Building Perspective Podcast with Jackson Digney - Episode 8

Hi, I'm Claire Sanderson and I've just recorded another episode of Just as Well with Gemma, with Ayunda Okanovo. Ayunda is a PT, a social media content creator and she also created women's health latest four week training plan. It's a four week full body re-conversation plan. So she talks about her own fitness journey. She retired from professional football when she was in her late teens. She went to university but like many of us gained a lot of weight when she was there. So she decided to hit the gym herself and overall her health. She then qualified as a PT and during COVID started filming content from her living room and she now has millions of followers online. Her content is funny, it's relatable, it's useful. I follow her and I've learned things that I didn't know and I'm someone who has been training for 30 years so it's good for absolute beginners or those who feel they have more experience. If you would like to try the training plan, it's available now to women's health members on the women's health app so if you are a woman's health collective member and you use our app regularly you'll find it there but if you're not a member you can go online search for the four week body re-conversation plan, give us your email and we'll send you the full training plan so you can get stuck in. As always like and subscribe to this episode to help us grow and do send it to anyone in your life that you think would enjoy it. Thank you. Oyinda, welcome to Jess as well. Thank you for having me. Thank you. So you have had a busy day today. You've been recording workout videos to accompany the training plan which you have created for women's health audience, the four week body re-con plan. How did that go? It was good, a lot of sets, a lot of reps, my arms were like jelly, it was actually like continuous but it was good, it was good to find, obviously me and the guys, everyone was super super helpful but yeah I can't wait for everyone to see it but yeah the workouts are they're brutal but they're fine so yeah, that's the best combo. Yeah, it's a beautiful but fun. Brewerful fine, yes. Yeah. Can't wait to get stuck in. So you're a fitness influencer. How do you feel about the title influencer? When you said it, my faithful of it all, people feel like it these days. I want you, would you would content creator? What would you put in? Yeah, it's a hard one because I think influencers come with a lot of bad connotation, like we tell something that you wouldn't influence it, like you just get cameras around but I would say I am an influencer because I do, I would hope anyway that influence people to work out, get into fitness and stuff like that. So I mean I don't mind influencer, but obviously content creator, a bit of both I would say but yeah I don't mind whichever one but I think influencer these days, when you say you're an influencer, people think of something like pretending to be doing anything. You just not doing anything, you just sit at home, but. Yeah, just preloading. Yeah, just preloading and I think a lot of people think we just because we don't do anything at all but we do, we do a lot of things but yeah so can't take away enough influencer, I don't mind. The good thing about your content is you're encouraging people to train and to move and to take care of themselves and prioritize health but you do it in a way whereby it doesn't feel threatened in or unachievable or someone who. Well it's she's had it easy, of course it's easy for her because she's got this. Yeah, you've done it in a way where it's like training with a mate and I think that's really good and it's a great balance for women to have, it's not a case of to look like me, you have to cut out everything fun and kill yourself in the gym. Was that a conscious effort or is just that how you've approached training yourself anyway? Yeah, so like when I started creating content, I think when I first started off my content was very serious, it was very much do this, do that but then I realised I wasn't really getting my personality across so I wanted to make fitness fun for people especially when people come on my page I really wanted to be like okay cool, she works out but she also has fun doing it. I think with fitness and health these days it could be quite daunting for a lot of people especially if you're a beginner you've never gone to the gym, you know you've got do this, do that and there's mixed information everywhere and I hope that when someone comes on my page it's like a for fresh red like you know what that she's not taking it too seriously but she knows what she's doing but she's approaching it in a fun way that people can you know find it engaging or relatable, I forgot a lot of my content I've told myself that I want to make it relatable to people like you're not going to always have a good day training it's going to be bad sometimes you might make city mistake look city at the gym but it's okay to feel like that because I remember I was a beginner once and I there was so many things online and I was like overwhelmed I was like wait someone's telling me to do one thing and someone else is telling me to do another thing but where's the fun in all of this so I think for me I think over time I definitely wanted to get my