Fitness Training
The Omani Fitness Influencer Smashing Goals and Stereotypes
Adhra Al Yahyai is an Omani fitness influencer who has made it her mission to live her healthiest life and inspire other women along the way.
The 27-year-old is a certified fitness instructor and the face behind the Instagram account @lets.evolve, a platform where she shares daily workouts, meals and wellness tips with friend and fans.
While health is central to her life now, it wasn’t also so. Adhra’s fitness journey began a few years ago while studying abroad. She found that her inactive student lifestyle was beginning to take its toll. When she arrived back in Oman, she knew she needed to make a change.
Adhra's fitness journey began a few years ago
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“In the UK, when I used to walk I would get knee pain because my weight was too heavy for my height,” said Adhra. “I’d always need to stop and sit down on a bench to take a break before continuing on my way. I knew then that I needed to change my lifestyle. It wasn’t just because of the way I looked, but also because of my health.”
Home workouts were her go-to at the beginning. “All I had was a mat and two small weights,” she said. “After I started to make progress, I joined a gym and began doing classes and more resistance training.”
Adhra began sharing her progress and workouts with friends privately on Snapchat. Her content was well received, but she was initially hesitant about putting herself out there with a public social media account. Eventually, with the encouragement of her friends, she decided to take the plunge and start her Instagram page to share her journey publicly.
“Back then it wasn’t the norm to see a girl at the gym working out and taking videos and photos. Even though it wasn’t common, I thought to myself that this is what I love to do and I’m going to do it and if I can motivate or encourage other women to do the same, then all the better.”
Even a relatively short time ago, the fitness space was uncharted territory for women in Oman. According to Adhra, the industry has changed dramatically in a short time, showing a growing acceptance of women in sport in the Sultanate.
“The fitness industry in Oman has become more popular recently, and not just in the sense of people going to the gym and working out, but in the sense that there is more awareness about how to live a balanced life. Now days there are women in Oman competing in all kinds of sports and races and going to the gym. I feel these women are role models because they encourage others to participate in these kinds of activities and not to feel shy or constrained.”
According to Adhra, one of the best things about being a part of the fitness industry is working with women who were in a similar situation to her just a few years ago. Her greatest motivation is seeing the progress of these women and how their lives have changed for the better because of it.
Exercise can be done anywhere anytime
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When it comes to making progress, the power of the mind is one of the most important elements, according to Adhra.
“To achieve any goal, you have to have the right mindset. Having the mental discipline to push through discomfort and the belief that you can achieve what you set out to do is the key to reaching your goals.”
For Adhra, living a healthy and active lifestyle is achievable for everyone. “Exercise can be done anywhere and anytime. You don’t have to go to the gym to work out, you can do it from wherever you are, whether at home or outside. You just need to set you mind to it, be patient and stay committed.”