Month: November 2011
Yes! I’ve Been Approached!
So, I’m in Walgreens yesterday picking up my antibiotics from my dentist appointment. (yep, inflammed gums) I know, gross. No cavities though! So, I’m walking to the front, and I hear..”Excuse me, your hair is so pretty, are you natural?” Normally I just get stares, but to be bluntly asked, well, I must be doing something right!” lol. My response is that I’m almost completely natural, and that I haven’t had a chemical relaxer in 18 months. She then proceeds to remove her scarf, and she says, “Me too, but I cut mine, and I hate I did.” I told her how I chose to just slowly trim mine away because usually that is what happens,women cut their hair short and then hide it! She said she will not be trimming anymore, but will just let the small amount of relaxed hair left slowly grow out. I guess you can say I inspired her? You really don’t have to do a big chop, not quite sure who made up that rule??? So, anyway, I’m suppose to flat iron my hair and trim more relaxer off, but I’m thinking about it…..
Order Up!
For breakfast I had a bowl of oatmeal. For lunch………..mixed garden salad (no dressing…I hate it!), serving of popcorn chicken at 2.4 grams of fat for a total meal of about 340 calories (I will burn that working out alone!) Here’s to good health!
Rain, rain go away……….well you know the rest
So, Saturday it poured!!! I mean, it poured. Yes, I had just washed, deep conditioned and dried my hair. Then, I had to go out…and boy did it rain! I asked my kids “where are the umbrellas?!” Of course, we left them. So, I was sitting in my vehicle waiting for the rain to ease up thinking…”What are you afraid of? It’s just water!” So, I take a deep breath, and we run for it!! Well of course my freshly done hair got drenched! I don’t panic though. I manage to convince myself that this has to be one of the many benefits of being “natural”. I get home, spray some of my motions leave in conditioner on my hair and aphogee gloss therapy serum, and then proceed doing my pincurls. The outcome??
I didn’t dry it, I didn’t sit under the hair dryer, no pressing or anything. So, now I know..”the rain is my friend”. Bye guys!
My Meals Thru The Week
Here is an example of what I eat through the week:
Breakfast (which is new for me, I hated eating breakfast because it made me feel ill afterwards????) Now….
3 strips lean/low sodium bacon 1 pc toast and juice or water bottle
or cup of yougurt, or bowl of cereal,or oatmeal
Snack(usually an hour or 2 after breakfast) w/water
piece of fruit, or Special K chips(27pcs), or granola bar, or yogurt
Lunch
1/2 a sandwich
grape juice and water
or
roasted chicken from deli(no bread)
I have another snack (1 or 2 after lunch)
or the other half of my sandwich
Dinner is a full meal (meat, 2 sides)
I use to go all day eating literally nothing, but find eating something is always better than starving the body!
Hair Update
Hey all! Just decided to let you guys in on where I am with my hair. I am currently 17 months and 1 week post relaxer. I have been on my healthy hair journey since September 2009. My hair is getting a lil more difficult to style during the week. I've mentioned before that my workout regimen is pretty intense, and I always end up just bunning it until the weekend. I have started incorporating Aphogee 2 min. reconstructor into the regimen (once every 2 wks) I have been experiencing serious shedding, but I'm not alarmed because it is not each day, but on my wash day after I detangle. They are long strands, so it's not breakage. However, It is apparent that I am going to have some breakage. I mean, seriously, all that natural hair sitting on those relaxed ends?? I'm sure at some point I have had some breakage, which is why I started using the Aphogee. Aphogee is a very excellent product. It does what it says, and you use it until your hair reaches the health you are trying to achieve. In my case, it will help with my transition. 
I was going to flat iron my hair, but decided against it after seeing how the weather was today. So, I will wait til December if it be the Lord’s will. I won’t trim until then as well. 
