CELEBRITY INTERVIEW
MY LIFE IN HEALTH
Former Strictly Come Dancing dancer Ola Jordan opens up about rediscovering her body confidence from losing three and a half stones and how it’s also improved her sex life!
I’ve been a dancer since I was seven and dancing professionally since age 17.
Dancing and fitness were my life but after leaving Strictly, a show that required sometimes 10 hours of training daily to get our celebrity partners show-ready, James and I didn’t need to rehearse even half as much in preparation for our couples’ shows. Over time, my fitness reduced and during my pregnancy I didn’t exercise because after having IVF, I didn’t want to risk putting myself under strain. Last summer, I was at a soft play centre with my daughter Ella, struggling to keep up with her and thinking: “I don’t want to be here because I find it so hard”.
The UK went into lockdown three weeks after Ella was born and, like for many people, food became a comfort.
A year later, we were grieving the loss of James’s dad, Allan, who passed away in March 2021 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. We would sit on the sofa every night watching a movie eating crisps and tucking into a sharing bag of Minstrels. I couldn’t help myself and, because we had also let our exercise regime slip – something so many new parents will relate to – my weight crept up.
Last summer, we went to a barbecue and a friend mistakenly thought I was pregnant again. He said: “I’m going to pour you a little glass of Champagne, just to pretend that you’re drinking. I won’t tell anyone”. I couldn’t believe it!
Then one sunny afternoon, James and I were messing about by our pool and a friend took pictures of us. Seeing us side by side looking so out of shape, overweight and unhealthy (James had also gained three stones and hit 15st 6lb) was a shock. I decided to post the picture to social media to give myself a wake-up call. It was hard pressing that button to post it to the world, but something in me told me I wanted to as it would spur me into action as I no longer recognised myself.
Once I began on my health journey, I lost 1st 9lb within the first month.
James and I committed to cutting down on all the bad stuff. I’m not saying we don’t eat chocolate and crisps now and then, but it’s now very much in moderation.
We also began working out at home, doing what we know best, dancing, which was lovely because we introduced Ella to those workouts. The three of us would be cha-cha-ing a
