Friday, January 18, 2013

Day 25 of my Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

The promo pic for the Catalysts 4 Christ video shoot
Good morning! It's my 25th day on this diet, and I am feeling great! Just last night, we did a concert for our group Catalysts 4 Christ's very first music video, and I was jumpin' and hoppin' all over the stage... (it's Rap music). I literally had a blast and my energy endured even after the concert, for a long time!

I slept well and woke up this morning, and my body was a bit tired, so I took the 3 tbsp of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup water and chased it with the 1 cup of fresh water, and I had a little energy. Then, I made some cream of wheat and hot tea and had 1 tbsp of my coconut oil for the day. Already I feel energized and ready to work, and I have cooked half of dinner for the evening also. I got a lot of compliments about having slimmed down since I had had our 6-month-old daughter, and am happy to note that I actually lost 3 pounds finally this week haha! Finally tipping the scale in the right direction... :)

The coconut oil and apple cider vinegar diet is this:

1/2 cup of organic coconut oil per day
3 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar per day
Some exercise
Anything else I decide to eat.

OK, so today I have a few tips for those trying the diet (especially if you're having a difficult time with it).

1) Try the coconut oil it with orange juice.


If the tea takes too long to boil for your coconut oil and you have to rush out in the morning or something, just get a spoon of coconut oil and use orange juice (or your favorite fruit juice) to chase it down so it will be quick and you will get it in your system. It will melt later on in your tummy and within 30 minutes your body will feel the difference!

2) Use more or less oil.



No worries if you do not use exactly 1/2 cup of oil. If you get just one tbsp of it in your system per day, it will still help your body to kill candida and assist the body's metabolism. If you need extra energy, use extra spoons of oil. The more oil you use, though, the more energy you will have. That can be good or bad. If you are very tired, and you use it, you will still sleep.

*The coconut oil only assists the body by helping its natural processes. It won't throw off your sleep like caffeine would. You will sleep better, though, and wake up more refreshed.

3) Exercise.



If you want to slim down quickly with this diet, I definitely recommend some regular exercise. My first 20 days I did regular housework and some projects but it didn't make me "lose" weight, I only trimmed down. However, my close friends actually lost weight earlier on in their coconut oil and apple cider vinegar diet simply because they made the effort to do cardio, Zumba, and aerobic workouts that would help them to slim down and strengthen their muscles.

At first, we feel lethargic and are out of the habit of working out. But after some time of having so much extra energy, the desire to be more active rests in and one simply "must" exercise. I have found that this diet helped change the way my body feels about exercise. It's not as difficult anymore to get started or to break a sweat. The coconut oil and apple cider vinegar also have been helping me with my dancing, I feel more flowing and free when I move.

4) Try apple cider vinegar alternatives.



If the ACV is disgusting to you, there are other ways to get the great benefits of apple cider vinegar in your life. Try the pills, or even the pre-mixed drink as a supplement. The key is to get it in your system and let it purify you from the inside out.

For your reading pleasure, I found a book about money (everyone needs to know about money, especially when you're dropping dress sizes and need a whole new wardrobe!!!):



Have a blessed day! See you again soon :) Here's to a healthy life!





Sunday, January 13, 2013

Day 20 of my Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Me and the family at Olympic Park
This diet has been fulfilling and awesome. To be able to start doing something for my body that makes it healthier and see my friends prospering in it too is more than a Christmas gift. Thanks for everyone who has been supporting me! I actually am the same weight lol. I don't know why. I had been lifting weights and toning and slimming down, but when I got on the scale today at Mama's house, my weight is exactly the same!!! Maybe it's because I just ate a huge bowl of food and I "pigged out" at a barbecue earlier today. I knew I should have weighed myself empty-stomach lol :)

However, since I have been feeling healthier, I won't change the diet. I'll just exercise more this week than last week. There's nothing wrong with doing a little bit more. This week, I will try one of the Zumba videos each day and I'll let you all know which one I chose. It's incredible to me that I feel so much lighter on my feet and desirous to work out compared to 20 days ago. My sentiments are that I am on an upward curve.

Here is the diet:


1/2 cup of organic coconut oil per day
3 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar per day
Some exercise
Anything else I decide to eat.

