Here's What Issa Rae Did To Lose Her "New Money Weight"

Let's be clear. I accept and love Issa Rae for who she is and who she has been from the 99' to the 2000. But her recent feature in Women's Health has all of us like damnnn sis!

Our favorite awkward black girl may be behind the scenes more these days, but in her recent interview, she revealed that she's still working just as hard as she was in her YouTube era. As always, Issa is the best friend in our head who's always dropping gems, and this time she stopped by to remind us to hold ourselves accountable.

I think many of us have encountered the freshman 15 at some point or another, and as a newbie in the entertainment industry, Issa experienced this firsthand. When the 34-year-old Insecure creator first caught fire in the industry, her unlimited access to cash caused her to gain a few pounds. She explained to Women's Health:

"When the Web series started, I was very, very broke. Then more opportunities began to come. I was gaining New Money Weight. When you get a new job, you're like, 'I can afford to eat at restaurants all the time!' That adds up in weight."

Although impromptu dinner dates are never a bad idea, they can also come with a few impromptu pounds. It's true that we make time for what we want, but let's be real, who ever really wants to work out? Although being a breakout megastar came with a busy schedule, Issa said there came a time when she realized that she had to stop making excuses. Seeing herself on television took a blow to her self-esteem and she knew that it was time for a change, one that started with managing her physical fitness.

She said:

"I was a big excuse person when it came to exercising and eating right. I'd have spurts of trying to work out and being good. Then once I fell off, I'd be like, 'Well, there's always next year. Let me make it my New Year's resolution.' But even then, I would still be eating wrong while exercising vigorously."

Issa's chaotic work life didn't make the process any easier but developing a scheduled routine ultimately became the key to her success. Unlike many celebrities, Issa's routine isn't intense or complicated and is relatable AF. As a part of her daily fitness regimen, Issa wakes up at 4:55 a.m. to jog through her neighborhood for an hour.

"Let me not put extras on it. I exercise for, like, an hour each day. My neighborhood has a bunch of hills, so it's walking up hills. Then I alternate between walking and jogging. I hate jogging—you're going in circles, but I recognize that it helps."

Issa also had this unlikely recommendation for fellow joggers who want to boost creativity during workouts:

"You know those earbuds that you put in your ears? I was running, and one fell. It was dark outside and I couldn't find it. So I was forced to just be alone with my thoughts, and I was like, 'Oh, I need to do this more often.' Those moments are the most creative. I think finding those moments while also nurturing your body is important."

Speaking of nurturing your body, "the paleo-leaning" actress revealed that after being vegetarian for 15 years, she is now living a (basically) paleolithic lifestyle. Issa told Women's Health that after rediscovering bacon after more than a decade, she has now decided to explore her meal planning options and is experimenting with cooking Senegalese food. So when's the dinner party, sis?

Read the full article on Women's Health here.

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