The positive energy. That ‘we’re-already-BFFs’ feeling. Her girl-next-door bubbly personality that permeates our feeds. The deep love of movement that keeps the stoke going. The considered core values driving her purpose: “authenticity, community, and relationships”. That’s just a sprinkling of the things we love about our 2024 Cover Search winner Caitlin Hood. And her origin story is just as inspiring and wholesome as you’d imagine…
The Role Of Fitness And Family
Our childhood heroes can shape our outlook. If you were a Belle stan, we’re willing to bet you’re a massive bookworm now. Caitlin’s hero? Very on-brand. “My dad was a huge fan of the animated series Popeye The Sailor. He used to mimic Popeye’s muscle-popping moves to get me to eat spinach,” she muses. “The fact that he could lift me up gave me this exhilarating feeling. I was fascinated by how strong he was, especially after eating spinach, so I wanted to be just like him!” Added to that, her father taught her fitness moves – “crunches, push-ups and skipping” – which she performed habitually. “I’d do these religiously every morning at 5 a.m. and in the evening before dinner,” she recalls. No surprise then, that as an adult, Caitlin has a natural affinity toward healthy eating and staying active. By age 18, she was passionate about supporting good gut health.
The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything
But fitness journeys aren’t always straightforward and rosy. As a young professional, Caitlin clocked long hours working a desk job in marketing. “For eight months in 2023, I found myself working non-stop to prove myself at my nine-to-five,” she recalls. “One day, I came home, walked into my bathroom, closed the door, looked in the mirror and said, ‘Caitlin, you need to get your shit together. You have completely lost yourself.’” It was a long-awaited wake-up call; she’d been stress-eating junk food, something she rarely did otherwise. To find a semblance of control, Caitlin reached out to Annelize Dohne, a trainer who specialises in body transformation challenges. When Annelize responded, Caitlin promptly spent her last money on the programme and groceries for the eating plan.
The investment paid off and Caitlin recognised new parts of herself. “I never thought my body could transform like it did with Annelize’s coaching and that’s when I realised how much I was limiting myself,” she reflects. The revelation that she could be more than a desk-job employee encouraged her to embark on a bold new road. “I built the courage to resign from my dream job as a brand manager in fashion to start prioritising my many passions: running marathons, pursuing my BASI Pilates course, content creation and entrepreneurship.”
Navigating Mental Health
Through her career switch, she faced more difficulty. “One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my journey has been overcoming crippling anxiety and caring about people’s opinions,” shares Caitlin. “But it pushed me to confront my fears head-on. I was determined to prove to myself that I can do hard things by taking on significant challenges.”
Lessons From The Two Oceans And Comrades
Today, she’s amassed a sizeable following online, all the while encouraging people to get out and do more. And she pushes herself too, while staying realistic. She’s a noted ultra marathon runner, having completed the Two Oceans and Comrades marathons (both this year!) – but acknowledges the presence of friction. “Just because I overcame these big challenges doesn’t mean that the journey will be easy-breezy,” she notes. “As you overcome one set of challenges, you will be faced with new ones. Learn from your lessons, stay open to guidance and apply your lessons to reach your breakthrough.”
READ MORE: 18 New Running Shoes To Help You Run Faster And Farther In 2024
Cover Search Trivia
One word to describe Caitlin:
“Besides ‘happiness’ and ‘energy’ – considering my values and the meaning of my name (‘pure’) – I feel ‘warmth’ best describes me.”
How come she’s always so dang energetic?
“Food is our superpower and we need to start recognising that as a society. I’ve tested this myself: when I overindulge or eat foods that upset my gut, I experience inflammation, water retention, fatigue and it ultimately affects my mind too. But as soon as I adjust my diet, it’s like I get a fresh burst of energy – lekker VIBES!”
The age at which she started embracing healthy living:
Nine! “At nine years old, I was determined to embrace a healthy lifestyle because my family’s genetics meant we weren’t naturally lean. I wanted to take charge of my health and stay in shape despite that.”
Check out the Nov/Dec 2024 issue of Women’s Health SA for the inspiring stories of the other WH Cover Search finalists. On sale NOW!
