<![CDATA[Domestic Diva Kalynn - For The Diva Blog]]>

<![CDATA[Domestic Diva Kalynn - For The Diva Blog]]>Sat, 10 Oct 2020 22:48:42 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Day of Pampering - XO Hair Lab]]>Fri, 17 Jan 2020 13:00:00 GMThttps://domesticdivakalynn.weebly.com/for-the-diva-blog/day-of-pampering-xo-hair-labDisclosure: I received free services through a giveaway, all opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. Please see my Disclosure page for my information.

I was chosen for a special moms day of pampering at a new hair salon and spa here in Hampton Roads. I entered in the giveaway back in December and received word that I was selected on Christmas Eve. I was so surprised and excited!

The salon is called XO Hair Lab, it’s pretty centrally located in Chesapeake, VA right off I-64 near the Greenbrier Mall.

XO Hair Lab is a beautiful salon with unique upscale decor that really helps you feel relaxed and peaceful! It’s split into two sides, the salon on one side and the spa on the other.

The salon side

My day began on the salon side with a hair treatment of my choice. My stylist was Mandi, she let down my braid and assessed my hair. She asked me what I wanted and we got started. We went to the back where I lounged back and got a wonderful massaging shampoo and a 10 minute deep conditioning.

My view while lounging back at the sinks.

After that we went back to the salon chair, Mandi put on a leave in conditioner, combed through my hair and gave me my first trim in 4 years. She knew keeping my length was important to me and understood that I’m not a fan of blunt straight across haircuts. She trimmed about an inch of hair but kept with the natural layers that were there. Giving me a hair cut that didn’t look like a haircut! I was most nervous about the cut and she did phenomenal!

Next Mandi did a Keratin Express Blowout, this was a first time experience for me! It involved painting on some “liquid gold” as she calls it, blow drying it and then setting it in with the flat iron. This treatment was perfect for me because while this salon is known for their extraordinary color jobs, I really have grown to love my natural color and this treatment helps embrace it and make it more healthy, soft and shiny! As she was flat ironing my hair someone came to massage my hands and give me a paraffin and rose petal dip.

After Mandi finished I got to go sit in the lounge on the spa side, it has some relaxing ambient lighting, music and refreshments. I enjoyed some refreshments and sat on a couch reading a book while waiting for my facial.

I wrapped up my visit with a facial with Amie. She did a hydro jelly mask. I’ve never had a facial before, just massages where they will briefly do your face and head. It was an interesting experience, there was not much of a massage, just lightly rubbing different cleansers and oils, then applying the mask, which completely covered my face except for my nostrils. It did leave some residue on my face and in my hair which was a little weird. I was told this was a mini facial so I’m not sure if a full one would differ but I would do a massage over a facial next time! I prefer more touch! I did however use this time with the mask on to reach a full shavasana which was extra relaxing!!

My day at XO Hair Lab in total was about 3 to 3.5 hours. I was truly treated like royalty while I was there. It was such a great experience, I’m blessed that I was given the opportunity to go. I would highly recommend them to others and definitely will be returning myself as well!

XO Hair Lab
www.xohairlab.com
+1 757-389-7166

]]><![CDATA[Not a Diet, a Lifestyle Change]]>Sun, 24 Nov 2019 19:15:01 GMThttps://domesticdivakalynn.weebly.com/for-the-diva-blog/not-a-diet-a-lifestyle-changeI like to tell people I've been Keto since before Keto was a thing. Back in October of 2010 I had my first appointment with a bariatric surgeon, the surgeon recommends everyone go on the post surgery diet atleast a month prior to the surgery. I started the day I left his office. Three months later when I was due for my pre-op appointment I called and cancelled my surgery, I had already lost 50lbs and felt confident I could do the rest without the surgery. They told me my referral was good for a year and that they'd keep it on file. As I neared the one year mark I visited him again to discuss how far I've come and if I should keep on or still get the surgery. The surgeon was very impressed and said I was part of 4% of bariatric patients...only 4% can do it without surgery. I did it!! There's so much more to this story and I plan to share more of my journey but for now the main point is, if I can do it, I know other's are capable, if they're motivated and armed with all the information! I wasn't motivated nor had the information I needed until I found that surgeon.

Keto is all on the rage now a days, so there's lots of resources out there but many question it or think it's to hard...so now all you really need is the motivation. I used to get asked all the time what my "secret" was and I loved arming others with the information they needed and being that motivation. I loved it so much so that I used to have it saved in my e-mail to send out anytime... I recently found that e-mail and that's how I got the idea to make a series of blog posts base on my journey. I will start with getting back to the basics!

Back to the Basics

My Doctor explains it as a lifestyle change not a diet. It requires a commitment to just say no to all carbs. No Pasta, no bread, no cookies, cakes, sugar, soda (exception to diet drinks), no sweet tea, can't even have milk or fruits! This lifestyle change is meant for people who are more than 50 pounds over weight and have lost all self control with eating!

So things you can have are meats, cheeses, and vegetables.

