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Erica Campbell's Weight Loss Details: How She Lost 19 Pounds
Surgeries and medications are not the only options to get in shape. Check out Erica Campbell's weight loss tale to know her mantras for natural weight reduction.
Millions of women are always in search of quick weight loss methods to meet their fitness goals. Not just in celebrity culture, these methods are popular among commoners too. Women rely on intense workouts without knowing their body conditions and even on surgeries for faster results. But many times, they don’t provide outcomes as expected and may worsen the situation. There’s why focusing on natural weight loss becomes crucial.
Our contributor Dr. Allen Conrad, Doctor of Chiropractic at Montgomery County Chiropractic Center, says, “Losing weight naturally is much safer on the body. Surgery does not guarantee that the weight will stay off, plus the risk of infection from a surgery is always a concern. Quick fixes like surgery and medications for weight loss will not offer long term results. Try eating less calories and exercise regularly for better long term results.”
There are a handful of celebs who believe in the concept of not just losing weight but in having holistic well-being. Erica Campbell's weight loss journey is one such example that fits the context. Her tale is more of introspection and self-acceptance that breaks societal expectations and teaches self-love. In this post, we'll see how the mother of three lost weight naturally, what she learned throughout the phase, and how she overcame the challenges.
Who Is Erica Campbell?
Erica Campbell is an American singer and songwriter who has been winning her audiences' hearts since 1998. Campbell was born on April 29, 1972, in Inglewood, California, and is popularly known for urban contemporary gospel songs. You might have heard her famous song Help which topped the Billboard in 2014.
She started her career at a young age, and her strong singing and lyrics writing skills were captivating enough to attract the audience. For her hard work, she was appreciated with Grammy's for Best Gospel Album in the 57th edition. Apart from that, she hosts a reality show, Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell with Griff, a comedian.
Besides being a successful singer and media personality, she's praised for her honesty and her views on living life as an individual. Campbell has always struggled with her physical and mental health. But after her first pregnancy, the desire to have a slim, fit body soared. She spoke on mainstream media that how she was influenced by quick weight loss treatment options and went for surgery that unfortunately didn't work for her. But now she believes in natural weight management methods and promotes self-care and self-improvement.
Erica Campbell Profile
- Real Name- Erica Monique Campbell
- Birthday- 29 April 1972
- Age in 2023- 51 years
- Occupation- Singer, Song Writer, Show Host
- Weight Before- 184 pounds
- Weight Loss After- 169 pounds
- Reduced Weight Loss- 19 pounds
Why Did Erica Campbell Gain Weight?
After her first pregnancy, Erica’s weight increased like any other postpartum woman. According to research, women might gain approximately 16kgs (more or less) after one year of the delivery, especially the first one (1). And Erica's case was no different. So she went for surgery as a quick cure but was dissatisfied with the results. She recalls a horrible incident in a hotel room. She was bleeding, and the staff sent a nurse carrying some Tylenol, a drug used to treat mild to moderate pain.
But after having another child, she again gained weight and asked herself, "Why did I even choose that?" referring to the surgery. “Probably because it looked like an easier choice and looked like the right thing to do”, she said later in an interview.
However, she decided to walk through an unconventional path and lose weight naturally. Despite a hike in post-pregnancy plastic surgery (about 12 years ago), Campbell didn't pressurize herself to go with the trend. She recalls how women were crazy about mommy makeovers soon after pregnancy, but Erica didn't sway as she had gone through the same phase.
By the time we reached 2020, we all started realizing the true value of our health. Major credit goes to the pandemic that made us shift to more sustainable and natural methods for weight management. Even Erica believes the same! And these days, this is what exactly celebrities and other fitness fads are doing. Changing lifestyle, exercising, and eating healthy are some of the weight loss mantras most of them are following.
Did Erica Campbell Have Liposuction?
As a part of Erica Campbell’s weight loss methods, the singer has accepted that she went for a "lipo" after her first pregnancy. But things didn't go smoothly as she expected.
Liposuction is a cosmetic surgery that removes extra fat between the skin and muscles. Some of part of fat cells are broken and eliminated through various suction techniques. It generally involves removal via tubes.
After delivery, the tendency of the belly to lose fat decreases. As a result, the fatty tissues start accumulating, especially in the abdominal region. Hence, many women opt for abdominal liposuction which is less invasive and may provide better results. But that varies from body to body. It may be a solution when exercise, diet, and medications aren't enough.
