20 Best Health & Fitness Influencers Of 2018

Namita Nayyar (WF Team)

6 years ago

Social media has blasted all over our screens in the past few years, and now more than ever people are coming out, sharing their journeys and inspiring others. With so many health & fitness influencers working day and night to bring to you the best of workouts, diet and nutrition, Women Fitness thought of bringing a close to the year with the Best Health & Fitness Influencers of 2018.

1. Kino MacGregor

International Yoga teacher and Influencer

Instagram: @kinoyoga

1. Favourite Exercise

Yoga, of course!

2. Favourite Health Foods

I love cold pressed green juice, fresh coconuts and sunflower sprouts.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

My birthday at the Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the Scottish Highlands

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

I have the same goal I have had every year for the last twenty years. I will meditate every day, practice yoga six days a week and let that change my whole world so I can be a kinder, more peaceful, more loving person, one breath at a time.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Omstars, my online channel for yoga!

Insight Timer, my daily meditation timer app.

NYT—I read the New York Times almost every day 🙂

2. Janine Delaney

Fitness Expert & Wellness Coach

Instagram: @janine_delaney

1. Favourite Exercise

I am known as the #jumpropequeen of social media because of my passion and love for jumping rope. Jump Rope is one of the most effective overall body workouts for any age level. It provides a great workout, can be done from anywhere and is a lot of fun.

Jumping rope can burn up to 700 calories per hour and is a great way to kick-start your digestive system and get your body to burn more calories throughout the course of the day. There is not better way to trim down and get lean!

2. Favourite Health Foods

My favorite health foods are those that are good for my body and satisfy my cravings. I am a firm believe in giving my body the good fats and carbohydrates they need, which leads to increased energy levels and lean muscle development. Some of my “go-to” include healthy fats like almond butter and nuts, along with powerful superfoods like berries and green teas. I also make a large variety of recipes with sweet potatoes which my entire family enjoys.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

My favorite social media memory was when I saw the number 1 Million followers on my Instagram account. I knew at this moment that I had reached my goal of impacting so many all over the world with my exercise and wellness philosophy. Every day I wake up to messages and transformation stories from people of all ages and walks of life. I am honored to have the opportunity be an integral part of their wellness journey and make a significant difference in their lives.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

My 2019 fitness goal is to enter another figure competition in the fall when I turn the age of 50. I know people are often quite surprised when they find out about my age and I want to continue to inspire them that age is just a number and that we are only as old as we let ourselves feel.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

I have a training program on Fitplan App that is a 12 Week Total Body Tone program. My teenage daughters and I use this app at home all the time to train together. We have a lot of fun together. On occasion I use Fitbit to track certain fitness goals and I love Headspace for meditation and relaxation.

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3. Jacqueline Kasen

Body Architect at Anatomy in Miami

Instagram: @kasenfitness

1. Favourite Exercise

Sprints! There’s something about being able to run really fast. It is so motivating and afterwards you feel really accomplished.

2. Favourite Health Foods

I love salads packed with spinach, grilled chicken, avocado, cranberries, carrots, tomatoes, almonds, with red wine vinegar is so refreshing, delicious, and wholesome.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media

Posting my summit picture on climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro!

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

Climb and Summit Mt. Aconcagua; the highest peak in South America.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram
Podcasts
Audible

4. Katie Boren

Dancer with American Ballet Theatre & NASM certified

Instagram: @katieboren1

1. Favourite Exercise

My favorite exercise is plank. You get a lot of bang for your buck with this, as it helps to strengthen your core, increases muscle definition in your shoulders, chest legs and back, and also helps to improve your balance.

2. Favourite Health Foods

My go to health foods include Quest protein bars, almonds and avocado.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

My favorite social media memory during this past year was being featured in Condition World. They celebrate so many wonderful athletes and it was an honor to be recognized for my athleticism as a ballet dancer.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

In 2019, I plan to work to continue to get stronger, challenge my body, identify my limits and work to exceed them!

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Spotify, Instagram, and YouTube

5. Serena Poon

Celebrity Chef & Wellness Coach

Instagram: @ChefSerenaPoon

1. Favourite Exercise

Pilates

2. Favourite Health Foods

Fresh pressed Luminous Elixir, Just Add Water; Avocado GF Toast (each one daily!)

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

When I finally did a social media post to let my community know about Just Add Water and that I was introducing it to the rest of world during Oscars week. I had such an amazing and supportive response from everyone, I was honestly surprised and overwhelmed with gratitude.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

My big fitness goal for 2019 is to do more yoga on a regular basis. I want to be able to do acro yoga.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Apps (other than standard texts, emails, news, IG):

Notes (on Apple Iphone) – Im constantly writing, taking notes, creating mental recipes and it allllll goes here first
Lightroom from Adobe (I love the Adobe suite of apps for photo editing and I like to give each photo a little extra love with a slight touch up with Lightroom)
I’ve been nerding out on Lumosity lately, which is a brain-training app with games and tests;

Also, I love meditation apps and bounce between them, but currently I’m back to Deepak & Oprah’s meditation app, where I’ve purchased a few different collections that really resonate with me. I listen to it every day.

