Everyone believes I'm only in it for the benefits when I disclose i am saga’s favourite gym equipment and bestie 😎. We've spent countless hours together, each moment filled with the satisfying clanging of metal as we work to make Saga  healthy, stronger and more fit. You have no idea how many selfies I have taken with him, but trust me, as amazing as hanging out with a celebrity, there is nothing better than the days i get to hang out with saga, and his workout buddies, they're really as down to earth as celebrities can be, and occasionally I even forget they're famous (until I open the refrigerator and see a shelf full of smoothies and protein shakes)

We live in Lekki, which is kinda like one of the best places to live in Nigeria except for the occasional rain and floods. As someone who grew up in Lagos, I can confirm], and start our mornings with casual  workout sessions. but there’s no way he’s cranking out 1,000 pull-ups. (Ever heard of Big Brother Naija? Yeah, he got a strike when he jumped up to grab a bar to attempt some pull ups.
Post-workout, I usually tell Saga I’m fine doing my own thing while he makes breakfast with us, but today he invited me to hang out with him, and his friends for a workout session so I decided to ask him to share his workout routine and he did  it’s the little things 😁. 

What is your introduction and background, as a former Big Brother Naija housemate, since there is limited information available about you online?

I am a lagosian. I was born in Lagos, yeah. I studied in the University of Lagos  as an electrical engineer. Coming out, I started drawing when I was jobless, like for a couple of months or so and then I went for youth service in bayelsa. Then  after my youth  service, I went ahead to work in Port Harcourt in the  oil and gas industry for like five years. And then I was also practising my art by the side, and also going to the gym by the side. Coincidentally, this happened when I lost my job. I started practicing and as an online fitness trainer, then I got another job again. all this happened at 2021 then i had to combine,My art, fitness and engineering at the same time, and then big brother came in, and then I became a housemate and then I became a content creator  

So one of the first questions I like to ask is, what inspired you to pursue, pursue a career in fitness and personal training? 

It was interesting to lose my job at the start of the pandemic, but I have always loved fitness. Whenever I look for a new apartment, I also look for nearby gyms. When the pandemic hit and we were all in lock-down, I started a fitness challenge on WhatsApp and eventually moved it to YouTube to encourage people to keep fit. The challenge started with basic exercises like 20 push-ups and 10 sit-ups, and it grew in popularity over time, with more people joining and following me on Instagram and YouTube.

I did this for 30 days, waking up early around 5:30 am to shoot the video till 6:30 am to shoot and edit the videos before posting them on YouTube. Nobody paid me during this time. When I finished the challenge, people asked me to continue, and that's when I realised I could monetize it. So, I started an online fitness club, where people paid me monthly fees for personal coaching, diet coaching, and access to classes from around the world. Initially, I didn't think it was worth it, but the club grew quickly, and I had to open multiple groups to accommodate over 100 people. I continued this until I got another job as an engineer. Even then, I still trained people remotely, organising Zoom classes on Saturdays. My fitness journey changed when I went to Big Brother's house, where I trained physically for the first time. Before that, all my training was done online. This is my fitness story.

How did your involvement with Big Brother relate to your fitness journey, and can you share how you got into the Big Brother house?

As I mentioned earlier, I was doing both my art and fitness full time. Most of my friends thought I was incredibly talented because they knew I could dance and sing. I was also very sociable and could easily bring people together and get them to do things for me. The fitness program I was practicing was online, and people would recommend their friends to me. Some people felt that I was super talented and urged me to apply for Big Brother Naija, even though I had never watched the show before. I simply followed the steps and applied, without knowing anyone or paying anyone for assistance. The application process was very detailed, so I made sure to be honest and thorough in describing my talent and personality. I entered the house and was shocked because I was still working as an engineer at the time. Despite not having any connections in the entertainment industry, I made my official first application and was accepted into the show. It's important to be yourself and not restrict yourself by believing that you need to have connections or pay for assistance.

What are the most common fitness misconceptions that you have come across among your clients, and how do you address them?

