For The Record Friday Blog Feature Post - Monika!

For those of you who have been following my blog, you may be aware that there is a part I to this For the Record: Blog Feature Post of Monika: The lady that handles it all. I wanted to shine the spotlight on this lady because she makes life appear effortless and in our journey to be effortless women, it is imperative that we learn how other women make their lives easy and most importantly enjoy it! Here is part II of the Interview:

<<< Want To Get Rid of Belly Fat? >>>

 

Do you find yourself doing this in the mirror? We all look down and see some ways that we can improve our bodies. Not because we're vain, but it's about temperance and maintaining the bodies we have been given on loan to by God. So how do we get rid of huge bellies? Through exercise and being disciplined about our diets. Remember posts I made regarding meal planning? Well, this is a follow up to those posts. From my experience, I learned that all the extra snacks I added to my meal plan was not helpful and when I did heavy cardio, I lost weight in areas that I was not intending on losing weight. So, then the next question was, how do I get rid of stubborn belly fat without losing the other weight that I like in my almost athletic shape?

Treat Stress

I get so weak in the knees i can hardly speak, i lose all control, but not over my boo. It's my crimson tide. It's really so unbearable that first day, that walking around and even chewing my food becomes a huge chore. I know that I need to find ways to de-stress after it leaves, so I did a quick search and found this article. Titled 8 Natural Ways to Fight Stress.Click here to read article.

Declutter a Naturalista's Life

I'm moving! So while there is all this change in my life, I want to get rid of some of the old. This means I need to Declutter my Life...starting with all these files and other paperwork I had stashed at my former job and in one of my dresser drawers. A snow day brought me to this, but I intend on making the bests use of the time.

I found on Oprah's website information by Suze Orman for decluttering. If you run a home business or any business, you can used the suggestions given in this article . I'm telling you it is helpful and being organized and clean looks good on everybody. Hope you find that article as helpful as I didn't. Now for me to get to my pike of paperwork.

MuAh & CiAo! @lofanaturalista

Body Essentials - the "Naked" truth

So this "Naked" juice, the green machine, is delish! I absolutely love it! My friend made a smoothie for me once and it was yummy too. Turns out, I can drink strawberries if it is properly diced up and the seeds are pretty much obliterated. am I the only one that can't take seeds, pulp or threading in a drink...It's to much for me texture wise.

At any rate, these drinks are delicious. I feel full off half a bottle of this stuff. But no wonder, it I s 100% juice with 5 3/4 apples, 1 banana 1 kiwi, 3/4 mango and a hint of pineapple. I wouldn't get these many servings of fruits in one sitting...maybe an apple and a banana a day and that is pushing it. this drink is so amazing I had to write a post about it.

at any rate, I did my friend's locs yesterday and I'm excited to post pics about this. I completely forgot to take a before picture and then record some of it while I was doing it. We got to talking and watching this tv show and that idea totally left my mind. Yesterday was such a great day! I did so many things and had an absolute balllllll!

It's no wonder I'm ready to go home now even after coming in to work at a later time. I love late days. Anyway, life is really good right now. It's been awhile since I've been happier. Just remember, eat and DRINK healthy. Love you. Our Natural is Beautiful. MuAh & CiAo!

Body Essentials - I'm ba-ack!

YEs, I know, I know. I have been gone for too long. I have fallen off the band wagon of updating my blogs and videos, but I'm back and I am here to stay. I have been studying for my Professional Counseling license examination for weeks. I took the law test and passed that and took the licensure examination and passed that. Highest praise to God. Yes, i love Jesus! lol

So, as I figure out what's next with my career, I already know what I have in store for my body and my hair. I want to continue living healthy of course!

I have been working out 2-3 times a week still, working on my water intake. That is still a struggle when I have busy days and don't want to be interrupted by multiple bathroom breaks and then maintain a healthy diet. I say curry chicken is healthy! Meanwhile on the hairier side of things, I have been comtemplating cutting my hair. Yes, i know, i know...I wonder if I have reached my hair growth ceiling...My hair has been at this length for sometimes, yes, I have cut the ends due to split ends and what not, so possibly it can stand to grow an additional inch or two. I guess I could work towards that and then cut it in the Winter. who knows.

