Weight: -3.9kg
Waist: -3cm
Total Workouts = 40
“This challenge I found to be harder than the previous challenge I think because it was longer. I hadn’t been training as much as usual leading in so the additional training days took a couple of weeks to get used to.
First week: Training every day was tough, I had really sore muscles everyday. My diet changed only slightly as I weaned off the treats and Rubbish food.
The second and third weeks: I wasn‘t as sore after training, but felt I had less energy due to not eating enough food; without bad foods I wasn’t eating much and also had no idea how many calories or macros I was having. My weight and measurements only improved slightly, approx. 1.5kg loss and 1-1.5 cm in waist and hip measurements after 3 weeks.
The fourth week: Luke and Kat convinced me to use the My Fitness Pal App to monitor calories and Macros, after a week I had the foods I was eating loaded so it became easy to use, once I had the balance of Protein, Fats and Carbs sorted out my energy level felt really good. A couple of slip ups with the diet but I didn‘t worry too much as I’d just work it off at training.
The last 2 weeks I felt much fitter and stronger, my diet was high in protein, so the focus was lifting the intensity at training and going as hard as I could.
Most of my weight and measurement loss came in the last 10-12 days.
I completed 40 trainings in the 40 days, the training days outside of LFL sessions I kept to 15-20mins using Luke’s recommended circuits, biking, running, KB swings or skipping.
It was great that there were so many involved this time, seeing and hearing talk before class about how good people were going was a good motivator.
The next challenge I would definitely use the Calorie counter from the start, set a goal of 20% less than my normal intake and train harder from the start.”

Weight: -4.1kg
% of Body Weight lost: 5.89%
Waist: -4cm
Hips: -2.5cm
Workouts: 39
Logged Calories: 30 days
“There are so many reasons why I chose to join the 40 Days FiT challenge. This year I turn 40 and celebrate my 4th blood birthday, what better way to kick off ’40 + 4 years fit’? Perhaps more importantly I wanted to do this to prove to myself and celebrate that I could do it. I was a regular at Luke’s classes some years ago so I knew what I was getting into, but I think he has actually stepped up the intensity since 2012.
The last four and a half years have thrown up some health challenges that I certainly hadn’t planned for. I was diagnosed with leukaemia in late 2012 and after several rounds of chemo, had a bone marrow transplant (thank you everyday to the random German man who gave me his stem cells!). Since then I have been slowly regaining fitness and strength, but now is the time I need to step things up!
I think the biggest obstacle is the mind – not wanting to get out of bed, thinking its too hard, feeling too sore etc etc. The 40 day FiT challenge has helped me to embrace some of the physical challenges I have experienced post-bone marrow transplant. After a bone marrow transplant, the new immune system can attack the body’s organs and tissues. My new immune system has had a good go at my lungs and muscles. In a bittersweet way this process (called graft vs host) is also protective against a relapse of leukaemia – another reason to embrace it and work with it.
I liked the range of classes on offer – no one session was the same and they were all about functional movement, with each class designed to provide a whole body workout. Importantly for me, Luke can structure the classes to cater for all levels and needs, providing the right challenge for everyone. The camaraderie and support of the group also helped with motivation and feeling like a part of something. I have definitely learnt a lot by counting calories and being accountable. I became very aware of how ‘treats’ were slipping into my everyday and I am horrified to think what my calorie count would have been some days. I mostly met my goals….didn’t quite get to my weight loss target but I got close, just need to keep it going now.
This is just the start of my new fitness journey. Next April will mark my fifth year post-transplant, the point at which haematologists use the word “cure”. While it is a somewhat arbitrary time frame, the chance of relapse after 5 years is significantly reduced and that is something to celebrate – maybe with another 40 day FiT challenge?”
My advice: just do it….do it for yourself….you never know when an unexpected health challenge is going to come up and it is much better to face it being fit and strong!”

