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Paula Patton Says Running Has Helped Her Get Through Divorce And Custody Battle

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Ever since the word got out that Robin Thicke and Paula Patton called it quits in 2014, things have been tumultuous for the former couple. Both of their careers have stumbled a bit, Thicke lost his famous father, Alan, and the pair found themselves caught up in a heated custody battle for son Julian, 7, where all sorts of allegations were made. It was an ugly time.

Paula Patton fitness

But things are looking up for Patton. She’s the star of a new drama on ABC called Somewhere Between. It’s about a mother who learns that her child will be murdered in the near future and does everything in her power to keep that from happening. She’s also finding some solace from all of the drama of the last few years by getting back into running. It hasn’t been an easy endeavor (it requires a lot of motivation), but the runner’s high soothes the 41-year-old.

“It’s kind of a love-hate with running,” she said in an interview with PEOPLE. “It’s always like, ‘Oh God, can I do it?’ And once I begin, it helps me settle myself and give clarity.”

Patton also has returned to doing yoga. In the past she also said she was a big fan of kickboxing, Pilates and weight training, which has all helped her maintain her toned and strong physique. And in preparation for the action films she’s done over the last few years, Patton has done some intense training, including sword and knife work for the 2016 film Warcraft.

But even when physical fitness doesn’t keep her feet firmly planted on cloud nine, Patton is determined not to let her personal troubles get the best of her.

“At the end of the day, it’s best to move forward,” Patton said. “I’m in that part of my life right now where there’s huge changes. You have to find your way, and I think I’m on that discovery.”

The post Paula Patton Says Running Has Helped Her Get Through Divorce And Custody Battle appeared first on MadameNoire.


“SMDH” Kevin Hart “Responds” To Cheating Rumors

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Image via WENN

I know y’all saw the news yesterday. Kevin Hart was seen in a video with a young woman in his car, at 5 a.m. in the morning. And while the internet was certain something had gone down. And I’m certainly still giving the whole situation a side eye. But Kevin, his team and even his wife seem completely unfazed.

A source connected to the young woman, apparently her name is Monique, said that “She was in the back seat and he was in the front & it looks bad but nothing happened.”

Alright.

Then, Eniko, Kevin’s pregnant wife, shared an update on her pregnancy journey.


And then Kevin came through with his take on the whole thing, with a tad bit of humor.

#LiveLoveLaugh …..SMDH

A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on

Interesting.

The post “SMDH” Kevin Hart “Responds” To Cheating Rumors appeared first on MadameNoire.

Pat Cleveland On Rooming With Donyale Luna, Having Marian Anderson As A Godmom And Her Iconic Modeling Career

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More than 50 years after starting her modeling career, Pat Cleveland is still being asked to walk down runways, appear in iconic fashion magazines, allow the use of her face on the front of clothing produced by major fashion houses and tell her story in books like Walking with the Muses, her memoir.

Pat Cleveland

At 67, she’s as much a force as ever, and as beautiful as ever. It’s one of the reasons she’s being honored by the Fashion Legacy Association for Industry Recognition, or FLAIR, a non-profit organization, which honors the contributions of African Americans in all things art and fashion. During their upcoming two-day fashion events on July 21-22 in downtown Los Angeles, they will honor Pat Cleveland at the FLAIR 2017 fashion show, which showcases the work of emerging Black designers.

In preparation for that, we had the chance to talk with Cleveland, who is a ball of good energy and giggles, about paving the way, returning to the runway in her sixties, still being called upon by the bigwigs of fashion, and whether or not she truly believes things have improved for models in terms of diversity and opportunity.

MadameNoire: Models like yourself, Donyale Luna and Naomi Sims, really opened the door for models of color. Knowing that you all gained fame and came up around the same time, how does it feel to be the only one still alive and still being honored by organizations and people like FLAIR for paving the way?

Pat Cleveland: I’m here now and they’re gone off to another planet. It’s not like they’re not here, it’s like their memory still inspires us. I’m glad I’m here to talk about how wonderful these people were in my life too and how they inspired me. I was inspired by Donyale Luna and Naomi Sims was my contemporary and those were some fine girls. They were fine in their attitude, their stylishness and the things they wanted to do. They had goals, they had dreams. It was a very fanciful time. The fantasy that we had about ourselves and what we could do in the world. It may not have been exactly what was around us in reality, but it was something we all had in common, so we developed friendships. Donyale Luna, I lived with her in Rome for a while and I was really close with Naomi because we were working with Halston. These wonderful ladies, they were so well-mannered and so beautiful.

Speaking of influences, you started modeling at a time when there weren’t many models before you. So who inspired your walk and your persona on the runway?

I think I just grew up with wonderful people. My aunt was a dancer with Katherine Dunham. Eartha Kitt and Marlon Brando were in a dance class and I was the mascot monkey hanging off of the bars [laughs]. I remember them dancing across the room and the drums playing. It was amazing, just being in this artistic environment growing up. And my mother being a painter, Lady Bird [Cleveland] painting at night and me sitting next to her and seeing the colors and her style. She made all of her clothes, she and my aunt, and they would make these clothes and go to costume balls and win the prize. Our living room was always covered in feathers and sparkly things. I would run through the room and try to be a part of it but I was just too little to support the clothes. So the minute I grew up, I was making my own clothes so that I could wear them [laughs]. I started walking in high heels at a very young age because they were available. And my godmother was Marian Anderson, the opera singer, and the way she carried herself, her posture, her voice — they were just artists. They were wrapped up in some sort of inspiration. So looking at them and watching them create something out of nothing really inspired me to be the same way.

You mentioned that you used to make clothing and I know that’s what you initially studied to do. After all these years as a model, would you ever consider designing a line?

