Women In Wellness: Q&A With Olivia May

In honour of International Women's Day, we proudly celebrate our Naked Harvest ambassador Olivia May, known on Instagram as @omay_. In an era where the fitness industry has often felt dominated by male voices, Liv shines as a beacon of change, paving the way with grace and determination. For Liv, power extends beyond physical strength - it's about shattering stereotypes and embracing one's true potential. Her message resonates clear: encouraging women to dream fearlessly and challenge societal norms. Join us as we honour her incredible journey this International Women's Day!

WHAT WAS YOUR TURNING POINT IN PURSUING YOUR ATHLETIC DREAM?

Being in the Victorian lockdown during COVID! I feel like this time was a blessing for me… having the opportunity to sit back and reflect on exactly who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do on the other side of the pandemic, without distractions or commitments getting in the way of my decision. I fell in love with health, fitness and becoming the best athlete I could be during this period and knew the lifestyle and opportunities on the Gold Coast were going to help me take my dream to the next level, so I made the move and have never looked back!

WHO ARE SOME WOMEN THAT HAVE INSPIRED YOU AND WHY?

My mum is my biggest inspiration. She has supported me in every sport I have pursued and never missed a game, race or competition growing up. Even at 23, she travels all over the country with me to my races, despite living interstate. I faced plenty of set backs in my sporting career as a young teenager and she taught me the importance of using rejection as fuel to keep growing and evolving and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNGER LIV NOW?

Stay in your own lane, you don’t need to be doing what everyone else is doing. Follow your heart and dream big because you have the potential to do anything!

WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO HAVE ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF FEMALE ATHLETES?

In 2024 it is unfortunately still so common to see female athletes or even females in general under-fuelling their bodies. When I was at the beginning of my fitness journey, unhealthy eating habits saturated my social media feed and I really needed to see more female athletes showing the importance of nutrition and simply eating enough. I really hope that sharing my approach to nutrition can help younger females athletes understand the importance of fuelling for performance and make better nutritional choices to achieve their potential.

WHEN DO YOU FEEL MOST POWERFUL?

I feel most powerful when I’m lifting heavy in the gym. Growing up thinking that women should only do cardio in the gym and that “weight training will make you bulky”, it is so empowering to feel strong and do what I love, despite what society says. 

To support Liv & her mission, be sure to follow her on socials: 

Instagram: @_omay

TikTok: @zo00weemama