Daily Archives: April 10, 2012

Apr10

Luke James. Recognize.

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If you don’t know, now you know. LOL! Wei popped Luke James’ debut CD in my car about a week ago, I guess. I’ve been killing the album daily. And this song … this song right here? Played it on a loop for at least an hour of the two hour ride home from my Trenton office today. This joint is so hot … nah, let me stop talking. Listen to it yourself.

The boy ain’t hard on the eyes either *fanning self* (he does look a bit like Kanye at some angles though!)!! Hmmm … Wonder if Wei can hook it up for him to sing at the wedding as this may have to be our other song ;). LOL!!

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Apr10

GOC Contender #10: Charelle

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I am so happy to see so many returning GOCers and here is another one of our first round “pros” who is back for more fun;)!

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Name: Charelle

I’m sooooo happy the GOC is back! It just wouldn’t feel right if I wasn’t a participant. The first GOC taught me so many new things about my hair and hair in general, and I can’t wait to see the results of this second challenge!

Goals:

  • Current Length: About APL
  • Goal for the Challenge: BSL
  • Ultimate Goal: WL

My Updated Regimen:

  • Wash: Once a week with Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo and Conditioner
  • Protein: ApHogee 2 Minute Reconstructor Protein Treatment (about every 2 weeks)
  • Deep Condition: Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise
  • Detangle: Kinky Curly Knot Today w/JBCO, aloe vera juice, jojoba oil (KimmayTube Leave-in)
  • Style: Either Twist N Curl, Bantu Knots or Curlformers
  • Seal: Coconut oil and shea butter

Every now and then when I feel like doing a WNG, I’ll use Kinky Curly Knot Today with the Curling Custard, or TreSemmé Naturals Conditioner for the “Curly Girl Method.” But, I’m still not crazy about how that looks yet! For this challenge, I’ll continue to work on keeping my hair and my scalp moisturized. At the beginning of the last challenge, my scalp was dry as all heck! But the challenge really helped me to get my scalp in the great condition that it is in now. Good luck everyone!!!!!!

Follow me online: candycurl.wordpress.com

 

 

Apr10

GOC Contender #9: India

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Name: India

Goal: I would like to be bra strap length. I’m also in pursuit of the best way to retain moisture.

Regimen:

  • I will wash hair once a week either shampoo or co-wash.
  • I will deep condition weekly.
  • I will henna once a month.
  • I will also moisturize and seal my hair in the morning and at night.

Reward: When I achieve my length goal, I’m going to reward myself with a hair photo shoot!

Apr10

GOC Contender #8: Gwenda

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I want to start off by saying that I am so excited about this GOC! I think this will be the perfect way for me to get some of my hair and weight goals accomplished!

Name: Gwenda Mayo

Goals: Hair – My hair is currently shoulder length. I just got a trim. I would like to work on coming as close as possible to armpit length as I can during the next six months; Weight – I am currently weighing in at 230 lbs. I want to drop around 30 lbs. during the next six months.


Regimen:

Hair*

  • Every other Sunday I will pre-poo (EVOO and coconut oil) my hair to prepare for my wash day.
  • I will be washing my hair every other Monday with a clarifying shampoo (Garnier Fructis Triple Shield).
  • After I wash it, I will do a deep treatment (Creme of Nature Argan Oil DC or Elasta QP 11+ DC with EVOO added).
  • On Mondays between wash day, I plan on co-washing my hair (Suave Naturals or Organix Conditioner) and then do a quick deep condition using my Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner.
  • Every six weeks I will be doing an Aphogee Protein Treatment. I will do one on March 30, 2012 and then go from there.
  • Every three months, I will either do a trim on my own or I will have a professional trim my hair.
  • I plan on moisturizing (Garnier Fructis Argan Oil Leave In) and sealing my hair (EVOO and raw shea butter/coconut oil), as needed.
  • I also plan on re-wetting and detangling my hair as needed.

*I am super willing to take suggestions about this regimen!

