Category Archives: At Home Players

Dec14

October/November GOC Update: Janay

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October/November GOC Update: Janay

Here’s Janay, our full disclosure At-Home GOCer ;) , with her two month update!

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Post-cut braid-out

I know, I know.  I’ve been slacking on my updates!  So let’s get started!

Hair:
I started off October flat-ironing my hair, then got a layered cut. No, not a trim, but a, I-was-solid-BSL-now-I’m-APL cut.

I was mad, but the cut was needed. I hadn’t trimmed properly since my HHJ (Healthy Hair Journey) began almost (gasp!) two years ago! I REALLY noticed the results. Detangling time cut in half, no broken hairs in the sink, hair is laying right. Wow.

I also decided to consolidate products. I came up with a spreadsheet of all the products I’ve used since late 2009 until present.  I’ll be honest, I wasn’t trying to curb PJ tendencies, but at least make smarter choices by purchasing products that fit general trends my hair likes. For example, my hair responds well to leave-ins with coconut oil. So I purchased Qhemet Moringa Tree Conditioning Ghee and Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk. Both are now HG staples in rotation.

I’m working on protective styling options, but with this NC 60 degree fall we’re having, my hair won’t be tucked away until the end of December, most likely.

Fitness:
October was a knockout!  I started working with a trainer, stayed on top of my eating habits, drank water like it was kool aid, and worked out at least three times a week. The result? I lost a total of 7 ¾ inches off my body overall—2 of those inches off my waist alone!   Couldn’t tell me no-thang!

And then November came.

Dang you grandma with your sweet potato pies and homemade carrot cake with the cream cheese frosting. Dang you husband wining and dining me for our anniversary. And dang my Guyanese MIL for your delicious fried rice and pepper pot.  Dang you all! With all of this food and traveling, my gym attendance slipped as well.  I can probably count on one hand how many times I went in November *sigh*.  Needless to say, October’s progress was set back quite a bit. I’ll get it together though!

 

 

Dec8

Lead Hair Experiment: Jackie

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Lead Hair Experiment: Jackie

Meet Jackie, the other volunteer for our Chicoro lead hair experiment! This is her starting point submission of 9/18! She’ll update us with her progress in January 2012. But for now, let’s learn a little about her, her regimen, her current state and her goals!

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Hi, my name is Jackie. I am a graduate student and I’ve been natural(no relaxer) since 14, however I would blow dry and flat iron my hair to within an inch of its life. As of January 2011, I have been a healthy natural, no blow dryers or flatirons since then. Today was the first time in nine months that I’ve used a flat iron. My goal is to have bra strap length hair. I have recently started to do protective styles to help retain length. If any ladies have any helpful tips to maintain length, I would love to hear them!

I have attached he intial pics of my hair that I took today (9/18/11). I got a trim to even out my hair and get rid of some split ends. You can see the thinning edges of my hair on the t-shirt.

My Regimen:

Daily:

  • Usually re-twist  my hair each night with water and EVCO.
  • Detangle every other night with my fingers.
  • Wear updos as a form of protective styling.
  • Cover head each night in my silk bonnet or use my satin pillowcase.

Weekly:

  • Co-wash approximately 4 time a week with either Suave Tropical Coconut or Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition (I go to the gym very frequently, so I use conditioner to wash my hair afterwards).
  • Deep condition twice a week. I alternate between a regular conditioner and a protein rich conditioner (Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition or Queen Helene Cholesterol with Ginsing DC both with EVOO, honey, and EVAO.) I don’t use a heat source I usually put a hat over the plastic cap and wear it for an hour or more depending on my mood/schedule.
  • Apply leave-in (I have yet to find an amazing leave-in, so I sometime use my conditioner as a leave in if my hair is feeling dry).
  • Seal with EVCO, shea butter and/or EVOO

Monthly:

  • Pre-poo with a mix of equal parts honey, EVCO and EVOO for about 30-60 min.
  • Shampoo once every 4-6 weeks with Burt’s Bee’s Baby Shampoo.
  • Detangle using Denman D3 Brush.
  • Henna

Supplements (daily):

  • Women’s multi-vitamin
  • Biotin-5000 mcg

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Check out Jackie on her blog, Engineering Natural Beauty, to see how she is progressing and learn about modifications that she’s made to her regimen since September!

Oct6

“At Home” GOCer: Janay

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“At Home” GOCer: Janay

As many of you know, I cut-off the “GOC” waves at 10 with 50 “official” participants (not including me;). I would have loved to include everyone, but from a management perspective, I had to cap it. However, if you remember, I suggested that anyone who wanted to participate, but didn’t submit in time, could play along by following all of the “rules.” Well, Janay did just that. Everyone, say, “Hi” to Janay:)!!

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J a n a y

Current State: Hair – Slightly below Bra-strap length (BSL); Weight – ranges from 130-134 (size 4), depending on my level of activity.

Goals: Hair – Maybe graze waist length (WL), but right now I’m comfortable with maintaining what I have in the healthiest way possible (low manipulation styles); Fitness: I’m actually comfortable with my size, but would like to start toning up, since I’m beginning to pooch out if you will.  A petite me with a gut is clearly not the business. Incorporate at least 50 oz of water/day in my diet.

Hair Regimen:

Weekly:

  • Shampoo (biweekly when the weather gets cooler)
  • Deep condition
  • Apply leave-in and moisturizer
  • Put hair in large braids to air dry
  • After drying, style stretched hair in one of two ways:
  • Two strand twists
  • Buns or other pin-up updos

Daily:

  • Re-apply moisturizer to ends
  • Seal with oil (usually a castor oil blend or EVCO)

Monthly:

  • Henna/Amla treatments

I’m also contemplating dabbling in clay treatments as well.

Health & Fitness Regimen:

  • Zumba (or another cardio workout) twice a week for one hour.
  • Weight training twice a week for one hour.
  • Focus more on the nutritional value and portions of what I’m eating, less on counting calories.
  • Limit to one non-water beverage per day (100% fruit juice, green or herbal tea).
  • Limit to two “bad” drinks per week (soda, alcohol, Starbucks *sigh*, etc.).
  •  Cook at home at least 3 days a week.  Hubs and I dine out more than I care to admit.
  • Incorporate more vegetarian meals (suggestions welcome!).

Reward: Going to my annual checkup and being the SAME weight as last year! Also, a wardrobe overhaul. After my first year married, I put on 20 pounds. Loved it, but putting on weight that quickly left very few classic staples in my closet (i.e. my black wrap dress, suits, jackets, etc.) that fit.  If I can maintain until spring, I’m replacing my favorites with new stuff!