Over eight weeks, Annemarie Quill is writing about the F45 Eight Week Challenge. Each week she will record her progress as she and a group of other men and women work to transform their bodies in as little as 8 weeks.
If you haven't heard of F45 yet, you soon will.
The popular fitness craze that has attracted a lot of attention around the world opened in Tauranga at the end of last year, with its first eight-week challenge beginning at the end of January.
Dubbed the world's fastest-growing training phenomenon, F45 was developed by Sydney celebrity trainer to Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.
Reporter Amy Diamond and I have joined its eight-week challenge, which sees dramatic body transformations.
For the challenge you can attend as many sessions as you like, but a minimum of five is recommended.
Each session is different, as F45 sessions are comprised of 27 different 45-minute workouts using a combination of interval, cardiovascular and strength training and high intensity interval training (HIIT), supported by a meal plan.
F stands for functional, which means exercises that mimic or recreate everyday movement such as lifting, squatting, jumping, rotating, kicking, pushing or pulling.
The 45 stands for the number of minutes of the class.
Classes with quirky names such as Foxtrot, Angry Birds and All Star use more than 3500 exercises, which means no two classes are the same.
There is minimal equipment — "no treadmills, no mirrors and no egos".
The trainers walk around the class rather than bark orders from a stage.
Each F45 franchise has its ambassadors who may be involved in the fitness world, sports people, fitstagrammers and well-known locals.
F45 Tauranga, for example, has singer Tiki Taane and his partner Rachel Axis, fitstagrammers and New Zealand competitive bikini athletes Abby Barlow and Jess Upton, Instagram sensations and business partners Tasha Meys and Viv Conway, and Kirsten Reid, mumstagrammer and wife to Sevens star Hayden.
Getting ready for the challenge
At the information evening for the challenge we are heartened to be with people of all ages, shapes, sizes and levels of fitness.
Owner and trainer Shal Addis says the eight-week challenge is for most people, although a health assessment is done.
"There may be people who are already fit looking to go that extra mile, or people who go to gyms but want something different, or people who have lapsed in fitness and want to kickstart, people looking to lose weight, gain strength.
It really is for everyone, from someone who already can do ten burpees to someone who can barely twist the lid off a jar.
Actually now you mention it, I do struggle with my jam jars.
Addis and trainer Paora Ranui take us through all stages of the challenge, including nutrition and meal plans (more on that next week), answer questions and allay any apprehensions.
Most of us are aghast that the first two weeks involve no coffee, and for the whole eight weeks, no sugar and no alcohol.
In fact, there are more questions about wine and coffee than about burpees. I like these people already, I can see why they call it the F45 family.
Measuring up
Before the challenge begins, everyone gets a body scan with NZ Body Scans. A local company, run by Jack Witschke, it uses fancy technology to measure whole body composition.
No fat pincers and measuring tape here, this is Star Wars level, measuring not just weight and height, but fat to muscle ratios, level of fat around organs, total body water, fat mass, bone mineral content.
The whole scan only takes around 10 minutes and you get a detailed report which Jack talks you through.
I notice I have 8kg to lose, but Jack advises this would be unattainable to do this healthily in eight weeks, and while it is tempting to focus on the old faithfuls such as weight in kilos, Jack emphasises that it is the change in body fat to muscle ratio which will be one of the key indicators of change.
All the segments are summarised into an overall score out of a hundred.
Mine is low 70s — Jack said I should aim for high 70s — he says athletes and bodybuilders would have close to 100.
I take my report home to read the booklet in depth — it is all very scientific, and fascinating.
It's motivating to focus on the whole body composition rather than a number on the scales. The goal is not simply weight loss for people, but overall strength and fitness and health.
There is also a wellbeing element. At the challenge open night we talk about setting goals.
The challenge is about transforming mindsets as well as bodies.
With that in mind, there's an optional yoga session on Sundays. It's the first class I book in.
Each F45 member downloads an app to book classes. Addis recommends a combination of cardio and resistance classes.
"On the challenge you should be doing a combo of interval, cardio and strength training to both burns fat and build muscle."
Challenge members also have an app with a detailed meal plan and shopping list and daily tracker (where you get points on how many sessions attended, hours slept, amount of water drank). There is also a Facebook support group with direct access to the trainers
Before photo
To be eligible for challenge prizes, there are rules about the before photo composition — you must be in a crop top and pants or shorts, and standing against a wall.
No tricks, like making yourself look terrible in the before photo, then super glamorous at the end of eight weeks.
In fact, so overwhelmed by the thought of baring white flabbiness, I have a spray tan for the before photo.
You can take the before photo yourself, or get it taken at F45. Full front, back and sides, I dare not even look, but it surely, can only get better from here?
Next week: Week One: Detoxing, foxtrotting and caffeine deprivation.
Annemarie is doing the eight-week challenge with F45 Tauranga, 34 Devonport Rd, Tauranga. For information email tauranga@f45training.co.nz or telephone Shal on 021 714 266.
Annemarie had her body scan with Jack from NZ Body Scans, www.nzbodyscans.co.nz and spray tans with @theresheglowsagain tel: 022 187 1311
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