As the CEO of super spin gym {Psycle}, Rhian Stephenson is a lean (not-at-all mean) nutrition and fitness guru with the passion to inspire everybody to become the healthiest version of themselves. And because health = happiness and happiness = beauty, we asked her for some motivational insights, advice for beginners and which beauty products she keeps in her gym bag…
{Cult Beauty} Hi Rhian! Thank you so much for chatting to us. First up, what prompted you to specialise in health and fitness? And how does your personal philosophy tie-in with being CEO of Psycle?
{Rhian Stephenson} I was a competitive swimmer for 13 years so fitness has always been a huge part of my life. Moving over to Psycle was actually an extremely natural and intuitive transition for me. As a Nutritionist and Naturopath I’m obviously incredibly passionate about health, nutrition, wellness… but for me it’s impossible to talk about health without including fitness. In clinic it was more difficult to integrate fitness into the conversation, whereas at Psycle it’s far easier to discuss nutrition to an audience that has already embraced fitness. So, it’s the dream role for me because it combines every aspect of health that I’m passionate about.
{CB} Do you have any tips for those who’re eager to improve their fitness but are daunted by the ‘journey’ – being a beginner can feel quite demoralising. What advice do you give to those who’re just starting out?
{RS} I’ve noticed that so many beginners think they need to be good right from the get go. It creates so much pressure and it’s a shame. As adults we often forget about the joy you can find in learning something new – it’s so easy to get caught up in how good we are compared to others and miss out on the whole journey, learning a new skill, building a new strength.
My advice is to forget about all of that and don’t worry if you aren’t the best in the class, it’s a process and it should be enjoyed. Everybody in that room started off as a beginner, and I can guarantee you nobody cares about what you look like as much as you do. We often think that everyone is looking at us, judging us, watching us – which just perpetuates the pressure. More often then not, everyone is feeling exactly the same thing and too engrossed in what’s going on in their own head to notice you so try to relax, breathe and enjoy the process.
{CB} Do you every have days when you just ‘can’t be bothered’? If so, how/where do you find the motivation?
{RS} Of course! I try to get to a class asap. Even if I’m completely exhausted walking in, I know that the music and vibe will be great and it will change my state of mind. You don’t always need to be motivated, you just need to get yourself there – that’s what the instructors are for.
{CB} What are your five gym bag beauty essentials?
{RS} I swear by {The Essential Mascara} by Kevyn Aucoin – it’s amazing for withstanding sweat. I also love the {Liquid Gold Smoothing & Perfecting Mask} by Alpha H, to give my skin an instant lift and restore smoothness after a week of exposure to sweat and air con. I always slather on a {lip balm} (I’m a big fan of {Eight Hour Intensive Lip Repair}), and Kevyn Aucoin’s {The Matte Bronzing Veil} is never far from reach – sometimes you just need a tan. I also swear by KIKI Health’s {Nature’s Living Superfoods} – I take this after every class.
{CB} We all have über-busy, stress-filled lives and often struggle to eat all the ‘right’ things. Are there any supplements/ingredients (e.g. omegas) you swear by to boost energy and help enhance immunity?
{RS} Absolutely. I always take Allergy Research Group Vita-Min. It’s multivitamin that has a great spectrum of minerals as well. As a bare minimum I’m always taking that. I also take a greens powder everyday.
{CB} And finally Psycle is known for its amazing music. What are your three favourite tracks to work out to?
{RS} This changes every month. Right now I’m loving Starboy by The Weeknd, Fantastic Voyage, Coolio Cube Guys Remix and anything by Diplo.
To book one of Rhian’s classes click {here} for her availability, or follow this {link} for general bookings. Happy Psycling!