Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide: Why it Changed My life Even Though I Didn’t Get Results

    Top 5 Reasons How Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide Changed My Life Even Though I Didn’t Get The Results I Wanted

    Just like everyone else tends to do, I decided to go on social media to get some #fitspiration for my upcoming holiday vacation. Throughout my explorations I found myself getting completely side-tracked from my original goals. It was for the best.

    I came across Kayla Itsines and her Bikini Body guide while scrolling endlessly through Instagram. From that moment on, I’ve maintained a serious love-hate relationship with her.

    Some of the hate stems from the fact that I haven’t seen the results that I’ve wanted and her Bikini Body Guide is pretty expensive (BBG). The rest of it stems from all the burpees she makes me do.

    Regardless, through the weighted step-ups and downs, it doesn’t matter that I didn’t achieve the physical results I expected and here’s why:

    1. Everyone’s body is different. 

    At first, I obsessively stalked the #BBG girls on Instagram because so many of them looked like completely different people after completing the guide.

    That didn’t happen for me and I’m not sure why, but instead of comparing myself to these other women, I started using their social media platform to get ideas about different foods to try, different workouts, diets, and over all encouragement.

    The BBG community isn’t there to boast or belittle, it’s there to support and encourage.

    But it took some time for me to learn that.

    1. Mental and Physical Strength

    Seriously, I am a miserable b*tch when I’m doing BBG workouts.

    I hate everyone that looks like they are enjoying their workout.

    I hate everyone that looks like they haven’t broken a sweat.

    I hate everyone that looks at me: LOOK AWAY.

    I essentially hate everyone, especially Kayla Itsines.

    But I’ll be damned if I don’t finish the 4 sets of 7 minutes of sweaty, miserable, hell.

    1. I’m not scared of weights anymore.

    Before Kayla, I would go to the gym scared to death of even looking over at the weight room.

    I thought that if I even glance that way I could end up stuck in an in-depth discussion on protein intake and walk out looking like a male body builder.

    I stuck to the treadmill because, at least, I knew how to use it. I didn’t want anyone watching me fumble around all these different weights and machines.

    Now I like the weight room, though I haven’t gotten over my fear of protein-intake conversations.

    I even enjoy trying new things and pushing myself harder:

    “If I can do 60 burpees, I can squat heavier than this.”

    “If I can do a burpee push-up and flow easily into a box jump, I can lift longer than this.”

    “If I’ve made it this far, I can keep going.”

    “If I mess up and look like an idiot, oh well.”

    1. Working out is part of my routine.

    After Kayla Itsines’ BBG, working out is a habit.

    I work out about 5-6 days a week and I don’t totally hate my life. Sometimes I’d rather die than move from the couch, but  since working out is part of my daily life, I don’t feel like myself unless I get a work out in.

    (Except Sundays, Sundays are for naps and snacks.)

    1. Its no longer about how I look. 

    I’ve had men compliment me at the gym. I’ve had a few ask me on dates and I’ve had a few tell me that I look skinnier.

    There was a time when these kinds of compliments would have made me feel like wonder woman, but now they make me feel uncomfortable.

    The other day, I had an older man walk up to me say “I was just watching your workout routine, and it’s amazing, you are really putting it all out there.”

    Of course, I could barely breathe let alone respond, but I was glowing.

    That sh*t made me feel like wonder woman.

    I realized that I don’t want compliments on how I look because that’s not what this is about anymore.

    It’s about pushing harder, testing my limits, and being stronger. It’s about feeling amazing all the time, regardless of how I look. It’s about my mental and physical health. I don’t need compliments because this isn’t about anyone but me.

    And I think this is the most important thing I’ve learned from BBG, because when I started, the goal was to look a certain way; to change my body because I hated it.

    Now, I can’t hate my body because I have accomplished amazing things with it.

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    • Haley Salera is an alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh, current staffer at the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and an aficionado of boxed wine. When she isn't stuck in a political debate, she enjoys reading books about strong female protagonists, taking pictures of flowers, and spending Saturdays at the market.

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