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- [00:01]
Les
The following podcast is a Dear Media production. Welcome to Balance Black Girl. My name is Les. I am your host and I appreciate you tapping in. Now, I have been on my fitness journey for a long time now. I'm going on year 14 of consistently exercising. And ever since I started creating content and posting online about wellness, the number one question I get get is what do you do to your hair while you work out? Or how do you maintain your hair while you work out? And if I had a dollar every time somebody would ask me that, I could retire. So we need to figure out how I can get those dollars coming in so that I can retire already from people asking me that question. But I thought that it was time for us to do an episode about just that, about how to balance your fitness goals with your hair care. Because I know that for a lot of us, that can really be a barrier to moving our bodies. For us, hair is so much more than just hair. For a lot of us, taking care of our hair is something that we put a lot of time and energy and thought into, and moving our bodies can feel like it's at odds with how we take care of our hair. However, we have to prioritize moving our bodies. We cannot afford to not reap the benefits that fitness gives us. And so we have to find a happy medium to be able to do both. And this is something that I've really worked on and perfected, at least for myself, over the years. So I wanted to talk a little bit more about that process and about what I call the fit hair formula. So that is finding the perfect intersection of the various areas, the impact, how you work out and how you take care of your hair. That is your hair type, your sweat type, your styling preferences, and your workout preferences. And where you find the intersection of all of these things is how you're going to be able to maintain your hair while you work out. But what I always tell myself, and this is kind of my running joke, is that my arteries are more important than my edges. If I had to choose between a healthy body or perfectly laid hair, I personally am going to choose a healthy body every single time. Because we can always change our hair. We can cut it, we can style it, we can braid it, we can dye it, we can shave it all off, we can grow it all back, we can do whatever we want. But we only get one body. And I implore you, if that has not been your priority, I really, really encourage you to reframe that priority. Because our health is just too important. Exercise is Too important to not do it for the sake of our hair. When it comes to exercise, there's so many benefits that we have to reap. Whether that is helping us manage stress, whether that is keeping our heart healthy, like heart disease, high blood pressure, hypertension, these things have been the number one cause of death for women for decades, for as long as I can remember. And such a big part of keeping a healthy heart is moving your body regularly. When we think about things like having healthy muscle mass, which is important as we age, having strong bones, minimizing our risk of cancer. I actually read a study recently that women who are more active have up to a 20% less chance of developing breast cancer compared to those who are inactive. So we really can't afford to not reap the benefits of exercise. And if it has not been something that you have prioritized, that is okay. But that is why we're having this conversation, because we're going to start prioritizing it now, moving forward. So let's get into this fit hair formula that I was talking about. The first thing that you want to factor in when it comes to your fit hair formula is your sweat type. Now, everybody sweats a little bit differently. We all have our own unique sweat type. And as you map out your hair care and your workouts and how you balance the two, it's important to understand what your sweat type is, because no two people sweat the exact same way. So for me, I am somebody who is like a body sweater. I mean, we're going to go there, we're going to get kind of tmi. I don't tend to sweat a ton in my scalp, but I get, like a really sweaty body. Like my neck, my back, my torso, all of that gets super sweaty. And for me, because I'm well versed enough in exercise to know how my body responds to different things, I know that when I do things like lift weights or do, say, Pilates or just go on kind of a leisurely walk, I don't really work up as much of a sweat doing those things. But for other forms of exercise, like if I'm doing more intense cardio, if I'm going up and down stairs, if I'm doing vinyasa yoga, if I'm doing circuit training, like, I know those things are going to make me really, really sweat. So as I think about my sweat type, that's what's helping me kind of plot and plan what my workouts are going to look like each week. So if you're super familiar with your sweat, Type or you've never really paid attention to it. The first step in figuring out your fit hair formula is just observing what your sweat type is like. As you navigate your workouts this week, observe how sweaty you get. Observe where you sweat. Observe how sweat kind of manifests for you. Do you