FU@K MY HAIR: I'm Gonna Workout!

No, this is not other post about Gabby Douglass. However, I think that the Douglass incident suggests we need to have a broader discussion about Black Women, Hair, and Health.

We have all read the blog posts, news articles, etc. about how some Black women avoid Exercise because they don’t want to mess up their hair. It’s amazing to me that even with the Natural Hair Movement and the DIY movement many women are still allowing their to be a barrier to exercise. It may be because there are still too few resources on managing Black hair and Exercise. I get that hair is a complex issue for us. But at some point we have to stop discussing this problem and do something about it.  You know the stats we have the highest rates of Obesity. 4  out of 5 of us are overweight or obese. It is completely unacceptable that we let our hair contribute to these numbers. We have to do better, we have to choose our Health over our Hair.

 In my own personal hair and exercise journey, I eventually reached a point at which I said “F my Hair.”  I chose exercise and a healthy lifestyle over my hair. I lost 40 lbs after making this commitment. I came up with a game plan that allowed me to workout out 5 days a week. I wore my hair in ponytails during the week. On the weekends I washed and straightened it. The best thing about saying “F my Hair” is that I learned how to do my own hair. Before making this commitment I never washed my own hair I relied completely on a hairstylist. I recently decided to transition to natural hair and I have found it even easier to manage my hair (it’s much more versatile).  Let me be clear when I say F my Hair, I do not mean that it is not possible to find a hairstyle that is professional and cute. You just have to think outside the box and be willing to try something new. You can find a style that works for you.  Part of this process is accepting that your beauty is not determined by your hair.

So I encourage you to free yourself and find a hairstyle that allows you to exercise. You can get braids, go natural, wear ponytails, a weave. I know many of you reading this have already found a solution that works so please share your story. We have responsibility to help each other. 

Natural Hair and Exercise: Hair Products I Love!

Hey ladies! I am back from my Vacay so I will continue the Natural Hair & Exercise Series. 

 I have been experimenting with different natural hair products for the past few weeks. It has been quite a journey trying out various styles and products. I think that I have finally found the regimen that works for me.  I roller set my hair with perm rods and sit under the dryer for about 45 minutes. I use Just Natural Organic Hair Care Products. I have found that these products keep my hair really soft and moisturized. These products have helped me survive the D.C. heat wave and my intense workouts. So far I have tried their Shampoo,  Leave-in Conditioner, and Protein Treatment. My roller set lasts about 4 days and I maintain it by pin curling it at night.

The Just Natural shampoo is the only shampoo that I have found to leave my hair soft. It is not harsh like other shampoos. Also, it is Sulfate free which is important for people that wash their hair
  often.

I have never tried a protein treatment before. My hair was soft and more manageable after using this, it works well the shampoo and leave-in. 

I apply the leave-in conditioner after the shampoo and protein treatment. This conditioner makes my hair really easy to manage before I do my roller set. 

If you have never used Organic products in you hair you must give these a try!

This is how my hair comes out. 

Additional tips:

I have learned that it is important to separate the hair into sections. This technique makes it much easier to manipulate. I part my hair into four sections before washing it. I wash each section to make sure I get my hair clean. When I apply the leave-in I keep the four sections but then go through and apply the conditioner to smaller sections (like you apply a relaxer). This makes easier for me to manage and apply the conditioner evenly.


Do you have any tips?

Black Hair and Exercise: Is Going Natural for You?

As I go through the process of transitioning from relaxed to natural I have been doing a lot of reflecting. One of the reasons I began this process was because I wanted to find a low maintenance style that would make it easier for me to exercise. After making the big decision (to go natural) I vowed to learn how to care for my own hair. I have watched countless youtube videos, consulted with my sister (a Hairstylist in Chicago), several friends, and family members.  I researched the best products to purchase, bought a really good (expensive) hooded hair dryer, rollers, etc. Needless to say this process has cost me a lot of time (and $$!). In this past week I have attempted to style my hair three times. The first time I did a roller set with perm rods and it came out pretty decent. The second time I tried to do a Bantu Knot Out and it was a major FAIL (I did not even bother to take pics). I did a second perm rod set last night. I haven't taken it down yet, so I will let you know how it turned out.

Anyway, if you are considering going natural I want you to know that it requires a huge time investment. You have to experiment with various styles and products. If you elect to do the BC (big chop) you will have an easier time because you are only dealing with one hair texture. If you elect to transition you have to work with curly styles that allow you to blend the hair textures together.  No matter what you decide you should do your research. Go to youtube, look at hair blogs like http://www.naturallycurly.com/, and research hair products.

From my experience thus far going natural is NOT low maintenance (unless you do the BC). But it is a learning experience. I am learning to care for my own hair. Also, working out with curly styles lasts much longer with my work outs. My first perm rod set lasted about 4 days and I worked out everyday (including running).  See below for the results of my first perm rod set. To style my hair I used Jane Carter's products. So it's not easy but I'm luvin' it!

Product Review: Bai

Ladies you know I like to keep you updated with new healthy products. Here is my product review of Bai5:

I recently tried a new drink called Bai.  It's an antixodant drink that is made from coffeefuit and white tea extract. I tried the Costa Rica Clemintine version and it was quite tasty. It was also only 5 calories (10 cals for the whole bottle).  It does contain erythitol (a naturally occurring sugar alcohol) which is also in some brands of chewing gum.  There is a little bit of an aftertaste with the low cal version but I find this to be true for most diet drinks.

I find products like this to be okay in moderation.  Of course you must make sure you get your eight glasses of water per day first. So if you are craving something low cal, sweet, and no funny aftertaste, then try Bai5.

Have you tried it??

Natural Hair and Exercise: Tips for Transitioners

A few months ago, I decided to join the ranks of Natural Hair Goddesses. I just got sick of putting chemicals in my hair and worrying about sweating out my wrap. Also, I became curious about what my real hair looks like. What I did not consider is how the transition would effect my exercise routine. I am now 4 months post relaxer and I have been on a journey to find a style that works for exercise and transitioning hair. I have stopped every sista at the gym and looked at countless blogs and youtube videos. There is a lot of info out there for transitioners but the info for women that exercise is lacking. So I decided to share what I found with you all. The two styles that seem to work the best are perm rod sets and Bantu knot outs. The great thing is there are tons of DIY videso. I plan to try the perm rod set this week. See below for example videos to get the style.

Do you have any suggests for natural or transitioning hairstyles?

Perm Rod video

Bantu Knot Outs