The Real Reason Why an Apple Cider Vinegar Shot Helps You Lose Weight

Last year,  I revealed the three ingredient beverage that helped my friend to easily lose 10 lbs.  She consumed a tonic before each meal which consisted of lemon, apple cider vinegar and cranberry juice (preferably unsweetened).   Before she knew it, clothes started fitting better and she was well on her way to her old weight again.

When I tried to determine the root cause of the weight loss, I came up with several possible reasons. After going back to and reading my post, I realized that I kinda skimmed over the real reason why this healthy weight recipe is so effective. Lately, I've been listening to quite a few talks presented by medical doctors on the mechanics of healthy weight loss. Now, I feel confident in understanding the power of apple cider vinegar when it comes to maintaining a healthy body weight.


 It's important to understand "the why" behind what makes things happen.  When I understand why something works, I'm more apt to remain consistent.  When I first shared the good news of how a pre-meal ACV shot I attributed the success to feeling fuller before the meal.  And this may be true. The fuller you feel, the less you eat, and hence you lose some weight.  But does feeling a little fuller cause one to lose 10 lbs in such a short period of time?

There must be something going on at a greater level that triggered her body to shed those excess pounds.  The reason why ACV is so effective for fat loss is due to its impact on insulin production.

Insulin is essentially a hormone released in the body that triggers fat storage.  It sends a direct signal to the body that its store "energy" in the fat cells.  Anytime your insulin spikes, your body goes into fat storage mode.

Wanna know what triggers insulin production?

Eating.

Anytime we eat, our body receives the signal to start storing the energy it receives.  But all food isn't created equal.  Some foods cause a greater insulin spike than others. The worse offenders are sugar and refined/processed grains and flowers.  Some foods like leafy greens have a lesser impact on the amount of insulin production after consumption.  I was surprised to learn that traditionally low carb foods like meat, fish, and other animal proteins also trigger fat storage thanks to the rise in insulin.

Ideally, we want to feast on foods that don't cause a crazy jump in insulin levels.  But, most of us often indulge in options that skyrocket our insulin levels.  I love potatoes so very much but, on the insulin index, it's worse than eating white bread.  What's a girl to do? Since I have absolutely no intention of giving up potatoes (yet), my other option is to find ways to lessen the impact.

The first thing I can do is to lessen my insulin sensitivity.  If my diet mainly consists of highly processed, insulin triggering foods, then my body is constantly releasing insulin into the bloodstream. The more it's released, the less sensitive I become to it.  That's a bad thing.  It's like when someone drinks a lot so their tolerance goes up. They have to drink more alcohol to feel the effects, meanwhile, the body is still experiencing damage from the increase in consumption.

Same goes for our insulin if we are constantly eating and snacking on processed foods. The body keeps producing insulin and we keep storing fat. YOUR BODY CAN NOT BURN OR USE FAT WHILE INSULIN LEVELS ARE UP.  In order to release some of our body fat, we have to normalize our insulin levels.  This is why we must lower our sensitivity to insulin.   The less of the hormone we produce, the slimmer we become.

 There are a few things we can do to improve insulin sensitivity such as:

• Walking. Even after a high-calorie meal
• High-Intensity Workouts 
• Intermittent fasting.  The less we snack during the day, the fewer insulin spikes we experience.
• Consuming apple cider vinegar before we eat.

Yep, vinegar has been proven to lessen the amount of insulin released in the body when taken with or before your meal.  There's a chemical compound in vinegar that helps curb the spike in insulin that happens while eating.  So by taking her ACV tonic, my friend was aiding her body to regulate her fat storing hormone.  She was slowly increasing her insulin sensitivity while taking in fewer calories each meal.  That's the perfect combination for weight loss.

This week I purchased some ACV capsules.  Ideally, I'll pop a pill or two prior to going to out eat.  I have a short trip planned next weekend and I anticipate eating out a lot.  To combat the dreaded vacation weight gain, I'll do the ACV and fiber supplements to curb the effects of the meal.  Whenever possible, I'll walk after eating to help the process even more. 