generate different amounts of sweat doing different activities? Do you have more head sweat versus body sweat? Like, what does that look like for you? And use that information to map out your plan of attack. Now, the next part of the fit hair formula is what your hair type is and what your styling preferences are. I say styling preferences because for so many of us, there are so many different ways that we can do our hair. There's so many different ways that we like to express ourselves through our hair. And I know that a lot of people can have a lot of feelings over how we should do our hair or what we should do with our hair. I am of the belief that that is up to the individual person. How they express themselves through their hair, how they want to do their hair, is fully up to them. I don't think that any of us should be telling one another what we should or shouldn't be doing. But think about what you like, what styles you like, even if we switch it up to different styles. Like, I know I've had every hairstyle under the sun. I've cut my hair into a bob. I've worn it natural where I put no heat on it for years at a time. I've had braids more time than I can count. I'm currently doing more of, like, a straight hair thing. But who knows? A couple months from now, I might switch it up and do something totally different. So factor in what your style preferences are for the moment. At the time that I'm recording this, it's fall going into winter, so a lot of us are doing more of the silk press, our federally mandated silk presses at the moment, because as the weather cools down, that's something that we want to do. Factor that in to how you navigate what workouts you're planning to do, because for each different hairstyle, that means that you're probably going to wear it a little bit differently while you work out. So if you're wearing your hair fully natural, that tends to be a little bit more forgiving, but it can get a little bit frizzier if you sweat a lot while you work out. So maybe all you need to do if you're wearing your natural hair texture is to just pull it back so it's out of your face and have a headband on to protect your edges, and that's it. Or if you're in more of a protective style phase, that's probably going to be the most forgiving. All that really matters there is that you're keeping it out of your face so that it doesn't annoy you and that you're really taking care of your scalp and making sure that your scalp under that style is clean and protected. If you're sweating, if you are also, like me, in your federally mandated silk press era, that's where things are going to get a little bit tricky, because that is where our hair is the most delicate and prone to reverting. So maybe that means you don't have your hair exposed at all while you're exercising. And maybe it is up in a bun with a hat over it or with a scarf over it. Maybe you wrap it in a doobie so that it's just fully put away. If that's what you like to have on, maybe you have it up and you have a headband on. Give yourself space to do a little bit of experimentation to figure out what works best for you. And don't be too hard on yourself if you do your hair and it does get a little bit messed up, or if it does revert a little bit. Because especially as you get used to prioritizing fitness, if it's something that you haven't prioritized before, it's going to take a little bit of trial and error. I know for me, whenever I'm experimenting with different hairstyles and I have some trial and error and I lean more towards error, then it just means that I'm doing a little bit more like the ponytail and the bun thing until I figure out how to make it work, until I figure out that routine that works. And that's just what it is. It's maybe just a week or two of experimentation as you figure out what's next. So try not to be too precious about it. Let yourself have a little bit of room for experimentation and a little bit of room for error. And I do think that it's important to talk about allowing one another to have a little bit of room for experimentation and a little bit of room for error. Because I know that a lot of us sometimes feel really comfortable making comments about one another's hair, making comments about what one another should do for our hair. If we maybe are in a little bit of a trial and error phase and we see that maybe there's a little bit of error, sometimes we can get a little too vocal about that, about what other people are doing and what they should do. And I think we're all trying and so allowing a little bit more grace and space for ourselves and one another as we figure out what works best for us. And our hair is going to be really, really key as opposed to judging somebody if they're maybe experimenting with a different style or doing something with their hair and it doesn't look how you think it should look. And I see this a lot, particularly on social media, and I know I've gotten comments on social media about it before, lots of people have, and it's just something that I don't think is fully necessary. So allow grace and space for yourself as you figure it out, but also for other people, because everybody is doing the best with what they have.
