Off the the stretching finish line! For the last relaxer, I stretched 15 weeks. For this relaxer, I'm pushing it for a week more (16 weeks). It may just be an additional week of stretching, but I believe in taking it week by week when it comes to adding on stretching time. That way, I slowly evolve with learning how to take care of additional new growth over time. 

I have to pat myself on the back with this one: By Valentine's Day week, I will have reached four months of stretching my…

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Do you find yourself talking your way out of getting fit this year on a day to day basis, even though you want to lose weight or tone up certain areas? Well, here are some great ways to talk back to your anti-fitness self and get back in the fitness game:

• Push through the negative…

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Is it possible to spot-reduce the fat on your abdomen? Yes and no. It is impossible to just do one type of abdomen workout or diet and get rid of your ab fat. However, a combination of eating right and working out a particular way makes big impact on that area and helps create a much leaner stomach. Here…

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When it comes to relaxing your hair, don't walk into the chemical process without these key tips that will save you and your hair from a lot of frustration. Here are my top 5 tips on how to prepare for a relaxer treatment: 

 

1) Don't wash your hair for a week: If you wash…

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We all know how annoying premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can be, especially when it is the last thing we want to deal with in an already busy and hectic schedule. A lot of women actually take days off from school and work because of incredibly uncomfortable PMS that knocks…

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Getting a knock-out body is not as challenging as many people make it out to be. If you are determined to achieve a knock-out body, have fun while getting there! I have found in personal experience that I was able to trim the most fat and lose the most weight when I made slight adjustments to my daily…

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If you are top heavy, aerobic exercise can sometimes be incredibly uncomfortable if you are not wearing the right bra. Any type of jump or vertical movement can be frustrating and downright painful if you are not wearing the proper support. 

In order to make working out a lot more…

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Sometimes it is very easy to get caught up in today's to-do's and obligations that appear incredibly overwhelming. So many people get so caught up in their obligations that they lose themselves to their work and chores, losing their peace along the way. Interestingly enough, I was been thinking about this issue when I came across Leija Turunen's video on YouTube entitled "Grounding Yourself is So Important!" (quick and cute video):

 …

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So, I'm happy to say that the scale has finally been kind to me since I've dedicated myself to a fitness regimen. Since I've started the regimen, I've lost a total of 10 pounds! I'm really excited about it. Here's what I've been doing since my last update a few days ago:

I've continued going to classes at my gym, especially the spinning class. So many people have told me to do spinning, but I've always been freaked out about it because every time I passed by a spinning class in session,…

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So excited to jumpstart my fitness regimen in the New Year! I know it sounds cliche, but I'm really gung ho about revamping my fitness and really taking my body to the next level. I'm not really obsessed with losing weight (although 5 pounds here or there won't hurt). I'm really concerned with toning up my figure, and that will require both muscle training as well as cardio workouts. It will also require eating right and staying away from my fave junk foods.

Today, Kwan (my boyfriend) and… Continue

I'm going to be honest and say that it is hard to get motivated to go out to the gym when my area just went through a snow blizzard with 15-17 inches worth of snow. Yikes! But I am brainstorming about ways that I can work out at home. I don't want to purchase any intense video work out programs (I already have the Winsor Pilates DVD series that I used to use years ago and helped me keep a tight and toned physique). Will probably get some sets of dumbbells and some arm workout…

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I am happy to announce that my cold is over and I am back on my fitness regimen (as of last night). I did a half hour on the treadmill and about 10 minutes on the stepmaster. I plan on doing some hardcore working out tomorrow, so I'm excited for that.



I will say that overall I am pretty pleased with my progress so far (even though I only started this challenge a few weeks ago). My clothes are fitting a lot better, and I think that is primarily due to cutting out a lot of my usual…

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So I am having a rough cold this week so I don't have much to report as to my fitness regimen this week (as the cold pretty much knocked me off my feet for the most part). But I haven't been munching on any terrible snacks, so that's a good thing. And I've avoided junk food for the past few weeks as much as possible - although I did indulge a little in a small bag of popcorn and some potato chips a couple of times.



I am excited to get back on with my fitness once my cold is over.…

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Whew! Just came back from an intense run by the beach this morning! I think my endurance is definitely getting better. I actually spent about two hours in the gym yesterday morning pushing myself as much as possible on cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical, and stairmaster) as well as doing some weight-lifting workouts (specifically focusing on toning my outer and inner portions of my legs) and did a bunch of ab floor workouts. I think I probably pushed myself a bit too much yesterday (or…

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So a little food indulgence isn't so bad during a weight loss challenge. :) Last night, Kwan and I went to Chili's to indulge in some delicious food. What did I get? A hamburger, fries, mango ice tea, and some New England Clam Chowder. I personally don't care to get bent out of shape about indulging from time to time during my weight loss challenge. As long as I don't indulge every single day and keep a normal diet for the most part on a day to day basis, a once or twice a week indulgence is…

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August 22, 2010:



So, I wanted to start up my jogging exercise regimen today but of course, it rained like crazy here so I didn't think it would be prudent to start up my exercise in pouring windy weather. I will be jogging tomorrow morning, hopefully - pending good weather!



In terms of food, I had a great breakfast: Eggo Waffles and scrambled eggs; for lunch: quesadillas and rice/beans at Chilis; and dinner: salmon and pasta salad.

The salmon and pasta salad was…

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August 21, 2010:

Hey Cafe Belle members,

I have just announced on YouTube that I am starting my personal weight loss challenge, and am inviting you to join along as well! The whole point of this challenge is to get fit and healthy. It isn't about trying to get down to a model-thin size. All of us should be mindful of our health and should be conscious of whether we are on track with our exercise and food habits. Why…

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