By the conclusion of filming season two of VH1’s hit television series Single Ladies, actress LisaRaye McCoy had already set her sights on another big project; however, this project was a bit different and a bit more personal.
She decided to pursue living a healthier lifestyle by undergoing a very drastic body transformation through her participation in the Body by Vi: 90-day challenge. The former First Lady of Turks and Caicos took some time to discuss this transformation with Frugivore magazine.
What was your health and fitness regimen like prior to this 90-day challenge?
I’m a person that works out per project; when I get ready to go into production or something, that’s when I start working out. It’s usually a fast, get-quick scheme, get it together kind thing. This constantly makes me go up and down because I’m torn. I don’t really like to be as small as it takes for me to be on TV. I like to actually get a little thicker during the summer.
So I tend to go up and down, but that’s not good for my body. The more I educate myself about the process, the more I learn that I can find a means that works for me. Which means staying at a size that works for TV and for me.
Also, being able to eat healthier. There are so many pesticides and there’s so much stuff out here and you’re just like “What do I eat and how do I make this work for me?”
What inspired you to pursue a healthier lifestyle?
While I’m on the set for Single Ladies, I have absolutely no time to work out. So what happened this season is after I came back from Single Ladies, I realized that being on the set for 16 hours a day made my ligaments and my muscles lock up. When I came back and started to try to train again, I had to condition myself before my workout even started. I was like “Yeah, it’s too hard to have to get back into the game of things.” I started seeing cellulite places and fat pockets and I’m like “Oh, no honey. I can’t have that.”
Why ViSalus?
ViSalus caught my attention and I saw the testimonies. I had never tried anything like this before. So I said, “You know what? Let me try living a healthier lifestyle or a healthy fitness challenge and challenge myself.”
“And that is what it’s about for me.”
Master P actually does it and Romeo was on our show this season and I saw him on the website so I was just browsing through and seeing if there was another “quick” way I could get it together and I just got intrigued by all of the testimonies that they had on the website.
Then, they reached out me like “Hey, would you like to try it?” and I just kind of thought, “Why wouldn’t I want to try this?” I’m trying to get my body together. I wanted to see a change and I didn’t want to be as harsh on my body as I have been. If I start eating right and treating my body right then it is going to treat me right. It’s hard though, I’m telling you.
Do you have any specific goals in mind?
I got my body fat taken. For a woman of my age, my height, and my weight there is a certain range in which I’m supposed to be in. My goal is to see how I would look being toned like that. So really I’m supposed to lose 11% body fat. So I’m going to lean out, tone out, stretch out, and elongate and see what that looks like on my body. Maybe it will help me get rid of these cellulite pieces that we all have.
I’ve lost muscle mass just sitting around filming and having my whole life revolved around Single Ladies.
How will you being going about achieving this goal exactly?
I’ll be using the Transformation Kit from ViSalus and that includes two shakes per day and one meal per day, and two snacks. And that is to keep my metabolism going throughout the day.
I’m taking in a lot more calories than I ever have, but I am working out as well and burning the fat while I’m toning.
What sort of physical training will you be doing?
So, I have a trainer, Don from Don Matrix and he works out with me at least three times per week. Then I’m also taking pole dancing classes because its very sexy, very sensual, very slow and you’re burning your fat by controlling your movement at a slow pace and you can actually feel the burn while using core and strengthening my upper body so that I am able to be as fit as I was when I did Players Club.
Are you seeking overall fitness or are you targeting specific areas of your body?
A little bit of both. You can kind of target certain areas. My back went out when I first started the challenge so I couldn’t do much of anything. But, what I found out was that my core was weak so I tend to do a lot my training with my core to strengthen that. Without that you can’t drive, swim, run on the treadmill, everything has to do with your core. I want to tone up my whole body, but there are some things that I am targeting as well.
How far are you into your challenge?
I have about 30 days left.
Can this program work effectively for an everyday person who maybe can’t afford a trainer?
I am an average person, what you talking about [Laughs]? No, absolutely and that is really where the focus comes from. If you want to see a change in you, you have to put in the hard work and it is work. Just because you may not have any money to pay for a trainer doesn’t mean you can’t do it. I always get to thinking, “Why pay money for a trainer when I can just muster up the energy and do it myself and I sure got the memory to remember what he’s telling me to do and so let me go ahead and do it.”
I use my trainer for the beginning stages to push me and motivate me and show me what I have to do, but after that you start forming a likeness for it and you start hiking and running and just knowing how to burn your metabolism in any way that excites you and you do just that.
How can people learn more about participating in their own 90-day challenge?
I would love for everyone to checkout LisaRayeChallenge.com and they can also follow me in Twitter @thereallraye and Instagram @thereallraye1
Thanks Lisa it really is an inspiration to see the
Celebrities on the challenge as well!! Keep us posted
As u keep up the great work. Thanks
you are doing a good job, i wont to get started doing the samething, always say im going to do it and never do…
I am happy with my body fat, I am 4’11 and weigh 114 pounds. The only thing I want to change is my belly fat that I Developed when I was pregant. I can’t imagine just eating one meal a day. I have to eat at least 2 times a day.
@Dominique Jones: Hey Dominique, on the Challenge you eat more than 1 meal a day. For weight loss you replace 2 meals with two shakes, eat 1 sensible meal and snack in between or after each meal. The shakes are great! You can make them with Juice (no added sugar), coffee, soy, almond or low fat milk. The list goes on and on! You should check out what LisaRaye, myself and thousands of others are doing! Over 100k people join every month!
