First Things THRST E126 - The Fitness Industry In 2026: Body Image, Burnout & Broken Standards | Kayla Itsines
Jan 25, 2026
Kayla Itsines, fitness trainer and co-founder of the Sweat app, built a global women-focused fitness platform from backyard bootcamps. She talks about why transformations sell, moving from personal brand to scalable app, the harms of quick-fix dieting, the rise of strength training for women, and balancing business growth with motherhood and mental health.
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Journeys Teach What Quick Fixes Can't
- Quick extreme diets teach nothing and often destroy long-term relationship with food.
- Sustainable small daily efforts outperform short intense transformations.
Avoid Unsustainable Low-Calorie Plans
- Do not prescribe very low-calorie plans without considering mental health and sustainability.
- Prioritize programs that preserve muscle and teach habits for lifelong consistency.
Visibility Raises The Aesthetic Bar
- Social media raised the aesthetic bar and increased steroid use among men chasing influencer physiques.
- The visibility of extreme bodies skews expectations and fuels risky shortcuts.