My Daily Dish

The plan! Today was my fitness test and I hate fitness tests! Only because I don't want to look like a chump lol! However, I wasn't too bad. Ann, a trainer from EB Fitness measured everything from my weight to my strength with MicroFit. MicroFit is a collection of medical grade fitness testing equipment that interfaces directly to your computer. I call it, "The Truth Machine".

According to MicroFit  my aerobic fitness was just under excellent and I have excellent strength and an excellent resting heart rate. This was awesome news considering my previous numbers. I definitely need to work on flexibility though.

So, for the first part of the plan, I will be detoxing the sugar out of my system. I will drink 4 shakes per day that have 2 grams of sugar and 35 grams of protein per serving. This will last for one incredibly hard week and the process will reset my metabolism and dramatically reduce my sugar levels.

I will be grumpy, tired, hungry and I will miss my sweet treats like crazy. Yet, I'm kind of excited to see what sugar withdraws is all about. I hear its pretty bad lol!

P.S. Read the labels on your food. I was amazed at how many food items contain sugar. A lot of sugar!

My Daily Dish

Yesterday I went to EB Fitness Club's Medi Spa to meet with Doctor George for my medical assessment. Considering my laziness, I decided to check into a program that offers guidance and support 100% of the way. It was great loosing 60 lbs on my own but now I need more. I need more than weight loss. I need health, vitality and longevity. I needed to know the science behind how the body works and how to best take care of my own.

You see, no one person is the same. The foods we eat and the exercises we do cannot come in a one size fits all package. It's just not possible, genetically. So, I decided to take things into my own hands and let the staff at EB Fitness dig deep into my history, run tests and develop a plan that is tailored to my needs. This plan is called Nutrishape and I'm super excited to get started!

I don't have all of the test results back yet but the numbers I did receive weren't good. I knew I wouldn't be perfect but I have made a lot of positive changes to my diet and exercise routine so I wasn't too worried....... until I got the results. I am 32 years old, 5'5.5" with a BMI ( Body Mass Index) of 26 and I weigh 155 lbs. Could be worse, and it is. I am also borderline diabetic with extremely high cholesterol and blood pressure! I am a walking heart attack or stroke and I didn't even know it!!!

This is my concerned face : /

Anyhoo, I'm not going to stress out about it because I know these things can be reversed, especially if detected early. So I will go back to EB Fitness tomorrow, take more assessments and come home with my plan of action :) Today I am starting my journal and drinking 3-4 quarts of water, doctors orders!

Is Fundraising Beautiful? 2013 Wags 4 Kids Bachelor Auction 2013

I would have to say that spending the evening with some of Cleveland’s most beautiful men and women was an incredible thing :) However, beyond the faces, I witnessed a group of amazing people working together to raise money for a beautiful organization called WAGS 4 Kids (Working Animals Giving Service For Kids). During this event I also joined forces with Unite This City to promote the cause and I even got to spend a lil’ QT with our celebrity bachelors. Wags 4 Kids provides children with disabilities a service dog that will assist them with everyday tasks and provide a lifelong companionship. These pups are trained in mobility assistance and as skilled companions to meet the specific needs of each child. Please visit the link to see how you can help!

 

 



Unite this City

 

I was honored when I received the invite to attend this event with Unite This City. Let me start off by saying I love these guys! They are so involved in this community and everything they do benefits all parties involved. A win win situation! From fundraising to utilizing top marketing strategies to help you grow your business, this company is definitely one you will want to join forces with! For $10 a month I receive UTC cash, points for awesome rewards and sizable discounts from some of my favorite places! The UTC app is really cool too.

