A mum on a mission. A leader of many. And a courageous role model. Entrepreneur Betul Seedat has built a sisterhood of confident women who are healthy, fit and elegantly fashionable!
Humility, simplicity and authenticity … add vibrancy to this list, and you have the extraordinary mix that has become Betul Fit – a fitness, health and fashion initiative gaining followers by the day.
Rosebank’s Betul Seedat, the health and fitness coach behind the change-making brand, has a special message to share with women: that they have more to give than they think or imagine. That they should honour themselves. That their bodies are sacred. That, in a world where there’s a lot of craziness going on, they can find true beauty in their own lives – and it starts with themselves.
Betul is a mum, entrepreneur and fitness enthusiast. She is wife to Ahmet, whom she describes as her role model and supporter, and mum to young Omar Yusuf and Sara.
In spite of her calm disposition and smiling face, she is an incredibly busy person. ‘I run around like a madwoman,’ she says – she sees to her kids and family, works and gyms daily … then she repeats all this the next day.
Fortunately, she says she’s found a tranquil retreat of serenity from her busy life through keeping fit and eating well. Through pursuing her passion for health, she’s built something of a sisterhood of women of all ages who, like Betul, want to be the extraordinary, beautiful, sacred people they were created to be – but need the means and motivation to do so.
‘I wasn’t always this way,’ says Betul. ‘In many ways, I had lost myself, and this initiative was one of the ways I reclaimed “me”.’
Betul radiates femininity and elegance. Far removed from the lycra-clad stereotypes – so often found in the fitness industry – with a smile she demonstrates, for example, pull-up and sit-up challenges online in modest, well-pressed and beautiful training clothes. She emphasises that remembering one’s identity through the health and fitness journey, and all facets of life, is imperative. As a devoted mum, she writes to her online followers, ‘Yay it’s playtime, so I am smiling. Sometimes we have to play too, to make training even more fun. Try this with your kids or little ones in the family.’
Betul shares her secret behind her large Instagram following. ‘I try my best to build my followers by doing daily Instagram promotions and posts. To get followers, there needs to be consistency in one’s online presence, but one also needs to have things on one’s page that interest people and compel them to want to subscribe or follow.’
Through this dedication, she has built a respectable list of clients and hopes to be a change-maker and role model to other women. She also tailor-makes nutritional meal plans for clients and has a range of nutritional products which she developed. She’s exceptionally proud of her gourmet protein powders, which come in decadent flavours, like Lindt and biscotti. Her products are also organic, low-carb, vegan-friendly, sugar-free and halal.
Once you have the health and fitness regime going, dressing for success comes next. ‘You cannot separate health – that is, nutrition – and fitness and fashion. Together, they form a package for beauty.’ So it’s fitting that Betul has her own fashion line, Betul Fit Boutique … it’s as fresh as it is intriguing.
Her fashion pieces are a showcase of long, flowing dresses with beautiful lines to accentuate soft femininity. She also has elegant pants and well-fitted shirts in feminine colours, as well as soft scarves and headwraps. Betul shares fashion secrets with her followers, like how playing with patterns, textures and colour can make one’s wardrobe magical. ‘Clothes should fit beautifully.’
This emphasis on dignity and femininity – along with her courage and personal clout – is part of why she is so popular. She believes her take on wellness and beauty resonates with the heart’s cry of all women: to feel beautiful, while still being honoured.
‘When these three – nutrition, fitness and fashion – come together, they invariably create confidence. Many women struggle in the area of confidence. Sadly, many women bring each other down. However, a woman must learn to ignore the negativity around her and tell her reflection in the mirror that she is beautiful and good at everything that she does.
It’s true. You are the beautiful woman out there.’
Details: To begin your wellness journey, visit Betul’s fitness page @betul_fit, and check out her website betulfit.com
Betul shares seven health and fitness hacks
- Drink enough water – ‘water is life’
- Get enough sleep
- Eat fruit and vegetables
- Don’t forget to have your vitamin D3 (between 3000–5000iu a day)
- Make your workouts ultra-efficient – this makes it easy to fit a workout into a busy day
- Work out in the morning, this way you’ll feel great for the entire day, and you’ll be more likely to stick to a fitness plan
- Work out five times a week, including both cardio and weight training
Text: Heather Djunga. Photographer: Maryam Vally. Details: @minimzphotography; @ajwawebdesign; ajwa.co.za. Outfit: @betul_fit_boutique; @valenci_collection; @londoneyeoptom
