If you’re looking for motivation, look no further! We chat with fitness influencer Liney Bezuidenhout about her fitness journey and her advice to add some extra oomph to your workout routine as we head into spring.
South African-born, Oman-raised Liney moved to Cape Town when she was 17 and is based in Blouberg. The 23-year-old now balances her studies in communication with an active Instagram profile that focuses on fitness, wellness and taking a holistic approach to feeling good.
My fitness journey:
Unfortunately, the start of my fitness journey wasn’t well-intentioned. I feel like a lot of women can relate to being bombarded with messages about how you should look. I fell victim to this, too. At 13 I started doing Pilates secretly in my room, chasing a thigh gap. After a few years I picked up the pace and threw myself into the HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) scene before I realised my body was drained and I wasn’t getting any results.
I then discovered my love of strength training, which I continue to do to this day. However, I believe in a holistic approach to fitness – you can be fit and healthy doing various different forms of exercise, as long as you find what you love.
What brings me joy:
There is something magical about the community I’ve immersed myself in through my page. I’ve met incredibly strong and ambitious women and I can’t tell you how important that has been. Surrounding myself with like-minded people has truly kept me on a positive trajectory.
My challenges:
For most of my journey I battled with mental health, and developed anorexia and bulimia during the lowest and most self-critical parts of my journey. That was definitely not easy to get through, but I hope that in sharing my journey I can inspire women to chase being STRONG over being skinny – or whatever other standard is imposed at the time.
What I hope my followers see:
Someone who is trying her best to achieve her goals. I am not perfect, and I don’t try to pretend to be. I try to portray an accurate representation of my fitness journey, which is filled with ups and downs and countless obstacles.
I also try my best to share positive, encouraging and informative content that inspires people to start their fitness journeys, no matter how much experience they have. I think going to gym for the first time can be quite daunting, so I try to share tips that make that process a lot easier
to embrace.
“I absolutely love going to the Oranjezicht City Farm market, Jarryd’s Eatery, Grumpy and Runt or the Deck in Mouille Point when I’m in town. These places have the best vibes, views and food!”
Spring Clean your Routine
Work Out Outside! Change it up by getting active in the sunshine. From hiking to promenade walks to padel, there is bound to be something that strikes your fancy that will help you work up a good sweat. Just remember some sunblock!
Curate your Playlist. Sometimes a good rap mix does the job and other times 2000s bangers are what get you most motivated – whatever you’re into, create your own playlist or find thousands of ready-made options. Just donít forget your earphones!
Find a Partner. Find a workout partner to help keep that fire in you alight. Most people tend to push themselves a bit harder when they’re working out with someone, so teaming up with a reliable friend may be just what you need to stay dedicated.
Understand your Body. We are all so different – from how we like to exercise to the foods we feel best eating. The hardest thing to do on any fitness journey is to tune othersí opinions out and focus on what works for you.
Rest Up. It’s essential to give our bodies time to rest and reset between workouts. Most scientific evidence proves that there is zero benefit to working out seven days a week without rest time, so enjoy it! I personally love to visit a local cafe with friends, eat good food and enjoy all the other wonderful offerings life has outside of the gym.
