B&B Giveaway!

TGIF my B&B beauties! Today I'll be hosting the first Braidout & Barbell giveaway! Now through October 23rd you have the opportunity to win some pretty awesome prizes that really represent the B&B healthy hair and lifestyle mission.

To enter:

1. Go to the homepage of braidoutsandbarbells.blogspot.com and go through the steps to follow the blog.
2. Go to the Braidouts & Barbells Facebook page, like and follow! 

Two winners will be chosen on Friday, October 23rd to receive either the Braidout prize package which includes Macadamia Reviving Curl Cream, no slip hair clips and Hask Argan Healing Shine Oil. Another lucky prize winner will receive the Barbell prize package package to include the Anything but Cardio t-shirt (L), high performance socks and weight training gloves.

Good luck and have an awesome weekend and be sure to take a little time out for yourself!

Braidout Prize Pack

Barbell Prize Pack

Go for the glow! Up your skin care routine from civilian to celebrity

I often get compliments on my skin followed by surprise when the inquirer learns I’m in my early forties. I’ve always taken those compliments in stride but as I’ve aged I began to see changes that while minor I wanted to begin tackling sooner rather than later.

Those of us with melanin rich skin may have a certain advantage when it comes to aging well but speaking as a person that never took my skin care regimen too seriously I decided to begin taking measures to ensure my youthful appearance stuck around for the long haul. It’s been almost two years now and through feedback from licensed estheticians, reading and following expert tips I’ve developed a solid skin care routine and my skin is flourishing. Here’s an overview of my skin care regimen and a bit of input on how I adopted some of my techniques.

Water

Water is essential for life! If you’ve read a few of my hair related post then you could be sick of me preaching the requirement for moisture in your hair care routine.  Our bodies require moisture, and as I drink I literally envision the life giving fluid nourishing me from the inside out. The more I drink water  of course I’m obliged to visit the restroom more often but I also experience less breakouts and plump, hydrated skin. Just like Nike you have to “Just Do It”. I get my water intake in the morning with a tall glass as part of my AM workout. Once I get in the office I commit to one fruit or veggie infused cup of  H2O, as offered by our in-house café, and I immediately fill up a one liter bottle for my morning requirement. My commitment to myself is to down at least two of those liter bottles during my eight hour work day.

Finally, I’ve never been huge on juice or soda so I also get my water intake in as part of my evening meal. My goal is to track at least another liter bottle at home rounding out my total water intake to one gallon a day. Not only does water intake keep our skin hydrated it helps in some not so obvious ways as well including:

1.       Calorie control – often thirst is disguised as hunger, staying hydrated can help prevent snacking.

2.       Prevents constipation- water aids in digestion by adding fluid to the colon and moving things along.

3.       Purge toxins- certain toxins can lead to clogged pores and acne so drink up.

4.       Skin hydration- back to my original post dehydrated skin can look dry and wrinkled when I’m getting my daily dose of water my skin appears plump and full.

Exfoliation 

On a recent vacation I took the opportunity to indulge in a high end facial. I’ve enjoyed facials throughout the years in various venues from the local beauty college to some pretty top notch salons but this one in particular intrigued me. To put it lightly it was the most money I’ve forked over for an hour of attention focused solely on my face.  I cannot tell a lie the simple beauty and calming demeanor of my South African esthetician coupled with her lovely skin and the soothing overview in which she detailed the intricate steps involved in her process had me hooked like a moth to a flame. She
reeled me in hook, line and sinker when she presented a high tech hydrafacial machine and all its benefits.

My post facial pic with the hubster

Without spending too much time on the machine let me just say I was so busy paying attention to the process that I failed to fully relax but I did show up to dinner that evening make up free and in the words of Beyonce “Flawless”, my skin glowed! At the end of the facial we reviewed my skin care regimen and she gave me a few pointers including the importance of exfoliating a few times a week. One of the reasons she offered was the epidermis of the skin has multiple layers that shed every twenty-eight days, by exfoliating daily we get rid of the old and maintain the new, fresh layer of skin.  Well I kept that information filed in my brain and carried on my merry way, I was on vacation after all.

