8 Workouts You Can Do From The Comfort Of Your Home
We can't front, not being able to go to the gym decreases our motivation. But thanks to the world wide web and smart televisions, we can set up a gym in our humble abodes. Streaming workouts from home has never been more convenient and more necessary than in these transformative times. Even Auntie Extraordinaire, Debbie Allen hosted a dance class on Instagram to promote movements in our homes.
There are also many benefits to working out at home. From convenience to privacy to availability, you can create a physical workout space that is catered to your needs. Not to mention, you won't have to spend extra coins on a gym membership.
We know that finding videos that have moves you want and an instructor you can relate to is major. That's why we rounded up a list of videos featuring some magical black girls. Scroll through our mini-catalog of workout videos that will put Kanye's Workout Plan to shame!
For a slim waist & booty...
Brittne Babe is a famous fitness instructor and model so we always trust her workouts. In this workout, she focuses on building abs through strength and power with these full body moves. She encourages you to grab a mat and get started! Some exercises include Side Twist Plank and Pushup to Twist Kick.
For a full body workout that allows you to tone & keep your curves...
Simply Shana is all about pushing it. The goal of this video is to tone up so you can keep your curves. Using an empty space in her home, she kept great form while also remembering to breathe. Subscribers say that this workout was tough but completely worth it.
For a workout that combines cardio & strength...
For those of us that don't have Megan's knees, this workout is for you. Cece gives us tips and tricks on how to get a good workout in without sacrificing our ailing joints.
For a workout that helps you attack that lower belly pudge...
Looking to snatch your lower abs, give this video a try. I definitely plan on trying this one out because I struggle with a pouch that doesn't wanna leave. Brick Built recommends completing these exercises 3-4 times a week to see results.
For a workout that combines self-love with fitness...
Jessamyn Stanley is a body positive goddess. In her video, she practices self-care while staying active in this eight-minute flow. Yoga is known to help ease the physical discomfort that is caused by anxiety.
For a HIIT cardio workout that gives you abs at home...
Quarantining with bae? Try this 30 minute HIIT cardio and abs workout before you Netflix and chill. SELF Magazine says, "In this routine, you'll keep moving for a full four minutes through cardio moves like pop squats, scissor steps, and jumping jacks—then finish each round with a 60 second plank."
For a hip-hop dance routine that torches calories...
We love a good dance session because it doesn't feel like a workout. Those quarantine snack calories will meet their match with hip-hop Tabata taught by Keaira LaShae. You don't have to be a professional dancer to do this workout. Keaira believes in passion over perfection.
For a full-body workout with no equipment...
In just 15 minutes, Annabelle Hayes takes us through a full body workout. From hip thrusts to alternating toe touches, you will definitely feel the burn after this set of exercises.
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Joce Blake is a womanist who loves fashion, Beyonce and Hot Cheetos. The sophistiratchet enthusiast is based in Brooklyn, NY but has southern belle roots as she was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Keep up with her on Instagram @joce_blake and on Twitter @SaraJessicaBee.
This Black Woman-Owned Creative Agency Shows Us The Art Of Rebranding
Rebranding is an intricate process and very important to the success of businesses that want to change. However, before a business owner makes this decision, they should determine whether it's a rebrand or an evolution.
That's where people like Lola Adewuya come in. Lola is the founder and CEO of The Brand Doula, a brand development studio with a multidisciplinary approach to branding, social media, marketing, and design.
While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
Feature image courtesy
The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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'Power Book II: Ghost' Star LaToya Tonodeo Doesn't Think Her Character's Mom Is A Toxic Parent
The Power Book II: Ghost finale episodes resumed on Friday, Sept 6, and the Tejadas appear to be in deep trouble. Spoiler alert: Diana Tejada, played by LaToya Tonodeo, is pregnant with Tariq St. Patrick's (Michael Rainey Jr.) baby while simultaneously dealing with her family's new arrangement with dirty cop Don Carter (Michael Ealy).
Diana doesn't want her child near the drug game, but due to her family and her child's father's active roles in that lifestyle, she may not have a choice. In a xoNecole exclusive, LaToya opens up about the reality of Diana's options.
"My advice would be like, girl, you better pray about it and make the best decision. But in actuality, like looking at the circumstances, I don't necessarily think it's best for her right now to leave her support system," she admits.
"She needs all the support she can get. It just doesn't make sense. You're saying you don't want Tariq to be a part of the life, but that's clearly what he is doing in his path. And then you're a Tejada, your family is a part of that life. And then you're in school. How are you going to support yourself and a child off the candy store like it's not going to work.
She continues, "So you need to keep, in my opinion, I would say, keep the family as close as you can, because regardless of who they are and how they operate, it's definitely beneficial for her."
"So you need to keep, in my opinion, I would say, keep the family as close as you can, because regardless of who they are and how they operate, it's definitely beneficial for her."
If you watch Power Book II: Ghost, then you are familiar with the family dynamic between the Tejadas. The family's matriarch, Monét, played by R&B legend Mary J. Blige, groomed her kids to be gangsters and help her run their drug empire.
But her parenting has often caused a wedge between her kids Diana, Dru (Lovell Adams-Gray), and Cain (Woody McClain), especially after she killed their father. This led to Diana and Dru recruiting Tariq to kill Monét, but it was unsuccessful and now, Monét is now trying to repair her relationship with her kids.
While Monét ticks off many of the boxes of what a toxic parent may look like, LaToya has another point of view. "I feel like even though, on the outside, it could look like she's a toxic parent, I believe that we try to show that there's still elements of love there, and there are moments where Diana, for the sake of family, still will forgive all the things that, like if she feels blamed for certain things," she explains.
"Like the time, I think it was last season or season three, when Monét actually went into Diana's dorm room and apologized and all the things-- she's okay with it, because Diana really wants family."
She continues, "And at the end of the day, Diana wants her mother to see her. So it might sound toxic to say that I don't believe she's fully toxic, but Diana is okay with giving chances, and maybe that's to her detriment, but she's okay with giving chances, and the growth between them is a push and pull, but Diana needs it."
Watch the full interview below:
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