Naturi Naughton can attest to the journey of wanting to “snap back” after having a child. But the “Power” alum and star of Eric Jermone Dickey’s “Friends and Lovers” admitted her confidence in her body wavered, forcing her to make holistic changes.
“I just really didn’t feel as confident in my clothes, in my dress, and in my own skin in a way,” she told PEOPLE. “It took me a while post-pregnancy to feel good again, and I think at that time, I really made a mental shift that I was like, ‘I’m going to have to eat and workout differently, try different things,’ ” she explains. “I was just willing to go harder, so that I could really see true results. And I think that was the shift.”
From that point forward, Naughton rededicated herself to the gym to reach new goals, all in the name of “elevation” and self-discovery, both physically and mentally.
“It’s more of an elevation of myself. I feel like yes, my physical may look different to some people, but I’m the same girl, just elevated,” she said regarding her work with her personal trainer. “And I think that there was a goal in mind as far as feeling healthy and feeling lighter.”
Over the course of nine months, Naughton changed the way she ate, her workout routine, and remained steadfast on her mental health journey. The result? A 30-pound drop in weight. The people closest in her life began to see the changes immediately.
“As someone who’s had two children, I know that even how I was feeling after my second baby, it was more like taking back control of my body and taking back control of how I feel in my own skin,” Naughton said. “And I think that that’s something that’s a struggle as a mother often that I encourage people no matter what it is, just do what works for you and don’t apologize for it, just do you.”
She adds, “I really want to be able to still be able to be healthy and feel active, not just for me, but for my kids.”
The journey is similar to that of Mo’Nique’s. In September, the Oscar-winning actress announced the launch of a new fitness channel on her YouTube page, dedicated to documenting her workouts and sharing her progress with fans.
“You don’t need a pill,” Mo’Nique told Tamron Hall. “You don’t need surgery, in my humble opinion. If you really commit, the weight will go away. That’s why I no longer talk about weight, I talk about health.”