Tips about the diet from concerns I've heard:

1. "Nasty tasting Vinegar!!!" Ok, if you get non-organic apple cider vinegar, use about half of the amount mixed with 1 cup water. The organic tastes sweeter and not as tart as the regular kind. It's something about the way they grow and process the organic vinegar that gives it a lighter taste.

2. "Drinking oil feels weird! :)" If you can't get a hot drink with the oil, you can use something cold to chase it. The point of drink afterward is to help make swallowing the oil more pallet-able.

3. "Half a cup of oil is a lot" It's ok if you don't use an entire 1/2 cup of oil. Just a few tablespoons of oil with tea or a drink a few times per day helps get the oil in the diet. 1/2 cup is just a guide for it.

4. "I went down a dress size" If you go down a dress size, make sure you have some money set back so that you can go shopping for your new body... lol :) my pre-pregnancy clothes are good enough for me, but be prepared!!! :)

For your reading pleasure, I found a book about success and failure:

Failing Forward By Maxwell, John C.

I love John Maxwell, and his heart for people. Though he is clearly a natural born leader, he teaches leadership to those who want to sharpen their leadership skills. He is a motivator and he loves God most of all. This book talks about how to move from failure to success like I need to do hahaha!!! I am just keepin' it real. Props to all my friends whose pounds are slipping off during this diet. I am celebrating with you!!! :)



I love it. I have the strength in me now to work off the pounds, so now it's grind time! I'll see you tomorrow! =D


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Day 17 of my Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Greetings fellow bloggers!!! Loving this Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet!!! OK, so today lemme reflect on my progress. I started out weighing 175, and wearing size 12 clothes. Now it has been 2 1/2 weeks, and today I am definitely lighter and more light on my feet.

The first morning after I started the diet, I woke up with no body pains. I instantly felt cleaner. I instantly had more energy. Now, my legs are slimmer, my belly mass is decreasing, and I am lighter! I just wish I had a scale to get on so I could report my weight!!!! 

Normally, I would feel bottled up being stuck in the house all vacation with not a lot of funds. But after I started this diet, I didn't care WHERE I was. In fact, I like being home because I have more energy to do creative things here like redecorate, mix and master music, write songs, edit our website, plan, and play with the children. Plus I get a ton of time to pray, which helps with introspection and growth to be in the presence of God. 

Stress

Today I felt this rushing feeling like "Oh my Goodness! I need to hurry up and lose more weight!" Then I realized, I am losing weight anyway. I didn't do a whole lot extra to get this far, and as long as I keep up with this diet, I'm going to lose the weight! No matter what I do, I'm still going to lose the weight! Praise God! My metabolism is better, and I burn off whatever I eat. I have also been doing household projects that I used to detest! Haha! Life is better when you have more energy. It just Is. 

List of Benefits of Coconut Oil

Dr. Oz shares that: 

"intake of coconut oil can help our bodies mount resistance to both viruses and bacteria that can cause illness. 

Even more, it also can help to fight off yeast, fungus, and candida.

Coconut oil can also positively affect our hormones for thyroid and blood sugar control. 

People who take coconut oil also tend to have improvements in how they handle blood sugar, for coconut can help improve insulin use within the body. 

Coconut oil can boost thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. 

It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins."-The Surprising Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

List of Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

WebMD shares that:

"Some small studies have hinted that apple cider vinegar could help with several conditions, including diabetes and obesity.

RD.com shares that with Apple Cider Vinegar in the house you can benefit in many ways:









I hope that you will join me in my Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar diet and for those who already have, cheers! I am happy for you that you have added these special ingredients to your daily diet. Here's to excellent health!!!

Have a wonderful day!

Here's my favorite kind of coconut oil:


Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Day 16 of my Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Good afternoon fellow bloggers. One word about the Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet: RESULTS!!!!! So I started this diet on Christmas Day 2012. Last night my daughter came in from out of town having last saw me on Christmas Day, and she said my legs are lookin' slimmer and she can see the results! I tried on a dress that I had always thought was a shirt since my Godsister gave it to me, and my husband and I figured out last night, that it was indeed, a dress. Hilarious!

