‘Don’t count calories, count days’: Actress Gail Bean on how she prioritizes fitness and self-care

Gail Bean is a powerhouse. A force to be reckoned with on screen. The recent NAACP award winner took the Los Angeles awards season by storm along with her intentional style decisions and slim figure, which had her industry peers taking notes.

In addition to her ravishing role as Wanda, Bean took on the difficult role of a fierce stripper with a pointy mouth and spunky personality, Roulette, in What struck me most about her character was her confidence and willingness to positively portray petite sizes and body types which are rarely seen might be seen on TV. He, Bean exudes sex appeal, mystery and boldness; plus her body looks amazing. Many people, including myself, wondered how she could have prepared her body to present a convincing performance, and whether she performed any poll stunts (spoiler alert, she did)!

We recently interviewed Bean to find out about her workouts and self-care routines, the importance of fitness hobbies, and proper nutrition.

ESSENCE: Share your high-level training plan with us!

Gail Beans: My best friend Amber is my fitness trainer. She may be very keen on exercising every single day and staying fit, so it is important to me to get some exercise every single day. I often do 100 jumping jacks, 90 sit-ups, 80 squats, and 70 leg raises, and then do 10 minutes of cardio. So for me it is a quick full body workout. I also love boxing; it’s therapeutic in nature and at the identical time it’s a training.

Are there any fitness hobbies that may take your workouts to the subsequent level?

Apart from boxing, I really like swimming. I’m a fish. Swimming can be a full-body workout, and it also helps me go to sleep because I actually have trouble falling asleep at night or simply staying asleep. Sometimes I sleep 10 hours per week. So swimming helps you exercise, clears your head and keeps your body fit. It also tires me a lot that I rest peacefully at night.

I find it irresistible! When I met you, one among the things I praised you for was your powerful little representation in . Do you are feeling such as you physically represent petite women, or is that something you associate yourself with?

I actually feel like I represent women with petite bodies, and I’ve been slim my whole life; now we have our challenges. But I feel people can take a look at me and see that I’m completely happy with my body the way in which it’s. And I walk confidently in my body. I also think that the ladies on my committee are proud to see that somebody has it and doesn’t feel prefer it’s an obstacle or a scarcity. I’m good at representing petite women and women with less wealth.

While we’re on the subject, did you do any of your personal stunts? Talk to me in regards to the voting process; it looks like you recognize this pole.

If I needed to put a number, I’d probably say I did about 80% of my stunts, but kudos to my stunt doubles. I had three and they were extremely talented. They were more flexible than me and had more stamina.

What was the method like while you first began training? Have you fallen in love with it?

Yes, it was rigorous, but after I trained, I felt free. It was very satisfying. In the second season, I trained for 4 months with two different people. I mainly trained at Vertical Joe’s with one among my sorority sisters, Dark Knight. There was one moment during my pole training after I got here home defeated. I just cried and felt completely stunned and considered giving the role back. I’m grateful for my family members who poured into me back then; because of them I didn’t quit.

How are you able to maintain consistent fitness despite any unconscious thoughts you might have?

I gathered myself to maneuver on and persevere despite the negative activity from those around me. Prayer sometimes requires staying calm and allowing yourself to experience the moment. In these moments, I relied on family, friends and God. I actually have a extremely good support system. Additionally, the Vertical Joe team and my trainer Amber supported me throughout the training process. I actually have moments where I’m hard on myself. However, we must remember to present ourselves grace, self-love and self-care. So my village and the self-care practices I actually have learned from different cultures help me get through difficult times.

Talk to us about your self-care process and practice.

Taking care of yourself on this industry, as in any on a regular basis life, starts with discipline. That’s why it is important to have self-awareness and discipline to present yourself the much-needed space. My priority is rest and taking vitamins. As already mentioned, discipline is vital – the discipline of not all the time being available to everyone and not with the ability to solve problems for everybody. I pray to God on a regular basis. I pray for replenishment and renewal, because every single day is latest and will take a variety of energy from me.

You talked about setting boundaries, but we would like to know what you are eating. You told us a bit of in regards to the weight loss plan. But what’s your on a regular basis situation?

I moisturize in other ways. I would like orange juice to get up. Then tea. Tea is for my skin, for my health and just for my body. Honestly, I do not even like tea, but I drink it every single day. I also drink a variety of hot water because I heard somewhere that it really works well. I talk rather a lot, so hot water helps me. When it involves food, I attempt to limit chicken and dairy products due to the hormones they contain. However, I really like seafood and sweets. I can not ignore vegetables. I really like asparagus and broccoli. I care about well-balanced meals.

So what motivates you to exercise?

I do not know if I actually have the motivation to exercise. I’ll be 100% honest; it is a struggle each time. I’m motivated to pursue my fitness interests resembling swimming and boxing, but I actually have not yet reached the extent of motivation to go to the gym and exercise. One day I’ll get there.

Share your advice for Black women who’re struggling to develop healthy habits and take their fitness seriously.

Your health is wealth. And your body is a temple, so treat it as such, stand up every single day and do something to honor it. However, in case you do not feel motivated to exercise day by day, weekly or yearly, trust that you simply’re not alone. Take it in the future at a time. Don’t count calories; count the times as an alternative. Every day attempt to stand up and do something. It doesn’t need to be an hour-long workout. It is likely to be five minutes here, 10 minutes there. Allow this time to construct and grow. Give yourself grace and be patient.

Also, in relation to maintaining a healthy diet, do all the things sparsely. Leave something to taste.