Ultimately you want to stop snacking all together but everyone I know who starts this doesn't commit completely until after their 2 week weigh in...including myself. I cut the carbs completely but still snacked on peanuts here and there and at my two week weigh in I had lost 6 pounds, I was so proud of myself and where I was going that I gave it my full commitment and quit snacking. Whenever I feel the urge of hunger which is normally boredom, I go get a drink. One person I know would have some gum. When you sit down for a meal eat until your full, and try to eat all at once. For example at a restaurant most people have bread, then an appetizer, then salad, then the main course, and possibly dessert...and it's a hour long meal. Keep it down to 15-20 mins. The next trick, which is hard, don't drink while your eating and for 30 minutes after...drinking makes you feel full but it's a full feeling that won't last until the next meal.

You can eat any and all meats cooked any way EXCEPT for batter fried! The batter is breading which is CARBS!

Eating out will become more difficult but the more comfortable you get with the change the easier it will get. When I eat out I order a sandwich with no bread, sometimes they look at you weird but for the most part it's not that hard! For example if we have subway for breakfast and instead of having mine on a sub they wrapped everything in the egg ( which is a big circle that they normally fold onto the sandwich) It was scrumptious!!!!!

Everyone always asks can we have some carbs? No more than 30 carbs a day. 30 carbs can be reached easily on accidentals...Ranch on your salad, Ketchup on your burger, A1 with your steak, cocktail sauce with your shrimp, and my hardest BBQ sauce with my ribs. Something that has more that 6 or 7 carbs per serving is not worth it! So yes you can have up to 30 carbs a day but don't go wasting it on one slice of bread!

The easiest way to start this is to get rid of all temptation! Cody and I donated all of our carbs, he committed to the lifestyle change (at home) in the beginning to help me get started but now carbs in the house don't bother me so he's still eating carbs. lol

I have attached all the information from my Doctor/Nutritionist, it includes all the nitty gritties of this lifestyle change, It's VERY informative! Print it, read it thoroughly, post it on the fridge and live by it! You can do it!

Let me know if you have any questions, concerns or comments! Good Luck!

Back To The Basics - Low Carb Lifestyle Change
File Size:	544 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

]]><![CDATA[Just one more hour]]>Mon, 04 Nov 2019 22:33:46 GMThttps://domesticdivakalynn.weebly.com/for-the-diva-blog/just-one-more-hourWe all wish for more hours in the day, well one day out of the year we actually get it. We earn back that painful hour we lost in the spring. Every year I look forward to it because for at least a week my normally stressing to get there early or often times late self is somewhat casually on time! How is it that one hour makes such a big difference on our body’s? Makes me wonder if I woke up an hour earlier each day if I’d always be this way...I wonder, but usually not enough to forego that extra bit of sleep!

So Sunday was that 25 hour day, what’s supposed to be a day of rest, I gave a lot of time to a few different organizations! It’s one of my favorite ways of giving, I can’t always afford to give money but God has gifted me with talents and I try to be a faithful servant with them! My hats for the day included church photographer, leading a co-op fundraiser as photographer and swim team bingo worker. Come 10pm that extra hour definitely started to hit me!

Yet even after Sunday’s long busy day Monday morning I was up an hour earlier than normal and chipper as could be! I was even able to squeeze in a devotional before greeting my kids for the morning...that never happens! I plan to ride this wave for as long as I can! Maybe it’ll still be worth waking up an hour early even after my circadian rhythm catches back up!

What do you think of Daylight Savings Time? I’d love to hear how you handled your one 25 hour day of the year!?

]]><![CDATA[Current Season of the Diva]]>Sat, 02 Nov 2019 19:32:00 GMThttps://domesticdivakalynn.weebly.com/for-the-diva-blog/current-season-of-the-divaSo I took a break from blogging for a while (nearly 5 years), life happened! With some spirit lead pushing and a little pushing from another friend who blogs I decided to pick it back up again. It was rather entertaining to look back at my blog, this was my blog description:

I'm a mother of two amazing sons, so since I haven't been blessed with any girls to spoil yet, I'm the Diva of the house! I blame my Sistah (in law) for turning me into a girly girl, but I do love it! I've somehow managed to be a girly girl, a wife, a mommy, and a business woman! People seem to come to me for referrals on things I've done in the past or products I love to use and many of my friends trust my opinion because they know I don't make any decision without lots of research, reviews and trials! I started this website/blog to share those things and try to keep it organized so I'm not always hunting down information to pass along!

I would like to make a note that I could not do it all alone! I have one Amazing Husband, we support each other in every aspect of our lives and together we make a great team!!

So since then I finally got my baby girl and I'm not very girly at all anymore!! Kandy is so very girly and I love being able to take it to the max with her!! I mom things pretty hard through this season of life, in my spare time I enjoy taking apart carseats, washing, and reassembling them. Ok, sometimes I squeeze in workouts and 5k's! People still come to me for tips, tricks and advice so being able to send links has definitely been helpful. I think my favorite blog post to look back on is Krissy's birth story, I think I will need to make one from Kandy's soon. My husband is still so very awesome and supportive!!

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