I am Not My Hair: Black Women don't Sacrifice Health for Hair!
Forsaking health for style. African American women often cite time and such socioeconomic issues as lack of support or disposable income as obstacles to adopting an active lifestyle or exercising regularly. Indiana University fitness expert Antonio Williams said, however, that one of the top reasons given by black women of all income levels involves style and hair care. He said black women, particularly college-age women and women with corporate jobs, often sacrifice their health for stylish and often expensive hairdos. Fears of "sweating out" the hairstyle make lunchtime workouts unlikely and keep the women from the gym or other physical activities. Williams, a fitness consultant and lecturer in IU's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, specializes in fitness marketing and perception. "For years I've heard, 'I can't schedule a personal training session now, I just got my hair done,'" he said. "These women are risking their health for style."
Williams, who gives presentations about this topic, said it is possible to be active without perspiring heavily. He offers the following tips to help women maintain their health and style:
- Walk, don't run. Williams said the amount of time depends on the goals. To be healthy, walking for 30 minutes, three times a week, is sufficient. To lose weight, walk 60-90 minutes, five times a week.
- Break it up. He suggests several daily bouts of 10-minute walks or light jogging because it conveys the same health benefits with less sweating.
- Consult your beautician. Williams encourages women to tell their beauticians that they would like a hairstyle that suits corporate America as well as a healthful lifestyle. Beauticians have told Williams that hair extensions and wearing Afrocentric headwraps during workouts can help preserve styles.
Williams notes that studies from IU and elsewhere often find that African American women tend to have more favorable body image compared to other women, despite fitness levels. "We can't continue to sacrifice health for hair," he said.
Insights into buying fitness equipment
Thinking about buying some serious exercise equipment as a gift for (yourself) a lucky loved one? Indiana University fitness consultant Antonio Williams offers some insights to help make sure the money is well spent.
Boflex SelectTech Dumbbells. $149-$699, depending on weight amounts. The sleek design is easy to use, saves space in a home gym and provides convenience by allowing people to change weight amounts without having to grab for other dumbbells. Williams suggests the system is too advanced for beginners but suitable for more advanced weight lifters who are invested in their fitness.
Nintendo Wii Fit. $179.99 or less, depending on the gear and activities included, Wii console sold separately. Williams said he and his students in IU's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation chose Wii Fit as the top gift idea. The gift, which targets the video game culture, is suitable for all ages and has a "good fun factor," Williams said, making it a nice add-on for people who already have Wii systems. Wii Fit is "almost like having a virtual personal trainer," Williams said, because of the extensive features that let users monitor their progress, calculate BMI, examine balance levels and enjoy workouts that can include yoga, Pilates, boxing and other activities.
Total Gym. As much as $1,448 depending on the model. Williams said this oldie but goody is more suitable for dancers, martial artists and intermediate to advanced body builders because of the skill needed for a good workout. The Total Gym relies on users' own body weight and can provide a wide, free range of motion during workouts. He said it is somewhat clanky, however, and motions might not feel as fluid as desired.
The Perfect Pushup. $29.95-$39.99. Anyone can do a pushup without equipment, Williams said, but the rotating design of the Perfect Pushup handles makes the exercise more interesting. The item's design reduces stress on wrists. Because the bars are off the floor, the equipment helps users maximize the contraction and extension of chest muscles through an increased range of motion. Williams said the item is well made, making it more enjoyable to use than knockoff brands.
Garmin GPS watches. $120 to more than $300, depending on the model. Williams said these watches are for hardcore runners but also can be used by cyclists. The watches let runners track their distance, pace, heart rate, elevation and other factors and offer training features such as interval timers and pace alerts. The watches interface with computers to store and analyze data.
Nike Plus iPod Sports Kit. $29, iPod Nano and Nike Plus-ready shoes sold separately. Williams said this item is for young consumers and people who do not like the gym or treadmill. The sensor, which is worn in a shoe, and iPod combo let people synch their music to their workout. The sensor tracks distance, time, pace and calories burned, providing feedback through headphones and a display on the iPod. It can provide motivational coaches and offers a Web site to help users keep track of their workouts
Tips from the Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming
Swimming has long been touted as an effective way to improve fitness. Exercise in the water causes less abuse to the joints than land-based exercise and is safe for all ages. But how do you get started in a swimming program if you've never done the sport before? The first step, of course, is to learn how to swim. We can't teach you that here -- swimming is a very technical activity, so you'll need hands-on help from a swimming instructor to learn the movements properly.
Assuming you can get from one end of the pool to the other without too much anxiety, the next step is to learn how to relax in the water. Unlike other forms of exercise, swimming with more effort is not necessarily better. In fact, elite swimmers make it look so easy that you wonder if they are really working hard. They are, but they've learned to relax the muscles that are not needed to move themselves forward. For example, when above water, the arms and hands are relaxed and look graceful. Below the water surface, where the action is, much of the body is relaxed even during the most ferocious pull. The fingers are not tense; they are straight, with a slight gap between the fingers that makes the effective size of the hand a little larger. The feet are relaxed so as to perform like flippers. If you were taught to point your toes when you kick, try relaxing them instead and they will point naturally. Relaxing the stomach muscles will give you an overall feeling of comfort in the water. That's the way the champions swim. In fact, after a record-breaking performance, if you ask an elite swimmer how she felt during the race, invariably she will say she felt really "relaxed."
So, to get started on a fitness swimming program, the first thing you need to do is learn to relax while you swim. Do this by swimming laps in the pool, one lap at a time, if necessary, relaxing as much as possible. Just swim straight, without being concerned with special training methods or devices. Enjoy the relaxing comfort of being surrounded by water.
A note about goggles -- they are essential and can become foggy when wet. A gentle lick followed by an immediate rinse is usually effective in preventing fogging. The key is to lick before the plastic gets wet. Once it gets wet, no amount of saliva will prevent fogging. It's important to rinse out the saliva so it doesn't get into your eyes. Keeping goggles clean is important because it helps prevent eye infections. You can clean goggles with toothpaste to take off the film that builds up on the inside. Also, some people have a reaction to the eyepiece cushion material. Experiment with other brands. Not all brands fit alike, so if a particular brand constantly leaks, you might try a different brand or model. Also, every face is shaped differently, so you can't expect one goggle to fit all of them. To prevent leaks, avoid facial expressions that produce a crease around the eyes. Unfortunately, that includes a big smile and laughing.
By Dave Tanner, Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimmi
Chocolate, nuts, cocktails: Indulge without (too much) guilt
It can seem that everything you like is bad for you, but recently there has been some good news in the area of the previously forbidden.
If you've had a hard time avoiding chocolate, you can have it now. You still can't binge on chocolate, but a few squares have been shown to lower blood pressure, harden tooth enamel, and provide several important nutrients, says the Journal of the American Medical Association.
People who are nuts about nuts can healthfully enjoy their treat as long as the nuts are not salted. All nuts have a positive effect on the heart, but macadamias, peanuts, and pistachios are best.
Almonds are good for the bones and blood pressure. The selenium and vitamin E in Brazil nuts have special benefits for the prostate.
Pecans may help to stave off cataracts and macular degeneration because of their high antioxidant levels, and walnuts have several benefits including promotion of serotonin, the feel-good chemical that fights depression.
How about a cocktail? It's widely known that one drink a day is good for the heart. A new study appearing in Neurology shows that among people with mild cognitive impairment, a daily drink may slow the progress to dementia. For the rest of us, maybe it will help us remember where we put the car keys.
