F45 Challenge Diaries || 6 tips to win the F45 Challenge

F45 Challenge Diaries

6 tips to win the F45 Challenge 

Scans are done, before photos are done... the challenge has arrived!

As you have probably read in my previous posts (How I lost 12kg in 8 weeks & F45 Challenge diaries) I am doing the upcoming F45 Challenge. I have signed up to a new gym, I have checked out the meal plan, purchased some shiny new gym clothes and set my goals - I am good to go.

For those who have never done it before, or are giving it a second (or third) go, I decided to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and jot down my '6 tips to win the F45 Challenge'.

So here we go:

1. Set goals and tell people about them

As I said in my previous post, 'How I lost 12kg in 8 weeks', setting goals is vital. Setting goals gives you something to focus on, it give you something to work towards and by the end of the challenge, it gives you something to achieve. Your goals for the F45 Challenge don't necessarily need to be specific to weight loss. You might want to fit into an old pair of jeans, reduce you body fat percentage by a certain amount, jog XXX kilometres or run up a flight of stairs without feeling like you're about to die.

My next tip related to setting goals is to tell everyone about them. You don't need to tell people what your exact goal is, but you can tell exactly how you're planning to achieve your goals. The general idea is that announcing your goals publicly increases your chance of success. By telling people how you plan to achieve your goals, not only do you feel added pressure to follow through, but it also encourages your friends and family to support you. Support from those around you while completing the challenge is a big deal, you need their support to not constantly offer you cake and ice cream, you need their support to understand why you're not drinking on a night out and you need their support to understand why you're going to bed early so that you can get up early and train. You also need their support for the times when your hangry, tired, sweaty and overwhelmed. The support of those around you is needed for those times when you're on the edge of throwing in the towel and calling it quits.

 So in following my own advice - My goal for the next challenge is clear, I want to lose 15kg. Yes, it is aggressive, but I also think it is achievable. Last time I did the challenge I lost close to 12kg in the 8 weeks. This time I will be starting from a heavier weight and I believe that this is a goal I can achieve.

2. Train, train, train - duh

This ones obvious. Unsurprisingly you'll need to train - duh!

You'll need to train more than you probably ever had before. At the beginning of each week set a training schedule and stick to it. Put reminders in your diary, put them in your phone calendar, put them in your work calendar - you'll have no excuse to forget.

Personally I found training in the mornings the best, it sets you up for the day but it also eliminates the risk of you convincing yourself throughout the day not to go. My plan for this challenge is to train 6 days a week, taking Sunday as a rest day. I plan to do double F45 sessions each morning and then go for a 30+ minute walk in the evenings.

During the first challenge, this was my Monday to Friday routine: 
5:40am: Wake up, drink my lemon water, take magnesium supplements and drive to gym
6am: First F45 class
6:45am: Second F45 class
8:30/9:00am: Breakfast
10:30am: Morning tea
1pm: Lunch. Some days, if work allowed it, I would also add in a 5km walk during my lunch break. 
3pm: Afternoon tea
5:30pm: Walk 4km 
6:30/7pm: Dinner
8:30/9pm: Bed - what a grandma!

On Saturdays I would do one Hollywood class and on Sundays I would try and go for a gentle walk.

3. Drink your water!

This seems like such a basic one to be saying, but it REALLY does make a huge difference when you're trying to lose weight. At the end of the day, water helps boost your metabolism, cleanse your body of waste and acts as an appetite suppressant. Aside from the health benefits, water is free and doesn't contribute any calories to your daily intake!

Surprisingly, the more water you drink, the less water you retain. Drinking more water helps your body stop retaining excess water, which helps you drop those extra kilos of water weight. Aside from the weight loss benefits, hydration plays a vital role in aiding digestion and muscle recovery.

Tips for increasing your water intake:
- Drink a full glass of water with every meal
- Carry water with you at all times
- Drink extra water while working out
- Keep a glass of water near your bed

If you're someone who works in an office and sits at a desk for majority of the day, go out and purchase one of the big 2L water bottles and force yourself to go through AT LEAST one of them a day... working your way up to finishing two.