Weight: -3kg
Waist: -4cm
Workouts: 40
Logged Calories: 39 days
“Accepting the 40 day challenge seemed like a good idea at the time. I wanted to get a reasonable level of fitness back after a fairly ordinary winter followed by about eight weeks of travel in the northern hemisphere (more winter). Plus I wanted to see if I could actually do it.
I’m not quite sure what I have achieved yet other than having done 40 sessions in 40 days. I am certainly a lot fitter, stronger (for me!) and considerably leaner. The DEXA scan tells me I am at 13.3% body fat and should not really go below 13%.
One of my goals was to run 1K in 4 minutes 30, 5K in under 25 minutes and 6K in 30 minutes. In the dark humid Singapore morning I managed to get all three done in a 6K run. According to the Nike running app I ran 6.05K in 28.39. I did the five in 23.59 and kilometre four was 4. 28 and kilometre 5 was 4.30. Was all pretty flat but happy to have done it first time up.
I did not make my 10,000 steps for every day. The trip to Jakarta made this problematic as did a day at home trying to kill the cold germs, but I only just missed on 3 out of the 40 days.
I also learnt to do some of the exercises better than I had been doing them – particularly the depth of the squat.
Unfortunately I came into the challenge with a rotator cuff problem. I thought it would fix itself over time. Unfortunately that hasn‘t been the case, but it didn’t really impede progress all that much. I also managed to damage my calf muscle, which was more of a nuisance than the shoulder. It prevented me from doing any running work for a significant portion of the challenge, which made it a little tougher.
I really liked the fact that there are the people doing the challenge at the same time and the I really liked the classes that we attended. The variety in the classes that Luke provided was fantastic. Apart from boxing there was hardly a double up in the 40 day period.
I probably could have eaten better in the first 20 or so days, in the sense of eating more. I did get tired and sore and there was very little time for recovery.
I learnt that your body can handle a huge amount and that you can do things even when you don’t really want to do them.
Post challenge I will attend classes on a reasonably regular basis when in Sydney and stay active in the days that I don’t do classes and during the time that I am travelling. I will try to increase the intensity of my self-workouts and also increase the amount of strength work both in class and in the gym. Ideally I would like to put on a couple of kilos of muscle, not fat.
Overall it was an awesome challenge, at times tough but very rewarding, and Luke is a master at this stuff. He teaches, he encourages and he pushes as well as providing the reporting and eating framework – he is no doubt a great resource to anyone wanting a serious challenge.”

Weight: -1.6kg
% Body Fat Loss: 2.87%
Waist: -5cm
Hips: -4cm
Chest: -6cm
Workouts: 44
Logged Calories: 40 days
“Personally, It was really satisfying and rewarding for me to have helped Emily get in peak physical shape for her special day. I haven’t seen any wedding photos yet (you holding out on us Em?) but I’m sure she would have looked stunning. The challenge was well timed, finishing the day before her wedding. Although that sounds all well and good, Em had to overcome a week of travel for work during the challenge and also a week in NZ leading up to the big day that including her hens. She could have very easily caved but she stayed strong and still managed to log her food and complete her workouts. She even worked out the day after her hens. Fair play Em! Such a pleasure to train, rocking up at 6am all smiles and alway putting in 100% without any whingeing or negativity. Congratulations on an amazing 40 Days FiT Em!”
A note from Emily:
“At the start of the challenge I was a little worried about accepting, but did because of my wedding and I was determined to completed a fitness challenge since I never have before. In the past I have done them by myself and never finished.
I have completed the full 40 challenge and pretty impressed with what I have achieved. I completed 44 Legion Training sessions over the 40 days and counted my calories for the full 40 days. I have lost 1.6kg in total, -5cm waist, -4cm hips and -6cm chest.
Doing the challenge with a group really helped me commit to it, I stuck with my personal eating plan and made sure I entered all calories even when I had a blow out! It was a huge lesson for me, as I’ve always been worried about eating carbs, and before the wedding I told myself I wouldn’t be eating them – however I don’t think I’ve ever eaten more in my life!!! I really didn’t care, I just needed more food to keep me going.
The biggest obstacle during the challenge would have been traveling, it was extremely hard monitoring my food when others were cooking meals for me. I did make sure I did all my sessions while away though.
Deb and I were partners for the accountability week, and we caught up when in Auckland. She’s a rockstar! We were a fabulous team, and she really kept me going!!
I have seen significant results in photos, and how I feel. I’m going to continue to workout and monitor how much I eat.
A massive thank you to Luke and everyone who has supported me throughout the challenge. Overall, it was such an amazing experience! I loved every moment of it.
Bring on the second one!”

