Halloween Transformation Diet Part 1

Pics are all on my Instagram.  The pink pic in the middle is me in my Versace dress.  I won't make it back to that weight by the party but will try.  The pic to the left was taken today.  Yes my pants are sagging so lost weight.  Pic on the far right is me in my Chanel vintage dress earlier this year.

A friend on Facebook pointed out that a meteor shower was going on so I attempted to write this by the pool. One problem for some reason I have the Halloween jitters so I decided it was best to work inside.  You know it is the stupid person in the movie who is distracted by work, phone or computer that gets killed.  I will probably go back out later.  Anyway it is almost time for my Family's Halloween party and I want to make sure I have a huge transformation.  My transformation will not only be my costume but my skin, hair, and weight too. At least that is my goal.  So today is day 9 of my Halloween Diet Transformation.  I am doing Keto and low carb for now but depending on my needs the diet may change.  Oddly enough I am concentrating on my arms but I haven't lost weight from there.  Next Post I will have measurements for my arms.  I will do 3 posts total.  I am weighing myself in stone and I am not giving one of the numbers.  Why? I am average height and double digits in Stones is not good looking on paper.  When I drop a full stone I will announce it.  If you want to see me change Day to day you need to follow me on Instagram Love Yascone as I am posting my diet for the day and a video everyday there. Note with Stone the number before the decimals are stones and the numbers after are pounds (yes like American pounds).


Well here is my first 8 days (total lost 8lbs in 8 days) :

Halloween Transformation Diet
Day 1 Stone 1X. 2lbs

Day 2 Stone 1X.12 (New stone number) took iodine, 2 magnesium, 1 L-lysine, vitamin C, bamboo, fo-ti
10 jumping jacks and lunges 15 squats
10 close arm wall push ups
10 finger tips on wall push ups
5 min oil scalp message inverted (hang upside thingy)
Dry brushed body and face
5 min just arms concentrating on triceps
Infrared Sauna 30 min 
Second shower
Fenugreek oil on boobs
Wrinkle cream Moisturizer/brightener  face 
Moisturizer and mineral oil body.
Lips everything on the face plus Vaseline 

Day 3 Stone 1X. 9 lbs Keto Flu

Dry bushed morning body & face
Washed hair conditioned and used aloe to seal
Sunscreen/aloe on body
Face La Mere eye cream, Aloe, Sunscreen
Aloe on lashes minor sting
Magnesium, L-Lysine, Benadryl
15 jumping jacks 
15 lunges
20 squats
5 min inverted scalp/hair massage 
I ate the leftover marrow that did not dissolve in my bone soup
Apple cider vinegar problem freckles
Aloe and baking Soda patch for old injury that turns red at times on face 
Off brand vapor rub on knees and upper arm and on feet
Bamboo 

Day 4
Stone 1X. 7 lbs
Began day with runny poo.  More than likely Magnesium build up
Today was hard check Instagram post for Oct. 3
20 jumping jacks
20 lunges
25 squats 
10535+ steps
13 floors
L-Lysine
Bamboo
Fenugreek oil boobs
Apple cider vinegar for skin improvement  

Day 5
Stone 1X. 5 lbs
L-Lysine
Bamboo
25 jumping jacks day 4 of challenge
25 lunges
30 squats
Apple cider vinegar water
Inverted scalp massage


Day 6
Stone 1X. 6 lbs
Bone soup 
St. James

Day 7
Stone 1X. 8lbs GAINED
Bone soup=water weight check Instagram to see how many bowels eaten
Ate salad as replacement 
Shopped for Halloween all day
Took 12 magnesium because I was constipated

Day 8
Stone 1X. 6lbs
Salad worked but eating soup to finish it off
Rest of the week will be salad

Day 9
Stone 1X. 6lbs Push

Spring Hair Recipes- For Natural, Curly, Kinky, Relaxed and Transitioning Hair

Okay I talked about my Spring hair routine previously (Spring And Natural Hair-Time To Get Your Hair Healthy, Manageable, And Beautiful) and now here are the recipes that go with them.  It is super easy. Pics of the ingredients are below.

Oh and Coconut oil, too.

So those are the ingredients I am using to make my hair look great for summer.  It is my hair diet.

Shampoo Recipe:

2.5 Oz of Coconut Milk

3 oz Aloe Vera Gel

Mix it together (no lumps) and that's it. I of course will be making a larger batch.  

ph of hair is 4.5-5.5

ph of this shampoo is 4.5 allowing the hairs cuticles to close properly and you hair to shine.  This is great to control frizz, strengthen damaged hair (relaxers and heat) and stop shrinkage of every type of curly hair.

Coconut Milk and Lime Hair Treatment:

There are simpler recipes for this treatment and originally it was just coconut milk and lime and sometimes sunflower oil but I like adding things I think my hair needs so...

