Kate Ivey turned her own fitness struggle into a solution for rural women, creating Dedikate—an online program that helps them achieve sustainable health and fitness, no matter how busy or isolated.

Ivey had always been keen on sport and focused on fitness, but moving to Glentanner Station in the Mackenzie Country with her husband Mark and starting a family meant her own wellbeing took a back seat.

"I had all the background and the passion, but despite that, with the changes in my life, I sort of lost my way and my confidence. And lost my fitness."

Ivey had a Bachelor of Physical Education and Bachelor of Science majoring in psychology from the University of Otago, but the isolation of station life coupled with the demands of motherhood made prioritising fitness a challenge.

"I was living remotely, had no access to the gym and couldn't get away from the house with young kids," Ivey says.

After having her third child, Ivey realised she needed to make changes.

“I needed to ditch the 100% all in or all out approach and start actually eating for fuel and I needed short, effective workouts I could do at home.”

Ivey ditched the scales and focused more on her health and wellbeing, an approach that proved to be more successful and sustainable.

She began to wonder if it was an approach other rural women, if faced the same fitness obstacles, might benefit from too.

"I realised that with my qualifications and my own experiences, I could help others who were also struggling."

And so the online health and fitness programme, DediKate, was born.

The programme started as EBooks but quickly grew to a subscription-based app with online workouts, personal trainers, and wraparound nutrition support.

It now has 2300 members across New Zealand and Australia.

“It’s focused around exercise for busy women, and exercise for all the mental and physical benefits, not just weight loss.”

For Ivey, the all-or-nothing mindset that served her well in some areas of her life hindered her long-term fitness goals.

She encourages people to have a more realistic and sustainable approach to fitness.

"It's that realisation that  to be successful long-term, you have to be okay with missing workouts, not always eating perfectly and with things not going to plan."

Ivey said the key is to "just keep going."

"It doesn't have to be perfect, but all those little changes add up over time."

The programme's membership continues to grow, especially amongst rural women who are isolated from access to a gym and are often time-poor.

A collaboration with New World was what Ivey describes as a "pretty big" moment, and Covid lockdown driving membership numbers up.

"We doubled our membership through Covid when everybody was online."

Ivey had never intended for the programme to be anything other than a success, though.

"I've always been highly motivated and driven, so I started with a vision for DediKate to be huge.

"I had big dreams."

Part of the programme's success comes from its relatability.

Workout videos are realistic and unpolished and are often recorded on the farm with the hustle and bustle of kids in the background.

"It's not necessarily deliberate; it's just how I am and how it works.

"Anytime I try and make things glossy, it doesn't work because it's not who I am, and it's not the environment that I'm in, and the great thing is our members absolutely love it."

The programme has taken on a life of its own, with DediKate becoming a community as much as a business.

"The women who do our programme are so supportive of each other, myself and my trainers.

"It's like having a big family, and it really motivates us to exercise as well, knowing everyone is out there doing it with us."

Many in that community are rural women who face unique geographical barriers to fitness.

Often, a gym is miles away, or the gym that is on offer doesn't appeal.

"They may not get a sense of community from their gym because it's not their tribe.

"They find their tribe with us."

Some rural women have physical jobs on-farm and so don't prioritise planned workouts.

"They have been out on the farm, had a busy day on their feet and think that is enough exercise.

"It's about balance, working on fitness for strength and health and wellbeing with the demands of country life."

By Claire Inkson