Weight: -3.5kg
% of Body Weight lost: 3.78%
Waist: -6cm
Workouts: 35
Logged Calories: 21 days
“I wanted to do this so I could gain a better understanding of my food intake and break the daily 1 or 2 beer in the arvo habit. Lots of other reasons too: to get fitter and stronger, to look better and to feel better.
I achieved all of that.
Some challenges I faced were injuries and a week off in the last 5 days of the challenge with the flu. Felt like a bad way to finish but I knew I had achieved a lot so wasn’t too bummed about it.
I really liked the camaraderie shared by the other challengers. This also made me feel accountable to them by posting on the Facebook forum.
Some things that I will improve on next time are:
1. More consistent with my training diary
2. More consistency with my calorie counting
3. Learning how to sometimes know when to not push too hard. I think this accounted to two of my muscular injuries.
My post challenge plan is to maintain my training and to be more aware of my food intake.I can do this now because by taking part in this challenge I learnt all about calories/ Macro nutrients and the affect that they they have on your body.
My advice to future LF Challengers is to not be too hard on yourself. I trained like an animal which I think led to muscle soreness and injuries which resulted in me requiring physio throughout the challenge. Stretch and rest well. Watch what you are eating and plan your food intake well.”

Weight: -2.8kg
% of Body Weight Lost: 5.00%
Waist: -3.5cm
Hips: -3.5cm
Workouts: 40
Logged Calories: 40 days
“Completed all 40 workouts, logged food for 40 days, 216km covered and 16 Legion Training sessions attended.
I took up the 40 day challenge as was in a bit of a rut with my training, it was as though I was plodding along with no goal in mind so therefore I wasn’t really focussed on anything in particular. I wanted to lose the 3kg that I gained since moving to Sydney a year ago, and just found it hard shifting it. It made running harder, especially up those hills for sure!!
I stuck with the plan and calculated the calories, nutrition etc based on a useful website recommended by you and then logged EVERYTHING consumed in the 40 days (yes, the good, the bad and the ugly).
It was a great lesson for me to remind me on portion sizing, I wasn’t really ever hungry, I realised it was probably more dehydration that was causing me to snack more. Also, I’m a creature of habit, so my three times a day trip to the biscuit barrel for me was a no go zone. Glad to say, I actually found that quite easy, even walking past it every time I went to the kitchen at work.
The only obstacle during the challenge was when I got a cold and couldn’t train for two days, but I wanted to complete the full 40 workouts so double sessions on day 36 and 37 worked a treat, although I was pretty tired after, and confused what day it was, as was running on days I don’t run on.
I loved meeting others during the classes, such great people with great camaraderie all round which makes the training fun, and also helps push you when you want to give up. I think the facebook page was also a great tool for ideas and tips and to see what others were doing.
Accountability week was also good, I was Gareth’s buddy and even though he’s on Gold Coast he still was able to inspire me for the week and happily we both achieved our goals.
I learned I do have will power as long as I’m made accountable for things, eg. don’t go back to raiding the biscuit barrel when I’m not logging in with Luke. It’s always a good reminder, we are mentally stronger than we think.
I’m now changing my membership over to attend more legion classes each week as have loved the results. Will be more relaxed on the food front a bit now though.
Overall, loved the experience and will totally sign up again!”

