CW // body dysmorphia. Please note, this blog contains information you may find triggering.

Meet Sydney Cassidy… aka @sydgrows.

Having gone through a period of low mood and depression, Sydney pursued fitness as her personal means of escapism. Now, just 15 months later, Sydney is empowering women all over the world to find their strength and embrace their right to occupy every corner of the fitness industry.

“Fitness is more about how it makes me feel than what I get from it, physically.” 

For the AYBL athlete, it’s been a long journey, but suffice to say, she’s grown in stature and strength. Sydney Cassidy has become a figure of growth.

HEY SYD! TAKE US BACK TO THE START OF YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY. WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN?

I was in a really low place. 

I was basically in this big transition phase - I’d finished uni, I’d just come out of a long-term relationship and I’d moved back home, so I was really looking for something to pull me out of the darkness and give me something to pour my energy into.

I wasn’t in touch with exercising at all. I was always active as a child, but I hadn’t worked out for years. I wanted to reconnect with those positive feelings I experienced as a child, and work towards feeling better in myself. It was roughly November 2021 when I started my fitness journey, then, I just got the bug and the rest is history.

Upon reflection, I would say that prior to my fitness journey, I was actually quite depressed. My mood was really low and I didn’t really have many friends. It’s funny because people see me now and, I’m very aware that even in the space of a little more than a year, I’m a very different person to who I was.

I’ve definitely become so much more resilient. I used to compare myself so much to my friends, most of whom were living in big cities and working graduate jobs. Eventually, I realised that wasn’t the sort of person I wanted to be. The start of my fitness journey was really me just trying to move towards a more authentic version of myself.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MAIN INSPIRATION THROUGHOUT YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY?

There’s definitely a lot of people on social media who inspire me, and not all of them are necessarily big influencers. But for me, becoming a true, authentic version of myself by refocusing my goals and my priorities has been a big driving force.

Now, my motivation is myself and my community. If I do fall off track, I’ve got people to bring me back.

I also feel, the further you get into your fitness journey and the longer you’ve stuck at it, the easier it is to continue with it. Fitness is now just a way of life for me and I couldn’t imagine it not being a part of my everyday.

HOW DOES FITNESS MAKE YOU FEEL?

Working out makes me feel great. I don’t think anyone can deny the impact the boost of endorphins has on your wellbeing. It literally has the ability to pull you out of a slump. 

But there’s actually a lot more to it than that. The fitness community as a whole has a way of making you feel included, worthy and deserving. You develop this sense of belonging and unity. 

My relationship with fitness has definitely become more positive. As a child, I was always really sporty and then, I lost my way when I was at uni, partying a lot and generally just not taking great care of myself.

I definitely wasn’t aware of the gym community before I became a part of it. I think there’s a lot of misconceptions about gym people being really pretentious, when it actually couldn’t be further from the truth. The gym community is actually really lovely. 

There’s so much rubbish going on in the world and, as an adult, you really don’t find yourself in many situations where you get to experience an abundance of positivity and people rallying behind you, shouting ‘you’ve got this!’ I really thrive off of all of that positivity and encouragement. Those kinds of experiences at the gym definitely start to make a difference in your everyday life and it’s something I really wish more people would realise.

WHAT OBSTACLES HAVE YOU FACED AND HOW HAVE YOU OVERCOME THEM?

To begin with it was the motivation to get up and go. But it definitely does get easier the more you get into it and, especially, when you finally discover something you enjoy and exercising no longer feels like a chore, but something you spend the day looking forward to doing.

I would say the main thing I deal with now is body dysmorphia [a mental health condition, where someone spends a lot of time worrying about 'flaws' in their appearance]. Initially, I didn’t start my fitness journey for aesthetic reasons and now it’s got to a point, especially with me doing it as my job, where there'll be times when I worry about my appearance. 