- [10:36]
Unknown
Now many of us have talked about our hot girl stomach issues amongst ourselves, but it's time that we all embrace our inner hot girl without the stomach issues. We're all learning so much about how gut health impacts our mental health, our immune system, and of course digestion. And if you need a little support, I recommend Ritual Symbiotic Plus. I've been using Ritual Symbiotic plus for a few years now and it's honestly become one of those staples I can't imagine my routine without. What I love about Synbiotic plus is that it's so much more than just a probiotic. It's actually a three in one with prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, with two of the world's most clinically studied probiotic strains to support gut and digestive health. So it's just so complete at supporting your gut. I'm always looking for ways to better support my gut health and when I take my Synbiotic plus consistently, my digestion is so much better, which just helps me feel better overall. Throughout the day I feel less bloated and just more comfortable. Rituals quality is top notch. Synbiotic plus is vegan, non GMO and free from major allergens and artificial colors. Plus you just need one capsule a day and it's so easy to take. If you're ready to give your gut a little love, now is the perfect time. Get 25% off your first month of Rituals symbiotic plus@ritual.com balanced that's 25% off@ritual.com balanced. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Let's talk about hydration, because staying hydrated isn't just for summer days. With winter here, it's easy to forget that we can also get dehydrated when it's cold out too. And when we're dehydrated, we feel sluggish. We can experience cramping and headaches and no one has time for that. That's why I'm excited to share Element, the zero sugar electrolyte drink mix that has been my go to for years. Element is perfect for anyone who wants to stay hydrated without all the sugar and artificial stuff found in typical sports drinks. Each pack delivers a science backed ratio of sodium, magnesium and potassium free from added sugar, artificial flavors and colors, and any other questionable ingredients. It's especially great for athletes, people who are fasting, or those who follow a keto or a low carb diet. But even if you're just trying to keep up with an active lifestyle, Elements got you covered too. And right now, Elements Limited Edition Chocolate Medley is back. It comes with flavors like Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Chai and Chocolate Raspberry. Now my personal favorite is adding half a stick of chocolate mint to my morning coffee for like a cozy minty mocha. Or in the evenings, I love mixing chocolate chive with hot water and a splash of cream. It's my go to winter treat. Oh, and here's the best part. You can try Element completely risk free. If you don't love it, pass it on to a friend and they'll refund you. No questions asked. Plus Balance Black Girl listeners can get a free Element Sample pack with any purchase@drinkelement.com balanceless that's D R I N K L M N T.com balanced less.
- [14:04]
Les
So factoring in your sweat type, your hair type and styling preferences, you also want to factor in your favorite types of workouts. Now if you listen to this podcast or follow my content, you know that I am all about having us strength train as much as possible. I am very pro strength training. One of my favorite trends that I've seen in wellness over the past year is that so many more women are interested in lifting heavy, in eating more protein. And I have been waiting for this wave to catch on for the past like 10 years. Because there are so many incredible benefits to lifting weights and to strength training. And for most of us, especially if you're in your 30s and above, I think that as you're crafting your workout schedule each week, you should be doing more strength training than anything else. It doesn't mean that you can't do other types of workouts. If that's what you like. But if you're in your 30s and up, you need to be doing more strength training than anything else. If you're in your 20s or even younger, you can mix it up a little bit more. You have a little bit more wiggle room to expand, experiment. But once we get into our 30s, that's when we get gotta be serious about the muscle building and the strength building and the bone building. So I've had a lot of episodes on that. I've also talked about it on the podcast recently in my 20s versus 30s wellness episode. So we'll link those in the show notes if you need a little bit more guidance when it comes to strength training. But I also think that there's room for incorporating whatever types of movement and whatever types of workouts are most accessible to you and what bring you the most joy. I mean, for me, I do really like strength training and I really enjoy Pilates and those have been my two favorite types of movement lately. But everybody likes different types of movement. So whether you like to swim, whether you like to dance, whether you like spin, whether you like yoga, definitely prioritize what you enjoy because that means that you are more likely to actually do it. But also keep in mind what those activities mean for your hair, for your hair type, for your styling preferences, and for your sweat type. So as I mentioned, as I'm navigating my fit hair formula, strength training doesn't make me personally sweat a ton if I'm doing, you know, like straight sets of just lifting. Also doing Pilates, whether that is mat or reformer, doesn't really make me sweat as much. But higher cardio activities, higher intensity activities, make me sweat a little bit more. So as I'm mapping out my week, that's something that I am thinking about and I do tend to prioritize those things, one, that I enjoy, but that two, don't have as much of a sweat impact on me. This is going to vary a little bit again, based on