Issa Rae’s Newfound Success And Fame Made Her Gain Weight

Issa Rae claims money is one of the results of her gaining weight early in her career.

According to Page Six, the Insecure star opened up about her struggles with weight and sticking to a workout routine during her cover story for Women’s Health. The actress and executive producer said the struggles began after the success of her 2011 web series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, which later became a New York Times bestselling memoir. Rae said the success of the show brought about more income to the Stanford University grad, who was living with her mother in her native Los Angeles before the series took off.

“When the web series started, I was very, very broke,” Rae said.

“Then more opportunities began to come. I was gaining New Money Weight.”

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl was the catalyst to Rae’s now HBO hit Insecure, which she plays the starring role as Issa Dee. Rae said that while she enjoyed being able to afford to eat at restaurants or order takeout, seeing herself on-screen forced her to make a change in her health. She said while she has “limited” time to workout, she is making a real effort instead of what she’s done in the past.

“I’d have spurts of trying to work out and be good,” she explained.

“Then once I fell off, I’d be like, ‘Well, there’s always next year. Let me make it my ‘New Year’s resolution.’ But even then, I would still be eating wrong while exercising vigorously.”

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The star said she is now sticking to a paleo diet-leaning diet and works out for about an hour every day. The star also said walking and jogging up hills around her LA home has helped, though she admits she “hates jogging.”

With a new workout routine intact, Rae is ready to continue taking Hollywood by storm. The multitalented star will be seen in theaters alongside Black-ish star Marsai Martin and Regina Hall in Little, which was executive produced by Martin. Insecure will also soon start production for its fourth season. In January, it was announced that Rae was filming The Lovebirds, which is a romantic comedy about an interracial couple, which she will star alongside The Big Sick star Kumali Nanjiani. Though her career is taking off at warped speed, she says she has mentors in Hollywood like Debbie Allen and Ava Duvernay to make sure Rae takes care of herself, per Women’s Health.

“Find a good team. Find a good team,” Rae said. “It matters.…It’s enabled me to not lose my mind.”