I did it! I did it! (in my Dora voice)

What did I do? Successfully stretch my relaxer for 14 weeks! FOURTEEN!!!! 

I relaxed on December 22, 2012 and had hoped to make it to Spring Break in March before I read about Ebony's challenge. I decided to go big or go home and try to hold off until my birthday (April three)!

You may recall that I had some back-up relaxer dates of 12 or 13 weeks post if the hair wasn't cooperating or doing well, but by week 12, I knew I had it in the bag!

***You know what I just noticed when I was trying to remember the date?!? That I'm already 6 weeks post! I used to relax at 8 weeks regularly and by this point would be stressing over my hair, but I didn't even notice. And that's with me doing Insanity 6 days/week too. This HHJ stuff is so awesome.***

Challenge results

Here were the requirements:

• A protective style for purposes of this challenge is defined as any style in which your ends are not exposed or touching your clothing.  Buns, updos, french braids, french rolls, etc all count.
• You may only wear your hair down for 7 days throughout the entire three months total!  Whether you choose to do one week, a couple of weekends or not at all – you only have a 7 day allowance.
• Only one direct heat pass but try not to use it at all!
• Protective styles means your ends must be hidden, so half up/half down ‘dos don’t count!
• Must deep condition your hair at least two times per month.
• You are not excluding from using fake hair – wigs, weaves, extensions, crochet braids, etc.

I, of course, did protective styles - mostly buns and my sister-friends. I added her to the mix with my straight 3/4 wig.

 I mentioned previously that I used my heat pass on All-Star Weekend and 2 of my down days that weekend as well. I used the remaining days when I went on my cruise the second week of April, but I actually bunned a couple of days too because it was so dang hot! So I think I only used a total of 6 days. I deep conditioned once a week on my Saturday wash days (even DCed on the boat!!!) I didn't even bring a flat or curling iron with me on the trip! Oh, how my life has changed honey! hahaha

 

Some hair shots from the Tom Joyner cruise

So there's my little update. Now it's time for me to harass my friends and family into voting for me because I want that dryer!!! 8^D

What? Oh, yeah, hair pics!

 At first I was thinking that I didn't really have that big of a difference, but I can see a little more hang time I think. I'm trying to let it grow so I can get rid of these thin ends. Just keep swimming.

L4L Protective Style Challenge: Check-in #2

Alrighty then. And just like that - I'm 2 months in on the challenge! (I missed the 1st check-in; oops.)

My hair has been in protective custody and it has not been that big of a deal! Here are a couple of looks and tries at 2 strand twists I did in January.

I also found a 3/4 wig that I love, so I tried her a couple of times.

For February, I was mostly in buns. I've been rocking my buns in 1 of 2 ways pretty much. The first is a way that Ebony, our challenge host, did a messy bun a while ago. I believe she had a picture or two on Instagram and everyone was all, 'do a tutorial; do a tutorial!'  Click here to check out the video. It is so simple and always looks so cute! Here are a few shots of my high messy bun:

 

Bun 2 is from a tutorial fgrogan on YouTube did last month. It's a sock bun covered with  microfiber, but it's rolled as opposed to the hair being tucked around the sock bun and pinned. Click here to see her tutorial. It doesn't require any hair pins when done correctly, but my hair is not as long nor as thick as hers, so I would add a pin or two. But it really works and was a nice change from my messy bun. 

All-Star Weekend was in Houston, TX this year and my husband and I went down for the Rising Stars game on Friday night. I decided to use my heat pass and use a 'down day' as well. I followed ulovemegz's tutorial on 'How "I" Get My Hair Laying' and used Elasta QP Design Silk (in place of the Nioxin) and the ORS Thermal Protect and Shine Spray. I used a mixture for my deep conditioner and applied it with an applicator brush; the Elasta QP was applied in sections and I detangled and blow-dried, and then the ORS spray was applied in sections and I flat-ironed.

 I was 8 weeks post that weekend and had GREAT results! I enjoyed my hair and wrapped it and wore it down that Saturday for my aunt's 80th birthday surprise luncheon as well. My babies went back into protective custody that Sunday morning though.

 Tried to get you a 'motion' shot - swangin' hair, haha! 

I am now 10 weeks post and hoping to go 2-4 more weeks! I work out 4-6 days/week so that adds to the struggle with the new growth because I sweat so much in my head. Planning to cowash twice/week and keep it as moisturized as possible.

• Ultimate goal is 4 more weeks - relaxing on 3.30 at 14 weeks
• If it's looking rough/too much shedding/ any issues secondary goal is 2 more weeks - relaxing on 3.16 at 12 weeks

Loving this challenge! Wish me luck!

Longing 4 Length Protective Styling Challenge

Ebony posted about this challenge back in December and I planned to participate. Thought it would be good for my hair and my blogging goals.

And then I forgot about it.

I happened on a post Friday night that said that since she was a little behind in getting the official post up, entries would be extended until January 15th - that was for me!!!!

