WELCOME

Kayla Itsines was a fitness influencer long before the term was even coined. From jobbing personal trainer to international wellness superstar, her meteoric rise is almost unfathomable – and certainly unrivalled. She has 10.4 million Instagram followers and counting, and I’ve been in Kayla’s company when grown women have cried, so grateful for the changes she helped them make in their lives. I was reasonably late to the Kayla game. My first encounter with her was almost three years ago, on 4 January 2016. I’d had my daughter, my youngest child, 10 weeks earlier and had blissfully enjoyed the first few months of breastfeeding and eating cake. But I wasn’t comfortable with my fitness levels and being at least 2st heavier than my pre-baby weight. In fact, I was so uncomfortable that my confidence had all but disappeared and I couldn’t bring myself to go to a gym. So, I downloaded Kayla’s Bikini Body Guide – her first online training regime. Each workout was 27 minutes long – you had to complete four a week, plus walk as much as possible on rest days. I followed the programme religiously, doing walking lunges along the length of my living room, often using my daughter for a little extra weight. If I wasn’t carrying her, she would sit in her baby seat, chuckling as mummy jumped around – watching burpees seemed to be her favourite. I started following a sensible eating plan, too, and became fitter and leaner. By the end of March, my confidence had grown enough for me to go back to the gym. That’s the beauty of Kayla. Her programme is achievable for even the most inexperienced exerciser. It’s why millions of normal women are super-fans. I’ve met many of them. I’ve seen Kayla-mania in action. So, I’m thrilled and honoured that Kayla is on our cover again. This is her third time – the only person ever to do the Women’s Health cover triple. It’s testament to her longevity in the fickle world of influencers and her commitment to helping women be the best version of themselves. This issue is on sale for two months, so you may be reading in December, midparty season (if so, enjoy the champers), or in January when, if you’re anything like me, you’re feeling a little bloated but ready to tackle a new year. You’ll find so much in this issue to help with your 2019 wellness journey. (The genius smoothie tips on page 37 are my favourite. Courgette instead of banana for the same consistency but with less sugar – who knew?) Finally, look out for your free 30-day subscription to Sweat – Kayla’s fitness app – where you can follow Kayla’s BBG and BBG Stronger killer workouts and get access to over 400 recipes for you to fuel your body better. Go to page 33 for details. Happy New Year from Women’s Health. Have a wonderfully well 2019.