Saturday, March 22, 2014

Sexy Saturdays

I have decided it is time I recommit myself to the gym! During my pregnancy I let fitness take a back seat to everything else going on in my life. I convinced myself that this was the last time I could partake in eating whatever I wanted without worrying about weight gain. Sadly those bad eating habits have continued long after the birth of my daughter and has now caught up to me. I'm now struggling to get rid of these last few baby pounds. I also noticed my energy level is not as high as it could be. I will be starting a series on my blog called "Sexy Saturdays". This section will be dedicated to fitness. I know people usually share their journey for "Fitness Fridays" but I wanted to share my results at the end of the week.

I plan to share my monthly goals and weekly progress towards those goals. I may even share some recipes. If there is anything in particular you'd like me to share please let me know.

When planning my goals I want to make sure they are realistic. I don't want to overwhelm myself or discourage myself by setting too many goals. Below are my goals for the remainder of March through April.

1. Go to the gym 3 times a week for at least 30 mins.
2. Take stairs at work instead of elevator. The only exception is when I first get to work due to time and how I enter the building.
3. Limit myself to 1 soda a week. I plan to scale back until I'm down to an occasional soda by the end of the year.

What are your fitness goals?

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Transitioning Hair Top 5 Yays and Nays

As I approach the one year post relaxer mark I can't help but think, "Where did the time go?". Transitioning to natural hair has been easier than I expected. Don't get this confused with it being easy. During this transition I discovered that my hair responds differently to some of the products that I have used in the past. In this post I will share my top 5 products that I feel is a must have during my transition and the 5 products that I could do without. 

Top 5 Must Have Products

  1. Water- I find that my hair remains moisturized and easier to manipulate when I mist it with water first. It's funny how water is a relaxed girl's worse nightmare, but a natural girl's BFF!
  2. L'oreal EverStrong Sulfate Free Shampoo- This was a staple when I was relaxed and it remains a staple for my transitioning hair. This shampoo is so moisturizing! I highly recommend all to give this a try if you have not already!
  3. ORS Hair Mayo- Even though this is considered a moderate protein treatment it leaves my hair very moisturized. I find myself using this often to strengthen my line of demarcation. I don't use this weekly, but have done so biweekly with no problem.
  4. It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Spray- I won this leave in conditioner in a giveaway and I am so happy I did. This product is amazing!!! It leaves my hair moisturized, soft, and easy to detangle. I will have a full review of this product up soon. 
  5. Ampro Silk Edges- I won this product in a giveaway and this product is nothing short of amazing. I especially love it for my edges when I straighten my hair. My only regret is I have yet to find this product in my area. I will have to purchase online until I find this locally.
Top 5 Dumped Products
  1. Tangle Teaser- This thing is the devil. It worked okay for my relaxed hair. All it did was cause serious breakage for my transitioning hair. I will no longer use this product
  2. Ouchless Hair Ties- My hair has gotten too thick for the traditional ouchless hair ties. I now uses the thin head bands to put my hair in a pony tail.
  3. Elasta QP Mango and Olive Oil Moisturizer- This was a staple for my relaxed hair. I feel like it only coats my natural hair and does not offer enough moisture. I will not be repurchasing this product. I'll probably use it to moisturize my hair when straight or stretched.
  4. Eco Styler Gel- Lately I noticed my hair flakes up a lot with this product. It causes a lot of buildup and make my hair feel dirty. It does give me a very sleek look for the first few days of use. I don't think I will be repurchasing again if I can't figure out how to prevent the flaking.
  5.  Aphoghee 2 Minute Reconstructor- I really can't find a reason to keep this in my regimen. I was using this as a mid-step protein treatment during my relaxer process. Now that I no longer plan to relax I have no use for it. I will not be repurchasing this item.
What are your top hair products/tool? Have you tried any of the products mentioned above?