About two weeks following my facial I was casually reading a magazine in which Elle MacPherson was featured. The article elaborated on how incredible the fifty-one year old looked and she offered a tip that included daily exfoliation of her face and no less than three times per week for her body. Pulling out the tip I’d been passed down from my facial a couple of weeks before, followed by Elle’s two cents and I was convinced that exfoliation was a necessary addition to my skin care routine. I pulled a newer bottle of Freeman’s Polishing Mask in Charcoal & Sugar that I had purchased months before. Placing the bottle directly in line with my facial cleanser I committed to using it daily as part of my nightly routine.  Exfoliating my skin before cleansing adds less than a minute to my regimen but boy can I see a difference with daily use, my skin seems to have “the glow”.

If that’s not enough for you Dr. Harold Lancer, who treats such celebs as Kim K and Beyonce spoke on the difference between “celebrity and civilian skin” in a recent article in “the Cut” featured in nymag.com. In the article he preached the necessity of exfoliating every day. One of the reasons provided by Dr. Lancer was that daily damage, from the sun and aging, had to be exfoliated before the face is cleansed. Want to give good face like Bey? Step up your scrub game!

Clarisonic

My husband gifted me a Clarisonic for Christmas some years ago and I must say it’s one of my favorite and most frequently utilized gifts. In my opinion soap and water don’t do enough to really clean my skin. I began paying more attention to the level of cleanliness only after a facial years ago in which I was advised my cleanser was getting my skin clean enough. Once I introduced the Clarisonic into my skin care routine there were notable differences in my skin, it seemed firmer and there was no longer excess dirt on my face when I applied my toner.  To be honest now that I’ve implemented daily manual exfoliation into my skin care routine I only use my Clarisonic about three times a week. Also as part of my “super deep cleansing” routine, which we'll discuss later, I incorporate my little hand held wonder to go the extra mile in cleaning and exfoliating, I like to think of it as polishing my skin to brightness.

Another tidbit offered by the esthetician during my post facial consult was the importance of cleaning my Clarisonic faithfully. Her feedback was the failure to clean the brush properly could be embedding dirt into your skin – yuck! I’ve since stepped up my brush cleaning routine to ensure my Clarisonic facial cleanse is not counterproductive. Try this recipe at least once a week to ensure your brush stays grime free.

Apply a dime size amount of baby shampoo into your brush and scrub the bristles with clean hands.  After rinsing mix ¼ cup peroxide and let your brush sit for thirty minutes, rinse well and let dry. I’ve adopted this cleansing routine for all my makeup brushes actually and it does a great job in keeping my utensils germ free.

Cleansing

I cleanse my skin twice daily with CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser  and CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion as part of my routine. Prior to washing I use make up remover wipes and Neutrogena Eye Make up Remover, if I'm wearing make up of course. Over the years I’ve also enjoyed Philosophy One-step facial cleanser as well as Cetaphil facial cleanser. I’m a bit of a product junkie in all honesty and currently I have no brand loyalty. The one necessity is that my
skin is gets a good cleaning. Once or twice a week I perform a “super cleanse”. I don’t treat myself to a facial as often as I’d like but I want to make sure that my face, which is subjected to make up, the elements and sweat daily, is well cleansed.

My super cleanse goes something like this:

1.       Removes make up with a wipe as well as eye make up remover solution.

2.       Manual exfoliation with my Freeman polishing mask and rinse with warm water.

3.       Add CeraVe cleanser to my Clarisonic and rotate for one full cycle and rinse with warm water.

4.       Grab my bar of Kojic Acid soap, lather and let it sit until it’s good and tingly and rinse.

5.       Apply my Freeman Cucumber peel mask and allow it to dry while I watch TV or do whatever pleases me.

6.       Peel cucumber mask and gently cleanse with a bar of oatmeal soap and performing a final rinse with cold water to close my clean pores. My face is tight and clean!

Lay it on Thick

I love me some Nadege over at Relaxed Hair Health, I’ve followed her since my hair journey began. I love her so much in fact that at one point I stopped following her for awhile because her post kept my Amazon shopping cart full and my wallets empty. I had to go on rehab ya’ll.  Anyhow one of her post in particular not only caught my eye but it involved products that I kept on hand.  In July 2013 she featured an article titled "Go to bed greasy, wake up gorgeous”.  The deets on this nightly routine is applying a thick oil or balm to your skin at bedtime in order to wake up “gorgeous”. In the article she featured several brown skin beauties with amazing skin, I was hooked! Every since that article I’ve kept vitamin E oil on my nightstand and practiced applying a liberal amount to my face, lips and neck every evening. Also on my bedside table you’ll find at least one bottle of Vaseline Baby Oil gel and I layer that stuff on like I’m about to walk butt naked in the snow and that’s my only protection! Ha! To my surprise I awoke to soft, moisturized skin that seemed to appreciate that layer of lube.