personality out there but also show people that fitness doesn't have to be too serious you can actually have a bit of fun while still in it you know I like the video you did you're cutting carbs and I thought oh no don't cut out carbs you know you need to and then I locked you literally cutting up a bagel yeah yeah yeah physically cutting it and I thought that's brilliant yeah because that's a fear that you know a lot of people have I mean I completely get it if you compete in and you step it on stage or your top athlete but for the everyday person health is in eating things you enjoy as well yeah I think as well like you know on that note like carbs I think we're actually we're women I think with women as well we have obviously so much going on with hormones you go and it's like you know we need carbs we need those things nose nutrients in our body because you know carbs is energy is fuel your brain needs carbs so it's like you know when someone's telling you carbs and someone else telling you actually know you do need carbs it's just it's all confusing and obviously a lot of women suffer with that PCOS and you know something we get pregnant and stuff like so it's like you know we can't compare ourselves to like men in the way you know so it's like we have to make sure that you know our hormones are happy and I think you know in the you know the world people are like oh carbs are bad for you should eat carbs it's like no you can eat carbs it's just everything's moderation you know you can still go out have a bagel it's not going to kill you you know I mean I'll admit it I was never someone who thought a cruise holiday would be for me I love wellness I love travel the cruising was never on my bucket list until I tried one and now I'm sold what I love most was that it genuinely allowed me to switch off which as a working man just doesn't happen very often on celebrity cruises edge series ships like celebrity excel apex and ascent there's this incredible balance of wellness and relaxation but also fun and ease sunrise yoga overlooking the oceans spent an afternoon in the spa eating amazingly well and still have loads of quality time with family of friends there's also something really calming about being surrounded by the sea and waking up somewhere beautiful every day without having to constantly pack and plan I came home feeling properly rested and recharged physically and mentally so if you've ever been a bit hesitant about cruises like I was celebrity cruises might just surprise you too plan your cruise today at celebrity cruises.co.uk you mentioned you've been on your own fitness journey yeah and take us through that because you you have posted your before pictures yeah yeah although I noticed that you don't do too much of that because I don't necessarily like the whole before and after yeah but it is inspiring to see that you started somewhere because I would much prefer to take advice from someone who has been on their own journey and who maybe can understand and empathise what their audience is going through. Yeah 100% I think so when I first started I used to play football so I used to play professionally for a while I went to until the age of like 19 and I was training I think training has never been new to me because I see as a footballer you know training like three times a week you're playing matches on the weekend and stuff like that and but then I just I didn't really love the sport anymore I didn't love playing it still watch it but still just didn't love playing it and then I went to university I played for the uni team for a while but then it's just to train it as it was for me it was just the mental side of the game so I decided to just quit football and then obviously I started piling on the way you know you're going to uni this freshers weekend or you know eating a cabab after a night out for some alcohol you know what I mean like you're you're eating a lot of food so obviously over time I was still going gym but obviously you know you can't out train a bad diet I was gaining the weight until one time I just looked in the mirror I was like you know I was really uncomfortable with the way I look especially in clothes and I was like okay cool I can't keep feeling like this like I'm actually I used to be an athlete I need to get back on to it so for me you know I was doing a lot of research about gym like working out I was training as a footballer is training to just be like a lifestyle so I would look at other content creators and I think since then I was just very intrigued about fitness in general especially like women's fitness but then I realised you know a lot of people a lot of women in my you know space that you know being a black woman like no one looked like me and I was just was like to myself you know what I really want to start documenting my journey I feel like hopefully someone can look at me and you know gain some inspiration from me so you know during lockdown you know we were all locked in I was graduated from uni I graduated applied for loads of jobs obviously everyone was telling you down because of Covid so I just ordered a trap out of Amazon I was like you know what since everyone's been catching the 5k everyone's lifting water bottles and rice and stuff I'm just going to start filming my journey whoever wants to