed to have, that was around me. My daughter was growing up fast, she is now 7 years old and I didn't want her to grow up feeling like I had always felt. I knew I was a major influence on her so I had to figure out how to make a change and do it. My husband has type 2 diabetes and I wanted him to get healthier as well so we could live out our lives together as long as God would bless us for.

Just looking at Gen's awesome legs and arms makes me want to go grab some weights!

 

3. I’d love to hear how your early workouts were structured. Also, what motivated you to focus on strength training specifically?

I focused on strength training because the only other way I knew of to lose weight was walking or running (which I hated). Cardio based exercises would've required me to venture outside and I was too uncomfortable to do that. I hated my body so much that I was embarrassed to leave my home. The more I started researching strength training, the more benefits I learned that there were and the more I fell in love with it. All I needed was a few pieces of cheap equipment, such as a pair of 5lb dumbbells, which was all I started with. I learned that compound exercise proved to be the most effective so I focused on those. Squats, over head press and step ups were my favorite exercises by far and I did them daily. Usually 3 sets of 10 with the step ups being timed to music. One song at a time until I got stronger. Eventually, I was doing up to 45 mins of step ups at a time! Slowly added more equipment and more exercises to keep things fun.
 

4. Based on my understanding of your story you were able to lose weight with limited cardio, can you elaborate on that?

As I mentioned, I was not a fan of running (couldn't even run at all) or walking, which required me to go outside. I also wanted to look strong like I always felt like I was on the inside. I have been through a lot personally so strength training was special to me, it was a way for me to express my inner strength as well. I did occasionally go for a walk around the neighborhood or at my local park later on for fresh air and a change of pace but not often.

 

5. Food choices play a major role in weight loss, please give us a peak into your meal plan and how you were able to track you food intake and overcome cravings.

 

First of all, I gave up ALL fast food and soda, which is killer to any weight loss plan. I ate all home prepared meals, including chicken breast, beans, greek yogurt and fruit. I kept my protein intake high and my carbs at a moderate amount. To avoid boredom, I kept my eye on the prize (the results were enough to keep me focused) and I also experimented with different recipes and spices. 6 months into my journey, I started using My Fitness Pal to log my food and zero in on my macros, allowing me to shed the last few stubborn pounds and attain a decent amount of muscle mass.

 

6. The muscle definition you were able to obtain is awesome.  I love a feminine, muscular physique can you describe your muscle building routine and what a normal workout week looks like?

 

Compound exercises were key for me, they require more than one muscle group to perform each exercise. I stuck with 3 sets of 10 reps and I did them almost daily. Because I was lifting at home, I wasn't lifting too intensely, which allowed me to do them almost everyday. At the same time, I made sure that I was challenging myself. As the exercises got easier, I upped the weight or changed up the routine. I did 3-4 exercises for upper body and 3-4 exercises for lower body.

Here is a typical full body routine I would do 5-6 days a week (all can be done with 5lb dumbbells):

Squats - 3x10

Step ups - timed

Leg lifts (outer) - 3x10

Leg lifts (inner) - 3x10

Over head press - 3x10

Bicep curls - 3x10

Tricep extension - 3x10

Front or side shoulder raise - 3x10

 

7. What are Gen’s top weight loss tips?

 

1. Believe in yourself! Believe you are no different than any other woman out there who has achieved what you want to achieve. Speak positive things to yourself, whether you feel it or not. Be proactive about being motivated and be proud of yourself for the little accomplishments.

2. Be patient and don't quit! There will be ups and downs or things that don't work out in your favor, just keep going. The time will pass anyway, so do something useful with it. A healthy, fit figure takes time but is well worth it.

3. Track your progress! Take a lot of photos, take measurements and see how your clothes fit differently. The scale can be ruthless and is NOT the only way to see your progress, especially, in the end stages where you weight can fluctuate like crazy or even stay the same for a period of time. 

 

8.       How can our readers connect with you online?

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesiaelizabeth

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/genelizabeth

MFP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/profile/genelizabeth

 

There are a few things we can learn from Gen's story and the first that really stuck out for me was eliminating fast food and only eating dishes that were prepared at home. When I take time out to meal prep I know that I am doing everything in my power to really control my portions, the fat content and even the flavor of my dishes. It also enables me to really eat well without worrying about what's in my food. Second, Gen began with light weights and compound movements that really work the muscle and she also committed to five days a week of working out. Finally tracking your progress with pictures and being patient with yourself are both great takeaways because results take time and the scale doesn't always tell the whole story in regards to your progress. Thank you for sharing your story Gen, it definitely has me motivated!