@Tia:Oh okay
aiming to lose 35 to 40lbs
@LeKesha Cole: Hey Lekesha…. have you heard of the Challenge before? You should check it out!!
Is this an ad? If so, it should be listed as such. No need to buy expensive powders to make smoothies. There are plenty of recipes for whole food based smoothies on the internet.
@Mary: Thanks for your comment. But if this were an ad, we would notify our audience …
@Shane Roberts:
It does come across very product placement like. Although there was no “Try this product, lose weight, or your money back.” There was lots of references and photos displaying the product. Just doesn’t sit as organic…
Yep I agree. I think its an ad to get folks to buy stuff @Mary:
Hello lisaraye. I have to Tell you that in My honest opinion your body is perfect. There is no work that you need to do to improve on it Sweetheart. Like the saying goes and always Will remain true. ”ONE CANNOT IMPROVE ON PERFECTION”. Love and kisses.
Thank you for the inspiration of your story. I will be 52 years old on Oct. 18 and I am very upset at myself. Last year in November I lost 30 pounds and was feeling GREAT! I exercised everyday. But life ‘s situations brought me down and made me very low. I gained weight and didn’t care, now I am very depressed. I desire for myself to lose 30 pounds fast and exercise. I want to look beautiful and young again and I am striving to do this, but depression has lots yo do with you frame of mind. I would love to lose this weight again, my life in 50’s now, I desire to be better than before. I would love to take the 90 day challenge with you. Check out my FB Sheryll Mc Ginest when I was high and low. Thank you I hope you get this! With Love
I love LisaRaye. Not only LisaRaye, but I have noticed some women have rolls in their necks. That is such an unattractive feature. I’m just curious, is there a solution to that problem?
I will incorporate some of those execise moves into my daily routine. LisaRaye looks great!
Hello LisaRaye, I have a layer of fat covering my six pack and will follow your site to help. I plan on pre spring to spring running and swimming to shed my inner fat boy evidence lol but something tells me that I’ve come across your site for a reason. Thank you for all you’ve done and do for my eyesight 😉
sounds like another “diet” to me and weve all heard the saying…..diets dont work. i wish black women would just make the neccessary changes to their lifestyle as opposed to buying into some quick fix! just good ole, plain ole changes in eating and exercising. not bashing LisaRaye, its her life. yet i feel as role models, celebrities need to let the “average people” know that there are NO LASTING QUICK FIXES!!!!!!! even if they use and support a product to get them their quick fix, they should be infacizing the plain old healthy eating and daily movement(exercise) of the body that is gonna help to KEEP that fix, cause once you come off the “diet”, here comes the weight baby!. just getting paid promotting a product which is 9 times out of 10 full of chemical additives and other ingredients that one cannot pronounce!(i.e. Janet Jackson and Nutrisystem). those products are part of the reason black women are out of shape now!!! moral of the story: eat more food that comes from the earth and get off the couch and MOVE! really, its that simple!
@b: Yep………..I count calories even though I am a vegetarian and it worked for me immediately…you have the lose it how you gained it, naturally..
Lisa Raye is very serious about this challenge and I am so glad that she is going through with it!! For the other women that have commented on this page, are you interested in trying the 90 day challenge by visalus?? If so visit my website!!! Hope to hear from you soon!!!
Love the testimonies. I have been transforming my body since Feb 2012 dropped seven dress sizes and exercising six days a week on treadmill and doing upperbody workout.
Hey Lisa! My name is Corey and I’m from Washington D.C. that is Southeast. I’m from the streets but I’ve
changed my life around to a more civilized person. I have always looked upon you as fly with a bombing body
and pretty face. There are a lot of good looking woman out here but the difference about you is that you do your
best to keep it one-hundred all the time. I love to see you with the thick thighs and volumptious backside. I never
had any qualms about your size or weight but if it was for your best interest, then please more power to you! I’m
a little younger than you I’m 36 but very mature for my age and one day I hope that ALLAH presents me with a
beautiful lady with some hips on her and a nice body entirely. I suffered a closed-head injury when I was around
16 years of age you know me trying to be a hustler and drive a lot of different sport and luxury cars brought me to
a change in my life. I know that your well off and I don’t have or want to know about your gross or worth. I just am
trying to keep my net worth to a great balance for me always. Since your taking can you direct me to a rather
appeasing young lady who can see me for the man I am and not become engrossed in the BS that surrounds
me daily because of my tragidy earlier in my life and me being diagnosed as Bi-Polar due to my accident
because I’m still the thorough Negroe I was before my accident it’s just I view life differently known. Lisa before
you read any further I want to let you know that you be wearing the shit out of them white jeans that my eyes
becomes attached too seriously. I was kind of mad when I heard that you had tied the knot but I’m not the type of
man that hates on another man when he is doing what he suppose to be doing on a regular basis. Lisa watch
yourself and keep your eyes open but be rather true when your dealing with your man because if he can’t
appreciate for who you are then maybe you need to look for someone who can live up to the duty of being not
just your man but your husband. Oh yeah! I”m 36 years of age but I then seen and learned a lot of stuff from life
and the experiences I’ve been through not to overlook the oldheads that put me down at a earlier age in my past
life.
OK BUT LISA WHAT ARE THE SIDE AFFECTS