Judith Sephuma has built a reputation over nearly three decades for her powerful voice. But in recent months, listeners haven’t just been talking about her music—they’ve also been watching her HYROX finish line with the same level of curiosity. Now, the singer is clearing the air about how she truly got into fitness.
In a candid conversation with Kaya 959’s breakfast team, DJ Fresh and Thato Mataboge, Sephuma brushed off the idea that she’s always been a “gym person” who never strays from the workouts.
“I’m not a fitness bunny. I’m simply a woman who loves fitness and loves being fit.”
She explained that the motivation didn’t come from glamour or an effortless lifestyle. For her, the turning point arrived during a difficult period around motherhood, when high blood pressure and extreme tiredness pushed her to face her health directly. Instead of jumping straight into intense changes, she started with manageable habits—taking 15-minute walks around her neighbourhood and replacing sugary drinks with water.
Those early steps gradually evolved: walking turned into jogging, jogging became running, and her routine eventually shifted toward eating more vegetables while reducing processed foods.
“The reason I ventured into fitness was for health reasons following a health scare, and I was also scared of being big. After having a baby, I just started running and monitoring what I eat.”
Watch the interview below:
Sephuma also credited her support system—particularly her partner and personal trainer, Sibusiso Mazibuko—saying his role made the journey feel less daunting.
“God loved me so much that He also blessed me with a partner who is so big on fitness, which then made it easier for me to walk this journey.”
A journey that’s been years in the making
This isn’t the first time the vocalist has spoken about reshaping her day-to-day life. In an earlier interview with Bona dating back to 2016, she described her progress and talked about a more intense phase that included working out hard, boxing, and running as part of her earlier efforts around losing weight and adopting healthier eating habits. She shared that she had started the previous year and was even posting updates about her training online at the time.
More recent supporters may also remember that the transformation came after a rougher stretch.
Reports say Sephuma experienced a serious health scare that put her in the ICU. After that, she began going to the gym to focus on her wellbeing—and it was reportedly in that setting that she met Mazibuko, who went on to help guide her training.
During the Kaya 959 interview, Sephuma said the payoff from her lifestyle changes has been bigger than physical appearance. She noted that she has been cutting meat from her diet for 13 years, and she’s also noticed differences in her performances—explaining that she feels more energy and believes fitness has helped her look her best.
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