Continue to Hollywoodlife () SKIP AD
Hollywood Life Logo Image

Hollywood Life

Today's Top Stories

  • Emma Corrin
    Breaking News

    Golden Globes Winners 2021: Emma Corrin, Jason Sudeikis & More — Full List

  • chadwick win globes
    Breaking News

    Chadwick Boseman’s Wife Accepts His Golden Globe Win For ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’

  • fleece lined leggings
    SHOP

    7 Top-Rated Fleece-Lined Leggings Under $30 That Will Keep You Warm All Winter Long

Hollywood Life
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Celebrity Bios
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Shopping
  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
ALL NEWS
  • Woody Allen

    Christina Engelhardt: 5 Things To Know About The Actress Who Allegedly Dated Woody Allen When She Was 17

  • Tiger Woods Breaks Silence 5 Days After Car Crash & Thanks Fans For Getting Him Through A ‘Tough Time’

  • Oprah Hints Royal Life Was ‘Unsurvivable’ For Prince Harry & Meghan Markle In First Look Of Interview

  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • TV
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Holidays
  • Entertainment Features
  • Podcast
  • Oscar Contenders
ALL ENTERTAINMENT
  • Sacha Baron Cohen

    Sacha Baron Cohen Mocks ‘Co-Star’ Rudy Giuliani For His ‘Genius’ Performance After Winning Best Comedy

  • Chadwick Boseman’s Wife Accepts His Golden Globe Win For ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ In Tears

  • Jane Fonda Urges Hollywood To Get ‘In Step’ With Elevating Diverse Voices In Powerful Golden Globes Speech

  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Selena Gomez
  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Khloe Kardashian
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Harry Styles
  • Kourtney Kardashian
ALL CELEBRITY BIOS
  • Jamie Lee Curtis

    Jamie Lee Curtis Stuns In Plunging Yellow Dress At The Golden Globes & Fans Now Want Activia Yogurt

  • Sacha Baron Cohen Mocks ‘Co-Star’ Rudy Giuliani For His ‘Genius’ Performance After Winning Best Comedy

  • Catherine Zeta-Jones Looks Gorgeous In Black Dress With High Slit At Golden Globes

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Beauty Features
  • Skincare
  • Makeover
  • Diet & Fitness
ALL BEAUTY
  • Rihanna

    Rihanna Is Flawless Showing Off Her ‘5 Minute Face’ Using Fenty’s New Powder Foundation — Watch

  • Kylie Jenner’s Lip Oil Is Sold Out But You Can Shop These 6 Products That Are Just As Good

  • Celeb Dermatologist Dr. Sobel’s 3 Tips For Flawless ‘RHONY’ Skin & Avoiding Dryness In The Winter

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping
ALL FASHION
  • Jamie Lee Curtis

    Jamie Lee Curtis Stuns In Plunging Yellow Dress At The Golden Globes & Fans Now Want Activia Yogurt

  • Catherine Zeta-Jones Looks Gorgeous In Black Dress With High Slit At Golden Globes

  • Jane Fonda Rocks Chic Cream Pant Suit To Accept The Golden Globes’ Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Next Up

Olivia Munn Wishes Josh Duhamel Happy B-Day With Sweet Message After Reports They’re ‘Getting Close’

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
  • Search Close

Trending

  • Bonnie Says
  • Celeb Babies
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • Golden Globe Awards
Search

NewsExpand Menu

  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
  • Rock The Vote

EntertainmentExpand Menu

  • Entertainment Features
  • TV
  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Podcast
  • At Home With...

BeautyExpand Menu

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Skincare
  • Beauty Features
  • Diet & Fitness
  • Shopping

FashionExpand Menu

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping

TrendingExpand Menu

  • Bonnie Says
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • Golden Globe Awards

About UsExpand Menu

  • About Us
  • Writer Bios
  • Scoops, Tips & Corrections
  • Subscribe To Newsletter
  • Contact Us

Celebrity ProfilesExpand Menu

  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Selena Gomez
  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
Alerts & Newsletters
  • Jobs
  • Scoops & Corrections
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Rights
  • AdChoices
  • Data Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
© 2021 Hollywoodlife.com, LLC.
  • News
  • Exclusives
  • Laila Ali
Exclusive Interview
comment 1 Comment
November 14, 2017 5:33PM EST

Laila Ali Breaks Down Her ‘High Intensity’ Workouts & How Her Father Taught Her To Be Confident

