A reported 25 million people worldwide have taken part in Kayla Itsines‘ ‘Bikini Body Guide’ since it was released in 2014.
While the 12-week workout may have helped many people get fit and achieve abs change their lifestyle, there’s one aspect of the program that has never sat well with a number of people – the name.
Despite typically being shorted to ‘BBG’ among its users, the program has received criticism for implying that only a certain type of body is worthy of wearing a bikini.
Now the 25 year old has revealed it’s the one regret she has about her business.
“Do I regret calling my guides Bikini Body? My answer is yes,” she told Bloomberg Business.
A few years in, she’s realised the implication of focussing on getting a body “bikini” ready.
“I wish I’d made it more clear that any body can wear a bikini and that a ‘bikini body’ isn’t my body, it’s feeling comfortable and strong and fit and great about yourself when you wear the least amount of clothing you can wear in public,” she told Cosmopolitan last year.
Watch: Meghan Ramsay on the effects of poor body image. (Post continues after video.)
“‘Bra and underwear body’ or ‘naked body’ didn’t seem to work. Of course any body can wear a bikini. Just put it on.”
This change in attitude meant an important decision when the time came to release an app to accompany the online guides.
The ‘bikini’ was dropped in place of something much less glamorous.
“When I released the app, I called it Sweat With Kayla. Sweat is so empowering. I love that,” she told Bloomberg. (Post continues after gallery.)
Inspirational celebrity body image quotes.
With a social media following of over five million on Instagram and seven million on Facebook, Itsines regularly shares quotes, anecdotes and pictures that aim to inspire and motivate her followers. The emphasis is around feeling healthy over looking it. A quick look at the thousands of comments she receives shows it’s clearly working.
“Thank you for being an inspiration and helping me,” says one.
Another reads: “You’re an amazing woman, such an inspiration… thank you for every single word.”
Image: Instagram/kaylaitsines
That said, the words 'bikini body' are still the first you're met with on accessing her site and repeated throughout, encouraging people to "Change your life and earn your bikini body today!"
Anything that makes a woman feel better, stronger, healthier and happier about herself is to be commended - but just remember that a 'bikini body' is just that - any bikini on any body.
Image: Instagram/@kaylaitsines.
What do you think about the term 'bikini body'?