Hair Regimen Part 1: journey and products

Shampoo. leave ins, and regular conditioners: I have yet to try the VO5, the Suave or the Trader Joe's nourish spa.

Moisturizers: The water bottle has plain, tap water in it. I haven't tried the Qhemet Biologic's product yet.

Oils: My shea butter cream is in the circle container and the two little bottles are my essential oils, rosemary and orange.

Styling products: Scissors to trim, bobby pins, gel, hair clips and the pH testing strips.

The (condensed) Beginning

Before starting college, I put braids in my hair. I didn't know when I would get my next relaxer. In a new state, a new city, living on campus, perhaps there was nowhere to buy a relaxer or get one put in. Of course then I didn't know the term "transitioning", but that's what I was doing. I transitioned until about March of 2003, exclusively in braids. 

After my hair was cut I wore twists mostly, since that's all I knew how to do. I wasn't creative when my hair was straight and I suppose I was less so with it natural. When I was sick of twists I'd ask someone to put it in braids and I'd wear them for as long as I was able. Sometimes even a puff if I felt adventurous.

The Tragedy

The summer of 2004 I got a trim from a place near campus. Instead of a trim it was, essentially, an unwanted hair cut. I was left with only one inch of hair on my head! I panicked! I kept pulling on it, convincing myself it was shrunken because it was still wet. Nope, when it dried there was still only one inch of hair on my head! I wore braids, again exclusively, until I felt like my hair was at a comfortable length for me to wear it out. I was definitely ashamed of my short hair.

In 2007 I got my hair colored. It was a light brown color, which I definitely enjoyed. It was time for a change. While in England studing for my MA I noticed my ends felt really dry. So, I decided to go to the hair shop for a trim every six weeks. I must have read somewhere that said this was the "right" amount of time to wait. It was washed, conditoned, blown out, and then flat ironed each time. My hair did grow but I didn't retain length. The color was being trimmed off slowly but surely.

The Epiphany

When I graduated in 2008, my husband and I started making plans to leave the country. We arrived in Spain in March 2009. That's when I initially decided I needed to start being proactive about my haircare. We lived in a small town where there were few, if any, people of color. So I had to learn how to take care of my own hair. 

I researched online, found homemade deep conditioner recipes, hot oil treatments, caramel treatments and the like. There were few herbal stores around. But I went to the few I could find to pick up natural products. I was focused. I made sure to do my hair every week. At this time I wore my hair out 90% of the time and only wore twists occasionally. I guess I just wanted to prove to myself I was comfortable with my hair.

Discovering Youtube

This process worked for awhile. I would shampoo on a Sunday, condition wash (co-wash) on a Wednesday, do hot oil and caramel treatments every four weeks. My hair was also deep conditioned every week. I even bought some scissors to clip my ends when I felt I needed to. Right after a wash my hair would feel soft and manageable and glorious. This would only last two days. Then my hair would feel dry, brittle, look dull and ashy and I couldn't wait until the next wash.

I thought this was the normal condition of my hair. I didn't discover there was a problem until I discovered youtube in April of 2011. I learned about pH levels of the hair and products. I knew I had to find a good moisturizer or it would start to break off. Of course there was nowhere in Spain for me to buy these products and to ship them was a small fortune.

Healthy Hair Care Journey

Luckily, I got to visit my family in the US (thank you mom for buying those tickets!). I was prepared! I sent package after package after package to my mom's house. I bought things from all kinds of websites. I even made sure to stop by Walmart to get some cheap conditioners. I also had my younger sister pick up things like coconut oil and flaxseeds. I was on a mission.

When I got back I started my healthy hair care journey. This is week three and I already notice the difference in how my hair feels and looks. It isn't dry or ashy. My husband said that my hair looked darker and that's because it's finally getting the moisture it needs! I was shocked that at the end of the week my hair was not a disaster. Usually it looks like it needs to be washed and re-styled asap! But my hair looked fresh, moisturized and soft! I know I'm on the right path.

Current and Future Products

As I've said before, the purpose of this blog isn't only to help myself. It's to help anyone and everyone who needs it. So below (in recipes) are some things I use in my hair that I really like. Above you can see the pics of all the products that I use. Tomorrow I will tell you how I use these products by detailling my current hair regimen.