your age, based on your particular fitness goals. You know, maybe you're in a position where you are focusing a little bit more on conditioning. That's going to mean that you're doing a little bit more cardio or that you have a goal to do a little bit more cardio, which likely means you're going to be sweating a little bit more. So maybe during that season of you prioritizing conditioning and getting a little bit more of that burn, then maybe you're going to focus more on more forgiving hairstyles that allow you to sweat a little bit more during the season where that is your fitness goal. Because it's really important to note that we have different seasons where we prioritize different types of movement. If somebody is in more of a strength focused phase, then that's going to be primarily what they're doing. And then once they've reached the level of strength that they are desiring, then they can start mixing it up with other things. Or maybe someone is on a weight loss journey, or maybe someone is on a heart health journey, and that's going to require potentially a bit more cardio, which is going to be a little bit sweatier. So maybe while they're on that particular journey, they do more protective styles, they do more of their natural texture to allow a little bit more flexibility because they're prioritizing higher sweat activities. And then once they reach that goal, then they can start incorporating more lower sweat activities. So allowing it to be really flexible in terms of what you do with your hair and what you do with your workout schedule, that really helps you meet your unique goals and what your needs are for your body right now is going to be super important. Do not feel like just because you are starting to prioritize fitness right now and you're getting used to moving more and sweating more, that you can only do your hair in one particular way forever. Because as you get more in shape, as you start shifting your fitness priorities and trying different activities, your body is going to respond in different ways. So just because it's one way now doesn't mean it's going to be that way for forever. But again, not moving is really not an option for us. So I really recommend taking whatever your fitness goal is right now or whatever your favorite form of movement is right now, prioritizing that and then finding a hairstyle that meets you where you're at, factoring in your specific goal. So, so far, for the fit hair formula, we've talked about your sweat type, we've talked about your styling preferences, and we've talked about your workout preferences. The next part of the formula is your schedule, and this is where we're going to put this all together. Now, when I say schedule, I mean a couple of different things. One, I mean your personal life schedule and what works for how much time you have. And two, I mean your schedule with how it relates to when and how you take care of your hair and when you plan your workouts. So really revolving your workouts around your wash day or around whatever your hair maintenance day is, is what is probably going to be most feasible for most people. So that means whenever you typically wash and care for your hair, whether you do that weekly or every other week or whatever that looks for you, whenever that is, you're probably going to want to focus on more low intensity activities right around when that happens. So when you have that fresh, say day one to day three hair, that's probably not when you want to take a hot yoga class. That's probably not when you want to go cycling and like really do that good sweat. That may be those days that you focus more on walking. That may be the days where if you do yoga, you don't do hot yoga. Or maybe you do strength training where it's straight sets that keep your heart rate at a more steady pace instead of circuit training, that's going to get your heart rate up and that's going to cause you to sweat more. And then as the week goes on and your hair naturally gets dirtier, naturally, you know, whatever style that is, naturally starts to wane because it happens to everybody. It's natural. It's part of being human. Having a scalp, you know, we all reach that point where the style starts to kind of go south. That's when you can kind of tip the scale and up the intensity a little bit. So depending on your hair freshness, when the hair freshness is high, the intensity is low. And then as the hair freshness goes down, the intensity can get a little bit higher. So that by the time you reach your next wash day, and it's, you know, either the day of wash day, the day before wash day, that's when you can just get in that good sweat and just go all the way in on whatever those super sweaty activities are around those days. Sweat your hair out, because it doesn't matter anyway because you're about to redo it and restyle it and then start the process all over again. So your workout schedule and your hair schedule need to be friends, not enemies. They shouldn't be working against one another, they should be working together. They should be meeting up once a week to sync schedules and get on the same page. And I do, if I'm being totally honest, have some moments where I am like, man, I kind of wish I didn't have to think about that. I kind of wish I didn't have have to do the mental gymnastics of making my workout schedule fit my hair schedule, because sometimes it's just exhausting. However, that is the solution to the problem. That is part of having a body and taking care of it from the inside out. That is the difference between being human and being something else. Like, we always have things about ourselves that require care. And I find that having a little bit more structure with it that can become automatic over time makes the process a little bit easier. So really finding a way for your workout schedule and your hair schedule to be friends, not enemies, is going to be key here.
