Kayla Itsines Interview: Find a simple plan and stick to it

Imperfect Matter’s 10 minute Kayla Itsines interview from 2014…

I’m sure many of you know of Kayla Itsines and her amazing body! The 23 year old, Australian personal trainer has become an Instagram sensation because of her Bikini Body Training Guide fitness & nutrition programme.

I’ve been following Kayla on Instagram since November 2013 and many of her images have helped motivate me to get my bum down to the gym, but it was only back in June 2014 that I decided to see what her exercise plan was really about. I downloaded the three free workouts first (which I hugely recommend) and completed them the week before my holiday. Silly timing, I know! I wish I’d thought about it sooner to get extra lean for the beach.

 

I was lucky enough to get a bit of Kayla’s time for a few questions. Here’s what I found out:

How many times a week do you workout?

I complete 3-4 resistance training sessions per week. I also incorporate some cardio too!

What does your day on a plate look like?

Like everyone else I have my own few dishes that I love to have on repeat. These are the ones I have most regularly at each time of the day, spread out with at least a few hours in between. Because I work a ‘split-shift’ type day my meals are very consistent.

Breakfast: toast with poached eggs, avocado, & tomato plus a cup of herbal tea.

After morning shift: one piece of fruit.

Lunch: chicken yiros (a wrap) with homemade tzatziki, lettuce, tomato, & onion.

Afternoon snack: tuna salad & a piece of fruit.

Dinner: Avgolemono ( fluffy lemon & rice soup ) with chicken.

Evening: I always have a peppermint or chamomile tea in the evening.

 

Was there anyone who inspired you to get into fitness & nutrition?

There isn’t a particular person who inspired me to begin my career in fitness. Once I graduated high school, I actually started studying beauty therapy. However, my love of sport and basketball lead to me to Personal Training, and that’s when I discovered how much I loved helping people to become healthier and happier! I have never looked back since, for me it was a great life changing decision.

I have always been healthy and fit. Whether it was basketball, other sport of just working out, I am far too impatient to not do something with my time. Now 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.

 

What makes your programme different to all of the others out there?

I guess the biggest different is the goal. Rather than being a weight-loss or a muscle gaining program it is simply a plan to get you a particular look. It will help work both ways, to gain strength and to lose fat. The workouts aren’t easy but this is compensated by some amazing flexibility in my meal plan (and recipe books coming very soon). If you want to have a look at the results just visit my reviews or transformations page.

Do you have any exciting future plans for you and the brand?

Without giving away too much, there will be recipe books and a Bikini Body Training Guide 2.0. Along with this there may be the opportunity for girls all over the world to never have to leave their home to train. Interactive programs and fitness equipment maybe too. A busy and exciting year ahead 🙂

 

So many people I know want a quick fix from a fad diet and get down when they don’t see results within 2 days – can you give some words of wisdon/advice to help change their mindset?

Find a simple plan and stick to it. Consistency is the biggest piece of advice that can ever be given to anyone. If you train and eat 110% perfectly but only 10% of the time, you’ll still only get 10% results.  I would rather eat and train well, always and get 100% results.

Do you have a favourite cheat treat?

I have a weak spot for Tiramisu, which is a Greek coffee flavored dessert. Because I am lactose intolerant and this has dairy in it, I can only have it once every so often… but this is probably a good thing.

If you could do a workout with anyone, who would it be and why?

Anybody BUT my boyfriend Tobi! He trains me really really hard.

What was the last item of sportswear you purchased?

I recently bought some Cotton on Body shorts. They have the best collection of workout shorts. So comfy!

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Now, nearly a year on, I’m still loving the guide! You can see my progress over on my Instagram page.

If you don’t follow Kayla on Instagram already, you can find her here! x