❁❁ Muz ❁❁

So, I was going to wait until I BC to start a thread in here as a fresh start, buuuuuut I'm impatient and since I've been lurking around this forum lately I figured I may as well start participating now

About me: I'm 26, graduated from law school last year, looking for a job in this horrible economy, playing with my hair is all that's keeping me sane right now. I'm currently transitioning and have been "officially" transitioning since about 5 months after my last perm, but my last perm was in May right before graduation. I'd been playing around with the idea of going natural for a while, but I kept telling myself I'd do it after I got married (which would make more sense if I actually thought I'd be getting married anytime soon ) or I'd convince myself that I wouldn't be able to deal with my hair because it was thick as all get out when I had a perm and I could barely deal with it. But not wanting to spend money (or time, a trip to the salon can take waaaaay longer than it needs to because I'd be sitting there waiting to get in the chair for so long) on getting a perm (which was usually a torture session for me because my hair would always itch right before I needed to get one. I think maybe God was trying to tell me something. . . LOL).

This long period of unemployment and not being in school has caused me to start focusing more on making myself happy with what I project to the world, so in addition to going natural, I'm also trying to lose all of this weight I've gained from sitting in lecture rooms for the last 3 years. I figured a new body to go with my new hair. So far I'm doing pretty well on both, I just have to stay focused and disciplined.

If I had more money right now, I'd probably be a product junkie, so I guess that's some silver lining in my situation. The last couple of weeks I've been experimenting, but my basic regimen remains pretty much the same:

• co-wash once a week (at least)
  
• Deep Condition once a week (this is where I've been experimenting for the most part)
  
• Seal in the moisture using this process
  
• Style (maybe I'll use some raw shea butter, but lately the styles I've been doing had me using ORS Twist and Loc Gel-- I love that stuff!
  

I'm loving transitioning right now. I was going to just let it grow and clip my ends until all of the perm was gone, but after I started doing my research (kinda sad that we have to do research on how to take care of our own hair) and seeing videos of BCs and Wash n Gos, I've decided I'd like to have a bit of a TWA for a while (but nothing too traumatizing). So I'm now planning to BC after I hit a year of transitioning. I'm vacillating between just having my mom or a friend cut it and going to my stylist and having her do it. I don't really know of any Natural salons here, and I do still feel pretty loyal to my stylist since I've been going to her since high school when I used to get it done every two weeks (ah those were the days, when I didn't have to pay for it )

While I like learning how to style my own hair, I do get frustrated when I don't get something I want to try perfect the first time I try it (I know, unrealistic expectations), but I'm still going to keep trying. I want to get flat twisting and cornrowing down before I cut my hair.

Anywhoo, this is just an introduction, so I'll start posting my updates and trials and joys in this forum, as well as soliciting advice from anyone who happens to read this. I look forward to ending my transitioning journey and beginning my natural journey with you all!

RoseBud wrote:i will be following.

jcanalena79 wrote:Hey there! My black soap (the real, raw kind ... not the one they add other stuff to and dye black) came in the mail today. So excited to start using it tonight!!

BlondeByDesire wrote:welcome ...

Thanks

sweetdrk1 wrote:Welcome!!

ChrsLvsBks wrote: Have fun!

I plan to, as if I need another reason to think about my hair all day

KinkyNappyHappy wrote:Welcome to the challenge....I love BlackOnyx77 and thanks for posting that video about sealing moisture.....great information!!!

Enjoy!!

You're welcome! I hope it works for you, it's definitely been helping me out

So today I'm not doing anything to my hair, it's been in a bun since I last washed it which was on Wednesday. I find I want to wash my hair all the time, but I know I need to just leave it alone. Washing my hair used to be a trial for me and I used to loathe doing it. Between washing my hair, blow drying my hair, and flat ironing my hair, I just wasn't into it. Also, it seemed that no matter what I did to my hair, I couldn't get it to look the way my stylist got it. So I'd do alllllll of that to my hair just to put it in a ponytail. I wish I'd known about bantu-knot outs back then, I would have had a lot fewer days looking like a bum.

