My name is Megan Garbutt and I am a member of F45 The Beach in Toronto, Ontario Canada. I’m 32 years old, and have been working in the hospitality industry for over 13 years. I have been in and out of fitness for a lot of my life, but nothing has gotten me hooked or as much of a result as F45.
Why did you sign up to the F45 Challenge?
I’ve been going to F45 The Beach for over around 2 years now and have had great results with my health and fitness. I had been away for three months before the Challenge and upon returning, I wanted to jumpstart my fitness regime to get myself back into my F45 routine. As much as I tried to keep up with doing workouts being away, it wasn’t enough and I had really let myself get out of shape. I really wanted to see what my body could achieve when staying focused and training hard. It’s incredible what our bodies can do!
What kept you motivated throughout the 8 weeks?
My team. Having such an awesome group of people behind me was undeniably my biggest source of motivation. I had support from the owners and trainers, my close group of F45 friends and training partners, and my family and friends outside of the gym. Whenever I was tired or wanted to give up, having this network of people pushing me really kept me going and kept me on track.
What advice would you give to the next Challenger?
Ask for help and reach out for support! Your trainers are there for you! Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ways to improve, modifications for exercises, or just some words of encouragement.
And of course, DON’T GIVE UP! You CAN do this. When you feel like giving up or aren’t yet seeing the changes or results you wanted, do NOT quit! Don’t let your mind trick you into thinking you can’t do this. You have what it takes! Eight weeks might feel long, but if you dig deep and push through, the end results can be life changing—a stronger, healthier, happier you!
What was your favourite thing about the F45 Challenge?
Seeing how truly amazing our bodies and minds are and what they are capable of. Put the phrase “mind over matter” to good use, and push through those uncomfortable moments and tough last few reps or seconds in the set. Seeing things you struggled with before now come with ease is a very cool feeling. Getting to watch and feel your body get stronger and leaner is really unbelievable.
What part about the Challenge did you find most difficult and how did you push through it?
The Challenge became increasingly hard when the COVID-19 lockdown began in Toronto in the final two weeks. I had really started to lose steam already, never mind not having the gym. We did have our home workouts, but not having my main source of motivation and accountability made it extremely challenging to keep going and training hard. I was able to push through it by keeping myself engaged and finding different, fun ways to work out—from grabbing household items for weights, using parks and their amenities, to just running outside. I also had an awesome trainer who helped get me through it all. Shout out to Jackson Cross! He was constantly there for me throughout the whole Challenge, but especially in the last two weeks. He checked in on me, helped me whenever I needed and always had words of encouragement just at the right time. Thank you, Jackson!