Weight: -8.6kg
Fat Mass: -6.7kg
% of Body Weight loss: 7.65%
Body Fat %: -3.7%
Waist: -7cm
Workouts: 33
Logged Calories: 38 days
“I did the 40 Days FiT challenge as over 10 weeks of summer, I put on all the weight I lost in 2016, basically undoing a years worth of training. I came into this with realistic goals and a strong drive to shake off the beers I was carrying around.
I’m happy with the results of the challenge, but mostly the habit of regularly training and consciously, then unconsciously eating mostly clean. I am happy that I avoided sugar and soft drink for 40 days.
The extra weight classes that were added were great – I really liked them. Changes I‘d make would be to add more classes early, rather then playing catch up at the end (which I couldn’t do in the last week after getting a flu). I plan on continuing the guidelines of this challenge as I am aiming to continue getting fitter and stronger and staying injury free. A big thank you to everyone else in the challenge – we have a great community encouraging and pushing each other to be better and get outside our comfort zone.”

Weight: -3kg
% of Body Weight loss: 4.76%
Waist: -9cm
Hips: -4cm
Workouts: 36
Logged Calories: 34 days
“I accepted the 40 Days FiT challenge primarily because i thought that becoming fit would help me sleep better and feel less stressed. I have struggled with stress management since I started running my own business last year and have way too often turned to junk food for comfort. I knew this was a bad habit and i liked the idea of challenging myself which would have a positive impact on my health. The duration also seemed perfect, long enough to challenge me but not insurmountable.
I achieved 36 workouts in 40 days, lost 3 kilos and several centimetres in various places where i definitely don’t need them! I have felt generally relaxed and have definitely had better sleep. I love feeling strong and fit like I do now. And i love looking toned and having people noticing that I look toned which has happened a lot lately!
I occasionally have sleepless nights due to stress and whilst sleep quality overall improved during the challenge, I had the odd night where i barely slept. However this did not stop me from turning up to any 6am or 5.45am class and I have felt so good about that. It was really hard but I was committed to the challenge so I was doing it anyway and never regretted it. It always invariably led to a better night’s sleep the following night as well.
I liked the challenge because I felt encouraged all the time by Luke and the other challengers and I felt like we were all in this together. I thought that not turning up to class would be letting everyone down and it kept me going and turning up. I think Luke masters the art of motivation by regularly giving clear and simple directions throughout the challenge, by ensuring I remained accountable to myself and others and last but not least by believing that I could do it, even though I was doubting that big time. I also enjoyed bringing my kids to the weekend sessions and hopefully inspiring them in leading a healthy and active life. I know they were impressed with my commitment and being a good role model to them is also one of my life goals.
I could have done better with the calorie count and i often went above my target but I also often didn’t and I am still happy about that.
Next time I’d like to be able to control my diet a bit better and hit the calorie count every day over 40 days.
I learned that eating well and exercising makes me a happier, better person. No breaking news really, but this has become clearer than ever.
Post-challenge, I intend to keep up the exercise sessions to minimum 4 per week and still try to be good with food so i can keep feeling strong and fit and happy!
If you ever want to do the 40 Days FiT challenge, my advice is to not overthink it, just register and do whatever Luke tells you to do and you are sure to achieve your goals.”

Jess
Weight: -3kg
Waist: -3cm
Hips: -2cm
Total Workouts = 42
“I participated in the challenge because I needed a reset leading in to Christmas. My diet had got a little out of control, binging on chocolate daily and letting sometime indulgences creep in to everyday life. I got off to a slow start and a few social occasions threw me early on. After the success I had in the New Year Resolution challenge, I had high expectations of the speed at which I’d see results and not seeing them made it hard to stay motivated. I had to work really hard on mindset and not throw in the towel when things weren’t going my way – be it results, or unplanned indulgences. Then something switched about halfway and it just got easier.
I came in to the challenge determined to set up good lifestyle habits. I didn’t want to make extreme commitments that wouldn’t last beyond the 40 days. Prior to the challenge I had got in the habit of living consequence-free. If I indulged at one meal it spiraled in to indulging for the whole day, or a few days. Since participating in the challenge, I’ve reset and got back in the habit of balancing it all out. One trap I found with not setting extreme commitments (e.g. no alcohol, no sugar) was that it sometimes meant the line was blurred and my conviction not as strong (e.g. self talk of “Just one. Ok, just one more”).
The biggest take away for me from the challenge is the importance of planning. Planning was the key to my success – Planning workouts and planning meals (including what I’m not going to eat!). I had some tough work periods during the challenge and normally this would be an excuse for poor eating. Throughout the challenge, I did a lot of make-ahead preparation – salads, quiches, roasted veggies etc – and it made life so much easier. I wasn’t coming home tired and eating poorly. It actually took away the stress of working long hours. Planning also allowed me to relax about getting in all my training. At the start of the week I planned out what I would do – factoring in what my work week would look like – and I just stuck to it.
Reflecting on the challenge I’m proud to say that I ended up achieving all of my goals – including staying clear of the chocolate guy at work! Most importantly I feel reset and ready for Christmas. I’ve proved to myself that if I set realistic, measurable and specific goals with a clear action plan that I have the willpower and ability to achieve whatever I set my mind to. Whilst the challenge is focused on health and fitness, this is a lesson that I can and will apply to the rest of my life!”