So far I really like the Shea Moisture, curl and style milk. It is light, smells delicious, and leaves my hair soft, moisturized and not greasy. I also like the kimmaytube conditioner (recipe below). Mainly because I don't have to add more product to my hair until day three after my wash. Even when I exercise and sweat! However, there are still some products I would like to try in the future:

• Qhemet Biologics--Honeybush Tea Soft Gel

•  Bee Mine Products Inc.--Deja's Hair Milk and Juicy Moisturizing Daily Spritz

• Identity Hair and Skin Care--Nature's Silk Hair Lotion

• Giovanni--Giovanni Direct protein deep conditoner

• Vegetable glycerin

•  Lavender and grapefruit essential oils

•  Jojoba oil

• Saw palmetto (used to prevent hair loss) and catnip (used to stimulate hair growth)--both are herbs 

Don't worry, I will be sure to use what I have now. I realized when taking the photos that I have A LOT of things right now to keep me satisfied these first three months and beyond.

Recipes

Kimmaytube Leave-In

1oz (or 2 Tbsp.) your favorite leave in conditioner

2 Tbsp. aloe vera juice

2 tsp. jojoba oil

2 tsp. castor oil

Put this on your hair (concentrating on the ends) right before you style.

Hot oil treatment

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil

1 Tbsp. shea butter

You will probably have some left over but I also put this mix on my scalp. Just heat to warm and put on wet or dry hair in sections. Leave in 20-30 minutes, rinse, then shampoo. Great as a detangler as well.

Caramel treatment

6 Tbsp. honey

6 Tbsp. olive oil

2-3 overripe bananas

3 Tbsp. molasses

4-6 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1-2 Tbsp. cornstarch (depending on how thick you want it to be)

1 tsp. wheat germ oil (can be substituted for any other natural oil of your choice)

Place all ingredients except the water into a blender, blend until smooth. Add water bit by bit if the misture is too dry. Sieve to remove the banana bits. Pour mixture into a suacepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. You don't want to "cook" the mixture but you want the cornstarch to cause it to thicken. It only takes a few minutes. Add more water if it's too thick or more cornstarch if it's too runny. You want to end up with a caramel colored mixture that is the consistency of a thick batter. If it's too think it will drip from the hair. Put it into a container. This is enough for two applications. To apply, divide hair into three or four sections and put generously on the roots and all the way to the ends. Cover hair with a plastic cap, let sit for 1-2 hours or overnight for really dry hair. Wash with sulfate free shampoo and deep condition. Freeze the remainder until you are ready to use it.

 Herbal rinse

2 Tbsp. horsetail (treats brittle hair)

2 Tbsp. sage (treats brittle hair)

2 Tbsp. rosemary (stimulates growth)

1 Tbsp. lavender (stimulates growth)

1 Tbsp. camomille (softens hair)

Put the amounts in a pot with water, bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Once it's cool pour over hair after you shampoo and deep condition and don't rinse out. This makes my hair smell really good! (The kitchen as well when it's cooking). Be careful though because it can stain your bathtub.

Shea butter cream

(Put in 1 Tbsp of all the ingredients. You can use any essential oils and regular oils you like.)

shea butter

olive oil

grapeseed oil

vitamin e oil

almond oil

coconut oil

rosemary essential oil

orange essential oil

castor oil

honey

Mix everything together with a hand mixer or a blender. It will come out nice and creamy.

Be sure to check out Part 2 tomorrow!

Daily Fitness Tip: Hydration

WATER!!!!!

Actually, you can get your daily "requirements" through food and other beverages so you don't only have to drink water. I also put "requirements" in quotation marks because the daily recommendation is 64 ounces (or about 2 Liters). Nonetheless, I believe each person has different necessities. Some people will need less and some people will need more, hence, today's Fitness Tip!

Now, I am only going to address hydration during the summer months as our needs are different in the winter, spring, and fall. At least I know my needs are different. In fact, my needs are different when it's raining, sunny, cloudy, cold...regardless of the season. Where I live the air is very dry. So I suspect that I'd need to adjust my water intake when exercising in humid conditions. Do what works for you and your body.

What cannot be disputed is the necessity of hydration. Hydration is essential when exercising, regardless of the weather conditions. 

• It allows the muscles to work more efficiently--I notice a drastic change in my performance when I am well hydrated as opposed to not.
• Not being properly hydrated can lead to injuries--One of the reasons (along with many others) why I got injured last year. I was not diligent about my fluid intake and am trying to do a lot better.
• Your body won't recover as quickly or as productively--Again, I notice this in my own body. When I am lazy about carrying water with me I get more muscle spasms and soreness. I still get soreness when I drink water but I seem to recover at a faster pace.
• This website has more information about the importance of hydration. In its consumption as well as in the quality of it.