Knowledge is power and now we know the root cause of that stubborn weight gain.  Let's be more mindful of the long-term effects of mindless snacking on sweets or refined foods.  

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How to Rock a Wash & Go During Fall and Winter

I put on makeup and an adult shirt for this one!

The wash & go has long been championed a spring and summer staple for naturalistas looking to break out of their twisting, rodding, braiding, and protective styling routines of the colder months. 

But what if I told you that you could rock a wash & go all year long? With a few simple tweaks, it's possible to achieve curl poppage in every season - without walking around with a perpetually soggy scalp. All it takes is a few simple styling tweaks, and you're golden!

For the fall and winter friendly version of a wash & go, I'm using products from the Design Essentials Almond & Avocado collection. Y'all. I don't know how or why I slept on Design Essentials for so long...but these products are FYE! Like, I wasn't ready.

Let's jump in to the 8 steps you'll need to rock a wash & go during fall, winter, or whenever the temperatures drop below 70 degrees (we have very loose expectations around seasons here in LA, lol). By the way, there's a video! Keep scrolling, and don't forget to subscribe!

Co-Wash...Shampoo it's up to you!

Step 1: Co-Wash
The essence of the wash & go involves capturing the coil and curl pattern of wet hair with a combination of water-based leave-ins/creams and gel. The success of the wash & go is built on how hydrated the hair is. Co-washing is an excellent primer for the wash & go, because it removes enough dirt, oil, buildup, and primes the hair for another round of styling. I used the Almond & Avocado Nourishing Co-Wash to gently cleanse and detangle while infusing moisture. The end result is curls that are soft, hydrated, and primed for styling. Truthfully, I could've skipped conditioning after the Almond & Avocado Nourishing Co-Wash, but I don't wanna start building bad habits.😂

By the way - if you've got extreme buildup or can't remember the last time you shampooed, please shampoo first. The Co-Wash ain't going nowhere.



Step 2: Condition (But You Knew This)
Even though my hair looked and felt great after the Almond & Avocado Nourishing Co-Wash, my spirit wouldn't let me skip the conditioning step. Great wash & go's are never dehydrated and crispy, so the Almond & Avocado Moisturizing & Detangling Conditioner added an extra layer of hydration and detangling to my curl prep. If you feel confident enough in your curls to skip this step, by all means do it. But I will say this - I've never known a naturalista to skip an opportunity to condition...whether it be for 3 minutes or 30.

Step 3: Rinse and Don't Apply Leave-In (Yet)
One of the biggest reason why no one looks to rock wash & go's during the colder months is well, wet hair. Especially for the ladies that don't care for or believe in diffusing (like me). Wet hair takes exponentially longer to dry in cold air, so without the proper measures in place, wash & go curls will literally never dry.

During the warmer months, you'll hear me yell from the mountaintops that the best results are achieved when leave-ins are applied to soaking wet hair. For maximum soakage, I usually do this in the shower. But for fall and winter? No ma'am!

After rinsing your conditioner, squeeze the excess water from your hair. I know, it sounds crazy. I promise, I'm just trying to help. #scoutshonor #imnotascouttho

My styling lineup

Step 4: Work Leave-Ins and Creams with Warm Water
Here's a hack for my ladies on the lower end of the porosity spectrum - put warm water in that spray bottle, sis! 

Applying Almond & Avocado Leave-In and Curling Creme (or any leave-ins, really) on barely wet hair is a recipe for clumpy flakes and buildup, thanks to products sitting on top of the strands and not penetrating properly. But after applying the Almond & Avocado Detangling Leave-In and Curling Creme, I sprayed my hair all over with a spray bottle of warm water. The warm water helps the leave-ins to penetrate adding moisture and style longevity, without keeping the hair perpetually soaked.

Not to mention, products just seem to spread and move better with warm water.

