To celebrate Black History Month 2023, TheBlack.Blog and HeavieTalk Media are presenting a Black Representation Matters Series. The series will highlight the importance of black representation in all aspects. This month-long series will feature interviews and a daily black history month themed narrated video series. New interviews premiere every week. Plus, narrated videos will be published daily to our Youtube channel highlighting black representation in all aspects, industries and facets.
TheBlack.Blog spoke with Maya Dent, a fitness and treatment advocate, to discuss representation in the fitness industry. Maya Dent is a fitness coach, treatment advocate and the founder of The Journey LLC. Maya is a young and rising wellness coach whose aspirations are to continuously inspire, motivate, encourage, and spread the Gospel through physical activity. She is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, where she developed a passion for health and wellness.
TheBlack.Blog:
Hello everyone and welcome to the Black History Month: Black Representation Matters Series presented by TheBlack.Blog and HeavieTalk Media. We are here with Maya Dent, a fitness and wellness coach. Tell us a little about yourself for those who do not know you.
Maya Dent:
Hi, I am Maya Dent. I am the CEO and founder of FitJourney, LLC. FitJourney LLC is a health and wellness business. I’m just all about promoting healthy living, the Gospel of God, nutrition, and personal training. You name it and I almost have it under the health and wellness umbrella. I’m just continuing to grow and flourish.
TheBlack.Blog:
Since we’re celebrating Black History Month. Let’s start with Black History Month. How do you remember black history growing up?
Maya Dent:
So from kindergarten to sixth grade, I grew up in a community that was predominantly African-American. So Black History Month was very big when I was a kid. In school, we would decorate the classroom and do history research papers on different African-American advocates or influencers. As I got older in high school, I’m not gonna lie, I don’t even really remember. I don’t remember Black History Month in high school. I also moved to a more diverse community. Once I went to college, I was in a black student union. They did stuff for Black History Month but at my college they didn’t want to raise the flag. The townies had a problem with us raising a flag on our campus, so it was like a whole thing about that.
TheBlack.Blog:
Now let’s talk about how you got into health and wellness?
Maya Dent:
So the cliche ‘freshman 15’ in college happened and I had to make a choice to get my life right. Like it was really that simple. It was a me versus me conversation. At that time one of my best friends that I met in college was like a crazy fitness guru. He was in the gym 24/7 and he kind of introduced me to the gym and I went from there. I picked up my own routine and I ended up becoming a group fitness instructor. The story just continues from there. From a group fitness instructor, I decided to get into personal training where I worked at commercial gyms. While working there I just wasn’t getting paid enough so I decided to do it on my own. I launched my business during COVID-19 right towards the end of the summer in 2020. It was a lot going on but I just took a leap of faith. I told myself ‘I’m going to launch this business.’
TheBlack.Blog:
That seems to be the story of so many business owners. Quite a few businesses launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. Talk a little bit about what your experience was like trying to start a business during COVID-19? What were some of the obstacles or challenges you faced during that time?
Maya Dent:
For me, my biggest thing was because I started off the journey teaching in group fitness classes. I kind of missed that atmosphere. I missed teaching people in a group setting because it seemed like it motivated people more versus one-on-one.
TheBlack.Blog:
You’ve mentioned your college experience, ‘freshman 15’ and the impact it had on your health and wellness journey. Tell us more.
Maya Dent:
So freshman 15 happened because me, my roommate and my friend loved late night pizza. So we were always at the pizza place late at night. I’m talking at 12:00 AM. So we were last night eating pizza, ice cream and all of the wrong foods while on a college budget. All the healthier options just didn’t fit in the budget so that’s how I got my freshman 15. My nutrition just sucked.
TheBlack.Blog:
Once you got started on your wellness journey, what was it like trying to find healthy food choices on campus or around campus?
Maya Dent:
So I was a big advocate of breakfast being the most important meal of the day. So for me, I would always try to go to the dining hall and get a skillet or something that had some type of fruit or protein to kick off my day. I did that because I knew that the rest of the day probably would be a challenge. So I always tried to start off strong with breakfast. Once I moved off campus into my apartment, I was fortunate enough to have resources that assisted with groceries. With that I was able to transition to a slightly healthier diet. As far as the dorms though, breakfast was really the only meal I could consider semi-healthy. Lunch was a struggle and so was dinner. The town that my school was in didn’t really have a lot of external restaurants in the neighborhood. We had Subway, Jimmy John’s, McDonald’s, and Dominoes, but no healthy options like Chipotle or Panda Express. So it was hard but I just had to adjust to college life. Things got much better when I moved off campus and after college. Once I left college and post-grad, that’s when I started locking in. I realized what I needed to do. I started doing what I needed to do. I like to feel good when I wake up and I don’t feel good when I’m eating Doritos with turkey meat on top and a bunch of nacho cheese and sour cream. I don’t feel good waking up the next day. So I had to let all of the heavy, unhealthy fattening drive-thru food go. Now granted I’m not perfect. I still eat in moderation. Now it’s more structured and it’s more like a routine. It’s a lifestyle.
TheBlack.Blog:
Let’s talk about your services. What kind of services or packages do you offer?
Maya Dent:
I’m based in Illinois and I offer personal training, semi-private sessions and partner sessions. I also offer strength and conditioning for youth ages six to eighteen. In addition to offering online programming like nutritional programs.
TheBlack.Blog:
What is your most popular service or package that clients seem to love?
Maya Dent:
I think everyone loves the personal sessions just because they get that one-on-one time. It’s almost like when people first embark on the journey they’re kind of nervous and anxious. They worry about being seen in the gym and people looking at them while they’re working out. So people tend to just do the private sessions. Most of my clients are all private. No groups. That’s my most popular thing and it allows them to have one-on-one time with me.
TheBlack.Blog:
Let’s discuss representation in the fitness industry. According to statistics, 5.7% of fitness trainers are African American. Talk about your experience of representation in the fitness industry, not only as a black individual but as a black woman.
Maya Dent:
So, I think everything has a period of evolving and I think that’s kind of where the fitness industry is right now. In the past, it has definitely been predominantly white trainers, especially male trainers. Even if we go the route of African American, we see more males too. But I think now, especially with the power of social media, female and African American female fitness coaches are on the rise. I’ve been seeing a lot of domination, specifically in big cities like Atlanta, even my city, Chicago.
TheBlack.Blog:
What do you have coming up in 2023?
Maya Dent:
It’s a lot new coming in 2023 for The Journey. I’m actually transitioning my name a little bit, but FitJourney will still be underneath the umbrella. Right now I’m launching a couple more things underneath the health and wellness category.
TheBlack.Blog:
We’re at the end of the interview. What is one fitness tip or wellness tip for someone on a very general level?
Maya Dent:
I have two. The first one is my slogan, which is that the journey begins within. The reason I started this business wasn’t to get this banging body or to try to show out. I really started this journey because I needed to feel good inside about myself. I didn’t like how I looked. I woke up every day and was like, ‘ugh.’ I needed some type of change. So I want people to know that this is a journey for you. This is supposed to make you feel good inside so that you can look good on the outside. The final tip is you are what you consume and that’s across the border. So what you eat, what you watch, what you read, and who you hang with, all of those factors play a role in your health and wellness journey.
TheBlack.Blog:
Well Maya, thank you so much for sharing your story with us. We appreciate you participating in the Black History Month Series presented by TheBlack.Blog.
Maya Dent:
Thank you.
TheBlack.Blog 