Last year when I decided to focus on running a full marathon I wanted to do everything right. Since I was training during the hottest months I needed a way to stay hydrated on my longer runs. I bought a Camelbak, which fits about 1.5 Liters (49.50 ounces) of water. It's a tiny backpack which contours to fit the upper part of the back. It stays glued to your back for the entire run and you almost forget it's there. All you have to do is fill up the resevoir (a plastic bag basically) with some cold water, fit it in, and your ready to go.

Then laziness set in and the days got cooler. So my Camelbak simply collected dust. I didn't hyrdrate during any kind of run, regardless of the distance. I would drink before and after. That's it. Only on a really long run would I drink chocolate milk, which is supposed to be great at hyrdation and recovery. (I've heard pickle juice works wonders but I haven't tried that yet.)

Right now I am suffering from extremely dry lips because I haven't been hydrating properly daily or after exercising. So don't do what I do....you know how the saying goes. I find that sometimes drinking water on a run makes me feel nauseous. So I would like to try gels and things at some point.

Here's a couple pics of my Camelbak in case you're interested:

There is also a strap around the waist for added support and a clip for the tube for easy access.

The tube doesn't leak because you have to bite on it to release the water and the yellow part closes it when not in use.

Cute huh? I hope it hasn't grown any friends inside (mold). It should be kept in the freezer if you won't be using it for a prolonged time period. As you can all see I learn by making mistakes, just like the rest of humanity! If this does happen though, I can put in 2 Tbsp of baking soda with warm water and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then wash with a mild soap and let it air dry completely before use.

In a perfect world I'd do that today so that it'd be ready for my long run tomorrow. I let you know how that turns out.

Exercise and be hydrated and you won't regret it!

If this helped you leave a comment and let me know how it goes.

I hope you enjoyed your Daily Fitness Tip and will add it to your Recipe for Health.

Updates: short run, hair, and posts coming soon!

Short Run

I ran 30 minutes last night after classes. It was nice and refreshing and a prep for my weight training  this morning. Usually, I also do some form of abs after running. Here's a list of the ab exercises I'm doing this week:

a. Reach up

b. The C-curl

c.Windshield wipers

d. Prone plank

Six weeks ago I found this interesting 6-week ab program on one of my favorite websites. Since abs, in my opinion, are incredibly boring, I try to switch it up as often as I can. Normal crunches and things are never included in my regimen because they are boring. In addition, they don't work all parts of the abdomen, which makes the exercises effective. Perhaps on a later post I'll list weeks 1-4 so that you can try them if you want to.

This morning I worked on my legs and my arms. If you are interested in the exercises that I do, leave a comment and I'll include them in another post.

So a quick post to update you on my running during the week. Again, I will do my long run tomorrow (1 hour and 40 minutes). I might even record some video of it...

Hair

My running hair was very simple: I put it in a ponytail with the headband you saw in the Summer Running Gear Part 2 video. Check it out if you haven't already. I left it in the bun while I slept and didn't apply any more product. During the day it was also in a bun, slicked back with my Shea Moisture, curl-enhancing smoothie, instead of gel.

 

The picture above is of my hair today. Just wanted to try something new so I stuck those shells in with hair pins. The shells I ripped off a belt that I never wear. At least I can get some use out of it. Didn't need to apply any more product to the sides, just spritz with water. I did add more to the ends of my hair.

Coming Soon

I will do a post later on, if I receive interest via comments, on my exercise regimen on the days I don't run.  So leave comments on this post if you're interested in that.

This weekend will include a full report on the products I use on my hair and my hair regimen! It will probably be a two-part "series" so don't miss that!

Also, be sure to look out for your Daily Fitness Tip coming to you later today!

Thanks for stopping by.

Daily Fitness Tip: Workout on the Go

  

This photo and the above two all taken from googleimages

What is the principle hindrance to your workout schedule? Most people tell me it's time, they just don't have enough time. It might be class, work, children, husbands, wives, in laws...there is always something standing in your way. So instead of feeling guilty, do something about it!

These exercises can be done indoors or outside. As always safety is key so make sure you are performing the exercises correctly. In addition, be sure to warm up and stretch before and to cool down and stretch after.

Arms

Grab a wall and do some standing pushups. Make sure your feet are shoulder-length apart and you are not on your toes. This is good if you are in an office building for example. If outside or at home, do normal pushups. Do 20 repetitions. You can also do some dips using a chair or a bench (like the photo at the top on the left).

