How to choose protein?!

Most common

I decided to post on Protein Power choosing a protein powder will on your nutrition and workout plan of course, and the results you are trying to accomplish in the end. It’s a MUST to get enough protein in your healthy eating plan! What I have learned is that protein contributes to fat loss, boosting your immune system, increasing bone density and improving your health overall. For some women, simply choosing a whey protein powder will be sufficient for your needs, BUUUUT its always a idea to look at other options.

First thing first what is your goal? Weight loss, weight gain?

So going to just guess that you would like to lose weight. Having a protein shake after your workout is great way to replenishing and repairing your body to build long, lean muscles which will burn more fat off your body. So you need a post-workout shake that is basically protein only not a lot of carbs. It will be about 90-130 calories, usually 20-25 grams of protein and less than 3 grams of carbohydrates. Got it? But, you may want to take a protein shake instead of a meal – in this case, you would want to get full meal replacement shake. You can buy protein powders that are meal replacement shakes, generally 200-250 calories, the down side of that it is often full of unnatural ingredients, or you can make your own by adding fruit, yogurt, peanut butter, greens and a wide variety of other whole foods.

Shaker or Blender

Question: will you be drinking your protein shakes on the go? Nothing but a scoop of powder, add water and shake? Or, do you plan to be at home, in the presence of your blender? On the go, for convenience and a really good way to mix the powder, pick up a blender bottle. They’re about $10 and completely worth avoiding the taste of un-mixed dry protein powder. If you have a blender, GREAT!!! You have an endless variety of making protein shakes or smoothies. Remember, that the more food you add, the more calories you are adding to your shake. These meal replacements shakes are great for breakfast smoothies!

Types of Protein Powder

Shopping online or in a natural food store like Whole Foods or Sprouts, you’ll find a large variety of different types of protein powders. However, the most often used are Whey, Casein, Egg, and vegetarian/vegan types like Soy, Rice. By far, Whey is the most popular form of protein powder and usually the least expensive. The other protein powders can be very useful particularly if you have particular food allergies, or if you are lactose or soy intolerant.

I really like this one I can drink it alone!!

Whey Protein Powder

Whey protein is a nutritional complete, high quality protein source with higher amounts of branched chained amino acids. Branched chain amino acids are an important source of energy during exercise. Whey is a quick digesting protein, this means it will start breaking down in your body almost instantaneously. This is great for after your workout, but it will not keep you full for very long.

Casein Protein Powder

Casein protein, in contrast to whey, is a much slower digesting protein source that can help sustain the body’s protein needs over a longer time period. This would be more beneficial when you are using your protein shake as a snack to keep you full between meals. Casein is better when made as a whey/casein blend. That way you get the benefits of both proteins – high quality branch chained amino acids from the whey protein and you will be full longer.

Egg Protein Powder

Egg protein is a perfect protein source since it has a complete profile of essential amino acids and branched chain amino acids. It’s sometimes harder to digest than whey and can leave you with that awful bloated feeling, cramps or worse…(gas) so I am not a fan of this!.

Vegan / Vegetarian Protein Powders

Soy protein is very popular in the vegetarian and vegan circles. Derived from soybeans, soy powders make for an ideal alternative for those who do not consume animal products such as whey. While soy protein is high in branch chain amino acids, it is still viewed as a lower quality whey alternative because the body cannot absorb it as well. There are a lot of options out there for the vegans and vegetarians besides soy. These protein powders are a great alternative for those with any allergies to gluten, yeast, milk, eggs, soy, nuts, and shellfish. rice, hemp protein powders are all complete proteins with good nutrient profiles but the taste is lacking compared to soy or whey. They don't mix well by stirring SO BLEND it up!!

Taste is what’s really important!

