Staying Motivated at 6am and Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson on GMA
 

Her success has been such an inspiration for so many different reasons.  First, she turned rejection on American Idol all the way around and blew us away with her vocal power in Dreamgirls, for which she snatched an Oscar in her very first acting role.  Then with success came tremendous pain as she lost her mom, brother and nephew to a senseless act of murder at her sister's husband's hands.  That kind of loss and devastation could leave anyone in a catatonic state for 6 months, but she became reborn as she found love and gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.  Then amazingly lost 80 pounds after childbirth and has kept if off for nearly 4 years.  She looks stunning and keeps growing as an artist and a woman.  It's a pity she's never named as one of our true beauties.  That's sadly and rountinely reserved for Halle Berry and Beyonce.  Her flawless skin, almond eyes and full lips are never heralded in our community as emblematic of black beauty. 


As I try to get a "do-over" on the weight I gained over the last few months from emotional eating to cope with a hard personal loss and overindulging in holiday eating, I think about what losing most of your immediate family could do to one's mental state and how you just have to overcome.  Somehow her personality and background make her seem accessible.  Like, she's the sister-girl next door and if she can do that, then damn it so can I.  Never mind she has access to trainers and chefs to keep her body in red-carpet ready condition.  I still know it's hard for anyone to get up while it's dark outside and push oneself to do burpees or lift weights.  I workout most days of the week and I feel encouraged by sisters like her who've faced tragedy and all of life's ups and downs and still get on the treadmill at 6am, eat that spinach salad and pray to handle all of the stuff we all go through whether we're rich and famous or not.