Here it is guys, the final wave of the “official” Hairscapades GOCers!

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T - k i a

Current State: Hair – Bra strap length (BSL)

Goals: Hair – Waist length (WL) and maintain 6 months of protective styling (no hair hanging); Weight – Lose 30 lbs and fit into a size 10 wedding dress by my vow renewal date of 2/25/12

Hair Regimen:

Weekly:

• Co-wash with Yes to Carrots Conditioner
• Deep condition every week with a mix of shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil and Brahmi (w/heat under dryer)
• Massage scalp with olive and rosemary oils
• Apply hibiscus flower tea rinse
• Seal with Kimmaytube leave-in recipe

Daily:

• Dampen hair and twist into 4 large twists using Shea Moisture Deep Treatment
• Sleep on a silk pillow with a silk scarf and satin bonnet
• Seal ends with Vatika Oil

Monthly:

• Wash with Ayurvedic herbal shampoo bar
• Henna

Weight Loss Regimen:

• Run 2 days a week
• Strength training 2x a week (30 min.)
• Zumba fitness at least 1x a week
• Stick to Weight Watchers Points

Reward: Hubby and I will vacation in St. Lucia instead of Vegas!

Follow me online: http://faithfavorandcurls.com/

T h e M i z z e z z

Current State: Lip length (sides), Collarbone/CBL length (back)

Goals: Full shoulder length (or almost there)

Hair Regimen:

Daily:

• Co-wash with Herbal Essence Totally Twisted and Long Term Relationship
• Apply Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship Leave-In
• Style with Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel

Weekly:

• Deep condition (I am still trying to determine what I would like to use)

Reward: A new outfit.

Journal: I don’t have a blog, but I have been keeping track of my progress on my computer. I’ll be checking in monthly.

M a t o y a  aka  N a t u r a l l y B e a u t i f u l 2 2 

Current State: Hair – Neck length (unstretched), transitioning; Weight – 165 lbs

Goals: Armpit length (APL) to bra strap length (BSL) stretched by February 2012; Long term goal – Healthy, shoulder length unstretched curls; 30 to 36 months transition before big chop; Weight – 145 to 155 lbs

Regimen: I am currently wearing a sew-in. But, after I take it out, I probably will never get one again (a story for another day).

Weekly (Sunday):

• Wash
• Deep Condition with Miss Key 10 En 1 or Silicon Mix
• Co-wash with Tea Tree Suave Clarifying conditioner, Aussie Conditioner and Hello Hydration
• Apply Aphogee Pro-Vitamin Leave-In and Giovanni Moisture Leave-In or Infusium 23

Bi-weekly (every two weeks):

• Pre-poo with olive oil
• Wash with Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo
• Co-wash with Giovanni Moisture Conditioner
• Deep condition with Miss Key 10 En 1 or Silicon Mix
• Apply Aphogee Pro-Vitamin Leave-In and  Giovanni Moisture Leave-In

Every 8-10 weeks:

• Henna

Styling Aids:

• Cream of Nature Argon Oil Foaming Wrap Lotion (dependent upon the style)
• Shea butter mix (homemade)

Styles:

• Roller sets
• Modified Twist-N-Curl
• Twist outs
• Flexi-rod set
• Braid outs (don’t like them but will one day perfect them)
• Buns from Roller sets on curly styles from day 5-7
• Will attempt to incorporate Vitamins once I find one that will benefit my entire body plus my hair, because I hate pills

Weight Loss Regimen:

• Eat healthier meals daily
• Drink 55-80 oz of water a day (work up to 80 oz daily)
• Workout 3-4 times a week
• Run or jog 30 min. a minimum of 1x a week
• Jillian Michaels or the  Firm DVDs on non-run/jog days

Rewards: Short term – Deluxe pedicure and manicure. Long term – Healthy hair and the big chop, so that I will not have to deal with two textures and a splurge on Carol’s Daughter products (hair); Spa day before wedding day (weight/health).

Follow me online: http://beautfuldiscovery.blogspot.com/

J T

Current State: Hair – Mid-back length (MBL). I am two years and two months post relaxer.

Goals:  Hair – Retain length and add an additional 2 to 3 inches of length; Health and Fitness – Maintain healthy diet and exercise regimen

Hair Regimen:

Weekly:

• Wash with Wen or Carol’s Daughter Purifying shampoo and conditioner
• Condition with Beautiful Deep Conditioner
• Co-wash with Suave and VO5 conditioners
• DIY steam treatments, which ease detangling and make hair manageable
• Ojon Restorative Treatment
• Styles: Twist outs, bantu knots, braid outs, Pocahontas braids or other styles

Monthly:

• Natural Protein treatment (egg and oil mixture)
• Honey treatments
• Length checks

Products*:

• Jane Carter Nourish and Shine
• Jane Carter Leave in conditioner
• Jane Carter Leave in serum
• CoCasta Shikakai Oil
• Shea butter
• Aloe vera, tui oil, and castor oil mix
• Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey
• Carol’s Daughter Hair milk
• Carol’s Daughter Tui Oil
• Carol’s Daughter Leave-In Conditioner
• Shea Moisture Milk
• Shea Moisture Deep Conditioner
• Castor oil
• Kiehl’s Argan Oil and Eucalyptus Oil
• Josie Maran argan oil
• Kinky Curly natural pomade
• Bee Mine Moisturizer
• Bee Mine growth serum
• Bee Mine Luscious
• Bee Mine Curly Pudding

* Products will be alternated each week.

