7 Day Diet: Day 2

Pin It Now! So far so good! I've lost 3 lbs from day one. I am guessing it is mostly water weight. When I went to the gym yesterday it was like my body turned on a water faucet! Not only did I sweat so much but I haven't peed that much since I was pregnant! Which reminds me, you are encouraged to drink as much as 10 glasses of water a day. This will help flush out all those bad impurities.

For Day 2 you are only allowed vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the amount or type. For your complex carbohydrate, you will start day two with a large baked potato for breakfast. You may top the potato with one pat of butter. Another note is that vegetables as may be taken in the form of a salad if desired. No dressing except malt, white or wine vinegar, squeezed lemon, garlic, herbs. And no more than one tea spoon of oil.

With Day 2 you are starting with a fix of complex carbohydrates coupled with an oil dose. This is taken in the morning for energy and balance. The rest of day two consists of vegetables which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fiber. LOTS of fiber haha!

7 Day Diet???

Pin It Now! I recently came across this diet that supposedly will get you to lose 10+ pounds in 7 days. Some people lose less, some people lose more. I haven't found anything unhealthy about this yet. The only thing I would recommend (and remember, I'm not a doctor) is to take a multivitamin while on this diet.

This 7 day diet seems to be more of a detox. Cleansing your body of all the bad stuff and putting in LOTS of good stuff. The first day (which I am on NOW) consists of eating ONLY fruits except bananas. And it recommends eating lots of melons (watermelon and cantaloupe). Mostly because they are a lower calorie fruit and it will help you lose more weight. One tiny problem for me with that is, I am HIGHLY allergic to watermelon. Yes, I know, it's weird.. With day 1, you are preparing your system for the upcoming program. Your only source of nutrition is fresh or canned fruits. Fruits are nature’s perfect food. They provide everything you could possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.

While on this diet, I will also be exercising 1 1/2 to 2 hours. For today I am sticking with cardio, keeping my heart rate up and burning those calories!! I will keep everyone updated each day on how it goes and how much weight i ultimately lose!! Wish me luck!!!

!!!UPDATE!!!
I have been looking up this "diet" and came across this tumblr page that has a whole lot more information and explanations. So far I have lost 3 lbs from day one (yesterday). I am guessing A L
OT of this weight is water weight. And a lot of the weight you are going to use IS water weight. Bring on Day 2!!!

That was a BIG break!!

Pin It Now! Okay, so I'm a new mom...Again. And it has been a LONG while that I have blogged. Sorry for the neglect my friends! I think after 2 months, I sort of have my time management down. Having 2 little ones (plus one big kid) now is a challenge but I wouldn't change it for the world :)

The first thing I'm going to start blogging about?? Well I've lost most of the baby weight but I still have about 15 lbs I'd like to shed. Be on the look out for new posts about diet, exercise, and me cursing out my big butt/ab flab!! Let's get back to blogging!!!!!

Manic Mondays: Fusing Plastic

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I would really like to thank the first person who thought of ironing plastic bags together to make a thick piece of plastic that could be used for about 10 GAZILLION things....But I have to sleep sometime so I'll just list 10 things at the end of this tutorial.I didn't use any bags for THIS tutorial though. I had about 6 Dollar Tree plastic tablecloths left over from my baby shower so instead of throwing them away...I kept them! And I wasn't sure what for exactly till this weekend when I came across an article for fusing plastic bags. I thought I'd give it a shot with the tablecloths, and come to find out...It works!

 

What's Cookin' Wednesdays: Yellow Jasmine Rice

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Last week, hubby came home raving about how one of his co-workers makes some mean Jasmine rice. Like it's that hard to make...I'm a huge fan of Mexican rice, but I'm open minded and hubby isn't a big rice eater so it surprised me he liked it so much. And it's obviously healthier, which I don't mind one bit! His co-worker chef just uses butter with the rice but I decided to take it up a notch (watch out Emeril) and add some turmeric to make it more of a Thai dish. Which complimented perfectly with our rice noodle soups (which were gluten free btw). YUM!!

