Have you promised that 2024 is going to be the year you finally get your sh*t together and become the fittest you can be? Or are you just telling yourself you’re actually going to roll out that yoga mat instead of using it as a draft excluder? If you’re looking for a dose of inspiration, you’re in the right place.
This is our celebration of the celebs who have convinced us to get off the sofa and move our bodies. They also encourage us to speak more kindly to ourselves and promote positive, healthy chat about how we can improve our physical and mental health.
Forget a bikini body – these ladies are teaching us how to love and appreciate our bods, whatever we’re wearing.
The judging panel
Sarah Lindsay
The former Olympic speed skater is the founder of Roar Fitness, a which boasts celeb fans including Vogue Williams and Piers Morgan. Her Instagram @roarfitnessgirl is a treasure trove of training inspo.
Jenny Francis
The RWL team member presents workouts with Lucy Mecklenburgh and Frankie Bridge. She inspires time-poor women to find a way to prioritise their fitness. Follow her @jennyfrancis23 to find out more.
Marsha Lindsay
Founder, creator and director of Nobu Pilates, Marsha trained under Joseph Pilates himself and now shares her knowledge with celebs such as Rochelle Humes and Maya Jama. Find her @pilatesbymarsha.
heat's Fit List 2024
30) Shaughna Phillips, age 29
The Love Island star has been a body positivity campaigner since she came out of the villa, but after having a baby daughter in May last year, she has a whole new appreciation for her body.
How has your body image changed since becoming a mum?
I definitely want to be as healthy as I can for Lucia, but it’s also about finding the time. I don’t put as much pressure on myself now.
How hard has it been to fit fitness into your life, and has it changed the kind of things you do?
Time for it is absolutely non-existent! I will just randomly start squatting when she’s in her high chair and she finds it absolutely hilarious. Or I’ll try and do 10,000 steps with her in the buggy. But as for going to the gym, there is no way I could do it at the moment.
You’re busy renovating – is decorating your new cardio?
Ripping the house out was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, so yes!
What self-care do you do to make you feel good if you need a lift?
I get a blow-dry once a week and it’s the best hour of my life.
29) Rochelle Humes, age 34
Rochelle is the ultimate boss babe, with her lifestyle brands My Little Coco and newly launched Cloudcha matcha. When she’s not working, Rochelle swaps her power suit for gym gear and loves a good Pilates sesh, taking both mat and reformer classes.
28) Mary Earps, age 30
Having captured our hearts at the Women’s World Cup, England’s Mary – aka Mary Queen of Stops – stays busy inspiring a whole new generation of goalkeepers. “I’m trying to put women’s goalkeeping on the map and drive the standard forward, because for many years, it has been under-resourced in terms of coaches and funding.”
27) Olivia Bowen, age 30
Baby mama Olivia inspired us with her postpartum fitness journey, proving that the process isn’t always linear – a refreshing burst of reality. Having shaped up post-birth, a string of health scares saw her regain some of the baby weight. But credit to Liv, she hopped right back into the saddle and stuck to it, battling on with her workouts.
26) Victoria Beckham, age 49
Posh Spice wouldn’t have dreamed of getting sweaty, but now she’s older, Victoria is a fully paid-up gym bunny. She’s all about strength training these days, swapping cardio for movements that build muscle tone – the perfect routine for women as they near menopause, as a higher muscle mass protects your bones. “I’ve always been a bit scared of weights, but it turns out I love them,” she says.
25) Ellie Leach, age 22
From the cobbles of Corrie to the glitzy dance floors of Strictly, we’ve loved watching Ellie grow her inner confidence through dance, having stated that it’s changed her mindset and body for the better. “While I don’t know how much weight I’ve lost, I can feel myself getting stronger,” she’s said. We’re loving this strong-not-skinny vibe.
24) Serena Williams, age 42
Serena welcomed her second child in August, but we can’t see any signs of the event on her super-strong post-baby body. The good news is that the tennis GOAT is sharing all her sweaty secrets on her YouTube channel, with live-time workouts available to try out for yourself. We can already feel the burn.
23) Jennifer Lopez, age 54
Her Love Don’t Cost A Thing, but she’s certainly paid her dues in the gym. It’s no secret that J-Lo’s workouts are full-on and those abs are the result of hours of sweat. “I see pictures of myself in my twenties and go, ‘Oh, I look better now,’” she says. “I embrace who I am. I feel sexy, I feel youthful, I’ve taken care of myself, and now it shows.”
22) Davina McCall, age 56
This year marked 20 years since Davina released her iconic DVD Power Of 3. Since then, she’s campaigned for women’s health and fitness, and her platform Own Your Goals offers women an affordable way to access exercise, nutrition and motivation. We love that she refuses to give up the bikini selfies, despite the haters.
