Weight Loss! Weight Loss! WEIGHT LOSS! It’s the top traffic driving headline in the media (believe me, I feel the pressure to post a few everyday). Celebrities, with their bright lights burning throughout pop-culture, bare the brunt of the coverage. Everyone wants to believe in Jennifer Hudson’s weight-loss journey, losing over one hundred pounds, singing her own praises, soliciting you on behalf of Weight Watcher all while taking you back to church with her frequently-ran commercials. I have to admit, it’s a great story.

Even older black men are getting into the weight-loss money grab. Hopefully, if watch ESPN or Fox Sports, who may have seen legends like Terry Bradshaw, Dan Marino, and the latest Weight Watchers spokesman, Charles Barkley, who tell men to “lose [weight] like a man,” whatever that means. I’m tempted to ask why younger men don’t receive the same weight loss spotlight, but that’s like asking for more men to experience being sexually assaulted so they might feel more compassion for women who have been.  That’s backwards logic.

But nothing compares to Beyoncé’s postpartum weight loss story. It dominates the headlines for one reason: we read and respond to the stories. I’m doing it now hoping for your feedback.

Wendy Williams and Sandra Rose speculated so deep into whether or not Beyoncé carried Blue Ivy, one would have thought they were part of the Virginia legislature.

Now the conversation has shifted to her weight-loss. How is she losing it? Where did her stomach go, is it spanks or surgery? Is breastfeeding baby-Blue aiding her dramatic weight loss?

The latest speculation surrounds her personal training schedule. Is four hours per day day to much for a new mother? Does her trainer and nutrition live with her?

The distribution of concern over Beyoncé’s, or any other celebrity for that matter, weight-loss reflects a crisis, a kind of cultural crisis, that is the tendency to focus the external instead of the internal.

True, Nutri-System and Weight Watchers commercials seek to implant a seed of powerlessness inside your consciousness, making you feel miserable and in need of help from an “expert,” but when do we fight back against these psychic assaults?

Conversely, Beyoncé hasn’t appeared on any weight loss commercials nor has she told or schooled any news outlets on the benefits of breastfeeding, eating healthy, or working out. But we read into all her actions as if they will tell us something more about ourselves. Individually, it doesn’t say much, but I’m sorry, collectively it illuminates our lack of love for ourselves.

Why do you think people obsess over Beyoncé’s weight loss?

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11 Comments

  1. Yes it does show how the lack of business causes nosiness. Imagine how many people look at websites from their dead end cubicles hoping they can just fantasize a little. Beyonce knows what she’s doing also so I think it’s 50-50.

  2. The title of the articles pretty much answers the question.

    Beyonce has the abundant resources and maybe even the good genes to bounce back after giving birth. I’m happy for her. I wish people would focus on themselves instead of admitting to the world that they’re losers.

  3. Even though I still don’t believe and probably never will until I see some Jessica Simpson naked pregnancy pics but I do believe women love to hate her. They hate that her life seems so perfect but we don’t know anything about her. It’s like this post says, it a lack of loveperiod

  4. She looks great, fall back

  5. I think if you are in great shape before you have a baby, coupled with the breastfeeding you will bounce back in a short time. I was in the military when I had my second daughter and the weight came off in no time and my body bounced back. I began working out six weeks after I had the baby and of course what I ate had a lot to do with it as well. Now, Jessica Simpson, I believe, will have to do some serious stuff to get her body back in shape. She has gained a lot of weight

  6. I think her weight loss is great! People tend to be so critical of Beyonce over EVERYTHING! Everything she does gets scrutinized and judged. Some people love to hate her and everything she does.

    I don’t think it’s shocking that she lost so much weight so quickly. Some people bounce back quicker than others. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that she exercised and ate right even before she got pregnant (from what I can tell). Plus, she definitely has endless resources for nutritionists, personal trainers, nannies, etc.

  7. Apple Of HIS Eye

    She is the queen, plain and simple y’all. It doesn’t mean I don’t like myself or obsess over this woman but I want to see her succeed in everything because she os highly favored to represent black girls who can’t shine as bright as she does. Good article though, it brought me out the lurking closet

  8. This is not news. It’s not even new. Three of my co-workers came back from maternity leave (6-weeks) ONE size bigger than their pre-baby size. They all breastfeed, they all maintained healthy pregnancy weight, they all wore one of those abdominal support bands, and they all walked about a mile everyday. They weren’t even the same age and they just lost the weight. I think people are bored and the news like sensationalize stuff like this so they can ignore real news.

  9. Twinetta Matthews

    Ladies, I know how you feel especially those of us who are having trouble loosing the extra weight. I weighed 98 lbs when I got married. Almost 3 years later, I had a baby girl, lost all the weight. Sure I ate right, breast fed her, worked some but I still remained active. We had 3 other children. By then, I was much older still nursed all 4 of our children 3 months shorter than the one before, stayed active. I ran the field with my children when the boys played football the girls were Cheerleaders like their mom. During practice, I walked most of the time. All of the children were in school when I leaned that chocolate candy, cakes and the other stuff really tasted good. Not to mention my husband had a sweet tooth also. Long story short, I lost all of my gained weight during and after pregnancy and was wearing size 5/6. Later, after eating so much other foods and deserts the weight started adding on. I became less active because the children were older. I could leave them and pick them up after practice. I’m in my 50’s now and not as healthy as I use to be. Had to take an early retirement because of my health and now I want and need to loose this weight. Solution, get some true friends who are serious about getting the weight off began walking, then add light weights, walk longer and gradually move up to exercising along with the walking you will begin to feel better. Drink plenty of water and cut back on the sodas, sweets and unhealthy snacks. Eat more raw vegetables and fruits when needed, but don’t over do it. Rest and relax then begin again. We can do it. Let me know when you are ready to start. We can be each others accountability partner and team mate. No need to join a gym its free on the Fitness channels. Happy New Beginning. I’m starting in the morning What about you? Weigh in first, write it down in your private notebook and be true to yourself. It will show on You. Begin with 15 minutes then gradually add 5 more minutes until we reach a mile. DON’T over due it. Twinetta

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