- [23:01]
Unknown
I am always drinking at least three beverages at once. I usually actually have a water, I have some sort of like warm drink, and then I have a fun drink. And I have a new favorite to add to the fun drink category, and that is Culture Pop Soda. So imagine if a seltzer and a soda teamed up to create the perfect blend that would be Culture Pop. It's packed with flavor, it's refreshingly unique and has just the right amount of complexity. But here's what sets it apart. Culture Pop skips the artificial stuff. Unlike other so called healthy sodas, it's only sweetened with organic fruit juice. So it has no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners like stevia or aspartame, just real simple ingredients like organic fruit juice, herbs, spices, and live probiotics. Also speaking of probiotics, they're a little bonus for your gut health, so you can sip on this drink any time of the day and feel good about it. But what I love most is that the flavors actually taste like what they're supposed to. So real fruit, no artificial aftertaste, and a level of sweetness that hits just right. I also love how easy it is to find. Culture Pop is sold in over 10,000 stores nationwide, including Whole Foods and Walmart, so you can pick it up whenever you're out and about. But I actually recommend getting it from their website because if you go to drinkculturepop.com and use the code balanceless, you get 20 off your first purchase. Again, that's code balanceless@drinkculturepop.com for 20 off your first order. Let's talk about a different side of skincare. What's going on beneath the surface? Have you ever heard of inflammation? It's the sneaky everyday inflammation that slowly breaks down collagen and elastin, leaving your skin less resilient over time. It's triggered by stress, environmental factors, and even what we eat. And it can start as early as your mid to late twenties. Now that is where Dende steps in. And this isn't your average skincare line. It's the first bio based line targeting inflammaging at its root. And Dende's secret weapon is a proprietary ingredient that fights inflammation 15 times better than niacinamide. We all have heard of niacinamide. We know how good it is for our skin. But this ingredient is 15 times more effective at helping keep your skin smooth, elastic and glowing. And I can attest to this because I've been using the Dende serum for the past few months as a part of my morning skincare routine, and my skin has been more glowy than ever. Think of Dende as your skincare insurance. Clinically proven to enhance moisture, tone, texture while tackling fine lines and dryness, it's the ultimate way to stay ahead of visible aging. No need to wait for problems to show up before you act. Dende is offering 20% off this black Friday, but balanced Black Girl listeners can get 25% off@dende.com that's D E I N D E.com using the code Balanced less from November 22 until December 3.
- [26:16]
Les
So now I want to talk a little bit more about how I put this all together for my own personal fit hair formula. And I'm going to go into a lot of detail to give you just a little bit of inspiration for what I do. So taking a step back, talking a little bit more about my hair, my hair type, what I'm currently doing with my hair. As you can see if you're watching on YouTube, my hair is currently straightened and the vibe that I'm going for right now, my current hair styling is straight, but not super straight. Like having a little bit more volume. I got layers cut in it so that I have a little bit more volume, having a little bit of a kind of like wave or loose curl in it. And I actually did this on purpose because I find that having my hair styled like this is actually a little bit more forgiving when I'm active and when I'm sweaty and when my hair starts to revert a little bit than it was when my hair was all super straight and all one length, which it had been for a while. I found that that style was a little bit less, less forgiving for me. So that super silky, super straight silk press, beautiful, but doesn't really hold up well for an active lifestyle. And so I switched up my style a little bit. One, because I was just getting bored of the super straight look. But two, I wanted something a little bit more forgiving for my active lifestyle. So now if my hair puffs up or if it fluffs or if it starts to revert a little bit, it kind of adds to the style and it adds to the Volume and it gives me a little bit more wiggle room with what I'm doing. But again, I've had so many different hairstyles. There were so many years where I had my hair completely natural. I put zero heat on it. And during those times I would just work out with my hair up in a pineapple. And that was just that. And the curls would get a little messed up. They would, you know, get a little bit frizzy. But again, my arteries are more important than my edges. So it was really all about prioritizing my health and doing the best that I could. So that's currently where I am at from a hair perspective. Now when I am physically working out, usually what I do with my hair is I will put it in a bun on the top of my head with satin elastics. So I will put my hair in a high ponytail right on top of my head with a satin scrunchie. And then I will twirl the length of my hair around into a bun and secure it with a second satin scrunchie. I like satin scrunchies because they don't leave a dent in my hair. They don't snag, and they don't pull my hair out or cause breakage. But I find that having the satin covered hair ties still gives me enough hold that my hair will stay put when I put it in my bun while I'm working out. Even if I'm jumping around doing cardio, like, I find that it stays