 

You Grow Girl Mini Challenge: 90 Days of Protective Styling

The You Grow Girl (YGG) hair growth challenge has been underway for one month now and I want to challenge you growers to step up your protective styling tenfold. The challenge details calls for protective styling 50% of the time and guess what? Most of the participants are failing miserably in this critical area for growth. The expectation based on a 50% protective styling standard is that your hair will be up for at least three or four days a week. Now be honest, have you been upholding that standard?


You see, I have the pleasure of being in contact with many of the YGG challengers via Facebook, Instagram, the hair community or work. I see you all posting pictures, some more often than others, of your smiling faces and exposed ends on a regular basis. I'm expecting to see your ends tucked at least three days a week and I've got to be honest, it's not happening. For the month of November I let my hair down a total of five days max, that's it. If I can do it trust me so can you. My go to styles for November were a curly half wig and a bun. I've faithfully applied Jamaican Black Castor oil every other night and I'm not sure about the rest of you but my new growth is incredibly THICK! I know I'm working to get the best results from the YGG challenge because my hair is staying moisturized, oiled and tucked 95% of the time. With two more months to go I'm sure to experience great results because I'm working the challenge to the best of my ability.

My protective styles for November a half wig and a classic bun

Now YGG gals it's your turn to step it up, for the next thirty days I challenge you to protective style  every single day. If that seems impossible to you because it's the holiday season and you have to flaunt your locks I'll grant you five days of freedom max as a Christmas gift from me to you, no need to thank me. If your serious about the level of growth you want to achieve don't skip on this important step. Once the 90 day challenge is up don't be disappointed in the work you didn't do if your not taking the steps to really build and environment for growth by consistently applying your JBCO and protective styling.

So start planning your next steps to ensure your prepared to be successful. You can begin by investing in a great wig or half wig, I just walked into a beauty supply store and began trying them on until I found a couple that worked for me. Or schedule a sew in, braids or crochet braid install. My favorite options is to check out some YouTube videos for a few easy protective styles and start experimenting, the sky is the limit but you've got to commit!

So You Grow Girl contestants are you up for challenge?

Holiday Fit Tips| How to stay on track and enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday.

The smell of Thanksgiving is in the air! Today was day #1 of my turkey day meal prep. This Thanksgiving I'm beyond bless that our daughter is home from the Air Force to join us around the dinner table. So you know what that means....momma's preparing a spread! 

On the menu this Black Friday eve:

Succulent brined turkey (World Market has the best brine for a moist flavorful turkey)
Turkey Ham (hubby loves a Jenn-O turkey marinated in brown sugar, honey, fresh juices & cloves)
Deep fried turkey (fried under the watchful eye of my sis)
Green beans and Southern Collard greens...soul food style
Deep dish cornbread dressing with shredded chicken
Four Cheese Baked Mac & Cheese
Candied Sweet potato soufflé
Delicious deviled eggs
Roast turkey pan gravy
Cloverleaf dinner rolls (I cheated and bought these from Resch's bakery)

And for dessert my deep dish Sweet potato cheesecake....so good! If I'm feeling up to it I may throw in a homemade peach cobbler to add to the dessert selection. All this food already has my taste buds in overdrive and I want to enjoy it guilt free so here's my plan to stay on track as I indulge in Thanksgiving delights:

1. Make exercise a priority everyday! In fact, right after my turkey goes into the oven on Thanksgiving morning I'm off to an A.M. boot camp offered by my gym to blast some calories.
2. Eat a small balanced breakfast after boot camp like egg whites and toast and a protein shake for lunch, no snacking. I'll indulge in a complete turkey day meal with all the trimmings. My meal  will include a half cup portion of sides (yes I will measure a half cup), plenty of turkey, green veggies and one small slice of cheesecake (or wine)- that's it. One decadent meal, eaten slowly, relishing every bite will more than satisfy.
3. In the past my Thanksgiving leftovers were eaten for lunch and dinner daily until gone, that's a lot of food over three days! To be sure I don't allow a cheat meat (or two) to turn into a four day binge I will encourage to-go plates to avoid temptation. I'll also save at least one more full turkey day meal for lunch the following day to ensure I get my carbs in before 1pm. For dinner I'll limit my portions to turkey and greens and skip the calorie laden carbs.
4. Drink lots of water, dehydration often leads to over eating.

Enjoying a moment with my U.S Airman...priceless!

