Indigo Haddington’s journey with fitness began in a small boxing gym, at the age of 13. This, she says, became an antidote to the anxiety and depression that clouded her teens. “I was the girl who didn’t fit into school sports and was looking for a place to belong. Boxing became my first love. It wasn’t just sport, it was therapy. Boxing helped me breathe again,” she shares.
READ MORE: How I Lost Weight As A Working Mom
Her path, as many other fitness enthusiasts would attest, wasn’t always smooth. At some point, Indigo once believed that fitness meant fitting into a specific body ideal. “During my bodybuilding phase, I dropped to an unhealthy body fat percentage because I thought being lean meant I belonged,” she recalls. The turning point came when she began working with real women, each with unique bodies and struggles.
“I told them they were enough and realised I needed to believe that for myself too. I stopped moving to fix myself and started moving to meet myself.”
Indigo’s own definition of fitness has shifted from being performative to full-on presence. “It’s not about control anymore. It’s about choosing to be in my body, even on the days it feels easier to disconnect. Fitness, for me, is a practice and not perfection.” The 23-year-old is currently preparing to launch Indigo Collective, a wellness platform for women that combines movement and self-defence with inner healing. With gender-based violence at crisis levels in South Africa, Indigo is on a mission to equip women physically, emotionally and legally. “I plan to build education into each seminar. My goal is to create a future where women feel safe in their bodies and in the world,” she says.
READ MORE: The Exact Workouts For Your Personality Type (+ Motivation Hacks!)
Trivia
Your three fitness principles…
“I could share the tools but the truth is that none of it matters if you don’t care. That care gives you your why. And your why builds the discipline to choose health when it’s not convenient,” says Indigo.
- Education. Understand your body – from your cycle to your metabolism.
- Food freedom. There are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods. Just fuel and feeling good.
- Emotional resilience. Some days, 30 percent is your 100 percent. Grace matters.
Your source of confidence…
“Confidence isn’t found, it’s built. It’s built in the quiet decisions when you show up tired, uncertain or doubting yourself. For me, confidence comes from knowing I’m not in competition with anyone. I bring something no one else can – and so does every woman. It’s not ego. It’s ownership.”
Get To Know Indigo
Check out the Sept/Oct 2025 issue of Women’s Health SA for the inspiring stories of the other WH Cover Search finalists. On sale NOW!
