Jeff Nippard, a popular Canadian fitness influencer, is opening up about his mental health. The Kelowna, B.C.-born bodybuilder shared he’s been struggling with his grief, nearly three months after his fiancée Stephanie Buttermore’s shock death at 36.
On Sunday, Nippard took to Instagram to share an update on his life. The 35-year-old powerlifter — known for his YouTube channel that boasts more than eight million subscribers — included various clips of himself working out in recent days as he’s been taking a break from social media.
“I’ve been staying in my friend’s basement for the past few weeks and he has a barbell and a dumbbell down there, so I’ve been getting back to my roots with some basic strength training again,” Nippard began in his post on May 24, nearly a month since his last update on Instagram.
“Working out during grief has been one of those things that I really don’t want to do, but I’m glad I did once it’s done.”
He continued to write about how he’s been having a tough time since his partner of 10 years died earlier this year.
“My depression has been bad, so my strength is down a lot and for the first time I can remember, I have no real desire to work out,” he penned, adding he’s been trying to push himself to exercise by telling himself to lift an empty bar up and down 10 times.
“After that, if I still want to stop, I will. If it feels fine, I’ll keep going. I usually end up finishing the workout anyway because it usually does feel better once it’s started. I’ve also taken some time away from social media and YouTube. It’s a break that I felt I needed, so thank you for understanding,” he added, expressing appreciation for people’s support.
In the comments section, thousands of people shared words of encouragement.
“More people than you know are keeping you in their thoughts,” someone shared.
“I wish you the absolute best,” another wrote.
“Take as much time as you need, my man. Everyone wants to see you back, but we want you to have a good life more than anything,” another fitness content creator chimed in.
Nippard last shared an update on April 28, noting he’d spent time with Buttermore’s family and closest friends to celebrate her life.
“When I think about Stephanie, I keep coming back to how loving and kind she was. She really made the world a better place,” Nippard added.
“If you were a fan of Stephanie, then I’m a fan of you. I hope she made your life better in some way. She made my life amazing and I’m so grateful for the time we had.”
His team broke the news of Buttermore’s death in a post on March 6.
“It is with profound sorrow that we share the sudden passing of Jeff’s fiancée and partner of 10 years, Stephanie,” the post read. “As many of you know, Stephanie meant the world to Jeff. She will be remembered for her warmth and compassion, her love for her family and her PhD research on ovarian cancer.”
Prior to her death, Buttermore had also been a successful fitness influencer before she quit in May 2024. Back then, she wrote about taking a step back to prioritize her mental health. She shared her anxiety had become “crippling,” but after taking a break from social media, her mental health became “the best it’s ever been.”
In late 2022, Nippard and Buttermore announced their engagement. The Canadian wrote about how he “slid” into her direct messages, and had been video chatting for hours daily until he went to visit her in Florida from Canada.
“We got along like best friends right away because we established a foundation of shared interests and values from the beginning. … It’s been an amazing journey of growth and love. Can’t wait for the next chapter together,” Nippard penned in that post.
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