Black women site hair as impediment to working out

[baddison]

It is a struggle for black women to work out but if she really wants to do it, she will find a way.

Yup... I have to agree with that. It was simply more important for me to lose the weight I needed to lose. I am still working out daily between 60 & 90 minutes per day, varying between extreme cardio, and strength trainings. I sweat like a BOY, and my scalp is wet too. But *shrugs* whatever....I NEED to workout....OR ELSE!!!! THis is why I wash more often that some ladies prefer. I wash 2x's per week, and wear Prot. Styles all the time!!!

 

[Everything Zen]

I think y'all are being a little harsh. It's easy to say "oh they could just co wash and air dry and wear a ponytail" but that would be purposely omitting the main reason why black people have such poor hair care in the first place - MOST DON'T WANT TO HAVE LESS THAN STRAIGHT HAIR! Are we forgetting that to most black people, curly hair is "nappy", ponytails aren't "done" hair, and the proper way to walk around is with flat ironed, straightened, wrapped hair? It probably isn't that people don't know they COULD do other things or have alternative options; we all know damn well it's because people don't WANT to wear their hair like that.

For me personally, when I didn't go to the gym it was because I was lazy and didn't feel like it. When I started going, I had a sew in. Now even though I don't wear them anymore, I still keep going because I know how good I feel after going to the gym and how beneficial it is to me, to my life, my health, and my overall moods. I am going through a very frustrating and irritating time in life and going to the gym is one of the few things that keeps me from stabbing somebody.

I don't care if other black women don't go - I can't care. It's the same useless energy as concerning yourself with their hair care; they aren't going to listen to you and you'd just be working yourself up for nothing trying to convince them something different than what they already think. The way I feel about it, let em not go - I'll be even more of a hot commodity, long hair that's MINE and in great shape.

I hear what you're saying but I don't think what most people are saying comes from a place of vitriolic intent. I don't know about anyone else on the boards, but until I joined the forum, my hair literally was a source of mental stress. Not necessarily because of growth issues so much as feeling like you were chained to a hair stylist and there wasn't much you could do on your own. From rollersets to braiding, each new thing that I have learned to do on my own has felt as if a weight was lifted off of my mind. If anything, I think many of us are just frustrated and angry about the myths and stereotypes behind black women in terms of hair and beauty.

It took some time for me to let go of the straight-hair-all the time even though I knew my genes were against me and I knew all too well about the underlying mentality in our community. Even though I have never sacrificed health for hair, ever since I started just washing my hair every day and wearing buns, I have felt such a freedom from the tyranny that most of us have grown up with.

I watch my mother curse her hair every day and she refuses to work out because she doesn't like to sweat but she acknowledges that the things I have learned from the forum are true and she adores my hair progress but sadly she can't get over those debilitating mental habits that dominate most black women. It's a damn shame that we still think this way in 2009.

 

[CurlyMoo]

Lol, I hear you .. but even though L'Oreal's marketing unit sucks I'm not gonna dismiss their R&D (research and development) findings too quickly.. plus med student Shani Smith is probably black.. which is pretty ironic.

Oh, I'm sure they are Black. I think they set out to hire a Black woman to do the study.

 

[CurlyMoo]

I used to be relunctant to workout and run because of my hair. But I got the point where I was tired of having my hair dictate what I do- especially since White women do not feel the need to schedule anything around their hair. I worked out, took a sa shower, wet my hair and wow, I was still able to put in a ponytail and still looked cute- WOW! And now, after finding LHCF and cowashes...Guess what? I can wash my hair after every workout without even thinking twice.

That's interesting because I just overheard a White woman say she would not workout because she would have to wash her hair again.

 

[JinaRicci]

^^ It's not LOReal's study- it was just presented at a conference they hold on ethnic skin & hair that is generally open to anyone doing that type of research.

ETA: http://www1.wfubmc.edu/News/NewsARticle.htm?ArticleID=2238

 

[ebonylocs]

This falls in with something I was thinking the other day. This forum should be a basis for a "What Not to Wear" type show. We could find women that have hair issues and educate them on how to repair it. It could even be a group of women that get followed through their routines and maintenance over the course of a season. BTW, If this comes to pass, I want in. My idea!

Ha. I posted this idea 8 months ago in a thread I called: "What Not to DO to Your Hair. TV idea."
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=232433&highlight=show

This is a spin-off the "Tyra Thread".

