Gabourey Sidibe Lost 100 Pounds & Is Officially Our #FitGoals For The Summer
Gabourey Sidibe just set the standard for our weight loss goals this year and we are here for it. Since undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery in 2017, Gabby made it clear that her summer body is here to stay. Her latest selfies on social media prove that in reality, you're the only person stopping you from getting your sexy all the way on.
At her heaviest, the 36-year-old Empireactress weighed 320 pounds, but that all changed the day she and her brother were both diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Although she tried to ignore her symptoms in part, numbers don't lie; and Gabby soon learned that the number she saw looking back at her on the scale would ultimately send her to an early grave. In an interview with People in 2017, she said:
"I just didn't want to worry. I truly didn't want to worry about all the effects that go along with diabetes. I genuinely [would] worry all the time about losing my toes."
In Gabourey's book, she explained that she was eventually able to push through her fear and rediscover herself, but that wouldn't come without facing some hard truths. In order to change her life, she had to change her lifestyle, and this started with redefining her relationship with food. In her memoir released last year, she said:
"My surgeon said they'd cut my stomach in half. This would limit my hunger and capacity to eat. My brain chemistry would change and I'd want to eat healthier. I'll take it!. My lifelong relationship with food had to change."
Gabby also shared that her surgery was in no way the "easy" way out. Immediately after her surgery, she was put on a liquid-diet and found herself in a deep depression, but now, the Bedstuy-born entertainer has rediscovered that a change in perspective can be a beautiful thing. Along with switching up her meal plan, she also works with a nutritionist and a trainer to maintain her progress:
"Now, I eat about five times a day — I use meal plans that are really, really good, especially for when I'm busy. I cook a lot more. I talk to my nutritionist a lot. I just had an appointment with her on my laptop two days ago. We keep in touch. I tell her all the things I'm worried about. I have all these apps to help me keep a food diary."
Despite her dramatic weight loss transformation, Gabby is super serious about protecting her energy and becoming the best version of herself regardless of the number she sees on the scale. Gabby says that we'll never really know how much weight she gained or lost because it's none of our damn business:
"My starting weight and my goal weight, they're personal, so I'll keep them to myself because it's really not for everybody, and the weight I was, the goal weight, the size I wear, all that stuff — it's got to stay with me because if too many people are involved, I'll shut down, and I won't get anything done."
According to Gabby, her weight loss journey hasn't been a walk in the park, but she is a living, breathing reminder that crossing the finish line feels so much sweeter when you worked hard for it. Ultimately, she learned that true beauty radiates from the inside out.
"I think I saw my body as being outside of myself; it was like an enemy, beside me not in me. And now I've won. I wish I hadn't wasted so much time being mad at it. Because if I'd started treating it better sooner, I wouldn't have spent so many years hating myself, I wouldn't have allowed that negative energy to be around me. Life is really, truly all about choices and decisions. I wish I'd made the choice to love my body sooner. But I finally have."
Featured image by Getty Images.
- Starwatch: Simon Cowell, Gabourey Sidibe weight loss ... ›
- Gabourey Sidibe reveals weight-loss surgery: I 'cut my stomach in half' ›
- Gabourey Sidibe's Quietly Amazing Weight Loss Transformation ... ›
- Gabourey Sidibe on Her Weight-Loss Surgery: 'The Only Opinion ... ›
- Gabourey Sidibe, Weight Loss ›
- Gabourey Sidibe Weight Loss Photos — Including How She Did It ... ›
- Gabourey Sidibe on Weight-Loss Surgery: 'I Love My Body Now ... ›
- Gabourey Sidibe's Weight Loss Is Amazing! Before And After Photos ›
- Gabourey Sidibe on Weight-Loss Surgery and Journey to Body ... ›
- Gabourey Sidibe's Impressive Weight Loss Steals the Spotlight in ... ›
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image screenshot/ xoNecole YouTube
Are You & Your Partner Financially Compatible? Here’s How To Tell.
