Top 70 A. J. Odudu Quotes

There’s always a way where we knock ourselves back down. It’s the culture that we’ve been born into.

Running and pilates work hand-in-hand together, and to get a good sweat on, boxing is a great choice.

The biggest obstacle when I was younger was geographical. I was living in Blackburn and the ITV and BBC studios were in London, and I thought: ‘How do I get there? I need to be there.’

On days when I must wear a full face of makeup I’m always careful to take it all off at night!

I love the beach.

When I spoke to pupils at Sydenham School in London, I was shocked and saddened to hear some of the teenage girls say they felt pursuing a career in television was not even worth the effort as a Black woman.

Sometimes someone telling you what to do, and helping you push through often brings out the best in you.

In our living room back home we had a black and white TV, but in our front room, that only visitors got to sit in, there was a colour TV.

A sit-up is a very basic exercise that only puts strain on one small portion of your abs. If you want a washboard stomach you need to work all your core muscles.

If you’re lucky enough to have a Black friend who has tolerated your racist parents while you turned a blind eye to the mistreatment they’ve suffered, maybe start by saying sorry, and then actually change the record. It is that change that could literally save lives, or at the very least, save friendships.

Post-workout smoothies are good for my body, an espresso martini is good for my soul.

Running is endorphin inducing and will power your day.

My motto is never let anyone dull your shine.

When doing my own makeup, I tend to keep it simple for the most part and stick to my go-to products.

I jump at the opportunity to have fun and just be a bit silly.

Come rain or shine you look out onto your garden every single day, so it’s important and uplifting to have it done properly.

Many companies are now promising to educate their employees in a pursuit of a culture that better values and respects diversity and the incredible work of black authors, black owned businesses and grassroot foundations are finally being recognised.

In London everyone lives in small spaces so I found living in flatshares easy. I’ve never been bothered about privacy. If I’m home alone I feel a bit weird, I want people to come round.

The first thing I do in the morning is run up to Greenwich Park and see the views of London, it’s what keeps me motivated… though sometimes it gets too cold and starts raining.

When people are busy, fitness and working out are the first things that people stop doing so we’ve got to be mindful of making time to do it.

If there’s one thing I know, it’s don’t train with a PT unless you’re fuelled.

I like to remember happy memories from my childhood growing up as a girl in Blackburn and while this mostly speaks true, there were also deeply dark and painful days when I experienced shocking racial and cultural bullying.

Pilates is great for stretching and building core strength, which is vital when it comes to getting the most out of your runs.

I like to have the first hour of my day without looking at my phone, the news, the TV or anything. I put on some music, have a shower, have a coffee with oat milk, set my intentions for the day before I do all of that.

Being by the sea is a balm for the soul.

I have experienced first-hand what a confidence boost can do, for my morale, spirit and belief in myself. So to be able to pass it on to one person is brilliant, but to help thousands of people is incredible.

I don’t want to change who I am or where I’m from and online I don’t hesitate to delete and flex the block button.

When it comes to skincare, I keep it really simple in the morning. I wash, moisturise and go.

I’ve been in Nigeria myself personally alone when elections have been going on and it was a bit ropey.

I do not mix business with pleasure.

Foods with a high-water content like cucumber, tomatoes and melon, getting plenty of sleep and learning not to sweat the small stuff to avoid stress were all important in keeping my skin calm.

I nearly drowned in a park pond when I was six years old and I’ve been terrified of water ever since.

I am the sort of person who, if there is karaoke somewhere in the area, I am that person who is like, ‘Let’s go to the karaoke club,’ it’s not necessarily something I plan to do.

When I was a little girl and said I wanted to be inside the TV, my mum really did believe that I could.

Like anything in life, nothing is guaranteed but I’m certainly hopeful of the positive change that could come from the Black To Front Project.

I’m very much a get up and go kind of girl. So just the one alarm for me, never hit snooze!

I was doing lots of work experience opportunities for free, which were amazing but also hard when you don’t have family in London as you are paying for hotels and travel.

I just think we need to keep having open, honest, and encouraging conversations to ensure people are represented across all industries including our TV screens when it comes to diversity.

My parents have a very unconventional arrangement but they are still together and married, my dad lives in London and my mum lives in Blackburn. So they have these honeymoon periods every few months and it’s just jokes.

Carbohydrates have been unjustly vilified as the cause of weight gain.

If you are filled with resentment, try letting that feeling come and then let that feeling go.

Masterclass.com is my favourite place to learn new skills.

A good night‘s sleep makes a massive difference to my day.

I don’t want to have to kneel down to my husband, I don’t want to be submissive.

I might have 10 almonds straight after a workout, then a protein shake and then a meal.

I realised I owned eight pink suits, which I did not need.

Gardens aren’t just for summer.

I was always encouraged to really root myself in a strong sense of self and not to believe all the nasty things people were saying.

When you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing, I think you get the most out of your workout.

Naturally, my workouts vary each week. That said, I try to keep Saturday and Sunday as my rest days.

Excessive eating and lack of exercise are to blame for weight gain, not carbohydrates.

One of the great things about running is that you don’t need fancy clothing or expensive equipment to get started. All you need is a good pair of trainers that are right for you, usually with good grip on the sole and one’s that are comfortable for you to wear.

If yoga was the only thing I’d ever done, maybe I’d think exercise is boring, but there’s more to exercise than downward dogs, or running, or squats.

I looked different, I had different skin, my hair was different, so I would get called names in school. It would always be reflective of what my hair and skin looked like.

2020 is not the year for my love life, sadly.

Dressing up for the gym is just as important as dressing up for a night out! It makes you feel motivated; if you feel you look good, then you feel good.

I’d like to inspire Black girls to think: ‘If she can do it, I can.’

I really just hope people feel able to achieve because of society, and not in spite of it, and I hope it’s not so much of a battle as it was for me.

There are so many highs and lows working in TV. I learnt that the hard way when my contract for ‘Big Brother‘s Bit On The Side’ wasn’t renewed. Nobody gave me a reason, so I felt rotten.

As well as running I enjoy skipping – it’s fun but at the same time really works your body. Moreover, it’s great for your co-ordination and anyone can do it! I tend to skip for around 10 minutes at a time and would do one minute on and then 15 seconds off.

My mum used to take me and my younger sister to work with her. She said: ‘You don’t want to be a cleaner like me.’ We worked as cleaners before we went to uni to save up money so we always had a strong work ethic.

I’m so excited about ‘Cooking With The Stars,’ what an amazing opportunity to actually learn how to cook properly. When I got asked to do it I just thought, ‘I can cook, I can do this,’ and then I got put with a professional chef and realised quickly that actually I’m not a cook.

I just say rise and grind and hustle for the muscle.

Running a marathon is appealing to runners for many reasons. It’s epic! A real test for your mind and body and a challenge that truly fills you with complete elation when you cross the finish line. But it is in no way a trivial undertaking.

For my skin, I take the same clean approach to my skin that I do for my diet.

My trips to Blackpool have created a lifelong love of the seaside.

Being different means being unique and that’s what makes the world and exciting place to be in.

The highs of having a big family were that there was always someone to play with and you get loads of birthday presents. The lows were sharing the bathroom.

My birthday is two days before Valentine’s Day so it has always been about that rather than romance.

There’s only so much cold a Nigerian family can take.