Will I still ingest tons of calories, you bet! I can't count the number of sticks of butter I use to create this feast and I don't want to, the most important thing I'm doing to stay on track is making sure I measure my portions and move my body. I never wanted to be the gal that stopped enjoying life while pursuing my weight loss goals, it may take me a bit longer to reach them but that's not the end of the world for me. The key to this journey is balance. My balance comes by creating soul filled dishes for those I love, being surrounded by our children, laughter, good health and giving. Just the thought of having my entire family under one roof brings a smile to my face and a deep feeling of contentment that I wish for all of you this holiday season. Embrace the little things, forgive the crazy relative and above all take time out for you! Wishing you a happy, healthy Thanksgiving! Enjoy!

Low Maintenance VS Protective Styles: What you need to know!

In terms of healthy hair care there are two primary styling strategies that often get confused and that's the difference between protective styling and low maintenance styles. As stated in my prior post on protective styling, these are styles in which the ends of your hair are tucked; styles that require little to no maintenance on a weekly or long term basis and styles that allow you to retain moisture easily. Some examples of protective styles include buns, braids with or without extensions sewn-in weave, etc.  Low maintenance styles on the other hand are styles that require a minimum amount of manipulation and care on a day to day basis. Unlike protective styles low maintenance styles often require some attention on a daily basis in order to maintain the style and often do not require brushing or combing. Examples of low maintenance styles include: braid and twist outs, rollersets, flexirod sets, curlformer sets, etc. The idea behind low maintenance is they require a minimum amount of manipulation to maintain these hairstyles.

Both protective styling and low manipulation styles can aid in hair growth because your limiting heat, combs and styling appliances. One of the ways I began growing my hair at the start of my hair journey was doing braid outs, thus the "braidout" in the title of my blog. It's been a staple style throughout my hair journey as I found it was also easier to maintain my workout routine by braiding my hair during my work out and finger combing it out into nice and easy style the following morning. The idea behind low maintenance styling is it allows us to style our hair with little to no heat, you can set under a hooded dryer if you choose but you can also air dry these styles and avoid heat all together. Also, as in protective styling these styles require less manipulation so you don't have to comb or brush your hair in order to style. I tend to finger these styles into place and avoid styling appliances all together.

Low maintenance styles including: braid outs, curlformer sets and flexirod sets

 In regards to my hair care routine I'm more of a protective style gal during the winter months when the cold air, neck scarves and dry indoor climate has more of a tendency to cause breakage. I won't go into the details of protective styling because I dedicated an entire post to the subject but it's definitely contributing factor in maintaining healthy hair based on my hair journey. With the onset of spring and summer I literally get the chance to "let my hair down" so to speak.  I transition to low maintenance styles during the warmer seasons and allow myself to enjoy a juicy braid out or bouncy curls thanks to flexirods or curlformers. I tend to air dry my low maintenance styles on hair that is 80% dry. In some instances, such as when I'm doing my hair late at night and I know it won't dry before the morning I'll also blow dry my hair on cool.

Protective styles including: buns, crown braids and a half wig

Due to the fact that the precious ends of our hair are not protected when we low maintenance style I may find myself moisturizing and sealing once in the AM and again at night if necessary. In order to maintain these styles to last for a week or so there are a few options. Those options include: the pineapple method, pin curling your style into place, wrapping or cross wrapping your hair and there's also the option of restyling at night. I tend to restyle in the evening because I workout and I sweat profusely therefore my hair must be touched up more often than not.

To finalize low maintenance vs protective styling I'd like for you to keep in mind that because your handling your hair in some form or the other that low maintenance styles can be a healthy alternative to remove direct heat from your regime but it requires more manipulation of your hair whereas protective styling calls for little to no handling of your strands, kapish? If your really gunning for growth protective styling is the way to go however low maintenance styles offers you the option to experiment with cute styles. Also, I personally still experienced a good amount of growth with LM styles because I was no longer subjecting my strands to heat and I was moisturizing and sealing daily as well as following a healthy hair regimen overall. I hope this article helps you to understand more about your styling alternatives and why I do what I do to maintain and grow my hair. I welcome your feedback on how experimenting with styles aids in you hair journey.

New Month New Fit Goals

I'll be the first to admit I get pretty bored with my fitness routine, so bored in fact that the only constant in my workout routine is zumba on Wednesdays with my co-workers. I'm constantly searching for new ways to challenge myself and combing through research on the most effective workouts for weight loss.

During my personal training sessions we woke up a sleeping giant so to speak in the form of a knee injury that hasn't bothered me in ages. As a result I took a week off from my personal training sessions and began experimenting with a variety of workouts while nursing my knee. Through a combination of weight training along with both high intensity and steady state cardio I lost three pounds over the course of a week by changing nothing other than my workout routine.

After workout pic & grilled chicken covered in artichoke dip-YUM!