put. The looser scrunchies for me don't have as much hold. So I do like, like more of the satin covered hair ties. And for all of the products that I talk about, I'm going to put these on my shop my that will be linked in the show notes because I'm also going to give more detailed product recommendations as well. So the reason why I like to put my hair in a bun on top of my head is because, as I mentioned, my sweat type is like my neck and back. This is like so gross. But we're going, we're. This is a place for transparency. We talk about fitness and everything here, but my neck and my back get so sweaty. It's actually a little disgusting. So I don't like having my hair in a ponytail where it can be touching my neck or my back because those areas tend to get so sweaty for me. If I leave my hair in a ponytail where it's touching my neck and my back, I know my ends are going to revert. So by having my Hair fully up on top of my head, not touching my neck or my back where I get sweatiest. That just keeps my hair protected. And also because I do have a little bit of this, like bump at the end, a little bit of curl, I find that kind of twirling it around in that bun helps maintain some of that curl. It's not going to look as amazing as it does right after I style it or right after I take, you know, my heatless curlers out at night. But it maintains enough that I don't feel like I fully lose my style. So my go to hairstyle while working out is the bun directly on top of my head. And then I also like to put on some sort of headband on top of that. Like I said, I'm not a huge head sweater. So I don't really tend to sweat a lot really in my scalp or in the crown of my head, but I do sweat quite a bit around my hairline and my forehead. So I like to put on a headband just so that my edges can lay flat because I inevitably am going to sweat. But the headband is going to help weight the sweat and it's going to help my edges lay flatter than they would if I had them exposed and they would just be curly and stick straight up. So I do like to leave the headband on for a little while after I work out to give my hair a chance to dry around my hairline and it keeps my edges a little bit better. But I will say my edges are not perfect. They are a little bit fuzzy. I do have people ask how I maintain my hair so well while I work out and the answer is like I really don't actually up close it is like waves on swim. So they hate on him like that TikTok wave thing that the dudes are doing right now. I would win if I really brought the phone up and showed you this scalp. But I like just good enough again, arteries over edges. So it's not going to be perfect, but it's going to maintain the style like 80 to 90% of the way, which for me is good enough. So usually when I'm wearing a headband, I wear the gym wrap. I know that that's really popular with a lot of us. I, you know, I've had many headbands from other brands over the years. You know, Lululemon headbands. Aloe has a great headband. Gym Shark also has a good headband. So I will link all of those options in the shop. My if you want to check them out because I know that they kind of have different styles. I know some people feel like the gym wrap kind of makes them look like a ninja. I kind of feel the same way too. Like, I wouldn't say that it's the cutest, but I am not usually trying to be super cute while I work out. But if you are trying to be cut cute, I'm sure that there are cuter headband options out there. So I will link some of those for you. It can really just help you kind of maintain this area right around the hairline. So that is what I personally like to do while I work out. But I've also seen girls at the gym do all sorts of things to help them maintain their hair. I've seen plenty of girls walk around with their hair fully tied up or fully still wrapped, and then they have a silk scarf over it, and that's great. I've seen girls have, especially if their hair is more natural, maybe pulled back in a puff and then they have a hat on. That totally works great. So there's a lot of different options of things that you can do to make sure that your hair isn't fully exposed and going to revert. And it's just going to take some experimentation and just recognizing that while you're experimenting, you're probably not going to have like, the most perfect style of your life, and that is okay. Like, letting go of that need for it to be super perfect, I think is just an important part of the fit hair formula. So that is what I physically do with my hair while I'm working out. Now, the way that I make my hair schedule match my workout schedule is also an important part of this method. So for me, I usually wash my hair about every seven to 10 days while it's in this state of being straightened. I would say most often, like once a week. And I typically tend to wash my hair on the weekends. Usually what I'll do is I'll like, wash my hair on, you know, a Friday night, maybe wash it Saturday morning, and then I'll style it Saturday so that, you know, Saturday and Sunday are the days my hair look the best. That is like the fresh press, bouncy blowout. Day one, day two, best hair. So my rest days from working out are usually that day one, day two, hair when it looks the best. So I'm still probably getting in like a leisurely walk, but I'm not doing an active workout on those days. I usually tend to keep my workouts Monday through Friday. Now, once Monday Rolls around. By that point, I'm working with like day three hair. So it's still pretty good, but it's not that like fresh off the press, you know, it's good but like not great. I'm still trying to hold onto it a little bit. So those first few days of the week, that's when I'm doing