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Why did you sign up to the F45 Challenge?
After moving into an office based job several years ago and making the most of office snacks and drinks on a Friday I found that inevitably quite a bit of weight had crept on. Across this time I had tried different gyms, forms of exercise and diets to try and find something that suited my lifestyle and always gave up a month or two down the track when I was not seeing results.
In September last year I returned from a four-week holiday eating and drunken my way around Europe and realised enough was enough and I needed a change in lifestyle and to take better care of my health.
After speaking with a friend who was a member at my local studio, I signed up for a two-week trial and ended up attending class every day across this period. During this time I also learned about the 8-week Challenge and convinced my friend to sign up with me so that we could hold each other accountable throughout the process!
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What kept you motivated throughout the 8 weeks?
Being a highly planned person the communication and information provided by F45 prior to and during the challenge helped to keep me excited and motivated throughout the process. I used the app daily and when I felt a moment of weakness I would refer to the portal blog articles to reassure myself that what I was feeling was normal!
Throughout the first two weeks detox phase I saw rapid results on the scales and immediately felt less bloating fatigue. I had a personal goal of losing 8 kgs so when I reached this goal only a few weeks into the challenge it made me excited to see what I was capable of when I fully committed to the process.
Before the challenge began I spoke to my close family members and friends about what I was signing up for to ensure they held me accountable and didn’t try and distract me throughout.
Of course, being able to go out and buy new clothing as mine no longer fit was also motivating!
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What advice would you give to the next Challenger?
Commit 100%. By sticking to the meal plans and the same morning class each day it has created a routine which I have now stuck to well past the challenge.
Organisation is also key to success! A lot of organisation is required to succeed in sticking to the meal plan so by planning out your week and making meals ahead of time where possible this ensures that you are not tempted to stray from the meal plan.
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What was your favourite thing about the F45 Challenge?
There were two elements I really enjoyed.
- The sharing of information before, during and after the challenge from F45 global. At each stage of the Challenge, we were provided with information on what the meals we were eating were assisting with our workouts and enabling our bodies to achieve. This helped to keep motivation high and reassured me that there were many of us in it together.
- The team environment in the studio, from the instructors to the other challengers. The atmosphere in the classes motivated you to always put 100% in whether it be from the technical training from the instuctors or the lionheart results being published during class on the TVs to always push you harder.
That being said the class environment is extremely welcoming and encourages members at all levels to try their best.
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What part about the Challenge did you find most challenging and how did you push through it?
The organisation required to keep up with the food prep. After the first week where i struggled to maintain my normal working routine, added F45 sessions, Food Shops and meal prep i started tracking out my week ahead of time to ensure i didnt get caught out and could consistently get the 8 hours sleep required.
Once i got the hang of preparing meals ahead of time i found the challenge a lot more rewarding!
The routine learned from this 8 week challenge created a lifestyle change for me – the organisation, exercise and healthy lifestyle has flowed through to other areas of my life and I am extremely proud of what i achieved.