Well, you never know. If I just don’t have enough designers hanging around and giving me things I might just have to say, “Okay, boys. I’ll show you how to do it!” But you know, I’m just so wrapped up in everything that everybody’s doing around me. I’m so fascinated with the young designers and they say, “Can you wear this?” or “Will you wear that?” and I think, “Yeah, I can go have some fun in that. It looks pretty good to me.” But these days, I make hats. I make little things. Now I’m just painting a lot. I have these things on Fine Art America and you can get some of my things there. There might be some paintings, or some bags, shower curtains, covers for beds, cups — everything you can get with my designs on it. But you know, I do that because that’s just something I do. It’s just like breathing. Everything that you enjoy, you never know how far it’s going to go. So just keep enjoying stuff and see where it goes. Know what I mean? And sure, I’ll do a line — if somebody asks me [laughs].

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When you returned to the runway and modeling a few years ago, now in your 60s, how was that for you?

It’s like finding a dinosaur bone and cleaning it up [laughs]. They found something in me that maybe inspired them to look forward or backwards or do something — I don’t know. But it just seems I’ve been working with a lot of young designers like Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs and Zac Posen. I like that they still use me. Designers like Kenzo will do a whole collection with my face on it and I think, “This is so strange [laughs].” You feel just honored because you actually kind of grew up with some of the designers who’ve been around for a while, but the new designers were like the interns. They remember you from history. They want to feel what it feels like to have that old bottle of champagne [laughs].

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Knowing this journey you’ve been on as a model and the ups and downs of it, were you ever nervous about your daughter, Anna, pursuing a modeling career?

No. It’s better than swimming with sharks. It’s pretty much the same thing with everything — there’s going to be the bad things and the good things. But because she kind of grew up in that — When she was 10 days old she was already in a magazine wearing the pearls of the Duchess of Windsor, sucking on them [laughs]. And so I think she has a taste for it and a talent for it so what am I nervous about? Just keep going I tell her and enjoy it, because the people in the art world are much more forgiving than people in other professions. It’s a beautiful world, for girls especially. The clothes and dressing up. There is a business aspect, of course you have to learn that part, but that’s just the extra part.

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I have heard and read about the racism you experienced early on in your career when you modeled as part of the Ebony Fashion Fair shows in the ’60s and buses were being targeted down South. Seeing that both of your children model or have tried to, how important was it for you to let them know about those type of experiences? What was that time like?

Can you believe it? Well, their grandmother and great-grandmother are African American, so they know the stories of what it was to be in Georgia in the South and my mother coming to New York at an early age to get away from it all. No matter where you are there’s going to be bigotry or something — somebody against somebody. But the hatred behind it, we were experiencing that kind of thing in contrast with what was happening with the Ebony Fashion Fair, which was a philanthropic thing. This adventure we were on was to raise money for college kids to go to school in the African-American community. We had the most beautiful clothes in the world by American and European designers in the bottom of the bus. And to stop somewhere and have people with bigotry hate us for no reason whatsoever, it’s not something I hadn’t experienced early in my life. When I was a child and I was in Georgia, I remember having rocks thrown at me and my cousins. It’s just ridiculous. That’s one reason I moved to Europe back then, so that I could be understood as a mixed-race person. You just didn’t want to always be reminded that you weren’t respected. And so for those things to still be happening, it’s just ridiculous. It’s like ignorance has a hard time dying. In that time, the beauty was there. And Mrs. Johnson was the entrepreneurial spirit bringing the fashion and discovering new designers. Halston hats and Yves Saint Laurent dresses weren’t even that popular and she bought them. But it was so wonderful that Ebony was the Bible of Black society. It was so necessary because there was no way to honor our heroes, people who had goals and reached them. So it was very important, that Fashion Fair show.

So all of these years later, after being on runways with only Black people as well as being one of the few Black faces in shows all over the world during your career, would you say diversity in the fashion world has improved? Because there are still complaints about the diversity on the runway, as well as conversations about makeup artists and stylists who don’t have the tools or knowledge to work with Black skin and hair.

They’re behind the times. It’s just too late for that conversation. Those people don’t know what’s going on if they haven’t created or obtained things for the entire pallet. That’s like only painting in black and white when we’ve gone to technicolor. Politics and the way things are in the world and who’s selling what in what country, has a lot to do with why they hire 20 Russians and one Black or 20 Blacks and one Caucasian. It’s all politics and selling. That’s what it is. Trying to create a “trend.” I used to own a modeling agency so I know all about trend. And I’ll tell you, it’s all about numbers. But there’s so many more opportunities for African Americans. There’s more outlets. There’s more of an audience that’s able to participate, so it’s better now than before. But in the seventies it was hard. In the middle of the seventies it was like, “Okay, let’s have some African-American girls!” Well, they called us some different names [laughs]. We were called “The walking girls” because we could walk. We had a certain kind of sexuality and attitude. Just like Picasso loved the African statues, it’s the art of it. We provide that.

The post Pat Cleveland On Rooming With Donyale Luna, Having Marian Anderson As A Godmom And Her Iconic Modeling Career appeared first on MadameNoire.

Twitter Is NOT Here For The “Game Of Thrones” Showrunners Creating A Series About Slavery In Modern Times

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[caption id="attachment_836711" align="aligncenter" width="1068"] WENN[/caption] Image via WENN It’s no secret that people of all races, genders and classes love “Game of Thrones.” It’s a hit. No one can deny that and the hold it has on people. Still, that doesn’t mean the fans of the show are willing to give an unquestioning pass to the showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Most times, people just want you to stay in your lane. Because when reports that HBO announced that they were going to be creating a period piece centered around modern day slavery called “Confederate.” In the series, Benioff and Weiss will create a world in which the South was successful in seceding from the Union and slavery remained legal in today’s times. If you’ve watched even a single episode of “Game of Thrones,” you know that all of the characters are White, like their showrunners. So the fact that these two would leave this world to create another one in which White folks are dominating more than they are now, just doesn’t sit well with me. In these days and times, when it seems like White people would love to go back to the days slavery, when White people in the street and in the government are going out of their way to oppress Black folk, now is not the time…if there ever would be one.