more of the lower intensity stuff. That's when I'm doing my strength training with like straight sets so that I don't sweat as much. That's when I'm doing mat Pilates in a non heated room where I don't sweat as much and I can still kind of maintain my hair to keep it pretty fresh. By the time I get around kind of Wednesday, Thursday, that's when my hair is naturally starting to decline. So again, as the freshness of the style goes down, the intensity of my workout go up. So that's when I may be doing a strength class that has more conditioning in it and is higher intensity or that is maybe when I will hop on the stair mill and I'll do a bit of cardio after Pilates class, or when I will hop into a hot yoga class or when I will do some sauna time. Right when it gets time for me to wash my hair again. When it's like that Friday, Saturday time and my style has already, it's seen its best days, it's on the decline. So at that time I'm like, let me just rack it up with the sweat. I'll do the hot yoga, I'll hop in the sauna, I'll hop on the stair mill, I'll do maybe some more Olympic lifts where I tend to get a little bit more sweaty. So then I'm still getting that good movement in and it doesn't really matter that I'm sweating my hair out because by that point in the week it's already back in like a ponytail or a bun. And I'm just about to wash it now anyways. So again, tipping that scale, no pun intended, for, you know, balance. But as the style naturally declines, the intensity of the workouts go up. That's when we wash our hair again and we start the process over with and kind of rinse and repeat again, no pun intended, week after week. And that has been the routine or schedule that tends to work really well for me where I'm able to still push myself, I'm able to still reach my fitness goals, I'm able to still get a good balance of movement in, but I'm not just utterly destroying my hair the second after I spend all of those hours styling it because I also understand that it takes a lot of time to do this, and so we don't want to immediately ruin it right after we do it. Which is why I tend to time my rest days with my wash days and then let the intensity of my workouts increase as I get closer to the next wash day. That is the routine that has been working best for me for years, particularly when I'm in seasons where my hair is straighter again. That helps me maintain it about 80 to 90% of the way. So it's not going to be perfect perfect, but it's going to be good enough and still allow me to move my body.
- [37:20]
Unknown
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- [40:46]
Les
Now I also want to talk a little bit more about just my general hair routine and hair products that are also working well for me because we also want to make sure that we're taking good care of our scalp and that we're actually taking care of our the health of our hair because that is really important, particularly if you're working out and if you're sweating. So really not underestimating the importance of a good shampoo and really cleansing your scalp. I know a mistake that I have made in the past when it came to my hair journey was just not washing my hair often enough. I sometimes would go maybe like a few weeks at a time without washing my hair and I really learned that my hair doesn't like that. It really likes to be washed once a week, every seven days, maybe 10 days if I'm pushing it. But any longer than 10 days, my hair and my scalp just don't really like that. So making sure that I'm really taking care of my scalp, cleansing my scalp really well, I would say is like the cornerstone of my hair routine. I used to tend to Get a lot of like flakes and dandruff and dry scalp and all of these things. And I found that just washing my hair more often alleviated that for me, without having to use special shampoos or anything like that, just washing my hair more often has made a difference. My favorite shampoo, which has been for years, particularly as an active person, is the Ouai Detox Shampoo. Ouai Detox Shampoo. Again, this will all be linked in my shop my in the show notes. This is a really gentle, clarifying shampoo that is gentle enough for me to use weekly. So it gets my scalp and my hair really clean, but it doesn't strip my scalp or make my hair too dry and has just been really, really great for maintaining the health of my hair. And I find that when I press my hair, it turns out so much better when I give my hair a really good cleanse. So the Ouai Detox Shampoo would be my number one favorite shampoo. I also do like the Nioxin Hair Defense Dense Fall Shampoo. That one is more so for scalp health as opposed to clarifying. But those are two great ones. I will often use both. I'll do my first cleanse when I'm washing my hair with the Ouai Detox shampoo to really clarify. And then I'll do my second cleanse with the Nioxin shampoo to really, like, work on my hair health and to get some nutrients to my scalp. And I find that those two tend to work well together. And I find the cleaner my hair is when I wash it, the better my style is throughout the week. Because if I still have maybe some leftover dirt or sweat or product left over from the week before, my hair, it just doesn't hit right. The press doesn't hit right, it doesn't maintain well. And it just, it doesn't really give what it's supposed to give. So if shampooing your hair is not something that's been a priority for you, or it's something that you just do really quick or that you don't really pay attention to, I really, really recommend paying more attention to it, spending a little bit more time really cleansing your hair, cleansing your scalp, maybe cleansing it a little more often if you don't do it