What you need to know
Not only is Naturi Norton bettering herself, she’s also improving the lives of her two children.
The Power actress, 41, recently spoke with PEOPLE ahead of the premiere of her new project, The Friends and Lovers of Eric Jerome Dickey, and opened up about the mental and physical changes she’s undergone over the past few months.
In our conversation, Norton said the positive changes in her mind and body have affected those close to her, especially her son True and daughter Zuri. The actress told PEOPLE that her children with husband Too Lewis often come out to work out together during her sessions with personal trainer Jerry Joseph.
“That was the moment I realized, ‘Oh, this isn’t just working for me, maybe it’s working mentally for the family around me,'” she tells PEOPLE. “They were starting to get active and want to do things with me.”
Kidnapped at an HBCU: The Missing Black Girl movie star went on to say that she is opening up her transformation process to children, adding that she feels “incredible” to include them.
“My son is only 2 years old, but he says, ‘I’m going to work out with mom.’ He tries to lift weights, and it’s so cute,” she says. “I…just let them be part of the process, and my daughter said, ‘Mommy, your belly isn’t as big as it used to be.'” And I thought, ‘Oh, thank you, because you were there at some point.’
“It feels incredible to be able to include my children,” Norton added. “They literally cheered me on from the steps of my house.”
The actress said working out with her kids made the whole process “feel sweeter.”
“It felt great to know that I was supported, encouraged and inspired along the way,” Norton said, praising her trainer Jerry for allowing her family to join her in training. “If I can inspire families and raise their mindsets, it feels really good.”
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The Lottery alum tells PEOPLE that she was able to see her own growth through the eyes of her family. The doting mom said she was encouraged to keep going as her parents joined her in her workouts and reassured her that all her hard work was showing.
“Having had two children, I know that even how I felt after my second birth was like taking back control of my body and how it felt in my own skin,” she says. “And I think that’s something that we often struggle with as mothers. I encourage people to just do what works for them, whatever it is, and don’t apologize for it.”
Norton added, “I really want to feel healthy and active, not only for myself, but for my children as well.”
