Aussie influencer Kayla Itsines under fire online for ‘out of touch’ video

Millionaire Aussie influencer Kayla Itsines has come under fire by fans after opening up about a recent health diagnosis through a sponsored post.

The fitness mogul, 35, revealed she was positive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), also known as glandular fever which can cause chronic fatigue. The manner in which Itsines revealed her diagnosis, however, was branded “out of touch” and a “slap in the face” to some followers.

Itsines shared a clip to social media on Tuesday night, revealing she was “really struggling with extreme brain fog and fatigue” two months ago.

“I went to the doctor’s; it came back positive for EBV, which makes a lot of sense,” she went on. “I sat down with my doctor. He said I was massively burnt out and needed to slow down and regulate my nervous system.”

While the diagnosis came as a shock to the Sweat co-founder, fans were stunned to see the health announcement was also a sponsored post for a luxury hotel brand.

Many fans expressed their disapproval under the video, as comments began to amass over 100 likes per comment.

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“I’m a long time follower of you but this partnership with this hotel and saying is some sort of remedy for EBV it’s literally a slap in the face to the real sufferers who can’t stay in high-end hotels across the world,” wrote one fan.

“Must be nice for the rich 😂 This is so out of touch for 90% of your followers who could never afford this. Cool partnership for YOU, but a slap in the face for the rest of us,” said another.

“I’ve followed you for fifteen years and I’m done. This is so bad I thought it was satire at first,” expressed a third.

Other followers simply acknowledged that Itsines’ messaging, while with good intentions, didn’t land the way she intended.

“I’m more worried for you and your health rather than some bougie hotel that most people probably cannot afford,” shared one concerned follower, hoping the star could learn to “slow down”.

“Truly congrats but the message here is so OFF!” agreed another.

In her video, Itsines admitted that despite doctor’s orders, she didn’t know if she could “slow down” being a “high-performing perfectionist”.

She then explained why she brought up the diagnosis in the video.

“I didn’t know where to even start in responding to that answer… nor could I even begin to think of ways I could slow down. Being the sole owner of a company, a mum and wearing every hat,” she went on.

The fitness entrepreneur explained she originally turned down the brand partnership, until she learned the hotel prioritised training, sleep and nutrition.

Itsines said she was excited to partner with a hotel brand “built entirely around regulating your nervous system” which “couldn’t have come at a better time” for her.

Other comments, however, did praise Itsines for opening up a conversation about the condition.

“This is such an interesting conversation, particularly the shift from constantly pushing the body to actually creating space for recovery. There’s so much more to regulation than we realise,” one follower wrote, while another added: “thank you for the vulnerability. We’re here with you.”

Nine.com.au has contacted Itsines’ team for comment.

Kayla Itsines is one of the biggest names in the Australian fitness industry.

The PT skyrocketed to fame after her personal training guide and e-book, Bikini Body Guide (BBG), exploded online and saw her following grow to millions.

She is now the co-founder of the fitness app Sweat, which supports millions of women on their fitness journey and boasts a net worth over $150 million.

The mum-of-two landed on the Australian Financial Review Young Rich List in 2024 at number 34, placed a few spots behind Aussie Hollywood icon Margot Robbie.