Weight

I have no idea on what I need to do with my weight. I NEED HELP! I love junk food. I work a sit-down job where the vending machines are plentiful.

Rewards: Hair- I will get my hair professionally straightened at the end of the six month GOC!; Weight- I will buy a new pair of work-out sneakers or a new outfit.

Follow me online: naturallygwenda.blogspot.com/

Apr10

GOC Contender #7: Miss Leah

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And next up is Miss Leah, another one of our returning first round GOCers!! If you remember, she recently shared the “recipe” for her perfect TnC.

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Name: Miss Leah

GOC Part Deux
It’s here again. Shelli is bringing back the GOC for the second time. I had planned to keep going with it anyway. I straightened my hair last night to see where I will be starting from and was pleasantly surprised. The back of my hair has grown but the front has grown so much and its much more noticeable! Here are my comparison pictures for July 2011 to March 2012:

          

March 23, 2012

July 31, 2011

March 23, 2012

Goals & Regimen:

Health & Fitness
Loose 15 lbs. With warm spring weather here (WELCOME SPRING), I will begin running outside. Cheaper than a gym :). I’m also looking into getting some Kettelbell weights to tone up. I will be limiting my sweet intake to weekends only. MORE SPINACH during the week and more veggies/fruits and only drink water. Also remember to take my multi- vitamin DAILY.

Hair
Reach waist length by the end of the year. If not waist, I want to get pretty darn close to it. I need to get back to protective styling. My hair gets so dry in the summer, so I’m looking for some new styles with low manipulation. Also looking for a new leave-in conditioner. I’m researching how to make my own using raw Shea butter and essential oils. I know my strands need to be moisturized more than what I’ve been doing (I’ve been slacking so much on moisturizing that my hair felt like STRAW).

Follow me online: ADiamondThroughTheFire.blogspot.com

Apr10

GOC Contender #6: TerrificLady

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Name: TerrificLady

I am 51 years old living on a Dutch island in the Caribbean called St. Maarten (Tourist Destination). I am originally from another Dutch island called Curacao. So, am I African-Dutch:)? We simply call ourselves Dutch or Antillean Dutch.

Goal: My hair length is not on the chart, because its very short -a little over 4 inches. It’s 1 inch away from the tip of my nose. The two pics below are from February 4th, when I did my BC. My last relaxer was the beginning of July 2011. I left some relaxed hair in front, however I decided to keep cutting it off bit by bit. This is my second attempt to go natural. The first time, it lasted only 4 months when I decided to relax my hair. My goal is to reach 8 inches.

Regimen:

  • I wash my hair sometimes once a week, other times twice a week, with Castille soap mixed with any Vo5 or Suave conditioner.
  • I use virgin coconut oil, Cantu Shea Butter leave-in, pure shea butter, castor oil and Olive Oil hair lotion.
  • I also use a conditioner I make myself.

Since I have gray hair (started when I was 21), I dye my hair. I have been using Naturtint for the past 4 years. I want to stop and use Henna after learning about Henna on a website.

I have a big problem styling my hair with it being so short. This is the first time in my life that I have had short hair like this. If I am not planning to leave my house, I simply wash and air dry. I tried to roller set my hair with small size rollers. I could not get it properly on the roller, so I gave up on that. Then I learned about flexi rods. I am using some green flexi-rods now and my hair comes out pretty decent, small curls.

I also take vitamins. Besides taking Centrum A to Z all these years, I now take the hair, nail, skin vitamin. I don’t have a problem with the growing; it’s just that I want my hair to grow fast.

Rewards: I would like to search for and buy the best flat iron there is. So far I have a Hanna 100% ceramic flat iron in mind. We’ll see.

