Tisha Campbell-Martin is dressed casually chic this brisk Saturday at the posh W Midtown in Atlanta.
When we reach her suite on the 24th floor, we notice that all of her bags are packed and she’s geared up for her evening flight back home to her husband, deliciously handsome actor Duane Martin, and her sons. But there’s one stop she has to make after this writer and rolling out TV’s supervising producer DeWayne Rogers’ departure. She’s spending the afternoon with sisters who have resolved to make healthier choices in 2011.
Campbell is her usual cheery and spunky self. In person, she’s no different from the Gina that we grew to love on the Fox comedy “Martin” or the cool mother Jay that many of us wish we had on ABC’s most-watched sitcom “My Wife and Kids.” The NAACP-award winning actress, who recently partnered with Yoplait, is so excited to discuss the new initiative, “Yoplait Today.”
After exchanging pleasantries, she explains why she’s on tour promoting the calcium-rich snack.
“Happiness is happening and this is a very different year for me. Alot of stuff is happening: I am so busy as a mom and a wife and even my career,” she begins. “We partnered with Yoplait [who is] targeting African American women to get us to understand that we need to make better choices in life, better food choices and better lifestyle choices. It’s really important because we are the backbone of the family. We lead very busy lifestyles, whether we are mothers or wives or in the workplace.
“Yoplait was attracted to me because I am a work in progress. I just had a baby who is a year old. During my pregnancy, I gained a lot of weight because when I get pregnant, I get very pregnant. I don’t play around. As a result, I have to pay attention to my health.”
The campaign is designed to encourage women to embrace a new year and a new self.
“We are not saying that an apple a day or a Yoplait a day will keep the doctor away,” she continues. “This is so funny because when they approached me about this campaign, I was already keeping yogurt and healthy snacks – nuts and granola bars – on me. There are things that you can do instead of going for brownies and potato chips. It all adds up. You [should] keep [healthy snacks] on you at all times. Keep fruit on the counter and take the stairs instead of the elevator. These little things can make the [big] difference in you.” –yvette caslin