Big Batch

Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream (I use the cream and milk) 5-6 cans

2.5-3 cups of Lime and Lemon juice.  

I squeeze both my limes and lemons and strain to remove pulp.

I use more limes than lemons.  In fact of the 3 cups there is only the juice of 2

lemons total combined with the limes.

I add Jojoba oil and coconut oil for a total of about 1/4 cup of oil.

Cornstarch at least 5 Tablespoons 

Cornstarch is not just a thickener it also helps give you hair shine so flour won't do.

1. I blend all the ingredients together and cook over very low heat to thicken.  (20 min)

2. I place the mixture in a container and place in the refrigerator over night or at least 4 hours

3. I put mixture through my entire head of hair, massage my scalp for at least 3 min and then place a 

plastic cap on my head.  Leave it on for 1-2 hours.

4. I then rinse my hair and then co-wash with Wen or Herbal Essence Conditioning Shampoo

Click here if you want the original recipe

Spring And Natural Hair-Time To Get Your Hair Healthy, Manageable, And Beautiful

Okay so we are all worried about swimsuit season and summer fashion.  Many of us are on a diet and working out.  Many of us are failing at diets and our workouts, lol.  We can't just concentrate on our body people.  Remember your hair is your crowning glory.  Frankly it doesn't matter what size you are or how your hair looks but your hair is something you can improve and not suffer in the process. (I'm on a diet right now and I am suffering.  This sucks but working on my hair is fun.) What makes beautiful hair beautiful? For me beautiful hair is healthy, soft, has a personality, and enhances everything beautiful about your face.  I know if I take care of my hair this Spring I will have beautiful hair this summer.  My hair goals are as follows:

1. Cut down on the frizz
2. Cut down on the shrinkage
3. Stop shedding and breakage
4. Healthy in looks and feel (soft and thick)
5. Shiny

You know there is only one major thing I have to do besides eat right to get the above results.  Keep my strands hydrated!!!! I can't slack off.  I must be diligent.  First of all I am changing my routine.  I am not going to do the caramel treatment this spring.  Don't get me wrong I love this treatment but I want to do something a little less labor intensive.  On the same day years ago that I found the caramel treatment I also found (on the same site) a coconut milk & lime treatment.  I chose the caramel treatment because the coconut milk lime treatment was a relaxer.  I don't want to relax my curls I want to hydrate them so I never looked at that recipe again until last week.  I know that the more hydrated my curls are the looser they are that's why I love Kinky-Curly products.  My mind started thinking people put lemon and lime in their hair all the time.   Lime isn't a relaxer.  Coconut milk provides protein and adds softness to hair but it is not a relaxer! Oh snap said the blind woman who couldn't get pass that word relaxer! The coconut milk & lime treatment is not a relaxer!!! It is a serious hair hydrator.

Okay so I made up a batch for every woman in my family.  Tested on my mom's 2c-3a combination hair first.  She never takes care of it so it is always dry.  I worked it through her hair and her hair was absorbing it all in and loving it.  She left it on for an hour, washed it out and bam! Her hair looked healthy, shiny, and shrinkage was cut by about 25%.  Oh and frizz was like way down.  Did it relax her hair? No! Her curls or waves are still there.  So, coconut milk & lime is a super conditioning protein treatment.  I next tested the treatment on myself and since my hair is a 3b-3c-4a combo I thought I needed to leave it in my hair longer.  Problem is I have healthy but not very hydrated hair.  I left it in for 3.5 hours.  It did not relax my hair.  It made my hair soft and less frizzy but I feel like I got too much protein.  I had to really use a lot of conditioner to fix that over protein feeling.  Too much protein on healthy hair can make it brittle.  My hair wasn't brittle but I could just tell I left the treatment in too long.  Bottom line this is not a relaxer.  It is the hydration that loosens the curls and stops shrinkage.

My spring routine will be as follows:

1. Coconut Milk Lime Treatment (click to get my version) Will do once a week
2. Leave-in, Oil, Cream method for styling (I have not chosen which products I will use but you can find more info by clicking on the link or going to my Pinterest page Long Curly Hair Inspiration.
3.Coconut Milk and Aloe "Shampoo"

Winter Hair And Crisco-What I Did For My Natural Hair This Winter

Okay so winter is the hardest on natural hair. It makes your hair dry.  Air drying becomes a major problem, health hazard and COLD freezing freaking cold!  I found that the following products made my hair hydrated, less frizzy and it gave me fewer wash days.  Now the Kinky-Curly makes my hair perfect every time but I save those products for the days I need to look my best.  I needed to find a cheaper way to look good on regular days.  I needed to find a way to make my wash and go last longer than one day.  Please note: I only air dry my hair so 30 degree temps are extremely cold for me.  I needed something to seal the moisture in my hair for a few days.  Crisco, yes I said it, crisco did the trick.  Not only did it seal in the moisture from the two conditioners I put in my hair but it cut down on tangles.  In fact many people use crisco to detangle their hair.  I have read some people online complaining about build up from crisco but I never had that problem.