Manic Mondays: DIY Produce Bag

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We have started to become regulars at our local Farmer's Market these past few months. I love the idea of fresh produce, meats, and eggs. Plus all the handmade soaps and beauty products are wonderful treasures!! Only thing is I hate bringing home plastic bags. I have yet to accumulate enough reusable grocery bags for our weekly grocery store trips (we eat a alot) so we have waaaay more than enough plastic bags.
 Thanks to Pinterest  though, I found a way to make my own reusable produce bag that I can take with me to the Farmer's Market. And it's out of OLD T-SHIRTS. Yay for being cheap frugal!!!!! 

Toddler Activity: Leaf Bracelet

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My daughter and I went for our daily walk this morning. But instead of our usual routine, I decided to let my "mini me" build some creative thinking skills and hunt for leaves to make a leaf bracelet. I can't remember which website I had seen this on and if any one finds it, please let me know so I can link back to that site. Our leaf hunt was cut short unfortunately due to rain (It came out of nowhere!) so I'll have to remember this again for another time...

Picture courtesy of my daughter haha

What's Cookin' Wednesdays: Pumpkin Bread

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So I teased everyone Monday on my FACEBOOK PAGE about my house smelling like Fall. Well since this past weekend was the start of Fall, I HAD to get into the spirit! And what better way to start than by making Pumpkin Bread. I adapted my own recipe from one called Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread. Reviewers raved that this bread is even better the day after. They weren't kidding!! I'm actually stuffing my face as we speak...No seriously, I just can't get enough.

5 Health and Beauty Benefits Using Apple Cider Vinegar

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You know that old saying, "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away."??? Well what about Apple Cider Vinegar? It's made from apple juice and is fermented to hard apple cider. It's then fermented a second time to apple cider vinegar. I've found hundreds of uses for this unbearably strong smelling vinegar on the internet and apparently a lot of them claim to be health related. Apple Cider Vinegar is a completely natural product. And I'm talking about the raw, organic, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (the cloudy stuff).  It has been used for over 10 thousand years for it's healing properties and to treat various aliments. According to several natural-health sources, ACV contains vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, beta-carotene, bioflavonoids, acetic acid, propionic acid, lactic acid, enzymes, amino acids, potash, and apple pectin. It's no wonder people say it's good for you! It's packed with some healthy stuff!! Since I've got this HUGE interest in alternative medicine, I'd like to share with you a few things I have discovered (and might even try after I pop this baby out) about ACV and how it can benefit you health wise....

Homemade Laundry Detergent for Sensitive Skin

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One of my first blog posts was how to make Homemade Laundry Detergent. Not only am I saving money but I am also watching out what kind of chemicals we use in our household. Store bought detergent = Not so safe. Homemade detergent = Safe. But now, with the new baby coming Oct 23rd, I have had to find homemade products that are safe(r) for the little guy.

I have made an adaptation from my homemade laundry detergent recipe that is not only safe for the new baby but also for anyone with sensitive skin.

Homemade Hairspray (And it WORKS!)

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Since going No Poo, I have slowly been replacing a lot of my commercial hair/body care products with more natural and non synthetic ingredients. The next thing I can cross off my list is, HAIRSPRAY!! Living in South Texas, the humidity here is God awful. So what every woman needs to keep her curls from going flat or her hair looking like she stuck her finger in an electrical socket, is hair products. Hairspray mostly. But what's in commercial hairsprays?? Poisonous fumes that should not be enhaled!!! Sure it can be safe when used properly but with the chemical compounds it contains (Polyvinylpyrrolidone, Propylene glycol, Polyvinyl alcohol, Hydroflurocarbon, Denatured alcohol and Carboxylmethylcellulose), you are taking a very large risk on your health over time. And let's not forget that it is HIGHLY flammable. Especially the hairsprays that are aerosol. These synthetic products are NOT necessary! Make sure you Educate Yourself. I know this seems very one sided but with all the other health problems we could potentially face in our lives, do we really need to add on to it??

What's Cookin Wednesdays: Charro Beans!!

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If you were to walk into my house right now, it would literally smell like a good, authentic Mexican restaurant. Or in my case, grandma's house. All those deep earthy spices topped off with the aromas from spicy chile peppers. MMmmm! It's beaner heaven!! Yes, I said beaner because I am one! Today, I'm making Charro Beans (which literally means cowboy beans) and I'm sharing MY very own recipe to you.