21) Gemma Atkinson, age 39
After welcoming baby number two in July, Gemma has slowly worked her way back into the gym. It’s clear that she loves keeping in shape, and says, “I work better with the tough love approach in my training, and I know that if I want to feel and see changes, I have to make them. No one else will do it for me.” Here are her three tips for helping yourself to benefit both your health and your mood:
-
Hydrate first thing in the morning. Have a pint of water as soon as you’re up.
-
Sit outside as much as possible. Even if it's cold, just wrap up and soak up that natural light - especially now that it's winter.
-
Stretch before bed. I do just six to eight stretches, holding them for a minute each, so it's nice and quick.
20) Megan Thee Stallion, age 28
How does singer Megan maintain that bangin’ body-ody-ody-ody? Her PT admits to putting her through a collection of savage workouts, which include strength training, pole dancing and a peachy keen focus on glutes. Resistance bands at the ready!
19) Katarina Johnson-Thompson, age 30
Our Olympic heptathlete hurdled years of setbacks to land her second World Championship title in August this year. Returning from the brink of retirement, she puts her unrivalled renaissance down to “breaking everything down, starting again, and just moving on to the next thing”.
18) Jennifer Aniston, age 54
Jen has always been at the forefront of fitness trends – this year sparking the popular TikTok trending 15-15-15 workout and partnering with Pvolve, a low-impact exercise brand. Despite staying in shape throughout her life, now she is focusing on future-proofing her body and she’s never looked, or felt, better.
17) Lucy Mecklenburgh, age 32
Bona-fide wellness guru Lucy Meck champions busy mum-approved home workouts and a balanced diet – things we can all get behind. Sometimes life gets in the way, but the ex-TOWIE star is walking evidence that you don’t need to spend hours slaving away in the gym to keep fit.
16) Ashley Roberts, age 42
Pussycat Doll Ash proves she’s still in her prime and has recently been seen slinking around the Nobu Pilates Studio with our Fit List judge Marsha. With her tightly toned torso, we’ll hop on that reformer pronto if it promises a body like hers.
15) Motsi Mabuse, age 42
The Strictly judge is a cheerleader for strong women. After facing weight-loss pressures throughout her dance career, Motsi has been outspoken about unhelpful “transformation pics”, instead posting before-and-after shots from her workout to show her post-exercise glow in a bid to “celebrate the positive transformation that happens in our minds”.
14) Millie Mackintosh, age 34
The former Made In Chelsea star puts in the work at the gym, and has found a combination of exercise that benefits both her physical and mental health. She says, “Strength training empowers me, builds my confidence, and helps me to feel strong. My Pilates and yoga sessions feel like a reset button for my mind, keeping me grounded and centred. Being in nature revitalises me and I try to get outdoors whenever I can.”
13) Beyoncé, age 42
After her jaw-dropping Renaissance world tour, Queen Bey continues to blow our minds with her ageless body. Just like the superstar, we still want to be slut-dropping in 6in heels when we hit 40 – so what are her secrets to longevity? A gruelling combination of daily runs, boxing and weight training. We promise we’ll start next week…
12) Vicky Pattinson, age 36
If there is one person that we love to follow on Instagram, it’s Vicky. Keeping it real by sharing her journey with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and how it affects both her body and mental health, Vicky also shares her advice on feeling comfortable in your own skin.
11) Gabby Allen, age 31
Forever our fitness girl crush, Gabby launched her own retreats this year to help her followers in person – and she just so happens to have one of the best bottoms in showbiz. He journey hasn’t always been easy, but she’s constantly working on herself inside and out.
What does your typical exercise week look like?
I don’t teach many classes now. I do one live group, so that we’re working as a community, and go to the gym. But I’m a class bunny and someone who loves teaching and I was missing that, so I’ve started doing other peoples’ classes. It’s great, as I get to research.
When you work for yourself as an online PT, you’re on your own a lot. Are you feeling mentally strong?
It’s all a domino effect. I’ve changed my lifestyle a bit – choosing things that bring me joy, fitness events, socialising with people who want to be better, and choosing to do things that make me feel good rather than not. Then I’m more productive in work because I’m inspired. I get more work done and that makes me feel fulfilled.
Are you good at taking rest days?
I try and have one day where I don’t do anything, but when you work for yourself, there’s no start or end to your day. I get up at 6am most days and go out with the dog and to the gym. It’s difficult differentiating between time off and feeling like you’re being lazy.
10) AJ Odudu, age 35
When she’s not crushing it hosting Big Brother, AJ is crushing it in the gym. Liking a mix of both cardio and resistance training, she takes classes at Body Pump to take away the intimidation of weight training at a regular gym. AJ also documents her skipping workouts on Instagram, saying she swings the rope continuously to three of her favourite songs to warm up.
