Tired of playing the size game? Ready to learn the tools necessary to eat, feel and look your best from the inside out? Health and fitness expert Laticia “Action” Jackson shares the key to achieving optimal health – no matter your size – with her new book, Changing the Norm: A Woman’s Guide to Eating, Looking and Feeling Her Best.
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With the term “thick” rapidly being accepted as embracing a few extra pounds, Jackson cautions Black women to put aside the images portrayed to us in our homes, communities, as well as mass media and take control of their well-being. Recently, BlackDoctor.org had the opportunity to catch up with the 2008 Fitness Olympian, who stressed the urgency of making time for ourselves.
“One of the things I really try to encourage women is I don’t care if you only get 20 minutes – doing something for yourself each day is important,” said Jackson.
When asked about the inspiration behind her latest book Jackson replied: “I’ve been in this field for 16 years. As a professional athlete, I’m usually the only Black woman inside my circle and one thing I noticed is that while there’s an overabundance of health, fitness and nutrition books available for today’s consumer, the health and wellness market really wasn’t paying attention to African American women and the challenges we face when trying to shed extra pounds, proper nutrition, and fitness.”
As health fanatics know far too well, obesity has been linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke and many forms of cancer. “If you look at the health disparity of African American women, we are literally dying,” Jackson stressed. “The data is alarming. According to the CDC, 4 out of 5 African American women are obese. So, I just said you know what? I’m going to take the next six months and write a book that’s just for us.”
Naturally, our chat with Jackson opened the door to several questions. For highlights from our Q&A, keep scrolling.
BlackDoctor.org: What would you like to be the biggest takeaway from your latest volume?
Jackson: “I think that the title of the book really implies it. I think that just because our culture looks the way that it does – that it has to be our norm. Just because your mother had diabetes and your grandmother had diabetes, don’t mean that you have to follow suit. We have the power to change the things we don’t like.”
“Here’s what I think. When I look at our culture, and I look at African-American women, [I like to observe] there are times when I’m just out and about and I see women who have no genetic relation, yet their bodies are predisposed to carry fat in their midsection, hips and backside. While it’s true genetics plays a role in us developing diseases, at the same we have the power to prevent that. That’s where the title Changing the Norm comes in. If that [acceptance] has become out norm, we need to change it.”
BlackDoctor.org: Where do you think many people are sabotaging themselves when trying to make a change and live a healthy life?
Jackson: “I think…
…cultural influences have a huge impact on how one approaches weight loss. Let’s look at the word “normal” for a minute. If you were raised in a culture where the mother was overweight and heavy and the children were overweight and heavy, no one looks at that as there’s something wrong with this picture. It becomes their norm which then makes you desensitized to it.”
“Take for instance the words we use to describe our bodies today. I can’t emphasize enough to women that the word “thick” is not a medical term. That is a cultural term that has really – in my belief – negatively impacted out health. Because if being “thick” is a good thing, I’m not consciously aware of when I am gaining weight.”
“It’s very scary, because we’re not thick, we’re morbidly obese.”
BlackDoctor.org: How can women combat these cultural images?
Jackson: “I think it’s important that we’re presented with more positive images of healthy Black women. It’s hard to emulate what you don’t see.”
“We embrace ‘well girl I’m big,’ I’m this or that. But I think behind that is…
that thick façade, there’s a lot of pain and uncertainty about our bodies. I don’t think that every African-American woman that is “thick,” wants to be “thick.” I think that she is hiding behind that. Because the reality is, it takes a lot for us to get healthy and when you’re not in a culture that’s encouraging you to get healthy, you settle for the norm.”
“I think it’s important to know that you can still have those curves that make you feel feminine. But that question is, are those curves healthy?”
Jackson continued as we attempted to list “thick fit” figures other than Serena Williams and gymnast Simone Biles, both whom flaunt “thick” yet healthy frames.
BlackDoctor.org: Are you concerned at all about your comments being misconstrued – taken as body-shaming?
Jackson: “I’m not afraid of it. It’s not about your size. It’s about your health. I’m between a size 4 and 6 – that does not make me healthy. But when I go to the doctor and I get my blood pressure, cholesterol checked – all these tests, and my lab work comes back and all my numbers are where they need to be, that’s what makes me healthy.”
Of course, living a healthy life also consists of “daily exercise,” whether it be a “walk” or “resistance training” and eating that help “repair muscle,” healthy carbs like your “whole wheats,” and “simple sugars,” added Jackson.
Up next, Jackson and BlackDoctor.org have partnered to launch a 30-day fitness challenge. Stay tuned by checking out her website.
In the meantime, you can follow Action Jackson on Twitter: @actionjacksonpt and Instagram: @actionjacksonspeaks
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