 

 

Christy Lanser and Brandy Bright for UTC

 

 

Now, on to the festivities….what a great time! These bachelors were absolutely amazing. I had the pleasure of chatting with a few of them and they were so gracious as well as informative. My first bachelor chat session was with Anthony Lima, Talk Show Host for 92.3 FM and Cleveland Magazine’s Top 20 Sexiest Singles of 2013. He was truly down to earth and let me tell ya, he had a great date planned for his bachelorette! Gentlemen, take notes :) The date was to start off with a trip to the spa followed by dinner at Lolita or Fahrenheit, then whisked away in a limo to go see The Backstreet Boys! Pretty impressive evening planned!

Anthony Lima

 

My next chat session was with 3 players from the Cleveland Gladiators, Derek Steiner, CJ Cobb and Brian Zbydniewski, Derek is the country boy. He was sweet, charming and totally understood why this Mid-Western girl in a dress was drinking Miller Light out of a can. CJ obviously was the crowd pleaser with his unforgettable entrance to Cameo’s Candy while sprinkling the crowd of ladies with Starburst candy lol! Now Brian, this is funny stuff. This guy sat there and listened to me talk about hockey knowing I was clueless to the fact that the Gladiators are actually an arena football team. SMH! The fact he rolled with it and continued to answer my questions was such a noble gesture on his part. I would have been mortified if he called me out :) The best part about all of these bachelors is that they selflessly offered themselves up to any lady out there to benefit this cause! Very Brave!

 

 

Derek Steiner, CJ Cobb and Brian Zbydniewski



The Bachelors

As I finished up my interviews I felt a sense a pride for being able to take part in such a fun and fulfilling event! Seeing local celebrities offer there time, local businesses offer their support and the community of Cleveland coming together to support these children is incredible and beautiful! :)

 

 

beautybybrown and Brandy Bright with UTC

 

 

Out of the Dark and Into the Light: It Dosen't Have To Be A Hair Nightmare

I've Got Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

It's a cold gloomy January. Typical here in Ohio, so I've gotten used to finding my own sunshine. With the big Unite This City birthday celebration coming up, I figured why not change up my look and incorporate the sun in my hairstyle for the event. I chose Salon Rootz located in Medina Ohio to provide this transformation. I knew I would need someone who could capture my personality and turn it into an amazing color. Someone who could stand working on the pickiest person that has an eye for good customer service and loves to be catered too. That someone was Julie Walt.

The Artist and Her Team

Julie Walt

Julie in Chicago with Paul Mitchell

Julie is a graduate of Paul Mitchell The School in Chicago Illinois. After graduation she came back to Ohio to grow with the powerful team at Salon Rootz. Salon Owners Jen Tryon and Shelia Barco opened Salon Rootz in 2005 and by 2012 had doubled in size. They are a Salon Today Top 200 Salon and I attribute their success and their growth to their belief system:

“We believe in family and friends. We believe in education and knowledge. We believe in building our dreams each and everyday with the people we work with and the plans we have made”.

It was evident after my visit they are meeting and exceeding their dreams :) I give a huge thank you to: Julie, Sheila, Jen, Deanna, Stephanie and Elly! I learned so much listening to you all develop formulas and watching you assist when we minimized processing times . It was very inspiring.

Jen Tryon and Sheila Barco - Owners of Salon Rootz

Communication, Patience and Understanding are the Keys to a Successful Service

Me being the person I am and the salon experience I possess, I understand what it takes to have a successful service-- communication from the stylist and the client. As a client you must schedule a consultation for any new style. It is also important to bring multiple photos of what you're looking for. Try to choose realistic images that aren't too far from your natural features. Discuss with your stylist all of the ways you style your hair or if you use multiple partings. Tell them what your current routine is and why you feel you need change. Stylists are very creative and innovative but they are not mind readers :) The more you communicate the more likely you'll receive exactly what you are after.

Here are some examples that I sent to Julie a few days before my appointment. I chose women who had a similar skin tone, hair length or my desired color. Julie also knew that I wanted to add a certain flair to the color. Don't mind the OOPS! in the bottom corner, I changed my mind on that one :)

Plan on purchasing products from your stylist. Why spend the money on a beautiful color or treatment if you're just going to wash it down the drain. You need to care for you're investment. With proper use, professional strength products should last you awhile.

