Artist Madrid, Naturally

2014 is less then 24 hours away. I leave for Argentina in about a week. So, I can't help but think: "What have I done this year?" This year has been filled with so many accomplishments. I was able to prove the self-doubting side of me wrong on a daily basis. I set long-term goals and then followed through by reaching short-term goals. I'm healthier, I lost weight, my Mandarin Chinese has improved tremendously, I was able to get back to participating full-time in my Bible ministry... And I am going to Argentina for a few weeks to teach Chinese people about the Bible. That prospect is both thrilling and nerve-wrecking but this is what all the preparation has been for. That is why I decided to finally be more conscience about what I eat and more active. That is why I have been learning Chinese for years. It is now or never. But I guess what's even more scary then traveling to another continent is what happens afterward. When I get back home, what will my new goals be

These are the songs that kept me moving during the changing of the seasons (brrr!): Acapella- Karmin Applause- Lady Gaga Elastic Heart- Sia ft. The Weeknd & Diplo The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)- Ylvis Ghost- Katy Perry Go Down Singing- Michelle Chamuel Mirror- Ellie Goulding Ordinary Love- U2 Roar- Katy Perry Who We Are- Imagine Dragons

I just wanted to randomly share that last week I realized my hair is long enough to be worn in a single ponytail and I've been rocking one ever since lol.

Looking back at my twenty-something years of existence, I realize I’ve spent a large amount of my life being afraid. And the majority of the time, I’ve let these fears disable me. “What if everyone hates me? What if I’m not strong enough? What if I get hurt? What if I fail?" Sometimes I imagine what my life would be like if I was just a little more fearless. Where would I be if I was a little bolder? It’s fascinating some of the dreams I’ve come up with. Then I resolve that I am going to change, that I’ll take more chances. But all my newfound boldness slips away just as swiftly as it came. I remember that I am me: the girl who is afraid of everything, who dreads change and who frets over every possible outcome. That’s me and I feel I can never be fearless.  But now, I’m starting to see things a little differently. Maybe I’ll never get over my fears completely but I can defy them. With each step I can prove to my doubting-self, that I am strong enough (even if sometimes it’s only

乐Lola Most of you already know that I named my hair LeLola but I just wanted to take a second to explain the name. Le (乐) comes from the Chinese* word XǐLè (喜乐 pronounced: SheLuh), meaning Joy. Lola is derived from the Spanish name Dolores, meaning Sorrows. So, LeLola literally means "Joys and Sorrows", which explains my hair perfectly : ) *I have been studying Mandarin Chinese for five years. +This information came from  MDBG Chinese-English Dictionary  and  BabyNames.com .

First, let me say that I have been having so much fun with my Hairaversary that I have decided to extend it by a week or two ; ) Wow! I have been natural for two whole years. When straightened, my hair length is past my shoulders (it hasn’t been that long since when I first started getting relaxers).  Now, LeLola actually falls down (when I do a twist or flat twist –out) instead of the gravity-defying look I rocked for a year. I love that I my hair is always changing and the available styles keep growing.  Yes, there are times when I would rather clean the house then wash and style my hair lol. I admit I am not as obsessed with my hair as I used to be but that is perfectly fine. Wasn’t that my purpose all along?...To find balance in my life? I still love my hair and I am so happy that 2 ½ years ago I decided to go natural again. I have learned so much about what makes hair healthy. All before I felt like my hair was just an inconvenience. Now, I know my hair is one of my most va

Organized by: Columbia Curly Girls Hosted by: Curls Natural Hair Care Products Panelists: Tracey - Lovely Products, Inc. (in the natural hair care business for 40 years) spokesperson Chasity Shipman -Owner of Nappyology 101 ( 619 Lady St, Columbia, SC 29201 ) Wilbur - Hair repair & texture specialist at Nappyology 101(the science of hair) Keisha (not pictured)- Locs specialist at Nappyology 101 The overall theme of the night was definitely how to get and maintain healthy hair through the science of natural hair. Hair Care Tips & Facts: ·         Hair should be trimmed every 8 to 10 weeks, 3 months at most ·         When your hair goes through different stages, it needs different things ·         It needs to be washed once a week: "Each head of hair is a work of art; your canvas must be cleaned" ·         Braids should only stay in 6 to 8 weeks ·         Shampoo, condition and treat hair with braids ·         Issues

