Welcome to our blog series #MyHustl with, where each month we will feature a community member to find out more about their journey, how they like to HUSTL. and for a special insight into their world. The community makes HUSTL. what it is and you all truly mean the world to me, so I am excited to share an insight into the incredible individuals that make up this strong, beautiful and inspiring community. I love you, Alexz. xo

Meet Rhea, online HUSTL. Station member since August 2021.

Tell us a little about yourself & your fitness journey.
Being of Indian heritage and 5’1, I was never going to look like Kendall Jenner (5’10, Caucasian) but that didn’t stop me consistently comparing myself to her. When I was 12 I switched to coffee for breakfast, when I was 14, I was diagnosed with insulin resistance (given a pathology but not the cure), when I was 16 was spending an hour every day on the cross trainer at the gym.

As I got older and went to uni, completing a physio degree and now in the middle of a medicine degree, I started educating myself a little more on more balanced ways to be healthy. Unfortunately the stress that came with studying meant I had the knowledge but no time to practice it and found it really hard to kick my habits that I’d built over the last 10 years.

HUSTL. literally rocked my world. It has been my holy grail for balance and being kinder to myself. My internal monologue once harsh and negative now has Lexi’s accent and is the most encouraging it’s ever been. I look forward to working out, and savour the burn and energy boost I get. The variation between HIIT/pace/form means I’m never bored and the personality of the trainers means I’m chuckling while I’m exercising.

It’s hard to believe I punished my body with hours on the elliptical for so long without any results and after a little over a year with HUSTL., I’m the fittest and happiest I’ve been.

What made you decide to join HUSTL.?
I moved from WA to Sydney to study in 2021 and the first 7 months were filled with takeaway and Friday beers (that extended to Saturday and Sunday). As I acclimatised to a new city and academically rigorous degree without the security of my support system, I spiralled into my heaviest weight ever.

When Sydney locked down in August of 2021 I was lucky enough to sneak back into WA and started to look into options to get my mental and physical health back on track. A friend told me his older sister had started doing HUSTL. and I figured she’s gorgeous and it works for her, maybe it’ll work for me. I have never looked back.

What does your workout routine look like each week? 
At the moment I’m on holidays so doing 8-10x HUSTL vids (All In Challenge + a double on days I feel a little stronger) and try to run 4-6k’s once a week. When I’m back at uni and in my busy period I try to move my body every day whether that be 2 HIIT sessions with Em if I’m energetic or a 10 minute stretch with Kika if I’m exhausted.

One piece of advice you would share with the community?
Between studying, working part time and having a social life I’m generally really busy. Having a flexible routine has helped me with consistency and balance in my life. Every morning I write out a detailed to-do list so I can see what my day looks like. It helps me feel productive right at the start of the day and I get a lot of satisfaction from crossing things off. This also helps me see how much free time I’m going to have in that day depending how much I have on and I can create a soft schedule of when I’m going to slot in my exercise. Additionally I’d probably add to be kind and gentle with yourself. Some days you won’t tick off everything on your to-do list, but take this as a sign from your body that it needs a little extra loving and rest that day and you can start fresh tomorrow. 

What do you love most about HUSTL.?
HUSTL feels like an entire army of big sisters always there to cheer me on. I may take a break for a couple of days, weeks, months but the trainers and the community are always there ready to welcome me back without any questions or judgement. 

HUSTL. is more than just a fitness platform for me. It’s the reason I didn’t go insane during lockdown, it’s my bonding with my activity mum and sister, it’s the way I get rid of my zoomies when I’ve been studying all day and it’s pouring down with rain outside. It’s the thing that’s given me the ability for the first time to look in the mirror and think to myself “kinda hot!” and I’ll tell anyone I meet (friends, housemates, family, strangers on the street) how great HUSTL. is and why they should do it too.

Favourite HUSTL. workout?
I looooved the Advanced Body Sculpt challenge, day 2 especially killed me but I also recently did Em’s HIIT it Cardio and Crunch that left me slipping and sliding all over my mat I was that sweaty!

@__rheapereira