Here was my routine:
1. Wet hair completely down
2. Wash Hair with Herbal Essence Cleansing Conditioner (Co-Washing)
3. Rinse
4. Condition with Pantene Repair & Protect
5. Wash the rest of my body and after maybe slightly rinse out conditioner.  I leave some of this product in my hair.
6. Apply Pantene Curl Perfection Conditioner and I leave it in; only adding a little water to work it through if needed.
7. Take a dab or two of crisco, melt it with your hands body heat and distribute through your hair.  This seals in moisture and keeps the frizz down.  My hair also felt silky to the touch.

I am writing this info down because by next winter I may forget what I learned or I may have a completely new routine.  The crisco worked better for my hair than coconut oil.  I think because coconut oil gets hard in cold weather and the crisco melted into my hair strands smoother.  This is what worked for me.  You need to find out what works for your hair in winter.

So my winter hair products are:

Crisco
Herbal Essence Naked Cleansing Conditioner
Pantene Repair & Protect Conditioner
Pantene Curl Perfection Conditioner
Kinky-Curly Knot Today and Curling Custard
I also did Caramel Treatment

Grooming and Detangling Natural Hair: My Detangle Hair Plan

Let's be honest the four of us have been in mourning for a very long time.  Taking care of our hair has taken a back seat to mending our souls.  Mom and Joy are lucky they have an ability to at least give some attention to their hair.  Plus mom has wavy hair so, her hair never really tangles as bad as mine.  I have the type of hair that really needs to be detangled at least twice a month and it can be a hard job.  Now picture a woman who has been having a hard time just getting into the shower, yep, that's me, lol.  Detangling my hair rarely happens these days.  My hair is neglected but I do know how to detangle it.  I know how to save it.

Normally I use a wide tooth comb while in the shower to detangle my hair.  The force of the running water actually helps move the comb through my hair with ease.  Plus I use a ton of conditioner so normally this is all I need for proper grooming.  Using a brush on natural hair is almost always a no no.  Grooming for me, is always a wide tooth comb and my fingers if my hair is in good shape.

Wide tooth hair comb for curly hair 

Right now my hair is not in good shape.  My hair is a tangled mess.  This is when I must use a brush. Never use a small tooth comb to detangle your hair.  Always use a brush that is 100% nylon.  Never brush you hair dry and always use conditioner on each section of hair you are brushing.  I use a brush that is 100% nylon because it does not tear my hair and the bristles detangle my hair with ease when wet and full of conditioner.

100% Nylon Hairbrush 

Note: I also like Michel Mercier Ultimate Detangling Brush for thick hair.  It really detangles my worst tangles but the bristles bend.  Even so, they do not seem to break.  It really works and when you are in matted hair hell this brush will save you.  I just don't know how safe it is for my hair but it really does work and cuts down on detangling time.

 My detangle plan:

1. Get in the shower wet hair down completely
2. Apply a large amount of conditioner to your hair and use you finger to "comb through" your hair
3. Rinse hair and apply a second coat of conditioner.  Use wide tooth comb and start to detangle your hair.  Detangle as much as you can with the wide tooth comb.
4. If you are having a hard time with tangles, place that section of the hair under the running water of the shower and comb with the wide tooth comb.  The force of the water should work with the comb.  Usually your hair should be without tangles after using this trick.
5. Okay, you have some really tough tangles.  Wet your hair down completely again. Then get out of the shower.  Take a section of your hair (soaking wet), apply conditioner to this section and brush this section of hair with 100% nylon brush.  Use the conditioner with the brush to remove any remaining tangles.  This takes time.  Be patient, don't rip your hair.  Do this section by section until all tangles are gone.
6. Do not rinse, leave conditioner in your hair.  Use a wet T-shirt to remove extra conditioner sitting on the top of your hair.

Faith Note: We use t-shirts because it prevents our hair from frizzing.  A towel is too drying.  So if you need to dry your hair use a dry t-shirt.  Use a wet t-shirt to remove/manage excess product in your hair.

My mother told me to remind everyone: Having the proper tools is half the battle.  Try different shapes of brushes to find the right one for your hair.

One day I will do a video.

The Caramel Treatment For Natural Hair – Stop Frizz and Shrinkage

The original recipe can be found at The Caramel Treatment – A Natural Hair Softener.  I always love to tweak recipes and make them my own.  I do it for food and hair recipes.  I know my hair isn't one size fits all so I studied different versions of this hair treatment.  I suggest you try different oils that suite you.  The recipe below was my latest batch.  It is enough for four applications.  Important note: DON'T USE BABY FOOD FOR BANANAS!!! You need real overripe bananas.

