Fiber + Protein = Fat Loss

This twosome helps cut cravings by keeping you satisfied longer by breaking down food at a slower rate in your body. Before the day is through, whip up a protein shake, steam some leafy green veggies or pack dried fruit for your afternoon snack. Whatever it is, just make a point of doing it!

**source: oxygenmag.com**

My Hair: 12 Week Post

I am 12 week post and do not feel like texlaxing my hair yet. I want to wait until mid December and see how I feel again about my new growth which I love the texture of to the point that I think of transitioning to natural. However it will all depend on my long stretch. My ends are not looking good and I plan on getting a trim or mini chop in Dec or Jan.

**Pics were taken a few days apart**

Great Healthy Breakfast Option: Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an ideal healthy option for breakfast however we have to distinguish rolled oats from quick oats. Rolled oats a.k.a standard oatmeal and old-fashion oats are whole oats that have been steamed, rolled and flaked so that they cook quickly: 5 to 10 min. Whereas quick oats a.k.a instant oats are oats that have been precooked so that we only need to mix them with hot liquid which is the reason why quick oats do not provide the long term energy of its rolled counterpart. Long term health and stable blood-sugar levels are just a cup of oats away, recent research concluded that individuals who eat 2 or more servings of whole grains (exple: whole oats) daily can reduce their risk of hypertension and all cardiovascular diseases by as much as 23%**.
The pic shows the type of oats that I eat for breakfast, I enjoy both of them and often mix them together. How I prepare my oatmeal:

• 1/2 cup of oats
• 1/2 cup or less of water
• 2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Coconut oil (unrefined and cold pressed)
• 1 tbsp of Flax Oil ( unrefined and cold pressed)
• 1 scoop of vanilla flavored protein powder (Syntha X from BSN)

After cooking the oats with the water, I add the coconut oil, flax oil and protein powder. So yummy and healthy!

**source: Oxygen magazine, Sept. 2008**

My Fat Burning drinks: Green Tea & Water!

Green tea, which contains high concentrations of antioxidants such as catechin-polyphenols and many other compounds including caffeine can cause us to burn 3.5 % more calories per day. In other words, drinking 3 cups or more of green tea per day can increase your metabolism by 3.5% over a period of 24-hour. I can totally tell you that it is true, Green Tea has worked for me and still does. I drink up to 4 cups per day and I love Green Tea, the best tea ever which has so much healthier benefits than coffee or any other tea. It is my quick pick me up drink, whenever I drink it I feel so energized!

Don't forget water! I drink up to 2.5 liters of water daily, I am working on drinking up to a gallon of water daily. Our bodies require water to function. If we are not getting enough of it, our bodies will retain the water it does have access to until more water becomes available again. By drinking more H2O, our bodies will remain properly hydrated and will function optimally – allowing excess water to be eliminated – which will flatten out the tummy within a few short days.

A CHANGE HAS COME

Barack Obama: first African-American president of the United States of America!