Within the text of the article several options for adding this glow are referenced such as good ole Vaseline petroleum jelly to an almond scented oil by the name of Aura Glow. I personally have used what I have on hand with excellent results, thanks Nadege this tip is easy, cheap and the rewards will literally give your skin the “glow”!

I may not have the formula to combat aging but in my opinion I’m off to a great start. One area I could improve is incorporating sun screen into my regimen. Habitually practicing habits that benefit my hair, skin and body have become second nature and I promise you the results are rewarding. My  routine features common themes such as moisture, daily practice and consistency that seem daunting when you begin but with practice they become second nature. Until next time B&B darlings, go for the glow!

Who Doesn't Love a Good Snack Attack?

I love food, that's how I got fat! Now that I'm working my way down the scale let's take a look inside my snack drawer for the foods that keeps me full in between meals.

I'm big on crunchy foods, something about keeping my mouth busy gives me a greater sense of being satisfied. My craving for crunch, salt and sweetness are kept at bay with Emerald 100 Calorie Almonds  Packs in cinnamon and coco flavors. I also love salted pistachios, both are perfect healthy snacks to be enjoyed in moderation. My crave for crunch doesn't stop there, 100 calorie popcorn is the perfect end of day snack, pop a bag at 3pm and I'm satisfied until dinner time.

Another snack option that satisfies my cravings and helps me in my quest to pack in the protein is Greek yogurt and Starkist Ranch Tuna packs. I tend to toss in shaved almonds or granola for a bit of crunch in my yogurt. Also serving the tuna on a bed of spinach, shredded carrots and drizzle a bit of balsamic vinaigrette and I'm good to go! This little treat serves double duty by packing in the protein and veggies for about 100 calories.

Finally the little piece of happiness that I slowly undress from it's red casing, blocking out all distractions, leaning back in my chair and allowing myself to fully indulge in babybel bliss. The Laughing Cow Babybel light cheese,oh this little hunk of satisfaction is small and flavorlicious!

That rounds out the listing of my go to snacks that keep satisfied in between meals, I'd love to hear some of yours!

Fajita Chicken Bake - Easy and Delicious

I love a simple, delicious recipe. I strongly believe in being in control of what I eat and planning my meals for the week. Well this week I decided to treat my taste buds to an easy one dish wonder that's full of flavor.

Without further ado, let's dig in to my recipe of the week the Fajita Chicken Bake!

3-4 Boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tsp Taco seasoning
2 Bell peppers in assorted colors, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 Red onion thinly sliced
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
My main three ingredients for all meat Lawrys Garlic and Seasoning salt and black pepper

Clean and trim your chicken breast then lay them in a single layer in your baking dish. Sprinkle them lightly with the main three (garlic salt, seasoning salt and black pepper). Sprinkle the taco seasoning on the chicken. Layer the sliced onions and peppers evenly on top of the chicken breast. Drizzle the olive oil over the peppers and onions. Sprinkle the cheese over top of the dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

This dish is packed full of flavor, easy and now I can sit back and enjoy my Sunday!

Moisturize and Seal your way to Healthy Hair

 If you read my post on preventing Breakage Bandits you’ve heard me mention the term “moisturizing and sealing”. One of my missions in creating the B&B blog is to spread the message that all black women can grow long, healthy hair if they choose to. My hair is the longest it’s been in my entire life and it’s still growing! One of the single most contributing factors to that success is moisturizing and sealing. So without further ado, let’s talk about it!

To begin with the basics of black hair it is incredibly dry, which is why unlike other ethnic groups moisture plays a big part in our hair care routine. Now if you are in the “black hair community” this practice is old news to you however if this is your first time hearing of moisturizing and sealing (M&S) then you’re in for a treat. I'm the type of person that needs to understand how stuff works so let's begin with a lesson on hair at a very basic level.