The post Twitter Is NOT Here For The “Game Of Thrones” Showrunners Creating A Series About Slavery In Modern Times appeared first on MadameNoire.

Naturi Naughton And Boyfriend Welcome A Baby Girl

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The blessings keep coming for actress and singer Naturi Naughton. According to PEOPLE, the 33-year-old welcomed her first child, a baby girl, on Wednesday, July 19.

Naturi Naughton baby

Naughton and boyfriend Ben introduced their daughter to the world at 8:48 p.m. and she is 19 inches long, 5 lbs and 15 oz. The little lady’s name hasn’t been released as of yet.

Just last week Naughton shared a picture on Instagram telling her followers that she was due any day now:

Instagram Photo

And just a month ago, Naughton shared the creative maternity photos that she’d taken with her longtime boyfriend to celebrate the arrival of their daughter:

Instagram Photo

Back in May, the new mom and dad had a “It takes a village to raise a child” themed baby shower.

As the Power star shared with PEOPLE earlier this year, she’s excited for all of the cute mother-daughter moments to come.

“Dressing alike, mommy-daughter day dates, singing together and teaching her all the important things I learned from my mother,” Naughton said when speaking on what she’s looking forward to. “I just want to give her a strong foundation, so she can navigate this crazy world by being a strong and beautiful little girl.”

The post Naturi Naughton And Boyfriend Welcome A Baby Girl appeared first on MadameNoire.

Watch The Trailer For Taraji’s New Film Proud Mary

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Image via WENN

At the top of this year, we reported that Taraji P. Henson would be taking on the role of a hit woman for her next project.

While there were very few details about the project initially, we did know that it was about a hit woman who finds a young boy who she feels is in need of a mother-figure.

And now, a few months later, Sony and Screen Gems released the trailer for the project. Now, we know that she’s working as a contract killer for the Boston mafia. And apparently, this boy may be the one to get Mary back on to the straight and narrow.

Check out the trailer below.

The post Watch The Trailer For Taraji’s New Film Proud Mary appeared first on MadameNoire.

Queen Latifah Says Nicki And Remy “Don’t Get To Claim” Female Rap: “This Is All Of Ours”

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Last month, Remy Ma was a headliner at Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam concert. At the time, she was beefing with Nicki Minaj, but in an effort to send the message that female rappers should support and uplift one another (Remy claimed their beef started because Minaj tried to play with her money and throw sly disses), she brought out a number of fellow female MCs to perform. Queen Latifah was one of those people.

Queen Latifah rap

While promoting her new film, Girls Trip, and speaking on Ebro in the Morning, Queen Latifah talked about how amazing that moment was for her. When asked how she felt about people online who tried to say that those women were, in a sense, taking Remy’s side in the drama, she said such opinions didn’t matter to her.

“I didn’t really care you know what I mean? I didn’t even really think about,” Latifah said. “People can think and say whatever they want to say. This wasn’t really a moment for all of that. It was a moment for us and for Hip-Hop. It’s room for all of that.”

According to Latifah, she was actually disappointed to see how many female rappers weren’t having their records played or being given much recognition over the last few years. She told Ebro Darden that there’s room for everyone to shine and when they’re able to, Hip-Hop is better — and a lot more fun.

“I support females in Hip-Hop. I always have, I always will” she said. “There’s room for all of us. Nobody to my knowledge that’s younger than me invented this. So you don’t get to claim it, you don’t get to rule it. This is all of ours. My name is Queen. What, am I supposed to get into it with everybody throwing the queen thing around? C’mon, it’s stupid. I’m not going there with that. All I care about is that females who rap get to have their records played. Their voices get to be heard. Because for a minute, it was like nothing. Nicki was like the only one practically and that was never cool with me. I’m like, what about everybody else? This can’t be a movement — we can’t keep this thing going with one person. We need a bunch of us. When I was out it was me, it was Lyte, it was Monie, Salt-N-Pepper. You could jump on each other’s records. Kim jumped on this record with this one, with Brat, and then Foxy would jump on this one and then they jumped on it together with Missy. And Eve. It’s always great when there’s a bunch of us doing this so we can all elevate it at the same time. Because we’re outnumbered, yes, we get that. But when we cut through we make a statement. You know we’re there. It’s always been like that. If 20 guys get through and one girl gets through, they’re going to still stick with her because she stands out from the pack. But we don’t have to have these small numbers. We all need to be out there. It makes it all much more fun. And we make records that guys don’t make necessarily. We need that flavor in Hip-Hop.”

Without that “flavor,” Latifah says things get boring. And it would help too if the men in the game gave their female fans some TLC.

“The music suffers. The music to me really does suffer and the music did suffer for a really long time,” Latifah said. “Even guys, they’ve got to get in touch with their feminine side. I don’t know if they realize how many female Hip-Hop lovers are out here or what you’re giving and passing on, but you gotta get with it.”

Check out her interview with Ebro in the Morning below and her comments about Hip-Hop, which start around the 26:00 mark.

The post Queen Latifah Says Nicki And Remy “Don’t Get To Claim” Female Rap: “This Is All Of Ours” appeared first on MadameNoire.

Fitness Fridays: LaJune “Junie” McFarland’s Workout Buddy Is Also The Love Of Her Life: “He’s My Motivation”

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Growing up in Chicago, LaJune “Junie” McFarland (known as @junie_getsfit on Instagram) never had a real issue with her weight. In fact, she was one of those skinny individuals who people used say should eat more because they wanted to see some meat on her bones. Even when she became a mother and had her son, she was still small. But when the 35-year-old had her second child, her daughter, that’s when things changed completely. No longer was she skinny Junie. It took looking at herself in a photo at her sister’s wedding for McFarland to realize she’d gone way past that point and needed to make a change. “February 9 2014 was when I got my membership and started my whole fitness journey,” McFarland told us. “I’ll always remember that date.”

