Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw of Keeping it Cleaner

KICing it with Steph & Laura

They’re the Best friend duo that has taken social media by storm, and now with their ever-growing tribe of KIC girls and KIC food line, they’re taking Coles by storm.

What is KIC you ask?

‘Keep It Cleaner’ is a health and fitness program designed by Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith. Both of which lovely ladies have graced the covers of iconic Australian magazine ‘Women’s Fitness’, which just goes to show their recognition of not only healthy food, but healthy living as a whole, mind, body and basically everything you need to live a healthy clean life, all with the support and encouragement on Facebook of so many other women on their own health journey..

You can find out SO much more about the girls, the KIC program and sign up here. Steph and Laura recently appeared at the Brisbane Fitness Show at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

We asked the girls some of the questions on everyone’s mind; talking about their friendship, working out, motivation, cooking disasters and everything in-between.

How and when did you both meet each other? 

We met at Melbourne fashion week five years ago. We were booked on a lot of the same shows so we spent a lot of time with each other and just couldn’t get enough of each other! 

 

How did KIC come about and what were your intentions when first creating this program? 

We both had a passion for cooking healthy meals and treats and wanted to share these recipes with others. E-books were really new and big at the time, so we decided to make one, we called it Keep it Clean. The book went so well we then developed it into a website/blog called keep it cleaner! We only dreamed of having it become a health and wellness program, and when the opportunity came up to make it happen we jumped on it! We just want to be there as much as we can for the young girls and women out there, (or anyone really!) who are struggling to find a healthy balanced lifestyle. We want to make healthy living as adorable and accessible and as EASY as possible. Money aside it’s the most rewarding job we both have, knowing that you’re helping someone learn to love themselves and find happiness in a balanced life is quite an incredible feeling.

Does being such close friends help with the business and creative side of things? 

Yes for sure. We both really respect one another and have the same dreams and ambitions for the brand, so we work together perfectly. We both have our strengths, and they are different… so it works!

Did you have any funny cooking disasters in trial and error of your recipes for the KIC program? 

Too many to note down! One that comes to mind would be our Clean Choc-chip Cookies! They’re definitely one of the most popular recipes we have, and it took us about 20 trial runs to get right the first time. We always get our boyfriends to try them too, once we know they’re boyfriend approved… we know they’re winners.

 

KICing it with Steph & Laura

 

When you created KIC did you ever expect it to be as big as it is now? 

No way. But we are so proud of it! Were constantly pinching ourselves! We’re not done though 😉

 

What do you see for the future of KIC? 

We’d love just to keep growing in different ways! KIC is a movement… and we’ve got some pretty amazing things coming, you will just have to wait and see hehe

 

I have personally tried almost all of your products stocked in Coles (my favourite are the bliss balls) do you each have a personal favourite product? 

Aw, thank you! The support we are getting from everyone is incredible! But it goes to show there really was that gap in the market for actual ‘healthy’ products on supermarket shelves. Steph’s favourites would be the Cacao GF Porridge and the Choc hazelnut bliss ball.  Laura’s is the Choc cherry protein bar and the apple berry pop CCV drink!

 

How do you balance running KIC and your own successful, busy careers outside of KIC? 

First of all, passion is everything. We’re both incredibly passionate about KIC, so we love working on it. But it is a lot of work, and we both have our own way of balancing that out with our other commitments and life outside of it all! We both schedule everything in. If you keep a diary and schedule in everything; meetings, appointments, coffee dates, workouts etc., it’s easier to find that balance.

 

Do you have a particular highlight or “pinch me” moment from the success of the KIC program? 

There has been many! Which is crazy to think about hehe. I think two times that come to mind would be having over 150 girls come to a KIC Girls workout in Sydney at the Aus Fitness show, and another pinch me moment would be the first time we saw our grocery products on the shelves in Coles. That’s a feeling like no other.

 

Is working out or cooking together one of your favourite things to do? Or do you have something else you love to do together? 

Yes! We love doing both together! But if we’re not doing that, we’re having dinner together with our other halves.

 

Do you have a favourite day on the KIC program in terms of the workout, food plan and Meditation? 

It’s different every week of course – but Laura is a runner, so she loves Tuesdays and Sundays the most, and Steph probably likes the boxing workouts the most! (Mondays and Fridays) – the best part about our program is the girls can make it their own… they can swap around their workouts, and their meal plans to suit them.

 

Do you have any tips for those of us who are struggling to keep in routine during the colder months at the moment?

We both enjoy working out for more reasons than the physical side of things… so that keeps us motivated all year round! Just because you are wearing more layers doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look after yourself!

 

There you have it ladies and gents! A world of inspiration from kicking your goals with hard work and dedication and to KICing it with Steph and Laura; a beautiful inspiration on healthy eating, living, body image, relationships, motivation and passion in life. To think that these girls are only 24 and 25 years of age is mind-blowing to see what they have achieved already. We can’t wait to see what else the girls come up with, keep an eye on this duo world!

 bonus workout below 

Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw of Keeping it Cleaner 


WorkOut

Try this at home: Steph and Laura’s 20 min HIIT workout 

 


ROUND #1 

10 reps. Alternating kettlebell swings, dumbbell V sit and pistol squat. 10 mins. AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)

 

Kettlebell swings 

Legs shoulder width apart, bend from your hips and allow the kettlebell to swing between your legs (knees bent and back straight). Forcefully drive your hips forward using your glutes and hammies to propel the kettlebell back up, no higher than your shoulders. 

Breakaway: Control the kettlebell with your arms, but don’t pull it up. Don’t forget, engage your core and finish with a neutral pelvis. Don’t lean back!

 

Dumbbell v sit 

Sitting on your butt, knees bent weights held to your chest, lean back so your body creates a V shape with your thighs (shoulders back and chest up for good form!). Raise your feet off the ground and press your weights above your head then return to chest. Repeat. 

Breakaway: A bit wobbly? Keep your heels on the ground for balance.

 

Pistol squat (alternate legs each round) 

Standing on one leg, lower your butt into a squat with your arms and opposite leg extended out in front of you. Bend from your hips and keep your chest up and your weight in your heels. Return to an upright position.

Breakaway: Too tricky? Hold onto something stable (like a wall) for support

 


ROUND #2

30 secs on. 30 secs off. Alternate weighted squats, Russian twists and weighted uppercuts. 10 mins.  

Weighted squats: 

Stand with your feet outside shoulder width and slightly rotated out. Hold weight at your chest. Begin with a neutral pelvis and then push hips back with knees out, keeping weight through your heels. Return to starting position. Repeat.

 

Russian Twists with weights 

Sitting, bend your knees upholding weights at your stomach. Lean back so that you are on an incline with heels off the floor. Rotate the torso to your left bringing the dumbbell to your hip. Return to the centre and repeat on the right. That’s one.

Breakaway: Chest up, shoulders back, pelvis tucked under and engage your core!

 
Weighted uppercuts 

Legs staggered, grip your weights as though holding a fist (palms facing up) and hold your arms by your side (elbows bent). Bend knees and punch your right fist upward. Stop abruptly at chin level. Alternate left and right at a quick, rhythmic pace. 

 

Olivia Siebel

Olivia Siebel

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