new thread
Well, it's been a fun journey. I learned a lot about myself and culture in the last two plus years. In the end, I felt like I could be happy with long hair at another time. Right now, it just isn't practical for my lifestyle, activity level and location. I have no regrets about cutting it, nor growing it. I thank everyone for their support and comments throughout the process. I felt that I've gotten to the point where I want people to see my face, look in my eyes and hear what I have to say, and the hair was simply getting in the way of those goals. I wish you all luck in acheiving whatever goals you have set for yourselves.
-Dan Radin
I probably should've mentioned that the link below contains before and after pictures.
That really is too bad. Your head of hair was one of the best. Did you use the two weeks rule this time?
A month. Just wasn't happy with the way it was affecting my overall image and physical appearance.
To each their own, brother. Grats on giving it a shot. You were looking good. You remind me of a more muscular version of my cousin now, but that's beside the point.
hehe
You still going to hang out for a bit, or ya movin' on?
I'll pop my head in from time to time.
Can you explain what you mean by "getting in the way?" When you had your hair tied back, you might just as well already been a short haired guy. The only complaint I could understand your having is the one about the nuisance of caring for longer hair, such as washing it, combing it, and preventing split ends, etc. But no matter, because you look very good with short or long hair.
Sure. I meant it both in the physicial sense: getting in my eyes and mouth. But I also meant it in the overall image sense. I just feel that the lonhair image is not what I'm looking to project at this time. Perhaps it's superficial to you, but the way I appear and am perceived by others is quite important to me right now. I felt that I didn't really like the way it looked tied back; didn't like how it framed my face. I also questioned why I should even have long hair if I was going to wear it tied back all the time. I feel that I wouldn't really have been comfortable wearing it down all the time for at least another year, if not two, when it would stay behind my shoulders.
It was quite a lot of work, products, drying, etc. My hair is very thick and very dense, and I just didn't want to deal with it anymore. I was sick of it in my face, getting caught in collars neckstraps on bags. I wanted to be able to put my sunglasses on my head again without fear of ripping out locks.
Thanks.
Say, what part of the country do you live in? Is this your first time growing your hair? At least you're happy with that decision which is what's important.
I live is Boston and walk virtually everywhere. I feel that I'd have better results if I wasn't out in the wind and weather so much. I've grown my hair to chin length twice before.
Dan,
What a great look you have in both before and after. It is a personal decision as to where the "journey toward long hair" ends. It is important for you to make that decision for yourself.
It appears that you lost some weight during your two years of hair growth, how did you do it? One of my concerns as I begin to grow my hair out is gym time and then washing it afterwards. I don't want to wash it too often. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Again, way to go!! You know if you decide to grow it again you can do it.
Good luck in future...
Steve
yah! you look cute with long hair and short, so i wont gripe at you for cutting it, even though i'm a big fan of long haired guys. :)
Thanks Salena!
Thanks for your comments, Steve. With curly hair, it actually better to not wash every shower, so wash time wasn't as issue to me as much as drying time. Due to its thickness, my hair was taking at least four hours to dry, if drying completely at all. Due to my current lifestyle as a musician, weightlifter, and a 24-year old who likes to go out, last summer, I found myself taking up to four showers some days. It just was too much work for me.
I lost the weight primarily through running at first. Once I lost about eighty pounds, I was pretty happy with my size, but I was a "skinny fat guy", because running burns muscle heavily. So for the last year, I've been in the gym lifting heavy things. I really saw my progress skyrocket when I fixed my diet. I pretty much rid my diet of processed/enriched/prepared foods. I cut way back on sugar and I completely avoid white flour, high fructose corn syrup, and try to limit my saturated fats. I drink a ton of water and eat six smaller meals each day. Lots of fruit, lots of veggies, lots of protein. I'm happy to give you further details if you like.
Best of luck to you.
Sounds like the Atkins diet. You on it?
Similar in concept, but no. Like Atkins, I believe in controlling the blood sugar as much as a possible, which is why I've cut out most sugars and simple carbs. When you eat, you spike your blood sugar. Too much of a spike is stores as fat. Simple carbs and sugars are metabolized quickly, so little is actually used as fuel. By aiming for complex carbs and protein, which take the body longer to break down, you can get a more controlled, slower release of nutrients into the bloodstream. After two or three hours, regardless of what or how uch you eat, your body is pretty much done metabolizing food. Now you're burning muscle. That's why I prefer six smaller meals to the huge ones.