My daily workouts were broken down as such: 10-20 minutes of high intensity cardio to begin (Zumba Fitness, ploymetric routines or a high intensity cardio DVD) followed by 20 to 30 minutes of strength training and ending with twenty to thirty minutes of steady state cardio on the elliptical or stationary bike. Finally I committed to at least three sets of one abdominal exercise per day.

I came up with this plan of attack based on my not-so-scientific research on how different forms of exercise impact your weight loss and body in general. Starting with high intensity cardio such as running sprints, it's said to improve endurance, burn more fat than muscle, increase metabolism and HIIT cardio can be done without equipment. On the other hand steady state cardio like walking, jogging and utilizing stationary equipment tends to burn more calories, may be a better option for exercise novices and helps your body stay in a fat burning zone. Finally, my favorite exercise of all, weight training. Not only should we as women be lifting more weight in order to maintain muscle mass that we lose yearly as we age but weight training also improves bone density, boost confidence, continues burning fat long after the workout is complete and makes me feel like a real bad ass!

I decided to combine all three forms of exercise, modified to some degree based on my knee, to see what happened and now I'm two pounds away from where the magic happens. You see, I've been lingering in the 180's for quite some time. Part of that is because although I stayed true to exercise and a modified eating plan I also wanted to enjoy the summer, our vacation and time with friends and family without making weight loss rule my lifestyle. Now I'm bound and determined to break out of this weight loss lull and began dropping pounds again. The reason goes way beyond just a number on the scale, as a 5'4 curvy gal my body becomes much more proportionate as the scale goes down. My clothes fit better and I really know I'm feeling good when I can fit comfortably into the jeans I met my husband in, right now I can get them on and buttoned but sitting down isn't an option.

I'm definitely going to continue my hybrid workout routines, in my opinion it's giving me the best of all three forms of exercise. I'm strength training different body parts daily, I'm maintaining the fat burning zone with steady state cardio and I'm increasing my agility and endurance with high intensity cardio. The added bonus is that I'm pushing myself just enough as not to injure my knee, it feels much better but I'm still very aware of my limits. Finally, in regards to weight loss I'm really attempting to focus on indulging less as the holidays approach. I pick and choose my treats be sure to tune in next week to find out how I plan to balance my weight loss and Thanksgiving indulgences.

Special Request: Growing and caring for African American babies hair...

I've actually had more than a few moms of newborn girls or toddlers inquire on the best method of growing their babies hair. Honestly, in my opinion if you do little to nothing the hair will grow but knowing what I know now there are a few changes I would make had I known better when my baby girl was an infant. Without further ado, let's dive right in!

Just as our hair requires moisture to grow so does an infants. With that said avoid washing their little heads daily, infants don't require that much washing. You may want to reserve washing for once a week with an all natural baby shampoo, adult shampoos contain harsh sulfates and a different pH balance, so steer clear of those. Also there is no need to work the shampoo into a massive lather of bubbles, the key here is gently washing the babes hair and following with an all natural conditioner. I've heard good things about Cara B Naturally, which host a full line including shampoo, conditioner and a leave in. Shea Moistures Olive and Marula Head to Toe shampoo and lotion host a list of yummy ingredients and without getting into too much detail on products let's not forget the most moisturizing (and free) ingredient of all - water. Lightly spraying water onto your babies hair and sealing with a light oil such as coconut is a great alternative to experimenting with products. You may want to try this route and progress to adding products as your babies hair changes, if necessary of course. Finally please remember moisture is not grease! Moisture is found it water or the use of water based leave in conditioners, see my post on moisturizing and sealing for more details on the subject. You can apply moisture by spraying water before your style then sealing with a natural butters or coconut oil. Also as your baby grows begin to seek a water based all natural leave in such as the products mentioned above but that option can be reserved for further down the road when you get into really styling your toddlers hair.

If growth is really the goal avoid brushing and always use a soft baby brush when doing so, just as less manipulation helps promote growth with our hair the same holds true for babies. Also avoid rubber bands, those adorable headbands and pulling your babies hair into a tight ponytail for styling. In fact unless you have a special occasion or pictures daily brushing and styling should be avoided.

I want to take a small time out to give some attention to a condition that must be handled differently in most cases with black babies. In terms of cradle cap washing daily with a treatment shampoo is typically not a good option on black hair, no matter the age. I've read great reviews on Gentle Naturals Cradle Cap Treatment. The ingredients in Gentle Naturals definitely look appealing and moisturizing. Also, applying coconut oil before shampooing your infants head and again after washing has also had positive effects in curing cradle cap based on my research. I am not a physician of course, not even a licensed cosmetologist but because African American hair requires different elements for growth that's what I research and that is what I encourage you to do also.

