A. J. Odudu

“A good night's sleep makes a massive difference to my day.”

“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.”

“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.”

“I love the beach.”

“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.”

“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.”

“With the support of my family, my constant pillar of strength and protection, I have risen above hate with love and excellence, and a very strong sense of self.”

“There's only so much cold a Nigerian family can take.”

“Running is endorphin inducing and will power your day.”

“I think it's really important to embrace what's different about yourself.”

“Let's face it: life, and the way skin reacts to it, can be unpredictable.”

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

“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.”

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

“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.”

“People who are exercising to lose weight often try cutting out carbs, but that's when you need them the most. Don't you dare put down the sweet potato!”

“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.”

“I felt like a lot of odds were stacked against me to begin with, be it financial, racial, class, gender.”

“I'm thrilled to be part of Channel 4's Black to Front - which quite rightly gives a platform to deserving Black British TV talent across our industry, both on and off-screen.”

“Variety works for me and the reason I've been able to maintain a certain level of fitness is because when I get bored I just admit I'm bored, then I switch it up.”