With the beginning of a new year comes the revived aspirations of becoming more physically fit. It may be in the form of taking up a new physical hobby, like cycling, or spending some time at your local gym lifting weights. Whatever the case may be, your curly tresses are just as important as the rest of your body. Knowing how to take care of your hair while being physically active is important. We chatted with Canadian Olympic track and field hopeful Shai-Anne Davis about how she cares for her hair with a rigorous training schedule.
Unlike other athletes, this British Columbia curlista didn’t find her passion for running until just a few years ago. Attending a co-ed basketball camp in 2008, Shai-Anne was one of two girls on the team. “We would always start the day with suicide lines, and we’d make it a race. I would always win, beating all the guys.” Shai-Anne reminisced. She began running competitively at the urging of her coaches and has since won medals in international track meets in 2013 and 2014. She currently resides in Phoenix, AZ with her training team in preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympic Track & Field trials where she hopes to represent Canada.
In preparation for the Olympics, Shai-Anne trains six days a week. With such a rigorous training schedule, she admits she faces some challenges when it comes to taking care of her hair on a daily basis. “Certain mornings, you wake up, and you’re just exhausted.” Shai-Anne confessed. Still, she wants to “continue to do my hair and treat my hair the right way” by deep conditioning her hair once a week, and detangling 2-3 times a week.
Sporting her trademark curly mohawk during her workouts, she refreshes her curls afterwards with Thirsty Curls Leave-In Revitalizer. “Thirsty Curls has been such a help with maintaining fresh curls.” To achieve her mohawk, she combines small portions of Curly Magic, Good Hair, and water in her hands, and applies the mixture to her hair. She then holds the hair together using three banana clips.
Shai-Anne offered us some other great tips for taking care of our naturally curly tresses while being physically active:
- Avoid headbands. Wearing headbands for an extended period of time can eventually damage hair your hair around the edges.
- Cleanse your hair regularly, especially if you wear a protective style. You don’t have immediate access to your hair in a protective style, and build-up from sweating and the outer elements can go undetected if not cleansed regularly. For Shai-Anne, whenever she wears a protective style, she uses Defunk as a quick cleanser that you don’t have to rinse out.
- Moisturize your hair at night. Before heading to bed, apply a moisturizer — either as a spray or a cream — to your hair. You can then braid/twist your hair, or put it up in a pineapple with a satin scarf, if your hair is long enough. This replenishes the moisture lost while working out and allows key nutrients to penetrate your tresses overnight.
Pay attention to your scalp. “I have to really listen to my scalp,” Shai-Anne tells us. “If your scalp starts to itch, it’s time to wash it.” - Watch your diet in conjunction to being physically active. “Your diet will help you get fit way faster than exercise.” A good diet is also great for your hair in general. Eggs, for example, contain biotin, which stimulate hair growth.
- Don’t make excuses for yourself. Shai-Anne explains why: “The moment you make an excuse for yourself, you’re just putting yourself a step back from where you should be.” Stay committed to your workout plans, no matter what unexpected events come your way.
Shai-Anne’s demanding workout schedule may seem intimidating to some. But whether your goals for 2016 include a daily trip to the gym or a walk around the neighborhood once a week, keep these healthy hair tips in mind. You will see the difference — body, mind, and soul!
Note: This article is Part One of a Three-part Series as we follow Shai-Anne’s journey to the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Stay tuned for Part Two of our series, coming in this Summer!