6. Erin Palinski-Wade

Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer & Certified Diabetes Educator

Instagram: @erinpalinskiwade

1. Favourite Exercise

My absolute favorite exercise is the pull-up. Not only can it help to build strong arms and back, but it is also a great way to tone and strengthen the core. If you are just getting started, you can use a chair to help assist you until you can build up to a full pull-up.

2. Favourite Health Foods

It has to be prunes. This sweet dried fruit is just so versatile. I love to enjoy them alone as a sweet treat, but I also puree them to use in replacement of added sugar into some of my favorite baked goods, like cookies. Eating 5-6 prunes per day can also help to promote healthy bones, and with a family history of osteoporosis, I definitely try to help my bones through diet as much as I can.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

It has to be my memory of creating and sharing my Chocolate Chip Carrot Muffin recipe. The day I attempted to film this recipe both of my boys were dressed in bunny costumes, we had carrots all over the kitchen, and my realtor called to say someone was coming to see my house in 20 minutes. It was complete chaos, but we made the muffins and the video, shared the story of how it was made, and had some much positive feedback on how this was just an example of how you can make time for health, no matter how crazy life gets! It was also such a great opportunity to hear so many funny stories from my followers on similar situations they had to deal with when trying to feed healthy food to their family.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

To continue to find new ways to make fitness fun not just for me, but for my whole family. To me, fitness is a way of life and I want to make sure my children understand the benefits, but also the enjoyment in moving their bodies every day.

For instance, this is how we spend naptime: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhptu3uhmZb/?taken-by=erinpalinskiwade

And this is how my family likes to hang out: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bna-3I_AXi8/?taken-by=erinpalinskiwade

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram- I just love sharing new recipes, health tips, and fitness ideas with my followers. The IG community is so supportive and I have made so many strong connections through it!

Stop Motion Pro – I just started creating stop motion recipes videos (which I will share soon) this has been such an amazing app that allows me to bring my creations to life and provide simple instruction on how to create my favorite foods

ABC Mouse – OK so this one isn’t for me so much, but it is such a great tool as a mom. If I need to get something done or fit in a quick workout, I know I can let my sons use ABC mouse for a few minutes and they will have a great time, but also be learning so many educational things.

7. Betina Gozo

Nike Master Trainer

Instagram: @betinagozo

1. Favourite Exercise

Barbell Cleans or Trap Bar Deadlifts

2. Favourite Health Foods

Acai Bowls, Kale Salads, Green Smoothies, and Peanut Butter Berry RX Bars, Paleo Valley Beef Sticks

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

Sharing my penguins and whales that I met in Antarctica!

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

To get more women into strength training 🙂 I know it’s not a personal one, but that’s my mission!

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram, WhatsApp, and Spotify

8. Lindsey Mathews

Head Trainer & Nutritionist, IdealFit

Instagram: @trainerlindsey

1. Favourite Exercise

Pull ups and glute bridges

2. Favourite Health Foods

Veggies for snacking such as cucumbers and bell peppers, protein powder treats and peanut butter!

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

My Fit Body Tour! This year I visited numerous big cities around the nation to meet my challengers and social media followers in person, workout with them and give them big sweaty hugs! We made so many memories together through these events and they all touched my life in countless ways.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

Place top 5 in my national level NPC bikini competitions

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Besides social media platforms, I use My Macros + for food tracking, Marco Polo for chatting with my friends and 2Do for keeping my life organized!

9. Lauren Collins

Former Athlete, Fitness Model & Cofounder of SISSFiT

Instagram: @lauren_m_collins

1. Favourite Exercise

My favorite exercise or workout is definitely treadmill interval running. We designed the SISSFiT Accelerate Treadmill Guide this way because we know the workouts are quick but effective, and we see lots of people using this guide to get into running for the first time, drop race times, and feel great without wasting time.

2. Favourite Health Foods

There are so many good ones! I’m not a great cook so I love anything simple like a loaded salad or a crockpot dish I can throw together and have ready for dinner!

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

Of course, I would have to say sharing my son, Shane, born in January with both mine and SISSFiT’s social media following. Second to that would be the messages we get from women all over using the SISSFiT guides, and being able to share some of those testimonials with other followers to create a really engaged and positive community.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

My 2019 fitness goal is to see more women doing SISSFiT workouts. They are so adaptable to my new life as mom, and I want everyone to experience them! Personally, I have a goal to get to the track more on weekends! I ran track and field in college, and it’s so nostalgic (and butt kicking) to get out there for workouts.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Fit Radio! This app may still be one of the best kept secrets for a lot people. I use it for every single workout and I love the cardio coach option! We have a partnership with Fit Radio for SISSFiT audio-guided workouts as well, so if you’re up for it, pop in your headphones and I’ll personally take you through one of my favorite workouts!
Fitbit. I love my Fitbit and it’s fun to start friendly competitions with friends.
Map My Run. I use this mostly when I take my son out in the stroller because it’s fun to see how long our walk/jog ends up being.

