

From doing the laundry and washing the dishes to paying the bills and picking the kids up from school, the mundane routine of everyday life can make us want to take a one-way ticket to Cabo and never come back.
Adulting is hard enough without adding our personal health and love life to the equation, but nevertheless, we persist and like the superwomen we are, we push through. We all know that no matter where we go (even Cabo), responsibility will follow, but Laila Ali wants you to embrace a new perspective by taking inventory of what's most important. The undefeated boxing legend recently sat down with Madame Noire and spilled the tea on how she keeps both her marriage and her body on point in the midst of a budding entrepreneurial career and being a mother of two.
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When Laila was 15, she was diagnosed with Grave's Disease, riddling her to a lifelong battle with thyroid problems and hormonal imbalance. It was then when she decided to follow in her father's footsteps and pick up boxing to offset her medical issues. Since then, she's devoted her life to all things healthy, even more so since becoming a mother. She told NWA Online:
"Much of my inspiration to make healthy lifestyle choices came from being an athlete. Then when I had children, I became more aware of the importance of choosing foods and products that are good for my family and the environment. It was a very natural transition for me, and I also use my platform to share information that I know is helpful for everyone to live their best life."
Although some days are better than others, Laila encourages women to be persistent in their fitness journeys, even when they aren't seeing the results they want. The 41-year-old business owner explained that as someone who struggles with constant weight fluctuation, she knows what it's like to fall off the wagon, in a recent Instagram post she wrote:
"5'11...200 pounds. I am far from MY best. NOT EVEN CLOSE! I have to admit, I've been so busy getting my nutrition line and spice blends ready to launch...and everything else I have going on that I have been slipping when it comes to workouts. Haven't been consistent! I've also been struggling with weight gain due to my thyroid disease. Well, I'm officially recommitting on Monday! I'm starting fresh...with my own YouPlenish 14 day Cleanse! I will keep you posted on my progress!"
Laila explained that to be truly successful in your fitness goals, consistency is key. According to her, when it comes to getting serious about your personal health, it's all about making it a regular part of your routine.
"It has to really be a lifestyle, otherwise, if it's not a daily routine, then you fall off track. Every day you have to make decisions of what you're going to eat, what types of products you're going to buy, how much me-time you spend on yourself, whether you're going to carve out time to work out. So I think it really comes down to, like I said, having your priorities in order."
So how does one of the most well-known female boxers of all time do fitness? By resorting to old tactics, of course. Although she retired (undefeated, might I add) from boxing in 2007, she still uses boxing as a way to stay summertime fine all year long.
"I have a home gym, and I have a heavy bag in my gym so that's part of my workout. I use it kind of as a warm-up. I'll hit the heavy bag for 15-20 minutes and I'll start the rest of my workout. Boxing will always be a part of my workout because it doesn't feel like a workout for me. I put my music on, I just kind of get into it and next thing I know, I look up and I burned a lot of calories. Worked on my muscles, my upper-body muscles and I've got a good sweat going."
With a body like Laila's, it's hard to believe that she would have any trouble keeping things hot in her 10+ year marriage to former NFL player, Curtis Conway, but she says that like all relationships, it takes work. The boxing heir told Madame Noire that along with frequent, healthy communication, it's also important to not forget why you fell in love in the first place.
"We communicate with one another on a regular basis and I think it's important also when you're busy and you have children to not forget about the things that attracted you to one another in the first place and how you spent your time together."
The Home Made Simple host added that it doesn't hurt to add a date night in the mix every now and then too.
"So for example, before kids were in the picture, we were dating and having a good time. So we want to make sure we have that date night and I can be his girlfriend and he can be my boyfriend and not mommy Laila always talking about the kids and what needs to be done around the house and vice versa. Don't hand me your laundry to do! Take me out for a nice dinner and romance me [laughs]."
Check out Madame Noire's full interview with Laila here!
Featured image courtesy of Tj Maxx.
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.
Eva Marcille On Starring In 'Jason’s Lyric Live' & Being An Audacious Black Woman
Eva Marcille has taken her talents to the stage. The model-turned-actress is starring in her first play, Jason’s Lyric Live alongside Allen Payne, K. Michelle, Treach, and others.
The play, produced by Je’Caryous Johnson, is an adaptation of the film, which starred Allen Payne as Jason and Jada Pinkett Smith as Lyric. Allen reprised his role as Jason for the play and Eva plays Lyric.
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Feature image by Leon Bennett/WireImage
A Celebration Of Black Voices: What You Missed At The 3rd Annual Black Effect Podcast Festival
Over the weekend, iHeart Radio held its third annual Black Effect Podcast Festival in Atlanta, attracting a star-studded lineup of personalities and shows. Charlamagne tha God, founder of the Black Effect podcast network was in attendance along with other notable personalities like Mandii B and Weezy WTF, the hosts of the popular Decisions, Decisions podcast, who also served as the festival's hosts.
Sarah Jakes Roberts, the esteemed pastor and host of Woman Evolve podcast, singers and co-hosts of the R&B Money podcast, Tank and J. Valentine, former NFL star and Funky Friday host Cam Newton and many more further rounded out the festivals' lineup.
The festival hosted panels that focused on mental health and the future of podcasting as well as many live shows. Good Moms, Bad Choices hosts, Erica and Milah, welcomed Dreka Gates and held a live dating show that was nothing short of hilarious. Naked Sports host Cari Champion sat down with Iman Shumpert and they discussed sports and dating.
Tank and J. Valentine surprised the audience with Jacquees, Cam had a live conversation with Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams, and Sarah closed out the festival with reality star Toya Johnson. Check out photos from the festival below:
(L-R) Shawn Bethea, Jay Barnett, Devi Brown, Charlamagne tha God and Amber Grimes
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Jamilah Mapp, Dreka Gates and Erica Dickerson
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Mandii B and Weezy WTF
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Porsha Williams and Cam Newton
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Iman Shumpert and Cari Champion
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Tank, Jacquees and J. Valentine
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
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 by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network