So, that’s where I am as of now you guys…for those who are following and you’ve been interested in my weight management journey, here is my routine as of now:
I do 3 miles 5x a week
I run 1 mile, and I speed walk the other 2 miles at 3.4mph
I do light weights twice a week (4 sets of 10)
I jump rope for cardio 6 times a week (3 sets of 30)
I have not weighed myself at all. I’ve decided to go by my clothes instead of constantly jumping on the scale If my clothes are bigger, then I know I am making progress!I’ve decided to stop comparing myself to my husband (who looks like a thin stick!), and set my own goals (hey, I’m the one whose given birth 6 times!!) lol. Actually, I’m working out cause it makes me feel good. I have not set a “size” goal or anything. I just praise God whenever I complete my workout, and I’m praying that I am making my heart stronger. And yes, I eat whatever I want on the weekends. This doesn’t mean the “quantity” is huge, but if I want a poptart and a coke, I will have one and think nothing of it! lol Till next time guys!
Revival 2011!
If you are in the Houston, Texas area, and you are a member of the body of Christ, come out and meet us! Come be revived Monday, November 14, 2011 through Friday, November 18, 2011 @ 7p.m. nightly. For additional information (713) 862-7428 Church of Christ in Studewood Independent Heights, 301 East 31st, Houston, Texas 77018 If you are not a member, and would like to know more about the church of Christ, please see my “spiritually beautiful” tab!
Finding Peace
I am really becoming at peace with my hair. I am so glad I started this journey. I hope I’ve helped you as well. Not getting relaxers anymore doesn’t seem that big of a deal to me anymore. My moms’ hair inspires me as well. She hasn’t had a relaxer in 2 or 3 years, and when I see her hair, there is just no need for it. I’ve started an actual journal, and I basically write what products work for me and which ones don’t. I believe my husband finally understands what I am trying to achieve, and he has given me his blessings to trim off my relaxed ends. So, once again, I will be cutting my ends. I was slowly cutting them with the intentions of being fully natural by September 2012, but now, it will be sooner (like May 2012). Of course, I will let you all know! There is a difference in me cutting my hair to achieve a goal (no more relaxed hair) vs. trimming to keep ends fresh and healthy. I stress that if your ends don’t need clipping, don’t cut them! That’s what hair stylist like to do! Cut, cut, cut til you never see how long your hair can grow! Baby your ends, don’t wear your hair down everyday, layoff the heat sometimes, and you will see that you don’t have to cut your ends as much. Just so you all are aware, I do absolutely nothing to my hair through the week. lol…I don’t style it whatsoever. I just moisturize, seal, and bun it. I wear it in my pincurls on Wed., and on the weekend. I don’t just stay in my hair everyday! So, that is why when it is time for me to wash my hair, I pamper myself, and I enjoy it! I’m also fully aware that my hair can be healthy relaxed or not, and that I am just “choosing” to not chemically straighten my hair. You have to take care of your hair regardless. No longer am I thinking my hair is going to just “automatically” be healthy because I am no longer relaxing!! I AM NOT paranoid over using heat either! When I flat iron, I now use the highest setting. Why? My hair is course, I only do it once every 3 or 4 weeks, and I only do one pass with the flat iron. I’m no longer going through all that work for my hair to revert in 30 minutes because I barely straightened my hair! Also, dime size amounts when it comes to products. Again, if I didn’t work out like I do, my flat ironed hair would easily last 2 weeks. I have found what works for me. When I was relaxed, I relaxed and still pressed my hair!! Guess what? My hair was still thick!! You just have to put the work in ladies..and work it is…you start getting lazy, your hair is going to tell on you. So when your hair talks, you want it to scream “I’m healthy!”. Wishing you all the best on your hair journey. Til next time, Lord willing.
Just For “Her”…..Hopefully!
Ok, so my daughter’s hair was freshly washed, braided, and then she was put under the hairdryer for about 30 minutes. (next time will be longer) Her hair was still damp, so I ended up using the blowdryer. So, we applied our heat protectant, and I then straightened her hair. So for school this morning, after bunning her hair, I applied the Just For Me Hair Milk, and hopefully, her hairdo will remain intact!
B-Beautifully, Spiritually, N Naturally You! 