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She remembers that date because it was the beginning of a fitness journey that has been a success for her entire family. Not only has the mother of two been able to drop a significant amount of weight and add muscle to her frame, but she was also to help her boyfriend of 18 years do the same and foster healthier eating habits for her children. So how did she do it? We talked to McFarland, who now lives with her family in St. Louis, about losing weight with her man, why she is a proponent of working out at home and the importance of not being focused on a scale or pants size when it comes to her health goals.

MadameNoire: So Junie, tell me about how you decided to start your fitness and journey and what exactly spurred it. 

LaJune “Junie” McFarland: I’ve been underweight my whole life. It was always, “She’s too skinny! She needs to eat!” When I had my first child, I was my ideal weight. When I had my daughter, that’s when I became overweight. So, it wasn’t until 2013 when my sister got married and I looked back on those photos. I didn’t know I was that fat. I looked back at the pictures like, “Oh my God.”

My sister is a Zumba instructor, so she’s always been into health and fitness. She’s also a full-time teacher, but I was always like, “That’s crazy. I’m not working out. I’m not doing that!” That was until I started my journey. I was just tired of feeling depressed about the way I looked or how clothes would feel and me lacking self-body confidence. And I just went to the gym and started working out and eating healthy. I actually downloaded this app called Lose It!, and that really helped me get my calories under control because I was a beginner. I didn’t know where to start and what my calorie intake was. I worked out six days a week, just on the treadmill walking because I couldn’t run or do anything like that, but I gradually worked my way up.

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How about your workout plan and diet? What is it like? 

I work out five to six days a week. I believe in balance when it comes to food. Food is no longer the enemy, because for so long throughout my journey, it was the enemy. With everything I looked at I was thinking, “Is this going to make me fat or is it going to make me skinny?” So I have a balanced diet now. I believe in eating when I’m hungry and honoring my health. I eat in moderation and practice portion control. I just needed a balanced diet. I don’t want to deprive myself of the things that I want or any of that so I had to learn to balance everything out. And with all things, I had to learn to honor my health by giving my body the nutrients it needs, making sure I work out, making sure I drink water. And then, when I don’t necessarily eat healthy, it’s more so just a treat, not something I eat all day, every day anymore.

Speaking of that, I read that you’re not a fan of restrictions when it comes to your diet. Some people cut things out of their diet completely because they feel like they can’t find a balance with it. How are you able to?

I read about intuitive eating and was like, “What is this?” I decided to learn it, and in the beginning, I did mess up. I had to really relearn my body because it’s a mind thing. I had to be disciplined enough to know this is what I’m going to eat, and this is the reason I learned to start cooking healthier. So I don’t feel like I’m neglecting myself. I had to learn how to cook these healthy meals that make me feel satisfied and when I cook these healthy meals, I don’t want it to feel like, “Oh, I’m eating healthy food.” I want it to be like, “I’m eating delicious food.” I wanted to know and feel that I’m eating healthy and delicious food so that I don’t turn around say, “I want McDonald’s because this meal right here was just blah.” It’s about learning your body, your power, being consistent and being determined. When you’re determined to do something you’re going to do it.

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How did your husband become motivated to living a healthier lifestyle with you? 

He’s always been supportive. We’ve always maintained a very healthy relationship, and part of a healthy relationship is your health. It’s the best form of love to want to see one another healthy and add quality to their life. It’s not about you getting me a designer bag or you taking me on a cruise so I can post pictures. The highest form, to me, is that you want to see each other healthy and be healthy for our kids and so we can enjoy activities that we do. Add quality and years to our life. So he joined me because it was a positive thing and he wanted to support.

How has being on a fitness journey together made it better or more successful for you? 

It’s made it better because sometimes I lack motivation, so he balances things out. When I’m lacking, he’s having it. When he’s lacking, I’m having it. So when I just want to be like, “I don’t want to work out, I’m not going to work out,” he’s like, “C’mon. We’re going to work out. Let’s go.” So it keeps me motivated just getting to work out with him. Even when I can’t find my motivation, he’s my motivation. And when we’re working out or in the gym and I’m like, “I’m only doing 10 sets,” he’s like, “Keep going!” He gives me that extra push.

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How important has it been that Clarence has offered so much support whether you’ve been big or small over these last 18 years? Has he ever said anything about your weight or not wanted you to lose it? 

He loved from big Junie, and underweight Junie, and average Junie,  and ideal Junie to fit Junie. I always said to him, “Clarence, you never told me I was this big” and he was like, “Look baby, I love you for you.” He never said “You were too big” or “You were fat.” He just never made me feel like anything other than the woman he fell in love with. He never made me feel like “Oh I need to lose more stomach” or “Oh, I need to lose more weight.” He said, “I fell in love with you, the whole package — whatever comes with you.” But he always made me feel like the woman he fell in love with 18 years ago, no matter how much my body changed. And he never pointed out anything. And I would ask him why he wouldn’t say anything. He was like, “Hey, baby what do you want me to say? I just love you as you.” I said, “You could have told me I was fat [laughs].” He said, “What would me saying you’re fat do? What would that make you feel and what would that resolve? It wasn’t going to change the way I felt about you. That had nothing to do with the love I have for you. That’s not going to change.”

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And as a mother trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle, how do you balance making healthy meals for yourself when you have children to feed? 

My challenge is my daughter. My son is older, he’s 18. My daughter is 11. I grew up not knowing good health. It wasn’t something my parents taught me and this is my second child. I didn’t introduce her to vegetables. I would eat so badly or the vegetables she did have, the nutrients would be completely cooked out. Broccoli would be covered in cheese. So it’s still a challenge with her. I don’t make different meals. I make one whole meal. My son will eat whatever I cook, but my daughter, sometimes I’m challenged. Sometimes if I’m making chicken and I stuff it with spinach, I’ll put a little less spinach in hers. With vegetables, she doesn’t want to taste it so I use a really small amount. It’s a challenge with her. It really is.