very often and seeing how that goes for you. Now, the next product that I really Love is the K18 leave in conditioner. This is actually a bond builder. I like using this because I do tend to use a lot of heat on my hair. So I'm trying To maintain the integrity and the strength of my strands. Even though this is not marketed as like an anti humidity product, I do find that it still helps my hair hold up to moisture well, because by repairing the bonds in my hair, it makes my hair less susceptible to moisture in the air. So the stronger the bonds in my hair are, the less it's likely to revert if I do encounter a little bit of moisture because my hair is just stronger. So I do usually use that when I am done shampooing and I will just leave that in. Another product that I used to use is the Color Wow Dream Coat Spray. This one is more of like a heat protectant anti humidity spray. I know a lot of the girls love it. I used to use the regular version, but I've also heard good things about the extra strength version. And while I liked the product itself. Color wow girl. What are we doing with that packaging? Because every time I would get halfway through a bottle, the nozzle would stop working. I'd have to transfer it to another container. And I just said, you know what? I'm not. I'm not doing this anymore. So I don't use it because the bottle bugged me. But if you've had the product, the bottle doesn't do that to you. That's great. It is a good product. But the packaging just was annoying me. So I switched to the Amika the Wizard Heat Protectant instead. So that's now what I use when I blow dry my hair. It works really well. It helps me detangle my hair gently without causing any breakage. And honestly, I just find as a brand, Amika is that girl. I am not like affiliated with Amika in any way, but if they do want to sponsor me or this podcast Amika Girl, let's talk. Because I really, really love their products. So the Wizard Detangling spray is a really good one. I've also heard really good things about the Amica Anti Humidity spray. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm definitely down to try it in the future as the weather gets hotter and the humidity kind of comes back. I'm happy to try it and let y'all know how that is. I also really love the Amika Shine spray, which is really great post workout for kind of getting that shine back into my hair. And then I also really like the Amika Dry Shampoo, which is great for restyling my hair after I work out. So actually what I do like to do is I will spray my hair with dry shampoo, particularly throughout the roots. I'll put my heatless curlers in, leave them in for a few hours and it does just kind of revive my hair and give it that blowout look all over again. So I will link these products on my shop my if you want to check them out. If you're looking to kind of revamp your hair routine or if you are currently rocking a hairstyle that is similar to what I've got going on, you can check those out and see if there's any there that you like like or that really work for you. So let's recap. Let's put all of this together to talk more about our Fit Hair formula one more time and how we can keep our hair care routine and our workout routine as friends, not enemies. So the number one thing you want to factor in your sweat type. How does your body respond to different exercises? How does your body sweat? What makes you sweat a lot? What makes you not sweat a lot? Take note of what that looks like for your unique body. Factor in your hair type, how you like to style your hair, what works for your schedule and what your preferences are and make sure that those two things are aligned. Then you're going to factor in your current fitness goals, how you like to move your body, what your current fitness routine looks like, what it is your body needs in this moment. And then you're going to factor in your schedule and you are going to come up with a plan that is like a puzzle where all of those different factors meet at one point and intersect. And that is going to be your Fit Hair formula that will help you take care of your hair while taking care of your body. So I hope that that was helpful. If you come up with your own Fit Hair formula, your own workout schedule, you have product recommendations of what you like that helps you maintain your hair while you maintain your workouts. Let us know Go to our latest post on Instagram at Balance Black Girl podcast or you can hit us up at Balance Black girl on TikTok talk and let us know what your Fit Hair formula is. What are your go to hairstyles? What are your go to workouts? What are your go to products? I think as much information that we can share with one another the better. Again I linked all of the products and recommendations that I mentioned that I love in the shop my which is in the show notes of this episode. Thank you so much for tuning in to this conversation. I hope that it is helpful as you navigate Taking care of your beautiful hair Taking care of your beautiful body. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure that you share it with a friend. And don't forget to leave us a rating and a review. We love a five star situation over here. And if you are not subscribed to Balance Black Girl, please make sure that you subscribe on your platform of choice, whether that's Spotify or YouTube or Apple, wherever you like to get us. Subscribe so that you don't miss an episode because I'm here dropping new episodes for you every single Tuesday that are all about the different things that we're balancing in life to help you feel your best. Thank you so much for tuning in and I will see you next week. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.