My arsenal: Can be purchased @ Salon Rootz

-OPI Gwen Stefani Mini Collection

-Venture Professional Flat Iron by One Styling

-d avines This Is An Invisible No Gas Spray

-L'Oreal Serie Expert Absolute Repair

Cleansing Balm

The Experience

My favorite part about my service at Salon Rootz was the staff. They work as a unit. Everyone is so different and has their own idea on how to achieve a look, but when you put it all together something amazing happens. They all care about each other and will take the time to assist one another in a second. That is crucial when a client comes in wanting to go from Black to Blonde in a few months lol. I'm such a pain! This brings me back to my stylist who took on the challenge. Julie is an incredible stylist who genuinely cares about making you happy. She not only invests her time into her talent, but also her heart. She never left my side unless she needed to mix more color and offered me beverages and paraffin treatments during my service. I was so comfortable. Ever since Julie graduated school I had faith in her ability and knew that one day soon she would be MY hair girl lol. Okay, I guess I can share :) To schedule an appointment with Julie, click the link below:

http://www.salonrootz.com/book-an-appointment/

 Before: Curly Black Hair

Julie and I are super silly! She makes

everything fun :) 



Love at first sight! She nailed it!

I feel confident and photo ready with

my new style! Hanging with my

Big Bro James :)



Such a classy and versatile color for any occasion. Posing with

 Brandy for UTC and Austreeia Everson-Thompson at the

Rainforest for UTC's 1rst Birthday Party.

Photo-bombed by Allen Fee



Cold and Blue to Sunny and New :)



I Practice Self Reiki Everyday

 So you hear me talk about about Reiki all of the time and you're probably wondering.....What is it?

Well, here is a short video explaining Reiki in a nut shell :)

As a child I was always plagued with terrible stomach aches and no one could figure out why? I would lay in bed with no hope or options for relief. Many times out of despair I would position my hands over my abdomen and start a slow and gentle massage. During this massage I would more or less pray to God for healing and relief. I would continue this prayer and massage for about 15 minuets and after that.......I was asleep! If you know anything about sleep you know this is time of relaxation and healing. The fact that I possessed the ability to enter this state through all of the pain has always intrigued me.

As I grew older I always heard the phrase, "Mind over Matter". I remember thinking how true that statement really was. So many times when I thought my physical body was going to give up, I would power through with thought. I could get through almost anything if I found that "happy" place in my mind and let those thoughts radiate through my body. Then I learned....it's not just me who can do this, everyone can! We all in some form change the energy around us and with in us to do many things. 9 times out of 10 if you focus your energy on any one task, your odds of succeeding are good.

When I started working for Aveda I became familiar with a relaxation experience. The guest would sit in an upper body massage chair and they would receive a short relaxation ritual with Aveda Blue Oil Balancing Concentrate. There is an Aveda technique offered in salons and experience centers that we had to follow and every employee had to offer this service. However, my relaxation ritual always ended up differently. When I would lay my hands on my guest I would feel different waves of emotion. I most always began to pray for this person and I really tried to focus on bringing them into a relaxed state and diffusing all of the negative energy from around or within. My guests were always very happy and usually in a state of euphoria after the ritual was complete. Cool!

Cho Ku Rei

What was it though? Why do people feel better when I offer them love and compassion. Can me focusing all this positive energy on a person really promote healing? The answer is yes! I found all this in Reiki and Chakra Balancing (Another post in a later date). Now, this is what I love to do! I'm super excited because next month I will be receiving my second attunement and practicing distance healing for others :) I will be sharing my journey to healing on this blog and I look forward to showing you all of the incredible joy that comes with practicing Reiki :)   

If you are interested in experiencing Reiki for yourself send me an email to

beautybybrown1@gmail.com to set an appointment :)