I love this, this is a good one. So, there are many popular misconceptions, but let me not say the most popular, as there are so many. There's one that says, for ladies, or for guys and girls, if you're slim, you don't need to work out. It's a lie. People don't just work out for weight loss; you work out for your actual fitness and health. You work out because you should or need to as a human. Every human should work out, whether you are lean or plus-sized, to work out for your lungs. That's one. Secondly, some girls think that if they work out, they will get muscular, their body will be strong, and they would be like a man. That's a lie. Muscles are actually very soft, probably softer than fat. So your body's gonna get strong. If you talk to most guys who work out, they're all teddy bears, except when they flex their muscles, you know, so go to the gym! You wouldn't get to Arnold body size overnight. So don't think you're gonna get too muscular. It takes a lot of sacrifice to get muscular. So go hit the gym.

The second popular misconception is?  People do not believe the importance of diet to work out. Yeah, it's just complicated. There are many misconceptions about diet. Now, weight loss is 70 percent diet or 30 percent exercise. So even muscle gain is 70 percent diet and 30 percent exercise. I'm telling you it's very crazy. Diet is such an important part of fitness  that people don't take seriously. So whatever you want to achieve at the gym, you must first achieve it in the kitchen. You know if you want to build muscle, you must eat right. If not, you'll just be getting stronger and leaner. You wouldn't build any muscle and you wouldn't add muscle mass. If you want to lose weight, it's not just cardiovascular exercise and then you  go home and eat eba. You know, it is cardiovascular exercise, muscle training, and calorie deficits. You must burn more calories than you're eating, so diet is very important.

And the last one  working out doesn't make you short. I'll tell you the most popular bodybuilders are seven feet in height . The funny thing is, most of these people who go to the gym don't even go for their health-related stuff. They go to the gym because they want to grow more muscle; while the ladies, they go to reduce their waistline and one thing they should know is you cannot target where you will lose fat. I repeat, you cannot target where you will lose fat. If you have floppy arms or a big tummy, there's no exercise that you can do that can target where you will lose fat. You lose fat generally. Wow. I'm telling you, like the body is funny. Some people, when they are gaining weight, they gain weight on their ass, some people gain weight on their stomach alone, some people gain weight on their face it differs in individuals

What types of workouts do you recommend for beginners and how do you help them progress? As someone who is new to the gym and often struggles with consistency, what specific workouts would you suggest for me to get started?

People differ in terms of their approach to working out. Going to the gym is not suitable for everyone, as some individuals prefer to exercise at home. To determine the best workout routine for yourself, it is important to understand your personality type. For those who have time constraints, my online fitness program may be ideal. This program provides an online fitness coach who can guide you through exercises to perform at home. For some people, going to the gym is essential. They enjoy the experience of dressing up and going out to exercise. Regardless of your preference, it is essential to start with simple exercises such as jogging, skipping, jumping jacks, shoulder taps, sit-ups, and press-ups. These exercises should be performed lightly at first, with a focus on building consistency. As a beginner, you may be able to do 50 skips one day, but not the next day due to exhaustion. It is crucial to be patient and consistent to see results. Over time, you can gradually increase the number of skips, and before you know it, you will be doing 500 skips daily. With consistency, you will be able to achieve your fitness goals, such as losing weight and building muscle. Skipping is an effective exercise that works your thighs, arms, calves, glutes, stomach, and core muscles. It is important not to attempt the most challenging exercises at once, as this may lead to exhaustion and illness. Instead, start with light exercises, and gradually increase the intensity. Whether you choose to work out at the gym or at home, the key to success is consistency. It is worth noting that it is possible to achieve your fitness goals at home, without the need for a gym membership.

What is your process for designing personalised fitness programs for clients with different goals and fitness levels?