Weight: -4.6kg
Waist: -9cm
Total Workouts = 36
“This challenge has been a life changing experience. It’s the first challenge/weight loss program I have been strict on myself and completed it in full. I am over the moon with the results I have achieved. The main results is to get to 80Kg. I have done that and a little more, which I can’t remember the last time I was this weight (probably back in high school). I wanted to see abs which I have slowly achieved. Perhaps not as much as I wanted but I have never had this sort of toning in my chest and abs in my whole life.
I stuck with my 2000 calorie limit for the entire challenge. I at times struggled to meet my macros. In the last 10 days I really nailed it. I put this down to just having protein powder. With first 30days I didn’t have protein powder. This really assisted in lifting my protein percentages and lowering carbs and fat.
I achieved 36 workouts in 40days. My goal was to get 40 but with bucks parties/weddings and heavy work days I had a few rests a long the way. Im not disappointed about this as it really helped to rest my body and motivate me to get a session done the day after a rest.”

Weight: -3.4kg
Waist: -4cm
Hips: -4cm
Total Workouts = 40
“I can’t believe 40 days have gone by already! This was a huge challenge for me as I’ve never been on a strict diet and exercise program. I’m so glad I did the challenge but also glad it’s over. I have learnt how to control my portion sizes and also how to find lower calorie meal options rather than going for high calorie meals a lot of the time.
I have also noticed that I’m not as tired as I usually am. I will definitely be choosing healthier options more often now. I did notice with my job in media that it is very hard to avoid ‘naughty meals’ every now and then. There are always events on at work that have a lot of delicious food and free alcohol. I don’t think anyone should stop themselves from a drink or slice of pizza all the time, but, I do believe that this type of food and drink is ok to have in moderation. I found that by stopping myself from having anything ‘naughty’ for so long just made me want it more. But I’ve defineitly learnt how to restrain myself when need be.
I’ve reached a lot of goals through this challenge. I can now complete 20 pushups on my feet without stopping. I can run 3km without stopping and will continue to run regularly for exercise. I can also now complete 60 crunches in a row. I wasn’t able to acheive my goal of planking for 2.5 min but I think I will be there very soon. I also managed to lose 3.4kg which I’m shocked at but happy with. I wouldnt want to lose anymore weight but would still like to tone my stocmah some more.
What I liked most about this challenge was learning about healthier food options and generally having more energy. I now also feel like I’m likely to complete more exercise after this.
What I disliked about this challenge was how hard it was. I think this is because I’ve never really refrained myself from eating whatever I want. The other thing I disliked was that I felt like I was missing out on fully enjoying some work events.
Overall I am really happy I took the challenge and am stoked with my results. I also enjoyed the workouts sent over and I will continue to use these.
Thanks for all the support, Luke”

Weight Loss = 2.7kg
% of total Body Weight Loss = 3.9%
Waist cm Loss = 10.5
Bum cm Loss = 6cm
Total Workouts = 41
“I participated in the challenge mainly to try improve my diet and get off the sugar for a month. I also have a wedding in the next 12 months that I need to get motivated and lose weight for. I really enjoyed having the support of my accountability buddies- they kept me on track. The challenge also made me appreciate my food more. Staying off the sugar was a big win for me- I felt like I had a lot more energy and wasn’t as tired. Also being able to fit into my jeans with ease was also a big win. My lack of self-control was my biggest obstacles I overcame. Once I got through the first week I felt like I had the self-control to be able to stay on track and say no to carbs and sugar. I perhaps could have prepared food and controlled my portions a little better. I am going to try and continue the no carbs and sugar at least during the week and allow myself a treat on the weekend. I also want to continue trying to train every day and where possibly try and get a double workout in. If you’re considering giving an LFL challenge a go. Definitely do it. My other piece of advice is to make sure you still treat yourself now and again – you still need to enjoy food and life.”