Neem oil is a wonderful asset to your hair and skin. It comes from the neem tree, which is found in many parts of India. The neem tree has antiviral, antihistamine, antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial properties.  No wonder the United Nations has declared it the “Tree of the 21st Century”.  Personally, I love neem oil. I use it in my deep conditioning mix , as a pre-poo, and sometimes I even use a neem shampoo (when my hair needs extra TLC). Note: Because of its pungent smell, I would not recommend using it daily by itself. For the first 6 months of going natural, I used it to treat my severe dandruff (which is no longer a problem). The night before wash day, I would massage the oil into my scalp and put a plastic cap on my head. Then in the morning, wash as usual. It’s said that neem oil also stimulates the scalp, promoting hair growth. Neem oil has even helped me with my eczema when I am unable to get my prescribed cream refilled. So where can you can you get this “miracle” oi

I used to love fall and winter because you get to be bundled up. When you are wearing like five layers, it’s hard to tell where your clothes end and you begin. I would eat whatever I wanted and gained weight without anyone being the wiser. This year I am enjoying this season for a similar reason. Don’t be alarmed! I am still eating healthy and staying active. It’s just my appearance has really changed. I see it and everyone else does too. When I pass a mirror, I have to stop and check. “Is that really me?” And people are always commenting on my weight loss as well. At times it can be overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, I love my new body, my newfound energy and everything else.  It is a lot to deal with mentally because when I picture myself, I still see the old AM. I am still trying to learn how to reconcile those two versions of myself. Until then, it’s nice to look lumpy again for a few hours a day. My only real concern is that I will subconsciously do things to make myself gain the

So about a month ago, I started doing this body weight circuit training routine . I knew I needed to incorporate a full-body workout into my exercise routine. I chose this over a kettlebell workout because I already had all the necessary equipment. I have now worked my way up to doing all three circuits (yes, it took me that long) with a 3 minute jog to warm-up. I have a love/hate relationship with this workout. I love that I can do it in about 20 minutes and it's strength-training and a cardio workout! However, it is definitely a challenge. Once you've completed it, you feel like you've had your butt kicked. But the saying goes: "If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you" . And I love the results. The squats and lunges have made my legs stronger, which is great for running. The plank variations really work your core and my arms need all the help they can get with those push-ups lol. AM's Body Weight Circuit Training: 20 squats 20 lunges 10

Look how time has flown by. Artist Madrid, Naturally is celebrating its first anniversary and what a year it has been. Starting this blog is up there with those life-altering decisions of going natural and getting healthy. Coming here and writing about my missteps and my progress has been like therapy for me. And I hope you have enjoyed following me on my journey as well. So much has changed in my life. I am glad that I have been able to share it with you; from going gluten-free to completely my first 5k to falling out and then back in love with LeLola (my hair). I look in the mirror and I see a new person. I am stronger because I have learned how to fight cravings and how to push myself further. I am wiser because I now know what I should put in my body and how I should treat it. I am bolder because I have learned how to let my hair down (literally), as well as my protective walls. I am happier because I have finally learned to accept and love myself. I have shared a lot with you. Tha