Here's what my friends are saying about the Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet:

"Things are going great. I did a Body Pump class yesterday as well as Zumba. I noticed that I am sweating more which has its health benefits. A friend stopped by today. I hadn't seen her since Christmas Eve. She told me that I had slimmed down since the last time she saw me and asked what I was doing. Of course I shared! Keep up the good work ladies! Cheers to better health!" - Jan 4, 2013

"I really put my work in today , Apple Cider , Coconut diet rocks !" - Jan 7, 2013

"Body Pump on Monday.....Step Aerobics on Tuesday! Alright Wednesday, what's on the menu? What is your exercising looking like? Let's keep it going ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!" - Jan 8, 2013

I'm so excited for us all making the decision to start healthier habits this year. This diet has made things incredibly easier for us simply because the oil gives the body an increased metabolism that actually encourages more exercise!  Now I plan to really put in work between now and next Thursday because our group is doing a video shoot for our theme song that day and I want to be totally prepared for it and feeling great!

Here is the diet: (which I calculated to come down to about $15/mo. to keep vinegar and oil stocked)


1/2 cup of organic coconut oil per day
3 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar per day
Some exercise
Anything else I decide to eat.


The thing is, the body pain I used to feel, it's still gone! The heaviness I used to feel and the lethargy? Gone! The "hopeless, never gonna lose this weight" feeling? Gone! I celebrate that my friends have been "facebooking" me telling me that they've gotten their oil and vinegar and are now going to incorporate this diet into their daily lives. For those who have stayed faithful to it, the results are steadily showing up. For me, I'm just glad to see what I see when I look in the mirror looking better and better and know that I'm not being selfish and keeping this "secret" to myself.

For your reading pleasure, I found a book about coconut oil:



This one states that coconut oil "boosts metabolism, stimulates thyroid function, improves cholesterol, helps curb sugar cravings, and aids in weight loss." Woweee!!!!! I have experienced this for myself now!!! It's true! I am so glad and grateful for God giving the gift of wisdom this past Christmas. This is a really great diet. I hope you'll join me.

Have a great day today! See you tomorrow! :)

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Day 15 of my Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

My <3 Purity Samiyah W-G
Good morning fellow bloggers! I got like 4 hours of sleep last night with my 2-year-old daughter who wanted to stay up until 3:30am doing little random things like taking out toys, talking to her sleeping sisters, and bringing me her sippy cup every time I'm about to fall asleep... but I love her!!! =D

At 7:35am, I got up and, at about 8:30am when I got back to the kitchen, I drank my apple cider vinegar and drank my coconut oil and Vanilla Chai tea and started mixing and mastering my favorite new song from Catalysts 4 Christ (me and my husband's rap group). It's Tight! Nevertheless, I should probably get a nap.

But I look and feel lighter today. I love the feeling. And I am much more energetic. As well, my desire to change for the better is overall stronger. I have noticed that my propensity to think negative thoughts has gone away along with the drudgery feeling that I used to feel in my body before I started on this diet. I love it! Cheap, simple, and effective. And my close friends are seeing results too. I hope that maybe Americans can all see how easy this is to include coconut oil in their diets and actually become healthier as a nation. Maybe one day, this blog will be a contributor to that cause. God bless it.

Here's the diet, just for repetition's sake:


1/2 cup of organic coconut oil per day
3 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar per day
Some exercise
Anything else I decide to eat.


Today I want to talk about something so simple. The difference between Virgin Coconut Oil and Refined Coconut Oil.

Virgin Coconut Oil
Virgin Coconut Oil

Virgin Coconut Oil tastes sweeter, more authentic, with a strong coconut flavor. It feels a little bit smoother and melts more like coconut on the in-between stage. Some recommend it over the refined version because they feel the refined version may be unnatural.

Refined Coconut Oil

Refined Coconut
Oil
The taste of the Refined Coconut Oil oil is pretty flat, in other words, it could be sweet, but it really has no flavor in comparison to most oils and especially has no flavor compared to the Virgin Coconut Oil. Because I use organic coconut oil, I usually use the refined version, simply because it is what is normally available when I go to the store. Also, it is easier to use because the flavor is more neutral.

However, I think for the purpose of this diet, either one should be fine. I've been using the refined version for the length of this diet (15 days so far). If I switch, and feel a difference, then I will report it.

For your reading pleasure, I found a book about coconut oil:

Coconut Oil By Gursche, Siegfried



This book calls Coconut Oil "The Miracle Oil for Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, Weight Loss, and more." Amazing! And last night, my Mama called me and told me that Dr. Oz mentioned coconut oil on his show yesterday. Dr. Oz explained that women should use coconut oil rather than mineral oil for personal lubrication purposes because coconut oil has antifungal properties and does not cause the skin to dry out at length.