Every Hispanic home has their way of making charro beans but they all have one big thing in common: Time. It takes about 6-8 hours to make a real good pot of beans. Best thing about this though, if you have a crock-pot, all you have to do is let them cook over night and they will be done in the morning. Just in time for breakfast!! Mash them up and make some refried beans with those babies..Ohhhh yeah, my stomach is howling right about now haha

How to Make a Diaper Wreath

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Yesterday's tutorial was on How to Make a Diaper Cake. Adding on to that, I have decided to make a Diaper Wreath. There are a couple of ways to do this. One being the Rolled Version and the other being like the one I will show you in this tutorial. I'm not sure what to call it...The Tied Version???                              Anyways...Since I've made this for MY own personal baby shower, the theme will be sports. 

Supplies:                                                        

-Wire hanger (a foam wreath will work also)       

-Curling ribbon                                                       

-Hot glue gun                                                         

-Diapers (size 1 or newborn)                          

-Any embellishments or decorations you wish to use to go with your theme.   

-Baby items (onesies, stuffed animal, shoes, etc.)

Start by taking the wire hanger and opening it up till you have a circle, leaving the "hook" part in tact. If you are using a foam wreath, don't worry about this step.

Take an unfolded diaper and slip it under the wire. Fold the diaper closed and it should be wrapped around the wire hanger. Then take curling ribbon and tie a double knot leaving the ends loose.

 To make those pretty little curls simply take one blade on a pair of scissors (be careful) and run it along (starting from bottom to top) the DULL side of the curling ribbon. Note: When doing this the ribbon should be between the blade of the scissors and your thumb.

Keep adding diapers and tying off with ribbon all the way around your wreath. You don't want there to be any holes so make sure they are pretty snug and close together.

I added a bow on top of my wreath. You don't have to add one like mine but if you do, I went to youtube and used This Technique. I also found that using wired ribbon works best because it is so easy to manipulate.

Start adding your decorations and embellishments to your wreath by simply tying them in between the diapers and around the wired (or foam) wreath. You don't want to hot glue anything to the diapers because this makes them unusable. We want the mommies to be able to use the diapers!

For anything that does not have a way to tie on to (like balls or wooden letters) simply put a small dab of hot glue on the back and lay a ribbon on top. You will then be able to tie it around the wreath!

Cool right??? I know I'm not the first person to think of this, but I felt pretty darn smart after I did. And my brain hurt because it took me about 15min to figure it out haha!

To hang something in the center, you can use ribbon, fishing line, or if your using a baby toy take the plastic hook and hook it around the neck of the hanger. 

I then tied a toddler baseball glove using curling ribbon around the monkey's neck..Poor monkey...

This is what the final wreath looks like.  I have to give a lot of credit to a friend that helped me out. She's been helping me put together my baby shower and I think the both of us have come up with some pretty creative ideas. I think the wreath and the cake came out amazing for our FIRST TIME EVER making one. But of course, I biased.... Thanks Clarissia :)

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. I LOVE COMMENTS!

Manic Mondays: Diaper Cake Tutorial

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With my baby shower coming up in a couple of weeks, I decided to save a bit of money and make my own diaper cake. I did a search on how to make them and found that there are about 3 different methods. The Rolled Up Version, the Pinwheel Version (which I was initially going to make), and then the Folded Version (which I did make). I liked the folded version because it was different, I had never seen this, and it looked really cute. Just something to think about: I didn't go with the traditional rolled up version because I feel that taking rubber bands off EVERY SINGLE diaper is a pain in the butt. That"s 60-100 diapers you'd have to do that to!! Something a new mom would not like to put on her, already busy, schedule. I recommend the pinwheel or folded version.

How I Lost the Baby Weight

Pin It Now! This my true story on how I lost over 60lbs....

My first pregnancy was a great one. Overall my little girl was good to me, no morning sickness, no heartburn, no crazy hormones, and no being plugged up (it's a pregnancy thing). The only thing that wasn't so great was that I gained over 40lbs and in ALL the wrong places. At 5'6 I weighed in at a whopping 172lbs at the end of my pregnancy. I have never weighed so much in my life!! And let's face it...I felt like poop. Tired, irritable, self conscious, and even a little depressed. 

2 weeks before I had my daughter.

UPDATE: Week 3 "No Poo"

Pin It Now! Just an update. I'm on week 3 of not using commercial detergent or conditioner and I am really really liking what is happening to my hair. FIRST WEEK was rough, the SECOND WEEK I seemed to be over producing oil, and this third week has been great!