I  have been adding food items back into my diet for two weeks now. So far, this is what I have figured out: Elimination  Foods I Shouldn't Eat: Dairy products (Lactose-intolerance) Gluten (Fibromyalgia & Digestive) Sesame oil - before bed (Digestive) Squash (Fibromyalgia) Peppers (Fibromyalgia & Digestive) Tomatoes (Digestive) Caffeine (Digestive) Soda* White rice* White potatoes (Fibromyalgia) Butter and Margarine* Processed oils* Canned vegetables* Pork* Cold cuts* Products with huge amounts of: Refined sugar* Artificial sugar* Lactose (Lactose-intolerance) Soy (Hypothyroidism)     *Items I have just chosen to permanently eliminate from diet for other reasons. Elimination  Foods I Can Eat: Shellfish Beef Bananas (occasionally) Corn Pineapple Greek yogurt (occasionally) Whew! No wonder I am losing weight quicker. I've cut out a lot but I am still experimenting with some foods. I will keep y'all updated : )

Dear Bread, I need for you to truly understand what I am about to say. I want to tell you that this isn't temporary and I'll eventually get over it. This is the end of our relationship. I remember there was a time when I thought I could not live without you. You were what kept me going through the day. I thought we had a good thing going. Then I came to the realization that our relationship was slowing changing. How come I never noticed before what a negative effect you had on me? Maybe it's my fault, maybe I've changed and you were always this way. But don't try to deny it. Within these past couple of weeks during our separation , you too have seen me transform into a vibrant person who is full of energy and ready to tackle anything. I haven't been that way with you lately. We are more defined by the horrible fights we'd have, which would lead to me locking myself in the bathroom for hours. The internal distress is not worth it. I have to do what is be

Diets are definitely one of those things that I normally just don’t bother with because they can be so troublesome; especially when you are always on the go, like me. However this fall, I decided to do the Elimination Diet to see if I had any food allergies or chemical sensitivities. Once I started, I realized that it would overlap with a girls' getaway weekend I had scheduled. At first I was apprehensive but I was able to make a success of the weekend and stay on target. Here is how: 1.)    Plan Ahead: With your diet restrictions in mind, form a game plan for your vacation. You can decide ahead of time look up the menus online of the restaurant you have reservations for, plan for one of your outings to be stopping by the local farmer’s market, and/or set up a meal plan (for those times when healthy options will not be available). 2.)    Brown Bag It: If your traveling group likes to be spontaneous, you’re trying to be frugal or you’ll be in an area with limited food choices, packi

Since this my Hairaversary, I decided to go way back (May) into the archives and do a post on how I did my hair when I went out of town for a Bible assembly. Because it was going to be a 13 hour drive both ways, I didn't want to be bothered with having to do my hair when we got there. Finally, I decided on the style below. My mom (the Braiding Queen) started off flat-twisting (for the edges) and then switched to corn rolling (so they would stay longer) my hair with Marley Kinky hair. At the top she did sort of a twisted bun or as I affectionally call it "the  Triceratops bun" lol . I loved it! And it was super easy to keep up : )

Alright, I am going to tell you this true story and I give you full permission to laugh at will. In March, a group of friends and I were invited to a Formal. I was really excited because I found a reason to wear one of my old bridesmaid dresses and I would get to do something different with my hair. Since it was out of town, we decided to go up the day of and then get pretty at a friend's house. Now, there are three things you should know:  1) I get extremely nervous before a big event  2) With this group of friends, we never get anywhere on time 3) I am so hairy that sometimes I wonder if I am a werewolf So, we are running behind and I am about to have a mini panic attack because there is so much work I have to do and we haven't even reach the friend's place yet. When I get the bright idea: "I can start getting ready in the car!" At this point, my friends are in a store looking for shawls, clutches etc. Ok, remember how I said I am extremely hairy, so

Hi, I know I have practically been nonexistent this week. That was because I had a sinus infection which completely wiped me out during the middle of the week. I am feeling some better so I did attempt to workout yesterday. I also worked out on Tuesday (my new body weight circuit training routine). Now don't get me wrong, I am not usually that chick that works out while sick. However, it just started out as the sniffles. Also everything I read said as long as you can move around, breathe and don't have a fever go for it; but of course, take it slow and use good judgement. So I did scale back my routine a bit (2 circuits instead of 3). I must say my improved eating habits and staying active (along with some home remedies ) seemed to help me bounce back quicker then normal. Another plus to eating right and exercising : )  Ok, I have two things I would like to tell you: 1.) I won't be able to participate in that 5k in November : ( Something has come up but I promise

