'When you start to feel physically stronger, you also start to feel mentally stronger.'

Glow-Up Female Fitness & Wellbeing opened in Bangor in June with a clear mission to provide a safe space to exercise, reach your fitness goals, and make lasting friendships in the gym community.

Since the rising violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland, the team behind Glow-Up Female Fitness & Wellbeing wants to put their best foot forward to empower women to feel both physically and mentally stronger.

Co-owner Gliosa Moore spoke to Belfast Live about how the idea of a female-only gym formed: "Esther Smyth was my personal trainer for quite some time following a period of bereavement and a breakdown in a toxic relationship. I reached out as I was really lost, and she changed my life in such a way that we got talking about how we could change other people's lives.

"Esther has been a well-established PT in the Bangor area for 12 years, and I wouldn't have wanted to go into business with anybody else. We started talking about the barriers women have in relation to training, and indeed I have faced some of those barriers, which is why I reached out to a female PT. The gym Esther was at was quite male-dominated, and she would have to come meet me in the car park because I was so nervous to go in alone.

"Often, as women, we're so heavily committed with family and children that it's often very difficult to forge female friendships. We wanted to change that and provide a space women could find emotional support, and find somewhere there would be camaraderie and they could build confidence. A lot of women don't feel confident and comfortable in a gym environment because, whether they like it or not, there is often unwanted attention from men."

Esther Smyth, Best Female PT in Northern Ireland 2025, said anyone is welcome at the gym regardless of whether they're a beginner or a fitness pro.

Esther goes on to say that she sees a shift in what women are striving to achieve in fitness, she explained: "We're seeing a lot in gyms that a lot of women are striving to become fitter and stronger, as opposed to back in the day when the culture was more about being skinny. It's now all about getting healthier, stronger, and fitter.

"We try to educate our clients about the benefits of lifting weights and resistance training. It helps promote joint health and bone health, which is especially important for menopausal women. We try to educate women on how lifting weights and building muscle in your body is actually the best anti-ageing supplement you can use.

"Around 90% of my clients are mums, so it's showing our children how to live a better lifestyle, and letting them see their mums get fitter and stronger. Being a mum could be a barrier to training for many, but we say to bring the kids along, there's always a place for them."

The gym has clients from all walks of life, regardless of age or training experience.

Esther concluded: "When you start to feel physically stronger, you also start to feel mentally stronger."