Step 5: Style On 'Em
Once the hair is primed for styling, it's time to define those curls. While I'm a gel girl at heart (and the thicker, the better), colder temperatures can sometimes mean lightening things up a bit to accelerate drying time. Design Essentials Honey CurlForming Custard does just that. It has enough heft to help clump my curls, but doesn't leave them wet for an eternity. In fact, as I worked in sections, previously defined curls started to dry almost instantly.

Use this opportunity to rake & shake, shingle, smooth, brush define, finger coil, pray - whatever you gotta do to define those curls!

Step 6: Spray
For a boost of added shine, a little heat protection, and to help speed up the drying process, finish with a few sprays of Almond & Avocado Curl Control & Shine Mist. I didn't think I needed a finishing spray, until I used it. This lightweight spritz helps ensure a faster drying time, helps minimize frizz, and leaves your hair smelling like green Jolly Ranchers. Plus, it gives excellent shine, without that "girl, you greasy" look and feel.

Basically, I'm using it every single time I wash my hair.

Obligatory puppy face Snap while sitting under the dryer in a robe I've had since middle school lmao

Step 7: Roll to the Hood(ed Dryer)
One of the best investments I made in the past year was a hooded dryer. Initially purchased for flexi rods and deep conditioning, this gem has transformed into a fall and winter must-have. I spent 30 minutes tops under my hooded dryer (similar to this one) before it was time to skedaddle to the gym. I kept raving over, and over, and over to Samuel in the car that my hair has NEVER been this dry so shortly after doing a wash & go. Seriously - I had slight dampness in my roots/crown area, but that was IT! I was able to work out without leaving embarrassing hair goop on benches or my gym towel.

And thanks to my Design Essentials lineup, my hair didn't feel crispy or dried out, either. Don't have a dryer yet? Check out this one.

Step 8 (Bonus): Lay Them Edges & Take Excessive Snapchat Photos
I always like to finish my wash & go off with sleek edges for a more polished look. The Honey & Shea Edge Tamer delivers super sleek results, with tons of shine, great hold (I was shocked), and no flaking.

Because my curls were poppin' (albeit, shrunken because they're healthy AF), I took to Snapchat for excessive selfie-ing. I've made peace with the fact that you're going to judge me.

Shrinkage is crazy, but curls are poppin'!

Add me on snap: maneobjective

You know the filter. Don't lie, it's your favorite too! 😂

Let me know in the comments how you're switching up your hair routine for fall and winter!

This post is sponsored by Design Essentials.

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The 3 Ingredient Hair Mask that Everyone is Obsessed with

We're entering into a new season.  Whenever fall rolls around, I always think about the status of my hair journey.  First of all, we're only left with 3 months before the year ends. So now is the time to get laser focused so we finish the year off strong. Secondly, hair growth rate slows so we need to do whatever necessary to promote length retention. 

The first action I've taken to combat winter hair woes is to restock on my favorite hydrating conditioner of all time.  Now that I have a brand new tub of Kanechom Shea Butter in my possession, I'm thinking about ways to balance its ultra moisturizing properties by pairing it with strengtheners. 

 I sent the mental energy into the atmosphere and the solution was soon revealed.

There's this 3 ingredient hair mask that kept showing up on my Pinterest feed.  Everyone was practically begging me to give this all natural hair mask a try.  If I simply mixed a combination of an egg, some mayo or coconut oil, and honey, all would be right with the world. 

Obviously, by taking a look at the ingredients, you can see that this is a protein strengthening treatment.  Eggs do a decent job of depositing protein on the hair strand providing a barrier of protection.  This is probably why you'll notice a tangible benefit following the treatment. 

Coconut oil has been shown to help your hair retain protein so adding it to the mix could help the newly deposited protein to "stick." 

Adding honey helps to balance out the mask by incorporating a moisture promoting ingredient.  This would, hopefully, help you avoid the unintended result of "protein hair" that feels stiff and unmanageable.