NaturallyLazy started her natural hair journey over 3 years ago. Within that time, she has learned a thing or two about hair , transitioning and herself . You may know NaturallyLazy as a Guest Blogger here on this blog.  She recently took some time out of her whirlwind traveling schedule to sit down with me to share some of these insights.  How did you go natural? Did you transition long-term or just did the Big Chop? I sort-of did a short-term transition from August to April. Then Big Chopped after 8 months. Do you think you went natural for the right reasons? Yes. The real reason was I was going to study abroad and I didn't want strangers in my head. I didn't do it for political or empowerment reasons. Those wouldn't have been the right reason. While transitioning, were there times when you wanted to give up and go back to the creamy-crack?  Probably but I can't really remember now. What kept you motivated during your journey? Curiosity, wantin

(Beans, Starch, Sweeteners) (Meat, Spices) The Rundown: At the beginning of Week 3, I decided I would go ahead and eliminate the specified items in the meats and spices groups, along with starch, beans and sweeteners. It started out a little rough (Olive Garden breadsticks- Enough Said!) but I soon redeemed myself. I went food shopping the day before, looking for reasonably priced gluten-free and soy-free products. I was more than a little wary of giving up my filling and cheap wheat products; but I had two weeks to prepare myself (in the weeks before I had already given up extra refined sugar). I found a lot of good products at a nearby grocery store. They even had a whole organic, diary-free and gluten-free aisle. I ended up finding gluten-free: brown rice pasta, hot cereal mix, a chocolate bar (also diary-free) and some other really good food. I also picked up a bunch of fresh fruits and vegetables.  I definitely prefer that set-up to stores where the regular and special diet

First, let me say I know I have completely been slacking with my hair posts. I would like to apologize. Natural hair is why I started this blog in the first place. I am truly sorry to have neglected the topic. Because of this: I decided to have a Hairaversary!!!  AM, what is a Hairaversary?  Well, it is commemorating the anniversary of a natural hair goal or event.  Alright but what is ArtistMadrid's Hairaversary all about? Good question. The end of October will be my 2nd anniversary of me being completely natural. Also November will be the first anniversary of this blog. So I thought why not combine the anniversaries and make one big Hairaversary!  What will this Hairaversary involve and why is this post written in question and answer format? To tell you the truth, I am warming up my interviewing skills because this month I will be interviewing some fabulous Naturalites and posting them here! I will also have great natural hair tips and products reviews. Oh and t

The Rundown: During week two , on top of not eating excluded foods in the fats, nuts, and veggies categories, I also took out certain dairy products, fruit and beverages. I could only drink water and herbal tea. I couldn't have citrus, bananas and a couple other fruits. I was supposed to have no dairy products but I made an exception with Greek yogurt*. How did I do? All in all, I did pretty horrible job. I started Friday with making a completely Elimination diet-approved meal (broiled fish, brown rice, honey roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli). At that point, I felt like I could really make this work. But then being busy and temptation got in the way. Sunday, a friend of mine and I hosted a baby shower. I had started off saying I was going to just pack my own lunch/dinner but then time got away from me and I was stressed trying to make everything perfect. So by the end of the evening, I had not only ruined my diet but I had also over eaten (due to the fact I was nibblin

Hi Everyone! I hope ya'll are having a Great weekend! When I say that for the majority of September I did not lose any weight, I am not exaggerating. For every pound I lost, I'd gain two more. This reminds me of my old "dieting days". What was holding up my progress? For about three months now, I have been totally slacking in using my Weight Watchers food tracker app (which is even worse now that I am supposed to be recording what I eat for the Elimination diet). It is really easy to use but after months of being on the WW program, I guess I just got lazy. The first two months of me not using the tracker, I still did pretty good with staying on track. But in September things got stressful, so portion sizes and balanced eating was put on the back burner. Now, I didn't do horrible. I was able to maintain my weight (which gives me hope for the future). But I realize in order to continue my weight loss I definitely have to record what I eat, especially on those

