Modern Flavor Magazine 1/2015 Modern Flavor Magazine 1/2015 | Page 3

come true on a daily basis, and though she never set her sights on
inspiring others, that’s just what she does daily, weekly, monthly on
social media just by her presence. If you’re blessed enough to be in
her good graces, and have a personal connection with Elissa
Gabrielle, then you know whether it’s four o’clock in the morning or
three o’clock in the afternoon, she is always there with a listening ear,
a shoulder to cry on; a soldier who will fight with you and for you.
If you have been paying attention, there’s no denying that the ray of
sunshine has a more lean appearance and she’s finally opening up
first to Modern Flavor Magazine with an exclusive interview and oneon-one conversation about her life’s transformation.
I sat down with Elissa Gabrielle and we had a very real and honest
conversation about life, health, weight, womanhood, motherhood and
how she juggles all of her multiple responsibilities and still finds time
to focus on a healthy lifestyle.
“I have always been plus-size. I cannot remember a day in my life
where I wasn’t,” Elissa Gabrielle revealed as we sat in my North
Carolina home, sipping tea, laughing, talking and joking about all the
pleasantries and pains of life. “And I cannot remember a time where
someone didn’t try to make me feel less than zero because of it.” I
went on to ask her a series of questions and Elissa Gabrielle’s
answers will amaze and inspire you all at once.
Any heartache involved with being overweight? Can you recall
any specific incidents?
Heartache, of course. Ask any person who has carried more than
their fair share of pounds and they’ll share with you many stories
about how cruel people are. I’ve had to deal with seasons of in laws,
former coworkers and fair-weathered friends who belittled me
because of my size. Albeit, the amount of people aforementioned
were small, however, the affects of their cruelty packed a powerful
punch. I became a caricature of sorts and was no longer a human
made of flesh and blood to some. I was the joke. The elephant in the
room. I was the topic of roundtable discussions. It was quite
disgusting. I think that part made it easier for people to say what they
wanted, when they wanted and how they wanted. One of my life’s
quotes and mottos is “I treat people with respect, love, kindness and
grace not because of who they are, but because of who I am.” It’s