Week 2 of "No-Poo"

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Just an update of how things are coming along with my "no-poo" shampoo adventure...
For those who might be new, go HERE to what it is all about. I have been on journey for 2 weeks now with-out using commercial shampoos and conditioners. I use only baking soda/water for "shampoo" and ACV/water rinse (now infused with essential oils for fragrance) as a conditioner.

 My hair has made an amazing transformation in just two weeks..

Saving Lives, One Day At A Time.

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Yesterday, we welcomed a new little addition to our family.

Our local animal control was going to euthanize this adorable little guy along with his two brothers. How could they do such a thing to such a cute face?! I don't know, but we snatched him up and brought him home (I wish I could take them all!!).

AC says he is a Collie/Terrier mix (omg can you say energy?) And right now he's about the size of a Chihuahua. Simply adorable, well mannered, and took to our 2 1/2yr old daughter well (whew).

Makes my heart melt!

Since last night, I have been scouring the internet doing research on homemade dog shampoos. I've raised hunting dogs and Blue Heelers all my life so I know all about those nasty pesticides in those products. It's been on my skin, in my eyes and mouth, and it's not a good feeling. I don't want those chemicals on my daughter or on me,since I'm pregnant, or on our sweet little Astro (hubby didn't take to Cowboy, he's a Texan fan ::rolls eyes::).  He deserves better!

I've found a few homemade green alternatives but I'm still not satisfied. I won't stop till I am! Once I do find something good, I'll post a recipe for all my animal lover friends to use :)

Freaking adorable!

Baking Soda and ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar)

Pin It Now! Okay, so I have a secret. Yesterday I went to a business mixer and since I've been starting my blog, I've had a few followers now who, surprisingly, love what I have to say ( Thank you by the way, I feel the love). I had one ask me if I have been doing the "No Poo Shampoo".  I said no and stated I was just not ready yet. But in the back of my mind  I'm thinking, "Today is only day 4 I CAN get through this! God does my hair look bad? It looks dry and frizzy. And it's staring to curl. Damn this humidity."

Yep..Exactly what I was thinking (I can be such a diva)...

Week 1

So yes  I have begun my journey into the world of never using commercial shampoo and conditioners again (I think my bank account just did an applause). Sorry for the big fib guys! I promise I won't keep anymore secrets! If your curious as to what my hair looks like now that I'm on day 5, it's actually not THAT bad. I usually go 2 maaaybe 3 days in between washings anyways because my hair is so thick and curly. If I was to wash every day, my hair would dry out and look like I stuck my finger in the electrical socket. So I guess it's used to a few days without the washing.

But, I still feel the need to clean my hair somehow other than just rinse with water. Que the Baking Soda Wash and Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse. Just a quick background before I spill the recipe..

Regular shampoo has some pretty harsh sulfates in it. These sulfates clean the hair (a little too well) and strip us of its natural oils. Which THEN causes our scalp to produce more oil than is actually needed. Then there is dandruff and itchy scalps which makes us wash our hair more, and it's all ONE BIG continuous cycle. Geez...What are we doing??? Baking soda doesn't strip our hair of it's natural oils, it just simply removes the dirt from our hair. Well that sounds a whole HECK of a lot better :)

Regular conditioner can be just as nasty. "But it makes my hair feel so soft!" Yes true..But guess what. Since you used an unnecessary detergent on your hair (shampoo) and stripped your hair of all it's natural oils, you now have to use a synthetic protectant in your hair (conditioner) to make it soft and manageable. Plus the leave in conditioner, the detangler, then heat protectant. The list goes on and on...I'm no saint, I'm SO guilty of this too...Also, let's take a look to see what in it..I bet you 10 bucks if you were to look on the back of your conditioner bottle the second ingredient would be alcohol. The first is usually water. Alcohol...Really??? I might as well light a match and set my hair on fire...Okay, enough ranting..You get the idea :) 

 Baking Soda Shampoo
1 tbs baking soda
1 cup filtered water

*You will also need a measuring cup, tablespoon, and if you want a use or re-purpose an empty CLEAN container you can. 

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
1tbs of vinegar
1 cup of filtered water

*You will also need a measuring cup, tablespoon, and a clean empty container if you want to use one. 