How do we spread the healthy hair message to the masses, (without necessarily putting LHCF out there)

I was thinking of hair makeover show on BET or something like that. Kind of like "What Not To Wear", but instead people secretly nominate their relatives / friends with jacked-up hair (or maybe that would be too mean ).

And then you'd have a team of hair divas (e.g. Macherie, Sistaslick, etc) who would take that person, give them some treatments, help them formulate a regimen, etc. Every episode could have a light, brief scientific lesson - about protein / moisture, ph, porosity, relaxers, growth cycle, product ingredients, etc.

Of course, given that it takes some time to turn hair around, the different parts of the same episode would have to be shot at least say three months apart. So in one episode you'd have the three month before and after. And then, in later episodes you could check in on people 6 months later, a year later, even a couple of years later - depending on how long the show ran.

The show could have it's own website, with in-depth info about hair care but leave off stuff that some people would find too ... strange (for whatever reason.) No mention of LHCF necessary.

So what do y'all think? Would it be too much hanging out of BW's "dirty laundry"? WOuld it be effective / popular? Who do you see hosting? Would *you* personally be willing to put your hair and your knowledge out there to front something like this?

 

[Raspberry]

I've been keeping my hair curled for last couple weeks, and no I haven't worked out in that time. I know I gained a couple pounds back *sigh* It's kind of annoying that I have to chose between great and mediocre hair styles if I want to be fit, but I guess that's how it is right now until I can discipline myself to eat mostly raw.

So for right now I chose fabulous body + ok hair. Having awesome hair but feeling chubby isn't doin it for me...

Anybody else still having hair dilemmas when it comes to working out?

 

[aa9746]

Wigs have been working out great for me this year. I can wash and condition as much as I like with no problems. Last year I wore braids and kinky twists and that worked out well too.

 

[Country gal]

When I was texlaxed, I would wash at the gym, scrunch in some aussie leave in conditioning mousse and GO. Maybe if more black women knew how to be more " hands on" with their own heads, they wouldn't feel so helpless when it came to taking care of it.

I told my boo that I was sporting my natural hair again. He would just have to deal with it. My health is more important. I noticed the more I straighted my hair this summer I wasn't getting in as many workouts as before. My health and sex appeal come first. Being natural allows me to be more hands on with my hair.

 

[SweetSpirit86]

I could never understand the mentality of putting hair before health. I think what also contributes to the amount of overweight BW we see is their complacency in being "big boned" or being a "bbw". I work for the Federal Government and I commented the other day to another sista, how sometimes in a meeting or when I'm on the shuttle, I am the only slim BW around. And these other BW are not just a "lil chubby", I mean they are OBESE! To the point where they could stand to lose AT LEAST 60 lbs. and UP, just to be at a good weight.

You hit my thoughts dead on with this. In addition to the complacency about being obese...is the bad attitude towards the slim ones. It's not just our women either. Our men encouraging "thickness," which often by their definition, ends up being overweight. I consider myself a healthy sized person. I'm not bony, and I'm not hanging over anything, or muffin-topping my jeans...but to a lot of black men (going by what has been said to my face) I've met...I'm too skinny. Then you've got some of the BBW's calling us "skinny b!tche$" Things need to change.

Hair > Health is a huge no-no. What's the point of some pretty hair if you're always on bedrest because you've become seriously unhealthy? I don't get it. Another lady said she'd rather have okay hair and be healthy...I feel you on that. If my hair's gonna be swangin' I want the rest to match! lol

There are so many ways to get your exercise in without having to drench your hair in sweat. My knees can't handle running on a regular basis, and even stationary bikes take a toll on me so I end up doing a lot of walking. Walking! That's it. You'd be surprised how much the simple things we do everyday attribute to a healthier lifestyle. The only time I get to really sweating while walking, is if I kick it up a notch and start powerwalking.

 

[Nice Lady]

This article touched on something that I have heard--working out equates to a bad hair day. I used to work out alot for 2 hours for almost 5-7days a week all the time (i.e., even holidays) and for the last 3 years--I have struggled with consistency. However, I felt prior to my hair journey that I had to compromise my hair for my body so I stuck with braids and weaves.

Also, long ago, I read an article by Laila Ali in Essence stating that she always wears her hair in bun due to working out regularly. I feel like since I started back that buns are the major option and also, thank god for the invention of half-wigs and wigs.

 

[loved]

I understand to a degree. I do not work out when I have freshly done hair (which is not often) and there are a few threads here about when should you stop working out before you relax (to avoid sweat buildup). If I am in a period of heavy cardio my relaxed hair can become unmanageable so I usually will have to put it away with a weave or wig.