As your baby grows into a toddler the same principles hold true, weekly washing, conditioning and moisturizing and sealing. As you become more tempted to style try experimenting with styles that don't stress their tiny hair follicles, I've seen a plethora of adorable styles that revolve around different variations of two strand twist. I've also seen a great deal of women in the hair community grow their toddlers hair to waist length and beyond by remaining gentle and holding true to utilizing the same principles we utilize on our hair on a smaller, gentler scale. The primary takeaway to keep at the fore front of your mind is African American hair must have moisture to thrive, also less manipulation and avoiding tight styles encourage growth. I hope this tidbit of information is helpful in caring for your babies hair, it's really quite simple when it comes down to it, less is more in hair growth!

You Grow Girl Challengers & Updates...

The YGG challenge is under way and I'm thrilled at the feedback and questions I'm getting from this diverse group of challengers. The #yougrowgirl15 challengers are a unique blend of different textures, lengths and growth goal oriented natural and relaxed haired ladies, all on a mission to grow healthy hair.

There are understandably some women who didn't want to be identified but here's a glimpse behind some of our YGG gals!

As for myself I couldn't bring myself to flat iron or silk wrap my hair in order to take a "proper" starting pic. What I did do was stretch my week old braid out to the best of my ability and place markers at my arm pit (APL) and waist (WL) to act as a guide as to where my hair stands in terms of length.

Finally, my protective style of choice for the first weeks of the YGG challenge is a half wig. Here I am rocking the Vanessa Express Half Wig La Fasta. As you can see I leave a small section of the front of my hair out that I curl with a flexirod in order to blend with my wig. Stay tuned for details on why half wigs are my protective style of choice.

One week down in the YGG challenge, I'd love to know how you beauties are doing. Please don't be timid if you have questions regarding the health of you hair, I'm at your service. Until next time beauties, you grow!

Who can resist a women with a red pout?

There is something about Sundays that just renews my spirit. Not only does it enable the hubby and I to take advantage of lazy Sunday mornings to brunch and connect but Sundays also allow us to explore quaint little restaurants and cozy bakeries in the German Village section of town.

Well last Sunday I was in the mood to explore in a way that was pretty bold for me by sporting a matte red lip and let me tell you I was really feeling this color. Beso by Stila liquid lipstick didn't have me at hello, I've been holding onto this tube for months now but something was in the air on this particular day that caused me to reach for this punch of color and it did not disappoint.

I'm typically a sheer to nude gloss kind of girl but I think it's safe to say those days are behind me. Daring, fierce, pretty and feminine all come to mind when I wear this lip color. Ladies this is the start of something new and I think I'm going to like exploring what these lips can do! I can't tell you how many new beginnings I've had since crossing over forty, all I can say is watch out world!

 

Have your stepped out your comfort zone lately? I'd love to hear the details....

Easy Game Day/Weeknight Meal...Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

If you happened upon my fajita chicken recipe your going to begin to think I'm obsessed with fajitas! Well what I am obsessed with is food that packs a lot of flavor without all the calories. Not only do I have to fool myself but my husband also has to have good eats, especially on game day Saturday. So this week were enjoying crockpot chicken fajitas, easy and delicious!

Here's what you dolls will need to cook up this game day fare:

3 chicken breast (about 2lbs)
One large onion
One red and one yellow bell pepper
One pack of fajita or taco seasoning
Two tablespoons of lime juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
Seasoning salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt
Tortillas

I began by cleaning my chicken breast and lightly seasoning them with both pepper and both seasoning and garlic salt. I prefer to lightly sear both sides before I toss my chicken into the crock pot but your more than welcome to throw them in there raw. I thinly slice my onion and bell peppers and toss half of the onion/pepper combination into a crockpot that I've lightly sprayed with cooking oil. I then layer the chicken breast side by side on top of the peppers and onions and pour in the chicken stock and two tablespoons of lime juice over the chicken. I then sprinkle the entire pack of taco seasoning mix on top chicken and layer on the other half of my peppers and onions. Another option that I've tried in the past that adds an extra punch of flavor is tossing in a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies.  This combination of flavors is very forgiving. I've made this a zillion times with less ingredients and sometimes more thrown in the crockpot and it's been delicious every time. That's why I love fajitas they're so versatile you almost can't go wrong.

Cook on high for three hours or on medium for six to eight hours. Remove the lid and allow to cool slightly then use two forks to shred your chicken. Combine the peppers and chicken well and serve on warm tortillas with toppings of your choice (light sour cream, cheese, guacamole, salsa) easy and filling!