This is really what it’s all about. You want a protein powder that tastes good! Or  you’re not going to use it and it will be of no benefit to you. Protein powders have come a long way and many come in a large variety of flavors and taste really good. The best way to find the right one for you is to sample a few. Most of your friends probably have a container of protein powder sitting around. What I learned as well is that Whole foods sells a lot of single serving samples, too. Here are our recommendations based on what we like best.

SO GET YOUR SEARCH ON!!! And let me know what you end up using!!

Until I write again, Until you read again

Kisses and Misses

Source: real womens fitness

Tuesday quotes

I hope you have a fantastic day but just in case your not!! Turn your bad day into fuel and fight though your work out!! You will feel so much better when it is all over and done! You will forget the reason you thought your day was bad..

Until I write again, Until you read again

Kisses and Misses

Why am I doing it?!

I am promoting HEALTHY living!


I have decided to really get the word out about living a healthy lifestyle. Looking at my own family tree it really made me ask myself, “Self, Do you want to make it past 50?”, “HECK YEA!!!” Well it’s time to do something about it!!

I keep hearing well this runs in my family, and that runs in my family there is nothing I can do about it. That is so untrue. You can change your lifestyle from the way you eat, drink, and your activity level that will decrease your traits of different inherited diseases. I look at it like this I have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and a few more family traits that hanging from almost every branch and or leaf over my head, but I will not be the next branch to pass it down to my kids, (or at least I will make every effort not to). I have started to teach my family healthier habits. I want to be an example of what life can be like. I do not need to drink or smoke to feel alive or happy. I want to make sure my sons know that it is okay to make a doctor visit even when there is nothing wrong. I want them to feel like this is all okay and just a part of life not that they are doing something special, or out the ordinary. I want them to know that when you live a mentally and physically healthy happy life you are well balanced and truly happy and will be able to deal with life and the hard choices you have to make.

My son tells me all the time that I changed and I am happier and I’m not always tired and grumpy. It feels good to tell him it is because of the food I eat the exercise I get. The fact that I pray, meditate and live in the moment with him right now that I can smile more. Then when he hears that and slowly he wants to eat what I am eating he wants to work out with me, and he wants to meditate with me. The change is happening. Hopefully he takes the lifestyle that I am teaching him and when he’s older he will teach his family.

The little steps I make today and change within my family can change the rest of my family tree. When his son/daughter goes to the doctor and they ask those wonderful health history question. Did your mother have…… Did your grandmother have….. Did your father have….. Hopefully with the change in behavior the answer to all those questions can BE NO!!

It’s scary to see so many people I know in their late 20’s early 30’s complaining of high blood pressure, chest pains, migraines, depression, insomnia, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. Some of us drink so much and because it is just on the weekend we think it is okay and never go to the doctor to get your blood levels check. All the while our liver isn’t function at a normal level. We’re having chest pains from all the fried food we’re eating late at night and going to sleep on, and can’t understand why we could be having the chest pains. But hey who cares WE ARE YOUNG, right? WRONG the choices you make today will help shape your future. Look at some of the old pictures of mom and dad, aunts and uncles. Skinny healthy and fit! Then over the years life set in and they changed. Heck look at us, and remember our high school pictures then look at us now??!!

So when you are older that heart will be clogged up worst. Your kidneys will be damaged even more, and your liver will be worst. Walking/ dancing in the club every weekend in those 4 inch heels your knees will hate you. Never letting go of the stress that everyday life can cause will have you one more bad phone call away from a stroke.

Living a healthy lifestyle can be expensive, but drinking water is cheaper than soda, and alcohol. If you bake meats instead of frying them is cheaper one less ingredient you have to buy. Have a family salad with leftover chicken is cheaper; reusing food plus you’re not using the oven. START COOKING and stop eating out!! Especially “fast food”. You can go for a walk/run before bed, or walk up and down the stairs a couple extra times a day for no reasons; Finding a cheap class that you can enjoy to do that will push you and hold you accountable. You can Youtube a workout and watch and try it for FREE99 at home. You can read, write, laugh, pray, and love openly and honestly to freely release stress. If you want to make a change stop making up reason why you CAN’T and start planning all the ways you can.

