Fitness Influencer Chontel Duncan in Workout Gear is “On Top Of the World”

Fitness influencer Chontel Duncan is hitting the ground running in the new year and encouraging her followers to do the same. Duncan, who has five children, shared a picture of herself in tan workout shorts and a white tank top, her hair tied back into a bun. “Kicked off the new year with a bang after months of chillin’ since October! 🚀 Crushed it with 5 epic @hiit_capalaba workouts and a hardcore glute session loaded with heavy weights. 🏋️‍♀️ This week was a mental and physical battle, feeling every rep and muscle ache more intensely. Had a close call on Tuesday – almost lost my breakfast mid-session, which is so not me! Now it’s Sunday, my rest day, and I’m buzzing with energy, feeling on top of the world. Can’t wait to dive into next week’s grind! 🌟,” she captioned the post. Here’s how Duncan lives her best—and fittest—life.

1. Fueling Her Workouts

Chontel Duncan/Instagram

Duncan tracks her food and makes sure she is always getting the fuel she needs. “Everyone is different and what works for some, won’t necessarily work for others — it’s all about developing positive habits and finding what suits you, your lifestyle and your body,” she told Sunday Riley. “The perfect size and weight is in which you are living your happiest life. I believe strongly in balance and being realistic with your meal planning [but] if I’m working towards a goal in my training, I like to know that I am doing my absolute best to get there in a healthy way, so I will track my food to ensure I’m fueling my body correctly and providing a foundation for success.”

2. Weight Training Workouts

Duncan’s workouts are heavily centered on high intensity weight training. “Here’s the scoop on my session,” she captioned an Instagram video.

* Dumbbell Squat Cleans

* Kettlebell Swings 💥

* Plate Ground to Overhead Press 🌪️

* Overhead Lunges 🚀

* Echo Bike Sprints (that Left Me Breathless 🚴‍♀️)

* Dumbbell Thrusters

“No pain, no gain? More like, lots of pain, plus some gains! Felt some mild pulling but I pushed through. Kept the weights light, but my spirit was heavyweight.”

3. Balanced Diet

Chontel Duncan/Instagram

Duncan is a strong advocate for balance when it comes to diet. “Food is a huge part of my culture [Maori and Dutch] and some of my best memories with family were over meals, so I never jeopardize these opportunities to enjoy time with friends and family,” she told Sunday Riley. Life needs to be lived, so while we chase goals, don’t forget to be present in the moments that count. Consider your body like a car — when you fill it with cheap fuel and don’t look after it properly, it won’t perform at its best and could potentially stop working. Let good, wholesome, nutrient-rich food be your fuel so that you can train at your best. I am always very conscious to listen to my body and provide it with fuel when it needs it, but as much as I can, I work on consuming a full meal three to four times a day.”

4. Self-Care Advocate

Chontel Duncan/Instagram

Duncan is a big advocate for taking time for self-care. “Scheduling time for yourself is so important for your mental health,” she told Best Fit Magazine. “Create boundaries and make sure to set a time each day to switch off from your work or tasks, and focus on relaxation and doing something for yourself. It’s easy to get caught up, but taking a moment to switch off can help to clear your mind and recharge your batteries.

5. Back In the Saddle

Duncan has good advice for moms who want to get back into fitness. “Get organized, the more prepared you are and savvy you become at scheduling the easier it will be to squeeze in a 30 minute workout,” she told Beauty Haven. “How do you stay motivated to workout with such a busy lifestyle? I prioritize my health and I’m disciplined from a lot of hard work over the course of many years. I never rely on motivation, as I believe it’s most certainly all about discipline. Find a gym that has a crèche and does group training, you will find there will be a lot of other parents doing the same, so you will be surrounded by others with similar interests. Plus you’ll only be a stone’s throw away from bub and will make some lovely friends.

Chontel Duncan is a fitness trainer and influencer with her own app, Neu Fitness. Duncan recently shared a photo of herself and her boyfriend on Instagram. In it, both of them wore workout clothes. Duncan captioned the post, “We are almost there.” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Chontel Duncan stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Jumps Rope

Duncan shared this video on Instagram of herself in the gym. In it, she is seen jumping rope. According to ACE Fitness, jumping rope is a great workout. “Jumping rope can increase the elasticity and resiliency of lower-leg muscles, leading to a reduced risk of lower-leg injuries. Calf raises can strengthen the lower leg, but if the muscle tissue becomes too tight it could increase the risk of a number of lower-leg injuries including achilles tendon strain or plantar fasciitis. Jumping rope regularly strengthens the calf muscles and improves the elasticity of the surrounding tendons and fascia. To increase elasticity, try to land on the ball of the foot first, but let your heels go all of the way down to the ground.”

2. She Uses A Rowing Machine

Chontel Duncan/Instagram

In the Instagram post, Duncan is also seen using a rowing machine at the gym. The Cleveland Clinic states that using a rowing machine has a lot of benefits. “Your abdominal muscles, lower back, obliques, glutes and hamstrings all get a workout during a session on a rowing machine. If you follow proper form, your core will be engaged during every single step of the rowing process. Strengthening those muscles is also key to maintaining stability and building speed.”

3. She Works Her Glutes

Duncan makes sure to do workouts that work her glutes. She shared her favorites in this Instagram video. She captioned the post, “Here are some low-impact favorites to wake up the toosh before you work out!🍑 AIR SQUATS (slow and controlled, time under tension). 🍑 DEFICIT DOUBLE PULSE ALTERNATING REVERSE LUNGES (yes, it’s a mouthful). 🍑 GOOD MORNINGS (slow and with light weight, if any). 🍑 WEIGHTED DOUBLE PULSE SQUATS (keep it light and focus on depth). I like to do 15 reps of each for 2 rounds. These are just a few of my go-to moves. Stay tuned for more on my app coming soon!”

4. She Does Ladder Workouts

Duncan likes to do ladder workouts, which are workouts that increase in difficulty, amount of repetitions, or duration. Duncan shared this video of herself doing ladder workouts in the gym. She captioned the post, “Why I love Ladder workouts? Progressive structure, versatility, scaleability and variety. You will find various types of exercises such as weightlifting, (eg squats, bench), bodyweight exercises &/or cardio exercises. It’s suitable for all fitness levels, as the starting point and increments can be adjusted based on individual capability. I personally find I see benefits such as improved endurance & strength, mental toughness & caloric burn. And with this I can easily adjust to target different fitness goals, such as hypertrophy, endurance, or cardiovascular health.”

5. She Does Pull-Ups

Duncan is working on improving her pull-ups. She documented her progress on Instagram. Duncan shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them in the gym. She captioned the post, “The update no one asked for: Attempted my max wide grip over hand pull up. Managed 10 in my first set. Thinking I should set myself a goal to hit 14 strict reps…. (For shits and gigs).”