TV host Laila Ali recently sat down with WebMD to talk about everything from being a mom to losing her pregnancy weight. Check out highlights from the interview now.
On being a mom to Curtis Jr. (C.J.), 3 and Sydney, 5 months: “Being a mom is the role that gives me the most satisfaction and happiness, and it completes my life,” she says. “It’s also one of the toughest jobs, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
On teaching her kids healthy-eating habits: “The main thing I’m going to do is lead by example,” she says. That means limiting sugar, salt, and processed foods and stocking her fridge with plenty of fresh vegetables. Keeping a healthy kitchen isn’t easy with a toddler at home, especially a picky eater like Curtis Jr. “He wants to eat macaroni and cheese, rice, or pasta,” Ali says. She’s had to get creative, puréeing vegetables into his spaghetti sauce and juicing carrots into his milk to keep his diet nutritious.
On having ‘Me time’: When Sydney goes to sleep and C.J. goes to sleep, then I have my moment. It could just be checking my emails or calling a girlfriend,” she says. Caring for her two children has made Ali realize just how precious that “me” time is.
On how motherhood has changed her: “Being a mother has changed her in other ways, too. “Motherhood has made me a lot more patient,” she says. “And I think it’s made me look at things differently.
“I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore. Certain things don’t really matter. What’s most important to me is my children — and their health.”
Click here to find out how Laila is planning to lose the pregnancy weight.