I know you used to have a home gym. Can you speak on the importance of not relying on the gym? Because when people can’t go it’s almost like things fall apart and they use that as an excuse. 

I go to the gym here twice a day sometimes, but I also do little squats here and there. I have stairs I can run up and down. I can run outside. I’m still a firm believer that if you can’t make it to the gym, that doesn’t mean you can’t still work out at home. Because there was a time during my journey where my car broke down, so I couldn’t go to the gym. I was either going to use that as an excuse not to work out or I was going to find a way to work out. I used YouTube, I looked into weight training, did research on home exercising. People like GetFitWithNic_, who has a body that is nice, never went to the gym or used gym equipment, so I was really inspired. But you can work out at home. You can use the couch, get your chair — there are a lot of workouts you can do at home.

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Years into your journey, what keeps you motivated to stay on it? I find that without a plan or endgame, people reach a certain number on the scale or fit back into an old dress and then they stop with everything completely and go backwards. What is your goal? 

My goal is healthy. I stopped tying healthy to a number because if I hit that number, next thing you know, it’s like, “I’m at this number. Now what am I going to do? Eat how I was eating before?” So my goal is to be healthy and every day you have to decide to be healthy. In order to be healthy you have to work out and eat the right nutrients for your body. So that’s my motivation because…life. I’m going to be alive, I’m living, so I have to make life my motivation and not tie it to a certain number or pant size. Those are all goals you can reach in a certain matter of time, but healthy is everlasting. That’s something you have to work at every day. You have to drink water every day. You have to feed your body every day. So that’s my goal. That’s my motivation. When you have kids and you have a family, that has to be a motivation, because you want to keep adding years to your life until it’s your time to go.

Follow Junie on Instagram and check out the rest of the inspiring Fitness Friday profiles!

The post Fitness Fridays: LaJune “Junie” McFarland’s Workout Buddy Is Also The Love Of Her Life: “He’s My Motivation” appeared first on MadameNoire.


Unspoken: Do You Defend Your Friends When Other People Talk About Them?

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By Patricia Elie

Whoever said that friendships are easy lied. A relationship with a spouse, partner or co-worker takes work. So why would a friendship be treated any differently? Don’t get me wrong; some friendships are easygoing and lack the cattiness that some women face when dealing with a messy situation with a so-called ‘friend’. But sometimes friends do some things, or better yet, do nothing, and their actions make you question their loyalty.

defend friends

What if you overheard someone talking about your girlfriend behind her back? Would you simply walk away, sit and entertain the gossip or listen and report back to your girlfriend? Would you shut the conversation down? I ask because it amazes me when I watch reality shows and see women allowing other people to tarnish the character of those who are supposed to be their friends. Maybe it’s a thing of the past to believe that your friend will have your back. I hope that’s not the case. Because in my world, my inner circle consists of friends who are not just people I call to hang out with, but they’re also my advocates, supporters and number one fans cheering for me to win in every situation.

Let’s say you’re talking among your co-workers and they begin to talk about the newly appointed vice president of your company. They insinuate that Ms. VP slept her way to the top. Unbeknownst to them, Ms. VP is one of your closest friends. You know your girlfriend’s work ethic and know for a fact that she legitimately earned her new role. Still, you say nothing.

I understand that defending your friend or spilling the true tea may create drama, but saying nothing can also be construed as questionable behavior. If you know that a statement is untruthful, I am of the belief that you should squash the story as soon as you hear it. It’s girl code to always have your friend’s back and to at least make an attempt to defend them and their character when they’re unable to be present to defend themselves. That means when you hear someone making disparaging remarks about your friend, you should not only defend her but also inform her of the incident. If you say nothing, it gives everyone the impression that you feel the same way about the person being disrespected, or you find the less than positive comments about them entertaining. Doing something (at the least, saying, “That’s my friend and it’s not ok to talk about her when she can’t defend herself) is better than doing a whole lot of nothing.

I can’t imagine someone throwing my name in the mud in front of my friend and finding out that person said nothing, or worse, participated in the gossip about me. I would wonder if she was truly my friend or just a poser. Everyone wants to be surrounded by good people whom they can rely on and friendships are supposed to be centered on trust, honesty and loyalty. Why have friends if they don’t have your back?

Patricia Elie is the creator and writer of “Unspoken Web Series,” a dramedy about five fabulously single life-long girlfriends from college who seem to break all the rules of friendship. Subscribe and Watch “Unspoken Web Series.”

The post Unspoken: Do You Defend Your Friends When Other People Talk About Them? appeared first on MadameNoire.

How Black People Decide Whether They’re Going To A Party

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via GIPHY Wedding, baby shower, birthday party, night at the club, no matter the event, there's no such thing as inviting Black people out for a simple night -- or day -- out. We have questions, we have conditions, we have concerns. And until we air out all of those things, that RSVP is going to be pending for days on end. Some questions are standard, but most of the ones on the next few pages, well, these apply solely and specifically to us. Here are the questions Black people ask when deciding whether or not they're going to a party. via GIPHY

"I gotta pay?"

A lot of us won't even show up to things for free unless -- well I'll get to that in the next slide -- but if we have to pay? Probs not gonna happen. via GIPHY

"Will there be food?

You want Black folks to come together, make sure food is the first thing you mention. And we don't mean hors d'oeuvres; we want meals.

via GIPHY

"What's the dress code?"

Unless you're dealing with the boujee sort, we're probably not trying to dress up for anything. But make it a white party and you will have to set up a waiting list. Black folks live for an all-white party. via GIPHY

"Is so-and-so gonna be there?"

