If you’ve got your finger on the pulse of the Instagram fitness world, you will already know the name Kayla Itsines. But for those who haven’t heard about the Itsines effect just yet, let me introduce you to this ‘girl on fire’. The 23 year-old personal trainer is a social media powerhouse, reaching into millions of homes and helping women transform both their health and their bodies.
Kayla’s first steps into the fitness industry followed the traditional; working in a mainstream gym as a women’s only trainer. But after fielding an increasing number of questions from clients on how to develop the perfect physique fit for a bikini, Kayla went her own way. She put together The Bikini Body Guide and nutrition and lifestyle guides soon followed. Kayla is now known as The Bikini Body Personal Trainer.
Social media has enabled the Kayla Movement to sweep the globe. She now has over 3 million Instagram followers and 171,000 Twitter fans, with those numbers climbing daily as her online community grows.
So what is it about Kayla that sets her apart? Well, here’s what I think:
Kayla is a true representation of her brand – She eats, lives, and breaths the the Bikini Body method. That’s honest. It’s also inspirational and aspirational – Her abs are quickly becoming legend and girls just want to look like Kayla; Despite being the Bikini Body Trainer, you will rarely see her post a photo of herself in one. That’s because Kayla Itsines has no desire to become Kim Kardashian. She’s happy being the fit girl, she’s not a fame girl; Kayla keeps it positive. If she cops a bit of bullying online, she stops it and moves on. The Kayla tribe digs that; Her workouts seem to bring results. They are simple, fast (just 28 minutes a day, promising results in less than 12 weeks) and generally bodyweight dependent which means women can work out anywhere from their living rooms to their hotel rooms.
Here’s a little advice from the fitness guru just for you:
Your best advice for those just starting out, or getting back into exercise after a long time off?
Be smart about it, don’t get fed up straight away. Be patient, change isn’t going to come instantly! Try to work yourself back in slowly and your body will soon develop a habit. Poor lifestyle patterns take time to re-write and you won’t see significant results in a week. Stick to it and you WILL get there!
What are your top three tips for getting results from your training?
1.Consistency, 2. Discipline, 3. Consistency. If you wanted a 4th…probably more consistency. The training and eating programs are very simple and don’t require a huge amount of time day to day. Simply do things the way they are listed, do them right and keep them right. The change will come.
The one ‘must-do’ exercise move you’d like everybody to do if they could and why?
Box Jumps, a very fulfilling exercise. I remember when I first started doing these and it’s so exciting when you challenge yourself and can jump higher and higher!
What’s your biggest tip for girls wanting to keep active whilst travelling?
The great thing about my workouts is that they require minimum to no equipment! Not only this but they’re only 28 minutes long, and I have a few blogs outlining a workout that can be done in just 14 minutes! These exercises are perfect for the first thing in the morning when you’re travelling, especially if you’re suffering from jet lag. Exercising in the morning is a perfect way to kick-start your metabolism and get you out of bed and ready for a day of sightseeing.
What inspires you?
My mission is what inspires me. I have a dream to end confusion within the health and fitness industry. Fads and scams in this industry have created so much distrust and insecurity around weight-loss programs. I want all people to understand their body, have a place to learn about health and fitness and in turn feel confident & happy.
Skye is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Fit Traveller.
She is a journalist, writer, photographer, intrepid traveller and a former personal trainer with a passion for helping others reach optimal health.
As a TV journalist and producer, Skye has worked for household names such as 60 Minutes, Sunrise, TODAY and Nine News. She has also written for Women’s Health, Fodor’s Travel and Yahoo7 Travel, among many others.
Equally comfortable in a 5-star resort or hiking a far-off mountain, Skye loves the unexpected and enriching life experiences that each trip brings and can often be found in a backstreet chatting to locals with her camera in hand.
Skye is based in Sydney, working to master the balance between motherhood and her appetite for adventure.
Read more about Skye’s story here.