Sweat App's founding trainer announces sudden departure

News.com.au

2 days ago

Kelsey Wells, one of the most beloved trainers on Kayla Itsines' Sweat app, has announced her sudden departure after nearly a decade with the platform.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Wells shared her decision with her followers, marking the end of an era for both herself and the Sweat community.
'After nearly nine years, I have chosen to leave Sweat,' the 35-year-old told her three million followers on Sunday night.
'As of June 1, 2025, I am no longer continuing my career as a Sweat trainer.
'As one of Sweat's founding trainers and after pouring so much of myself and my heart into every single one of my 15 strength training programs — from the exercise science framework to the intention filled messaging behind the launch of every single one of them — this is not a decision I make lightly.
'I am no longer creating content or programming for or with that company.'
The farewell announcement
She then went on to say that there was much she wanted to express, but 'cannot say', before sharing her deep gratitude for particular people.
'To my husband and my Sonshine. For the magnitude of silent sacrifices you selflessly made to support me every single day,' she wrote.
'To each of the good humans I have met and worked with along my way — thank you for treating me with kindness and respect.
'To the others I have worked with — thank you, too. For (however unintentionally) helping me learn hard truths and creating opportunity for me to grow.'
Notably, she did not mention her boss, Sweat co-founder, Kayla Itsines.
She did, however, thank all the women who have done her programs, saying she was 'deeply honoured' to have been their trainer.
'My heart aches right now, but I am not done showing up and being here for you,' she wrote.
'Please, never ever give up on caring for yourself and your health, and prioritising your mental wellbeing and authenticity above all else.
'I will be doing the same.'
Speaking to news.com.au, Wells said, 'I am optimistic about my future and more passionate than ever about my mission to empower women and reinforce the importance of the connection between physical and mental health'.
Fans respond to 'pointed' message
Wells' post was met with an outpouring of support from fans and fellow trainers.
Ex-Sweat trainer Chontel Duncan commented on the post: 'Your next chapter will be nothing short of amazing. Looking forward to seeing what's next'.
Another ex-Sweat trainer, Cass Olholm replied: 'I know that whatever chapter comes next, you'll continue to positively impact everyone your love and light touches'.
Then, Itsines commented, saying: 'Kels. It's been an honour to work alongside you and watch your impact grow over the past 10 years! Your story, passion, and dedication have inspired women all over the world.
'We are excited for you and what you have planned next :) I know SO many women will continue to be empowered by your message'.
In addition to not thanking Itsines in her post, Wells also didn't 'like' or respond to Itsines' comment.
Another user commented: 'It's a real shame to see so many of the OG trainers move on from Sweat … makes me wonder what Sweat is doing as a company as part of this turnover culture'.
Wells liked this comment.
This subtle move did not go unnoticed by the Sweat community, with many fans speculating about the nature of her departure.
'It really speaks volumes that she liked this comment and not Kayla's original comment,' said one user.
'This is concerning and makes me want answers,' another wrote.
Others claimed the 'pointed' wording of Wells' post made them believe the resignation might not have been all that amicable.
'The way I read this post sounds like something happened,' admitted one.
'The way she said 'THAT' company…,' said someone else.
'Why does this give me a weird sense of bitterness?' another asked.
Then a different commenter described the post as a 'respectful and polite way to throw shade'.
At the same time, some fans of the cult fitness app claimed that Wells' programs were the only reason they were still subscribed to the app, promising to cancel their subscriptions once Wells' programs were taken off the app.
Her programs still appear to be live on Sweat.
What is Sweat?
The Sweat app was co-founded by Kayla Itsines and Tobi Pearce in 2015 and quickly became one of the most popular digital fitness platforms for women.
The app offers a range of workout programs led by top trainers, with a strong focus on community and results.
Its annual subscription revenue exceeds $100 million, according to reports, and it has been downloaded over 30 million times with 450,000 paid subscribers.
Itsines co-founded the app with her then romantic partner, Pearce. The couple broke up in 2020 but continued their professional relationship.
They sold Sweat to US tech company IFit in 2021 for a reported $400 million and are believed to have bought it back for a fraction of that price in 2023.
A pattern of trainer departures
Much of the app's success is down to its highly personable trainers, who often have millions of devoted followers and steer people toward the app.
However, over the past few years, many of these trainers have left the platform, including Chontel Duncan, Sara Colquhoun, Stephanie Sanzo, and Cass Olholm.
In November 2022, Sara Colquhoun, one of Sweat's pilates instructors, announced she was leaving but said it was an 'amicable' decision on Instagram.
She is set to launch her own pilates program, Pilates Obsession, this year.
Chontel Duncan, who has over 1.2 million followers, announced her departure a month later in December 2022, calling her time at Sweat 'a rewarding and fulfilling experience'.
'I want to thank you, @kaylaitsines, for the opportunity to work with your company and for being such an incredible friend,' she wrote in her post.
She then went on to launch Neuform, her own fitness app, in June 2024.
Trainer Stephanie Sanzo, who has 3.4 million followers, also left the company around the same time after joining in 2019, to focus on her own platform, Liftit.
Neither she nor Sweat made a public announcement about the departure, with the fitness app simply changing her name on her programs to 'Trainer'.
In February 2023, Cass Olholm, a weightlifting coach with 363,000 followers, also left the company after joining on a three-year contract in 2020.
She then won a court case against Sweat, which tried to prevent her from launching her own app, Train with Cass, claiming it would divert up to $1 million of revenue away from Sweat and breached a 12-month non-compete clause.
Why has this happened?
It remains unclear what has led to the succession of trainers leaving the app, most recently, Wells.
However, in recent years, there have been several controversies involving Sweat and Itsines.
The fitness guru and her app have faced criticism from users for being expensive ($19.99/month), glitchy, and difficult to cancel memberships.
After selling the company to iFit, she received further negative press when 30 staff members reportedly lost their jobs, according to The Advertiser.
The 2023 legal battle with Olholm, a former close collaborator and friend, only added to the changing perceptions of the fitness mogul.
Then in February 2025, Itsines found herself in another PR storm after making a video criticising what she described as 'highly sexualised' gym content on social media.
She called out her disappointment at fitness influencers who pose and film workouts from a 'particular angle' under the pretence of a 'glute workout'.
She claimed it was a tactic used to gain views and it's 'not something (she or her daughter) wants to see'.
While some of her loyal fanbase agreed with her, the video ultimately did not resonate as she had hoped.
Many argued that Itsines wasn't immune to 'sexualising' her own content, with some pointing out she shares workout videos in figure-hugging activewear and regularly shows off her abs.
In response to the backlash against her viral video, some of the star's former fans began sharing their 'trauma' from following her restrictive guides in the past.
They took issue with the fact that she built much of her fortune from her 'Bikini Body' Guides, which launched in 2014 and are sometimes described as 'problematic'.
One of her early guides, aimed at women aged 16-25, included sample meal plans that totalled just 1200 calories for those trying to lose weight.
'As the parent of two teenagers, I'd be mortified if I knew they were following this plan. Why did we do it to ourselves?' said one user.
During a 2016 interview with Bloomberg, Itsines revealed that she regrets calling her programs the 'bikini body' guides.
She explained, 'Do I regret using the term Bikini Body for my guides? Yes, I do.
'That's why when I launched the app, I named it Sweat With Kayla. I love the empowerment that comes with the word 'sweat' – it's really powerful for me'.
While the platform remains a leader in digital fitness, the recent exits are just another controversy Sweat will have to deal with.