CHALLENGE YOURSELF

Meet Laura, Challenge 21 Greatest Body Fat Loss

1.    Why did you sign up to the F45 Challenge?

I had been training at F45 Toorak since March 2018, but I travelled through Central America for six weeks, followed shortly by a week in Singapore with a buffet breakfast. Not long after that, it was the festive season (which also includes my birthday), and I wasn’t about to let my Mum’s cooking go to waste! Long story short, by the time the challenge was nearing I had found myself carrying a little excess weight! As an existing F45 member, it was a no brainer for me to sign up to The Challenge and use all of the resources and support available to me to whip myself back into shape.

2. What kept you motivated throughout the 8 weeks?

I made the 8 weeks simply all about me. This was my time to focus on me and me alone, and so ‘treat yourself’ became a bit of a moto… of course, treating myself meant new activewear, runners and massages, rather than ice cream and nights out. I was also really lucky to be literally surrounded by support – support at the F45 Toorak studio (trainers and fellow members), support from friends and family, and even support from colleagues who wouldn’t dare bring hot cross buns (my weakness) into the office until after the challenge was complete.

3. What advice would you give to the next Challenger?

Build a support network around you of people who will encourage your endeavors and forgive you for any seemingly crazy behaviour you might demonstrate during The Challenge (e.g. grating zucchini into everything, and dipping cucumber into cinnamon as a “sweet treat”). Remember that you’re rewarding yourself now and in the long run by training hard, while following a great meal plan that will fuel your body with important macro and micronutrients; the F45 Challenge is not a punishment, but a kick start to a healthy lifestyle!

4. What was your favourite thing about the F45 Challenge?

Genuinely how supportive the F45 Toorak community became of each other throughout The Challenge (trainers and members, alike). My training partner, Shelby, and I have been at the studio since March 2018, so we really got to witness how everyone at the studio actively became closer during The Challenge as we encouraged each other, just as much as we competed with each other. It was so amazing to witness!

5. What part about the Challenge did you find most challenging and how did you push through it?

Maintaining discipline with my nutrition and calorie intake was the hardest part of The Challenge for me. I had to eat slightly more than what was on the F45 Challenge meal plan due to my high activity level. This meant that every additional thing that I ate was meticulously weighed or measured and recorded according to calories and macros to ensure I was prioritising protein to build and maintain lean muscle. This was admittedly exhausting after 8 weeks, but I pushed through and stuck with it because I was continuing to see the change in my body composition and fitness level. You’ll continually have little wins throughout the challenge while you keep your eye on your end-goal, and if you do that, you can push through anything that challenges you – “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you”, right??