10. Meg Takacs

Master Trainer, Aaptiv

Instagram: @meg_takacs

1. Favourite Exercise

Agility work and speed drills – or anything track and field focused.

2. Favourite Health Foods

Grapefruit, raspberries, and any kind of smoothie. So basically, fruit.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

It’s a close tie. The first was a post I did about moving into, what’s basically my first, real apartment (two years after actually moving to NYC). With this post, I really wanted to bring to light the importance of financial health, specifically for female entrepreneurs. I went into a detailed account on how I personally, climbed out of debt.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

A cycle trip. I would like to go from the east coast to the west coast. Or I would be interested in doing one in Europe.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram, Aaptiv (I love taking classes from other trainers), and I could not live without my apps for creating workout videos (Video Merger, Speed Pro…)

11. Kathleen Kulikowski

Senior SoulCycle Instructor

Instagram: @kathleenkulikowski

1. Favourite Exercise

Banded squats- Great for activation and improving movement in a squat- also for a little booty pump.

2. Favourite Health Foods

Eggs and Sweet potatoes- I like to keep it clean and simple.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

All the Nike ads!

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

Handstands!!!!!

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram, Instacart, daily horoscope

12. Dempsey Marks

Gold’s Gym Fitness Expert

Instagram: @dempseymarks

1. Favourite Exercise

Burpees! They tone your entire body while elevating your heart rate and burning calories.

2. Favourite Health Foods

Chia seeds, flax seeds, almonds, avocado, blueberries, eggs, coconut oil, sweet potatoes… I love food!

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

Hosting the launch of the Gold’s Gym x Gym Shark collection in Venice.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

To compete in a race for the first time since my knee surgery 3 years ago.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram, Books (love audio books!), Spotify.

13. Candice Huffine

Supermodel, Marathon Runner & Founder of Brand DAY/WON

Instagram: @CandiceHuffine

1. Favourite Exercise

Running!

2. Favourite Health Foods

A classic green juice.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

Seeing my brand DAY/WON in the wild on women of different shapes and sizes out crushing their goals. There is not a more joyous feeling in the world!

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

Take on a challenge that scares me. In 2017 I ran two full marathons in the same year, completely demolishing any limit I had ever set for myself in the past. By accomplishing those huge milestones I have a newfound sense of fearlessness and after a slight break in racing this year, am ready to dream big once more!

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram
Strava
Spotify

14. Tiffany Cruikshank

Lac, MAOM, E-RYT and Founder of Yoga Medicine®

Instagram: @tiffanycruikshank

1. Favourite Exercise

Yoga

2. Favourite Health Foods

Watercress, avocado, collagen powder, but for me whole foods and variety are the most important. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and miss out on important nutrients even with really health foods.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

Our wedding video! I love the quote at the beginning by our officiant, it was so perfectly stated and such a great timely reminder – “despite our differences, love is what we all share. Its the great unifier, our one universal truth. No matter who we are, we all know this one thing – love is what we’re doing right!”

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

I’m obsessed with fascial fitness so I’ve been playing with new ways to train my fascia using yoga, myofascial release and other exercise tools. With so much fascia research finally coming to light and a new anatomical understanding of the body reminding us that most strenuous (athletic) injuries are fascial issues, I’m confident fascial fitness will be the cutting edge of sports medicine over the next 5-10 years. It’s the missing link to so many injuries and the key to injury prevention!

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

YogaGlo (one stop for great yoga and meditation classes with so many well respected teachers)
Enso (my favorite meditation app for those who have a regular meditation practice, for those new to meditation go to YogaGlo for guided meditations)
Sunbasket (my favorite healthy food delivery service, you can pick your meals each week on their app and they are absolutely delicious!! Perfect for the busy, health conscious consumer.)

15. Jillian Michaels

Celebrity Fitness Trainer

Instagram: @jillianmichaels

1. Favourite Exercise

Kickboxing, YOGA, HIIT TRAINING. That’s why I built all kinds of workouts into the My Fitness App. So people get variety and they can do what they enjoy.

2. Favourite Health Foods

Pomegranate, Organic Greek Food with Manuka Honey, Organic Sea Salt Popcorn, Avocado Toast.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

The insta stories my friends and I did in Egypt!

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

I’d like to do the Empire State Building climb.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Shazam – CONSTANTLY
Waze
Apple Health App. I sync all my info with it. Even my app syncs with apple health so I can track everything I’m doing for fitness, nutrition, and health in one place.

