I totally cheated. I put on my workout clothes and sneakers when I got home with every intent to exercise. But, between being exhausted from work and sore all over from doing kettlebell on Monday, I allowed myself to sit at this computer in my exercise gear and write four posts until almost midnight:(. No excuses today!!.

I know, I know … but, you get five more contestants!!!  “Wanna’ hear it?  Hear it go!”

R e c e

Current State: Jaw length (front), between shoulder length/SL and armpit length/APL (back)

Goal: Shoulder length/SL (front), Armpit length/APL (back)

Regimen: 

Weekly:

• Pre-poo with EVOO or coconut 0il
• Wash with a sulfate-free shampoo
• Deep condition
• Apply leave-in conditioner
• Seal with EVOO, castor or jojoba oil

Mid-week:

• Co-wash
• Apply leave in conditioner
• Seal with EVOO, castor or jojoba oil

Daily:

• Moisturize
• Sleep with satin bonnet
• Take mulit-vitamin and supplements
• Drink at least 50 oz of H2O

Reward: Big, sexy hair! 🙂

Follow me online: http://AHairStory.Wordpress.com

K y

Current State: Scalp concerns, dry, thinner temples and nape

Goals: A healthy scalp, moisturized hair, increased growth in certain areas for fullness (temples and the back of my head under the hook) and more growth in the crown (so that I can wear my hair parted down the middle without looking like Simon Cowell)

Regimen:

• Drink 80 oz of water daily
• Wash once a week (or as needed) with Shea Moisture Organic African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo
• Deep condition with Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner
• Leave conditioner on the hair and detangle
• Style: Twist hair with Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie to stretch it for future styling (typically start with large twists and separate them into smaller twists) or leave it alone and brace for shrinkage

Monthly:

• Herbal treatment (starting with cassia, then henna and potentially amla)

I’m starting with cassia because it was on sale and I’ll work my way up to henna. I also ordered amla powder but i can’t decide whether to use it in a mix with cassia, make a paste by itself, or maybe infuse it with oil. I want to incorporate other herbs such as brahmi and bhringraj eventually, but I don’t want to be that weird lady who has more herbs in her freezer than food.

Reward: I can’t think of anything that I really want right now.

Follow me online: http://www.hairtodayhealthyhairtomorrow.blogspot.com

C o i l y N P

Current State: Hair – Shoulder length/SL (front/side=8 inches, back=7.5 inches); Weight – 148 lbs

Goals:  Hair – Armpit length (APL); Weight – 135 lbs (lose 13 lbs)

Regimen for Hair:  I transitioned for 16 months, and I recently cut off the rest of my relaxed ends 6 weeks ago.  My natural hair routine is still evolving. I will only use heat twice in the next 6 months:  September and January.  I last flat-ironed my hair in March of 2011.

Weekly or Bi-Weekly (every two weeks):

• Pre-poo with Vatika or coconut oil (15-30 minutes)
• Shampoo with diluted Giovanni Smooth as Silk shampoo using an applicator bottle to reach scalp
• Deep condition with Nature’s Gate Aloe Vera, Hemp conditioner or Karen’s Body Beautiful Luscious Locks Hair Mask (my fave, but pricey) (minimum of 30 min., heat optional)
• Rinse DC
• Apply leave-in (currently experimenting with Kinky Curly Knot Today, Giovanni Direct Leave-In, Curl Junkie Smoothing Lotion and Oyin Handmade Hair Dew)
• Seal with jojoba oil or shea butter
• Style:  Small twists for 1-2 weeks or a twist out with Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie.

Daily:

• Moisturize with water
•  Seal with jojoba oil or shea butter.

Weight Loss Regimen:

• Exercise at least 3 times a week
• Cardio for min. 30 minutes
• Drink 9 glasses of water a day
• Eat 1500 calories a day
• Eat at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal
• Continue “Meatless Mondays”

Reward: If I grow my hair to APL, I will buy myself a hair steamer (hair); If I lose at least 2 pounds a month, I will buy one hair product or accessory. At the end of the challenge, if I accomplish my weight loss goal, I will have a spa day!!!

Journal:  I will keep a journal with at least 2 entries a week to chronicle my activities.