You Grow Girl 1st Mini Challenge, take your vitamins!!

You Grow Girl challengers!! Let me start by saying I've got lots of pictures, primarily via my Facebook inbox, but there are tons of "ghost challengers" that I welcome all the same. If you'd like to connect with your fellow challengers look up the hash tag #yougrowgirl15 on Instagram or "Post to this Page" link on  Braidouts & Barbells Facebook page.  Now onto the good stuff it's time for our first challenge and this weeks challenge is to take your vitamins!

By now you should be protective styling and using your castor oil. So let's take our growing to the next level by nourishing our hair from the inside out! Early this year I suffered a setback in my hair journey after the unexpected death of my father. Once I realized the amount of damage I experienced I begin to implement several options that I knew I could depend on to care for my damaged hair. In researching my options I found myself also reaching for something new- MSM. For those of you that don't know MSM stands for methyl sulfonyl methane which is also known as a nutritional form of sulfur. Sulfur is critical to many functions of our bodies and is primarily known as a joint supplement. We've seen it in hair care products before from Sulfur 8 to a few hair growth oils that contain sulfur. Also, there is a well known vitamin that declares MSM as one of it's primary growth stimulators.  Once I got into the benefits of sulfur I was convinced, in addition to hair growth it's also said that sulfur could benefit in the treatment of acne, dandruff and eczema.

For those of you who don't know our hair has three cycles: growing, resting and shedding. In terms of hair growth MSM is rumored to be beneficial in hair growth because it's said to increase the anagen or growth phase of our hair. For example if your growth phase is three to five years, with the use of MSM it could be extended to four or six years. Both numbers are hypothetical but one thing is for sure, we all experience the same three phases in the life cycle of our hair. Luckily because we have thousands of hairs on our precious heads those cycles are all in a different rotation. Can you imagine if all our hair was in the shedding phase at the same time? Yikes!! That's scary stuff, moving on!

There's also a certain hair growth guru I follow that has stated she gained three inches in three months opposed to her normal growth rate of 1/4 inch per month with the use of MSM. I decided to use MSM in conjunction with a Hair and Nail vitamin I found at Walgreens. The Hair and Nail Vitamin by AppliedNutrition contained "superior levels" of biotin and silica. I chose this combination due to biotins benefits in strengthening hair and nails. Silica on the other hand is a component of collagen which helps repair skin, hair and nails. Combined my "vitamin cocktail" is a lot less pricey than the popular hair vitamins that promise longer hair and personally I like the nutrient levels of my little cocktail. There can be too much of a good thing, read on to discuss more about that. For those of you interested in purchasing MSM it's on BOGO at CVS this week, you can thank me later.

My vitamin cocktail!

Now back to having too much of a good thing. Let me forewarn you that there are many, many ladies out there that have complained of breakouts, severe breakouts when taking biotin and some have complained with the use of MSM as well. I have never experienced that, but boy have I seen the side effects of too much. I drink a ton of water and highly recommend you do the same if you decide to try vitamins as part of your hair journey. There are some ladies that reach straight for the 10,000 mcg of biotin with the hopes that their hair growth will increase tenfold, I'm not saying it won't but you really want to increase your dosage slowly don't be that girl with a case of severely bad acne for an extra inch of growth. Secondly, once your hair begins growing from taking more vitamins, the growth rate of your hair increases everywhere, so stock up on razors while your picking up those vitamins! Here's what I did noticed about taking MSM, and I'm speaking on that specifically because I've taken various other vitamins, although not consistently, in my growth journey. I noticed my new growth was incredibly soft. It may sound weird to some but being a person that is constantly caring for my own hair I'm very aware of changes and my new growth tends to be a bit on the rough side. I honestly thought I was imaging it until along comes an article in Black Hair Information that confirms my suspicion. Also, another bonus to having MSM around the house is my husband started taking them to help with an aching knee (remember the primary use is a joint supplement) and it greatly reduced his symptoms. One last word on the use of vitamins is consistency, I find that I do a good job of taking vitamins daily when I keep them in the bathroom and take them every morning just like brushing my teeth.

Finally during my time taking MSM and vitamins my hair definitely grew, but let's be real our hair is going to grow regardless, retaining that growth is what's important. I don't have great pictures because I did some major trimming but you can bet now that we've created an environment for growth (protective styling, castor oil) I'm definitely tracking my progress. So ladies, do you accept this mini challenge? We're doing everything in our power to promote growth externally, lets increase our chances by nourishing our hair from the inside out!

Are you up for the challenge?

