First we have to recognize that the cause of poverty is both structural and behavioral. And the first thing about the behavior part is that we need a moral revolution within the African American community. Look - no white racist makes you get pregnant when you are a black teenager.
I gave up so many things. It wasn't that I was out of control - it was just years of eating anything I wanted. I wouldn't eat a whole pizza, but if I wanted pizza two or three times a week, I didn't think to limit myself. So I just cut out all the stuff that I viewed as unhealthy.