Fit girl motivational question of the day: Does Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide work? You’re comparing prices. You’ve got the equipment or the gym pass. You look at Kayla’s Army photos every day, determined to get abs like the ones in the pictures.

You tell yourself that if those women can do it, so can you! You’re on the point of clicking “buy,” but you want to make sure… is it worth the price? Will spending this money on the BBG workout program give you ripped abs? Well that, my friend, is really up to you.

Bikini Body Guide Review

Just in case you haven’t heard of the Bikini Body Guide (BBG), I’ll give you a quick rundown. Australian fitness trainer, Kayla Itsines, has developed a series of workouts, designed primarily for women, based around her realization that women at the gym are striving for a “bikini” body.

She specifies that a bikini body is not defined by the shape of the body or the definition of the abs, but by the confidence to wear a bikini. With that in mind, and knowing that many people don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to the gym, she created short, intense workouts that show results.

These results have made Kayla Instagram famous, due to her ever growing Army of before and after photos. Just do an Instagram search of #BBG (#bbgprogress, #bbgtransformation, #bbgworkout, #bbgmotivation, #bbggirls) and you’ll find endless proof of women, who may or may not have had a little extra around the waist, transforming after 12 weeks into near supermodels.

All thanks to a series of 28 minute long workouts and maybe some nutritional aid if you choose to purchase the HELP (Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Plan) PDF as well. It seems like the perfect, and relatively easy, solution for most women in search of that elusive bikini body.

All that is required is to buy Kayla Itsines’ PDFs (BBG 1.0, BBG 2.0 and/or HELP) and the equipment to go along with the workouts, and you’re on your way to a flat stomach and muscular arms. But does it work?

The answer to that question is yes, or possibly no.
Let me explain.

Kayla Itsines Workout Details

Kayla Itsines workouts are 28 minutes long. They consist of four 7 minute intervals, or two circuits that you do twice. They are intense, sweaty, and harder than they look. They include weights, as well as some other equipment, and you are meant to do them three times a week.

On the other three days, you’re advised to do 30-40 minutes of LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) such as walking, swimming, or yoga. The workouts become progressively more difficult in order to help push you to your limits. The first 12 weeks are included in the BBG 1.0 PDF ($53.01 USD on her website). After that, you can choose to move on to BBG 2.0, or continue to redo BBG 1.0 as many time as you want until satisfied.

These workouts will make you stronger. There is no doubt about that. They will improve your cardio and improve your muscular definition. You will see results. IF. Yes, there are some “ifs.” No workout routine is a miracle worker. You can’t expect to pay 50 dollars and then suddenly have rock hard abs. There is more that goes into a fit and healthy body than following some pictures on your phone. There are quite a few factors at play:

What was your exercise routine before starting BBG?

  • If you are quite a sedentary person then these workouts will be tough. You will be sore and you will sweat buckets. But in the end, you will show definite results.
  • If you consistently hit the gym and run 5 miles a day then you may not see such drastic changes.

What kinds of foods do you eat?

  • Green smoothies or MacDonalds? If you’re following these workouts to the best of your ability, but still eating a large Big Mac and fries, then don’t be surprised when your six pack stays hidden under the fries.

Prior health conditions?

  • Knee pain? Bad back? Please don’t hurt yourself for the sake of a flat stomach. There are other, less intense ways to get healthy and be fit.

Money?

  • BBG requires you to invest in exercise equipment, such as dumbbells, a medicine ball, a jump rope, and benches. These are all good things to have around, and will definitely help you on your quest to fitness. But what if you can’t afford them? You may not get the same results through this program as someone with access to equipment.
  • There are other, less expensive ways to get fit. Do not limit yourself to thinking the BBG is the one and only way to lose the extra tire around your midsection. Money cannot buy bikini body confidence.

Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide Review Summary

So yes, the BBG workout program can work. It will work. But it will only work in relation to the amount of effort (and money) you put into it. If you buy the guides, but don’t even break a sweat while you’re following the routines, then recover with a double cheeseburger… you’re not really doing it right. And you can’t be upset when you don’t have a bicep bump and washboard abs after 12 weeks.

However, if you buy the guides, and give the next 12 weeks every ounce of sweat, blood, and tears that you’ve got, then you will see results. But only if you follow the BBG program, and the Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Plan, to a T.

The people on Instagram, with their tantalizing before and after photos, are not getting those bodies only by doing some resistance training and long walks 6 days a week. They are eating healthily. They are drinking 3 liters of water a day. They are dedicated.

My point is that it’s not the BBG program that is giving these women dreamy abs. The Bikini Body Guide is a guide. It makes it easy to exercise because it tells you exactly what to do and when. It takes the guesswork out of fitness. HELP explains how to eat in order to get results. But it’s not the recipes in the book that will give you results. It’s learning how to eat. It’s learning how your body works, and knowing when to push yourself and when to back off and recover.

The BBG is a wonderful tool to use, particularly for people who need a little motivational push and a little bit of handholding to lead the way to success. If you dedicate yourself, and strictly follow Kayla Itsines’ recommendations, you will see results in 12 weeks. You will be stronger, leaner, and more confident. You will learn some tools to help you in your personal fitness journey.

So does it work?
Ans: Yes, if you put in the effort.
Are there other ways to get fit?
Ans: Yes, if you put in the effort.

We wish you luck on your journey with Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide!

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