Laila Ali
Laila Ali
ESPY Awards Variety Portrait Studio, Los Angeles, USA - 13 July 2016
Laila Ali
ESPY Awards, Arrivals, Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, USA - 10 Jul 2019
Laila Ali poses for a portrait on in New York
Laila Ali Portrait Session, New York, USA - 27 Mar 2019
Laila Ali, host of Emmy-nominated television show Home Made Simple, launches the new collection of plant-based cleaning products by Home Made Simple, at 1Hotel Central Park in New York. The new product line, which is designed to meet USDA and Safer Choice standards, includes foaming hand soap, hand dish soap, multi-purpose spray, laundry detergent and fabric softener
Home Made Simple Launch Event with Laila Ali, New York, USA - 27 Mar 2019 View Gallery View Gallery 12 Photos.
Jenna Lemoncelli
News Editor
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk

It’s Laila Ali like you’ve never heard her before! The undefeated boxing champ is breaking down barriers, her diet and fitness routine and reflecting on her father’s legacy and what he taught her!

Laila Ali, 39, is a force to be reckoned with! You may know her as the iconic, undefeated boxing champ, who went 24-0 before she hung up her gloves in 2007. However, that was only one chapter of the astonishing book that is her life. Now, she’s working with T.J. Maxx [learn more below] to inspire and help women embrace their individuality, all while juggling a family, her entrepreneurial pursuits and so much more. Laila also reflects on what her father, “global icon,” Muhammad Ali,  taught her that has shaped the woman she is today. Check out our full interview with the stunning and inspiring Laila Ali, below! 

Our readers look to strong, positive women like you to influence their lifestyles. Can you break down your favorite workouts and superfoods? — I like to mix it up, depending on what my fitness goals are. Right now, I like dong high intensity interval training (HIIT). I start with cycling, then move to elliptical stairs, sprinting on the treadmill and end with the heavy bag. I also do a light weight training before I cool down. When I’m busy filming a show and unable to work out regularly, I usually gain weight. That’s when I hit the road and run 4-5 miles 5 days a week to get weight off easily.

Healthy eating is a big passion for me. Most people know me as a professional boxer, but I’m also a cooking enthusiast! I’ve been working on a cookbook, “Food for Life: Delicious & Healthy Comfort Food From My Table To Yours!” that features recipes I’ve carefully selected with promoting healthier eating habits in mind. Check it out!

I like to start my morning with a nutrition packed protein shake which usually includes spinach or kale, berries, nut butter or coconut oil, almond milk, vanilla protein powder and ice. I also add Maca powder and chlorella powder for a superfood boost!

You do it all; chef author, boxing champ, mom — How do you balance? What advice can you give to the moms out there?

It’s hard! It’s a balancing act, that I’m not sure if I’ll ever perfect. When you have a child, everything changes. Your whole thought process in the morning changes when you wake up. And this all-consuming identity of being a mom may be reflective of traditional gender roles, it’s important to stay true to yourself and not to fall victim to the stereotyping. You can be a mother and still let your individuality shine. Your time is more valuable and you’re forced to be more selective about how you spend it – you’re not the only person in the equation anymore. That’s why I think it’s so important that T.J.Maxx wants to help women everywhere identify what makes them one-of-a-kind with the Maxx You Project. Once you discover more about yourself and identify what makes you unique, you can really focus on what exactly you want to nurture when you’re not on mommy-duty. Learn how to prioritize and don’t feel guilty about not being able to extend yourself.

Consistently writing things down really helps me out. Because if you don’t write your short-term goals, life will just pass you by. I don’t think there’s any woman who’s successful that won’t tell you we still need to find more time for ourselves. For me, I make sure every two weeks I get a mani and pedi; that’s one thing I’m going to stay on top of.

Can you tell us more about your collaboration with T.J. Maxx? — How do you stay true to yourself?

I partnered with T.J.Maxx on The Maxx You Project, an ongoing initiative to inspire and help women embrace their individuality, this spring. I was so excited when T.J.Maxx asked me to continue this collaboration as we propel this mission forward with the Maxx You Project Lab. We’re hitting the road and inviting women to participate in an immersive live experience that features a series of playful, thought-provoking and interactive activities designed to help women explore their strengths and uncover something new about themselves to reach their highest potential.

Throughout my life, I’ve learned the importance of challenging the stereotypes that hold you back. It’s better to confront stereotypes and gender norms head-on. I know all too well the challenges of being put into a box – whether it’s as a woman in the boxing ring or in the kitchen. I’m able to stay true to my multidimensional-self when I can shake loose of external forces and expectations.

