So … what do you do with your hair?

randrews0407

I transitioned natural during my weight loss journey. For many it’s about self love – finding yourself etc. – either that or the pain in the a** relaxing, blowouts and wrapping becomes when you have a consistent workout regimen.

I’m definitely not alone … as I look around at the gym I can see many big choppers, curly afros, 2 strand-twists, braids etc.

When I did Insanity, I basically pulled my hair back daily since its 2 months with vigorous workouts 6 days per week. Right now my hair is in 4 goddess braids but I do a bit of everything.

Just curious, what is your hair regimen? Does anything change now that you are focused on having a healthier lifestyle?

angelams1019

I had been relaxing my hair since middle school. I couldn't do the "Big Chop" so I cut my hair in three stages, letting it grow out a little more each time. I got my last cut a few weeks ago and can finally start letting it grow out! :drinker:

I wet my hair and comb it out with a wide tooth comb in the shower...

Spray this all over it when I get out...


And then spray a bit of this in my hands and run it through my hair and let it air dry.


The Reconstructive Elixir can be REALLY oily so I make sure to use it sparingly so I'm not dripping everywhere! lol

Sometimes I'll work out with my hair out, other times I'll wet my hair and put it up in a bun before I work out.

Also- I rinse/comb my hair out in the shower maybe three times a week and condition once a week. I shampoo maybe once a month before I do a deep conditioner!

deekatdavis

Thanks for the info. I had to cut my hair in stages when I went from relaxed to natural. I will try to products you suggested. It was easier back in the day to find natural hair products. The market is growing now.

randrews0407

I love the Shea moisture line, great for wash and go ... I have the leave in deep conditioner.

I cut my hair in stages too ... I basically just grew out the relaxer and every few months I'd part with a portion of it. After a while I got sick of having multiple textures on my head. I loved how my natural hair grew out of my roots and hated the limp and lifeless remaining ends from processed and heat damaged hair.

toutmonpossible

I have natural hair that's shoulder length when dry. It shrinks a lot and is much longer when wet.

When I was a kid, everyone had relaxed hair. Looking at photos, it looked like a conk, especially on the first day back from the salon. But everyone, including me, thought it looked good at the time. The chemicals would break off pieces of my hair in the back, which looked really weird.

Then everyone had Afros. I didn't really like the look on myself, but it was a great excuse to cut off my damaged hair and start fresh. Many people thought I was a boy. What a drag -- so to speak.

I tried growing my hair out naturally in college, but there were no products formulated for this hair, no ideas, and stylists would cut my hair in a triangular, broom shape, similar to that of Roseanne Roseannadanna, the Gilda Radner character. It's not fun to resemble a caricature.

I relaxed my hair again, spending more money at better salons in order to get the relaxer mixed just right and have only one side of my hair done at at a time so my hair wouldn't be over-relaxed. I was looking only for a little control so I could have a wash-and-wear curly style. Often, I would have to go to separate places to get my hair relaxed and cut, which was inconvenient and unpleasant. Eventually, my hair got damaged again.

Finally, in 2008, I started growing my relaxer out and getting haircuts only every six months to a year. I would wear my hair in a pony tail. It took forever, but now I'm generally pretty pleased with my hair.

I recommend the Curly Girl book and DVD and Devacurl products, especially One Condition. I get my hair cut at the Devachan Salon in New York, but the salon trains people all over the country.

The naturallycurly.com website also can be helpful.


Edited to add: Devachan encouraged me to comb my wet hair with my fingers after applying a lot of condition. I do it about 90% of the time now because I think it's less damaging than the wide Goody comb I was using.

angelams1019

I love the Shea moisture line, great for wash and go ... I have the leave in deep conditioner.

I cut my hair in stages too ... I basically just grew out the relaxer and every few months I'd part with a portion of it. After a while I got sick of having multiple textures on my head. I loved how my natural hair grew out of my roots and hated the limp and lifeless remaining ends from processed and heat damaged hair.

Yes!! I was SO excited to get all that stringy hair off!! lol

pabedwards

Hi Ladies,
For the past month, I've started a vigorous workout regiment; 5-6 days a week for 60 minutes and 2 days with a personal trainer. My hair so doesn't like this plan. It's dry, brittle and shedding. My last relaxer was in May (not planning on another one). I need suggestions as to what to do before and after my workouts.

tryin08

I just started the curly girl method a week ago and loving it. I wear either a ponytail or a twist out while I'm transitioning and working out.