I can't stop staring at my waves. When I posted the pic on facebook, I had to advise my friends not to get seasick from my waves

I also have a fascination with my curls, I have cut a couple of pieces in places that aren't that noticeable and I have to make myself not play with them. Sometimes I'll just wet that little piece and play with it trying to see what the curls will look like. LOL

Here's a closeup of my hair after I did my first ACV rinse (which I LOVED, where have ACV rinses been all my life!), but before conditioning (which I LOVED, where have ACV rinses been all my life!)



Needless to say, everytime I wash my hair the further I get into my transition, the more I want to just BC, but I'm determined to reach my goal of a year and learn how to do some different styles. I'm thinking of it like Christmas for children, you wait all year for that one morning to see what you're going to get. I'm hoping I'll be happy with the results8)

I did do my 30 minutes of aerobics today, I've finally figured out how to make the Wii Fit make ME work, and that's to not just do the stuff I know I can do and to really push myself. I've lost about 10 pounds in the last 5 weeks, it doesn't sound like much, but I'm going the "slow but more permanent results" over the "kill myself to lose weight fast only to gain it back faster" approach. I've also been watching my portion sizes (did you know that one serving size of Girl Scout Cookies is only 4? Yeah, that hurt my feelings-- especially with regard to the Thin Mints ), and not forcing myself to eat even when I no longer want the food just because the food is there. I think I'm doing pretty well, as long as I keep seeing results I know I'll have the motivation to keep doing it. Now that it's warming up here in Ohio, I plan to start walking around outside (maybe as I distribute more resumes and applications). I'm tired of being cooped up in the house all the time. My goal is to get back down to the size I was when I finished "pledging" for my Sorority. LOL, I don't think I'll ever be that small again, but I'll be happy to get down to a size 14, I start looking sick if I get any smaller (people were asking me if I was on drugs. LOL, I really miss undergrad sometimes)

Everyday is a struggle to figure out what to eat for lunch, I think I may walk to Wendy's and get one of those new salads

ktoliver5303 wrote:Guuurrlll look at them roots!! Your hair look so good and healthy!! Keep up with what you are doing honey it looks great!! I just got on the scale and from quick eating because I work long hours and school I HAVE GAINED! So I am going on vaca (not going to fool myself to say I am going to diet on vaca... I live in Houston and I EATS...

Wii fit is THE DEVIL!! When I first got mine I got on the pad and they did my height and wait and then my avatar got real plump the scale went up to red and obese flashed across the screen. Thank God for my high self esteem because that was so rude!! When I get back from Vaca this time I will be focused on weight loss. I really need to get back focused. I am super sexy thick but for my health I need to take some of it off. So Kudos to you for taking that step.

LMAO! I know, the first time I got on it, it made me feel really bad about myself. I hate it when sometimes I get on and it tells me I gained a pound or two, but then like two days later it will say I lost 4 pounds in one day LOL, but I'll take it. I haven't missed a day in about 6 weeks. My arms are looking smaller and I can see my body getting a little slimmer (or maybe it's just me convincing myself of that? LOL) but I'm going to keep at it. I've started doing the strength training stuff, I didn't realize my body was so WEAK (ugh!). But I want a Wii Fit Plus so I can design routines instead of having to stop and select something, that's wasting minutes where I could be finishing my 30 minutes! ~lol~ But I have a couple of weddings to be in next year, and my chapter's 30th Anniversary celebration, and I want to be fly in all of the pics, not avoiding the camera

And thanks for the compliment on my hair

NubieNatty wrote:yes muz...ur roots are crankin them coils OUT!! cant wait for your BC!!

umm yea that dmn wii fit straight embarassed me in front of my family, especially when the bar goes back n forth between obese n normal..but when it landed on obese and my chic fell back wit a beer gut..im like aww come on now...seriously!! i got off usin the infamous line "this computer CHEATIN"

LMAO! And that is why I did it by myself, and I have my Mii password locked. LOL, you can still see how fat she is and the progress, but you can't see the numbers if you don't know the code. I love how it always says "that's obsese" after every weigh in like I can't read the damn screen But as long as that BMI number goes down I don't care.

LaToya28 wrote:Your new growth is beautiful! I will be watching for your bc because your curls will be popping fa sho!! Congrats on your transition and your weight loss. Keep it up and you will definitely reach your goals! I'm on a weight loss journey myself. It's going well although I do have my bad days.

