Sometimes women with curly textures in particular, may forgo their fitness class for fear of ruining an expensive straightening treatment or a flat-ironed style.

Some days it can feel like you have to choose between your body or your hair: You can go for a run but sabotage the awesome blowout you just got or skip the gym to avoid a potentially bad hair day but miss out on all the muscle-toning, calorie-burning, health-boosting benefits of a workout.

While this choice affects every woman, women with curly textures in particular, may forgo their fitness class for fear of ruining an expensive straightening treatment or a flat-ironed style. I know many women who avoid sweaty workouts or just working out in general, in order to preserve their tresses.

Let’s face it: when you work out, you generally get sweaty, and it can be tough to maintain great hair with a physically active lifestyle. That’s the truth. Some women try very hard to keep every hair in place and find it a hard battle, especially when they have to fit in exercise time before work. Will my hair dry in time? How am I going to manage this hairstyle when my roots are still damp? Some styles will be too difficult to maintain and you’ll have to find alternatives if you want to continue working out. Yes, some of your options–like ponytails, may seem boring–but it’s worth settling on an easy hairdo that you can style very simply in order to keep exercising.

Here are some tips, tricks and hacks to help your hair look good regardless of how often you hit the gym….

  1. Use coconut oil to slick back your hair, then tie it up in a ponytail. Coconut oil has many beneficial properties for both the body and hair.
  2. Use dry shampoo, homemade essential oil sprays or apple cider vinegar to refresh your scalp as opposed to washing you hair everyday.
  3. To control hair buildup, use clarifying products.
  4. Do a weekly steam or conditioning treatment.
  5. Wear a sweat band.