It's hotter than fish grease outside.

Man, blog fam it has been so miserable and hot these days. I know it is well into summer and I should be used to this but I am not used to this heat. I am working out 4 to 5 days a week sweating up a storm and all I can do to my hair is a pony tail. It is getting a little old now and I am starting to long for the days when I had my low cut.

I so loved this maintenance free look. I really rocked this look and I am getting that itch again. With the new weight loss I am wanting to show my face a little more. I think I am going to wait until my second child to chop it off though. If I suffer from the hair loss like before with my son I will have no problem chopping it off and rocking this till the end. All I ever had to do is make sure my eyebrows were arched, my lip gloss was popping, and to drink plenty of water for clear skin. This photo here was no make up and only some Oh Baby (MAC) and lip liner. *sigh* I miss those days.

I was so ready to cut it

Hey Blog!

With the birth of my son, I have been beyond busy. I had a moment. I was dreading washing my hair and looked down at the scissors. I was seriously going to cut my hair off because I didn't want to deal with the shoulder length locs. OMG!! I had to get some assistance and talk myself off the edge. Just think I was about to cut my hair right before my 4 year lock anniversary (June 2006). I would have probably kicked myself afterwards. Other moms have told me those moments are perfectly okay, but I really can't believe I was about to cut all of this hair. I attached a pic (sorry the hubby didn't capture the back). This is the longest my hair has ever been and it shows no signs of slowing down. Sidebar....I really need to color this gray patch in the front of my head but I fear that I will damage my locs by coloring too often. It has been over a year since my last coloring.

I am officially back on the workout circuit and it really feels great. I am doing run walk intervals on the treadmill for 30 to 45 minute time frames. I am also doing strength training with my bands. I also incorporated Bosu Ball training which kicks the core's butt. I ordered P90x since cancelling our $109 monthly fee gym membership. I really loved that gym but it just doesn't make since to waste that money if I have no daycare for that hour that I am there. I have heard some great things about p90x from both men and women. The men however tend to stay dedicated to the program more than the women I have talked to. That is about to change once my package gets here. I just have to keep my schedule with my hubby and son. I think during a certain time there will be no phone calls. I am discovering that answering the phone is my biggest downfall when it comes to my schedule.

So how did I do with the weight gain during pregnancy? I gained 45 lbs of which I lost 27. I can't believe I am sitting here at 217 and hating every minute of it. I know it was for a wonderful cause but it hurts to have it on my body. It is a lot of water too. I can press my shin and see the water move which is a little creepy. I am going to continue on my quest to get the 18 pound remaining baby pounds off so I can pick up where I started. I know it won't be easy but I am up for the challenge.

Hair in face...it can be annoying

Hey blog fam!

I started my new workout at my new gym last week and with 2 years of growth I am finding that I am now wearing two headbands just to keep my hair from slanging sweat in my eyes or on other people YUCK!! So today after a quick wash in the shower this morning I braided the hair out of my face while wet for a quick solution. Remind me never to do that again. When it drys I am looking rather slanted eyes and it gets pretty tight...even if you didn't braid too tight. So when I got home this evening I was just playing around and practicing my braiding skills on my own hair (it is a beast braiding your own hair) and I came up with a great solution. It is a braided semi pony. It keeps the hair out of my face and I can just use one band to lift the hair off of my neck. I am giggling just saying that. I have hair that touches my neck.

So I changed up a bit

Hey Blog Fam!

During the summer months I have been a bit lazy and I free styled my hair almost the entire summer. With the ATL heat who wouldn't? So last night I decide to rod my hair with my soft spikes and just hit work like. Wrong! I took the soft spikes out and I finger combed it to ride to work. Then I got irritated by the curls in my face and I half way braided the front out of my face. Then when I got home and was preparing to go see the nutritionist I just say forget it and came up with this. Yall know I love me some flowers in my hair so don't ride my back too hard about always putting a flower in my hair trying to look like a fly Mamacita..Fuego (Like T Pain says).

