Scrolling through Hannah Bronfman's Instagram feed is a surprisingly lovely experience, not just because of the photos — she shows her workouts alongside artfully captured #MeatlessMonday posts and smiling faces — but because of the lack of haters. She's managed to create a uniquely positive space, even on a notoriously cutthroat platform.
Now, as part of Adidas' new Sport 16 campaign, the HBFIT founder, DJ, and model is bringing that positivity to the first in a series of films highlighting athletes' creativity in fitness — and everything else.
The message is particularly interesting because it places the emphasis on exercise as one part of our lives, rather than the defining feature. "Everyone is becoming a more conscious consumer and understanding a little bit more about their health," Bronfman says. "But fitness is just one component of a multidimensional female, so [the series is]...celebrating that part of people’s lives."
We talked with her about her creative approach to working out, learning how to be comfortable in her body, and how she feels about being a role model for her younger sisters.
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How does your creativity translate to fitness?
"I like to try everything. I'm a really creative person, and I don't necessarily like to do the same thing over and over again. I bring creativity to my workouts specifically where I try to do something different every day, and I'm really up for everything...to experience all the different channels fitness has to offer." How do you deal with the intimidation factor of trying something new?
"Fear is what you make it in your head. It doesn’t matter if I’m not good at something the first time; it’s about trying it and seeing how it makes you feel. And if it was something that was really hard for you, maybe it’s something you can look at and ask why it was so hard. Maybe it’s channeling something else that’s going on in your life."
"I like to try everything. I'm a really creative person, and I don't necessarily like to do the same thing over and over again. I bring creativity to my workouts specifically where I try to do something different every day, and I'm really up for everything...to experience all the different channels fitness has to offer." How do you deal with the intimidation factor of trying something new?
"Fear is what you make it in your head. It doesn’t matter if I’m not good at something the first time; it’s about trying it and seeing how it makes you feel. And if it was something that was really hard for you, maybe it’s something you can look at and ask why it was so hard. Maybe it’s channeling something else that’s going on in your life."
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Fitness is just one component of a multidimensional female, so this is...celebrating that part of people’s lives.
Hannah Bronfman
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What kinds of body-image insecurities have you gone through?
"I, like many women, went through a period of time in my teenage years of insecurity and body-image issues. I grew up in the world of ballet, which can be very intense. And [it] can ultimately, if you let it, really get to you and stick with you throughout your adult years in a negative way. I was very conscious of that, and really did not like the way that made me feel as a young teenager. "Moving away from ballet into the sports world, I celebrated the idea of not being necessarily a stereotype in terms of my body image. That's an idea that's really hard for a lot of people to come to terms with. And that's something that we talk about all the time at HBFIT, that idea of celebrating your body type and knowing that you look different from the people around you, and that’s okay; to learn to love that and appreciate that about yourself. And that’s the goal — to be able to be comfortable in the skin you’re in and work towards your own goals, not necessarily anyone else’s."
"I, like many women, went through a period of time in my teenage years of insecurity and body-image issues. I grew up in the world of ballet, which can be very intense. And [it] can ultimately, if you let it, really get to you and stick with you throughout your adult years in a negative way. I was very conscious of that, and really did not like the way that made me feel as a young teenager. "Moving away from ballet into the sports world, I celebrated the idea of not being necessarily a stereotype in terms of my body image. That's an idea that's really hard for a lot of people to come to terms with. And that's something that we talk about all the time at HBFIT, that idea of celebrating your body type and knowing that you look different from the people around you, and that’s okay; to learn to love that and appreciate that about yourself. And that’s the goal — to be able to be comfortable in the skin you’re in and work towards your own goals, not necessarily anyone else’s."
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What kind of role model do you want to be?
"I’ve got two little sisters who are teenagers who tell me all the time that there’s a lack of inspirational women in the media, so I really hope that with this campaign they’re bridging a gap that’s been needing a bridge for a long time now. "When I first started my Instagram account, I was hyperaware that my little sisters would see everything that I posted. So I always try to be a positive role model for them in everything from fashion to my DJ career to me having a healthy lifestyle. In today’s society, everything is so transparent. People see through everything, so it’s really about living the way you say you’re living."
"I’ve got two little sisters who are teenagers who tell me all the time that there’s a lack of inspirational women in the media, so I really hope that with this campaign they’re bridging a gap that’s been needing a bridge for a long time now. "When I first started my Instagram account, I was hyperaware that my little sisters would see everything that I posted. So I always try to be a positive role model for them in everything from fashion to my DJ career to me having a healthy lifestyle. In today’s society, everything is so transparent. People see through everything, so it’s really about living the way you say you’re living."
And finally a less serious, but still very important, inquiry: Any favorite on-the-go snacks?
"Honestly, I’m not ashamed to prepare something. So maybe I will have some SkinnyPop [popcorn] at home, and if I’m looking for a sweet snack, maybe I’ll put it in a plastic bag and dust it with a little bit of cinnamon and salt to have a little sweet-savory moment. I also love roasted chickpea snacks; The Good Bean has great flavors. I’m sure everyone used to love Fruit Roll-Ups and Fruit by the Foot — I really loved the texture, so I found this company called Matt’s Munchies. They make all-organic fruit snacks."
"Honestly, I’m not ashamed to prepare something. So maybe I will have some SkinnyPop [popcorn] at home, and if I’m looking for a sweet snack, maybe I’ll put it in a plastic bag and dust it with a little bit of cinnamon and salt to have a little sweet-savory moment. I also love roasted chickpea snacks; The Good Bean has great flavors. I’m sure everyone used to love Fruit Roll-Ups and Fruit by the Foot — I really loved the texture, so I found this company called Matt’s Munchies. They make all-organic fruit snacks."