Getting fit with fitness expert Sunny Akhigbe

Certified Fitness Expert, Sunny Akhigbe

They say summer bodies are made in the winter, but what about FALL? As we transition from summer to fall, the chilly weather makes us want to bundle up inside. Studies show that most of us will gain 5-7 extra pounds during the colder months. I turned to Certified Fitness Expert, Sunny Akhigbe, for his advice on how to keep the pounds off. Sunny thrives off helping others through his fitness classes, one on one training, and utilizing his motivational personality. Sunny also is the founder of the non profit “A Boy And His Dream” that seeks to provide youth the ability to take charge of their lives and overcome obstacles and adversities. Make sure to visit Sunnys website sunnybiggyfitness.com and read on below for my one on one interview with Sunny! His main focus is to get us back to the basics!

Tavi J. One on One Interview with Certified Personal Trainer
Sunny Akhigbe

Tavi J and Sunny Akhigbe

As Chicagoans, once the weather warms up you see people running, biking, and pretty much taking care of all their fitness needs outdoors. How do we transition our summer routines into an indoor workout routine?

It’s pretty simple. Get back to the basics. People think to do specific things regarding health and wellness that you need to overdo things or you need a gym. You can do simple things at home with low weight dumbbells or bands for glute work. Most of my clientele right now are women. I always tell the women I train to buy simple things. Buy a yoga mat, buy kettle bells, and some bands. The specific focus of women are glutes, arms, the neck area, and the core. I always tell them although gyms are nice you can pick a room at home to exercise in.

What are specific workouts we can do in our homes?

If you don’t have disabilities and you’re able to do anything without restrictions there’s tons of workouts you can do at home. There’s jumping jacks, squat jumps, lunges, crunches, dumbells, running in place, burpees. One of the exercises I have people do is jumping jacks with 3lb weights. If you’re doing this for 5 weeks/ 100 a day… you’ll be ripped.

So basically you’re saying we don’t need anything fancy in order to work out?

You may not be able to subscribe to a gym cause that’s expensive, but that shouldn’t stop you from working out. Take the gym to your home.

Everyone is at different levels of fitness, but on average how often should we be working out a week?

3 to 5 times

For how long?

15 minutes to an hour. The reason why I say that is because there’s different programs. You need to challenge your body to relieve the endorphins that are weighing you down. Something has to go. Something has to give. Now if you’re only doing 15 minutes it needs to be a HIIT program with high intensity training intervals. However, if you’re not doing a HIIT workout I recommend 45 minutes to an hour training.

Let’s say we’re working out 3 to 5 times a week from 15 minutes to an hour, technically how many pounds can you lose in one week?

It depends on your body type and how much you’re eating. If you’re eating frequently and giving your body what it needs your body will respond to what you need. For example if you are dehydrated your body is empty and you’re depriving your body. If you deprive your body of fluid such as water your body isn’t going to function well. You can reverse that by drinking a gallon of water a day. Water helps you lose weight.

Can you tell us a little bit more about Sunny Biggy Fitness and your workout journey?

My workout journey started when I was heavily depressed. I was withdrawn from society because of how I was born. I was born into severe adversity in Nigeria and I struggled with setbacks in education and family. That’s why I set up a foundation called “A Boy And His Dream.” The trauma that I had kept accumulating until I was 40 years old. I’m 46 now. People always assume I’m in my 30’s. I feel like I’m in my 20’s because I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing with my body and my energy is crazy because I work out. Physical fitness heals me to help me deal with my traumatic situations in life.

What led you to start working out?

I needed something to relieve my pain. Out of anger I started doing push ups and stuff like that and when I was finish all my angry feelings were gone. So I was like this is my therapy that can give me healing. It keeps me calm. If it wasn’t for exercise I would probably be in prison right now because I was always angry. Now I feel free. People ask me why I’m always happy and it’s because I have my freedom.

How long ago did you start working out?

17 years ago. My body started looking good and someone told me I should consider competing. At that time I didn’t know much about the competition world. I started researching and I started finding out about body builders like Arnold Schwarzenegger. I was like WOW I want to be like that!! So I started my journey and became a professional body builder. It’s a lot of work and determination day in and day out. If you want to take it to that level discipline is a must. I’ve competed and won at the local, state, and national levels.

How long have you been a Certified Personal Trainer for?

Since 2014

Working out has helped you deal with the pain of your childhood. Can you tell us more about how you’re trying to help youth through your non-profit organization “A Boy And His Dream?”

I started my non-profit in 2015 to support underprivileged youth. A child that has no representation is rejected and disrespected. I also wrote a book called “A Boy And His Dream” and I’m working on a second book. The foundation is funding scholarships for the youth. We have 8 to 16 children in college right now, but the goal in the next 10 years is to fund 100 kids through college. We’re also packing meals in Nigeria to help kids with malnutrition.

What fitness advice do you want to leave us with?

It’s all about mindset. What you believe you can achieve.