Speaking of Nutritionist I must tell you guys about my transition. I just joined Lifetime Fitness (which I love) and I am doing a total make over. I have 35 pounds to lose. You may say where but please believe it is all in my hips. The nutritionist even said that she couldn't believe how much much my body fat was and that I carried it well. If that is supposed to be a compliment... no thanks I don't want it. I discovered that I wasn't eating enough calories (Thanks Weight Watches). My body at rest is burning 1,683 calories and by the WW standard I was only eating 1,200. My body was in starvation mode so no matter how much exercise or how many days in the gym I was spending I wasn't losing anything. I am now on a 1,900 calorie plan eating 7 small meals a day with 2 strength training days and the rest cardio. I invested in a heart rate monitor and a new attitude :) I have to do so something to get this extra weight off of me. We had a little too much fun in St. Kitts. I brought back a nice tan and an extra 5 to 7 pounds. Dammit!

I also purchased a new compact powder. For those who don't know I have had the hardest time finding a compact powder to compliment my complex skin tone. In the summer my red tones are more pronounce but the golds and yellows are still a factor. Any other time my red tones are a little less pronounce. I was in Toronto and went into Sears ( I know I tripped out too. Buying makeup in Sears) and the lady referred to Iman. I tried this Luminous powder number 4....Baby let me tell you, that I love it! It gave me a nice glow without that bronzer look. It is great!! I was in the salon in Lifetime fitness and the lady behind the counter was like you skin is beautiful. Thank you!! Now you know it is good when the ladies at the Spa compliment your skin. Thanks Iman. Here are some before Iman and after Iman shots.

Funky Hair Do / Weight Loss Progress

Hey Blog Fam!

I am just now getting caught up from my house warming party which was incredible...if I may add. Now is my time to get back on track with my eating habits. I didn't really do that bad if I think about it. I had salad as well as naughty food at the party so I had a little of both. I didn't really have time to eat while I was chatting and welcoming our guest so that was even better.

Well, as my hair is growing at a rapid pace I got a little tired of my hair catching on my necklace so I took about 10 minutes in the mirror and twisted her up and this is what I came up with. This is similar to how my hair was styled at Kinky Awakenings but without any curls. Totally freestyle. It is funky and I received quite a few compliments on it. I didn't know my twisting skills had developed so well. This pic was taken yesterday and my twists are still here today. YAY!!

Now that the party is over I am back on track officially with my workout and my eating habits. I developed a great hybrid of the Fat Smash diet and just incorporating more fresh raw fruits and veggies into my diet. My body has adapted very well. I am talking about I attempted to eat some cheesecake last night and I didn't even have the taste for it anymore. This is the bomb CHEESECAKE and I was like NAH! What!? Well it is what it is! Here we go...during the day I eat as many fruits and raw veggies as I can handle. For breakfast I will have a cup of low sugar oatmeal, and a protein shake (not in that order and spaced within 2 to 3 hours of each other). For lunch I am eating plenty of salad with fruit and veggies and I will have a cup of yogurt (spaced out 2 hours from each other). For a snack it is more fruit and veggies (apples, oranges, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, etc). For dinner I will allow myself a serving of meat or lentils / beans with veggies. If I feel like it I will allow myself whole grain pasta or rice. I like red skin potatoes and sweet potatoes so I will eat those with my meat with more veggies. Some days I will go without any meat and that is just fine with me because my body doesn't miss it. I just have to make sure that I take my protein shake supplement for my weight training needs. Some of my immediate improvements that I have noticed is less pain associated with my menses, my skin is clearer, my hair and scalp are healthier, my hair is growing rapidly, and my digestive track is working properly.

My workout has improved as I am using the equipment in my home more now than ever before. I have a great treadmill, plenty of free weights, and a weight bench. So on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturday and maybe Sunday I am doing a treadmill workout with weight training in the house. On Tuesday and Thursdays are my long workouts. I get to the gym around 5:30 or 6 and I do elliptical for 30 minutes to 45. Then I will do some squats, lunges, and ab work. At 7:30 PM is my hip hop aerobics class that lasts for an hour. Talk about exhausted!! That has helped me get down a total of 9 pounds so far so I am happy. I am also taking the lead from my Pers and adding a weight loss ticker to my blog to help me keep track. Thanks Pers!