The Rundown: I did a good job staying away from everything except for the fats . I was not allowed to have margarine, butter, shortening, processed oils. I think this category was so hard was because it took more forethought. I did absolutely fine at home, I cooked with olive and sesame oil. But when I ate out, I had a problem. Instead of just looking at visible ingredients, I had to think about how the food was prepared. I automatically said "No!" to fried foods (which I rarely eat anyway). But there are so many other dishes that are prepared with some sort of fat. There were several times that I was mid-way through a meal and then I'd remember: "Wow, I really shouldn't be eating this!" And then I would finish my food lol. Benefits: I must say that I have had more energy this week. It was definitely a hectic week but I didn't miss a beat. Which is surprising because the past couple of weeks I have had to cancel a lot of my activities due to exhau

I bought this DVD in a multi-pack, that included some more of Hemalayaa's workout, about a year ago. I have tried the other two DVD workouts (once!) but never this one… Until now! I used to have a horrible habit of buying workout videos and then half-way through: I am on the couch watching the people on the screen finish the workout. I am very pleased to say that I actually finished this one! It has an option to complete the mini workouts separately but in the end I just kept going. It was that much fun!!! Afterwards, I was like there is no way that this workout was 45 minutes. This Bollywood- inspired dance workout was a mixture of bhangra and belly dance. But with of its bouncing around it is somehow remains a low-impact workout (there one move where there is hopping involved but Hemalayaa insists several times not to do this move if you have knee problems). I wore my coin (hip) scarf to get into the mind-frame of a Bollywood Workout Princess.  Wearing the scarf, hel

I' m human, I make mistakes and my viewpoint is flawed. But I'm also determined not to let yesterday's mistakes dictate today's choices. I'm determined to reconcile the two totally different ways I view my body into one true positive image. Today, I will work harder and smarter at being healthy and continually remind myself why I am Uniquely Awesome... And That I Am Fighter! ...And so are you! Have a Happy Friday : )

Most of the time I realize I've made tremendous progress with my weight. As a result, I am healthier, stronger, and usually more confident. Why use words like "most of the time" and "usually"? Well, sometimes I have "bad image" days. No matter how much I stare in the mirror, I can not find that new person. All I see is the person I was two years ago, before going natural made me brave and using a healthy lifestyle to loose weight made me appreciate Me. I can only see the imperfections, the things I need to change. I feel like the last 8 months have been a big waste of my time because nothing much has changed. I've had this issue since I was a teenager but I guess I thought as I lost weight this problem would slowly disappear as well. I mean don't get me wrong, I have definitely come a long way on my journey of self-acceptance but I realize I still have a ways to go.

I have decided to do a "modified" version  of the Elimination Diet. Today is my first day, although I've been toying around with the idea for a while. Even though, I eat much healthier then I did a year ago, I know many of the chemicals in the food in my diet are in no way helping with my Fibro woes. There is also a chance that I have other food allergies besides being lactose intolerant. That is where the Elimination diet comes in. It allows you to weed out those offending foods. How does it work? In the original Elimination Diet, you are supposed to cut out different types of foods all at once (see the "Exclude foods" on the chart below). Then after three to four weeks, add them back slowly to see which ones are the culprit. Now, y'all know me! I think if I were to cut out beef, eggs, gluten (most starches) and artificial sweeteners all at once, I would starve and then I would die (not from starvation but heartbreak). Also, I don't think I could remem