This recipe does work. It needs to be repeated every 3 weeks or whenever you just need a little help.  The treatment helps with the frizz situation.  Your hair will still frizz but not so drastically.  My hair shrinks a lot and it does help with that as well.  I do this in the summer because well it helps with summer hair.  I heard this works well for transitioning from relaxer to natural hair as well. *Everything in parentheses is a measurement for a single batch.  I make the treatment for four people and you may only need a single batch so use those measurements.  

Honey – 1¼ cups (single batch 6 tablespoons)


Olive Oil – 1¼ cups (6 tablespoons)
 note: mixed grape seed and safflower oil with the olive oil.  My personal touch.

Bananas – 7-9 (2-3) 
overripe and very soft

Molasses (Treacle) – ¾ cup (3 tablespoons)


Water – 1 cup (4-6 tablespoons)


Apple Cider Vinegar – 3 tablespoons (1 tablespoon)


Cornstarch – 6-8 tablespoons (1-2 tablespoons) depending on how thick you want the mixture to be
 (also helps with shine for hair)

Wheat germ oil – 3 teaspoons (1 teaspoon) – This can be substituted 

I add all ingredients to a blender (Ninja) and blend away.  Then I warm the mixture over low heat just to thicken it to a pudding consistency.  I leave the treatment on my hair for at least 4 hours.  I put a plastic bag on my hair to help with the treatment but I don't always use a plastic bag.  I rinse my hair after but I never shampoo.  The treatment coats your hair strands and you don't want to strip that away.

Beauty By The Moon (Diet, Weight Loss And Long Hair)

Moon Oct. 17 2013

Okay, I am very bored with trying to make myself look the way I want in my dreams.  I am frankly burned out when it comes to diets and my hair can never grow fast enough to satisfy me. Right now the only thing that can excite me is fashion, but all my money is tied up, so I am not all that excited.  Unfortunately it seems the rest of the Ladies Of The Round Table are burned out on everything to do with self improvement, too.  In other words none of use can stay on a diet, and none of us seem to care!

This started me thinking, "Is there something wrong in the Universe?" Why can't I do what needs to be done? Why can't anyone in my family stay on a diet? I have been looking at adjusting my schedule to coincide with the moon.  I was explaining to Faith my little experiment when she asked me if I had ever tried to use the moon to plan my diet.  I had not.  Wow, I was using the waning and waxing of the moon to plan all sorts of things but not my diet.  Now I have heard of using the waxing and waning of the moon to grow your hair longer and loss weight, but I have never actually tried it.  This may be the something I needed.  Maybe I can breathe new life into my image goals.  Timing my diet to the waning and waxing of the moon might be fun.  So I looked up how to use the moon to make my hair longer and my waist smaller.

I looked at many sites and books.  I found Farmer's Almanac extremely helpful.  They have a Best Days Calendar that makes planning beauty ideas easy.  Apparently, starting a diet during a waxing moon is harder on your willpower.   Cutting your hair during a waning moon is a very bad idea if you want long hair.  Oh, and the best time to start a diet is the night of the Full Moon.  The full Moon this month is tomorrow, October 18, 2013 (also lunar eclipse).  Yes, tomorrow I will start my diet.  I will see if starting my dieting during the full Moon really makes things easier.  It won't be just me starting my diet by myself, I hope.  Mom and my sisters are supposed to start their diets tomorrow.  All of us will be doing The 4-Hour Body (Faith and I both read and love this book) and Pat Brown System (a friend recently told us to check this out).  In addition I am doing the the Fast Diet for a little extra kick; I really liked the book and I know that the 5:2 schedule will work well for me.  So, tomorrow we diet, but today we feast.  Joy and Faith made a huge brunch.  It was amazing.  Later tonight I will have Korean noodles and bourbon.

Tomorrow we diet.  Today I have no motivation to diet but maybe tomorrow will be different.  We have to diet.  We must diet.  Our goals are clear.  Diet to look even better than we did here:

Mom (Glenda)

Love (me)

Joy

Faith at Perfect.

My goal is to drop weight and grow longer hair using the help of the moon.  Heck, when you get bored with dieting you have to change it up.  If you need a new formula to help improve your image, start looking at things you haven't tried.  At the very least it will add a little excitement to your beauty routine.  As for now when the moon is waning I am going to give my hair oil treatments and deep conditioning.  Today I am going to feast, drink and be merry.  Oh, here is the brunch that Joy and Faith made for today's last hoorah.  Food porn anyone? Cheese Grits, Maple Bacon, Eggs, Cut Potatoes (home fries), Buttermilk Pancakes

Buttermilk Pancakes
Weisenberger Flour Mill a Kentucky Proud product