Not my girl so-and so, so-and-so who I don't like. Read: If he or she is there, we're not coming. via GIPHY

Do I have time to get a haircut/my hair done?

Because we must be freshly laid at all times. via GIPHY

"Can I bring...?

My son, my man, my girl, my anybody who wasn't already invited but who I need to come with me?" via GIPHY

"What part of town is it in?"

If it's not a part less than 15 minutes away/that we're familiar with/that isn't known for petty crimes, it's a no for us dog. via GIPHY

"Do I have to bring something?"

We love to take home a plate or souvenir, but bringing something to the party? We gotta think about it. We also love to declare our presence a gift. via GIPHY

"Y'all gone start on time?"

Because CP time is real and no matter the answer to this question we still won't be on time. It's just a matter of how late we'll arrive.  

The post How Black People Decide Whether They’re Going To A Party appeared first on MadameNoire.

Did Y’all See? R. Kelly’s Alleged Sex Cult And Usher’s Herpes Settlement

Jada Pinkett Smith Wishes She And Will Were Swingers

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Ask anyone to name a rumor about Will or Jada Pinkett Smith and I guarantee they’ll either say they’re Scientologists or swingers. For Jada, the latter is definitely the craziest thing she’s heard about her family — even if she sorta-kinda wishes it was true.

During her appearance on “Watch What Happens Live” with Queen Latifah, Jada said the talk about her and Will being swingers is “constant” and whenever she hears the rumor, “I’m like, ‘Yo, I wish!'”

Of course, laughter followed as Queen joked that Jada just ruined her fantasy while shutting down the rumor once and for all. The actress went on to say that she and Will have been together for 23 years and it’s not inviting other people into their bed that’s kept them going strong for so long.

“Will and I just have amazing chemistry on a lot of different levels,” she explained. “We love to laugh together, we love to learn together, and we just love each other. We just have a good time together. Yeah, I guess that’s the secret. Yeah, we just really like each other!”

The post Jada Pinkett Smith Wishes She And Will Were Swingers appeared first on MadameNoire.

Why I Turned Off My Phone For Two Days

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Black Girls Tired

Last Friday, I sent text messages to my mom and a few of my friends informing them that I would be turning off my phone and not jumping on my laptop. For the next two days, I had no access to the outside world, social media or emails, all of which had recently caused me to become extremely mentally overwhelmed.

When I told people that I was doing a “detox” for the weekend, the barrage of questions started to flow. All the “Why?!?” and “Are you okay?” inquiries led me to believe that my actions would be abnormal and the beginning to an end of survival altogether.

If the thought of me purposely turning off my device for an extended period of time was atypical, then is it safe to say that we are too dependent on our phones or technology in general?

According to a study by the University of Maryland, respondents said that they are too dependent on their phones, in addition to the Internet. The Greatist mentioned that the participants “complained that they felt bored, disconnected, uncomfortable, and anxious without their phones and computers.”

While the respondents of this study were not actually diagnosed with an “addiction,” there is evidence to support the idea that our attachments to our phones and devices is something of a problem. Psychiatrist and director of Stanford’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Clinic, Dr. Elias Aboujaoude, said to NPR that “Similar pathways seem activated” when you compare the brain of someone online to the brain of someone with a substance abuse problem.

And it makes sense. During my hiatus, I realized how my dependence on my phone had grown over the years. I started doing things like asking my husband for the time since I rely on my phone for that information (only having one clock in the house for décor) as well as information on the happenings of world (I still watched television but that’s no longer my immediate news source). But when I got tired of relying on him for information, I found myself replacing technology with finally making time to read a long-awaited book.

Although I can’t blame everything on my phone, I figured that would be the best place to start when it comes to taking a tech detox since it does house all of the things that pertain to work, people and endless amounts of mindless entertainment. I just felt like I needed a break from it all.

A somewhat slight, but serious situation was my wake-up call. For the past few months, when thinking about my never-ending to-do lists, coupled with unexpected phone calls and interrupted schedules (I’m Type A so any change in my plans can send me into a frenzy), I would experience tightness in my chest. I ignored it at first but soon realized what triggered these symptoms. Unfortunately, I didn’t want to label this sign, as I didn’t deem it to be that serious. I just brushed it off as the effects of me being swamped and needing to step away from everything for at least a few days.

I then realized that I want to be around a long time for my kids, especially since Black women have a higher rate of heart disease than White women. I decided that something had to change soon.

I’m still a work in progress but I realize that setting boundaries will help with my anxiety and help to curb the stress that can come from daily obligations. While I still have my social media accounts intact and my phone constantly on, I’m more aware of my priorities and have become more lenient about changes in my schedule. I know when to log off and back away from my devices when I feel overwhelmed. And while the detox didn’t necessarily change my life, I’m open to doing it more often in order to keep myself together. Because while those emails, phone calls and stories can wait, gaining a sense of peace can’t.

The post Why I Turned Off My Phone For Two Days appeared first on MadameNoire.

Joseline Hernandez Gets Emotional Explaining Why She Left “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta”

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Image via WENN

Joseline Hernandez has turned over a new leaf. And now that she’s changed, she doesn’t want to be associated with “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta” anymore. In an interview with “The Breakfast Club,” she explained why she had to leave,  how her daughter has changed her and some residual stuff with Stevie J.

Check out the highlights from the interview below.

Did it bother you that Stevie didn’t believe the baby was his at first?

I wasn’t bothered because we were separated already. And so we just happened to have sex and I got pregnant. And so, even though we were separated, I wanted a baby and I wanted to take care of my responsibilities and I’m like damn, I was 29, why not?

How would you say you’ve changed?

I really just think about the things that I do. And I think that everything that I do now, is for her. And I just want to really show her that whatever she wants to do in life, whatever she dreams of, whatever she desires, she can accomplish it. And I want to show her that that can be done. I’ve been doing pretty good at it. I executive produced her delivery special for VH1.

