Kayla Itsines Diet Plan: Does It Work?

Kayla Itsines is a fitness entrepreneur and influencer with millions of followers on social media. She is known for her BBG (Bikini Body Guides) and her Sweat workout app. Itsines has a massive following because of her workout advice and ideas, but also because of her diet and lifestyle. Itsines doesn't cut out any food groups and enjoys a balanced Mediterranean-style diet that includes carbs, chocolate, and bread. She also has a one-day meal plan that includes recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Itsines' diet is simple and straightforward, with no calorie counting, just healthy meals full of balanced macros to keep one fuelled throughout the day.

Kayla Itsines' diet plan is a Mediterranean-style diet

The Kayla Itsines diet plan is a Mediterranean-style diet, inspired by her Greek heritage. It is a balanced approach that includes a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates. Itsines emphasises that her diet is not about restriction or cutting things out, but rather about adding good things in.

A typical day for Itsines might start with two slices of toast topped with veggies, such as mushrooms and spinach, or scrambled eggs and kale. For breakfast, she also enjoys quinoa porridge with fresh figs. Lunch often consists of a quick tuna salad made with brown rice, or a homemade chicken gyro with a wholewheat wrap, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and tzatziki dressing. Dinner is a family affair with a variety of shared dishes, including grilled meats, salads, and vegetables drizzled with olive oil.

Itsines also enjoys snacks and treats, such as Greek yoghurt with honey, fruit, and chocolate. She also emphasises the importance of hydration, drinking around 2.5 to 3 litres of water per day.

The Mediterranean diet has been praised by nutrition experts and doctors for its health benefits. It is said to be great for heart health and may also improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of certain cancers. Itsines' commitment to this style of eating has fuelled her through creating her fitness empire, pregnancy, and beyond.

It includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, pasta, olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano

Kayla Itsines is a fitness entrepreneur and influencer with millions of followers on social media. She is the founder of the Sweat workout app and the BBG (Bikini Body Guides). Itsines has a simple daily diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, pasta, olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano.

Itsines' diet is a reminder that you don't need to cut out carbs to be fit and healthy. She includes bread and rice in her meals and snacks. She also enjoys chocolate and has a few squares of dark chocolate with a cup of herbal tea for dessert.

Itsines' diet is inspired by her Greek heritage and includes a lot of Mediterranean-style dishes. She typically has two slices of toast with olive oil, anchovies, tomato, and olives for breakfast. For lunch, she often has a quick tuna salad made with brown rice, and for dinner, she has a variety of share dishes with her family, including meats, salad, roasted vegetables, and bread or rice.

Itsines doesn't count calories or restrict herself to specific diet plans. She focuses on a balanced and sustainable approach to eating, adding good things to her diet rather than eliminating them. She also makes sure to get her vegetables in and includes a side salad with her main meals.

Itsines' diet includes some simple, healthy meals such as blueberry pancakes, lettuce cups with couscous and beans, and pistachio-crusted salmon with zesty quinoa. She also enjoys snacks like rice crackers with rocket and white bean dip, fruit and Greek yogurt, and chocolate and banana mousse.

The diet plan is flexible and does not restrict any food groups

Kayla Itsines is a fitness entrepreneur, influencer, and personal trainer with a massive social media following. She has inspired thousands of women worldwide to make healthy changes and enjoy fitness and healthy living. Itsines has a few different options on her site, including a 12-week fitness plan and a 90-page clean eating plan.

Itsines' diet plan is flexible and does not restrict any food groups. She does not count calories, restrict herself, or follow a specific diet plan. Instead, she focuses on a balanced Mediterranean-style diet that includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, pasta, and plenty of olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano. She emphasises adding good things to her diet rather than eliminating certain foods. For example, she includes healthy protein and lots of veggies in her meals.

Itsines typically starts her day with a breakfast of two slices of toast topped with olive oil, anchovies, tomato, and olives, along with a Greek/Turkish coffee. She emphasises the importance of a good breakfast to fuel her workouts, stating that she prefers to eat before training.

For lunch, Itsines often opts for a quick and easy meal such as a brown rice, tuna, tomato, cucumber, and onion salad with a balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano dressing. She ensures she includes some bread or rice at lunchtime to maintain her energy levels throughout the day.

Itsines listens to her body and is flexible with her snacks. If she feels hungry, she might have tuna on crackers, fruit with Greek yoghurt, or a Greek biscuit if she's at her grandparents' house. She also enjoys veggie sticks with homemade tzatziki or fruit as a snack.

Dinner is a family affair for Itsines, and they often have a variety of dishes on the table, including meats, salads, roasted vegetables, and some bread or rice. She emphasises the importance of sharing meals with family and enjoying a wide variety of foods.

Itsines also allows herself treats and desserts, such as dark chocolate, especially mint or peppermint flavours, and Greek cakes when she visits her grandparents. She practises moderation and balance, allowing herself a few pieces of chocolate without feeling restricted.

Overall, Itsines' diet plan reflects her belief in flexibility and balance, incorporating a variety of food groups and allowing for individual preferences and adjustments.

It is not a calorie-counting diet but focuses on balanced macros

Kayla Itsines is a fitness entrepreneur and influencer with millions of followers on social media. She is known for her Bikini Body Guide (BBG) fitness and meal plans, as well as her Sweat workout app.

Itsines' diet plan does not involve calorie counting. Instead, it focuses on consuming balanced macros to fuel the body throughout the day. This means eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and carbohydrates.

Itsines' heritage influences her diet, which is typically Mediterranean-style with a focus on Greek food. A typical day of eating for her includes two slices of toast with veggies for breakfast, a tuna salad with brown rice for lunch, and a family-style dinner with shared dishes of meats, salads, roasted vegetables, and bread or rice.

Itsines emphasizes that people do not need to cut out carbs but rather learn to eat them in the right way. For example, instead of spreading chocolate on bread, she suggests dipping it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Her diet plan also includes snacks such as rice crackers with beetroot dip, fruit with Greek yogurt, and dark chocolate with herbal tea.

The BBG meal plan provides simple recipes with easily accessible ingredients, and it does not require counting calories or eliminating certain food groups.

The diet plan is not approved by a Registered Dietitian

The diet plan offered by Kayla Itsines has not been approved by a Registered Dietitian. This is a concern, as in the US, it is beyond the scope of a personal trainer to prescribe dietary recommendations without the approval of a Registered Dietitian or doctor.

Registered Dietitians (RDs) are food and nutrition experts with a minimum of a graduate degree from an accredited dietetics program. They have completed a supervised practice requirement, passed a national exam, and continue their professional development throughout their careers. To become a Registered Dietitian, you must complete a bachelor's or master's degree in nutrition, obtain a verification statement from an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)-accredited program, and complete at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice.

The absence of approval from a Registered Dietitian for the Kayla Itsines diet plan may be a red flag for potential followers. It is important to approach any diet plan with caution and consult a qualified healthcare professional before making significant changes to your eating habits.

While some followers of the Kayla Itsines diet plan have praised its simplicity and effectiveness, others have found it basic and uninspiring. One reviewer noted that they did not see any approval from a Registered Dietitian, but acknowledged that they could have missed it. Another reviewer expressed concern about students falling into disordered eating after following her regimen.

It is worth noting that Kayla Itsines herself has stated that she regrets calling her program the "Bikini Body Guide," as every body is a bikini body, and people should not strive for just one look. This acknowledgment demonstrates her awareness of the potential negative impact of promoting a specific body image.

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