My journey to self-love and wellness hasn’t been an easy one, but it’s shaped who I am, the values behind Glydelle, and why I’m so passionate about advocating for women’s health.

For over a decade, I struggled with a difficult relationship with my body. I pushed myself too hard, ate too little, and eventually lost my period, a condition known as hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA). Despite countless visits to doctors, I struggled to get the answers and support I needed. I stayed underweight and undernourished for 10 years, and the prolonged lack of hormones took a toll on my health, eventually leading to osteopenia.

When I discovered the extent of the damage, I knew something had to change.

Recovery meant stepping away from powerlifting, the sport I loved deeply. I had achieved so much, holding 10 world records and even winning the World Championships, but in order to heal, I had to let it go.

My recovery wasn’t just about gaining 8kg or getting my period back (which, by the way, has been regular ever since!). It was about completely changing the way I saw my body. I had to learn to appreciate it for what it could do, rather than constantly judging it for how it looked.

That experience is a huge part of why I’m now so passionate about women’s health advocacy. I know what it feels like to know something isn’t right with your body, to search for answers, and to feel like women’s health isn’t being talked about enough.

I want to use my story to help more women understand their bodies, ask questions, have conversations about the things we’re often embarrassed to talk about, and realise that health and self-worth are about so much more than a number on the scale or the way we look.

Eventually, I found my way back to lifting, but this time, not to chase records. I lift to protect my bones, feel strong and celebrate what my healthy body can achieve.

There was, however, one thing I didn’t particularly love about my body: chafing.

My strong, beautiful legs, which I now adore, caused me discomfort during training and everyday life.

Side note: even when I was below 48kg, my thighs still touched. Even at a size 8, I still experienced chafe! It’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about breaking the stigma that chafing or thighs touching means there’s something wrong with your body. Bodies are built differently, and chafing can happen at any size.

Long story short, that’s when Glydelle was born.

I wanted to create an easy-to-apply anti-chafe stick that would allow me, and others like me, to embrace movement, wear what we want and live our lives without painful friction getting in the way.

But Glydelle has become about so much more than chafing.

It’s part of the same message I advocate for every day: talk openly about our bodies, stop being embarrassed by the completely normal things they do, and celebrate them for what they allow us to experience.

You are so much more than your appearance. Your worth isn’t defined by your shape or size. You are always enough.

Here’s to loving the skin you’re in and living life without limits. 💛

Kristy x
Founder of Glydelle & Women’s Health Advocate