What about when your daughter gets older?

We’ve all done some things that we’re ashamed of. But I’m not ashamed of that. I was in the studio, I was free styling. I was f*cking 25 years old. I was having a good time. I don’t see anything wrong with that video and if she sees anything wrong with that video, I’ma let her know what I told you. I’m an artist, I do music and if you don’t approve of it, then I’m sorry. The way that I’m raising her, she’s going to understand where I came from. She’s going to have a really good life and she’s going to be the opposite of me.

Why she walked away from the show?

Me walking away from the reality show, I just really feel like the way that they were showing me, it was like ‘how do you show me like this?’ You just gave me a $500,000 budget but this is how you show me. I didn’t like that shit. That shit really bothered me. You gave me a budget to do a show for my daughter but then you turn around and do this to me? I feel like sometimes you gotta respect certain things, especially a person like me. I’ve been with the network for seven years and if you allow me to do something better, allow me to do that. Don’t turn around and try to show something I did four years ago.

When I feel like walking away, I feel like I needed to explain. I was like ‘Damn, I did that sh*t four years ago. It’s just not fair.’

I decided to move to Miami and just really start a new life. I did “The Real,” I did “Star.” I’m friends with Lee Daniels. I have a lot of opportunities on the table.

I want to show what I really do. I had a great performance at the Gold Room. AG Entertainment brought me. He cut a hole in his ceiling. The cameras came to see me and it was awesome…they didn’t show that on tv. So my thing is I just really have to just focus on what’s going to be best for me. Yo soy Puerto Ricana. Yo hablo Espanol. I make Latin music. And I feel like at that moment, I should have just follow my dream and do what I really want to do with my life.

On disrespecting Stevie J’s daugther

She’s not eighteen, she’s twenty one. Listen, here’s the thing if you’re 21 and you come for me, I’m coming for you. Sorry. Cuz guess what, the judge is going to tell that b*tch, you’re grown enough to know what’s coming out of your mouth. And I’m going to give respect where respect is due. And she should respect me, I’m the mother of her sister.

F*ck her dad. Her dad should be demanding that he respect the mother of her child.

You can watch the full interview in the video below.

The post Joseline Hernandez Gets Emotional Explaining Why She Left “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta” appeared first on MadameNoire.

A Tribute To Our Favorite Black Women On #FineWomenFriday

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We're always looking for excuses to celebrate us -- not that we really need any. But with #FineWomenFriday trending, we thought there was no better time than the present to simply shout out some of our favorite Black beauties in the entertainment biz. Beauties who ooze sex appeal, confidence, humility, and excellence. Beauties who slay red carpets and bare-faced selfies. Beauties who don't buy into beauty norms and find their own way to let their light shine. Here are just a few of those women we're paying tribute to on this #FineWomenFriday.

[caption id="attachment_836852" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] 47TH NAACP Image Awards held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium - Arrivals
Featuring: Amber RIley
Where: Pasadena, California, United States
When: 05 Feb 2016
Credit: Nicky Nelson/WENN.com[/caption]

Credit: Nicky Nelson/WENN.com

Amber Riley

[caption id="attachment_836842" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Regina Hall leaves The Daily Show with Trevor Noah studios
Featuring: Regina Hall
Where: New York, New York, United States
When: 17 Jul 2017
Credit: LK/WENN[/caption]

Credit: LK/WENN

Regina Hall

[caption id="attachment_836843" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] **VIDEO AVAILABLE. PLEASE CONTACT PIX@WENN.COM TO RECEIVE.**
Lingerie brand Berlei has unveiled its new Do It For Yourself campaign, starring tennis champion Serena Williams showcasing the new autumn/winter 2017 sports collection. The campaign video sees Williams 'dancing with abandon' to the 1980s track 'Dancing With Myself' while wearing items from the new collection, and she commented 'Do it for yourself is really about focusing on ourselves as women. Celebrating our female strength and power and beauty. We need to take time for ourselves, invest in ourselves, and be strong'.
Featuring: Serena Williams
When: 18 Jan 2017
Credit: Supplied by WENN.com
**WENN does not claim any ownership including but not limited to Copyright, License in attached material. Fees charged by WENN are for WENN's services only, do not, nor are they intended to, convey to the user any ownership of Copyright, License in material. By publishing this material you expressly agree to indemnify, to hold WENN, its directors, shareholders, employees harmless from any loss, claims, damages, demands, expenses (including legal fees), any causes of action, allegation against WENN arising out of, connected in any way with publication of the material.**[/caption] Credit: Supplied by WENN.com

Serena Williams

  [caption id="attachment_836844" align="aligncenter" width="497"] attends Vanity Fair and Genesis Celebrate "Hidden Figures" on February 24, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.[/caption]

Credit: Getty

Teyonah Parris

[caption id="attachment_836845" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] LA premiere of 'Girls Trip' at the Regal LA Live Stadium 14 in Los Angeles, California.
Featuring: Jada Pinkett Smith
Where: Los Angeles, California, United States
When: 13 Jul 2017
Credit: Nicky Nelson/WENN.com[/caption]

Credit: Nicky Nelson/WENN.com

Jada Pinkett Smith

[caption id="attachment_836846" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] LA premiere of 'Girls Trip' at the Regal LA Live Stadium 14 in Los Angeles, California.
Featuring: Kelly Rowland
Where: Los Angeles, California, United States
When: 13 Jul 2017
Credit: Nicky Nelson/WENN.com[/caption]

Credit: Nicky Nelson/WENN.com

Kelly Rowland

[caption id="attachment_836847" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Ashanti Private Hotel Shoot Pre-Event
Featuring: Ashanti
Where: West Hollywood, California, United States
When: 29 Apr 2016
Credit: FayesVision/WENN.com[/caption]

