How two Aussie girls Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith escaped a toxic diet trap
Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith were sucked into a toxic diet culture. Now, they have revealed how they broke the vicious cycle and are helping thousands of Aussies get fit and healthy.
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Ageing well and being happy are the top health goals for Australians, despite a survey revealing we’re overweight, we’ve let our exercise routines slip and we’re getting less sleep.
The Health of the Nation survey, commissioned by leading health brand Body+Soul, reveals that while we want to live long and active lives, we blame a lack of motivation and time for not doing the right things.
We are also increasingly confused about which health sources to trust, which is why tomorrow we are launching the Health of the Nation campaign packed full of useful information and tips from experts to get Australians back on track.
Campaign ambassadors Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith, behind the successful health and fitness app called Kic, were in Sydney to promote tomorrow’s launch.
They said they both understood why people – especially younger generations – were confused about health messaging.
Both said they fell victim to the toxic diet trap pushed on Instagram.
At one point Ms Henshaw, 32, was desperately underweight and exercising excessively, while Ms Claire Smith, 31, was a bingeeater.
“So all of a sudden I was just following all of these people that were promoting diets,” Ms Henshaw said.
“A lot of them didn’t have any experience; like they weren’t dietitians, they were just saying, ‘This is what I do to look like me’.”
“I got so caught in this comparison trap.”
The Body+Soul survey found six in 10 younger Australians are overwhelmed by the abundance of health information and struggle to know what sources to trust.
It also found those who spend the longest on social media feel more sad.
The women, who met while modelling overseas, overcame their disordered eating issues and started a fitness app.
“We don’t have any calories listed in the app or before and after pics, that’s just because of our ethos,” Ms Henshaw said.
She said the app is about “empowering people with tools on how to move their body; it’s not about pressuring people to change who they are or transform themselves. It’s about helping people build confidence.”
Kic has been downloaded 850,000 times since 2018 and has more than 1000 online workouts, including HIIT, gym, strength, pilates, yoga, mobility, low impact, bootcamp, treadmill, dance cardio, guided runs and boxing. There are also meditations for affirmations and sleep, and healthy recipes to cater for those on a budget, to help with meal prep, and snacks.
The beauty of the app is that you can build your own program and there are challenges for every discipline, including running goals.
Readers can get free access to the app for four weeks, as part of the Health of the Nation campaign and there’s a special challenge to keep them motivated.
Details of how to get free access to the Kic app can be found in tomorrow’s paper or online.
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Originally published as How two Aussie girls Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith escaped a toxic diet trap
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