Weight Loss = 4kg
% of total Body Weight Loss = 6.7%
Waist cm Loss = 6cm
Hips cm Loss = 5.5cm
Chest cm Loss = 5cm
Total Workouts = 25
“I participated in the challenge predominantly due to FOMO, since so many other Legionnaires were signing up. Whilst I wanted to lose the holiday weight I subconsciously knew I’d gained, I didn’t feel in the headspace to eat better or train harder and more frequently – I was definitely still in holiday mode! Throughout the challenge the support of the LFL community helped tremendously and was something I really enjoyed. Chatting with everyone at training about how they were going, seeing people’s recipe ideas and Accountability week reminded me I wasn’t doing this on my own and definitely ensured I didn’t quit.
Being an analyst by occupation, I actually ended up loving the calorie counting as well. Seeing in black and white if I was over or under my calorie target per meal was really useful feedback on the choices I was making. Also, knowing I would have to write down everything I consumed definitely made my willpower and accountability stronger!
The biggest obstacle I faced over the 30 days was combining socialising with healthy eating habits. Weekend dinners and drinks, Australia day, work functions and a week back in Perth all severely challenged me. I realised that whilst I make healthy choices a lot of the time, I also make a lot of exceptions for myself. I chose to practice moderation in the face of temptation, which worked pretty well for me and is the approach I will use in the future. Whilst moderation worked well for me, I’m a little disappointed that I couldn’t find the willpower to say no to some things for the entire 30 days. In hindsight 30 days didn’t seem as long as I feared it would – though as Millie knows, 7 days of no sugar during Accountability week almost broke me!
Looking forward I definitely want to incorporate some of the habits I formed during the 30 days. As well as remaining conscious of what I eat, I also intend to keep up my training. Unexpectedly I found it much easier than I thought to fit in more training. I found the key for me was planning out at the start of the week what and how many sessions I would do and making it a non-negotiable. In fact, planning in general is the biggest thing I learned during the challenge. Planning meals, planning training and planning for indulgences definitely makes it easier to stay on track.
Now that the challenge is over I am so glad that I took part. I’m really proud of my results, I’ve learned some great habits and I’ve had fun getting more involved in the LFL community.”

Weight Loss = 5.8kg
Body Fat % Loss = 3.2%
% of total Body Weight Loss = 6.3%
Waist cm Loss = 6cm
Total Workouts = 30
“Why did you participate in the challenge?
Good opportunity to clean out some bad habits that had crept into my diet (binge eating, snacks at work)
To beat Des
To win the weekend away
Chance to send Luke pictures of me in my underpants
Opportunity to train with my brother for the first time in a long time
What did you like about the challenge?
Great sense of teamwork at training and online forum
Seeing my abs reappear as the weight dropped off
It was also awesome to see everyone’s successes as the challenge went on- there were some impressive numbers posted, and big improvements in performance at training
What were some of your successes and wins over the last 30 days?
PB and equal LFL record for hill sprint up Loftus St
PB strict chin ups in hollow hold
PB 1km ocean swim (sub 22mins)
Single digit body fat %
What obstacles did you overcome?
Work commitments are always my biggest obstacle. I spent a week commuting to another hospital (Fairfield) and another week in Dubbo- hard to be prepared without my all my stuff (especially kitchen/pantry)
Also had to overcome being shit at swimming
Ongoing obstacle is that my pants are too big
Was very hungry for the first few days of calorie restriction
What could you have done better?
Incorporate more strength and conditioning into training program
Diet could still use some tweaking to improve the balance of macronutrients- getting enough protein is always a challenge
What healthy habits are you going to try and sustain now that the challenge is over?
Lay off the free pizza and chocolates when the appears at work, and stay away from the free bread/ toast otherwise
Reduce alcohol intake
Squeeze in home/ gym workouts or run/ swim when I can’t make it to LFL sessions
What advice would you give to others embarking on a similar transformation challenge?
Set simple goals and keep chipping away- it doesn’t matter if you don’t get there, goals just give you something to keep focus
Train when you can, and rip in as hard as you can”