Fabfitgirl5

pabedwards- that depends on the state of your hair. If iti s really dry and brittle like straw it coudl be protein overload. If you are just having issues with styling, the sweat and the puffyness that comes with our hair when some of us work out, you can put it in a protective style like braids or twist while you are going through your initial power house work out schedule. If you can rock a fro, that is a possibility as well. I work in a very conservative environment so a fro for me and the type of hair I have would not really go over well. My hair currenlty is suffering from protein damage and breaking with a really bad patch in the back, so I am wearing wigs right now and will be until the end of july, then, If the moisture is back in my hair I will be wearing Senagalese twist. My own hair will not cooperate for two strand twist since it has too much protein in it and base on the p-overload my curl pattern has taken a beating and since I don't know when it will return to normal I can not wear natural styles right now.
I also lost a lot of the growth I had attained in the back so back to the drawing board. *sigh*

With that said, if your hair is realtively healthy, the braids or twist or even two strand natural twist would be a good idea. You can pin up your hair when you work out and also consider a scarf if you feel comfortable doing so. the scarf will keep the hair from getting extra poofy or plump and will hold the style while you are working out.

rjbrowne82

I've had dreads for over 10 years and they are down past my waist. I'm pretty much a simple girl. Just put it in a bun and then workout. After I finish, I usually let it down for a bit in order for it to dry out. I put shea butter once a week to my scalp for moisture. That's about it.

HIITMe

Hi Ladies,
For the past month, I've started a vigorous workout regiment; 5-6 days a week for 60 minutes and 2 days with a personal trainer. My hair so doesn't like this plan. It's dry, brittle and shedding. My last relaxer was in May (not planning on another one). I need suggestions as to what to do before and after my workouts.

slather your hair in a conditioner before you begin working out... then rinse out immediately after working out.. then wash again with conditioner only ( no shampoo at all)... style as usual...

nmiller0813

QUOTE:

Hi Ladies,
For the past month, I've started a vigorous workout regiment; 5-6 days a week for 60 minutes and 2 days with a personal trainer. My hair so doesn't like this plan. It's dry, brittle and shedding. My last relaxer was in May (not planning on another one). I need suggestions as to what to do before and after my workouts.



slather your hair in a conditioner before you begin working out... then rinse out immediately after working out.. then wash again with conditioner only ( no shampoo at all)... style as usual...

working out, 5/6 times a week and you should do the above regime everyday. That is a lot of work. Is there not something a little simpler?

dutchess4884

My hair grew in really curly after my big chop, there small coily curls. At first I tried to do twist outs but they just dont look right on me and my hair is so curly that by the time I finished my workout it was all curly again. My natural curl pattern is very story. I also learned that my hair needs to be conditioned or at least have water on it once a day to maintain the moisture since it dries so fast. So when I workout I spray a mixture of water and conditioner on it and wrap it in a small bun or pony to lock in the head. I didn't have the experience I thought I would have when I did the big chop but I've learned to love my curls and the longer it gets the more I feel like myself.

I'll post pics later .

trodney1104

Hi ladies!
I have fine, naturally curly hair. My curls are super tight. I usually wet it everyday, let it air dry and fluff for volume. I
stopped relaxers about 8 yrs ago & have never looked back. I was using Motions Naturally You products but they have been recently discontinued. Thx for the info on naturally curly hair products/sites. I will definitely look into those.

I usually put my hair in a ponytail during my workout and call it a day. I work out 5-7x wkly & I need it out of the way. I wash/condition it 2x wkly. My hubby loves when I flat iron,but the humidity here in OK is crazy so I rarely do it.

pabedwards

Thank You for the tip. I'll try it starting tomorrow. I had to laugh about you comment on my 5-6 day workout. It can be simplified, but I'm on a mission. I delayed joining the gym for a long time.

pabedwards

Thank you so much. I truly didn't know what to do. I can't even say my hair is relatively healthy anymore. I'm also a "beach bum", so my hair is really taking a beating.

MoRiv1986

I currently have braids. I workout 5-7 times a week, sometimes twice a day. And it's HOT here in Korea. I couldn't handle washing my natural hair and taking care of it everyday, twice a day. So I pull my braids up in a ponytail and go.

Achrya

My hair is natural, and I usually have it out for a few weeks to a month at a time, then do micros or a sew in for 2-3 months then repeat. I prefer braids to sew-ins as far as working out goes; sweating out tracks is just not cute.

daaimah123

Any suggestions for dreadlocks/sistahlocks?

pinkdreams13

I big chopped the day after Thanksgiving last year. So far I have been rocking the wash and gos and twist outs because I feel that my hair isn't where I want it to be to do anything else yet. On some days I just put it in a puff and rock it out. But I have been using the Shea Moisture line as well. My hair loves this stuff!!!!!

HIITMe

Hi Ladies,
For the past month, I've started a vigorous workout regiment; 5-6 days a week for 60 minutes and 2 days with a personal trainer. My hair so doesn't like this plan. It's dry, brittle and shedding. My last relaxer was in May (not planning on another one). I need suggestions as to what to do before and after my workouts.

slather your hair in a conditioner before you begin working out... then rinse out immediately after working out.. then wash again with conditioner only ( no shampoo at all)... style as usual...

working out, 5/6 times a week and you should do the above regime everyday. That is a lot of work. Is there not something a little simpler?

thats as about as simple as I can suggest... its not that hard nor does it take lon... 30 secinds to slather on before, put it in a scarf or ponytail while you workout... 2 minites to rinse out in shower after...
the fact that you arent at least rinsing your hair out after 5-6 workouts a week may be part of the problem... all of the salt contained in your perspiration is still in your hair, helping to make it hard & brittle....

hope that helps