Boasting a whopping 1.9million Instagram followers, Stef Fit is one of the UK’s leading fitness and wellness experts. She shares her expertise with her huge following and has even launched a fitness app, We GLOW, where you’ll find her sharing her energising and invigorating workouts and delicious, healthy recipes helping to inspire her following to stay fit and healthy in a fun new way.
Stef Fit is hugely passionate about what she does and strives to educate people to reach their fitness goals and, most importantly, to love their bodies.
Whether you’ve simply grown tired of the same at-home workout routines you’ve been doing day in and day out or you’re in need of a little boost to help you achieve your fitness potential, we caught up with Stef to find out her top tips for fitness success and body positivity. Here’s what Stef Fit had to say…
What inspired you to launch your health app We GLOW?
So much of the language around exercise and nutrition for women seems to be about how you look; about losing X number of pounds, getting “holiday ready” or building a bum. My mission with WeGLOW was to shift the focus away from what women look like and towards how they feel. I wanted to create an app which focused on teaching women how to build positive, sustainable habits. Most of all I wanted it to feel inviting, accessible and inclusive; “fitness” doesn’t look a certain way and it isn’t a “one size fits all” approach – everyone deserves to feel good about themselves.
What advice do you have for those struggling with body confidence?
There’s no end goal for body confidence or positivity; we’re always on a journey with it. There will always be days when we feel on top of the world and others who feel less comfortable in our bodies. My advice is to take the pressure off yourself to love your body everyday and instead focus on small things you can do that make you feel good; spend time with friends, get a good night’s sleep, eat foods that fuel you, or get outside for some fresh air.
What do your workout sessions involve?
I always try to listen to my body, so my workouts vary depending on how I feel that day. When I’m short on time or feel particularly energetic I’ll do a HIIT or conditioning workout. On other days I’ll feel powerful so I’ll do a strength session and then sometimes I just want to do a simple stretch or go for a walk. That’s why with WeGLOW, I really wanted to create a variety of different workout options that suit every mood so that you have the ability to adapt your training based on what feels right for you that day.
Step out of your comfort zone & face your fears. Growth takes place when you are challenged, not when you are comfortable.
What are your 5 top tips to lose weight in a healthy way?
I want to preface this by saying that there is so much more to exercising than simply just to lose weight. But my top tips would be;
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Move regularly and consistently – have a structure and plan in place that works for you and stick to it, not just for a week or a month, but over multiple months
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Losing weight requires eating in a calorie deficit – this means eating less calories than your body is burning. Remember that “healthy” doesn’t necessarily mean low calories; pay attention to portion sizes and your own body’s individual needs.
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Be patient – losing fat doesn’t happen overnight, it should be a slow and steady process done through daily habits and actions
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Stick to the basics – there’s no need for detox teas or juice cleanses, they’ll only make you miserable and give you short-term results. Focus on a consistent training programme that involves both resistance training and cardio, along with eating in a calorie deficit.
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It’s not all about the scale – scale weight can fluctuate for so many different reasons, from poor sleep to stress to hormones. This is why it’s so important to take your scale weight with a pinch of salt and use other measures to gauge progress; like measurements, photos, or how your clothes fit.
What are the best exercises to develop a toned booty?
I love questions like this as it’s such a good opportunity to de-bunk fitness myths! There is really no such thing as ‘toning’; when it comes to exercise you can either increase the size of your glutes by doing a structured weight training programme and applying progressive overload to build muscle or you can reduce your body fat through a calorie deficit and exercise to make the muscle you have already more visible!
If you want to build muscle in your glutes my favourite exercises are hip thrusts, squats, and deadlifts.
Finding the motivation to get up and exercise can be challenging some days. What are your tips to stay motivated?
You won’t always be motivated and this is where creating habits and discipline comes in. I try to remind myself that movement is ultimately a form of self-care! I know I deserve to feel good, and I know moving my body will help me to feel that way. I also think having a plan and programme in place is really important. This is why I created the foundation programmes in WeGLOW; from home to gym to all abilities – each programme has a clear structure laid out so you can jump right in and get it done!
My advice is to take the pressure off yourself to love your body everyday and instead focus on small things you can do that make you feel good.
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What are some of your main tips to stay fit and healthy at home?
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Move in a way that you enjoy
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Make sure you have a good playlist or podcast
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If you struggle to self-motivate or get easily distracted then follow along with real-time workouts (this is exactly why I created the Glowing Live section in WeGLOW)
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Speak to your best friend
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Try a new recipe – don’t just resort to your favourite takeaway or meal from the shop, try and cook something that will make you feel proud and nourished
If you are looking to collaborate with Stef Fit or other fitness influencers, check out The Handbook’s Celebrity & Influencer platform.