At any rate, life is good. I'm excited. I've posted pics on my IG @livlyhood and on my pinterest account Linnea' Parsons. More pics and videos to come. I gotta share my current style and how I acheived it! Missed y'all and can't wait to share more pics and ideas!

Live on purpose! MuAh & CiAo. Our Natural is Beautiful Campaign 2013!

Body Essentials - Flaxseed? Who would have thought?!

I am really trying to work on eating healthier meals...I have started by having one raw meal a day and work out 3x's a week at least. Sometimes I want to workout everyday, but it's not necessary. I'm realizing that my diet affects my body as well. Guess what helps with dieting...flaxseed...So I eat my raw meals and pour flaxseed meal (blended flaxseed) on top of things or in smoothies.

I read about all the healthcare benefits to flaxseed. Here is the recent smoothie I blended:

handful of Romaine Lettuce

few leaves of Baby Spinach

Half of green apple

honey

Raspberry tea brewed from my own specialty brewed tea

or my salads:

lettuce

baby spinach

raw baby carrots

veggie burger/chicken (form of protein)

balsamic vinaigrette dressing

It was actually very yummy, the blended flaxseed adds sort of a nutty flavor to the salad and i hardly tasted it in the smoothie. So, that's good. It was probably more of a texture issue for me seeing that drinking things that has seeds or pulp seems to bother me at time. I guess it's a mind thing. At any rate, both are delicious dishes and I'm going to continue experiementing with other recipes as well. Share your flaxseed recipes with me! Live on purpose. MuAh & CiAo!

Body Essentials - Raw Food Dieting

So, we have heard of Raw Food Dieting. If you haven't, um....I don't know what to tell you because this raw food diet has been out for several years now. Between the Ital Restaurants and these websites that offer wholesales on oils, vitamins and other thing, there are so many different ways to remain healthy the natural way vs taking all these pharmaceutical pills. Don't ask me for a tylenol, because I don't do drugs. I won't have it. \

Anyhoo, I have always felt that raw food dieting is pretty expensive. I'm just trying to get a better understanding of what foods are best for what, so that I know what to eat more of based on what i'm trying to fix. I know what pineapples are good for! ha!

But anyhoo, as I find information, I will put it under my Body Essentials post this month. So look fwd to learning more about raw food dieting with me. :-)

Have a safe weekend everyone, MuAh & CiAo!

Body Essentials – Yogurt Can Do That?!

Who would have thought yogurt can be used for hair, skin and your overall body functions? Not me, ask me to eat some yogurt, I’ll tell you, “No thank you, I’d rather not eat spoiled milk.” but cheese is actually worse than yogurt. But that’s for another blog post.

Benefits of Yogurt

• WOMEN – if you have a yeast infection, you can coat your tampon in yogurt and put in the freezer for 1 hr, then insert tampon for 1 hr and remove. Do this process for twice a day until the infection is gone. Yogurt will kill the bacteria that leads to yeast infections in the first place./I read about douching with yogurt as well or just using castile soap with some tea tree oil. I mentioned this in a previous post.
• Use PlainYogurt as a face mask by simply spreading the yogurt on your face at the end of a hard day’s work for 20 minutes. The yogurt will work at breaking down the bad bacteria formed on skin throughout the day and will leave you with clean skin after rinsing it off. (If you have allergies, check the ingredients of your yogurt and be careful not to use if you are allergic to any ingredients listed – Better to be safe than sorry)
• Yogurt can also work on your stomach when feeling nauseous and it can also help you when you have gas.
• Yogurt can also boost your immune system is 2 servings per day is taken.
• Use Yogurt to help in making a protein conditioning treatment for your hair.

Ingredients & Steps to making Protein conditioning treatment

Egg Whites, Plain Yogurt

Mix ingredients in bowl. Put mixture all over hair. Put towel in warm water and place warm towel over head for 20-60minutes. Rinse out with luke-warm water. (Hot water dries hair out) Shampoo, rinse and dry as usual.

Who would have thought? Yogurt also helps to curve your appetite, so I guess I’ll be eating more Yogurt, though I don’t care for it, simply because of all the added benefits. I’ll take mine in a nice smoothie to go. Want a few healthy yogurt smoothie ideas? Click the following link:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_smoothie_recipes

MMMmm, yummy! These recipes makes me want to Live on Purpose, MuAh & CiAo!