see it sees it whoever I inspire I inspire and I and I did actually just started in my mom's living room, you know, just found a mood all the couches and everything. found a map and then literally just started filming home workouts for people. And then literally, I got the 1000 followers and then it started growing. I didn't really care about the followers at the time because I was just up for me. It was more like an escapism because I felt like in real life I was like failing, like, "Oh, graduate from uni, no job." Still working like part-time at H&M somewhere. And I was just like, "I just need to forget about all of that." So yeah, I just started documenting my journey and my pages to start growing. People started messaging me for advice and stuff like that and started, you know, sending me lovely messages. And then literally, here we are now. And it's just kind of grown. And now I just, you know, I always have like page to me moments when I'm doing things like this because it's like, I started off with literally my mom's living room. So you're in gym shark, have you? Yeah, gym shark athlete. And then trying to, you know, you know, try to make, I guess, inspire more people, especially women who look like me to like actually work out and just move their body more. Because it's not just about physical appearance, I think it's just about your mental health as well. And I think fitness is an escapism for a lot of people, which it was for me as well. So you trained as a PT after that? Yeah, so whilst I was at uni, I did summer school. Yeah. And I was, whilst everyone was obviously breaking up for the next year, I was doing a 9 to 5 every day, basically doing a PT course. And I did my exams and I passed. So I had like my PT qualifications. So whilst I was still at uni and then whilst I finished, you know, I was like, you know what? I should probably use this qualification, yeah. So I applied for loads of gyms and eventually one picked me up and said, yeah, we were likely to be a PT and I'm, yeah, just started PT. I love how you said, like women who looks like you because I was going to ask you growing up, did you have someone who you aspire to be like? Did you sit, I mean, for me, it was Zena, warrior princess. Or was it jet from the lab? Jet as you've said. Jet from the lab. Jet from the lab. I used to look at jet and be like, I want to be like jet when I grow up. Who was your inspiration growing up? I would definitely say my mum. No. Not if I try to be like, you know, cute as a mother. No, because my mum, I think my mum, like, my mum used to also play football. Back in her day. And, you know, I think she's always kind of taught me that, look, you just be like, chew to yourself, be true to you are. And always kind of like trust the process because, especially during COVID, I was really beat myself up about, you know, not having a job, not being able to, you know, you know, when you finish uni, you think, oh, you have graduated now. All these job offers are going to come into me. And I was really like shocked about, you know, the outcome. So I think my mum definitely knew someone that I look up to because she has that resilience. And she's always kind of reminded me like, look, you're going to be fine. You just got to keep, keep going, you know, just keep on it. So yeah, I would say definitely my mum growing up. I was someone I was like, you know, like, she's a strong woman. Like, I wouldn't want to be like her when I'm older. So yeah, that's lovely. Yeah, I'm not even trying to be cute or anything like that. Yeah. I'm just so proud of that. You can say that about us. Yeah. I think, well, yeah, now I'm like, my daughter might about me. I'm an embarrassment to my son. For any listeners listening now who are going to take on your workouts in women's health, which I advise you to do because we saw a bit of the film and it does look brutal but fun. I'm going to take that. What advice would you give them to someone who's thought, you know what, I've not done any training before, but I'm feeling inspired. I'm going to give it my best shot. What's the advice? I always say to people, form overweight, just do it. Do the exercise properly. You don't need to feel like you need to lift the most heaviest weights and go crazy. It's just all about making sure you're getting the right form, making sure you're doing it properly and then slowly build yourself up. I think a lot of us be full pressurised to just go down a deep end straight away, but just take a time of it, get the exercises right, feel comfortable doing them and then slowly progress it up. There's something uniquely restorative about waking up somewhere new every morning, be it the Mediterranean, the Caribbean or beyond without unpacking, planning or ration. I should know, I've tried it first hand. 