I created a Bootcamp class to give people that way to get the group fitness experience without all the money. I wanted to do a crossfit class and it was like 140 a week!! I wanted to do a outdoor bootcamp class $40 a week $150 a month. I was like WHAT!! I was told that I can have a private Personal Trainer for $65 a session(1 hr) plus $35 for nutrition counseling. Boxing Gym membership was insane!! So I got fit at home and use my plain old gym membership when I had some extra gas to get me there, and Personal Trained myself 70 pounds lighter and I have kept it off!!

I challenge you to change your health and your family tree!!

I was featured in a Blog!! :)

Good morning!!!

So a really great friend of mine has started a wonderful fashion blog!! And she did a blog post about my weight lost journey..

Check it out!! One blog to another! LOL

Fashiondiva in the city

Until I write again, until you read again,
Kisses and Misses

Hair woes, and blues

Does your hair MAKE or BREAK you when it comes to working out?

Pic from BGLH

So lets think.. Ummmm  if had to make a choice to have a the hot body, or the hot hair, which one would you choose?

Sadly when it comes to us brown girls, 3 out of 10 would pick the hot hair.

But I’m just thinking out loud, no finger point or judgment from me. I have been in the same boat; get my hair done then I use to have to think umm how will I do this!! But I have learned SO much over the past 8 months I know now that you don’t really have to choose. We just need to re-evaluate our style choices!! Now 3 out of 10 girls you can stop letting your hair disrupt your healthy.

Now the all important style choices.. We have the all natural girls. BY FAR THE BEST work out hair style for us brown girls. Then you have the twist, braid, and weaves coming in at a nice second place then final you have the updo.

The biggest question I had was can I wash my hair? Keeping the moisture in your hair is the most important with any style! You can not get away from sweat when working out. And too much sweat can be super drying and therefore damaging to your hair. So what I learned “ try and limit your shampoo days to once a week (pH balanced/sulfate free suds of course) and opt for either a dry shampoo (if you have relaxed, natural blown out hair, weave or locks), suds less shampoo, or a rinse and condition regimen (if you have natural hair that is not heat manipulated/dependent) on the days your drenched in sweat.”

Look in to some new hair product that will make you hair healthier. I have worked out off and on my entire life I’ve had relaxers, and now natural hair. And I can say that the key to working out and maintaining your hair style is the way you style it. Since I went natural leave-in conditioner is my HOMIE. I use it before and after workouts. And I learned with natural blown out hair use heat protecting or anti-reversion styling products. They protect the hair from heat and environmental damage. Recommendations: Giovanni Direct Leave In Conditioner, Keihl’s Hair Conditioner and Grooming Aid Formula 133, and John Frieda Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray.

Who wants to spend hours and dollars at the salon only to sweat it out in bootcamp class? Not one person I know. So my thoughts are spend money on your hair now, and even more on medical bills later? LOL.. Okay I’ll stop it.. Go natural it feels good and you look good.. LOL okay again I’ll stop.. But really.. If you get your hair done on Saturdays then, take Sundays off and start with some low impact workout light cardio and increase the work out as it gets closer to your hair appointment…

When doing your updos Pull it and wear a head band to help it stay dry... But with what ever your style is play around with ways to make it through a week and still look good and get fit!! Try not to worry about rocking the cotton hair bands they hold down your edges and a silk scarf can’t handle sweat and 30 mins is not going to break off your edge. Also to lock in moisture, oil your scalp and edges pre workout. I like jojoba oil, and olive oil. The oil will definitely help repel some of the super drying sweat you accumulate in Body Combat or Bootcamp, so try to do that.

So just a few tips to help you get fit and healthy without having to chose between your HEALTH or YOUR HAIR..

Until I write again, until you read again,
Kisses and Misses