Is there a life philosophy you live by each day to stay motivated?

You have to push yourself or you’ll never reach your goals. If you don’t push yourself, your unique aspirations will remain just that – dreams. You’ve got to get out of your comfort zone sometimes, and be a little uncomfortable, before you can get comfortable again and let your individuality shine.

What are some attributes that have helped or hindered your journey to success? 

Well I had the double or triple whammy that my father, being the greatest boxer of all time, coming behind him there would be a lot of comparisons to him. Then the fact that I’m a woman, when people weren’t even aware that women boxed. The third one was just, ‘You don’t look like someone who should be a boxer; you’re too pretty to box. Why don’t you just model?’ Forget the fact that the same blood is running through me; they couldn’t fathom the fact that I was a woman, a pretty woman, who wanted to fight. I think because of the spotlight, because of my last name, many women judged me or assumed that I was going to be easier to fight.

How has your father taught you the importance of being you? 

My father taught me how to be confident and to be fearless in everything you do. To me, he’s a global icon; And not a champion boxer. He felt that boxing was just his platform to do all the greater good. He took his confidence and fearlessness and used it in a positive way to make a difference in our world. He brought the passion you see in the ring in his commitment to humanitarian causes.

How do you break through barriers and stereotypes to be true to yourself? 

Your dreams should know no limit. Your dreams should be so big that they knock down barriers, stereotypes and roles that society has imposed on you. Let your individuality shine and do it in the biggest way possible. A lot of people gave me a lot of reasons why I shouldn’t get into the ring – they said “women shouldn’t box” and I just started a business of my own and was expected to head in that direction. That’s why I think it’s so important that T.J.Maxx wants to help women everywhere identify what makes them one-of-a-kind with the Maxx You Project. Hopefully it will give women to confidence to pursue what makes them one-of-a-kind in the biggest, boundary breaking way.

 

La

HollywoodLifers,

Click to Subscribe to Our HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get more celeb news.
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Laila Ali

More News:

  • La La Anthony's Fitness Routine, Go-To Meals & The New Therapy That Keeps Her 'Energized'
  • LeBron James Claims He's The 'King Of New York' & No One Can Argue It
  • Celebrities With The NBA's Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy -- PICS

Most Read

Jamie Lee Curtis Stuns In Plunging Yellow Dress At The Golden Globes & Fans Now Want Activia Yogurt

Jamie Lee Curtis

Nicole Kidman Stuns At The 2021 Golden Globes With Daughters Sunday & Faith By Her Side

Nicole Kidman

Natalie Portman Rocks High-Waisted Daisy Dukes While Out & About In Australia — Pics

natalie portman

Oprah Hints Royal Life Was ‘Unsurvivable’ For Prince Harry & Meghan Markle In First Look Of Interview

T’yanna Wallace: 5 Things To Know About The Late Notorious B.I.G.’s Daughter

Biggie Smalls

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

More From Our Brands

  • Kids' Reaction to Chadwick Boseman at The Golden Globes Is Giving Us All the Feels
    SheKnows

    Kids' Reaction to Chadwick Boseman at The Golden Globes Is Giving Us All the Feels

  • Chadwick Boseman Won a Posthumous Golden Globe & His Wife’s Speech Brought Us to Tears
    StyleCaster

    Chadwick Boseman Won a Posthumous Golden Globe & His Wife’s Speech Brought Us to Tears

  • Anya Taylor-Joy Wins Best Actress in Limited Series for Queen's Gambit — Golden Globes 2021
    TVLine

    Anya Taylor-Joy Wins Best Actress in Limited Series for Queen's Gambit — Golden Globes 2021

  • Golden Globes 2021: ‘Nomadland,’ ‘The Crown,’ ‘Borat’ Win Top Prizes
    Rolling Stone

    Golden Globes 2021: ‘Nomadland,’ ‘The Crown,’ ‘Borat’ Win Top Prizes

  • The 10 Best Dressed at the 2021 Golden Globes
    FootwearNews

    The 10 Best Dressed at the 2021 Golden Globes

    HollywoodLife

    • About Us
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Advertise With Us
    • Careers
    • Scoops & Corrections
    • Contact Us

    Legal

    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Rights
    • AdChoices
    • Terms of Use
    • Data Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    News

    • Celebrity News
    • World News
    • Exclusives
    • Celebrity Babies

    Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
© Copyright 2021 Hollywoodlife.com, LLC.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP
ad