TGIF!!

Well ladies, another work week has come and is almost gone. This was a long week for me and I'm looking forward to the weekend. This week I wore two strand twists and decided to let my hair down today. The twists are really holding up well during my workouts. The twists are helping me to keep my hair moisturize while giving me the freedom to enjoy my hair. Here are a couple of pictures

Have a good weekend!

Frustration = Venting Session

Right now I’m so frustrated with my lack of patience. Recently, I decided to switch my eating habits and become a pescetarian (vegetarian that eats fish). This is not a smooth or easy transition so I’ve been researching. Of course the main concern with a vegetarian or vegan diet is getting the proper nutrients which encourage my constant researching.

All this research has caused confusion on whether I should just go strictly vegan. This is a big step but for some reason I cannot find simple answers to my questions. One question I have concerns oil substitutions including olive oil. Today I watched the documentary “The Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue” which is a spin off from the documentary “Forks over Knives”. In this documentary olive oil is considered a non-healthy oil because of the saturated fats. Well I cook with olive oil like most people thinking it is a healthy choice and good for the heart.

If that was not enough the documentary also shows how some vegetarian substitutes I’ve grown to love is also un-healthy. Before watching this documentary the plan was to dedicate a post to these substitutes for others that are interested. With this information I cannot promote healthy eating with these particular foods. For example, Earth Balance spread was a butter substitution that I fell in love with. Well after paying closer attention to the label, I discover the spread is 100% fat. The spread is 80 calories per serving and the fat calories per serving are 80. The serving size is 1 tablespoon and I do not follow the serving size which means fat is constantly added to my meals. This is another eye opener courtesy of the documentary.

All in all, I need to practice patience and understand my transition may take some time. There is a lot to learn for guaranteeing a successful transition. Of course I know challenges will present themselves but DANG!

That’s the end of my venting session…

Weekly Inspiration

“For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart” –Ecclesiastes 5:20

Dancing off the inches and getting down with Kelly Rowland

Last week I found a new way to add cardio to my fitness routine but in a fun way. For some this is not a new concept but I must admit I had doubts before. The new found discovery is dance fitness videos. Yes that’s right! As you know Netflix has great fitness workouts you can stream to your T.V. or rent DVDs such as “The Biggest Looser” and “The 30 Day Shred” by Jillian Michaels. Well last week I tried my first cardio dance fitness video by Crunch Fitness and absolutely loved it.

The dance cardio routine took the “work” out of “work out” and I actually had fun with all the moves. Since I loved it so much I search for other cardio dance videos to try on Netflix as well. These dance routines are definitely going into the fitness rotation along with Jillian Michaels and Insanity. This new discovery is just what I needed because cardio is a very important factor for my weight loss goals.

Other fitness DVDs added to the mix are “Crunch Super Charge Kickbox Party with Jeanette Jenkins” and “The Hollywood Trainer – Sexy Abs with Kelly Rowland”. Some of you may know that Jeanette Jenkins is a personal trainer to the stars. For some reason, I’ve been slow to buy any of her fitness DVDs and for no particular reason. The workout with Kelly seems very intense and I can’t wait to get it. If you haven’t seen the new workout with Kelly click here to check it out. Both of these DVDs were purchased on amazon.com. Stay tuned for a review of both DVDs in the future.

Side note…this morning I slept through my workout time because of a late night and now I feel tired and sluggish. This observation just proved that working out in the morning keeps me energized throughout the day.

Until next time…

A New Year and a New Way of Eating

For the past couple of months I restricted my intake of meat, sugar, and dairy. The reason was to lose weight and force myself to eat healthier. This experiment led me to make the decision to become a pesce-vegetarian or pescetarian. This means fish and dairy are acceptable in my diet. Some may say that pescetarians are not “true” vegetarians and that’s fine. But through my research vegans and vegetarians have to undergo strict diets in order to make sure their body gets the proper nutrients. Unfortunately, my lifestyle does not afford me the room to have such a strict diet which is why I chose to add fish and dairy.

Now fish and dairy will not become a staple in my diet but will give me wiggle room when needed. For instance, not all restaurants are vegetarian friendly and usually the best choice is a fish entrée. Adding fish and dairy back into my diet doesn’t make the practice that much easier I still have to get creative with meals and snacks. Plus the plan is to eat fish once or twice a month only when eating out with family and friends.

For clarification, this practice is to aid my weight loss and force me to make better eating decisions. Unlike most vegans/vegetarians, this practice only pertains to my eating habits. With that said the picture above is my first attempt at a healthy “vegetarian” snack that’s really easy to make.

Ingredients: cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves, green goddess seasoning, and balsamic vinaigrette. To make this a fun party appetizer, put the tomato, cheese, and basil leaf on a tooth pick, sprinkle the seasoning, and drizzle the balsamic. Yum! Enjoy!!

CG Method: The Handbook Review

Weekly Inspiration

When you changed the way you look at things; the things you look at change...

--Stephanie Robinson

Happy New Year!

New Year/New Hair Routine

Since November I’ve experimented with the “Curly Girl” method because my hair stayed dry and brittle for some reason. Before trying the method, I experimented with different sulfate free shampoos and still no change for some reason. In order to follow the method correctly I read the book by Lorraine Massey, “Curly Girl: The Handbook”. I will give a review and my thoughts on the book in a separate post.

Surprisingly, my hair has responded quite nicely to the method and it stays moisturized. From now on shampoo is no longer a part of my regimen including sulfate free shampoo. The one concern I had but did not experience was itchy scalp. Right before experimenting with the method my scalp was very itchy and dry but not since eliminating shampoo.

Another change in my regimen is how I detangle. Instead of four sections my hair is split down the middle and my fingers are used to remove tangles. Of course my hair is saturated with conditioner before detangling. When I jump in the shower to cleanse my scalp I continue to run my fingers downward to remove the rest of the shed hairs. At the same time, since I’m using a racking downward motion my curls are nice and define by the end.

This new method has shaved even more time off my wash day and it’s totally simple. After about a month and a half of this method, I was able to see a difference in the definition of my curls. Plus my twists out are starting to last longer. If you haven’t already try the method out or at least researched it to see if this is a possibility for you. Until next time…