As far as Erica's case is concerned, the process didn't hit par. She still has some visible scars, but she's less bothered about that. Campbell believes she looks stunning and confident with or without scars.
Besides liposuction, she heard about lymphatic massages but didn't go for them as she didn't know the proper procedure.
Lymphatic massage. sometimes referred to as manual lymphatic drainage, aims to treat lymphedema. It's a condition in which lymphatic fluid gets accumulated due to inefficient drainage. The massage can help improve its flow and reduce pain, heavy feelings, and swelling. It should be done by a qualified therapist or under supervision. Anyone planning to perform simple lymphatic drainage techniques must learn them from a specialist.
How Did Erica Campbell Lose Weight?
Erica’s weight loss routine included dietary changes and exercise. She took help from professionals, including her trainer, to minimize risks or complications. Campbell still maintains her everyday workout and diet plans with time-to-time updates.
Erica Campbell’s Diet
After gaining weight again, Erica was determined to remodel her body and shed extra pounds through natural ways. And when it's about weight loss, diet change is what everyone begins with. So she decided to eat less and avoid late-night meals. Although she had to cook for her family, Campbell wasn't eating post 8 pm.
Erica Campbell’s weight loss meal includes fresh fruits and veggies, including leafy vegetables like spinach, that assist in controlling her weight. These foods add volume to dishes and are low in calories and fat (2). Not only that, they are high in fiber and protein that controls her appetite and gives a feeling of fullness.
Erica also added water fasting to her weekly routine. She claimed to follow it 3 days a week. Water fasting is a popular technique to lose weight that we have been following since ancient times. It's a fasting type that inhibits the intake of any substance except water. People follow it for various reasons, including detoxification, chronic health benefits, and even spirituality.
A study showed that water fasting reduced approximately 0.9kg/day for the first week, and the rate decreased to 0.3kg/day by the third week due to muscle and fat loss (3). This method may be helpful for short-term weight loss plans. However, the effects may alter depending on the current health status of an individual, age, sex, etc.
Erica Campbell’s Workout Routine
Other than upgrading her diet, Erica’s weight loss was facilitated by a regular exercise routine that included walking, running, lunges, squats, etc. These exercises are now in her daily workout sessions.
Walking And Running
Aerobic exercises like walking and running helped Erica burn her calories and reduce body fat (4). These are beneficial for people dealing with obesity or looking to manage weight depending upon the duration and intensity of exercise performed.
However, running is found to be more effective for belly fat reduction. A study discovered that women who did high-intensity training lost more belly fat than low-intensity ones (5). But more research is required to compare the effects of walking and running on the same parameters.
Lunges
Campbell loves lunges and performs it daily. It's a simple exercise, yet the benefits are countless. Regular lunges help improve her balance and coordination, flexibility, and stability.
The exercise targets large muscle groups, including the hips, legs, and back. They increase metabolism which allows for trimming more fat and shedding excess weight. As per a study done on men, lunges may strengthen lower extremity muscles (6).
Squats
Squats are one of Erica's favorite workouts that she can't ignore. The reason? It burns more fat around the thighs, glutes, and hips and gets rid of that heavy bottom shape. The research found that squats decreased fat by 4.2% in teen boys and improved muscle strength of knee extensors (7).
Our contributor Dr. Allen Conrad, says, “Squats involve using large muscle groups like the quadriceps and hamstring muscles of the leg. By doing squats, you are building muscle to these large muscle group areas. By building more muscle, you will burn more calories and eventually lose weight. It is always a good idea to try and make squats part of your weekly exercise program for weight loss.”
Conclusion
Reducing weight is not about going for expensive medications and surgeries. It's more about understanding your body's needs and working on maintaining your physical and mental health. Erica Campbell's weight loss transformation shows that losing weight is possible through natural and simple methods. Many times we opt for quicker and easier ways for an array of reasons, maybe societal pressure or FOMO for missing out on the trend. But that leads nowhere. Ultimately we harm ourselves both mentally and physically. Campbell's tale teaches the significance of patience, hard work, perseverance, and self-care, which is necessary for a real transformation.
Contributor: Dr. Allen Conrad, BS, DC, CSCS, and Owner of Montgomery County Chiropractic Center
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