But I do enjoy whole grain carbs, breads, pasta, brown rice. When I begin trying to cut down for summer, I will get much more strict with my caloric and macronutrient (protein vs. carbohydrate vs. fat) balances. One major tent with which Atkins and I disagree is that he doesn't limit consumption of saturated fat, which is why you see people on Atkins stuffing themselves full of pepperoni, bacon, beef, fatty steaky, duck, etc. Saturated fat is not good stuff for the heart. I try to limit Saturated fat to 10% of my daily fat intake, so I eat lean protiens: chicken breast, tuna, fat free cottage cheese, lean cuts of beef, ground 93%FF or better sirloin, white turkey, whey, soy, etc. I try to get most of my fat from fish (salmon), nuts, olives, olive, flax and safflower oils.
Hope this helps!
You have a great head of hair and it's good that you at least gave it a chance to hang long. Your face suits any style of hair. Hope you can still pop in from to time! All the best.
Thanks Resonance, I'll try. I'm sure you know that your tresses are an inspiration to many. Best of luck to you.
NNNOOOOOOO!
*sob* Why? Why?
Sorry hon, it was time. Be well.
I think you look good with both long and short hair. There are times and seasons in each of our lives for long hair and short.
Best wishes and Happy New Year
ToddB
Thanks Todd; same to you.
Best of luck to ya, Dan. Hope to see you here again sometime!
Brett
Thanks Brett, be well.
As previously stated, what's most important is that your decision makes YOU happy :)
I do have to ask though; are you experiencing weather shock? Hailing from Boston also and have recently cut off two years of length just as the temperature bottomed out, my head is FREEZING!!! LOL
Good luck!
Peace and be well!
John
I thought it would be worse, but it's been unseasonably warm since I cut it, so I haven't really exeprienced "the shock" yet!
That is no excuse. If you let your hair get long enough, you can tie it back to keep it out of the way.
Tim, I'm sorry you feel that way. For me, it was time for a change. I don't really feel that I need to justify it; just sharing. Best wishes.
I wasn't trying to tell you how to keep your hair.
At first I thought the only reason for cutting your hair was to keep the long hair from hiding your face. For many years I kept cutting my hair to keep it out of my eyes and not hide my face. But once I let my hair get long enough to put in a pony tail, I stopped getting haircuts. When it's tied back it doesn't hide my face at all.
The important thing is to keep your hair how you want it. There is nothing wrong with having short hair or always changing it as long as that is what you want.
To everything, there is a season! It's nice to see that you're not cutting it off on a whim.
Thanks Michael. Best of luck to you.
im really upset to hear your decision.. your hair was one of the few that i was really jealous of the whole time growing mine.. goodluck with the future.
I think your hair looked good, no need for cutting it, and the short style, I don't think that you look ugly. It's just another preference.
I personally had short hair for some reasons several times and I got a lot of compliments for doing it, but I couldn't stay on it. I wanted it long again, and now I am really satisfied with very long hair.
It's a kind of feeling, and people are different.
wolfgang
I understand where your coming from Dan. Before I met my wife and I was single, I tried many times to grow my hair out, but could not get past a certain stage (Although you did), because my appearance was important to me when I was out on "The Hunt". Hell, I waited till I was married and turned 34 before deciding to grow it out and stick with it. Good luck to you and I believe we will see you again when your ready to re-visit long hair again.
i just did the same. long hair takes to much time and I had it for years. plus I look younger with short hair. totaly know what you mean
Hair is just a dressing to what ever person is under it. Each to their own!
Happy new year
I'm sorry to hear this...honestly I don't understand this, but I am a woman, I have hair to the waist and it is not much more work to me exept washing it every 3 days, it does't take more time, its just an excuse.
If you want to look younger with short hair I think it depends on your age, I know a 20 year old man who has long hair and looks more matured with it and the short hair made him look like a boy (what he doesn't want LOL)if you are older you may want to look younger ;-)
Now that was another shocker. You have been an avid long hair and long hair lover forever. I was surprised to hear that you had gone shorter. I'd like to see a pic so we can compare the difference. You always had a boyish face anyway. Happy new beginnings.
ck
Hey Dan,
You gave it a go, you got there, you saw what it was like. At least you can have no regrets about not giving it a go. No one can doubt your commitment.
Hope your happy with the cut, good luck with the future and happy new year!
-sorted-
I have to say I was shocked and a little sadden. You have a great head of hair and kept it in great shape. That's the secret to success. I think you will grow out again, I think some of your modelesque pics was the best length for you. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Hey, did you keep the tail?
ck
Its been nice hearing your updates, seeing your pictures and advice over the past year or two, I wish you the best with your new look and hopefully you shall return to grow it again in the future