Miami Herald Article on Black Women, Hair, and Exercise

Hi Everyone:

This is my first post. I have been following the blog for a while, and I love it. I'm getting some great tips from you guys. Anyway, thought this was an interesting article in today's Miami Herald.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/15/2114810_lets-move-meets-good-hair.html

Hey fellow floridian ((((welcome))))
that article is so true off to do some workout

In the past I would have been offended by comments relating hair and health because, in part, it was true. I used to allow my hair style or maintainence to control my activities or level of activity. I'm grateful that I don't feel that way anymore and enjoy a more active lifestyle because my hair has become the least of my worries

Here's a link from the EVP of the company that I work for addressing this issue:
http://www.uptownpromag.com/2011/01/8-dr-reed-tuckson/

"You’re really missing out on what Florida has to offer. If you don’t exercise, you’re missing out on the beauty of Miami.”

This..

..and it's one of the main reasons I decided to move to Florida since I had never ever lived near the ocean before. I'm hoping the natural "trend" is here to stay for good.. having natural hair has a much bigger impact on us than just a new look or style if it means more and more women will consider their physical health beyond their scalps.

Hello Fellow Floridians!!!

Yes. I have seen more and more women walking (and jogging) around South Florida with natural hair, so I hope this continues.

I walk or run every other day on the beach. The energy that I get from working out surpasses any concern that I have about hair.

The biggest exercise challenges for me have been :1) Finding the time to work-out 2) surviving the Miami heat and humidity. If I don't get out there early in the morning.... I won't have an outdoor workout. It gets too hot by mid morning. We have a gym downstairs, but it is just not the same as walking/running in the sand. There is even some outdoor gym equipment in some areas of Miami Beach.

I have never used chemicals, but I had stylists use flat irons and hot blow dryers on my hair for years. For now, I'm trying to be wash and wear, with a focus on just keeping my hair healthy. I am not willing to spend megabucks to maintain a hairstyle (I don't really have a hairstyle anyway...LOL!). Instead, I would rather invest that money in maintaining hair health.

I am starting to see more products for natural hair/curly hair around South Florida, and I look forward to getting tips from you guys about maintaining curls in this humidity. The humidity is not so bad at this time of the year, but in a few weeks I will probably be "frizzy in miami".

Good article. Thanks for sharing.

I did a cardio kickboxing class yesterday and was thrilled about that fact that I was natural. No hair issues to worry about like when I had my weave and my hair would be sweaty and wet and take forever to dry.

I thought after class yesterday, being natural has it benefits. All I did after class was come home spray some Oyin frank juice on my hair and wrap it up with my silk scarf.

I'm more worried about my heart than my hair.

- “It’s so easy,” said Burkett, who works out four days a week at Biscayne Boxing & Fitness Club. “I feel like I’m a white girl sometimes.”

Part of why I went natural because I was missing out on physical activity. Running, tennis, swimming, SWEATING. My health was suffering, even at a relatively young age.

No longer does my hair rule my life.

I would rather wear my hair in a ceasar cut (which looks fantastic) than stop exercising!

I've always been one of those active and outdoorsy women, which is not the norm for black women, even when I was permed. But when I stopped perming my hair years ago, it really made outdoor activities so much easier for me. Being able to go camping and not have to worry about my hair is amazing. I can go swimming every week and hop out the pool and wash my hair and then slick it back into a puff until I get home. It's so much easier and has made an already active sister like me even more active.

And TRAVEL is so much easier! Going overseas and not having to worry about adapters for my flat iron and hot comb saves me money and time. Who wants to be in Paris flat ironing their hair cause they got caught in the rain?! Not me!

I exercise 5x/week and I love that my hair is natural b/c I don't worry about it at all. I just puff it or wear it in french braids or sometimes I even wear it out! The last time I did that my hair looked even better when I left b/c it got huge and fluffy it was gorgeous and I got so many compliments at the gym lol. My god sister went with me the other day (she's permed) and you could just read the panic on her face as she started to sweat lol. I also love that I don't have to run from rain or get that stiff neck when somebody opens a car window lol

Nice article.

I chose to go natural for two reasons.

1. My mother is bald and, at 46, my hair was starting to thin.

2. I needed to lose my excuse for not exercising.

For me, going natural wasn't anything "deep" - it was as simple as those two items.

I never really linked those two together...exercise and hair. I've always been into some form of exercise even while relaxed and never thought about sweating being an issue. I'm not much of a swimmer but that has nothing to do with my hair but alot to do with a bad experience as a child. Still, even rain never bothered me. I find this kind of odd.

Niqui36 wrote:I never really linked those two together...exercise and hair. I've always been into some form of exercise even while relaxed and never thought about sweating being an issue. I'm not much of a swimmer but that has nothing to do with my hair but alot to do with a bad experience as a child. Still, even rain never bothered me. I find this kind of odd.

Because I never relaxed (was always pressed) it was a big deal to me. Water of any kind and pressed/flat ironed hair does not mixed.

CarlaAR wrote:

Niqui36 wrote:I never really linked those two together...exercise and hair. I've always been into some form of exercise even while relaxed and never thought about sweating being an issue. I'm not much of a swimmer but that has nothing to do with my hair but alot to do with a bad experience as a child. Still, even rain never bothered me. I find this kind of odd.

Because I never relaxed (was always pressed) it was a big deal to me. Water of any kind and pressed/flat ironed hair does not mixed.

Okay, yeah that does make more sense for pressed hair. I see your point. lol! And your hair is gorgeous!!!!!

Niqui36 wrote:

CarlaAR wrote:

Niqui36 wrote:I never really linked those two together...exercise and hair. I've always been into some form of exercise even while relaxed and never thought about sweating being an issue. I'm not much of a swimmer but that has nothing to do with my hair but alot to do with a bad experience as a child. Still, even rain never bothered me. I find this kind of odd.

Because I never relaxed (was always pressed) it was a big deal to me. Water of any kind and pressed/flat ironed hair does not mixed.

Okay, yeah that does make more sense for pressed hair. I see your point. lol! And your hair is gorgeous!!!!!

Thank you!

Thanks for alerting me to this article! I live in Miami Beach - so I run on the beach often also (usually in the evening when it's cooler).