Twenty-six-year-old Joe Wicks, aka "The Body Coach", is a British fitness coach, TV presenter and author who has amassed a large audience on both Instagram and television. He pioneered the HIIT fitness method, which utilizes short intense High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts. Wicks got his start from posting 15-second recipe videos on social media, and quickly grew his brand into the most followed fitness accounts on Instagram. His first published cookbook Lean in 15: 15-minute meals was a bestseller that sold over 900,000 copies in 2015. He created his signature "90 Day Plan" built around workouts and meals with tailored portions to the individual. He currently has 2.4 million followers on Instagram.
Emily Skye absolutely dominates on IG. The Australian fitness model is revered because she's all business when it comes to health and fitness. She is known for her no-nonsense approach to dieting, training, and living a healthy lifestyle. Though it may be hard to imagine, Skye wasn't always the picture of health that she is today. When she started her modeling career, she was an insecure teenager suffering from depression and unhealthy living habits. "I struggled pretty badly with depression' she has said. Skye battled depression at a young age and tried to commit suicide at age 18. That event would eventually lead her to the decision to move away from conventional modeling and start focusing on her health and fitness.
She has become an ultra-successful personal trainer and inspiration to people all over the globe, achieving recognition through her incredible transformation story. Skye recently gave birth to her first child and has been in the news lately discussing her path to 'bouncing back' from having a baby. She currently has over 2.4 million followers on Instagram.
Lauren Drain has an incredibly unique story on how she became an Instagram icon. Drain is a former member of the Westboro Baptist Church who wrote the 2013 book 'Banished', which chronicled her experiences and eventual banishment from the church. The book was a best seller and brought Drain a great deal of publicity. Lauren also worked as a registered nurse for nine years before becoming a full-time personal trainer and fitness model. She married her husband, David Kagan in February 2013. She currently has over 3.8 million followers on Instagram.
Kayla Itsines is an Australian personal trainer, author, and entrepreneur. Itsines (pronounced it-seen-ess), had no clue about Instagram really until she started posting transformation pics of her clients. She focused her content on teaching women that being strong is better than being skinny and that fitness as a whole was much more than just a number on the scale. She has created a series of fitness e-books titled Bikini Body Guides, and a meal-planning and workout app, Sweat with Kayla. Sweat with Kayla generated more revenue than any other fitness app in 2016.
Forbes named Itsines the #1 influencer in the fitness category in 2017. Kayla and her husband Tobias Pearce (who helped her in creating and launching SWEAT), also landed on the 2016 BRW Young Rich List, with an estimated combined wealth of $46 million. So not only is Itsines a top influencer, she is an uber-successful entrepreneur.
She has been a personal trainer since 2008. She currently has an impressive 10.6 million followers on Instagram, making her one of the most followed fitness celebrities on the platform.
Michelle Lewin is the crème de la crème of fitness influencers. The Miami based bodybuilder and fitness model has a massive social media following with over 13.3 million followers on Instagram. She has appeared on over 30 magazine covers the likes of Sports & Fitness, Her Muscle & Fitness, Iron Man, and even Playboy. After immigrating to America from Venezuela in 2012, she has become the self-proclaimed 'latin queen of the fitness scene', and her immense audience validates that title.
When asked by Simply Shredded how she got her start bodybuilding, Lewin said "I (had been) modeling for a few years, and a part of my job was to stay in shape. I loved it and it led me to become a total gym rat. After months of intense training, the abs started to show and I was enjoying the fitness lifestyle. Suddenly the modeling requests were coming from Fitness Magazines and Supplement companies." I guess you could say the rest is history. Like many other members of this list, she is also an author who released a book this year titled "The Hot Body Diet: The Plan to Radically Transform Your Body in 28 Days."As a reminder, Influencer marketing doesn’t have to be fluff but can be a sales channel and an imperative part of every marketing strategy. Our influencer marketing agency caters to all of our clients’ needs, we aren’t simply an influencer marketing company. Grow and Measure your Brand’s Social Engagement with the Influencer Marketing Agency of the Year