V i v

Current State: Hair – Neck length (5 to 6 inches); Weight – 40 lbs to lose

Goals: Hair – I would love to gain an additional 3 inches (1/2 an inch per month); Weight – Lose 2 lbs per week = 40 lbs in 6 months

Hair Regimen: My hair growth since my BC has been essentially easy. But now I am starting to notice a few SSKs and some bushiness at the ends. My aim is to figure out how to combat these problems and to maintain optimal hair health for retention. I’ve searched frantically for splits, but haven’t found any so I’m not sure if I should trim or not. I intend to place more focus on properly moisturizing my ends during the week, and if there is no change by September, I intend to trim an inch. I’m also looking into oil rinsing to ease detangling, lessen breakage and am purchasing a half wig to use as a protective styling option for the cooler months.

Weekly:

•  Shampoo with SheaMoisture Raw Retention Shampoo
• Section hair into 10-12 sections using claw clips
• Detangle with Tresemme Naturals Moisturizing Conditioner and twist as I go
• Rinse conditioner out while hair is still in twists
• Apply Curl Junkie Curl Rehab or Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose and EVOO thoroughly to each twist
• Deep condition with heat cap (1 hour)
• Rinse with cool water
• Apply leave-in conditioner (Curl Junkie Smoothing Lotion or Curl Junkie Argan and Olive Oil Conditioner)
• Allow hair to air dry until damp (approx. 20 min)
• Style: Twist/braid for an out style* using Enso Naturals Twisting pudding and my cupuacu/ shea butter mix
• Air dry overnight
• Wear a twistout for 3-4 days
• Re-twist at night as needed, re-moisturizing and sealing ends with extra care
• Co-wash on the 4th day and wear a wash and go (WnG)* for the balance of week or a half wig (dependent on the weather)

*My hair is still too short for professional looking protective styles with my own hair and I find that I manipulate my hair much less with a WnG.

Monthly:

• Re-incorporate henna/indigo gloss
• Clarify Giovanni’s Clarifying Shampoo

Weight Loss Regimen:

Exercise:

• Mon:   Power Walk (30 minutes), Kettlebell routine with Lauren Brooks (12 min)
• Tues:  Outdoor Run with Couch to 10K App/C25K (51 min)
• Wed:   Pick one – Rest, Power Yoga, Turbo Fire DVD or Shred with Jillian Michaels DVD
• Thurs:  Outdoor Run with C25K (51 min)
• Friday: Power Walk (30 min) and Kettlebell routine with Lauren Brooks (12 min)
• Sat:     Outdoor Run with C25K (51 min)
• Sun:    Rest

Diet:

• Eliminate white starches, white breads and sweets**
• Pescatarian diet
• Increaes vegetables, bean and fruit intake
• 5 meals per day, which include 2 health snacks
• No carbs or dairy after 3 pm
• 1 multivitamin per day
• Plan and prepare lunch and snacks at home to take to work

**I have a terrible weakness for chocolate chip cookies and it only takes 1 to make me fall off! Better to avoid it period. I’ll allow sugar in my coffee though, since I only drink 1 cup per day. NO MORE MOCHA CAPPUCCINOS. *sigh*

I’ve followed this regimen for the past two weeks and I’m down 3.8 pounds (thanks to you for the Kettlebell post!). I love that the Brooks DVD has a 12 minute workout I can squeeze in my busy mornings. With two kids, finding time to exercise is a challenge.

Reward: A new wardrobe after I lose those extra pounds! I also plan to get a trim at a fancy smancy salon at my 1 year Naturalversary. (I need to find one in the NY/NJ area)

Follow me online: http://public.fotki.com/dimplesonme2/

J a s m i n e   M i t c h e l l

Current State: Collarbone length (CBL) stretched

Goal: Armpit length (APL)

Regimen: I will be doing a length check on August 10th 2011 on straightened hair. I only straighten my hair once every 3 months. My goal within this 6 month period is to achieve APL hair. That would be close to where it was before I BC’d. My 1 year mark will be January 16th, so this challenge is really on-time for me.

Weekly:

• Wash with Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Shampoo
• Condition with Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Conditioner
• Deep Condition with Aubreys Organics HoneySuckle Rose and GPB
• Apply leave-in conditioner, Kinky Curly Knot Today and Trader Joe’s Conditioner
• Moisturize with a rich thick styler: SheaMoisture Products
• Seal with coconut oil
• Style: Protective styles for at least a week at a time (twists, buns or braids)
• Style: Occasionally wear hair out in flat twist-outs and puffs

Monthly:

• Henna

Reward: At the end of the GOC I will be rewarding myself to a dominican blow out and trim in order to do a length check.

Follow me online: http://members.fotki.com/mitchj35/about/

Looking good ladies! Twelve more "contenders" to go!!