 Every normally functioning person on the planet has a scalp that produces sebum. Sebum is an oil or waxy matter produced by the sebaceous glands. Well without getting too scientific and to make a long story short one theory is that Caucasian, or any ethnic group with relatively straight hair, have straight hair follicles which allows the sebum to travel straight down the hair path and that moisture leads to growth. On the other hand those of us with coils and kinks don’t necessarily benefit the same because our textured locks don’t allow for the sebum to travel effortlessly down our strands. As an example, we often hear of our Caucasian counterparts getting “oily” hair that can result from not washing or an excess of sebum buildup in their scalp. That’s one reason it may be necessary for other ethnic groups to wash more frequently. On the other hand those of us with afro textured kinks could wash our hair, go without applying any product and wait until kingdom come for the sebum to coat our hair in oil and you can bet your bottom dollar that for the vast majority that day will never come. The make-up of our coily hair requires us to apply moisture to our hair. Moisture is mandatory for growth, plants need it, our bodies require it in the form of water and it’s essential for our hair in order to grow and flourish. Well here’s where M&S comes into play. On a nightly basis I moisturize and seal my hair beginning at the ends of my hair. Why the ends you ask? Well because they are the oldest part of my hair and therefore they are the most vulnerable. I begin by sectioning my hair in four parts, I then proceed to take a small amount of water based leave in conditioner rub it in my hands and apply it starting at the ends and working my way up my hair shaft. Once I’ve moisturized I then seal in the moisture with a light oil such as organic coconut or jojoba.



Jen's moisture experiment results

  One of the best ways I can explain moisturizing and sealing comes from an experiment in Jen's “Just Grow Already” blog. In the experiment Jen puts water in four containers and proceeds to add various oils (grapeseed, coconut oil, etc)  in each glass with the exception one which contains only water. The glasses are then left untouched over the course of several
days. In the end the glass in which no oil was added evaporates quickly while the glasses with an oil coating maintain the water, some more than others. Well that’s the idea behind moisturizing and sealing, once you add the much needed moisture you then seal it with a drop of oil on the ends to seal in that goodness. Much like the layer of oil in Jen's experiment that oil acts as a barrier to seal in that moisture. The experiment also gives us a good indication on how various oils may provide a heavier seal than others but overall they did the job effectively.  Think of the leave in conditioner (or water in some cases) as the food your feeding your hair to grow and maintain health and the oil then traps moisture, for a time anyway.

Once you begin the process you may determine you need this everyday, twice a day or every other day depending on the needs of your hair. For some this process may only be necessary once a week, the key is listening to your hair. I find that different climates, such as when I travel, as well as the change of seasons often dictate how much I M&S. I prefer to M&S on a daily basis at the least and as part of my nightly routine. In dry climates or the summer I sometimes M&S twice daily. I’ve given you a bit of background on the requirement of moisture in the care of afro textured hair. Let me give you a bit more to chew on before we close this topic. The primary element in the M&S equation is water; therefore you must either use water or a leave in conditioner in which water is the primary or first ingredient. Grease and oils do not provide the element of water we need in order to moisturize to your hair.

Some of my favorite leave in conditioners include: Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave In Cream because of the light protein content it’s especially great for relaxed hair. The S Curl Moisturizer does a great job but beware of using this during cold weather as the glycerin will have the opposite effect and often robs your hair of moisture but it's great for warm weather climates. The Cantu Leave in Repair Crème with Argon oil worked wonders for my niece’s natural hair. I could go on and on with product examples but I wanted to provide a few as a point of reference, the most important part of this journey is consistency and finding out what products and methods work best for your hair.

My goal is to provide you with the basics to begin or accelerate your hair care routine. This is just a step but once you get into the habit of understanding how vital moisture is to our hair and implementing that in your daily routine your headed in the right direction! Until the next installment beauties and honey's take care of your mind, body and hair! 

Protective style of the Week

One of the keys to maintaining a healthy hair regimen especially in the Fall and Winter months is protective styling. By keeping your hair moisturized and tucked away your not only keeping your hair protected from the elements you also have less reason to handle your strands.

Moisturized hair + Protective Styling = A great recipe for hair growth. Here's my protective style of the week. I applied a liberal amount of leave in conditioner on freshly washed and air dried hair followed by organic coconut oil to seal in that moisture.

Two simple side braids and a messy bun. 

From week to week I like to experiment with new ways to keep my hair in a protective style and foster an environment for growth. Allowing a couple of days to let my hair down on the weekend gives me a chance to enjoy it and then tuck it away during the week. Protective styling also ensures my hair style won't interfere with my workout and I cannot tell a lie I also love experimenting with new styles.