16. Danette May

Self-Love Activist & Author

Instagram: @thedanettemay

1. Favourite Exercise

I love to exercise. For me, it is like free therapy! Exercise clears my mind, which helps me balance work and family. I love mountain running. Let me clarify…I could never run on a treadmill. I need to feel the wind on my face, hear the sound of nature, and smell the clean, crisp fresh mountain air. I also love to do one of my HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts. They make me feel strong and full of energy in a short amount of time.

2. Favourite Health Foods

I am a lover of superfoods. I admit it, I am a nerd, and I continue to learn everything I can about superfoods, even if I am off the clock. Superfoods never cease to amaze me with their healing powers!

3. Favourite Social Media Memory

On July 25, 2017, my fan page reached 1 million likes! I will never forget that day. My husband and I were oddly enough, at Facebook headquarters in New York when we received the news! I was so overwhelmed with love and gratitude. I know that reaching 1 million likes is so much more than a number. It is about the realization that my dream was coming to true to impact the lives of women around the world. I could not stop smiling for days! 🙂

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

I want to continue with overall health in my body, spirit and mind. This entails eating healing foods each day, which will include at least 1 item that is green, grows from the soil and is kissed by the sun. It will also mean I will move my body in a healing way that feels good. I will work on my posture and flexibility. I would like to be able to do 10 pull ups and touch my toes in 2019.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Thrive Market, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Jason Stephenson

17. Karina Elle

Fitness Model and Brand Ambassador

Instagram: @karinaelle

1. Favourite Exercise

Squats

2. Favourite Health Foods

Edamame

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

My favourite memories are off social media.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

Run more 5ks.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram, Pandora, Videoshop to edit.

18. Liz Letchford

Personal Trainer, Fitness Expert at DIAKADI Fitnesss

Instagram: @lizletchford

1. Favourite Exercise

Anything that involves manipulating momentum, like kettlebell swings or medicine ball throws, that challenges my stability and gets my heart pumping!

2. Favourite Health Foods

I like to keep my ingredients simple and my flavors complex: Lean proteins, health carbs and veggies can be dressed up with so many different flavors to keep things exciting!

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

I had been working in secret as one of the coaches for an innovative fitness company called Tonal. When it finally launched to the public, my social media became an incredible tool with which to answer questions and share my personality with the Tonal community.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

Become a lean, mean, pull-up machine!

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram, Spotify, Lightroom.

19. Lisa Corsello

Celebrity Fitness Expert & Founder of Burn Pilates and Lisa Corsello Method

Instagram: @lisancorsello

1. Favourite Exercise

Sumo Squat Hops

2. Favourite Health Foods

Spinach, eggs, apples, almonds

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

The Insta Story when my daughter was home sick and I chronicled my insane day trying to care for her, work from home, and get a workout in. Everything was done in segments so I could keep everyone happy and stay sane. It was real, overwhelming, and ridiculous. I was so touched and inspired by the women who wrote to me to thank me, share a laugh, and commiserate.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

To listen more to my body and less to the number on the scale.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Instagram
Shazam
VHX&Playbook

20. Anka Urbahn

Founder of Urbahn Fit- Personal Training for Bad Ass Women

Instagram: @urbahnfit

1. Favourite Exercise

I don’t have a favorite exercise, exactly. However, I really like working my back and shoulders. I love doing single side exercises (single side chest press, single arm row, Single leg RDL, Single arm overhead press). It forces you to engage your core, improves your balance, and you can address possible imbalances.

2. Favourite Health Foods

I have lot’s of favorite cheat foods. I love a good steak (there is nothing wrong with a nice piece of grass-fed beef and no, it is not unhealthy) but I also really enjoy a big salad with lots of colorful vegetables and enriched with a lean protein, of course, like tuna, steak, or grilled chicken.

3. Favourite 2018 Social Media Memory

When a client experiences a personal breakthrough – a goal achieved in the gym, a successful week of eating clean and healthy, a feeling of confidence over something that would have been too scary in the past – and then posts about it on social media– those are the social media memories I’m most proud of and so happy to see when they celebrate their own successes. It’s why I do what I do.

4. One 2019 Fitness Goal

There are so many, but if I had to choose one goal than it is that I want to regain the strength and balance I lost due to an injury. When you hurt one part of your body, lot’s of other areas suffer, too. It’s all connected. Getting all that balanced out again takes some time. I’m excited to make everything work and feel perfectly balanced again.

5. 3 Apps That You Use The Most

Amazon Music – so I can listen to my favorite music during my workout.
KQED – I love public radio and am an avid supporter. I listen to KQED so I stay informed throughout the day.
Seconds – with this app I can pre-program workouts and create any interval imaginable. I can even coordinate the intervals with my music.