When I do have those days, I’ll throw some joggers on and tell myself to stop looking in the mirror. There’s no point in sitting there, picking yourself apart. For me, it’s not really about how I’m looking that day, it’s actually about how I feel, and being able to recognise that really helps me overcome those negative thoughts about myself.

@sydgrows rumour has it you lift heavier when your fit matches 🤫✨ #gymtok #gymgirl #gymfit #gymoutfit #girlswholift #matchinggymfit ♬ Super Freaky Girl - Nicki Minaj

HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE QUITTING? HOW DID YOU GET THROUGH THAT?

No, I’ve not felt like that, but I think that’s because I’ve really managed to connect with my fitness journey.

What I would say for people who do feel like that is to try to find something that you really connect with - something that brings you light and makes you feel happy. It applies to anything, but it’s really hard to maintain something that you don’t enjoy or have a passion for.

It’s all about mindset, that’s why on those days when I have little motivation, I remind myself that it’s not about ‘having’ to train, but ‘wanting’ to and having that privilege and ability to move your body. It's also wanting your body to be in the best possible shape it can be, mentally as well as physically, because you deserve that! 

READ MORE: Move Your Body

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN TERMS OF YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY?

The proudest thing for me, undoubtedly, has to be my personal growth.

It’s only really been a short period of time, but I definitely think, in terms of my career, friendships and self-confidence, none of it would have been possible without fitness. So much of my growth is a result of being in that environment, pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and having opportunities to meet new people. 

I’d also say a proud moment for me is sharing my journey and the fact that I’ve had such a profound impact on so many people. The messages I get on a daily basis are so touching and I think I feel a sense of pride that my personal journey is inspiring people and getting more women involved with fitness and working out. A lot of people tell me ‘I’ve gone to the gym for the first time’ or ‘I’ve got my first gym membership’ and I think that’s a really big thing and I’m really proud of that.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY ONLINE?

I’m naturally a creator. I went to art school, I’m trained as a fashion designer and I’ve always just been a creative person. When I stepped away from that, I basically had this ‘creative itch I wanted to scratch’. 

I started my account in March 2022 when TikTok was still gaining popularity. I’d started watching gym content and I thought I’d just make some gym videos, but there was no specific intention. 

I’ve really become a better person through social media and my fitness journey. Social media and content creation gets a lot of hate, but it genuinely has made me a better person. The person I was when I first started sharing content definitely wouldn’t have been able to think in the ways I do now or feel capable of inspiring others. That part has just evolved naturally and I think she’d be so proud of how far we’ve come!

HOW HAS FITNESS CHANGED OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE?

Fitness has had a massive influence on my self-confidence and my ability to tackle everyday life with the same confidence as I would in the gym. I’ve definitely come on leaps and bounds since joining the gym and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. 

I’d also say the friendships I’ve found through fitness. Before, I really struggled to find ‘my kind of people’, but finding people who actually want the best for you, aren’t in competition with you and who just want to build you up has had a profound impact on my life.

WHAT’S NEXT ON YOUR AGENDA?

Honestly, this year, I would really just like to spend some time travelling. I feel like it would be really good for my self-growth journey and for pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

But, primarily, I want to continue with what I’ve been doing. I only made my fitness account a year ago and I want to continue with the journey and see where it takes me.

HOW DO YOU HOPE TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE FITNESS SPACE?

My mission is to make a lot of women feel that they are welcome and deserving of occupying spaces in gyms and those spaces that are predominantly dominated by men.

I also really want to highlight the relationship between self-worth and exercising and to inspire more confidence in women.

Fitness really is a community where everyone belongs, and everyone matters. Where surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who have similar aspirations to you inspires you to realise what it is you're capable of achieving.

With a goal of inspiring others and bringing a sense of authenticity to the influencer industry, Sydney says: “I’ve really tried to be transparent with my account, as I think people need transparency. I think the only reason my content has grown in the way it has is because I’ve been authentic in everything I do and that’s translated through my content. I’ve only ever shown up as myself - why would I do anything else?”

Amen!

Follow Sydney on Instagram and TikTok.