Making healthy eating choices isn't just a trend in the Black community, issa lifestyle—one saving lives that's snatching the waists of women across the country.
While many nutritionists and wellness gurus have been on the vegan wave for decades, innovative recipes and an increased amount of time at home have encouraged women to challenge their dietary choices and leveling up their lives by experimenting with plant-based meal planning options, and we love to see it.
According to the internet, eliminating foods like dairy and incorporating more fruits and vegetables in your diet can improve the condition of your skin, your gut, and your overall health so I guess the real question is, why not switch to a vegan lifestyle?
Because we like chicken nuggets. That's why.
Luckily, xoNecole has all the tips from celebs like Taraji P. Henson, who began her vegan journey only two years ago, to Erykah Badu, who has been about this vegan life for two whole decades, who will give you all the motivation you need to ditch GMOs and jumpstart your meat- and dairy-free lifestyle journey ASAP.
Scroll below for more!
Jhene Aiko
Parisa Michelle / Shutterstock.com
Ava DuVernay
DFree / Shutterstock.com
Taraji P. Henson
In an interview with InStyle, Taraji shared:
"It took a doctor in Macon, Georgia, to say, 'If you don't change what you're doing, you're going to get stomach cancer.' ...So I switched everything up out of necessity. I want to live. Thank God, because I feel so much better."
Mya
Mya/Instagram
"It is a lifestyle for me and outside of just food, I'm practicing fashion and making sure I'm not wearing leather shoes and I have not worn furs since a long time ago. I have to be very conscious when I'm making decisions and saying I'm vegan because I have to be about it all the way and now that has given me some thought into creating certain things like home décor."
Dewanda Wise
Getty
Erykah Badu
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According to Erykah Badu, she's not new to the vegan life, she's true to it. In an interview with People, the 49-year-old singer revealed that she's been on a vegan diet since 1997:
"It's just what's best for my body. If I was a Lamborghini I would want to put the best gas in it."
Chloe x Halle
Chloe explained in a 2017 interview with Complex:
"Eggs and dairy never sat well with me … so it was easy. When we moved to L.A., it really became easy. So many vegan restaurants and vegan aisles in the grocery store are like heaven for us!"
"Number one secret to keeping our voices in shape? God. Two, we're vegan, so we're not consuming dairy and it's not that extra mucus buildup all the time. We hydrate a lot more before performances. We were really on a roll of drinking gallon jugs of water, and that made us feel better mentally and physically."
Lizzo
"I used to eat a lot of hot Cheetos, but that wasn't good for my acid-reflux. These are Cheeto-alternative I love that's vegan and I dip them in hummus. Badda-boom badda-snack!"
"As a new vegan, I'm enjoying exploring flavors from plants and plant-based proteins! Every journey is personal and deserves to be celebrated."
Featured image by Parisa Michelle / Shutterstock.com
I don’t remember how I ran across it, but I began researching laser lipo, and before I knew it, I had booked my first appointment of many. I entered the medispa and was taken to a room and told to lie down. Then, I had lasers placed on top of my stomach for about 30 minutes, and I was done. While it sounds simple, it can take multiple sessions to get the desired look you want. That was a couple of years ago. However, I decided to try it again. This time with a different practitioner and a few add-ons, including wood therapy, cavitation, skin tightening, and vacuum therapy. Let’s dig deeper.
What Is Laser Lipo?
Laser lipo is a non-invasive procedure that penetrates through the skin and shrinks the fat. Not only is it simpler than regular lipo, but it’s also less expensive. Tammy Bell of Sculpted By Bella Beauty Bar, where she offers these noninvasive services, tells us why more people are turning to laser lipo.
“It’s noninvasive. You don’t have no downtime at all, unlike lipo and the different surgeries you have downtime with that,” she says. “You get results. It’s a little slower than regular lipo, but you get results that you want.” Because everyone’s body is different, the results may vary. However, Tammy says it’s also based on lifestyle habits such as what you’re eating and how active you are.
Laser lipo is just one of the many noninvasive services to choose from. See more below.
Wood Therapy
Microgen Images/ Science Photo Library/ Getty Images
If you follow Tracee Ellis Ross on Instagram or TikTok, then you probably saw the video of her using wooden tools to sculpt her body. This method is called wood therapy, and let me tell you, it’s not for the faint of heart. In my experience, it’s a weird sensation and a little painful. However, they say beauty is pain.
Tammy breaks down what wood therapy is. “It actually breaks up the fat, and it contours your body. It moves the fat through your lymphatic system,” she explains.
Skin Tightening
Another treatment is skin tightening. As we get older, our skin loses elasticity, and this service targets sagging skin for a tighter appearance. “The heat actually helps tighten the skin,” Tammy says about the skin-tightening tool that is used during the service. “It helps build collagen for your skin to tighten.”
Cavitation
Cavitation liquifies the fat, and it’s the only service out of this list that can’t be done on your face. “With the cavitation and all that stuff, if you notice, I always come in, and then I go down because you have your lymph nodes for your lymphatic system for it to drain,” she says, explaining the technique she does when using the tools on the body.
“That’s why it’s important for you to drink a lot of water ‘cause you (the fat) have to either come out in your sweat or your urine.”
Vacuum Therapy
Vacuum therapy involves suction cups that lift the skin. While I’ve only used it on my stomach, Healthline reports that many people are using it to get a butt lift. “Vacuum therapy moves the fat, and if you want to get a butt lift, you push the fat up,” Tammy says.
Costs
Costs vary per service and per practitioner. However, I spent around $400 and got all the aforementioned services done within five appointments.
Results
Body sculpting results
Photo courtesy of London Alexaundria
My target areas were my back, stomach, and arms, and I am satisfied with the results I received in such a short amount of time. You can get these services done separately and get good results, but I decided to try them all together as a part of a package. Just like they will tell you after getting regular lipo, for lasting results, you must make sure to keep a healthy lifestyle.
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