Kinyette Newman: 65‑Lb Loss & Ms. HERS Bid
Kinyette Newman’s 65‑Pound Transformation and Historic Ms. Health & Fitness HERS Run
- Newman lost 65 lbs and keeps it off by rethinking food as fuel, daily movement, and faith-driven discipline.
- Her campaign aims to be the first Black woman to win the Ms. Health & Fitness HERS competition and magazine cover.
- Supporters can vote daily for free or donate to children's cancer research, with each dollar counting as additional votes.
Urban One’s own Kinyette Newman is turning a deeply personal health journey into a historic bid to make fitness-magazine history and raise money for children’s cancer research.
Newman’s transformation began more than 20 years ago as she watched her mother battle breast cancer three separate times. Sitting beside her during chemotherapy, she picked up a book called “Walking in Divine Health,” a moment she describes as the spark that pushed her to change her life. Since then, the TV One enior Vice President of Production, Finance and Operations at has lost 65 pounds and, more importantly, kept it off for years while helping others pursue healthier lifestyles.
On the Carl Nelson Show, Newman shared how that season with her mother reshaped her priorities. She committed to food as fuel, daily movement, and a mindset rooted in faith, discipline, and community support. “Health is just so important to me,” she explains, noting how many loved ones she has seen struggle with preventable illness and how determined she is to model another path.
A New Relationship With Food
Newman’s weight loss didn’t come from a quick-fix diet; it came from rethinking how she eats and why. Growing up in church and at family reunions, she was surrounded by the familiar staples of Black communal life—fried foods, rich gravies, and sugary desserts—but eventually realized those traditions were taking a toll on her body.
Today, she focuses on foods that “nourish” and “fuel” her. Her plate leans heavily on:
- Raw and cooked vegetables for micronutrients and fiber.
- Lean and fatty meats, combined thoughtfully rather than piled on top of processed sides.
- Limited sweets and refined carbs, which she says dramatically reduced her inflammation, knee pain, and joint issues.
Instead of feeling deprived, Newman experiments with healthy substitutions. When she wants cake, she bakes it herself using almond flour and natural sweeteners. When a craving for fried chicken hits, she turns to her air fryer for that same crunch without the grease. For “ice cream,” she blends protein powder with almond milk, freezes it, and spins it in her machine until it becomes a creamy, high-protein treat.
That strategy—meeting cravings with creativity instead of guilt—has helped her maintain her loss long term while proving to friends, family, and colleagues that healthy eating can still feel like comfort.
Mindset, Discipline, and Community
Newman is candid that the work is ongoing. The key, she says, is mindset: once she changed how she thought about food and her body, everything else followed. She no longer sees herself as someone “on a diet,” but as a woman committed to stewarding her health so she can be fully present for her family, friends, and community.
She also relies on discipline, not willpower alone. By keeping certain foods out of regular rotation and building routines around her healthier favorites, she rarely feels tempted when she’s in a room full of fried fish and sugary sides. Just as important, she frames health as a communal responsibility—something we owe to ourselves and each other so we can show up strong in our families, churches, and workplaces.
Making History with Ms. Health & Fitness HERS
Now, Newman is channeling that personal transformation into a public platform: the 2026 Ms. Health & Fitness HERS competition, a global contest and fundraiser tied to Muscle & Fitness HERS magazine. More than 30,000 women entered this year’s competition, and Newman has advanced all the way to the final eight. The winner will receive the cover of Muscle & Fitness HERS and a feature story highlighting her fitness journey, weight loss, and practical tips for readers ready to change their lives.
In the eight years since this competition began, no Black woman has ever appeared on the cover through this contest—a gap Newman is determined to close. “This is our year to make a change,” she says, emphasizing that her win would not just be personal but symbolic: a Black woman, a cancer-survivor’s daughter, and a media executive representing strength, transformation, and community care on a national fitness stage.
CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR KINYETTE
How the Voting and Fundraising Work
The Ms. Health & Fitness HERS contest combines public voting with fundraising for children’s cancer research. Supporters can help Newman in two ways:
- Free daily votes:
- Visit her official voting page at mshealthandfit.com/2026/kinyette-newman.
- Click “Vote” and verify via Facebook login so your vote is counted; simply clicking without logging in will not register.
- You can cast a free vote once every 24 hours, and Newman stresses that staying consistent through the final days is critical.
- Donation votes for children’s cancer research:
- Supporters who don’t use Facebook—or who want to do more—can donate directly through the same page.
- Every dollar donated becomes additional votes for Newman and goes to children’s cancer research, turning each contribution into both a ballot and a lifeline.
Urban One founder Cathy Hughes and others have amplified Newman’s campaign across social media, urging followers to “stand with a woman who represents strength, transformation, and purpose” by voting daily and sharing the link. Newman’s own posts echo that message, thanking supporters for helping her stay at the top of the leaderboard and pushing for a strong finish as the competition heads toward its April 2nd deadline.
