Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide Review
If you have been following my journey on IG, you might have seen that I have been doing Kayla Itsines' #bikinibodyguide. It's a 12 week workout program with a focus on fat burning through HIIT and plyometric training. My friend Sofia from SofiaClara recently interviewed me about my experience with the program and I wanted to give you the option to read the conversation on my blog too. Here is our full interview:
What do you like about Kayla’s workouts?
Kayla’s workouts are so different to anything I have ever done before. I have gone from torturing myself for 2 hours each day on the treadmill to only lifting heavy weights at the gym. It took me some time to figure out the right balance between cardio and weight training, and Kayla’s workout helped me a lot with that. Her workouts incorporate both HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and LIIS (Low Intensity Steady State), but also body weight exercises that build muscle and tone the body. The perfect combo in my opinion! But what’s even better is that Kayla promotes a healthy lifestyle and helps girls to build self confidence and be comfortable in their own bodies. If you’ve been following her on her Instagram you’ll know what I’m talking about.
What do you need to get started?
Once you have bought the eBook, I recommend printing it out (at least the exercise part). I used to have it on my iPhone via Dropbox, but this can get complicated when you are trying to look at the exercises, use the timer and listen to music at the same time. The second time around I am also using this GymBossTimer. It is specifically designed for interval training and allows you to concentrate on your training without worrying about time.
Equipment needed includes a set of weights (3-5 kg are recommended, but I have used up to 10kg), a medicine ball, skipping rope, bosu ball and a bench. I definitely also recommend investing into a good pair of shoes, if you don’t already have a pair. The workout consists of plyometric exercises, meaning exercises conducted in a rapid or “explosive” way. Not wearing high- quality shoes could mean hurting your knees and shins in the long run (trust me, I’ve been there).
Do you need the nutrition guide? Do you follow it?
Do you know the saying: “You can’t out-exercise a bad diet?” Well, nothing could be more true. If you really want to see changes, you will have to give 100% in both battles, end of story. Kayla’s nutrition guide is definitely a good starting point if you want to overhaul your diet but don’t know where to begin. That said, I personally don’t follow her guide. I was already in the middle of improving my diet before I started Kayla’s workout, and I found it “too basic” for where I was in my journey. I have read many books and educated myself about numerous dietary philosophies over the last two years, and have reached a point where I have found a diet that works well for me.
Where do you work out? Can you do the workouts at home or outside?
I do the workouts in a gym, but they can definitely be done at home or outside. A set of weights aren’t that expensive and are a good investment in the long run. The same goes for the medicine ball and the jump rope. I don’t think it’s worth getting a bosu ball, as it’s not used that often in her exercises. And lastly, the bench can easily be replaced with a chair, coach table or even a park bench or steps.
What’s your favourite time of the day to do the BBG work out?
Due to uni and work, I don’t really get to choose when I work out and have to do it in the evening. But on weekends I love being active in the morning! My one recommendation is to not do the BBG workout right after a meal or first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I remember the couple times I did Kayla’s workout without having eaten anything in the morning, and I always got dizzy and felt light headed. If you plan to exercise in the morning, at least have a small snack like a banana or a green juice before.
Last question! Who are your top 5 Instagrammers to keep motivated?
elle_fit : Self taught yogi with an admiring flexibility and the biggest heart
sporteluxe : A beautiful blog with everything you need to know about fitness, nutrition and holistic well-being
hannamodig : Just take a look at her pictures and you’ll know why she is such a motivation!
alexandrabring : ditto
carolinehgroth : An inspiring story about a young girl who fought cancer and now leads a healthy, wholesome life