I'm going to experiment with this mask. But since my hair isn't really that damaged at the moment, I may tweak it a little.  I'll start by spreading out the frequency of how often I do this.  If your hair isn't breaking/shedding excessively, there's no need to make this a weekly thing.  Once a month or every 6 weeks might be more reasonable.

  Secondly, we need to include a little diversity in the types of protein we use in our regimen.  Egg-derived protein stays mainly on top of the strand due to its particle size. That's not a bad thing because protein on the exterior of the strand does serve its purpose.  But we should also remember to include hydrolyzed protein into our deep conditioning routines.  Hydrolyzed protein delivers small enough particles so that the interior of our strands is benefited.  The best approach is to experiment with incorporating both types of proteins and see how your hair responds.

Have any of you tried this mask yet? What's your final verdict?

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Here's Why Not Drinking Water Is Making You Fat

I stumbled on a random piece of information the other day that lead to hours of research on the internal effects of hydration/dehydration.  I've talked a ton about drinking water on this site. But it was mainly geared towards the external beauty benefits.

We all know that if we don't get enough water that our skin could be affected.  But many of us aren't aware of the impact it could have on our weight.  I mean, sure, some individuals experience positive weight benefits when they switch from drinking soda to water, but I'm not talking about that.

There's another type of impact that water intake can have on your weight and eating habits that you should know about.
As we all know, the human body is made up of mostly water.  Much of that water isn't found in our blood but it consists of fluids located in between our countless number of cells.  In a healthy individual, the fluid travels in and out of the cell bringing with it essential, life-giving nutrients.

Water levels in the body fluctuate depending on various factors.  We lose water through normal daily functions like urination, sweating and even breathing.  In any given day, we are losing water just by being alive.

Our body counts on us to replenish that water through 2 main ways:
1. Drinking
2. Eating

Ideally, we drink at least half our body weight of water in ounces a day to keep hydrated.  But, sometimes life happens and we don't drink nearly enough.  I know this happens to me all the time. I'll feel bad for dropping the ball then promise to do better next time.

But, here's the thing, when you're not drinking water, your body is STILL thirsty (internally) and needs to get access to water.  So does what it needs to do by implementing plan B.  What's plan B?  Hunger.  Most of the food we eat has water some content.  It's nowhere as much as when you drink water, but it works.  Once your food is digested, the body extracts water from it for use by our organs and cells.

Plan B isn't so bad if you eat lots of fruits & veggies.  They are high water content foods and do an ok job as a source of hydration. But if you eat typical foods that aren't mostly water, your body has to extract whatever little bit of water it can.  When it needs more water, it asks for more food.  Here you are, taking in all of these extra calories just so your body can scrounge for a little bit of water.  This, my friends, could be a root cause to those extra pounds we've put on.

If that wasn't enough, there's yet another mechanism related to water drinking that causes us to gain weight.  Sometimes, when I'm working for extended hours, I suddenly feel the need to eat something sweet.  I need the sugar in my system.  Once I've satisfied my urges, with high calorie sweets, I feel normal again.  What my body was looking for was access to glycogen which is stored up energy (carbs) in the muscle.

Typically, it's the liver's job to release stored glyogen when needed.  But, when we're dehydrated, the liver struggles to do it's job.  And, of course, our body is self-preserving so it launches Plan B--sugar cravings.  That gives it quick access to the fuel it needs.  If we're trying to manage our weight, tapping into stored glycogen is actually a good thing.  But, not drinking enough water will screw with your normal body functions.  So next time, you have a craving for something sweet, try water first.

Lastly, when your underhydrated, your serotonin levels are impacted. Seratonin has a direct correlation with you feeling full after a meal.  When our seratonin is low, the brain activates our sugar cravings so insulin levels rise (which raises our seratonin).  It's a viscious, ugly cycle and our poor waistline is caught in the middle.

If these arguments aren't enough to help you get back on track with your water intake, I don't know what will.  Not only are there external beauty benefits, adequate water levels could help keep us leaner. As I did my research, I stumbled on another "water fact" directly related to anti-aging.  I'm still gathering data but I look forward to sharing the information with you in the near future.  But for now, experiment with keeping yourself hydrated and see what difference it makes in your healthy weight journey.