Hand weights are great for doing bicep curls, shoulder presses (standing or sitting), tricep extensions, lateral raises, and front raises. Keep some in the trunk of your car, in a baby carriage, or at your desk at work. Do 12-15 repetitions of each exercise.

Legs/Butt

Maybe you only have time to walk, that's ok because you can buy some leg weights. These can fit easily in a purse or bag. Put those on when you are out walking. They are so discrete they can be hidden under your pants. While you're at it, do some butt squeezes, lunges, squats and leg raises.(standing or on the ground)

If you find you are unsteady on your feet just use a chair (or bench if you're outside) for some added support. Do 12-15 repetitions of each exercise. For the butt squeezes, squeeze 5-10 seconds, release, then repeat for 1 minute.

 Back

Great exercises are the squat press, the back press and the arm reach. These exercises also work the legs, butt, arms and abs and you can do them all on your feet with some hand weights. If you do go out and buy the leg weights you can even hold those in your hands! Instant hand weights! Do 12-15 repetitions of each exercise.

 Abs

The easiest exercises to do on the go by far. Just squeeze in like you are pulling your bellybutton into your spine. You can do this anywhere and no one will ever know! Squeeze as much as you can and hold for 30 seconds. Rest, then repeat as many times as you want. Do this also while completing some of the exercises above as well.  Other good ab exercises are the plank, the crunch, the pendulum, the bicycle, and the scissors. There are so many exercises out there.

Look at my "health and fitness" links on the top right hand corner. These websites allow you to search for specific exercises for each muscle group.

Overall, be creative because as the saying goes..."you are only limited by your own imagination". Yup, it pertains to exercise too. 

So remember:

• You should incorporate weights and cardio

•  Since it's an express session you must keep your heart rate up. This means no rest between exercises and/or to incorporate cardio bursts like high knees, running in place, jump rope, and the shuffle.

• Do the exercises in slow motion. There is no need to speed through the exercises. Do them correctly and slowly and you will reap even more benefits.

• Exercises that hit multiple muscle groups are time efficient. You want to do a full body workout in little time. Some good ones are the squat reach, squat press, shoulder press, plank, lunges with hand weights...

• Don't be shy. Wherever you are, you are doing something awe-inspiring for your body. What about all those people staring at you, you ask? Well, they are simply frozen in awe.

• If you can, bring music/a friend/a pet/children, anything that will will motivate and not hamper. 

If this helped you leave a comment and let me know how it goes.

I hope you enjoyed your Daily Fitness Tip and will add it to your Recipe for Health.

Daily Fitness Tip: Protecting your workout clothes

This image was taken from:www.clipartof.com

In the spirit of sports clothes the first, ever, Fitness Tip is on.... 

How to Take Care of your Sports Clothes

Clothes are one of the most important things in any fitness program. It not only gives you the support and comfort you need, but also gives you the confidence to do it! I can remember many a time when I second-guessed running. Largely because the shirts I had didn't fit right, made me look bloated or were plain ugly. Perhaps, it seems counterintuitive to some people. I mean they are just clothes to sweat in right? Wrong! We want to look good whether we are going to class, work, hanging out with friends or at the supermarket. The same is true for workout gear.

Now, I am no brand snob by any means. However, one cannot deny the appeal of a nice Nike top, heck, a Nike anything really. Yet, I don't like to spend a lot of money, who does? Workout clothes will not last forever and the purpose of this post is not to make you believe that. Please, if the clothing smells, is worn, torn, stained...it's time to let go. What you can do is extend the life of your clothes by following some easy steps.

1. READ THE LABELS--sounds easy but I know I'm not the only one guilty of throwing things in with the regular wash that shouldn't with disatrous consequences. Either it bleeds onto something else or is of no use anymore, not fun.

2. Always wash delicate fabrics separately or, like me, hand wash them. There are detergents out there that are specifically for hand-washing things. So they will get clean. Fabrics like the moisture wicking ones or the ones that maintain your body temperature typically can't be washed the usual way. It destroys their properties I've found. 

3. Don't be afraid of baking soda. Sometimes after a very intense workout session I will let my non-delicates soak in a mixture of baking soda and water for a few hours. I don't really measure it but I probably put about 2 Tbsp into the water. This helps to neutralize many of the odors in the fabric due to sweating and can serve as a nice pre-wash.

