Health and fitness should be a priority for everyone, but in order to make it a priority and keep it a priority you have to be focused and accountable for yourself. However, beyond those two points, the journey to overall wellness including mind, body and spirit comes with education, knowing yourself and sometimes a little bit of encouragement from loved ones, peers and at times strangers. Now, there’s a safe space for women everywhere to go and get all of that and that place is her sweat.
Founded by best friends Niki McGloster and Adelle Platon, her sweat. is a health and fitness community built for women of all shapes and sizes everywhere no matter where they are on their wellness journey. her sweat. Besides providing daily fitness inspiration from individual workouts to yoga to group fitness classes, her sweat. is about a lifestyle, and as the community has grown it’s become a prime destination for women everywhere to find their fitspiration.
In this inaugural edition of BlackLove.com’s Wellness Wednesdays series we spoke to one-half of her sweat., Niki McGloster about her personal road to wellness, the inspiration behind her sweat. and what she and Adelle are cooking up for 2019.
NM: We came up with the idea in 2013 when we both worked at VIBE Magazine. Unfortunately, we kind of sat on it for a while, then in 2014, we started to develop what we wanted it to be. We are creating a cool, fun, educational digital space and in-person experiences for young, real women to feel motivated to be active and make healthier choices.
Adelle and I come from music journalist backgrounds, and so we infuse pop culture and a youthful voice to everything we do to make it relatable. A lot of times these fitness publications don’t include ethnically diverse voices or they cater to an older demographic. But we strive to fill that void and share content that speaks to the on-the-go girl who loves basketball and Lil Baby by giving her the ins and outs of a sports broadcaster’s eating regimen or highlighting the latest viral dance choreographer like Aliya Janell to show young women an alternative to workouts. Most importantly, our message is for women to be kind to themselves through self-care and throughout self-discovery.
BL: As boss women in media how do you keep each other focused and motivated on your goals in the gym, at work and in life?
NM: We’re both goal-oriented individuals naturally but when we slack off in any area, we’re there to hold one another accountable.
BL: When did you realize that working out is a radical act of self-love that was necessary to how you felt body, mind and spirit?
NM: Man. I realized that when I was deep in a depressive episode back in 2015. I was too mentally exhausted to do much of anything, so one day I started walking/jogging in a park near my Harlem apartment at the time. That small activity every day began to give me an invincible feeling. I would cry, scream, talk to God, and ultimately that release of energy, that physical exertion, boosted my mood and made me feel aligned instantly. And I haven’t stopped since. So now, being active in some form daily reminds me to be grateful to my body, soothes my spirit and keeps my mind focused. If that’s not self-love, I don’t know what is.
BL: There’s really no platform like her sweat. that tells and shows the fitness journeys that many women are on while promoting body positivity. Was this how her sweat. evolved or was it built into the brand when it was conceived?
NM: Definitely built into the brand. Adelle and I aren’t these super crazed fitness junkies only eating raw food with 6-pack abs and hitting two-a-days. Lol. We love those girls too, but we wanted to speak to the women who were having a hard time reaching for carrots and not a donut from Krispy Kreme. I mean, come on, when you’re grinding towards your goals, staying out late, networking, going to happy hour, at times you will slip up. So we initially started the brand with that girl in mind. We wanted to speak to how she can pivot her lifestyle toward choices that are healthier with accountability and kindness. And again, it has to be fun. Nothing stuffy over here.
BL: For you, what is fitness about, and what has your personal fitness journey been regarding what led you to a healthier lifestyle and remaining consistent?
NM: Fitness starts with mental health for me.The physical part relies on your mental strength. How far can you push yourself? How much can you endure? And so everything flows from making sure your mind is fit. So my journey has included starting therapy, upping my workouts to 3 to 4 times per week and eliminating foods, not necessarily “bad” ones, that don’t serve my body well.
As I mentioned, that depressive mood really pushed me toward working out. Plus, I had some digestive issues that forced foods out of my mouth! Literally. So my entire body happily welcomed a healthier lifestyle. Trust me, I’m not perfect. I’ll devour Reese’s cups quick, but more often than not, I will show myself love by staying on track and adjusting that as I learn more about health.
BL: What workouts do you look to for shaping and sculpting and what do you look for when you need to relax, chill and decompress?
NM: My favorite specific exercise has to be Russian twists. Something about it just leaves me feeling like I can actually achieve abs on day. I’m big on core, so I also love planks. Burpees are the devil too but I will bang them out because they do their f*cking job! But if I just want to put my body through the wringer and go super hard — boxing. Throw some gloves on, let off some steam and burn over 1,000 calories while toning. Shoutout to Title and Rumble.
When I need to relax and decompress, though, I will do hot yoga and meditation. Again, the mental aspect gotta be right and those are my favorite things to just recenter and focus.
BL: If you ever fall off from your routines what does it take for you to get back at it and kick ass?
NM: My brand keeps me on point honestly. How can I preach a healthy lifestyle if I’m not on my sh*t? Also, my mood will plummet and if I’m too far off the normal foods I eat, my digestive system will remind [me]. That’s the beauty of lifestyle changes, not just fast diets or weekly fitness challenges. When things are off, you’ll notice.
BL: What feedback have you gotten from women who have been impacted by her sweat. directly?
NM: Women really enjoy our approach more than anything. They always rave about our Instagram because it’s a mood board of fitspiration. That keeps them motivated and learning new ways to reach their fitness goals. But we’ve love to hear from women more! Anyone reading this, comment and share with us!
BL: her sweat. recently hosted the #BikiniReadyBootcamp — can you tell the Black Love community about any her sweat. events that are coming up in the near future?
NM: Oh, the Bikini Bootcamp was so much fun! We’ll be sponsoring more of those with PRMP Beauty Studio. The owner Nicole is creating a full-body experience to make sure women are keeping it tight and staying up on the waxes. As for her sweat., we will be hosting The Healing Garden at The Women’s Empowerment Expo in L.A. on Jan. 26. There will a panel, a guided yoga workout and so much more. We’re really excited about that. And also, everyone can look for more fitness activations at major cultural/entertainment events throughout the year. Stay tuned!
BL: What can the world expect from her sweat. in 2019?
NM: Other than events, you can expect a new site, a special “launch” event, a monthly newsletter and more merch. So many things!
BL: Any last words for the her sweat. community past, present and future?
NM: We’re always grateful for your support and we will continue to bring you content you’ll love! Stay focused on your fitness and we’ll be with you every step of the way of your journey.
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