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This Simple Technique is Guaranteed to Make Your Habits Stick

For most of my adult life, I've been on this journey to build effective habits.  For the most part, it's been a real struggle. I try hard. I even do the habit for consecutive days to try to imprint them in my subconscious.   None of that really worked.  So I had to deal with the disappointment and failing to develop yet another habit.  No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get some of the habits to become permanent.

But, looking back, I realize that a few habits have really stuck and I've executed them on a daily basis for years.  If I could just figure out why some habits were lifelong and why others fizzled away, I could change the course of my future.  After a bit of reflection, I think I figured out the key to making habits a permanent fixture in your life.
The whole "21 days to develop a habit" thing might work if only we were able to stick with it long enough.  That's always been my problem.  I can't keep up the charade long enough to engrain it into my life permanently.

I think I figured out my biggest mistake.  The fatal flaw is in trying to instill a new habit without a support system to ensure its success. It's kinda like an organ transplant situation.  The new organ, although necessary, isn't well received by the body unless certain measures and precautions are taken to ensure the organ isn't rejected.

Our subconscious likes to carry out routines and patterns that take out much of the guesswork. Building new habits doesn't fall under that equation.  That takes too much work, willpower, and mental exertion.  It wants you to go back to the way things were.  That's why we constantly fail at changing our daily habits.

Transplant recipients are given medication to prevent the body from attacking the life-giving organ.  We too have to employ strategies to prevent habit rejection from taking place.  Like an organ transplant, we must make our subconscious think that this new behavior is similar to our old ones. Make it believe that this is a normal part of our everyday.

 The way to do this is through a VERY SIMPLE process called habit linking.

Basically, if you want to integrate a new habit, you pair it with another, WELL ESTABLISHED habit or routine.

It's that simple.

You're less likely to reject the new habit because your subconscious is already involved in carrying out the old one.  I've been trying to get myself to go to the gym for months.  But last week, I went three times!  How?!   Well, all I did was make the connection that I could go to the gym after dropping off packages.  My gym is just blocks from the post office and, I go there almost the same time every day.  So I told myself to swing by the gym after leaving the post office.  So far, it's worked like a charm.

It was such an easy transition.  The best part about habit linking is that the habits don't have to be huge.  For example, every time I drink a can of my favorite carbonated water, I add a few drops of liquid chlorophyll as a daily detox.  It may seem like a small action but prior to that, I had a hard time remembering to use it.  Habit linking is basically the art of changing your life, one habit at a time.  It works because there's a build it reminder (the already established habit)to carry out your new action.

There are no more excuses about "forgetting" to take your desired action.  All you have to do is follow through with what you said you would do.  This method does take a little bit of willpower up front. But not nearly as much as if you were to jump into the new habit with nothing to support it.

Let's make the habit building process as refined as possible. That's what the subconscious wants, it doesn't want to exert the effort required to launch a completely new habit. It wants to operate on autopilot.  Use habit pairing to make it easy so we can increase our chances of success.  




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6 Ways to Maintain Your Wet Hair Curl Pattern

Contents: Shingle Method No Towel Drying The Comb And Pray Method Curly Girl Method Maximum Hydration Method The Water Only Washing Method You get in the shower, wash and condition your hair, follow all the steps your favorite natural hair gurus have suggested, and even used hair products that are labeled “curl defining” and promises you […]

The post 6 Ways to Maintain Your Wet Hair Curl Pattern appeared first on Black Hair Information.

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We Gotta Root for Us - Psychology & Self Love in the Natural Hair Community feat. Genedor Beauty

Why You Should Probably Be Slathering This Smoothie Ingredient On Your Skin

Yesterday, I decided to start enjoying morning smoothies again.  A few years back, morning smoothies were my favorite activity of the day.  It was the easiest way to pack a multitude of nutritional products in one, easy to consume, beverage.

via @supanovaslam

I peeked in the cupboard where I keep all of my smoothie approved ingredients.  Sitting near the back was a large bottle of powdered chlorella. After reaching for the bottle, I noticed that it was nearly full.  A feeling of dread came over me once I realized that it was well past its expiration date.