So this is serving as my official entry into the  L4L Protective Styling Challenge. It's on time for me for several reasons:

1. I am planning on my longest stretch EVER of 14 weeks. (The longest I've gone is 11, almost 12 weeks!)
2. I need to learn some other ways to style my hair while protecting my ends
3. I am stuck on barely APL and feel like I should have made more ground by now in my hair journey.
4. It will end just around the time I relax (if I can make the 14 weeks) and go on the Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage with my mommy. Ready to 'kill 'em' with swangin' hair and a bangin' body! hahaha

Here's my official beginning picture:

Relaxer Day December 22, 2012 - 8 weeks post

Relaxer October 27, 2012 - 11 weeks post

And these are the rules, just FYI:



Rules:

• A protective style for purposes of this challenge is defined as any style in which your ends are not exposed or touching your clothing.  Buns, updos, french braids, french rolls, etc all count.
• You may only wear your hair down for 7 days throughout the entire three months total!  Whether you choose to do one week, a couple of weekends or not at all – you only have a 7 day allowance.
• Only one direct heat pass but try not to use it at all!
• Protective styles means your ends must be hidden, so half up/half down ‘dos don’t count!
• Must deep condition your hair at least two times per month.
• You are not excluding from using fake hair – wigs, weaves, extensions, crochet braids, etc.

(And you don't have to blog to participate; you can submit through comments on her blog too!)

So here we go!!! 

Progress

Most people have heard of Insanity - Shaun T's max interval circuit, high cardio, 60 days

People who make it through have great success. They drop lbs, clothes sizes, inches, improve fitness, etc.

So here's the deal. I am now on day 46 (tomorrow) of Insanity. I absolutely LOVE it. It is hard as everything, but every time I finish a workout, I feel so accomplished! I'm burning major calories per my polar ft7 HRM. Now to those successes others have.

At the end of 3 weeks - people (some) in my fb group had really started losing weight; others were down a pants size. If anything, my shorts felt tighter. BUT I had taken my measurements on day 1, so I had my husband do them again and I was down 7 inches overall. Okay, I'll take that.

- end of month 1: down 3 lbs and another 2.5 inches - making it 9.5 overall.
- Clothes still fitting the same.

Now I'm in the middle of week 2 in month 2. Month 2 is a beast!! I haven't done my measurements yet (I'll do those this weekend at the end of week 7) and I've tried to stay away from the scale because it has not moved more than 3-4 lbs (I still peek )

I see myself everyday, so I still see my lovehandles and big stomach and back rolls that I'm trying to get rid of. I'm thinking they aren't going anywhere, I'm not losing any weight, my clothes don't fit looser - why am I still doing this?

 

I sure hope you can see the difference, but even if you can't, I can! I am sooo glad I took those AWFUL before/day 1 pics. (I even deleted them at first; my husband had to retake them.) I used them as fuel to keep going and now they are proof that what I'm doing is working. Do I wish I could say I've lost 15lbs or gone down 2 sizes, of course. But I also know that that has to come eventually. I still have a long way to go, but I'm heading in the right direction.

This is so far out of my comfort zone; I hadn't planned on showing these to anyone until I was a long ways away from my day 1, but I hope this helps someone who feels like quitting keep going. Every day you're doing something, you are improving! 

Halfway with Team Beachbody

Yep, I finished month 1 of Insanity! Woot, woot! I am now wrapping up my recovery week and have 2 more days of Core Cardio & Balance left. I will take my 3rd fit test and move into month 2 on Monday.

I can't lie; I'm super nervous about what's to come in the 2nd month. Between my Fb accountability group and the progress group on MFP, I have gotten glimpses into the Max workouts and it sounds scary! I also have to start month 2 while on vacation at the beach! But I'm going to suck it up and get it done. Workout clothes are already packed!

As for the announcement, I went ahead and signed up to be a Beachbody coach. I'm not sure how I really feel about this or how involved I plan to get. My basic reasons for doing it were to get a discount on my orders and since I'm a walking advertisement for it, I thought I could help people choose to improve their health and fitness and make a little income too. I have had one person order and also gotten one who told me it all seemed a bit too sales-y.  I've heard different sides of this, so just know that jury is still out as to my final feelings. I'll give it 6 months and get back to you; I think that sounds fair.

So if you're out there and thinking that you'd like to try Insanity (totally recommend it!), P90x, Turbofire, TurboJam, HipHopAbs, etc, I'd love to be your coach. I do believe in the accountability portion of this - it definitely helps to have people pushing play right along with you to give you that extra bit of motivation. If you already have a beachbody program and just want to be a part of our support group, leave me a comment and you can be added. If you need help deciding on the best  program for you, we can figure that out too! Click here to sign up and be added to my mailing list.
Or go HERE if you've decided and are ready to COMMIT to a program and see some great results!

Keep pushing play!