Mo Hwande learned early how to keep going. Today, she teaches women that fitness is not punishment or pressure – it is a celebration of what the body can do, at every stage of motherhood.
Motshidisi “Mo” Hwande is many things at once: a fit mom of two, a career consultant, a public speaker, a model and an author, but more than titles, she is a woman who lives with intention. Her life story blends motherhood, movement, faith and voice into one steady rhythm, one that reminds women they are allowed to take up space, care for their bodies and choose joy.
Roots that built resilience
Mo was born and raised in Vredefort, a small town in the Free State. She grew up with a strong, hardworking single mother and is the firstborn of two children.
Life in Vredefort shaped her early. ‘Most of my passions were birthed in the dusty streets of that town,’ she says.
Later, she moved to the East Rand in Gauteng to complete high school and begin her tertiary education. Today, she is building her own family life there. Mo is a proud mom of two toddlers and speaks openly about how much motherhood means to her. ‘I love being a mom and watching my children grow and experience joy in their own way,’ she says.
She describes herself as both an introvert and an extrovert. She enjoys solo dates, spa days, and outdoor adventures. She is intentional with her time and makes room for her own happiness. And one thing she never hides is her love for food.
Finding her voice early
Mo’s journey into public speaking began in primary school in Vredefort. At the time, there were limited sports options, and because she was not good at netball, she was introduced to public speaking competitions. Her first competition changed everything.
One adjudicator, Maki Maloyi, became a mentor, while a teacher, Dikeledi Masike, introduced her to cassette recordings by Dr John Tibane. Mo travelled across the Free State, from Parys to Kroonstad, competing and learning. Slowly, she discovered the power of her voice.
There was a deeper layer to this journey. Mo was teased for having a deep voice and once did not like how she sounded. Public speaking became healing. ‘It helped me fall in love with what I could do with my voice,’ she explains. She carried this passion throughout school, paused during university, and later returned as a Toastmasters International speaker.
A fitness journey that evolved with life
Mo highlights that she is always tempted to laugh when she talks about how her fitness journey began. As a child, she believed exercise was for rich people. ‘I followed SABC 2 morning fitness shows, back then there used to be a lady exercising in her lounge and I used to follow along to ‘prepare’ for my future life.’
In high school, fitness became about being skinny and having the flattest tummy. At university, it became a stress reliever and mood lifter. ‘My first pregnancy is what really deepened my passion for fitness and the reason I decided to study and get a qualification in it,’ she shares. ‘Contrary to folklore advice to slow down or stop exercising because of pregnancy, I wanted to continue moving because I was still able to, and for me pregnancy became evidence of how capable our bodies are as women not a disability we experience.’
This belief pushed her to study fitness formally. Today, she believes deeply that movement is life and that exercise is a way to honour the body, not punish it.
Education, expectations and reality
Mo holds a BA Degree in Corporate Communications and a Diploma in Fitness Training. She studied communications believing it would allow her to speak on behalf of companies and change perspectives. While working at a PR and communications agency, she realised the work focused more on administration and brand management than speaking.
Fitness education, however, was deeply personal. Pregnancy motivated her to gain formal knowledge to support her lived experience. She wanted to challenge harmful beliefs and show women that, unless medically high-risk, pregnancy is not a disability.
Toastmasters International played a key role in Mo’s growth. She learned that public speaking is not just about words, but also body language, vocal variety, audience connection, and belief. ‘That understanding is a game-changer,’ she highlights.
Modeling and speaking have shaped how she carries herself. They have grounded her in who she is and who she is becoming, without skipping the lessons along the way.
Professionally, Mo works as a career consultant at a private tertiary institution. She guides students and parents through study choices, conducts presentations, and manages data. What she enjoys most is helping people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives.
Her days are full and flexible. They begin with Bible study, running, and strength training, followed by work, school runs, family time, and evening walks. After bedtime, she plans content, prepares for events like Mrs Bold and public races, reads, prays and rests.
Mo does not dwell on challenges. She sees her roles as aligned and feeding into each other. Fitness supports motherhood, speaking supports her career, and planning keeps balance.
She believes she owes herself the life she dreams of and honours God by using her gifts.
Fitness through a mother’s lens
Today, fitness is no longer about looks. It is about energy, longevity, mental clarity, and emotional balance.
Mo is aware that her children are watching. She wants them to see movement and healthy eating as acts of love. ‘I want them to know that we move out of love for bodies, we eat well to nurture and nourish our bodies because they are our number one home not because we hate them.
‘Fitness is more than being skinny, having a flat tummy, round buttocks or even pumped muscles. It is a way to honour my body for all the different lifetimes it carries me through, it is appreciating and celebrating what it is capable of.
‘It is literally life. It is buying energy to do things we love with the people we love, it is buying longevity to live longer and healthier.’
Fitness and wellness journal
Mo’s fitness and wellness journal for pregnant women was inspired by her own first pregnancy.
She struggled to find a journal that focused on the woman, not just the baby. She noticed how pregnant women often become invisible.
Her journal is intentionally different. It includes prenatal education, affirmations, poetry, scripture, humour, and 40 weeks of guided journaling focused on the woman’s emotional, mental, and physical experience. ‘I wanted women to feel seen,’ she says.
Her message is: ‘You matter. You do not cease to exist because you are pregnant.’
Advice for women and mothers
Mo encourages mothers to start small and keep fitness simple. Consistency does not mean perfection. ‘Sometimes it’s 15 minutes, and that’s enough,’ she shares.
Her most rewarding moment? ‘I am living it now,’ she says. Being grounded, giving herself grace, and allowing her children to witness an intentional life.
Looking ahead, Mo is building her fitness and wellness brand, CarryFit, with hopes of more books and projects. She wants to use fitness as a tool to fight period poverty and empower young girls.
Text: DESNAY PETERSON. Photo: Susan Fourie of Susan Fourie Photography and Adrie Labuschagne of Serendipity Photography
