Why I love Kayla Itsine's Bikini Body Guide

Having dealt with child obesity as well as teenage eating disorders, fitness and food have been a focus of mine from a young age, sometimes to extreme and unhealthy measures. That said, I am on a quest to achieve my healthiest and happiest self, especially in this amazing new chapter of motherhood. You can read more about why and how I started this journey here. For now, read below to understand more about why I love Kayla's BBG!

I was first introduced to Kayla's BBG programme in 2015 when I noticed how fit and trim a family member was becoming. She was getting married soon and told me she was "doing KAYLA" to look her best in the dress. "What's Kayla?" I asked.

She shows me Kayla's Instagram account and I was blown away by all the amazing transformations. This fitness following was bigger than the cross-fit cult! I decided to give it a try and wasn't I glad I did! It helped me trim most of the baby weight from my first pregnancy and is working quite well for me again the second time around, especially in combination with other healthy lifestyle changes.

So why do I love Kayla so much?

It is sustainable

The KAYLA workouts are a series of high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises. "High intensity" might sound quite daunting, however the way the guides work is you follow the sequence of exercises for a limited time (only 7 minutes), with breaks in between. As long as you focus on good form and go at your own pace this workout is achievable by anyone and is easy to stick to. I find this to be a method I can work with consistently, as opposed to forcing myself to do 10 burpees in a row as fast as I can for example.

You don't have to think

The more you learn about fitness and the more you challenge your body, the more complicated and confusing things can get. What I love about Kayla in terms of this is that you don't have to come up with your own workout routine (often opting for exercises you LIKE, which don't necessarily mean you NEED), wondering if its the right combination of exercises etc. With the guides you can be rest assured that you are doing a healthy, balanced and challenging workout that will get you results so long as you stick to it.

It is SHORT and manageable in a busy day.

The whole workout is a total of 28 minutes. Who doesn't have 28 minutes? This is a "no excuses workout", but not only just because it is short.....

It requires minimal to no equipment.

You don't need a gym membership or fancy expensive workout paraphernalia to complete these guides. All you need is some space, your body and your motivation to keep you going.

It prevents injuries.

I've been to so many different trendy fitness classes over the years from Zumba to sweat1000 and so many others. What all these classes have in common is one teacher to several students, a fast pace and high energy. This is awesome if you're fit and have at least a basic understanding of proper form in fitness. However many people attend those classes and, under the influence of loud music and endorphin's, they push themselves too hard and end up using wrong form and getting so sore or injured. In the KAYLA workouts you're not forced to go at a specific pace. The goal is to do the workouts with correct form and at your own pace for 7 minutes. That's it! As you continue with the guides you will get stronger and inevitably do the moves faster, but the RIGHT way.

You have a whole community of support

One of the best parts of Kayla Itsines BBG is the immense support and sense of community you have with this movement. With over 8 MILLION followers (yes MILLION!) on Instagram, Kayla has become a worldwide sensation, inspiring women of all shapes, sizes, professions, cultures and fitness levels across the globe. Kayla shares daily inspiration on her Instagram account, showcasing normal people transformations. These are mothers, teenagers, athletes, students and grandmothers (I know this for a fact because the grandmother of my own kids does these workouts religiously! Plus shes a Pilates instructor. Wonder where I get my passion for fitness from?!) all with the same goal in mind - to look and feel stronger.

With the Kayla movement you can share your progress and find a boatload of other women doing the exact same. There are even Kayla meetups occurring around the world now! I find it incredibly inspiring and motivating to be a part of a community of women who applaud and support each others progress and where the goal is moving forward, not achieving a certain standard. The comparison is YOU. Are you improving your strength? If you follow the easy programme the answer will always be yes.