4. Preparation is key

We've all heard the saying before - 'Fail to prepare, prepare to fail'. In the case of the F45 Challenge, this saying could not be any more fitting. 

The F45 meal plan is full on and preparation is VITAL! During the challenge you need to prepare your shopping, prepare your food, prepare your training and prepare your rest days. Every aspect of the challenge is made easier with preparation. Cooking 5 meals while training twice a day isn't easy, but preparation helps make it bearable. 

5. Follow the meal plan

During the challenge, you are provided with detailed meal plans. This includes two snacks, breakfast, lunch an dinner. While the food plan is completely laid out for you, planning, shopping and cooking is a time consuming process. You're essentially having to prepare 5 meals a day and this was one of the tasks that I found hardest - but it does get easier as the weeks pass. 

Every Saturday I would sit down and look at the week ahead and write a detailed list of everything I needed to buy. I would set out on Sunday evening and buy all of the ingredients for the week ahead. I would come home and start the meal prep. Each week this normally took around 1.5-2 hours. I would prepare all snacks for the week and then all breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the first half of the week. On Thursday I would cook the remaining meals. 

I watched so many people go through the F45 Challenge training their little hearts out, while only somewhat following the meal plan, and their results showed that. As they say, weight loss is only 20% training and 80% food. Stick to the food plan and you're bound to see amazing results. 

6. Look after your body

You're putting your body through a lot, look after it. Drink your water, drink your tea, take your supplements and get your sleep, your body needs it.

Over the next 8 weeks, you will have pain in muscles you didn't even know you had but they are a few steps you can take to help dealing with it: 
- Take your magnesium supplements
- Invest in some good quality BCAA's. BCAA's taken during your workout can help increase muscle growth, decrease muscle soreness and reduce exercise fatigue
- Have a rest day
- Have regular remedial sports massages. Regular massages helps increase blood flow in your body, which helps reduce muscle soreness. 



  1. Wow, this is definitely a lot of dedication! You must be so proud of all you have accomplished!

  2. I absolutely agree with telling people about your goals. When others know what you're doing, it creates accountability. That's a huge help in reaching your goals.

  3. There's no doubt about it, you are a total rock star! I am all about making fitness a priority and look forward to putting some of your tips into action.

  4. Making a schedule is so crucial for achieving goals like this. I like using my bullet journal for stuff like this - really helps keep me accountable.

  5. So many great tips here! Sharing your goals to hold yourself accountable is a solid one.

  6. I think setting goals and sticking to them is super important. You are doing awesome - thanks for the tips.

  7. I also believe the "if you tell people" you are more likely to stick to it thing. I admire you activity time and wish I could commit to the same.

  8. I am not doing the challenge, but wish you all the best hitting your goals. I like telling someone about your goals because then it really makes you feel accountable for sticking to them.

  9. Will use your tios.Hightime I started focusing more on my health.

  10. Congrats on staying focused on your goal and achieving such great results, much to be proud of!

    Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly

  11. Stays focused! I followed a meal plan before and it helped me lose a lot of weight. You can do it! I'll tune in for your updates!

  12. Thank you so much for sharing these! Really inspiring and motivation!

  13. I try to get people who will be tough with me. They'll push me or remind me even if I don't want to or feel like it lol

  14. You are literally one tough chick~! lol I am amazed by your strength and dedication

  15. It's funny how you've mentioned telling others about your goals. I often keep them a secret and work on them.

  16. I've started challenge #22 yesterday. With the meal plan does it matter if you make bulk of a couple of the meals for lunch and dinner and just repeat during the week? Will results be the same??

    1. Wooooo good luck - I'm sure you'll smash it!! I would say it should be fine, I have messaged the F45 Challenge on FB before (they are super responsive) and they said that from within the week you can switch and change meals accordingly, however you shouldn't be switching and changing meals with those from different weeks as the challenge meal plans use a phased approach where different phases have different goals and the meals of the week are picked accordingly :) Let me know how you go! xx


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