My Fave Tracks: Clarity (feat.  Foxes) –  Zedd Safe and Sound - Capital Cities Counting Stars -  OneRepublic Parachute - Ingrid  Michaelson As Long As You Love Me - Justin  Bieber These songs were among the ones that got me through my first 5K. Sometimes when the pain gets to me, I will actually sing-a-long. Plus,  its  harder to get bored when walking if you have a catchy beat getting you pumped. My Fave Treats: My  fave  food, right now, is Greek yogurt. I think I’m a tad bit obsessed. Why do I say that? Well for starters, I  have three different  faves : Yoplait  Greek 100 Yogurt (Peach) : When I need a filling but low-points snack, this is a welcome alternative to carrot  sticks ;  ) Per Serving: 5.3 oz, 100 Calories, Fat-0g, Carb-14g, Fiber-0g, Protein-10g *2 WW Points Plus* Dannon Oikos  Fat Free  Greek Yogurt  with Fruit at the Bottom (Strawberry) : This yogurt is impossibly smooth and creamy, while still having that thickness  I love. Per Serving: 5.3 oz, 120

Nuf Said!

I realize that I haven’t written about my hair in a while. And I will really soon, I promise! But right now, I want to update you on my next jogging goal! My next 5k will be November 23 rd ! It is another evening race, so I guess I will have to mosey on down to Academy Sports soon  to get a warmer runn ing outfit (wink, wink). It is also a “ Crit ” (or criterium  style race). Trust me! I had to look up what that meant too lol. I now  know   it  is a lap course usually in a city. Th is one will cover about 2 blocks.  My first 5K was a flat route through shady (and normally quiet) neighborhoods.  So I am  definitely  excited about trying a different type of  course. I am also excited because I am pretty sure that some of my friends will be joining me this time. YAY!!! My goal is to complete the course in less than 45 minutes (10 minutes faster than my first) and to jog a least half of the time. Which means: In total, I will have to jog at least 22.5 minutes. This seems a bit dau

I know, I know...Months ago, I said I was going to do a post on my stretch routine. I am extremely slack. Well, here it is! Before I begin, I do a few dynamic stretches to get me warmed up. These include leg swings and lunges. Then I start off walking fairly slow, until I'm all loosen up. My post jog stretch routine gets a little more complicated. So, since a picture is worth a thousand words, I decided to save y'all the headache of figuring out my vague descriptions and created a Pinterest board instead. Check it out! Post Jog Stretches-Pinterest Board

...Should Be Everyday I made this awhile back but happened to dig it up today. Just wanted to share : ) Hopefully this information will help you be more "empathic" to those you know with Fibro. Stay Strong!

So about a week or so ago, I'm doing my hair in the mirror and I notice something. I have a waist (again)! In middle and high school, I had a clearly defined waist. At the time, I felt like it was the only plus to having such a large top and bottom. Then as time went on, my defined waist slowly disappeared : (  I know getting it back should be really exciting for me (it was for a moment). But then I started stressing about how I was going to keep it this time. You may or may not know that I have sporadically been doing strength training for my arms. But now my mind is buzzing, trying to find the best way to tone my body as I continue to lose weight. Running is good for burn calories and strengthening my legs. Dancing does the same while also developing my flexibility and balance. Stretching also helps with my flexibilty and balance. But I am definitely missing a puzzle piece! Whether you are a strength-training guru or novice, please share what types of activities have worked best

So I have been having a rough few days. Nothing in particular is the matter; well I should say nothing new. It’s just every little thing seems to bother me. Now just so you know: One of my goals is to rise above the drama. Obviously this week, I haven’t been doing a good job of this. But I get the feeling things that will get better and here is why: Today, I took a bit of time out of my schedule to Read, Run and Write. They are a part of my Mood Booster plan. Read : Even though I don’t talk about reading much here, it is one of my favorite things to do. Most of the time, I am one of those Type A, introspective people.  So my mind is always going, trying to solve the next problem, trying to plan the next event, trying to figure out how I could have handled that situation better or just plain worrying that I’ve forgotten something. Reading sparks my imagination and gives me a break from analyzing my life. I am really into sci-fi right now. So it is always nice to take a break from the st