Losing weight is never easy, and for many women, it’s a journey that we start and stop many times throughout our lives.
Singer, songwriter and TV Host Syleena Johnson understands. Johnson, who has always been athletic, went through an incredible body transformation in 2018, when she dropped over 50 pounds and began training to compete in body building. Her incredible body transformation surprised and motivated her fans, who she rallied to do the same by creating an online community for body positivity and inspiration. In 2018, Johnson also released her book, The Weight is Over: My Journey to Loving My Body From the Outside In, which discussed her personal struggled and triumphs with her body.
Johnson, a fierce proponent of body positivity, stopped by the ESSENCE Festival of Culture 2020 Wellness House to chat with ESSENE Relationships and Wellness Director Charli Penn about the moment she made the life-changing pivot to put her health and body first. Her best advice for those frustrated by starting and stopping their journey? Don’t put it off!
“You know a lot of women go up and down, up and down,” says Johnson. “You have to forgive yourself for going up in weight. It happens. You’re not alone.”
And, she means it. The always relatable Johnson has also had to regularly refocus and adjust her routine to accommodate her busy life as a touring artist.
“Don’t beat yourself up about going up because what happens is, you beat yourself up because you went up, and so now you just keep going,” insists Johnson. “Well, forget it then, I’m gonna start Monday. Because Monday is the day. After my vacation. On Monday. After the Summer. You know? After Fourth of July. Don’t start Monday. Start right now. Okay? So the first thing you have to do is to forgive yourself and not start on Monday. Start the day that you decide.”
What she said!
Watch the clip above.