Jennifer Hudson has regaled and amazed most of us with her huge transformation. The gorgeous newly svelte Academy Award-winning singer/actress is a far cry from the beautiful girl we met on America’s Idol. Many never thought of Jenny as fat, and her curves were seen as just a natural part of her. Covering the September issue of Self magazine, Jenny goes deeper into the reasons behind her weight loss and what she does to maintain it. She also discusses how differently she’s treated and that she’s prouder of her weight loss than her Oscar:
On why she wanted to lose weight
“It really started when I was pregnant with David, who’s 2 now, and I thought, Hold on—why doesn’t anybody know I’m pregnant? And I wanted to set a good example for my son. Right after I had him, I began trying to change things.”
On not knowing she was ‘plus-size’ until Hollywood said so
“I wasn’t unhappy with my body before. I remember one of my first times on a red carpet, an interviewer asked, ‘How does it feel to be plus-sized in Hollywood?’ I looked around, like, Who is she talking to? Oh, me? I’m plus-sized? In the neighborhood I’m from in Chicago, a 16 is normal. But in Hollywood, everyone looks exactly the same, so I stood out.”
“I find the positive in everything. I like my curves, so it didn’t bother me. My fiancé, David’s father [also named David], and I both knew we didn’t learn to eat right and be healthy as kids, so we wanted to for him.”
On what makes this weight loss different from her previous ones
“I’ve had three different weight losses. Before American Idol in ’04, I lost 60 pounds. Then I lost the 20 pounds I had to gain for my role in Dreamgirls, which came out in ’06. This is the third time I’ve lost a lot.”
“That first time, I was a workout fanatic. I’d go to the gym at 5 in the morning and run for an hour, go home, sleep and be back at the gym at 1 p.m. for another full workout. Then I’d come home and do Tae-Bo. That was my whole day. Plus, all I’d eat was skinless chicken breast, brown rice and vegetables. What are you going to do once you lose weight? Eat everything you gave up!”
On how she started working out and her current workout routine
“Four days after my cesarean section, I began walking 30 minutes every day. It was my therapy, my moment to myself, and it was all I could do. I figured, me walking is better than me sitting on the couch. Even if I can’t climb a mountain or do 100,000 push-ups, these steps matter, and they’re leading somewhere.”
“I started with walking, but before long, I built up to other things. When I didn’t want to be cooped up in the gym, I’d come up with other options. I’d ask myself, What do I love? I love being outside and feeling free, so I would jog or ride my bike. Some days, I’d play basketball and tennis.”
“Now, on days when I’m short on time, I do this workout called trilogy, which is cardio and strength combined: I do 25 squats, 25 push-ups and 25 ab moves, then rest a minute. Then I do them in reverse and rest another minute. Fifteen minutes and I’m done! And I create moments of exercise. When I lived on the 26th floor, I’d walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator.”
On keeping fit with her fiance, David
“He bought me a basketball hoop for Christmas, so we play in our backyard. We also get in the pool and do squat contests. One time, I got up to 1,000, and he was, like, ‘Wow, impressed!'”
On changing her ‘diet mentality’
“I had to break my diet mentality. I used to deprive myself, thinking that was healthy. I didn’t eat pasta, fried food, red meat. I hadn’t had pizza in 10 years! Then, about two months after my son was born, I joined Weight Watchers and learned about balance. If you’re on a strict diet that says you shouldn’t have any carbs or this or that, your body won’t function the way it should. I know now that I can eat anything I want and still lose or maintain my weight. It’s about portions and balance.”
On how differently ‘skinny’ Jen is treated
“Yes! You never know you’re being discriminated against until you see what you’ve been deprived of. Everybody wants you to wear this or put you on the cover of that. Before, my career was great, but since losing weight, I haven’t stopped. I have worked every single day of this year.”
On her fans’ reaction to her weight loss
“Some fans love it and say they’re inspired, and others don’t. Some have even questioned whether I can still sing. My voice has gotten stronger! I can’t care about whether I’m too big for some or too small for others. It goes back to how you feel about yourself. I like me the way I am. For anyone who wants to lose: Dude, if I can do it, you can do it. And for those who want to stay the same, I hope I can be an example to you, too; I was proud of being a big girl.”
On how her mother inspired her weight loss
“It’s like my mother said: ‘Well, honey, when there is a will, there is a way.’ You have to want it, but don’t rush yourself. When you’re ready, you’ll set goals for yourself. Once you do, it’s good to have support, but you don’t need it, because everything you need is in you.”
“I’m prouder of my weight loss than my Oscar! I hope it has inspired people.”
Losing 80 lbs is quite a feat, but better than an Oscar? What are your thoughts?