Soon, my fears were confirmed.  Engraved under the bottle was a "use by date" of 2016.   I was screwed.  There was no way I was going to risk consuming this potentially expired powder.  But, perhaps there was another, much better, use for my super chlorella powder.
I searched the internet for answers.  Before I knew it, I was supplied with answers on how to salvage my stockpile of powdered chlorella.

According to a published study, chlorella is actually a powerful skin beautifier. And I'm not just talking about the benefits of taking it internally.  When applied topically, chlorella has the ability to impact the skin in so many amazing ways. But one result in particular really caught my attention.

The participants in the study were given a cream containing 1% dermachlorella (a solution of water & chlorella).  Eleven women asked to apply their chlorella cream 2X a day for 84 days.  At the end of the experiment, all the noticeable benefits were measured.  And the results were very good....

source

Basically, chlorella changed their lives. But more specifically, they experienced measurable changes in the following areas:

• A "lightening" of dark circles under the eye.
• Improvements in lymphatic drainage/increased circulation.
• A decrease in the deep pigment of stretch marks by 32% after 84 days.

That's just some of the few highlights.  What I'm most excited by is the impact of chlorella on the firmness and tone of the skin.  Specifically, the 1% solution of chlorella increased collagen expression by over 150%.  As expected, this increase of type 1 & 3 collagen resulted in improved firmness and tone.

Well, that's all I needed to hear.  

The plan now is to convert my the dark green powder (once allocated only for smoothies) into an anti-aging, skin loving mask.  Because it's in powder form, chlorella can easily be blended into a clay mask.  All I have to do is mix in a little Aztec clay, some manuka honey, apple cider vinegar, and I'm all set!  

The women in the study applied chlorella in a cream form which means that the green algae was absorbed through the skin topically.  This is probably why there was such an impact at a cellular level.  So I have to find another way to apply it.  Right now I'm even considering adding a tiny sprinkle of chlorella powder into my super-hydrating emulsion to boost its skin enhancing intensity.

Today I gave it a try and, much to my surprise, the dark green powder easily melted into my facial lotion.  Once I rubbed my chlorella cream in, it sunk deep into my skin.  With the naked eye, I could see no traces of green tint on my face.  This is a big deal because this means that I could possibly recreate some of the elements of the study.  I'll proceed with caution to make sure that my skin reacts positively to being exposed to such a powerful detoxifier.  But, overall, I'm really looking forward to slathering on my new superfood moisturizer and I'm excited about the wonderful results ahead.




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Elle Brasil September Issue: The Quann Sisters

We are ecstatic to share our 10 page editorial and interview for the “Be Cool, Be Strong, Be Real, Be Yourself” September issue of Elle Brasil with cover star Alicia Keys.
 
We sat down with Elle Journalist, Luara CalviAnic and discussed natural hair, why positive support amongst women is so important, the power of diversity within the industry, why we felt the need to advocate more non-stereotypical relatable representation for women of color in mainstream media, what self love means, defining beauty and much more. To read the full interview and view more images, Elle Brasil is available now.
 
Thank you to Elle Brasil, we are deeply flattered to be a part of this incredible issue and share our story. -Cipriana Quann & TK Quann
 
 
Photographer: Will Vendramini 
Stylist: Juliana Gimenez
Makeup Artist: Maki H







 

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Monday Motivation // What to do when you've lost your momentum.

Every one of us working on our personal development has one thing in common.  We seem to go through these cycles of either being super-motivated or not.  It's a struggle.  We get pumped up and move quickly in the right direction, then it seems that we start losing steam.  If we allow that lull to continue, we can lose valuable momentum. Worse yet, we could forfeit some of the progress made during our high-motivation phase.

