Pantene Gold Series Review

I received some products complimentary from Influenster and Pantene to review! They came just in time because your girl was in need of a wash! LOL.

 

I was sent the Pantene Gold Series Moisture Boost Shampoo and Conditioner and the Hydrating Butter Créme.

Let’s start with the shampoo. First off, the smell is amazing. If you like a fruity almost candy-like smell then this is the product for you. It actually smells like something else that I recognize but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It lathers up very well even though it contains no parabens. It only took a few pumps to wash my hair and I have a lot of hair! It left my hair feeling very soft even before I applied the conditioner. I will definitely purchase this shampoo again because I love the smell and it left my hair feeling really clean.

Next up, the conditioner. Like the shampoo, this conditioner smells delicious. It has the same fruity smell which I love. It was also thick in consistency which is great because I have thick locs and sometimes it’s difficult to find a conditioner that will penetrate and actually work on my hair. I can’t speak to how well it detangles because I have locs and I don’t detangle my hair. It did leave my hair super soft and it felt amazing after I rinsed it out. I would definitely use this conditioner again because of the smell and of the thick consistency which works well with my thick hair.

Lastly, the hydrating butter créme. This butter creme smells amazing like the other products in this line. It is of a thick consistency but unfortunately, when I applied it to my locs it kind of just sat on top of them as opposed to being absorbed into my hair. So for that reason, I probably wouldn’t purchase this product again because I have other products that are intended to do the same thing but are actually absorbed into my hair. Normally, I love thick products but in this instance it almost backfired. My locs also didn’t feel any more moisturized than usual. Perhaps this product works better for someone who has a different texture but for me, it was a miss. My hair looked great however after using the entire line: shampoo, conditioner, and butter creme.

Overall I was really pleased with the products and I would definitely purchase the shampoo and conditioner again. It’s also nice to see a mainstream company like Pantene cater to women of color and women with natural hair. If you’re in the market for some new haircare products you should definitely give the Pantene Gold Series a try!

Nadia

I’m in Mexico

Sooo clearly I need to do a much better job of updating the blog because I’ve been in Mexico since the end of October and haven’t written a single post! 😬

Well I just uploaded my first ever vlog and it has footage from my first day in Mexico. Go check out my channel here.  Don’t forget to like and subscribe! I’ll be uploading regularly and also posting on the blog more consistently! Thanks for following thus far! Have an awesome weekend.

 

Nadia

Full Speed Ahead

Currently watching my favorite sport, football, and thinking about the future! Last week was a great week! I had dinner with the bestie, Claire, and we celebrated her birthday in style at Cuchi Cuchi, one of my favorite restaurants in the city. If you live in the Boston area it’s a must try. International small plates, amazing cocktails and a fantastic ambience. I was in heaven! Whenever I go to a top notch restaurant/bar my passion for hospitality and dreams of owning my own bar come rushing to the forefront. Someday, someday.

Claire also asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding next year and of course I said yes!!! Cannot wait to celebrate her and Brandon’s nuptials! To be  a part of it is even better! Claire and I go back to our days together at Tufts and in our a cappella group Essence! I love her like a sister and I am so happy for her! October 2018 can’t come soon enough for her I’m sure! 😉

This past week I also started weekly runs! I ran last Sunday and I ran again yesterday. It gets easier each time! Running weekly was one of my goals for the month of September and I’m glad I’m staying on track. Yesterday I spent the day at my parents’ house and I was definitely tired and not excited about going for a run but I took some preworkout, put on that Spotify/Runkeeper and got to work! It was a great run and perfect weather. It was my first night run as well. I may do another night run next week!

Today was my weigh in day! I didn’t lose any weight but I didn’t gain! I did go out as I mentioned earlier in the week and had some delicious Haitian food at my parents’ house this weekend. We shall see what happens next week but I’m really happy with my progress so far and can’t wait to find an amazing gym in Cancun to get shredded in!

Colin Kaepernick and his protest is giving me life right now on MNF though so I’m gonna go watch the game and enjoy my dinner! Let’s have a great week!

Nadia

Nestle Splash

So if you’ve been following me you know that I am a flexible dieter, meaning I count my macros/calories and I don’t restrict my eating! It’s a great way of maintaining, losing, or gaining weight! It all comes down to science. If you want to know more about IIFYM as those in the fitness circle refer to it check out iifym.com for a free macro calculator and everything you could possibly want to know about tracking your macros!

I am currently cutting weight which means I’m trying to lose weight. One of the keys to losing weight is making sure you drink enough water! I drink about a gallon a day and sometimes it’s hard to get in when it’s just plain ol’ water. That’s why I usually love drinking flavored sparkling water and the occasional diet soda! There are a ton of options in terms of flavor, they taste better than just boring water and they fill you up so you’re likely to eat less!

Influenster recently sent me this free bottle of Nestle Splash flavored still water to try. I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty skeptical because I don’t love flavored still water. I prefer the bubbles! Also a lot of flavored waters tend to have a weird after taste so I’m a little picky!

Well I was pleasantly surprised. I received the wild berry flavor and it was great! It tasted like a fruit punch. It’s 0 calories, has no after taste and contains no juice! I’m definitely going to add this to my macro friendly drink options! I’m happy I tried it and I just wanted to let you guys know they’re pretty good so you should grab one and try it for yourself next time you’re at the grocery store. And no I’m not being paid to review this, just wanted to share a good find! If you try one out let me know what you think!

Nadia

Disclaimer: I received the Nestle Splash flavored water from Influenster for free. This review is my personal opinion.

Say Cheese!

Here are some of my favorite/memorable pics and the story behind them!