Weight Loss = 2.6kg
% of total Body Weight Loss = 5.0%
Waist cm Loss = 5cm
Total Workouts = 42
“I have always been one of those people that was of the opinion if I train hard I will be able to eat what I want. So to be honest when this challenge came around at first I was not that keen, until Luke had a few words and encouraged (perhaps challenged me) to see what effects clean eating may have on my body.
I liked having
Training Buddies – Having your training buddies doing it with you who were all in the same boat and faced the same struggles as you were on a daily basis.
Personal Achievement – It was the personal challenge to myself to be able to stick to the 30 day challenge with the clean eating as I have never challenged myself with something like that before and had never seen what the results were.
Accountability – It really did help keep me on track having to take a picture every 5 days and send my measurements.
What were some of your successes and wins over the last 30 days?
1.) Completing the Sun Run while taking part in the challenge.
2.) Not drinking any fresh OJ (otherwise known as my coffee)
3.) Not falling off the Wagon when Fridays arrived in the challenge.
While I don’t have a very bad diet (I cannot remember the last time I would have had a McDonalds). I have be known to treat myself (maybe a little too much) when Friday comes around the corner, I overcame this with this in the challenge and learnt to have the will power to say NO to the jellies in the office and NO to my orange juice fix.
I kept it pretty basic and simple with my diet, I ate a lot of meat, fish and veg and perhaps I could of cooked up a few new healthy dish options instead of keeping it so simple.
Now the challenge is over I’m going
1.) To continue to maintain a healthy diet.
2.) Portion control
Now knowing that you really can’t out train a bad diet will help me stick to the healthy habits I started………..within reason!
My advice for others embarking on a transformation challenge:
1.) Preparation with your snacks, if you have a healthy option in front of you to take the edge off it really helps.
2.) If you have the willpower when it comes to the food and the training then the results will follow.”

Weight Loss = 6.7kg
% of total Body Weight Loss = 7.6%
Waist cm Loss = 5cm
Chest cm Loss = 5cm
Total Workouts = 28
“Having undertaken the boat body challenge leading up to Christmas I experienced the benefits of regular intensive exercise both in a group and importantly alone. The other partner to exercise was food management, intake and healthy. So I set myself up for a Christmas “stuffing” but funnily enough the willpower I had renewed controlled my intake of my vices but not to the extent that still very much enjoyed myself.
Beginning a new year I was ready for The New Years challenge. For me it was about making it fun and working from a substantive base established in the boat body Challenge I was in a stronger physical and mental place. I really enjoyed our Facebook page, a great initiative, along with the mid accountability challenge, onya Mal!
For the NYR I believe I set some realistic goals that stretched my comfort zone and also that would benefit me and my family! Not just now but into the future. Finally I really enjoyed meeting and bantering with others in the group.
My biggest win was 12 straight AFD‘s. Why? because I usually drink everyday! I did have a couple of drinks last Saturday and Sunday but straight back into 3 AFD’s. Also I really do like the reduction in my 12 pack. Hey! Not that it is 6 pack but those tighter fitting shirts are an excellent fit now.
The NYR has renewed my willpower to say no and to look for the healthy option.
I guess I could have had 30 AFD‘s. Hey a man is not a camel! As I said on our Facebook page it’s not just about me, it will be my family adopting a healthier food regime. I was on the way to hypertension, drinking, eating and not exercising enough. As this report goes to press I called into the chemist to have my blood pressure checked, 126/77 I am stoked! let me tell you I was up to 153/89 back in July 2015. My bookend focus going forward will be regular intensive varied exercise.
Rather than offering advice I think telling the story of my experience. I also believe it is a bit of leading by example and letting your actions do the talking. A key point I would mention is the value of the outdoor group activity in attending classes, interaction through social media and the motivation and drive it creates. It creates a commitment and subliminal competition.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the NYR challenge. It delivered me results I was unsure I would achieve. Funnily enough I have delivered a speech at toastmasters on the connection between the values challenges like NYR has with team building and team performance.
Thanks Luke and everyone who participated in the NYR challenge.”

