MATCHA MATE // KAYLA ITSINES
For our October Matcha Mail, we could not be more honoured to have had the incredible Kayla Itsines as our Matcha Mate of the month. Unless you've been living under a rock, this inspiring (and stunning) 24-year-old will need no introduction (I know, she's so young and yet so accomplished!) We are still pinching ourselves to have had the chance to chat with this beauty about her fitness, food and social media habits (especially how much she loves all things green tea!) You'll even score a sneaky green tea recipe - yay! Enjoy!
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Hi Kayla! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a 24-year-old personal trainer from Adelaide, Australia. I live with my gorgeous partner, Tobi and our two Siberian huskies, Ace and TJ. I have just completed my first ever World Bootcamp Tour where I was privileged enough to meet and train with nearly 10,000 girls in the UK, USA and Europe, visiting Amsterdam, London and New York City. I absolutely love that I can train, educate and give healthy lifestyle advice to girls all around the world through my Bikini Body Training Guide, Healthy Eating Lifestyle Plan, social media accounts and my website kaylaitsines.com.
Which foods should we avoid and what should we add to our daily diet?
My Nutrition HELP Guide encourages eating foods from all five-food groups, I don’t recommend skipping meals or certain food groups. A personal mission of mine is to ensure women all around the world know that a healthy diet does not mean you need to restrict your eating and cut out entire food groups. The great thing about healthy eating is that there is SO much variety, and it still tastes delicious!
You talk about green tea in quite a few of your wonderful materials - why do you recommend it to your girls?
I personally love the taste of green tea. It is also full of antioxidants, which are important in protecting our cells from damage and keeping our skin looking radiant.
How do you integrate green tea into your diet? Do you have any favourite recipes?
Green tea is something I particularly love to have during the winter months when it’s cold outside. I also love making green tea cookies, which are an office favourite, especially on St. Patrick's Day! Find my recipe here :)
What do you think are the most common mistakes girls make when it comes to fitness and diet?
Girls often have the all or nothing attitude, where they fluctuate between taking their health seriously by eating extremely healthily and exercising every day, to doing absolutely nothing at all. Going through these constant changes is only going to have a negative effect on your body. This yo-yo type of attitude is frequently the main cause for rapid weight gain or weight loss, bloating, disappointment and emotional eating. My tip is to not overdo it, take things slow and make small, realistic changes, soon your body will develop a habit it can maintain long-term!
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"Green tea is ... full of antioxidants which are important in protecting our cells from damage and keeping our skin looking radiant..."
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What's your one foodie indulgence that you couldn't live without?
I have a weak spot for Tiramisu. However, I am lactose intolerant so I can only have it every so often, which is probably a good thing. I do believe that it’s important to allow yourself to eat the foods you love, but in moderation. Remember to be realistic with the foods you eat as this can help reduce cravings and prevent overindulging.
What are your five favourite food items?
1. Greek Yoghurt
2. Free Range Eggs
3. Rye Bread
4. Mangos
5. Tuna
This list could go on and on! I like to make sure I eat a wholesome diet incorporating foods from all five food groups, as shown in my Nutrition HELP Guide. By incorporating a variety of foods into my meals, I am able to maintain a healthy, well-balanced and interesting diet that provides my body with the fuel and nutrients that it needs.
Do you have any hot tips for eating out?
Eating out is a normal part of our lifestyle, which is why I always suggest following a realistic healthy eating plan. When dining out, I recommend choosing dishes that match what you would typically eat at that time of the day.
To reassure us all, do you ever have moments where you just can't get motivated? If so, what do you do on those days?
Of course, I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t! I believe being fit and healthy is a long term lifestyle change and for it to be realistic you need to give your bodies time to rest and recover. While I am ‘active’ in one way or another most days of the week, I always allow one full rest day. In saying that, I believe it’s important to understand the difference between needing resting and telling yourself, ‘you can’t be bothered’. My body has developed a habit to exercising regularly and it thrives off of the positive energy it brings me.
If you had to choose one exercise to fit into the day, what would it be?
Burpees are one of my favourite exercises featured frequently in my Bikini Body Training Guide because they require a number of large muscles groups to work together at the same time. You can also get creative and add other movements to really work up a sweat, such as a lay down push up, or tuck jumps.
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"...a healthy diet does not mean you need to restrict your eating and cut out entire food groups..."
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How does Instagram (and other social media) affect positively your business?
I believe social media is fundamental for the success of any business. For me, my social pages are an amazing platforms where I can motivate, educate and inspire my BBG community. My mission is for my website and social media accounts to be the "go-to place" for women’s health and fitness. I want all women to be able to read my posts and blogs knowing that the advice I give them is genuine and true. I think my Instagram profile has an honest and uplifting community vibe about it. Instead of being focused entirely on me, I've based it on the results of others, whose hard work should definitely be celebrated! I love that all of my clients are all REAL women with REAL unique stories, who are all working and dedicating themselves to achieve their goals.
What are your top 3 Instagram tips for Kayla's army?
Consistency, Dedication and Confidence :)
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The responses are Kayla's intellectual property and must not be misused, replaced, edited in any way, or used in any other context than the questions she is referring to. No part of Kayla's responses should be reproduced, adapted or communicated to any other parties or publications without the written consent of Kayla or a representing individual.