3/18/12 flexi-rod set


Apr10

Green Vibrance Bandwagon

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Okay, I don’t really know if it’s a bandwagon. It’s just that CurlyNikki and Emily CottonTop have both written about the wonder that is Green Vibrance.

via CurlyNikki

Before I started taking my prenatal, I had a glass of Green Vibrance every morning. It was the only vitamin/supplement that I could ‘feel’ working. It gave me energy and with breakfast, kept me feeling full until lunch. Unfortunately it tastes like swamp butt, and MUST be mixed into apple juice for it to be considered palatable.

via EmilyCottonTop

In my freezer there is almost always a Jar of Green Vibrance, this stuff is so awesome I can’t even begin to tell you! Personally I did not like the taste at first, and still… it is a little challenging to get down. But once you get it in there!! Your cells will start to do back flips. I usually have my Vibrant shot in the morning right before I start my day, and they recommend having another glass at some point throughout the day.

So whats in it???

  • Certified organic Alfalfa Grass juice powder
  • Certified organic Barley grass juice powder
  • Certified organic Oat grass juice powder
  • Certified organic Kamut grass juice powder
  • Certified organic Wheat grass juice powder
  • Wild crafted Hydrilla verticillata powder
  • Certified organic Spirulina powder
  • Chlorella (soft cell, pharmaceutical gradel) (Japan)
  • Stabilized Brown Rice bran
  • Certified organic Beet juice powder
  • Certified organic, de-oiled Flax seed concentrate
  • Certified organic Acerola berry juice powder (25% natural vitamin C)
  • Certified organic Parsley
  • Certified organic Carrot root powder
  • Certified organic Spinach
  • Certified organic Alfalfa sprout powder
  • Certified organic Broccoli sprout powder
  • Freeze dried Green Bean powder
  • Freeze dried Zucchini powder
  • Certified organic Kelp (sea vegetable)
  • Certified organic Rockweed (sea vegetable)
  • Certified organic Laver (sea vegetable)
  • Certified organic Alaria (sea vegetable)

To highlight some of the Benefits:
More complete nutrition; a host of scarce nutrients
Healthy digestion and gastrointestinal function
Healthy circulation
A stronger skeleton
Energy production
Efficient clearance of waste products of metabolism; detoxification
Neurological health
Cardiovascular function and health
Endurance
Supports healthy sugar levels already within the normal range
Strengthened immunity
Antioxidant protection, to reduce biochemical events associated with aging

You can check out the rest of the ingredients and most of the benefits here.


Look at the sheer number of healthy junk in this stuff!!

My order from Amazon ($54.96 for 24 oz. w/free shipping) arrived yesterday and I’ve had it twice since then. Yeah … swamp butt. I mixed it with almond milk and it pretty much tastes like dried grass shavings and dirt mixed in almond milk. *Bleh* However, I’ve drunk worse. I did a detox a few years back and had to drink psyllium husk mixed with water. The taste was very similar, but it was 10 times thicker and may have been the most disgusting thing that I’ve ever forced down my throat. I had to repress my gag reflex every time I drank it. After a few days, I found psyllium husk caps and replaced the “drink” (I use that term extremely loosely) with the quickness!!

Anywho, I’m hopeful that Green Vibrance will give me the energy that I’ve been seeking, ‘cuz Lord knows that I’m not getting the sleep that I need. Although that green smoothie was delicious, I wasn’t getting the awesome and sustained boost that I used to get when I juiced veggies and fruit. However, I know that I don’t have the time nor desire to juice. So, keeping my fingers crossed that this will be a less labor intensive, but adequate substitute (just need to find a better recipe ;)). I need something that is going to keep me going all day, so that I have the energy to get through work without three cups of coffee and make it home with the steam to blast through a work-out and write a few posts!! ‘Cuz yeah … after getting home after 7:30 p.m. last night and taking a call that went until 9 p.m., I blew-off working out again :(. On a good note, I did do Abs of Steel yesterday morning and ate well. But, I soooo have to do so much better.

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What keeps your blood pumping and energy levels high throughout the day? Have you tried Green Vibrance? What do you think of it? Any recipe recommendations to make it a bit more palatable?