Weight Loss = 5.7kg
% of total Body Weight Loss = 5.1%
Waist cm Loss = 12cm
Total Workouts = 29
“I started this because I wanted to up my training and fast-track it. I’d started on my own fitness and fat loss the week before, losing 2kgs in 7 days leading to the start of the Monday.
A few things I’ve learnt (or re-learnt)
– Increase vegetable intake – particularly raw
– push through a plateau and persevere
– a 24hr fast can help push through a plateau
– I‘m not fit enough to train every day. I need to be active every day, because I don’t get enough movement in.
– Flexibility helps!
Things I can do better:
– prepare more of my own food
– stop the blow-out days
I didn’t quite hit all my goals but I did get very close. Being able to move another notch on the belt and fitting more comfortably in pants is always a win. My fitness level has massively increased. The difference on a touch football field has been extremely vast, going from missing easy touches to covering the field to stop a try.
For someone coming into this, I‘d recommend diving in and giving it everything you can. Be prepared and interact with everyone. Training with great people who share and discuss everything about the challenge (good and bad days) really helps, especially knowing you’re not the only one who has a bad day”

Weight Loss = 2.4kg
Body Fat % Loss = 3.1%
% of total Body Weight Loss = 3.8%
Waist cm Loss = 8cm
Hips cm Loss = 6cm
Total Workouts = 35
Things got pretty silly for me in the silly season; I was eating out all the time and having wine/chocolate on most days! I was keen to take part in the challenge to drop a couple of kilos and get back into my usual healthy eating patterns.I liked the accountability of having to send through my stats every 5 days and having accountability buddies – this definitely helped keep me on track. I also liked the support from others through the LFL forum, and the fact that the challenge made my cook new meals and try new recipes.
I achieved my weight loss goal, managed to reduce my body fat % by 3%, did 35 sessions in the 30 days , did a 10km fun run, ran loftus hill every (work) day for a week and walked 10,000 steps every day. As a bonus, my boyfriend also lost 5-6kgs throughout the challenge by eating the same meals as me and exercising.
I had a couple of special occasions throughout the challenge which meant I ate out and wanted to celebrate. I managed to limit my alcohol to just a couple of drinks on my birthday and when my PhD got passed which I think is pretty good. Although I could’ve been more restricted in my diet over the 30 days (e.g. no alcohol), I think it was more realistic (in terms of me actually maintaining the diet after the challenge) to learn to eat and drink things in moderation.I am definitely going to try to keep up the healthy eating, with a focus on including high-protein meals and snacks in my diet, and enjoy eating out/alcohol in moderation on the weekends.
I will also maintain the little changes I made e.g. small coffee instead of large, water instead of milk with my oats. Will also keep up the LFL sessions and get to 5-6 a week.

Weight loss: 2.704kg
Body fat percentage: 28.3% to 27.9% = -0.4%
Fat mass: 16.248kg to 15.280kg = -0.968kg
Lean mass: 41.191kg to 39.455kg = -1.736kg
Waist: -1.5cm
Workouts: 40

“Now the 40 days are over I can actually say that I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. Admittedly it wasn’t without its obstacles; calories on the mind 24/7, craving triple chocolate fudge cake with choc gelato every evening and putting up with Steves ‘hangry’ mood swings. But, we got there. It’s been educationally learning about calorie amounts and the adequate protein intake which I will continue to try and stick to (within reason). I’m very proud of myself for sticking to the work out regime and achieving the overall goal of losing weight. Additionally, I feel stronger than ever and determined to keep my fitness up.”Rachel