NubieNatty wrote:yes muz...ur roots are crankin them coils OUT!! cant wait for your BC!!

umm yea that dmn wii fit straight embarassed me in front of my family, especially when the bar goes back n forth between obese n normal..but when it landed on obese and my chic fell back wit a beer gut..im like aww come on now...seriously!! i got off usin the infamous line "this computer CHEATIN"

ktoliver5303 wrote:

WHEN I TELL YOU I GOT TEARS COMING DOWN MY FACE LAUGHING!! I MEAN OUT LOUD!! Wii fit is REAL! My mouth dropped like wait... My avatar is a fatty!! DAMN!!! I mean it spares NO FEELING what so ever.

I am now encouraged to take it out of the box (because I was about to ship it home, I packed it and called it a bastard while doing so). I am truly inspired because I am going home for good soon.. I am even more a social butterfly in person so I have to stay fly. (I am the hotness now). I will just be Johnny Flaming then. Shall I say FLAME ON!!

But you keep up the good work honey. Just know you are inspiration to me, I will continue to follow your thread.

Yes, I too think it is quite a rude little thing. LOL, but you can make it feel bad when you decide not to hear it's little tips (besides I think it tells you the same 5-10 tips over and over and over. Maybe they change as you lose weight?). And @ calling it a bastard. Yeah, I've had my moments where I didn't want to deal with it and I've gone months without using it (and it reminds you how long it's been since it's last seen you ) but I think as long as I keep working out and pushing myself I'll see results. And thanks for the compliment!

KinkyNappyHappy wrote:Just remember that May is only 2 months away. Hang in there!!!!

Looks like you have taking good care of your hair with both textures. I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised!!!

So the Wi Fit is the real deal!!!! Interesting......

Yep, I'm hanging in there. The two textures really hasn't bothered me at all, sometimes I want to just be rid of the straight part, but that's for aesthetic reasons, not because I can't deal with both textures. LOL, maybe if I didn't have time to be so patient with it I'd have a different opinion.

And Wii Fit is what you make it. LOL, for the better part of almost a year I wasn't utilizing it properly so I didn't see results, but now that I've ventured out of aerobics and into the strength training I think I'm getting better results because I'm pushing my body harder. Here's my typical routine:

• Island Lap in the Running in Aerobics (but I still haven't figured out how to get it 4 stars, I think it's woefully lacking when it comes to tracking my actual pace and whether or not I'm keeping the same pace)-- this gets me warmed up and I usually start sweating just a little at this point
  
• Hula Hoop for either 6 or 10 minutes, either way I'm usually tired as heck by the time I'm done doing it. LOL, but this will really make me work up a sweat depending on how much effort I put into it. It's waaaaaaaaaaaay harder than it looks, but it helps to have some good music going that you can sing along with because it makes the time go faster and it makes me want to work a little harder if I have a good beat.
  
• Strength Training- I mix it up here, I like the Torso Twists, the Rowing Squats, the Sideways Leg Lift, the Single Leg Extension, and the single leg twist. I HATE the Arm and Leg lift, but that's only because I can't do 10 reps of each arm/leg without cheating. LOL, so right now my goal is to be able to do that without wanting to throw the remote at the TV

By the time I do all of that 30 minutes has passed, sometimes I'll do a 30 minute free step on top of that while I watch TV, usually I do that on the weekends.

So I switch up my routine as I see fit to keep myself interested. Also, the balance games can be fun sometimes, I like the Ski Jump.


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Okay, as far as today goes, my hair is still in the baggied bun. It's doing alright, but I'm starting to remember why I didn't stick with the winter bun challenge I'm tired of this look already, and it hasn't been a week yet. But my hair and I both needed a break.

Of course that doesn't stop me from playing with the piece that I cut in the back, especially when it keeps tempting me. So here's a pic I took last night, I like to call it "Shrinkage":



Yep, that's what I'm going to have to deal with. I think on one hand it will be annoying because I'll have to do more work to showcase my actual length (when I get some length), but on the other hand, it's going to be great for the summer when I won't want all of that hair on my neck. I may not even have to use a headband to keep it off, which will be great for me AND my hair. In that pic the piece wasn't even completely dry yet, so it shrunk up just a little bit more. LOL

Okay, off to do my workout and enjoy this loveeeeeeeeeeeely weather we've been having!

Lynnieluve wrote:I'm a little late! Welcome to the challenge!

Thanks!!