Back to Basics

Hey Blog Fam!

I haven’t blogged about my weightloss in a while because I have come to this plateau. I hate when I plateau during major efforts in weight loss. It really de-motivates you in some ways. So today I am going back to basics. I went to Super Target and guess what I found. NEW TAE-BO programs! I was excited! This one that I bought has 5 DVDs included with a new 3 pound expanding stick that Billy incorporates into his workouts. I don’t know if anyone out there has tried Tae-Bo before, but I can tell you from my personal experience that Tae-Bo was the only thing that worked for me with AMAZING results. I tried it when I was 23 or 24 and I was trying to get in shape before Black Beach (Panama City, Florida). I did the basic and advanced tapes for like a month and some change and I dropped a total of 15 pounds as well as totally transforming my body. I think I was the leanest I have ever been during this timeframe. I didn’t even modify how I was eating I just did the tapes around like 6 AM 3 to 4 days out of the week as well as an afternoon kickboxing class with an instructor maybe 3 times a week. I looked at those pictures and I was like WOW how did I do that. That is what I am talking about going back to the basics. So I have the DVD’s for an evening Tae-Bo blast this tonighy. I already did a 5:30 AM treadmill and weight workout. What I am going to do is switch that up. It will be Tae-Bo in the morning 4 to 5 days out of the week and a treadmill workout with strength training 2 days out of the week. Oh I can’t forget about my Funk Jam classes two times a week. So if this doesn’t jump start my weight loss back into gear then I don’t know what will. I will let you know how my progress goes with this on Sunday. Then that will be a full 7 days of Billy and his crew and my new back to basics workout. I am sure something will fall off by then. LOL!

Hair Maintenance

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Well you all may know that I am a DIYer when it comes to my hair. About two weeks ago I did a retightening session. It went well as you can see from the pic. What I noticed were my ends looking a bit on the raggedy side. I didn't want to do a full grooming session so I just decided to trim my ends today. I was a bit scared since my last fiasco with the scissors but I took my time and did the job. I didn't have any fatalities. I did notice that I have some slower children that are just now locking after a year.

Community Involvement

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Today is a great day! I am so filled with joy and pride to live in a metropolitan area that truly reaches back to the community to help others. It all started yesterday while riding in to work. I was listening to V103.3 of Atlanta and a listener called in to vent about her current situation. A small summary of her background….she had just moved to Atlanta from St. Louis and moved into a section 8 apartment without any lights, gas, or phone. What she found out when you move to Atlanta is the utility companies require that you pay a deposit solely based on your credit score. I can understand why the companies do this to protect themselves and lower the risk associated with providing services. Anyway the single mother had nothing but $20 and her mentally disabled son. She barely got her phone turned on so that she could call the radio station. She didn’t have a car and she had to walk 45 minutes to get to a main street to catch the bus. Her biggest problem was a HUGE rat (I will call Ben) that was in her bedroom and refused to leave. I am talking about Ben was angry with her he basically jumped at her to attack her. She closed the door to prevent Ben from coming out. While she was venting Frank decided to help the woman so he left the studio to drive to her location. He gets an exterminator out to her location and they solve the problem. The amount of compassion that came flooding the radio stations phone lines was overwhelming. Wanda and the radio stations fielded the phone calls while Frank and his intern proceeded to help the woman set up her washer and dryer so she could wash clothes and purchased some groceries for her. This all happened yesterday and today the blessings were still flowing. They had the young woman come into the station. There was a representative for the Black owned McDonald franchises of Atlanta present offering her a management trainee position at one of the 30 locations around the metro area. There was a Honda dealership there to present her with a certified used Honda, a check for the insurance, and gas money. The calls continued to flow in to help this woman. There were calls from everyday people like myself offering what little they had to help her. A business owner called in to offer the woman $25,000 (I don’t know if this was genuine or not but it happened) to help her.

I have never lived in a city that showed so much support for the community before. I don’t know if it is just the southern hospitality or whatever it is they need to put it in a bottle and give it away to other people around this country.

Under the Weather

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I have been a little ghost lately...a bug took me by storm on Friday morning. I don't even know what happen or what hit me...bite me...jumped on me whateva. All I know is I put in a great workout at the gym on Thursday that lasted a good 2 hours then I went home got in the shower and ate a little dinner and drifted off to slumber land. When I awoke on Friday I had a terrible headache, congestion, and a sore throat...YUCK!! Good thing is there was no cough just sinus pressure and other sinus things. I am trying to get myself well again so I can hit this gym tomorrow. I hope you are all taking your vitamins and plenty of vitamin C something is in the air, so don't catch it, like it caught me.

Never take supplements on an empty stomach

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I am not feeling so great! Whoozy to say the least. I did some craziness this morning. I mixed up my protein shake and I grabbed my glucosamine supplements (for my joints and knee pain after working out). I thought I would be okay because I take my protein shake as a meal so I swallowed down the two horse pills with my protein shake. WRONG MOVE TRINA!! Now I am sitting here and I can feel the pills in the bottom of my stomach and nothing is in there that can really absorb it up. I don't usually eat meat or breads during the day so all I am eating is fruits, veggies, or yogurt and that is not doing it. As long as I am full I am not feeling it...but as soon as that stomach is empty the swaying begins. Lesson learned....take your supplements on a full stomach or prior to going to sleep. Blah!

Brushing Locks

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My mane is progressing and I am noticing she is becoming flakey. My mane flakey??? Nah not her! Yes her! I am flaking up now more than ever due to this extreme dry weather we are having in the ATL (I am so sure you guys have heard about the drought). Now the flakes are getting caught up in my locks. Dang it! Plus with me working out 4 to 5 days a week I have to wash more frequently because my scalp will start to itch like CRAZY. I can not stand to have strange things up in my mane so I immediately took a stroll through www.nappturality.com and was immediately reminded about brushing locks. The brushing of locks will loosing the objects trapped in your locks and stimulate the scalp. Can I tell you that I can't wait to get home to get to brushing this mane of mine. I can picture it now...*Dream Sequence Begins* Getting home doing my 2 to 3 mile treadmill workout. Once done on the treadmill, I will whip out the brush and brush loose those strange flakes and thangs. Rejoicing!!! Then hitting the shower with my Pure Tea Shampoo by Fantasia and the spritz bottle of conditioner. Hmm...I can see it so vividly. Stepping out drying the mane and body....then get my jojoba, lavendar, and rosemary oil mixture and apply it to my scalp. Massage in and get the brush again. Ahhh! Heaven!

If you guys haven't tried the jojoba oil mixture please try it...I am here to tell you it is great. My godsister was at my house and she needed some oil...so of course I told her she could use my oil mixture. She also has a relaxer. She came out of the bathroom shaking her hair like that commercial by Herbal Essence and proceeded to talk me out of my mix. I was like OH NO MY SISTA YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR OWN. :)

My very own Brunsli Hair Tie

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I finally received my Brunsli hair tie and let me tell you I am so thrilled. I received two for the price of one. I wanted a headband…thinking with the short hair mentality and to my pleasant surprise this is how it turned out. I love it! Thank you Brunsli your hair ties are a heaven sent.