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I said, "No." I thought she said that too. I said, "Now I've been in the gym for 30 years." Yeah, yeah, yeah. You just need to perfect your form first and then you can go. It takes time, yeah, yeah. I think, like, and I think it's all like, I'm still learning stuff. I'm constantly learning. I think fitness is just a, it's a good environment to learn new things. You might think you'd know it all, but actually, someone might tell you that actually you've been doing it wrong for like, you know, a couple of years. And like you said, you've been training for 30 years. And, you know, I'm sure along the way, things that you were probably doing before when you first started, you probably find it more confident now. And neither you, you know, you've been training for a while. So I think people really underestimate how important it is to just take a time and actually learn about your body, see what your body likes, what your strengths are, your weaknesses are. Play on your strengths, work on the weaknesses, and then, you know, slowly build from that. And don't let ego get in the way. Yes, that's what people do. You see people are doing swinging their arms, the legs, and then they get injured. They get injured and they're like, "Oh, why did I get a walk out here and what did I do wrong?" And it's like, "Mate, your form's out." You know? Do you think social media has a part to play in that? I mean, there's a lot of people, I've seen influencers where they're doing a seven week transformation, and they'll stand in front of the camera, week two stand back in front of the camera. And all the time they're in front of the camera, they've still got the same pile of washing in the back, the same light on. So you can tell it's not really, it's not real. It's not real something. Yeah, but there'll be some people seeing that, going, "Oh my gosh, they did that in just six weeks. I want to do it." Is that, do you think why so many people want fitness so quick and so fast because they think it's achievable? Yeah, I think definitely social media plays a big part to it. I think because people know that consumers want quick fixes, so they play on people's insecurities to get the quick fixes. People need to be very careful who they follow on social media, because if you're constantly taking in that type of information, you're going to think that it's the norm, when it actually isn't, you know? You might see changes in four weeks, but your glutes won't grow in four weeks. It'll take months realistically, unless you've been under the knife, which again, some people might have, but again, you just won't know, because there's just so much information out there. Now we've got AI as well. Yeah, it's frightening. It's almost like it's frightening, because you can take anyone's information and they're making it to something that isn't, you know? That's what annoys me when you see these glute programs and the girl advertising them. And again, I'm one of them. Do what everyone can do what they want to the body, you know? But she's blatantly had a Brazilian butt-lift. Yeah, yeah. And saying it's through squats. Yeah. And it's like, well, you know, you squat some maybe maintain it, but you know, it wasn't that what- Yeah, I always say to people, I feel like honesty is the best policy, you know? Yeah. You can have a BBL, it's your body, your choice. But just be honest and say, guys, I've had a BBL, but I know I still have to do these exercises in order to maintain this procedure I've got done, you know? Even if it's not a BBL, it's so easy to edit video. Yeah, yeah. And then, you know, five years ago, it was you could edit images, stills. Yeah. Now it's so easy. And you can use really quite crude AI platforms to do it. You don't need to be a technical person. Yeah. Like you can download really easy to follow, easy to use. Yeah. So you just don't know what you can trust. Why do you think your content does stand out in a very noisy space? Because wellness on social media is a noisy, oversaturated, sometimes dangerous space, because you've got tips and tricks being shouted about that could potentially be damaging to health. Of course. My content is very relatable. And I'm a bit silly online. I'm not too serious. Like, I think I can be serious, but there's also that balance of just that goofiness. And I think I'm just being myself. And I think for that, a lot of people can relate to. And I'm not always talking about, you know, for example, weight loss or weight gain or anything, you know, that comes with appearance. I'm talking about things that you can relate to. Like you said about, you know, cutting carbs and being silly, actually cutting bread. It's just, I think, for me being relatable makes me stand out, you know, because I think a lot of people, a lot of fitness content creators are out there. But, you know, we all know that you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. Like, you know, you need to eat more protein and stuff about that. But it's like, can people actually relate to you as a person and feel safe around what you're posting? Zeim hope you wished upwch, mae wedi'r Cymru, ' Chŵwweithنau ilwyd o'da'r swyd o ľ Señ neur a ddymrach yn gallu â elwyd meddwlYour waste openfyr undag llawr ♫ ("Haul cô Freistan" Bismill Paragliolîn Gdyn Calrue pronoun o communion sar nigga ♫–Tryn gychres a'r Streizor Shakelei Olyad Cymru'n Gdyn. Ryd yr 186» ♫Unf i'n dwyseld cy water lywod cladas Tou niwan teeth Lyoddach mafodi'u mantefyd Lyop ond Impf Pterdynnym yn gwneud gwneud ac statutory yn him [The Song Tael Gu] Llyht Cavall yn ten i ddol a'r chne단ol Moraewn Ar sign onn y lluff yn y llyweddach yn y llyweddach a'r gydwysgol yn y llyweddach yn y llyweddach a'r gydwysgol yn y llyweddach a'r gydwysgol yn y llyweddach a'r gydwysgol yn y llyweddach