The ratios for these recipes are flexible, you really can't mess this up (unless you don't rinse it out). If your hair is long and thick, add more baking soda, and if it's short and thin add less. I used a little bit more because I have thick curly hair, and it's about medium length right now. Use cool or cold water with the baking soda shampoo. Using warm to hot water can make the baking soda clump up, and that just won't work (lukewarm is fine). Pour onto hair and rub into scalp in circular motions. Rinse very thoroughly. 

For the vinegar rinse, I used a lot more than one tablespoon. Probably about 1/4 cup to 1 cup. Flip your head over and pour all over your ends only. No need to pour or rub into your scalp. Let sit for a couple of minutes and then rinse thoroughly. 

My personal experience..
I did the baking soda shampoo..Okay yeah, it feels clean but my hair feels dry. As I was doing the ACV rinse I was thinking, "There is no way in heck this is going to make my hair feel soft." Then as I started rinsing it out, something happened (and no I didn't drop the soap). I started to feel my hair smooth out.  Then it started to detangle. Then I said, "Holy &*$%, it works!".  So take THAT overly priced synthetic commercial conditioner!! And if that's not enough I had a hair dresser come to trim my hair (she's a mobile hairdresser, isn't that cool??) and I told her what I did and SHE even said, "Your hair does feel really soft!". Why yes...I know it does ::wink wink, nudge nudge:: I'm definitely hooked!

If you're worried if your hair will smell like vinegar, it won't. I was a little worried, but once your hair dries the smell is completely gone. And believe me, when your hair dries...It is OH SO soft. 









 
 
 

Bye-Bye Deodorant!!

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Okay, it's not what you think. I didn't completely get rid of deodorant, I have a horrible fear of being smelly. I only ditched the aluminum filled, deadly, cancerous causing, commercial ones.

Why (or what) in the world brought me to this?? Well as I mentioned, almost all commercial/traditional deodorants (non natural) contain one HUGE main ingredient, ALUMINUM.  This acts as an antiperspirant which helps stop the sweaty stinkyness we can develop throughout the day. Doesn't sound so bad right?? But this stuff is B-A-A-A-A-D!!!! Scientists have found that aluminum mimics estrogen  hormones and can contribute to the the development of breast cancer! It is also linked to Alzheimer's disease. Not to mention it clogs the ducts in our pits to stop us from sweating..We are humans, we are MADE to SWEAT! We need some way of releasing all the bad stuff from our bodies...Why would we want to keep it all in??

I have no clue, but I made up my mind real quick. And now to the fun stuff..All Natural Deodorant. Sounds great rolling of the tongue. Okay...I'm exaggerating a tad bit. But, I'm on WEEK TWO of using it and I must say the results are...AMAZING! It's like freaking hocus pocus magic. I don't smell at ALL. Who would have thought? I even tried getting my husband to smell my armpits (still trying) but to no avail. He hates me...haha

And really, when I first read up on all natural deodorant I thought, "What the heck? What do you do? Rub some pine cones under there??". Seriously.. I had no clue it was so easy to make and you probably already have these ingredients in your home (and didn't even know it): Baking soda, corn starch, and coconut oil (plus any essential oils you want for smelly goodness). I use tea tree and lavender.

Yes that is a pimento jar I have re-purposed..

Now...Since I live in South Texas and we are blessed with heat AND God awful humidity, I have had to modify the recipe. But, to start (cause I can never wait) I've been trying a basic cream type recipe and it's been working fine. I just give it a good rub in the 'ole pitters and I'm ready to go!

Coconut oil: Has a melting point of 76 degrees F. and is used for SO MANY things!!! You'd be amazed and surprised, I sure was! Here are over 50 uses for it.

Baking soda: Acts as a deodorizer (we all knew that). But please be wary, those with sensitive skin might break out in a rash or even get a chemical burn from using it. Use very little, omit, or replace with a clay (bentonite or other).

Cornstarch: Also helps in deodorizing but can also be an irritant. Switch with arrow root powder for better results. 

Essential Oils: Make everything smell nice and pretty. A lot of them even have healing agents and are bacteria fighters (bacteria makes is what makes us smelly). I use Tea Tree essential oil because it helps in fighting that nasty bacteria. You can also put in any others, but stay away from citrus cause it might irritate the skin. 


As I said before, I have modified my recipe to suit my needs (and because of the stupid heat). So I will update with a full COMPLETE recipe when I have made it!! Hope I sparked some interest and feel free to comment with any questions or concerns :)