Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Homemade Happenings

I have been on a natural kick lately, meaning I have been experimenting with making my own cleaning and personal products.  Namely, I have made shampoo, dishwasher detergent, and will be making laundry detergent very soon.

Now for the rundown on my opinion on each of the items I have made...

The shampoo, made with castile soap is not for my hair.  I truly gave it a good shot too, trying it for 2 weeks.  It made my hair feel gummy and look oily.  I was rinsing with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice which didn't do much to help the look and feel.  I am now using my homemade shampoo for body soap which I do like a lot.  I did wash my hair with baking soda and was very pleased with the results, but still need to come up with a good conditioner other than apple cider vinegar because my locks need to smell like something other than vinegar.  More experimenting to come...

I tried the homemade dishwasher detergent last night for the first time and was very pleased with the results.  There was no residue and my dishes were shiny and streak-free.

I will be running out of my store-bought laundry detergent within the week and will be making laundry detergent which I will comment on here once I try it.

Other cleaning products I plan to make are air freshener, all-purpose cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, wood floor cleaner, and more as I need them.

I have decided to go natural for a few reasons.  First, it will be extremely cheap to clean my home, it will be better for the environment, and I won't have to worry about any toxic chemicals making my family sick.  So while I save money I will also help to save the earth and my family's health.

If anyone would like the recipes I am using, let me know and I will give them to you.  You can also google homemade cleaners but be prepared to take the time to experiment if they don't work out the way you would like the first time.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

No Motivation=No Results

I said a while back that I would keep everyone posted on my weight loss goal.  I FAILED! Miserably.  I would lose 6 pounds, gain 5 back, lose 5, gain 6, and so on.  I am back where I started.

It doesn't help that I have zero motivation lately.  I don't know why, but I just can't seem to feel like exercising much outside of derby practice and riding my bike to work.  I have also been eating basically whatever is put in front of me without caring about the consequences.

I found some motivational quotes this week that will hopefully help boost my mind to do what my body needs:

''If you are on a diet to lose weight and feel like having a snack, eat an apple. If you aren't hungry enough to eat an apple, you aren't hungry enough for a snack.''
"Adequate sleep is absolutely essential to maintain a healthy body because that is when the body rebuilds itself.''
"The total amount of physical activity is more important for achieving health benefits than frequency, intensity, or duration."
"Research shows that weight training can improve your self-esteem."
"Plyometric exercises are high-intensity moves designed to increase muscle speed and power. Plyometrics often involve jumping."
"Enjoy your foods and appreciate each bite. Chew carefully and slowly and don't overeat."
"The low level of physical activity among people is a major contributor to the burden of chronic disease."
"The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn, even when you're staying perfectly still."
"The best physical activity is the one that is enjoyable enough to do regularly."
I will keep trying.  I will not give up.  I know I will fall but I will keep getting up and trying again.  One day, I WILL achieve my goal.