Health and Fitness Regimen:

• Continue to exercise 4 to 5 days a week
• Continue to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Continue to eat in moderation
• Take vitamins and biotin supplement
• Drink plenty of water

Reward:  I will treat myself to some fashion, shoes or jewelry, which are passions of mine. Another reward may be a rice cake or two oatmeal cookies.

Follow me online: http://bubblingwitheleganceandgrace.com and Youtube: JTwisdomJT

S h e l l i
(C'mon, y'all didn't think I wasn't going to include myself did you?;))

Current State: Hair – 2 1/2 to 1 1/2″ shy of waist length (WL); Weight – 120 lbs w/a little saddle baggage going on.

Goals: Hair – Waist length (WL) or slightly longer and no heat straightening; Weight – maintain 118-120 lbs instead of yo-yoing every 6 months and tighten/tone thighs (hams/quads/abductors/adductors)

Hair Regimen: Uhmmmm, yeah, nothing much has changed here from the NC.com GOC. But, I’ll just post it here for the sake of continuity ;)).

Weekly:

• Pre-poo and finger detangle dry hair with Vatika oil or Dabur Vatika Hair Fall Control Styling Cream (minimum of 30 min.)
• Conduct Search and Destroys (S&Ds) to eliminate split ends and SSKs
• Shampoo with DevaCare Low or No Poo
• Condition and finger detangle further with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration (HE HH)
• Deep condition with heat (bonnet or winter hat) with JessiCurl Weekly DC, Darcy’s Botanical Pumpkin Seed Moisturizing Condition or Shea Moisture Raw Shea Deep Treatment Masque (minimum 1 hr)
• Allow hair to cool (15 min.)
• Apply diluted daily conditioner (usually Aussie Moist) directly over DC
• Rinse with cool/cold water
• Blot with Curls Like Us Curl Cloth
• Allow hair to dry until only slightly damp
• Apply leave-in (modified Kimmaytube recipe or DevaCare One)
• TnC to stretch hair (products vary)
• Air dry and/or bonnet dryer
• Wear twist out for 1-2 days
• Protective/low manipulation style for remainder of week (buns, updos, twists, etc.)

Every 4-8 weeks:

• Two step henna/indigo

Health & Fitness Regimen: Nothing much will change here either. However, I did increase my Biotin and MSM dosages from 1000 to 2000 mg (I was taking 1 pill each, but both indicate from 1-3 pills per day, so I’m increasing to 2 and may eventually increase to 3 of each a day). I also won’t be running as much and will do more of the Brazil Butt Lift DVDs.

Supplements (daily after dinner):

• 1 Multi-Vitamin (Nature’s Way Alive Energizer for Women)
• 2 Biotin – 2000 mg (Nature’s Bounty)
• 2 MSM – 2000 mg (Vitamin Shoppe)
• 60 oz or more of water (three 20 oz bottles in a metal thermos)

Diet (daily):

• Breakfast (btwn 7-8 am) – 1/2 Oatmeal or 1/2 cup cooked Grapenuts with 1/2 cup blueberries (Dole frozen/thawed); cup of instant coffee w/2 packs of Truvia, 1 tsp brown sugar, a little powdered skim milk
• Snack (approx. 10 am) – Fage yogurt (fruit variety/2% or 0% fat)
• Lunch (approx 12:30-1) – Lean Cuisine (chicken, turkey or fish with rice or potatoes) w/added vegetables (spinach, broccoli or sugar snap snow peas) and a piece of fruit (apple, navel orange, cherries, banana)
• Snack (approx. 5 pm) – Organic baby food (Ella’s Kitchen or HappyBaby/Tot.  And now, there is HappyMorning, which is a smoothie for adults!!!  I am sooo ahead of my time!! ;))
• Dinner (approx 8 pm) – Lean Cuisine (chicken, turkey or fish w/rice, potatoes, whole wheat or orzo pasta) w/added vegetables (spinach, broccoli or sugar snap snow peas); fruit on occasion.
• Post work-out – Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) Shake (Nectar Strawberry Mousse); w/banana if after hot yoga

(This is my basic diet during the work week.  But, I deviate at times and believe that moderation is the key to maintaining weight loss.)

Fitness (5-6 days a week):

• Hot Yoga (Vinyasa Flow; 1 hr 15 minutes, generally 2 days a week)
• Kettlebell DVD (1-2 days a week; 50 or 30 minutes)
• Treadmill C25K or interval training (1-2 days a week; 20-40 minutes)
• Brazil Butt Lift DVDs (1-3 days a week after treadmill or w/abbreviated Kettlebell work out; 30 minutes)
• Abs of Steel DVD (3-6 days a week in the a.m./10 minute)

Motivation: I will not blog until I exercise! I promised that last week, but didn’t follow through as I really wanted to get all of these posts done. But I can’t continue to use the blog as an excuse. So, all of YOU are my motivation!! I might sign up for a 5K, as well.

Rewards: DIY blowout on low heat for length/volume check (hair); I just bought 2 pairs of skinny and 1 pair of trouser jeans from Loehman’s because my old skinny jeans weren’t so skinny anymore!! So, think I’m good on that front for a while. I’d say cake, but I haven’t been restricting that from my diet … moderation baby.  Gotta love it!!  So, BLOGGING!!

Follow me online: Ummm … yeah … that’s kind of obvious. *lol*

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If you didn’t get your entry in time to be part of the “official” line-up, don’t fret!  You can still “play at home” by creating your own GOC journal or blog, establishing your goals, regimen and documenting your progress!! As we are at 45 participants now, I’ll select 5 more GOCers at the beginning of September to make a 10th wave for an even 50!  So …

L E T ‘ S   G E T   G R O W I N G ! ! !