I just turned 47. For my birthday I decided to give me myself back with a 50 pound weight loss. So far I' ve lost 30 lbs.  My daughter calls me "ChristallinbringingsexybackTabb" and at 47, I' m just hitting my stride!

I also decided to do some things I used to enjoy.  That lead to my participation in two pageants. One I have already entered and I am raising money to enter the other one. I am so thankful to be alive and kicking. I am a person in recovery and I want to encourage others to succeed!

Thanks Oleda!

My beauty secrets? 1) Have a Vision/Goal- When I was a young girl growing up in Detroit, I read fashion and beauty magazines all of the time. There was a model with an ad in the back of all the magazines. Her name was Oleda Baker. Well, Oleda was this beautiful waif-looking blonde who said she had the secret to eternal youth. Every month you' d see a picture claiming to be an actual, unretouched picture of Oleda Baker. Here she was at 40, 50, 60 years old and she still looked the same! As an impressionable teenager, this made quite an impression on me. I wanted to be just like Oleda Baker; 100 years old and still looking 40. I really internalized this idea. I set forth to keep my looks as I became older. I read all that I could about natural skin care and anti-aging remedies. I began to make my own formulas at home from a book called "The Medically Based No-Nonsense Beauty Book." I studied Esthetics, got licensed and then became a professional model. As I got older my priorities changed. I became a Born Again Christian. I went back to school and received Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees. I became a Life Coach and Model/Pageant Coach. My goal stayed the same though. I wanted to be a role model for my daughter and many other young women. I wanted to be able to show my own "actual unretouched photo." And today I do it proudly! At age 47, you see my actual unretouched photo above.

I have some more secrets on how to do it: 2) Work out! Exercise! Move your body! This is the absolute fountain of youth. In order to appear youthful, you must move in a youthful fashion with flexibility and a smooth gait. Say what? Watch a young person walk. What do you see? A spring in the step, a bounce in the stride, purpose and direction.Pick your feet up, act like you have somewhere to go. Practice good posture and walk with confidence. Exercise will improve your body assurance. You will be stronger and more flexible. You will be able to handle everyday tasks with ease and not dread. I can' t emphasize this enough. I have been working out since I was 15 and today at 47 I still do all these things and more: 5-6  cardio and weight workouts per week, spinning class 2 times per week at 5:00A.M., core cardio class, TaeBo and Pilates at home and walking/jogging outside as the weather permits. I constantly add to my routine and take all the advice I can get from trainers. In order to feel and appear young, you MUST exercise! Even if you are overweight, you will always benefit from exercise. 3) Drink lots of water. Experts say at least 8 glasses per day. My rule is that I start and end the day with water and I keep a bottle of water in front of me throughout the day to drink. I do not drink coffee (too much caffeine has drying effects on the skin). I avoid fruit juices and soda pop. WATER,WATER, again I say WATER! 4) Eat clean and healthy food. Now this is a whole other book in itself. Consult a nutritionist if necessary. Or you can read about clean eating. There is a good book called "The Eat Clean Diet" (Robert Kennedy Publishing). I also recommend "The Eat Clean Diet Workout" by Tosca Reno. These should help you get started. You should avoid too much sugar, refined carbohydrates, and fried foods. Think low fat and increase the amount of crunchy vegetables you eat. You' ll watch your skin bloom and the pounds drop off! 5) Use moisturizer on your skin daily. It doesn' t have to be expensive. It just has to be used. I use plain old Oil of Olay Daily Moisturizer with sunscreen.  Also, use a sunblock with an SPF of 20+. 6) Develop the attitude of a queen. I' m serious! The only way you will truly be beautiful is for you to feel beautiful from the inside out. The attitude of a queen starts with your willingness to always put others first. Practice being grateful for every little thing that comes your way. Lift up, inspire, and encourage others in every situation. Remember to make it a goal each day to brighten someone else' s life. By doing this not only will you feel good, but you will actually look better because you feel good! It will also make others perceive you as beautiful. Not just because of your appearance but more importantly, because of your actions. My stepmother used to always say,"Pretty is as pretty does." I remember that to this day. My birthday was last Wednesday. I just turned 47 and I think Oleda Baker would be proud!