What plans do you have for your strands?

This could be the most important hour of your week, when it comes to weight loss.

Happy Monday to you my beauties! I've managed to have a terribly unproductive weekend after unexpectedly getting hit with a nasty cold. Nevertheless by Sunday I did manage to get my set myself up for a good week by prepping my meals. 

The task of meal prepping can typically be done in little more than an hour and it really has a tremendous impact on keeping my eating on track for the week. When I meal prep for the week I'm less likely to be tempted by the offerings in the cafeteria or my co-workers who are ordering Chinese take out. I can't count the number of times I've gone to the cafeteria prepared to make a healthy choice, but after making eye contact with pizza or gyros my cravings got the best of my good intentions. Meal prep puts me in control and since nutrition is 80% of a successful weight loss plan I think it's probably the most important hour of my week. 

This week’s menu will be egg muffins for breakfast followed by turkey meatloaf muffins with a side of roasted broccoli for lunch. Since I keep a desk full of 100 calorie popcorn, pistachios and Emerald almonds I'll simply bag some carrots for an extra bit of selection in my snacks.

For the broccoli, I begin by cleaning two medium heads of broccoli. After chopping the heads into bite sized pieces I put the broccoli in a bowl and drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil, grind a bit of Sea Salt, a tiny dash of black pepper and lightly sprinkle with Flavor God’s Everything seasoning. I then layer the broccoli in a pan that's been lightly coated with cooking spray and bake on 450 degrees for 10 minutes, quick and painless! 

While the broccoli is roasting I proceed to cut up my green pepper and onions for my turkey meatloaf. The recipe is as follows:

 

2 lbs ground 85/25 ground turkey (more moist than 90/10)

1/3 cup diced onions and green peppers

1 TBS liquid egg whites (or one egg)

3 TBS of seasoned bread crumbs (I’ve also made these without bread crumbs)

1 TBS Hunts tomato paste (or ketchup)

Mix all of the above and be sure to season lightly (garlic salt, pepper, seasoning salt). In a separate bowl I like to make a little mixture to coat my mini turkey muffins which consists of ketchup, apple cider vinegar and sugar or Splenda for a little sour-y sweetness. For this little concoction I pretty much eye ball the ingredients and do a taste test until I get the sauce to my liking; to begin go easy on the ACV and sugar and add in to your liking.  Spray your muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray and add your meatloaf and coat each muffin with the ketchup combo. In the oven they go for 30-35 minutes, and now we have lunch! After the muffins cool I combine two muffins with some good roasted broccoli and I’m a happy camper.

Finally my egg muffins, after much experimentation I’ve found that you can’t go wrong with these. Usually I add whatever veggies I have on hand- spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, etc. I may or may not add meat and the same goes for cheese. I’ve had occasion to add a Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedge or two and Swiss cheese really stands out so that is my favorite. This recipe is a perfect way to use up your leftover veggies so don’t hold back, just dump them all in and I promise I haven’t gone wrong yet. Since I don’t have set rules and pretty much don’t measure here’s a standard recipe that I hope you’ll play around with by adding sausage, seasonings, etc. to make it your own.

12 eggs

½ tsp Seasoned salt

3 TBS diced Onion

1 cup cooked turkey sausage, bacon or ham (I love Applegate Turkey bacon)

Pepper to taste

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ cup diced red pepper

¼ cup diced fresh mushrooms

¾ cup cheddar or my favorite Swiss cheese

½ cup spinach

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a twelve cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray; be sure to spray each cup well to prevent sticking.In a large bowl beat the eggs. Add remaining ingredients (I always sauté the veggies, just my preference) and mix together. I prefer to pour all ingredients in a large measuring cup and fill all muffin pans about 1/3 cup full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the center of the muffin is completely cooked. Now if your a sriracha fan like myself, add a few drops to your muffin when your ready to eat, you won't be disappointed.

Full disclosure I am not a licensed nutritionist, I’ve learned what works for me through trial and error and low and behold I’ve lost weight along with a fitness plan. As I type I’m munching on my little turkey meatloaf and roasted broccoli and I must say I’m one happy camper! If your serious about weight loss do yourself a favor by taking the guess work out of what your putting into your mouth, the more you plan the better your results will be. Have a wonderful week!