With nearly half of all marriages that end in divorce citing finances as the nail in the coffin to deading their relationship, financial compatibility is one aspect of long-term compatibility that doesn't get talked about enough. Beyond the circular 50/50 discourse and whatever hot-button issues regarding providers and the like, at its core, financial compatibility is about how well your financial behaviors, values, and long-term goals align with those of your partner.
More than it is about how much money a person makes or doesn't make, financial compatibility focuses on how you think about money, how you spend your money, and most importantly, how you plan for the future with your money. Think, questions about money mindsets, spending habits, debt, budget, etc. Are you a saver and he's a spender? Do you see money as a tool for freedom? Does he see it as something to hold on tightly to as a means of survival? Can you talk about your financial goals and plans openly?
Knowing if you and your partner are financially compatible can save a lot of heartache, a lot of headaches, and a lot of money in the end. Keep reading for a few key indicators to pay attention to and learn whether or not you and your partner are truly aligned financially.
Signs You’re Financially Compatible
1. You can talk about money without judgment.
Conversations about money aren't something you dread. You're able to talk to your partner freely and openly about money matters, like debts, bills, the budget, etc., even when it is uncomfortable. There is an understanding that talking about money doesn't have to be something you're on the defense about, instead it's an opportunity for transparency, clarity, and solutions.
2. You respect each other's money personalities.
What is a money personality? According to Ken Honda, author of Happy Money, a money personality is our "approach and emotional responses to money" and there are seven money personalities we can fall under. These personalities can help us understand our own relationship with money, as well as our partner's. For example, maybe you're someone who likes to treat yourself to a fancy dinner once a month and your partner is someone who believes ordering takeout and not cooking meals at home is a cardinal sin.
When you can respect each other's money personalities, neither approach is subjected to judgment and shifts can be made in each other's spending habits as needed and from a place of love versus guilt or shame.
3. You agree on what it means to have "financial security."
Whether it’s building a stacked emergency fund, paying off debt before putting a downpayment on a home or being able to splurge on a baecation without checking your account balance before the bill arrives, your definitions of what it means to be financially secure are in sync, or at least compatible enough to reach a compromise.
4. You are not each other's "financial parent."
You’re not constantly teaching, fixing, or stressing out over what the other person is doing with their money. Although I fast-forwarded through a lot of the most recent season of Love Is Blind, I did pay attention to Virginia and Devin and money seemed to be a recurring theme in their conversations. It was clear Virginia had her ish together when it came to money and her financial plans for the future and Devin was not quite on her level.
Though she said no at the altar for additional reasons, I could also see how sis could eventually get very tired of being her partner's second mama, so to speak. And that's the thing about being your partner's "financial parent," eventually, you could end up feeling like you are one-half of a "parenting" or "teaching" dynamic with your partner instead of feeling like you're equals in a partnership.
5. You make financial decisions with each other in mind, not for each other.
Whether it’s booking a trip, deciding which debt to tackle first, saving up for a big purchase, or planning out your next move, there’s a mutual respect for each other’s input. Those shared goals might look like wealth, freedom, stability, or just a debt-free life that feels soft and secure.
You don’t have to be chasing the same bag in the same exact way, but you do need to be aligned on the vision. What you're building should feel like a joint venture with shared effort and purpose, not one of y’all making major money moves like you're still single. Making financial decisions is not just about where the money goes, it's about where you’re going together.
6. You're aligned when it comes to the big stuff.
Financial compatibility extends to the long-term of money management. The legacy, structure, and shared responsibility that comes with decisions like shared accounts, estate planning, having babies, or even blending families. Will you split bills or combine income? Who’s taking time off if you have a child? How do y’all feel about generational wealth or investing for your family’s future? You and your partner have had the real conversations.
These conversations can’t wait until after the wedding or until after a baby’s here. They’re the foundation for how you function as a unit, and if you're not aligned, or at least willing to get on the same page, that incompatibility can cause friction in the end that love alone can't fix.
Love is cute and all, but building an empire together? That’s the real flex. Tap into our new series Making Cents to see what financial compatibility really looks like when love and legacy go hand in hand.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by pixdeluxe/Getty Images