Fighting Obesity: Tamela Mann becomes Weight Watchers’ newest celebrity ambassador

Article By Tina Mason // EEW Magazine Health News

Obesity-related diseases are on the rise among African-American women, but Grammy-nominated gospel singer, Tamela Mann, is on a mission to reduce that negative trend by tackling obesity head-on.

The “Change Me” songstress is changing her eating habits and adopting a healthier lifestyle as the new celebrity ambassador for WW—the new Weight Watchers.

The 52-year-old recording artist and actress, who has struggled with weight issues all her life, told ESSENCE, “I decided that this is the help that I needed, because I couldn’t do it my own.”

For those like her, struggling with overeating, Mann has a message: “First of all, they need to know that we’re not alone and you can still have what you want—within moderation. A lot of times what happens when we say diet, [we think] you can’t have this, you can’t have that, and you can’t do that.”

But according to the entertainer who rose to fame alongside her husband, David Mann, in Tyler Perry’s hit stage plays, WW allows more freedom within boundaries. “I don’t have to be pushed into a corner of a bunch of you can’t do and you don’t do this,” she explained.

Tamela and David Mann have been happily married for 30 years (Credit: WW)

Having the freedom to still enjoy some of her favorite foods gives the wife of 30 years and mother a positive outlook on the possibility of transforming her habitual detrimental eating habits she learned long ago.

“The way I grew up, it wasn’t the best, healthiest foods, but it was something to eat,” Mann admitted, tracing her predisposition to poor nutritional habits to her upbringing. But now, she feels ready to amend her ways.

“I’m getting older. I just don’t want to become a liability on my family, so I just want to make better choices,” she said. “I can admit to myself that I’m at a wall that I need to have some help to get through it, and it’s okay to admit that you need help.”

Tamela Mann is a multi-faceted entrepreneur who loves her family and ministers to millions worldwide (Credit: WW/Getty/EEW Magazine)

That help has come in the form of WW, a healthy lifestyle organization with leadership that is ecstatic to welcome Mann.

“Tamela Mann is a wonderful addition to our WW family, as we build on our leadership in weight loss to become the world’s partner in wellness,” said Sherry Thompson, SVP of Community Engagement & Activation for WW.  “WW aims to make wellness accessible to all by helping millions of people adopt healthy habits for real life. With Tamela’s help, we hope to inspire more African American women and their communities to live healthier by providing the tools, information and inspiration to get there.” 

RELATED: David and Tamela share the secret to marital success