Rosie had a great piece this week on Jessie J celebrating her post-baby figure. The body-positive messages meant a lot to me, and I’m not even a mom! Jessie had posted her thoughts on Instagram in response to pesky questions on how she must be ready to get her old body back. I offer you now a companion piece from another new celeb mom, Keke Palmer. In a new episode of her Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast, Keke explained how she’s working to get fit as an investment in her career, while also acknowledging that it’s her career that helps her afford all that. Some highlights:
On getting fit being a choice for her career: “It is my job. Let’s not get crazy—I don’t want people thinking that I am setting unrealistic standards. I can afford a trainer, meal prep and a lot of things,” she said during the Aug. 1 episode of the podcast. “It is expensive but I am investing in my career because it is my career to look good. Not even is it my career to look good, it is my career choice to have the kind of career that I want to have.”
‘So much more to work with’: “I was always putting so much pressure on myself and I feel like with Nope, I got a great opportunity to do some action stuff and I definitely had already obtained a pretty fit body. But my frame has always been quite small, so it’s interesting after the baby to see all the extra stuff I have to work with and how much my fear of having extra weight actually became a strength as it pertained to weight training and working out,” she said. “It gave me so much more to work with and mold with.”
She’s sensitive to body image messaging: Even as Palmer is looking to train up and once again be ready for action films, she noted that she’s talking about the specifics of her decision because the actress and producer doesn’t want it to become a misconstrued message about body image. “I never want to put it on anybody,” the mom of one began. “I always want to make it clear that when I am talking about fitness, health and wellness is that, ‘Your journey is your journey. You figure it out the way you can.’ And when you look at these celebrities and people in the industry, know that it is their job.”
Do whatever works for you: “There’s always this thing of, ‘How’d they do it?’ And I think for me, the main thing I would say to any new mom is do what you can when you can, whatever it is that makes you feel good,” the actress said at the time. “If it’s important to you, then hell yeah put in the work miss girl. Get you whatever diet you want to do or whatever workout regimen that works for you. And if that’s not what you’re worried about, then don’t worry about it.”
It’s such a joy to see a woman speaking so confidently about choices she’s making for her career. She just seemed matter of fact about what she wants to do and why. And then she qualifies her statements by reiterating the message to moms: this is me, you do whatever feels right for you.
I also appreciate the concession that yes, the costs of fitness are a privilege she can afford. If I had the money I would absolutely spend some on people to help me do better! In the meantime, Keke has given me a new outlook. “It’s interesting after the baby to see all the extra stuff I have to work with and how much my fear of having extra weight actually became a strength as it pertained to weight training and working out.” I’m totally going to adopt this mantra of seeing ‘extra stuff to work with’ as being a strength. Just in my case it will be from my pre-baby, pre-pregnancy body.
What did she really do in Nope? Just say ‘sh*t’ and act out? Her character was annoying and the weakest link; particularly next to Kaluuya’s, who’s actually an enjoyable actor. She has one face, like: ‘oh-I-pooped-on-my-pricey-lingerie’. I say she’s the poor man’s Regina King. But good for her if so much people seem to be enamoured of her schtick.
whoa that was harsh. I only saw Nope once, but I thought she was funny
This is a wholly unnecessary and nasty comment.
@Aurora
First off Keke is no poor man anything
Secondly The man that takes care of Keke baby when she not, is this you? Because you been, come to her last couple of post regarding the same thing about Nope, If you didn’t like her in the movie that’s fine others did move on.
Exactly. This person has commented on every Keke post saying something nasty.
@Ameerah M
Yes it’s giving jealousy.
@all: I’m entitled to my opinion and I’m free to post it without being offensive. I’d honestly like to be educated on why her role on Nope was so praised, which is the question I’ve asked. (Btw character arc building is also the scriptwriter & director’s job). I have no business with Keke’s personal life, just find irrational the love for a role whose scenes I had to ff.
Wait What? Keke Palmer is an undercover legend. My kids used to watch her on Nickelodeon and she had music videos and the whole shebang followed by a steady presence in tv and movies. She is beautiful, funny and just recently handled slut shaming gracefully. What’s to hate?
Your pre-baby body! I love that! Hahahaha
She’s really funny. She was in an episode of los culturistas while she was pregnant, and they were talking skin care and her skin issues over the years, and she was talking about how her skin had been so much better while she was pregnant. And I can’t remember the exact context of the line, but she’s like, “the baby is retinol!” and it was so funny.
Her lack of awards for Nope still, to this day, irk me. She should have been any and everywhere and nominated for everything.
Keke is hilarious and I love what she says about her post-baby body. I don’t have kids nor do I want them, but I think it’s a message that many new moms need to hear, especially when comparing themselves to the celebrities.
Ok I know this isn’t the point but I can’t get over how gorgeous she is
I love Keke. She was always hella talented in many areas and I’ve never seen her look better than right now. And she deserves the hoopla and ALWAYS did. I didn’t see Nope because scary movies terrify me, but I adored her on Legendary, where she sang, danced, spoke humorously and judged fairly. I wish that show would come back on (Keke replaced Megan Thee Stallion, who was also an amazing host on that show).