Growing up in a world where body image ideals were often harsh and unrealistic, Daniella, now a popular online fitness coach @coach_cords, remembers her earliest encounter with body shame vividly. “I’ll never forget standing in the shower at just 10 or 11 years old, already ashamed that my stomach wasn’t flat,” she shares. For many Nigerians and West Africans familiar with the pressure to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards—amplified by television, magazines, and now social media—Daniella’s experience hits close to home. Especially in the era popularly known as ‘heroin chic,’ toxic fitness slogans and diet mantras flooded the mainstream. Phrases like “No pain, no gain”, “Cut carbs!”, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!” and “No rest days” influenced not just Daniella’s view on wellness, but shaped a generation across continents—including urban centres like Lagos and Accra, where Western media has a significant reach.
By her teenage years, the consequences of embracing these extreme fitness messages became evident for Daniella. She found herself battling severe underweight, lost her menstrual cycle for a year, and broke out with persistent hormonal acne. “It took me a long time to realise just how much my approach to training, eating, and general lifestyle was affecting everything—from my skin and mood to my hormonal cycles,” Daniella recounts. Many West African women who try to merge local beauty ideals with global trends can relate to similar struggles. Across various communities, conversations around menstrual health and hormonal balance are often hushed or misunderstood, with some depending on traditional remedies while others chase imported wellness fads, not realizing the risks of imbalance.
Determined to reverse these harmful patterns, Daniella made a vital decision: to become her own advocate and student when it came to women’s health and wellness. She dove into researching the menstrual cycle, nutrition, and sustainable fitness. “The most important lesson? I learned that women’s bodies are fundamentally unique, not just ‘mini men’—our hormones are much more layered,” she emphasises, echoing studies endorsed by global health bodies and local Nigerian gynaecologists. Her healing came when she ditched crash diets and endless cardio. Instead, she started consuming balanced meals, switched to strength training, and paid careful attention to her body’s hormonal cycles. These experiences mirror advice from Dr. Tolu Abiola, a Lagos-based women’s health specialist, who urges that “West African women listen to their bodies rather than follow one-size-fits-all trends.”
“I realised women are not tiny men – our hormones are far more intricate.”
This awareness is still in its infancy across much of Nigeria and Ghana, where many young girls receive limited education on menstrual health or reproductive wellness, often relying on information passed down within families or found online. As societal openness increases—bolstered by influencers like Daniella—more African women are actively seeking data-backed advice, joining local wellness groups, or following relatable voices on social media.
Trivia
Exercise you should be doing, but that you avoid…
For Daniella, pull-ups remain particularly intimidating. “Anything even close to a pull-up. Why are they so hard though?” she laughs. Many Nigerians feel the same—at most local gyms or home centres, you’ll find young people focusing more on cardio or leg work than upper body strength exercises like pull-ups, bench presses, or rows. According to fitness trainers in Abuja and Kumasi, this may be changing as more structured training programs gain popularity, but building upper body strength still feels out of reach for many beginners.
Favourite food that you wish to turn into a low-calorie superfood?
Daniella’s answer: the classic ‘three puff-keteers’—Ghost Pops, Flings, and Cheese Curls. She calls their blend “deliciously dynamic.” If you grew up in Nigeria or Ghana in the ’90s or 2000s, you probably have a similar guilty pleasure—think Gala sausage rolls at bus parks, FanYogo during sunny days, or Yamarita when breaking your diet. For those watching their waistlines, the dream is to find a healthy version without sacrificing taste, an aspiration echoed in dietician-recommended alternatives using local ingredients like plantain chips baked with little oil or spiced akara balls made with less salt.
Fitness trend you’ve sworn off…
Daniella admits she’s abandoned the idea that a workout is only “good” if it leaves her drenched in sweat and exhausted. Instead of measuring success by how drained she feels, she’s learned to prioritise recovery, consistency, and enjoyment. This message is gaining traction in African fitness circles, where many previously believed that “no pain means no gain.” According to Abuja fitness coach Yusuf Sanni, “True progress is steady; forcing exhaustion every session can backfire, leading to burnout or injury.”
Biggest challenge on your fitness journey…
Perhaps the toughest part for Daniella was unlearning habits and beliefs she’d carried for years. She recounts, “The hardest challenge was letting go of everything I once thought was true. I moved forward by learning, really listening to my body, and doing what felt genuinely right for me. Starving and endless cardio only took me further from my goals.” She adds that the breakthrough came once she prioritized her hormonal health, echoing what local experts are now advocating: sustainable results—both physical and mental—depend on respecting individual health, not chasing online trends or celebrity routines.
Get To Know Daniella
Daniella’s journey highlights what many Nigerian and West African women are now experiencing: the importance of embracing body diversity, practicing balanced nutrition, and seeking advice from health professionals rather than relying solely on social media trends. While the influence of Western fitness culture is undeniable, local wellness ecosystems are maturing to combine the best of traditional and modern approaches. For example, nutritionists now encourage swapping deep-fried snacks for grilled or boiled versions and incorporating indigenous superfoods like moringa or tiger nuts. Community aerobics classes and women-centric fitness hubs are springing up in cities like Lagos, Cape Town, and Accra, making balanced wellness more accessible than ever.
What lessons do Daniella’s experiences hold for our communities? First, that good health is holistic—balancing physical activity, nutrition, and mental well-being. Second, that education and open discussion empower both men and women to support each other’s wellness journeys. And third, that fitness and body goals are personal, not dictated by global trends or viral hashtags.
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