Here is an article by Charles Mattocks on Dr. Oz's website about the benefits of Coconut Oil: http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/charles-mattocks/benefits-coconut-oil Awesome read!

Well, that's all for today friends. Have a great day, and be blessed :)

Monday, January 7, 2013

Day 14 of my Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Good afternoon fellow bloggers, today I am loving the results of this coconut oil and apple cider vinegar diet. I feel better inside and out. I was focused on losing the weight from my baby belly, but noticed that my curves are more evident, and that I can actually suck in my belly and fit all of the pants I wanted to wear for a long time! Of course, I won't, I'd rather wait a little while since my plan is to actually be slim enough to fit them without sucking in my belly haha :)

Here is the diet plan (so simple):


1/2 cup of organic coconut oil per day
3 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar per day
Some exercise
My hair curly with coconut oil in it
(before I flat iron)
Anything else I decide to eat.

Coconut Oil on Hair

Today I want to talk a little more about the hair styling method I do with the coconut oil. I shared in an earlier blog that my I actually use 100% organic coconut oil to moisturize my hair ("nothing but the finest fruits and berries" lol) And I mentioned that I use a thermal spray. I want to also mention that I use a prep conditioner prior to heat styling that works wonders in keeping my hair from flying away or getting frizzy while it is straight. 

Here are the "chemicals" I use:




And when I do my daughter's hair, since I don't like to use conditioner with her (more chances of her getting it in her eyes when she bathes) I use the leave-in conditioner 

Jojoba Flat Iron Cream

These help her hair stay straight longer, and her hair is a little bit more curly than my hair naturally. It has a bit of a stronger smell to it though, so I prefer the conditioner for myself (it's 100% Vegan too).

Basically, just condition, dry, apply coconut oil, and then apply the thermal spray. It helps my thick hair stay straight and dry. I know this is a totally different way of using the oil from the diet, but it's great! I get the supplies from Sally's, and because I am a military veteran they give me a free membership every year. Great city we live in :) 

For your reading pleasure, I found a book about coconut oil:

The Coconut Diet  By Calbom, Cherie/ Calbom, John 


I had this book, and I handed it off to a friend. I had already resolved that coconut oil was great so I wanted to help my friend see it too. This book is so true. Coconut oil really is helping me lose weight while I eat my favorite foods! I love it! Based on the title, I should be slimmer in just 3 weeks, which is, 21 days of this diet! Wow. I'm 2-weeks into the diet, and I don't know if I ever wanna quit! I love it! :) I feel so free and energetic and I actually look forward to eating whatever I like! :) It has recipes in the back too, where you can use other coconut products as well, if you like coconut lol :)

Well, have a blessed day today and I hope this helps somebody. God bless!

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Day 13 of my Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

Greetings blog friends :) I'm still trucking along steady on this coconut oil and apple cider vinegar diet! :) So today I woke up and realized just how dependent upon coconut oil I've become. Not that I'm addicted, but without using it, I crave for tons of food like a geek and never feel full! Today, I ate a decent-sized portion for dinner and then my eyes got big, and I went back for seconds. Then I decided to do my coconut oil after dinner. Bad choice. I instantly stopped feeling hungry and felt instantly full! Well, great for my appetite breaker, but now I wish I hadn't gotten seconds!!! Hahaha!!! The good thing is that in spite of eating Dirty Rice, Fried Chicken, Black-Eyed Peas, and Cream-Style Corn for dinner, I feel incredibly energized and ready to cut these boys' hair! Also, my mind seems to be very clear. I love it. From now on, I will do the coconut oil BEFORE I eat, and NOT after lol.

Fiber

I find it relevant to suggest to those trying this diet with me that you make sure to include fiber in your diet so that as it runs through your bowels your body can take full advantage of the benefits of the oil. Grape Nuts or some fiber cereal or fiber bars help a lot with cleaning out the body. Also, fiber helps the body to absorb liquids. You can read more here about the health benefits of fiber: http://ehealthmd.com/content/what-are-health-benefits-fiber

Here's the diet, for those reading this for the first time:

1/2 cup of organic coconut oil per day
3 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar per day
Some exercise
Anything else I decide to eat.


I wish the best to all of you who have started on this diet with me. I will report my weight very soon! That's it for today and be blessed!