Credit: FayesVision/WENN.com

Ashanti

[caption id="attachment_836848" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] The 69th Parsons Benefit in NYC
Featuring: Rihanna
Where: NYC, New York, United States
When: 23 May 2017
Credit: Patricia Schlein/WENN.com[/caption]

Credit: Patricia Schlein/WENN.com

Rihanna

Gabrielle Union Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Credit: WENN

Gabrielle Union [caption id="attachment_829782" align="aligncenter" width="700"] The Met Gala 2017 - Arrivals
Featuring: Halle Berry
Where: New York, United States
When: 01 May 2017
Credit: WENN.com[/caption]

Credit: WENN.com

Halle Berry

[caption id="attachment_836849" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Celebrities seen attending the CFDA Vogue party.
Pregnant Ciara shows off her baby bump for the first time since announcing the news.
Featuring: Ciara, pregnant, baby bump, belly
Where: Los Angeles, California, United States
When: 26 Oct 2016
Credit: Michael Wright/WENN.com[/caption]

Credit: Michael Wright/WENN.com

Ciara

[caption id="attachment_836850" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] 2016 BET Awards held at the Microsoft Theater - Arrivals
Featuring: Meagan Good
Where: Los Angeles, California, United States
When: 26 Jun 2016
Credit: FayesVision/WENN.com[/caption]

Credit: FayesVision/WENN.com

Meagan Good

The post A Tribute To Our Favorite Black Women On #FineWomenFriday appeared first on MadameNoire.


How To Make A Hearty Dinner In A New York Minute

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It’s finally the weekend and I, for one. am stoked! Time to rest up, get some beauty sleep and prep for my never ending marathon of social events to come. If we’re really being real, the weekend starts on Thursday evening for me, and this week is no different.

I had to head over to a friend’s home last night for our monthly potluck dinner meet up. My original plan was to show up swagged up with some jollof rice on my arm (#naijajollof) but the way my procrastination and lack of prep was set up, I was left with a late work night and two hours to be there. I had to think of a quick, hearty meal I could prep in 30 minutes or less that at least made me look like I tried to cook. So, I settled on pasta with sausage and swiss chard.

Ingredients

1 head of Swiss Chard
1 pack of Italian Sausages
1 pound of pasta
1 can of chickpeas
2 shallots
1 Lemon

Instructions

Fire up your stove and in a pot bring about 6 cups of water to a boil. As your water is boiling, take off the casings from your sausage links by slicing a thin line along the length of it and pulling away the casing. Set aside.

Wash and strip the chard leaves from the stem and chop lightly into long strips. Set aside. (You can always go the rustic route and just tear the leaves apart).

This recipe is totally customizable, and you’re free to use kale, or any other leafy vegetable (I wouldn’t recommend spinach on account of the extra water content, unless you pre-wilt and drain the water prior). Finely mince your shallots and set aside. Remember, Mise en place!

The water should be at a rolling boil by now. At this point, salt your water and toss in your pasta. I used a rotini pasta for this recipe, but any medium-large size pasta will work.

In a separate pan, brown the sausage and with your cooking spoon, break apart into bite size chunks stirring constantly so that you render some of that great fat. The great part about this recipe is that if you have a good grade sausage (or in my case, are friends with a butcher, #butcherbae), the sausage is already flavorful and minimal seasoning will be needed to bring this all together nicely.

About halfway into your browning, toss in the shallots and cook until just translucent. At this point, season with a little bit of cayenne and paprika.

Toss in your chickpeas, and let them get coated with the fat and seasonings.

Your Greens go in next. Stir gently — so as not to smash the chickpeas — until just wilted.

Drain your pasta and add it to the pot. Stir to marry together all the ingredients. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the items to help move the stirring along. Because I felt this recipe needed a bit more “oomph” to it I decided to add in about a half cup of grated parmesan cheese. (Best decision ever!)

When you’re ready to serve, plate your meal, and spritz a bit of lemon juice on top to brighten up the dish. I was able to finish this meal in less than a half hour and get dressed and head out the door in under two. Just call me #Pastabae

Let us know if there are any recipes you’d love to see next! We’d love to hear from you especially if you’ve tried any of these recipes yourself!

The post How To Make A Hearty Dinner In A New York Minute appeared first on MadameNoire.

Buy Black Friday: Pretty On Purpose NYC

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Another Friday, another opportunity to Buy Black. Today, we’re highlighting the clothing and accessory line, Pretty On Purpose. This Brooklyn based company launched in 2012 and has the goal of transitioning into a wholesale house. Check out some of their pieces on the following pages. If you’re interested in purchasing, click the links to buy.

New #sockalert Limited supply! Search #fishnet feet. #getthelook by clicking the link in bio.

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Fishnet Ankle Socks, $5.90

 

When the devil thought he had you! Not today Satan!! Feeling good thanks to @jstlbby - Shirt can be purchased by clicking link in bio #nottodaysatan

A post shared by Creator Of Pretty On Purpose™ (@prettyonpurpose_nyc) on

Not Today Satan, $18.90

For The Culture Cap, $20.00

 

#newarrival For my Cat eye lovers #

A post shared by Creator Of Pretty On Purpose™ (@prettyonpurpose_nyc) on

High Brow Cat Eyes Glasses, $5.90

 

Designer Bamboo earrings, $5.90

 

Pretty in Pink Suede Dad Cap, $12.90

 

Oddly enough these were last weeks 'best sellers' Click link in bio for colors. Search :Fancy Feet

A post shared by Creator Of Pretty On Purpose™ (@prettyonpurpose_nyc) on

Fancy Feet (lace Ankle socks), $4.90

Medium Cuban Bling Link Ankle Bracelet, $12.90

They're back with a slimmer silhouette. Our Rock Star flat tops 2.0 Click link in bio to grab you a pair. Only a few left 😎

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Rockstar Flat Tops 2.0

The post Buy Black Friday: Pretty On Purpose NYC appeared first on MadameNoire.

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