9) Ellie Goulding, age 37
When she’s on the road selling out tours and concerts, Ellie says that staying fit has always kept her stable and grounded. The key to her success? Flexibility. “One day I’ll get up and do an amazing workout. Then the next day, it’s nice to not feel like you have to, not always trying to achieve perfection,” she’s said. Ellie kills two birds with one stone during her workouts by taking a 25-minute run to the gym before taking an hour-long Barry’s Bootcamp class.
8) Michelle Keegan, age 36
With her strong, sexy and sculpted abs, Our Girl star Mich serves up big-time body goals. How does she do it? Well, apart from sweating it out and lifting weights with Mr Wright in the gym most mornings, she believes life is all about balance, saying, “I think it’s important to do everything in moderation. Set yourself a realistic target, so that you have something to work towards.”
7) Frankie Bridge, age 34
A former Fit List winner, Frankie has always been candid about her mental health struggles and uses exercise to help both her mind and body. A firm believer in finding a way to move that she enjoys rather than forcing herself to stay fit, Frankie uses weight training, Pilates and dancing to stay active. She also has her own programme on the RWL platform. “Exercise plays a vital role in boosting my physical and mental health,” she says. “I can’t stress how massively important it is for me to do some type of activity, as nothing beats that high you get from exercise.”
6) Louise Thompson, age 33
Following a traumatic birth experience in 2021, Louise has battled issues with her physical and mental health. She has been heartachingly honest about the journey she’s been on over the last two years, recently posting about being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. After focusing on pushing forwards, she is finally discovering there is light at the end of the tunnel. Truly inspirational.
5) Chloe Madeley, age 36
A straight-talking PT who isn’t afraid of cutting through some of the myths floating around social media, Chloe is also an author, podcaster and mum, and we love her energy, honesty and work ethic. She says, “I love what I do. I love training, I love eating healthy, and as anyone who follows me on social media will know by now, I love the results that come with both.”
4) Maya Jama, age 29
This has certainly been Maya’s year, hosting Love Island and reuniting with her superstar boyfriend Stormzy. Despite looking like a total goddess, Maya’s down-to-earth personality means she doesn’t take herself too seriously, even when it comes to fitness. Here are her rules to keep it real:
Quality over quantity
“I’m really busy at the moment, so it’s easy to just say, ‘I don’t have the time to work out’, and quit. My PT friend showed me that it’s not how long you train for, but how you train, that counts.”
Workout for your brain
“There’s a difference in how I feel if I go out and do some exercise versus just staying in bed all day. I notice how it impacts my brain and how I’m feeling.”
Train with your mates
‘‘I like being the hype man – the one cheering others on. I trained with my housemates in lockdown, and when one person wasn’t feeling it, the others would get you in the mood. It’s harder now I’m living on my own.”
3) Adele Roberts, age 44
After being diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer, the Radio 1 DJ has fought her way back to fitness with an iron-clad mindset that saw her run the London Marathon earlier this year. Life now includes her stoma bag, which she has affectionately named Audrey. “Health can mean so many different things and it doesn’t have to be this perfect utopia in this perfect body,” says Adele. “I’ve never been so in love with my body. My stoma has made me realise how lucky I am to have a body that works.”
2) Stacey Solomon, age 34
Just when we thought we couldn’t adore Stace anymore, the Queen of Crafting decided in 2023 to make fitness her latest project. Her no-filter approach to presenting herself in a real way on social media for years deserves a shout-out, but enlisting the help of her sister Samantha, a trainer at Barry’s Bootcamp, Stacey has been pushing herself to run, squat and lift herself healthy. Always keeping it real, she’s shared the ugly early mornings in the garage gym while it’s still dark, as well as the feeling of achievement when she’s managed to squeeze in a workout before her pickles wake up. We salute you, Stacey!
1) Dianne Buswell
She waltzed her way into the Strictly final last month and, as we catch up with Dianne Buswell for our exclusive shoot, she’s still bursting with energy. The star, who lit up the dance floor with her electrifying routines with her celebrity partner Bobby Brazier, has a boundless enthusiasm and zest for life. But things haven’t always been plain sailing for the Australian-born dancer. She’s been open about suffering unhealthy exercise and eating patterns during her 20s, which left her feeling she’d lost the joy in dancing. Now, the 34-year-old star, who lives in Sussex with boyfriend Joe Sugg, has poured what she’s learnt into her debut wellbeing book Move Yourself Happy, where she’s set out four key pillars: movement, nutrition, rest and positivity.
Move Yourself Happy: 21 Days To Make Joyful Movement A Habit by Dianne Buswell (Watkins Publishing £14.99) is out now.
