Somaya Reece Reveals Her Weight Loss Strategy & The Breast Reduction That Changed Her Life
A few years ago, she quietly began undergoing a make-under. She toned down her style, changed her eating habits and then made headlines when she announced that she’d be undergoing a breast reduction. The results, revealed on her Instagram, were more than anyone could have ever imagined. Somaya spoke to us by phone from her LA home to talk about what she calls ‘the best decision she’s ever made’, and shared her diet plan for those who are interested in losing weight and getting fit.
Check out our interview below.
When did you first start the weight loss plan?I’d been trying to lose weight for a long time. I first started losing weight at the end of 2011.
This was your first battle with your weight, right?
I’ve been dealing with weight issues for years. I used to be really super thin. When I first started modeling, I had a team of sharks around me, who didn’t have my best interest in mind. I had an agency that told me I had drop a lot of weight.
So you’ve felt the outside pressures to be thin, for a while now?
[Back] When I was on my MySpace, people didn’t understand I was starving to be thin. I wasn’t eating. At one point I was a size 0, and I’m 5’10. I had a lot of really bad people advising me and I got sick. I collapsed on a set of a commercial. I was rushed to the hospital and treated for malnutrition and low iron. Finally the doctor told me, if I continued to not eat, I would die.
And that’s when you started gaining weight. How did that make you feel?It made me angry, and finally I just said if no one’s gonna love me as I am, then is this business really worth it. So I started eating normally and I got thick, which is how my body naturally is.
[easy-tweet tweet="Finally I said if no one’s gonna love me as I am, then is this business really worth it."]
So cut to years later, and you’re on Love & Hip Hop. Did you start to feel pressure to lose weight again?
It’s funny because I actually felt resistance to being thin. Now I had a team that kept telling me ‘thick is in’. And coming to New York was a big piece of it, being in LA it’s hard to stay in shape out here. You’re in a car all day. Working on the show, I was always doing stuff and the hustle is so fast paced, I was struggling to keep up. I had to switch up what I was doing.
Where did you start?
With my diet. My schedule was so crazy that I wasn’t eating, and then by the time I did eat, I would just grab anything. And finally I realized I wasn’t getting enough calories to lose weight. So I had to start becoming super strict about what I was eating, and how often. I started setting a schedule, making sure I ate every three hours, which is harder than you might think.
And did you change what you were eating?
Absolutely. I started eating clean. No fried foods, no junk food. Lots of vegetables, fruit, lean proteins. And I had to get a hold of portion sizes. I started drinking protein shakes, especially in the morning because I’m not big on breakfast.
What type of working out did you do?
I started working out 3-5 times a week. I was walking, climbing stairs, taking classes in the gym, when I’m in LA I hike, that’s like my thing. I do a lot of weight training, multiple reps with low weights. I’ll do two to three sets of an exercise using no more than 3-5 lbs weights. It helps build lean muscle. And that burns fat.
And this was your lifestyle, everyday?
I would allow myself a cheat day every once and a while, where I would eat something that I’d been craving. We’re talking maybe a donut or burrito. That was important, so I didn’t feel like I couldn’t have the things I loved.
How soon did you start seeing results?
Right away. But there was always the issue with my breasts. They always made me appear bigger than I really was.
Was that the leading reason you started considering the breast reduction?
There were a bunch of reasons. I’d always had a flat stomach, no matter how big I got. But you didn’t know it, because of my breasts. And I’d hear people talking about how my blazers never closed, or how they couldn’t take me seriously because my boobs were always out. But I couldn’t help it. And the scarring from bras, that’s real. And it hurts. They were just too big.
How did the people around you react when you told them you were considering the surgery?
My old management was against it. He insisted that I would lose my fan base. My family, especially my mother, was very supportive. She was the one that encouraged me to speak out about it. She said that my story might inspire someone else.
What was the public feedback?
I had this one guy tweet to me ‘If you cut off your boobs, I’m unfollowing you.’ But even though I got a lot of negative feedback like that, I also got A LOT of support. It’s overwhelming how much support I got from other women. So that let me know that I did the right thing by speaking out.
How was the recovery after the surgery?
The first week was the hardest. For a second I had to ask myself, did I really do the right thing? Its hard not being able to do anything for yourself. My sister had to bathe me. And that’s…a humiliating feeling. The pain wasn’t constant but when it did hit? It was terrible. There were a couple of times where I bumped myself and that was the worst. And I had to sleep sitting up for five weeks.
How do you feel now?
Now, I feel like it’s the best thing I could’ve ever done. I’m so much happier. I feel better. My back feels better. My clothes fit. I’m more comfortable. I don’t feel like I’m gawked at. And it’s totally changed my shape.
In total, how much weight have you lost?
I’ve lost a little over 20 lbs. But it’s all fat. And I’ve developed some long, lean muscle. I was more concerned with being healthy. I have energy now. I can keep up with my schedule. And I feel so much better about myself.
What is your new bra size?I went from a 40EE to a full D cup. I’m happy. The doctor told me they took about two pounds from each breast.
What’s next for you?
I’m continuing to work on my music. And I want to talk more about my weight loss and hopefully inspire others to reach their own goals.
Somaya shared with us her menu for a typical day. Catch it on the next page.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images