When speaking to a new client, I ask about their workout history and when they last exercised because some may have never worked out before while others may have taken a break. Additionally, I inquire about their weight, waist size, and any medical history. Based on this information, I can create a personalised program. For beginners, I recommend starting with light exercises to avoid muscle soreness or post-exercise sickness, which can be discouraging. It's important to take it easy, have fun, and find a groove. Online fitness programs are also available, and personal trainers can guide beginners from easy to more difficult exercises as they get stronger. The first changes a beginner may experience are in their heart and lungs, which are essential for healthy functioning. Climbing a flight of stairs without panting is a good indication of fitness level. The benefits of exercise are numerous, and I recommend anyone to start with a simple plan and stick with it.

What type of diet do you recommend for beginners?

For starters, the most important thing for a beginner's diet is portion control. It is advisable to write this down, put it on your wall, in your room, or in the kitchen. Control is the first basic step before looking for different types of diets or starting to eat excessively.

Contrary to popular belief, it is a myth that eating late at night makes you fat. Your body works on a 24-hour cycle, so it doesn't matter when you eat. The issue is that people tend to eat junk food at night, which is unhealthy and detrimental to weight loss. Therefore, it is recommended to control the intake of unhealthy foods and maintain portion control.

Nigerians tend to eat too many carbohydrates, such as rice and eba, while ignoring other options like eggs, fish, meat, and chicken. Eating less carbohydrates and more protein can help achieve weight loss goals. For example, bodybuilders can eat up to 15 eggs a day without any problems. Rather than consuming rice with seven wraps of eba or fufu, it is better to eat more protein, including fish, eggs, and chicken. Other healthy food options include yam, potatoes, beans, and oats.

It is better to boil food instead of frying it to avoid excess oil. Additionally, instead of starving yourself in the morning, it is better to consume small portions of nutritious foods like yam and eggs. It is advisable to avoid consuming excessive amounts of food, as some people in Nigeria eat five or six slices of yam in a single meal. It is also important to consume vegetables and fruits, as well as smoothies instead of fruit juices, which contain fibre.

Cutting down on sugar is crucial for weight loss, as consuming too much sugar can increase waist size. It is advisable to measure waist size before and after reducing sugar intake for a month, and you will likely notice a reduction in size without even going to the gym.

What do you think is the most important factor in achieving long term success in fitness awareness?

Well, the most important thing, as I said, is consistency. If you look at one thing that cuts across everything I've talked about, it's consistency. Remember, I said, "If you cut your sugars for a month?" There's nothing you're going to do for fitness one day and cut it and say you've done something. It is very bad because the body wants to be fat since it's protecting itself. It's just a system of survival. If there's a famine, your stomach fat is actually stored, and your body actually feeds off it. But it is not as if your body is doing any harm. Your body is helping you by being fat. So you're fighting your body. The moment you stop whatever program you're doing, your body's going to go back to factory reset, and the moment you stop exercising, you're getting fat, as simple as that. So you have to be consistent, and what can help you to be consistent is if you're accountable to someone. It's good to have a fitness trainer or a gym partner. Not everybody has that strong will to go to the gym and to diet. If you have someone you're accountable to, like when I was doing this thing, then people send me pictures and videos after each workout session. So if you have somebody you are accountable to, like a fitness coach or a friend, that will really help you to be consistent. And once you are consistent with any program, you're definitely going to see changes, and you'd be happier for it.

What's your favourite gym equipment ?

My go-to equipment and the one that I love the most is the pull-up bar. You know, the one where you hold onto it and lift your body up. Yeah, that's my favourite. I love it so much that when I was setting up my home gym, I hired a welder to come and build one for me. When I moved to Lagos, I did the same thing. It's very important because if you want to train your body without equipment, like without going to the gym, it's essential. You can train your back, arms, and even use your legs. Anything that can support your weight is suitable, like a strong couch. This didn't always work out, though. One time I jumped and caught the doorframe, trying to do a pull-up in someone else's house, and ended up causing damage. That was a real strike against me. Despite that, the pull-up bar remains one of my favourite pieces of equipment.

As he packed up my things and prepared to leave, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment and heartbreak 😭💔. It was hard to accept that I wasn't the only equipment, but then I realized that being someone's favourite equipment wasn't the most important thing. What mattered was my work and the joy and fulfilment I got from it making people strong, healthy and fit.