10 Minutes a day Fitness

If your hoping that I'm going to feed you a magic pill that will get you super fit in ten minutes or less, think again. What I do hope to do is give those of  you that want to start a workout routine a way to begin with small increments and those of you that are already active an idea to stay focused on fitness. Ten minutes a day fitness has been a lifesaver for keeping me on track with my fit goals.

On a day to day basis I average a half hour to an hour and a half of exercise. On the days that I perform two exercise sessions a day I'm pushing the hour and a half mark. Now we're not talking about those days, we're talking about the days that I don't feel like exercising; the days in which every core of my being is rebelling at the thought of working out. The days when you'd rather go to dentist, to bed..I'd rather do anything that doesn't involve breaking a sweat. On those days I implement my ten minutes of fitness to push through my mental barrier and commit to a workout.

I have to tell you that I've implemented this strategy even on occasion when I was sick or hung over and surprisingly I've felt better once my ten minutes were up. Also, I maintained this standard while we were on our vacation recently and upon returning home I didn't miss a beat! There was no "I have to get back into the swing of things" mentality because I never quit! Even better you can almost bet that once your engine gets running you'll bypass that ten minutes easily and actually get in a workout state of mind. Once that happens I've easily performed a solid full body workout when my goal was a flimsy time minutes, how sweet is that? That's one of my secrets to working out and losing weight all the way around.

Benefits of a short, intense workout

Coming up with the techniques to trick yourself into moving, pushing and overcoming your mental roadblocks is what it's all about. Some of my favorite ten minute workouts include: YouTube queen Tiffany Rothe's  Mountain Climber and Booty Shaking Waist workouts. I also enjoy The Firm DVD Target Toning Zero in Ten workout which is a collage of fitness routines that combine cardio and strength training. Finally when I'm really in a rut, I'll simply jump on my elliptical or stationary bike and start moving. I'll be there first to admit that there have been occasions when I forced myself to do the bare minimum of ten minutes and that was it for the day. The key here isn't perfection it's persistence.

I'd love to know your tricks to get moving when your motivation is down, here's to a week of wellness, make it a good one!

Lets talk Protective Styling!

First things first, if you haven't heard about the You Grow Girl Hair Growth challenge it's a few days away, check out the deets here. So far I've received a ton of questions from ladies in anticipation of the challenge and the majority are centered around protective styling.

What is protective styling? Most of us have been doing it for years without a given name attached to it but in the hair community it's referred to as a style that keeps your ends tucked away. Why the ends you ask? Because they are the oldest part of our hair and therefore they require more care. In addition, a protective style requires very little if any maintenance on a day to day basis. Finally, by protective styling it helps your hair stay moisturized. If you haven't read my post on the importance of moisturizing and sealing your hair you can find it here. In it I discuss the importance of moisture particularly in black hair growth. By protective styling you are fostering an environment for growth by keeping your ends tucked away from the elements and moisturized.

Starting at the top right my fav's including (half wig, goddess braids, twisted top knots, bun and double decker bun)

How many times have we installed braids or weave with the objective to grow our hair? I was blessed to follow two young ladies in their hair journey that grew their hair with the use of protective styling with very different results. Lets take a moment to review both growth scenarios. Subject #1 over the course of a year subject number one chose to grow her hair by placing her hair in a bun for one year straight, during that year she never wore her hair down, not once. Having been a part of a hair care group she understood the importance washing and deep conditioning her hair, she kept her ends well moisturized and she chose to bun wrapping her hair into a bun and pinning it opposed to using hair bands or other utensils. Her regimen remained simple yet focused on healthy hair care and by the end of the year her hair grew from somewhere between shoulder and arm pit length to waist length. Subject #2 over the course of a year subject #2 grew her hair from above shoulder length to about somewhere between bra strap and mid back length. She accomplished this by having a sewn in weave installed every 2 to 3 months (three months in a protective style is NOT recommended) over the course of a year. She did very little to her hair between installs and yet her hair grew. I noticed one major difference between subject #1 and #2 which is the moral of the story, subject #1 continued enjoying long, healthy hair by maintaining the healthy hair practices she learned throughout her journey. She protective styled 70% of the time after she achieved her goal length and reserved wearing her hair down for weekends and special occasions. Also she continued her healthy hair practices by moisturizing and sealing and following a weekly wash and deep condition routine. Subject #2 on the other hand had no clue on what to do with this newly grown crop of curls sprouting from her pretty head. It was beautiful and longer than she could imagine but overtime it begin to become shorter and appeared less healthy. She increased her salon visits but still couldn't understand why her mane failed to maintain its length and luster. Frustrated by her hairs lack of vitality she resorted to a dependence on weave to maintain the length she longed for but couldn't seem to maintain.