If we can master the art of maintaining momentum, we can accomplish pretty much anything.  Let's talk about ways to keep our motivation fire burning.
Years ago, I was explaining to a coworker about my journey to building my side business.  As we exchanged stories, one thing became apparently clear to him.  We both had dreams about "starting our own thing" but his dream was now a memory while mine was close to becoming a reality.  The difference, according to him, was that I continued to move forward while he completely lost momentum.

When I was still in the dream building phase, I had major challenges in keeping momentum.  There was always something that seemed to stand in the way. I worked countless hours. It was nearly impossible to stay motivated on my side project (especially when my results were minimal).  Luckily for me, I had an extremely stressful job. This provided just the external motivation I needed.  The more stress I experienced at work, the harder I worked to get out of the situation.  If I had a comfy 9-5 job, I'd probably still inching my way to freedom.  My advice for you is this, if you're unhappy with your current situation, use that as fuel to propel you to your destination.  Whenever I had exceptionally bad days, I'd take even greater action towards my business and that strategy worked beautifully.

Years later, the dream became a reality.  One of the biggest challenges I face as an entrepreneur is staying motivated.  Not just motivated but motivated enough to engage in the level of action required to continue producing adequate results.

 The very first thing I do when I start losing motivation is to remind myself that it's perfectly normal.  Motivation isn't everlasting.  So, I no longer get down on myself for losing steam.  I see it as a normal part of the process.  If we showered yesterday, do we get depressed for having to take another shower today? No.  It's because we understand the temporary nature of effects of showering.  I look at being motivated in the same way.

Once I realized the truth behind our "motivation cycle," I began to take a different approach.  I knew that I had figure out ways to refuel my drive.  The methods that worked best for me included:

1.) Staying very connected to the desired outcome.
2.) Tracking my progress
3.) Creating a system that moves the process forward.
4.) Connecting with others who were on a similar journey.

Wanting to leave my job was the end goal but I wasn't really pushing for it to happen like I should have.  It wasn't until I became completely obsessed with it that things really changed. Most of us, if we're honest, don't think about our goals enough.  Those who mastered goal achievement often talk about writing their goals down every day. This is to keep it at top of mind.  The more our intentions are top of mind, the more actions we take to move us closer.

I can say that my motivation dipped this year because I'm not really connected to my big goal.  Although I'm currently on track to reach this goal, I haven't really taken an active role lately in ensuring it happens. But, what I am doing is employing method #2 which means that I'm closely monitoring & tracking my progress.  If you go too long without checking in on your progress, you will quickly lose momentum.

When I really want to regain my focus, I have to implement some of my most powerful motivators.  Your job is to learn and understand what gets you motivated!  Pay close attention to what gets you pumped so you can implement it when needed.  I realize that when I meditate or workout out, I'm more likely to be more productive.  When I'm productive, it motivates me to do more!  When I listen to stories of others who reached their goals, I get pumped!

I looked up the definition of momentum and this one really spoke to me:

"strength or force gained by motion or by a series of events"

Notice that it says that force (or momentum) can be gained via a series of events.  The first thought that comes to mind is the Domino Effect.  When I'm feeling really unproductive, I start to implement a series of events in motion.  I'll pick out the smallest task I can do that requires little effort.  When it's done, I get a tiny jolt of motivation. It's just enough to take care of the next smallest thing on my list.  Before I know it, I've completed a series of tasks and I'm motivated to take on larger responsibilities.

When I lose momentum, I regain it taking a series of steps in the right direction.  When you know and understand your most effective series of events, you can generate your own source of momentum at will.

Another tactic I'll sometimes use to regain momentum is to take an "inspiration break."  Basically, this is when I step away from the grind and do something that will inspire and reignite my momentum.  Sometimes I'll go check out someone's travel vlog or I'll treat myself to lunch at a cute cafe.  I'll think of a place or an experience that's closely related to my goal and I try to immerse myself in it.  When I get back to work, I'm full of inspiration.

