A Brand New Day: 2014...

Ah….2014 is here. Exciting stuff. A start of a New Year….all the New Year resolutions people are making….you know, all that good stuff planning for the year to come.

Well I am starting this year at 151 pounds!!! Haha…yeah, I enjoyed the holidays a bit too much and I am back to my chunky monkey self. As you can see I have a full face, kinda fat neck, boobs…which melt away when I am leaner, and if I where my jeans…a definite muffin top. Oh yeah, did I mention a little back fat? Lol. Old habits die hard. I frequently get heavier over the holidays and then I slim back down. Same old thing….same old Annette. But what is different about me from previous years is this…..So what if I am chunky!!! No sweat!!! I will lean out to what I feel is optimal for me….hopefully by the summer. Minus 11 pounds of fat…and some heavy duty weight training should make me all better.

My goals are simple this year…

Relax
Log my calories (I eat less when I log my intake)
Train 3-4 times a week
Actively be a part of 3 bodybuilding Forums (Check in minimally weekly) all year

That is all. If I am consistent at doing all 4 things, I will be lean enough to look good :)

Birthday…..

I turned 49 a few days ago. My Motto for this year for myself is Forty-nine & Fine….haha…I can be that.

Coach…..

I will continue to retain my current coach through 2014….he is the best. Well actually, I plan to have him as long as I have my health and can financially afford him. The question is…will he continue to to retain me as a client since his goal is to get his clients to the point that they don't need his services anymore.

Hmmmm…..I will need him forever because…I just do. I know how to train, I know how to eat, I am self motivated. But, in life we all need coaches. We never arrive at that destination where we know it all. I have learned a ton from my coach.

My Facial Journey….

Back in November…November 2nd to be exact, I started a new facial journey. I eliminated some of my super expensive facial products and started using African Black Soap. At first it was a rocky start. My face burned when I used it and was irritated, but I stayed the course. So 2 months later, my skin is doing fantastic! It is tons smoother and the breakouts are greatly reduced…and I wear makeup daily. I am PROUD of my improvement in my skin! In the picture below, I do have makeup on…foundation, some concealer here and there…but I need a lot less of it. Even my hyper pigmentation is diminishing nicely. I have added a new product in the mix. I added a mens facial cleanser called Anthony Glycolic Facial Wash. I got a free sample of this at Sephora…I may have blogged about this previously…don't remember…but anyway, I loved the way it made my skin feel after I used it. So my new routine is as follows:

Remove makeup with makeup wipes and makeup remover
Use a mild cleanser to remove excess makeup- I use Purity for that
Change wash cloth and lather my face with the African Black Soap and rinse
Lather up with the Anthony Glycolic face wash and rinse
Use my Peter Thomas Roth Resurfacing serums for my eyes and face.

In the mornings 3-4 times a week I use another Peter Thomas Roth product called Firm X Peeling Gel. It gently exfoliates my face.

1-2 times a week I will use my Mary Kay version of the Clarisonic brush on my face. I use it on a day that I don't use the Firm X.

Sounds like a lot, but it is not bad. I spend about 5 minutes washing my face in the morning, and about 10 minutes at night. Every now and then I throw in a Tea Tree Mask or some other mask. It is worth the time because my skin looks great for the most part….and I think the African Black Soap has ALOT to do with it.

Clear Complexion :)

My Hair 2014….

My hair…my goal for 2015 is to go 100 percent natural kinky beautiful big hair. I have A TON of kinky hair that is long and WILD up under this weave. When my hair reaches the middle of my back in its kinky state, then I will sport my natural hair all the time. If you pull my curls down it already is that long, but when it gets to the middle of my back in its kinky state….then it will be super long. I think I will reach that mark by the end of this year. No more relaxers….ever. I am getting too old for all the upkeep, but I like long hair…and long kinky natural hair is…the bomb and I am bold enough to rock it. The one thing that I hate is….the gray hair!!! I can't keep up with it. The minute I color it, my hair decides to show it's growth at the roots. AGH!!!! I don't mind getting old, but the one thing I HATE is the gray hair and I have a ton of it!! But then…seriously…I AM ALMOST 50!!!!!!

When I decide to change my weave, I will take a picture of my natural, untamed kinky locks! Remember Scary Spice from the Spice Girls?

Well that is EXACTLY what my hair looks like today. When it gets about 4 inches longer, the length of my hair will make it look LESS SCARY…and I will be able to put it in eloborate buns when I don't feel like the lions mane.

So that's the plan/goal for the hair…..Au Natural!!!!

Makeup…

I plan to cut back considerably on the makeup purchases this year. I don't need another eye palette. I have enough palettes to last me a life time. And foundations…same thing. And mascaras…..same thing. I am not big into the lip sticks…so I don't have tons of them, and I don't own 1 nail polish…lol. But everything else…I have a ton!!

Makeup Brushes….

Ummm….I plan to cut back on my brushes with the exception of 3 brushes that I have been yearning for a YEAR. I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want these 3 brushes…and then after that I will be satisfied. Forget the new car, or even the iPad Air. I want 3 SUQQU BRUSHES…..that's all…3 brushes.

The Face Brush $265 and the Cheek Brush $178

This eye brush only costs $80

Unfortunately, these brushes aren't sold in the USA. They are made and sold in Japan. They are also sold in England at a better price. I can purchase them at Selfridges but I have to pay crazy shipping on these brushes…b/w $40-60 bucks at a pop. So, when I decide to buy these brushes….this year…haha…I will buy them all at once when my hubby is far, far, away out of town.

Speaking of hubby, he was sweet enough to buy me this travel brush set for my birthday…and they were not cheap at all. He bought them out of love…haha. He could not believe the price for "travel" brushes…but he bought them and I SO LOVE THEM. Now I can keep my expensive regular brushes at home instead of carrying some of them in a case in my book bag. They are way too expensive to be carrying around just in case I get stranded and need my makeup and my makeup brushes. Haha…yup, In my book bag, I have an entire stash of "just in case I get stranded" makeup and brushes.