4. Soaking clothes before the wash (or instead of it) is one of the smartest things you can do. It defends against mold (those ugly black spots) forming on your clothes and eliminates smells. Trust me, I learned all these things the hard way. Yes, I sweat profusely.

5. Be diligent and remove your clothes from the wash immediately. Especially if you prefer to put your delicate fabrics in the wash instead of hand-washing them.

6. Make sure you have enough clothes to last you for an entire week without having to re-wear it. This avoids the constant stress to the material that repeated washes will eventually have on any gear--even the most looked after gear. This may sound like an expensive endeavor but it doesn't have to be. Stores like Walmart, Target, or even local sporting goods stores have deals. Or go wild when there are sales. Just know what your needs are and buy accordingly. I, for example, don't need tons of sports bras because some of my shirts have them built in. I prefer my gear to multitask. It's cheaper.

So that's about it. I'll probably think of another one I forgot to add later but this is good to begin with. Maybe you have some tips you'd like to share, so feel free to leave a comment! Leave comments!!

Because this is the first, ever, fitness tip I will leave with a bonus (oooh!):  

Sports bras for the (extremely) large-chested. 

I cannot relate to the plight of the big booby ladies out there but I can imagine that it's not pleasant. I can also understand that it might even be a deterent to exercise and I can't have that!

I had to do some research myself. I will leave links below for great websites I found helpful.

1. Sports bras for the large-chested are incredibly important so don't skimp and be patient. Get one that you know will support you.

2. Make sure the bra clips in the front or the back. Don't bother with the ones that go over your head because they, apparently, will not provide as much support.

3. Sports bras for big boobies are expensive, so keep that in mind. Search for deals.

4. They are also unattractive...ok, ugly. But it's going under a shirt right?

5. The most popular brands are Enell (an Oprah favorite) and Title Nine.

Ok, that will do it for the first, ever, Fitness Tip!

If this helped you leave a comment and let me know how your search goes. If anyone else is curious about the best sports bras for their shape, leave a comment and I will make a post on that too!

I hope you enjoyed your first, ever, Fitness Tip and will add it to your Recipe for Health.

Useful websites:

http://www.thebudgetfashionista.com/archive/sports-bras-larger-chests/

http://askville.amazon.com/top-rated-sports-bra-high-impact-for-large-breasts/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=7281123

http://www.livestrong.com/article/207932-the-best-sports-bras-for-big-breasts/

http://www.enell.com/

http://search.titlenine.com/search?asug=&w=sports+bras&Search.x=0&Search.y=0

Summer Running Gear Part 2

 

Just came back from yoga actually. It's great because it helps me relax, stretch and do abs! It is a beginner class but that's my level and I don't want anything else right now that is too demanding. 

I'm also considering whether to run again tomorrow, instead of Friday, and do my long run on Saturday. I just signed up for a race today! Ok, it's really nothing special, only 2 km or 1.24 miles, which I can run in like 7 minutes. But the shirt was cute and it was only 5€ ($7) and I can use it when I do my exercises! Yay for cheap gear! It's early on Sunday morning and I'd rather not run again in the evening (especially if I try to win). We'll see. I probably won't take pictures only because it will be finished before the pic is even taken! Maybe I'll take one with my number and the shirt.

Tonight I plan to start my daily FIT TIPS. This should be fun and informative for everyone. I will post a new tip everyday related to either exercising, eating right, and general all around health. Also, be sure to take a look at the websites posted at the top right hand corner on the blog. These are websites that I frequent because they have useful exercises and/or interesting health facts.

Summer Running Gear Part 1

So technology is incredibly complicated. I have new respect for all the youtubers and vloggers out there who have to edit videos all the time. Not fun. Next time I will make sure to make a shorter video! But I wanted to post it since it took Chema (my husband) and I ages to figure out what to do. (I also didn't feel like retaping it). 

This Part 1 details the tops and sports bras that I wear. I will post Part 2 later today, which will cover bottoms, accessories, and my sneakers. I actually didn't end up running last night like I planned. I know, lazy right? I wanted to get this video posted, and then I had to do my hair...so I ran this morning bright and early. It was nice. 

I only ran 30 minutes but I picked up my normal pace to compensate for cutting down the time. I also did some abs. I will post those exercises either today or sometime this week in case you want to try them too! I'll do weights tomorrow and intervals on the static bike and run another 30 minutes on Friday. Sunday I plan to do a "long run" of 1 hour, 40 minutes. So more updates to come! (Oh, and don't make fun of the video...it's my first one!)