
Kelly Rowland Shows Off Her Very Real Post-Pregnancy Abs While Working Out

Kelly Rowland is back at it again, proving time and time again why she is our collective fave. As we all know, our girl and husband, Tim Witherspoon, welcomed their second child, Noah Jon at the top of the year. Since, she has taken a step back from her career to be mommy to both him, and oldest son, Titan.
But one of our favorite things about Kelly, is--if we can choose just one--her realist approach to being a mom, in a world where so much can be...pre-packaged. Recently, she took to her social media to prove just how real giving birth can be, post-pregnancy ab realness and all.
It all started while working with her trainer, Rebecca. The two were educating us on diastasis recti, which is the partial or complete separation of the abs, or "six-pack" muscles, that meet at the midline of your stomach. The ladies taught us how to test for the condition, and Kelly showed up prepared to show how real post-pregnancy can be for the body, openly rocking her deeper-tinted core for the world to see, unapologetically.
"I don't know about any of the moms out there but when my core is weak, my back starts to hurt. And my neck. And sometimes my lower back. So we're going to show you how to test for it."
Kelly Rowland/Instagram Story
The mom of two then demonstrates how to test for diastosis recti, with Rebecca and new terms-to-know in tow. In her midsection, Kelly has what is considered a stimulation of the pigment cells in the skin/melanocytes by the female hormones oestorgen and progesterone to produce more pigment when exposed to the sun.
Women with a light brown skin type who are living in regions with intense sun exposure are particularly susceptible to developing this condition. The discoloration usually disappears spontaneously over a period of several months after giving birth.
But listen, mama absolutely did not care, giving a huge cosign to moms whose bodies change postpartum.
Kelly Rowland/Instagram Story
Rowland, who is 40, may have a snapback that only most of us can dream about, but she didn't put any pressure on herself to do so. Thanks to genetics and a fit pregnancy, she was able to bounce back in no time. But for this pregnancy, she is taking the time to show off what real women go through, in real time.
She told Billboard:
"I'm still navigating myself through motherhood. So the less pressure I put on myself and allow myself grace -- because I'm not going to get it right every single time – I think it's only fair to just breathe and use your instincts to navigate your way through. But I've learned not to put so much pressure on myself and to let my creativity flow."
And from here, her social media has went from life pre-baby, to advice, new favorite products, and more. She even shows off, and uses her platform, to guide new mothers in a way where they feel as if they're not alone, which plenty of new moms can appreciate.
Whew, there goes Kelly Rowland being a superhuman again, ladies and gentlemen.
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Featured image by Cindy Ord/Getty Images
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
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Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Colman Domingo’s Career Advice Is A Reminder That Our Words Shape Our Reality
When it comes to life, we are always here for a good reminder to shift our mindsets, and Colman Domingo just gave us one we didn't know we needed.
In a resurfaced clip from an appearance at NewFest shared as a repost via Micheaux Film Festival, the Emmy award winner dropped a gem on how he has navigated his decades-spanning career in Hollywood. The gem in question? Well, Colman has never identified with "struggle" in his career. Let that sit.
Colman Domingo On Not Claiming Struggle
"I’ve never said that this career was tough. I’ve never said it was difficult. I’ve never said it was hard," Colman said. "Other people would say that—‘oh, you're in a very difficult industry. It's very hard to get work and book work.’ I’m like, I’ve never believed that."
Instead of allowing himself to be defined by other people's projections about their perceptions of what the industry is or was, Colman dared to believe differently even if his reality was playing catch up with his dreams:
"Like Maya Angelou said words are things. And if you believe that, then that's actually what it is. Actually I've just never believed it. Someone told me some years ago, they said, 'I remember you were, you're a struggling actor.' I'm like, 'I don't.'"
"I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living..."
He continued:
"Even when I was bartending and hustling and not having opportunities or anything, I never believed that I was struggling because I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living and creating and being curious."
Colman’s philosophy of attaching to living instead of struggle has blossomed into an enduring career. He first made his mark on stage in acclaimed Broadway productions before transitioning to the screen, where his star began to rise in the 2010s following his role as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead. From there, his presence only grew, landing memorable supporting roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the hit series Euphoria.
In more recent years, Colman has stepped fully into the spotlight with standout leading performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, both of which earned him widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.
With all that said, Colman's advice is no doubt powerful, especially for those who are chasing their dreams, building something from the ground up, or have question marks about what's next in their careers. Words shape our realities, and how we speak about our journeys even in passing matters.
Words Create Our Reality & Colman Is Living Proof
"I tell young people that. To remember the words that you say about yourself and your career are true. So, I choose to make it full of light and love and it's interesting and every day I'm going to learn something new even if it looks like I don't have what I want but it's important to be in the moment... you really build on the moments moment to moment.
"And you're looking back at your career as I've been in it for what 33 years and you're like, 'Wow, that's what I've been doing.' And I've stayed strong to that so I think that is truly my advice."
Let this be your sign to give your path a reframe. When the path you're on feels uncertain, the journey is still unfolding. Like Colman said: "I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living."
That's a Black king right there.
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Featured image by Soul Brother/Soul B Photos/Shutterstock