This is my husband M and I on our wedding day, February 10, 2012. My husband and I had a whirlwind courtship. We met in November 2011 when I was at close to if not my lowest point. My self esteem had taken a huge hit, I was unhealthy and sad and God sent him to help me see that I had a lot to live for! We got married after only dating 3 months and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. My journey towards a healthy, fit life started shortly after we met. Even though when we met I was at least 50 lbs. overweight he loved me as I was and supported me through it all. When I decided to start running road races he joined in. When I said I wanted to do a bodybuilding competition he was my biggest cheerleader. I’m so blessed to have a man like him in my corner and I know that God has an amazing plan for us and our lives.

This picture was part of a photo shoot I did with Glenn Probst in 2013. It was towards the end of my first contest prep and it’s the leanest I’d ever been. During this shoot I felt amazing and beautiful. I thought this was the happiest I’d ever be. I was a size 4 and you couldn’t tell me nothing! Unfortunately I was also not very healthy. Even though I was exercising every day and smaller than ever I was working with a coach who had me on an extremely low calorie diet that was not sustainable. I had no balance and at least 3 times during this prep I had a binge episode. After the show ended I fell into a tailspin and gained back 30 lbs in less than 2 months. It was horrible. I felt like a failure. I had worked so hard only to see it disappear in such a short period of time. It was after this rebound that I finally decided to look into flexible dieting and a balanced approach. Sometimes it takes failure to put you on the right path. It’s not the number of times you fall but how many times you get up!

That time I met the greatest female bodybuilder ever, Dana Linn Bailey and her husband Rob Bailey! I took like 3 buses and waited in line and of course was a total fan girl! I was so nervous that when she shook my hand and said hi, I just stared at her blankly lmao! I didn’t even tell her how much I loved her or asked her to do her signature pose! On top of it I wore a FTYF shirt because I didn’t own any Flag Nor Fail gear at the time. Ugh, I know she was definitely unimpressed lol. It was still a highlight though and she’s amazing!

Looking out into the Grand Canyon. It was a sight to see and I’m blessed I had the opportunity to visit. It was awe inspiring. I am a woman of faith and it’s amazing to see the beauty that God has created. There are so many amazing things to see in the world and I intend on seeing them. This picture reminds me what’s out there and to never give up on my dream to explore and travel the world!

Womp to not having a recent photo of all 4 of us together but this is my family. My mom is my inspiration and motivation. She and my dad both came from small towns in Haiti to the US to live a better life and to provide more opportunities for their children. My brother and I were blessed to always have what we needed and positive, hard working role models. I get my work ethic from both my parents and have been working in some capacity since I was 14. It’s my dream to make them proud and show them that their struggle was not in vain. I love them all so much!

Flex Till You’re Famous

I think It’s really appropriate for me to start this feature with something that anyone who follows me on social media knows I love: Flex Till You’re Famous

 

This family owned brand never fails me! They have bright, fun clothing that’s made well and lasts! I’ve been purchasing from them for at least 2 years and I’ve never been disappointed with anything. If only they’d ask me to be a brand ambassador *wink wink* If you want to see more check out their site and their Instagram!

Val

I love a good transformation! My own transformation led me to the honor of being the first Prosupps Transformation Ambassador ever! Have you recently made a transformation for the better? Getting healthy and taking control of your life is something to be celebrated! If you’ve got a transformation to share send an email to [nadia dot exama at gmail dot com] with your story. Be sure to include a before and after picture, timeframe between pictures and how much weight you’ve lost. Each week I’ll share a story of triumph with my readers! Together we can motivate and inspire others to be their best self!

My name is Val and I started my transformation two and a half years ago. That picture on the left is from my 30th birthday party and I cried when I saw it. How did I get to 280lbs wearing a size 20/22?

I was pretty fit in high school and college as a cheerleader. Then laziness and getting comfortable set in. So I decided to do something about it. I had started and stopped fad diets for years. But this time I wasn’t going that route. I simply decided to eat better, track my food, watch my portions and consistently work out 5-6x a week.

For over a year I did really well. Then I went on a cruise and got lazy again. I stopped tracking, barely worked out and really had no drive. I gained back 30lbs in 3 months. I was crushed. I worked so hard for the last year just to ruin it. So I picked myself up again and started again.

I fell in love with lifting weights. I got a trainer to stay on me with lifting, continued my cardio and started logging my food again and watching my portions. Slowly the 40lbs melted away and I was back to feeling great.

These pictures are two and a half years apart. 280lbs to 195lbs and I’m still going. My goal is to compete in the near future starting in bikini and then moving up to figure.

Val

To follow Val’s journey like her Facebook page Fab Chick Gets Fit

Bring It On!

So it’s the first day of September! September means so much to different people. Students go back to school, it’s the unofficial start of fall, football is back! So many great things! I’ve set some pretty big goals for September and I can’t wait to crush them!

Goodbye August

I can’t believe August flew by so quickly! I feel like I say that about every month but this month is no joke! It’s September guys! Crazy! Yesterday I went into TJMaxx and there were fall decorations everywhere! If you know me you know my favorite season of the year is fall! I love everything about it: the crisp air, the changing colors, all the amazing holidays (including my fav Thanksgiving), my birthday, pumpkin and apple spiced everything! I could go on! But let’s not forget at the beginning of the month of August I set some goals for myself! Let’s see how we did shall we?

Slay

It is Sunday night and I am watching preseason football but before that I watched Beyoncé literally slay the VMAs. Like she def should’ve been the last performer because I don’t know how anyone could follow that. She was on another level. I love her music but I think what I admire about her the most is her standards and how she aspires to have every aspect of her performances perfect! Like she was literally flawless and I’m not just saying that because I’m a huge fan. She’s never satisfied. I guarantee if you asked her if there was anything wrong with that performance she would tell you something that didn’t go exactly as she wanted. She’s like a champion quarterback. Like the Patriots. Ugh I could go on but basically she’s goals!