Fitness Guru Kayla Itsines on How She Stays Ahead of the Curve
*By Michael Teich*
The ubiquity of smartphones and apps has enabled people looking to improve their health find more convenient, cheaper alternatives to the gym without even leaving their home.
Kayla Itsines, Co-Creator of the Bikini Body Guide, has capitalized on the rapid adoption of such technology to build her fitness empire, which reaches a global audience of over 30 million.
“The app is like a personal trainer in your pocket,” Itsines said in an interview with Cheddar Monday. "You can do it anywhere."
But the rise of technology has also paved the way for other fitness disruptors such as Peloton, which has nearly $445 million in outside funding and lets users live stream spin classes from their homes. Itsines said Bikini Body Guide, which has no outside investments, has a competitive advantage because of its attention to fitness categories such as post-pregnancy and yoga.
"We try to cater to all women, which really puts us ahead of the game," she said. "Our oldest customer that I know of is 76. We're not just for the young ones, we're for the moms and grandmoms as well."
Itsines added that she has found success with her app by focusing on the achievements of other women, not her own.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/kayla-itsines-reinvents-the-fitness-industry).
Living in New York City, working full time and without a car, Jessica Ray and her husband have come to rely on deliveries of food and just about everything else for their home. It has meant more free time on weekends with their young son, rather than standing in line for toilet paper or dragging heavy bags of dog food back to their apartment.
Cheddar News checks in to see what to look out for on The Day Ahead as Campbell Soup and Vera Bradley are due to report earnings while economic data, including the April trade deficit and consumer credit, are slated to be released. And Wednesday is World Food Safety Day.
Financial services company Marqeta released its fourth annual state of payments report which reveals how widely Americans have adopted new technology like mobile banking and wallets. Marqeta CEO Simon Khalaf joined Cheddar News to discuss how common digital payments have become.
Katherine Rooney Vera, chief market strategist with StoneX, joined Cheddar News to discuss what investors should expect as the S&P closed near a nine-month high with volatility levels at their lowest level in over three years.