Mo'Nique Chronicles Weight Loss on Twitter: 80 lbs. Down and More to Go
Mo'Nique, the Oscar-winning actress, is on her way to living a healthier, leaner life. She's dropped 80 lbs. so far, documenting her weight loss experience through her Twitter account, according to ABC News.
"Take that fighting spirit inside of you and knock out that quitting spirit. Fight for your life. No PAIN NO GAIN. :-)," she tweeted.
The 45-year-old actress, known for her roles in "Precious" and the TV show, "The Parkers," once weighed 300 lbs., but has been losing it as a result of visiting the gym, and working out daily. Her goal is between 190 and 200 lbs.; she's at 218 right now.
"I tweet every morning," she said in an interview with New York radio station Hot 97 earlier this week. "Because I want women to see — especially us big women — that you don't have to let them cut you and suck it out. You don't have to let them staple you up. You don't have to let them give you a pill. You don't have to let them put a band around your organs."
Mo'Nique is reaching her goal with a minimum of 10,000 steps and 50 sit-ups a day. She also includes weight lifting, running, yoga, and racquetball into her workout.
A study by Dr. Diane Klein for WebMD asked long-term exercisers — who had been exercising consistently for an average of 13 years — what motivated them to keep exercising. Their answers included fitness, feelings of well-being, pep and energy, enjoyment of the exercise, making exercise a priority, sleeping better, feeling alert, being relaxed, weight management, and appearance.
Along with Dr. Klein's study was a list compiled to help motivate readers to stay active. One such motivator was committing to exercise with another person.
"The social aspect of exercise is important for me," Wanda Stevens, a stay-at-home mom, told WebMD. "I'll let myself off, but if I've agreed to walk with a friend after dinner, I won't let them down." Other motivators included doing a variety of activities you enjoy and being aware of your progress.
Mo'Nique commits her weight loss to her husband, Sidney Hicks, who urged her to change, and especially to her kids.
"It made me say, 'OK sis, you got these babies. The twins are seven [years old], Michael's nine, Shalon's 22.' And I want to meet their babies," Monique told Hot 97.
Although she was a self-proclaimed food junkie, she decided to "stop being selfish and eating everything."
"I am the best Mo'Nique I've ever been in my life right now," she said. "And I still have a ways to go. But I feel amazing."