The Priority for Self Care

I have met resistance over the years when convincing even my most open minded girlfriends to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Nicknamed the "Black workout Barbie" or "Black yoga Barbie" I have become impervious to the comments over the years about "acting white" with regards to my healthy lifestyle. This is slowly starting to change, but I can’t help but notice how many of my sisters are not at the gym sweating it out or at yoga class.

78 percent of black women are overweight and 50 percent can be categorized as obese, according to the American Obesity Association. So why aren't we exercising? There are a few factors that come into play- the most interesting of them is our hair. In a study conducted by Wake Forrest University Medical Center, 31 percent of women surveyed said they exercise less because it might compromise their hairstyle. All women are concerned about their hair but black women spend a disproportionate amount of time in the salon and maintaining their hair than their white counterparts. Those of us who are going to the gym may not be giving our best during our workouts in an effort to preserve our scalp and tresses from the "sweat out" and consequently ruining the style we just spent a fortune on to begin with. For the effort it takes to maintain a style after visiting the salon and spending all that money who can fault black women for not wanting to sweat out their hairstyles at the gym.

Interestingly enough, white women are always in the gym, running outdoors, seemingly embracing exercise at whatever juncture possible and many admit to being obsessed with working out. That is because being thin is greatly valued in white culture. From the time they are in grammar school many young white girls are already self conscious about their weight, according to a study conducted by the University of Minnesota white girls as young as 10 years old are on self prescribed diets and trying to loose weight, and many are obsessed with weight as early as age 5. Why is this interesting, because white women and their struggle with weight issues is equivalent to the struggle black women have with their hair. From an early age we are aware of whether or not we have "good hair" and often loath ourselves for the coarse or nappy texture. Like our white counterparts who try every diet under the sun in their quest to reach their ideal, we too try all the chemical processes, techniques, braids, extensions, that exist in our quest to achieve what we have been taught is the beauty ideal.

For the most part, in the African American community "skinny" is not desired and to be "thick” or “healthy" shapes are historically the cultural ideal. But when is thick going too far? Living a more sedentary lifestyle and eating high caloric foods, decreases the waist to hip ratio, and in black women it is shrinking, this takes the hourglass figure of a physically fit woman to a rounder shape where the waistline may be absent. This can be addressed immediately by deconstructing your diet to include more leafy green veggies, salads, less processed fats, meats, and processed grains, drinking a lot more water, and getting into the gym.

Here are my 5 tips to help you embrace an active lifestyle, hair and all.

MEET OUR HEALTHY LIVING EXPERT Latham Thomas is a graduate of both Columbia University, where she earned a B.A. in Visual Arts and Environmental Science, and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. As a certified holistic health counselor, Ms. Thomas mixes her passions of plant physiology, botany, holistic nutrition, fitness, yoga, and green cuisine into a lifestyle program that supports the various needs of her clients. Find out more...

1. The Tie Back Solution. The reason many African American women don't want to sweat from exercise is because the sweat which contains water and salts causes the affected hair at the scalp to kink up and appear dry and brittle. Before you work out pull your hair back into a ponytail and place a sweat band or bandana at your hairline. This will keep the edges flat at the hairline. Only remove after you've completed the workout and shower and are ready to style your hair.
   
   
2. Get your Om On! Yoga is a wonderful way to increase strength, flexibility, reduce stress and induce a sense of calm. Your yoga practice is a great form of physical, mental, and spiritual exercise that will keep you feeling balanced. What's more, with the exception of Hot Yoga or Bikram yoga, your hairstyle will last too.
   
   
3. Go Au Naturale. It's a great time of year to cut your hair or start fresh with a new style. Spring is often a time when people emerge with a new look. Check out some magazines and celebrity styles for ideas. Locks, low cuts, twists, afros, are all relatively low maintenance hairstyles. Women with natural hairstyles are less likely to let a little sweat get in the way of a fierce workout.
   
   
4. Prioritize. Many of us are juggling commitments to work, family, friends and we need to carve out time for ourselves; for our health and schedule time to workout. Invest the time to make yourself feel good. If you don't have a gym membership, no problem, it's beautiful outside so there are many alternatives: you can run outdoors, take brisk walks, jump rope or rollerblade. Do whatever feels good for you, but remember to push yourself. When you are having fun, working out seems effortless!
   
   
5. Set an Intention. Decide to commit to your health and well-being. Creating an intention in your life inspires you to live in alignment with that goal in mind at all times. So if your intention is to strive towards healthy weight-loss, then when you are confronted with choices like French fries or salad greens, red velvet cake or fresh fruit, you will make a choice that is aligned with your intention. Remember discipline is not a punishment, it’s a reward. If we are disciplined in our eating, exercise, and lives we will be much happier in the long run.
   
   

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