Bottom line, maintaining momentum takes work on our part.  Don't get bummed about it. Accept that it's a normal part of the journey and adjust your plan accordingly.  When your momentum drops, you should already have a series of actions in mind that you can take to reignite your motivation.  Or, better yet, skip out on motivation altogether and focus on this.

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6 Reasons You Should Protective Style This Winter

Contents: Low Maintenance Versatility To Resist Temptations So You Can Free Up Time Because It’s Time For Something New Durability As summer becomes a distant memory and winter slowly creeps in, it’s time for us naturalistas to start coming up with backup plans and styling regimens for our natural hair. I don’t know about anybody […]

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Alopecian Beauty Mixer

GET YOUR TICKETS BEFORE THEIR SOLD OUT! This Is A Event You Don’t Want To Miss. Saturday September 30th 7-10pm Full Servicing & The Ultimate Giving Back Experience You’ll See In Atlanta All Under One Roof. Thank you in advance see you there.. AlopecianBeautyMixer.Eventbrite.com

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Model Tip // The Easiest Way To Glowing Skin is This...

Because it's Fashion Week in New York, a bunch of models are coming out of the wood work with tips on how they get ready for the biggest fashion event of the year.  I checked out a recent article where the interviewer asked a slew of models to share one skin tip.

I casually read through the various pieces of advice but it wasn't until I stumbled on one model in particular that I stopped and took notice.

The woman's skin was absolutely glowing.  Of all the models interviewed, she appeared to have the healthiest skin of all. What was her secret?
Her one piece of advice was something we've probably all heard before (especially if you frequent this site).  It's a ritual that I was so passionate about that I spent quite a bit of money so I could have unlimited access to it anytime.

(Bibi showing off her glowing skin)

Model, Bibi Sharipova has quite an extensive resume of runway appearances and magazine covers.  She's been blessed with a bone structure that most of us would kill for.  As a high fashion model, Bibi often wears minimal makeup to ensure that the clothes are the main focus.  But honestly, her skin is so striking that it sometimes steals the show.

Heck, her skin even caught the attention of Shiseido who featured her in an advertisement for their world renowned products.  So what's her one healthy skin tip?  Did Bibi proclaim her love for a multi-step daily skin ritual?

Nope.

The routine that Bibi swears by are regular visits to the sauna.  Here's what she told an interviewer at a recent show backstage.

"I spend a lot of time in the sauna. I go once a week, and that's the number one tip I can give to any girl. It helps keep my skin clear, especially because at shows they use a lot of makeup on me." 

Clear skin is one thing, but glowing skin is something completely different.  Sauna sessions detox the skin on a deeper level (especially infrared saunas).  This produces effortlessly clear skin.  The origin story of my love for saunas began many years ago.  I joined a local gym that had both a sauna and a steam room.  For the longest time, I never stepped in the sauna.  Then, one day, I looked in the mirror and noticed that my acne was completely out of control.

Obviously, my products weren't working so I had to try something different.  Like Bibi, I committed to regular visits to the sauna.  A short time later, my skin was clear. The only thing I did differently was sweat for a few minutes a day.  Once I experienced the wonders of infrared saunas and how they offer an even "deeper detox,"  I was sold.  Investing in an at-home unit was a dream of mine.  But, as time passed, I used it less frequently. Especially during the hot summers.  But, as fall & winter approaches, I plan on taking my sauna regimen seriously.

If you're tired of spending oodles of money on products in search of glowing skin. I urge you to try something different.  A few visits to the sauna may do more for you than anything you've already tried.  Plus it's an amazing act of self-care.  Not to mention the slew of other benefits like increased circulation which will help keep your hair thriving during the slow growing months.



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This Ingredient Is Causing Dry Hair Issues With A Growing Number Of Naturals

Contents: What's The Fuss About? Characteristics Of The Ingredient What The Research Shows Conclusion Is this substance listed on the ingredient list of your favorite products? Have you been having problems with dryness? A growing number of naturals have been reporting that their hair seems to be getting drier and perhaps this ingredient is to […]

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