Now, I've done quite a bit of explaining to get to this point and what is the moral of my story you ask? Moral of the story is your hair is going to grow whether it's barely cared for and left unattended or provided with a minimum amount of growth necessities and left mostly unattended. Both women experienced growth, the difference is one was aware that she had to take certain steps to maintain the length she worked to achieve. Now just in case anyone is wondering I have nothing against weave. I've been a weave queen at certain points in my life - glued, quick or sewn in, I've had it! What stood out for me was the level of confidence each women portrayed having achieved long hair. To witness subject #2's confidence dwindle as her hair begin to break was actually sad for me too, if I knew then what I know now we'd both be happy and waist length!

 I like my readers to understand as much as possible about why certain steps are important. So back to the topic of discussion, as discussed in both scenarios protective styling will allow your hair to grow or help you to maintain healthy hair. It keeps your hair moist and protected and away from wind, clothing, cold air, dry heat or anything that could cause breakage. My wedding ring snags and breaks my hair, when I went to Texas for my daughters Air Force BT graduation the dry heat literally caused my hair to feel brittle to the touch, which causes breakage. How many times have you heard your hair snapping from contact with clothes or furniture? Well if you are protective styling and doing extra to care for your scalp such as keeping it clean, moist or applying growth aides then you are really ensuring that your hair achieves the best level of growth possible while protected. Protective styling doesn't mean you can't enjoy long, healthy hair but as a women with afro textured hair you must be aware that certain habits are important in our hair care routine.

My favorite protective styles include: various types of buns, crown or goddess braids, half wigs that  resemble a braid out or natural hair pattern and crochet braids. I am not necessary a fan of sewn in weave anymore because I have to be able to access my hair. It's a me thing so if  sew-in's are your thing please continue. If you do however choose to maintain a permanent protective style (braids, sew-in, etc) do your hair a favor and give it a good light protein treatment followed by a moisturizing deep condition before your install. Secondly, make sure your ends are healthy and dusted or trimmed. Also take care of your hair underneath the weave by spraying your scalp with water and oil, "washing" with dry shampoo and applying castor oil which has antiviral properties and promotes growth.

WARNING: Protective styling can work against you and I do NOT recommend the following practices.  I hate micro braids, they are the devil - period. Having every single, tiny baby hair on your scalp pulled into submission is not healthy, sorry not sorry. If ever there was a real life edge destroyer it's micro braids, just don't. Secondly, when I do sit down to get crochet braids or any install I forewarn my stylist that I do not like my hair pulled tight, if you have bumps on your neck or hair line it's too tight. I have no problem voicing my concern that they are braiding too tight, it's your hair, speak up! So many of us are so desparate to get our moneys worth that we don't care if our hair health or edges are at risk, don't be that gal! Also, when using buns as a protective style you need to either do what subject #1 did and wrap your hair daily and pin it securely or better yet rotate your bun. I've witnessed women with very long hair experience breakage because they placed their bun in the same spot and either kept it there for days or weeks (without taking it down at night) or the hair simply broke because they were pulling the strands on a regular basis in the same spot. I wear high, low, double and middle of my head buns. I change the location on a regular basis and take them down every evening. Finally if you choose to bun make sure you use elastic bands without metal closures that can cause breakage. I love keeping it real so I'm not ashamed to say I often soak my Goody elastic bands in oil to give 'em a bit of lubrication especially if my hair will be in a bun for a few days.

I've given you all a lot of information, some may think it's too much but if you want to fully experience healthy hair or long hair then protective styling needs to come into play. Some of you think nothing of this because you don't yet understand the dynamics of black hair growth but when I'm walking across the artic tundra (the parking lot of my workplace) in the cold winter months with my precious ends moist and tucked neatly in a bun I know that neither the harsh outdoor cold and wind nor the dry climate indoors is going to harm my hair. When I see another sister walking in with a combination of dry, split ends that seem to be screaming for a deep condition I wish I could tap her on the shoulder and give her some advice. Poor little tink tink, I'm not going to end up in jail because I offended someone for telling her she needs to tuck and seal, ha! Moving on....

Throughout the Braidouts & Barbells Facebook page I've offered some examples of protective styles with the hope that you'll find inspiration. If your nervous about protective styling, like I was in the beginning, then play the style up with makeup, headbands, earrings and attitude! Here's to protecting those ends this winter darlings, if I have a say so in this we will all have long healthy hair and fit derrieres by summer! Have a great weekend and to my hair growth challengers, I'll see you on Sunday!