By Loneke Blackman Carr, PhD, RD

It’s the beginning of the year, and you know what time it is - preparation season for hot girl summer 2.0. Fitness, nutrition, and weight loss goals are all the rage. Weight is a tricky topic, especially when it comes to black women. In one world, we’re celebrated for our curves and thickness. In others, like the doctor’s office, it can be the source of constant criticism and blaming. We’ll talk about body mass index (BMI) in another post; that is its own hot topic. One thing is clear and proven: weight and health are connected, but also a challenge to improve for most adults.

As a researcher, I see the gaps and struggle of my field to improve lifestyle treatments for black women. Lifestyle treatment by changing daily behaviors is an effective way to shed pounds and reduce individual risk for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. To achieve a health-supporting weight, eating well and adding physical activity (about an hour a day) are the keys. As with many health issues, this basic approach to weight loss has not resulted in optimal outcomes for black women. White women typically lose 2-3% more weight than black women in clinical trials. Abundant unhealthy food and lots of time spent sitting make our environments natural hurdles to health. At this point, you’re probably thinking, “Tell me something that I don’t know”. Here goes! There is so much we can do on an individual level to promote our health. If getting healthy for good and slimming down, even just a little bit, is your goal, here are five ways to take a black woman-centered approach:

1. Activate the sisterhood.
Black girl magic resides in black women supporting one another. Your sister circle are the women who you can talk to about anything. The topic of health is no exception. Research shows that social support from others is key to achieving goals. Support is most effective when you and your supporters share a common goal. Whether that support is in the form of information, emotional support or taking walks together, it’s a sure way to help you achieve your goals.

2. Identify and big up your champions
Who we live with often dictates what we eat. Introduce new yummy, healthy foods to your family. Give kids age-appropriate tasks like cutting vegetables or assisting in other ways. Unfortunately, I’ve also seen how family members can tempt you by having your favorite dessert around you when you’ve been clear about your new eating habits, or make negative comments about your changing body. This is why it is important to have cheerleaders from other parts of your life: coworkers, friends, etc.

3. Eat for health, not for weight loss
Think more about what you can incorporate versus what you will reduce. Everything is about mindset, and there are so many foods and flavors to enjoy that this can be a season of experimentation. Reducing calories is important, but when you focus on colorful, nutritious, less processed and packaged foods, healthy eating will naturally follow.

4. Do it for the culture
Go back to your roots. In the weight loss world, recommended foods are often very western and different than your culture. Think back to your family staples. What did your grandparents make? What were the traditional foods? Whether callaloo or collard greens were plentiful in your household, traditional foods can always have a place in the healthy eating changes to come.

5. Take the focus off of weight
Even if your goal is to shed pounds, being active and eating nourishing foods are the pathways. Building consistency in those two areas will lead to the outcome you want. Master small changes like adding five more minutes on your walk than last time, or replacing a soda with fruit-infused water. Once you get the hang of one small change, it is time to add one more. Collectively, small changes equal results you can be proud of.


Dr. Loneke T. Blackman Carr is an Assistant Professor of Community & Public Health Nutrition at the University of Connecticut. She is also a registered dietitian whose research is purposed to serve the needs of black women and their health. Her work focuses on behavioral weight control interventions with an emphasis on weight loss. Dr. Blackman Carr is committed to investigating solutions that employ the collective strengths and unique assets of the black community to improve health. She has been featured on the Food Heaven Made Easy Podcast, the News & Observer newspaper, and WURD Radio in Philadelphia.