Our Spring Challenge has started! If you’ve joined up to be part of this exciting and healthy journey, you are already in the thick of it. Let’s go through a bit about what to expect along the journey. Here are some highlights that you can look forward to.
Alcohol
Expect to not be boozing for 10 weeks. Alcohol is the first thing that we remove, because you can’t expect to make big gains while still drinking alcohol. In the workshops, we’ll be going through some tried-and-tested strategies for going out with friends and not feeling awkward; and how to handle criticism from friends and acquaintances about it.
Finding your motivation
We’ll spend some time establishing each participant’s reasons for wanting to change. Knowing exactly why you’re making these changes will make it much easier to stick with the program, and it will also allow you to easily explain to friends and family why you’re behaving differently.
Sharing
An important part of the challenge is sharing your progress – and your struggles – with the group. This is difficult for a lot of people at first, as it involves exposing weaknesses that we’re used to hiding. However, the group work will provide you with an awesome level of support and accountability. Remember, we’re all in this together!
Keeping records
You’ll need to record what you eat for the whole 10 weeks. This is non-negotiable, as it’s integral to tracking your progress in the challenge, it creates accountability with the other people in the program and it ensures you stay honest with yourself. From Day 1, we want you to write down everything you eat, in whatever method best suits you.
Week 1
In the first week, we focus on removing sugars from our diets, so that our bodies move from burning sugar for fuel to burning fat instead. This can feel bad at first: headaches, lethargy, nausea, irritability, and mood swings are all possibilities. But it doesn’t last long – most people get through the side-effects in 3-4 days. We often suggest that people take photos of themselves in minimal clothing during this week. The photos can act as reminders, motivators and a record for later in the program.
Week 2
By week 2, you’ll be starting to experience noticeable improvements in your energy levels and the ability to concentrate. With fewer processed foods in your diet, you’ll be getting more nutrients from your food, and your body will be working better.
Weeks 3-4
With your body getting used to the new regime, your emotions should be more stable. You’ll start to see physical changes about now: your skin will look better, hair and nails will be getting stronger and your clothes will be getting a bit roomier. When you train, you’ll recover faster and have less soreness afterwards.
Weeks 5-7
This can be a difficult period for some people, as typically your progress will plateau at least a bit. The novelty of the program will wear off, and your energy and enthusiasm about the challenge might wane. Your body is still adapting to using fat for fuel. This is where the photos taken in the first week can be very useful – we’ll take more photos and see what changes are happening.
Weeks 8-10
These weeks are when the magic really starts to happen and the hard work pays off. You’ll start to see some serious body composition changes: body fat reductions, dropping clothes sizes, dramatic face shape changes. We take final photos in week 10 to let you see the differences from the outside. Then a celebration BBQ, and we’ll pick a winner at each location: the person who has shown the greatest change in habits throughout the challenge.
… and Beyond
All we are trying to do in 10 weeks is reprogram your habits. You can see quite dramatic changes in only 10 weeks, but this challenge is only a stepping-stone to lasting transformation. The whole process will take you more like 6 months – but this intense 10-week period is designed to give you momentum and motivation in your journey to health.
Well done to all our Spring Challengers, we will be supporting you all the way. Spring Challengers include:
Amy Eckersley
Adele Brennan
Amit Kelovkar
Belinda Wright
Christy Reid
Corinne Gilday
Danelle Shaw
Deb Hanvey
Ella Simmons
Erin O’Connor
Hannah Smith
Jen Murphy
Jagoda Butler
Jamahl Grey
Julie Cannon
Kaitlyn English
Kate Smith
Kate Willmont
Kathy Grabham
Kerrie Kenway
Kerrie Oliver
Lattoya Gilday
Laura Duffin
Lucie McDonald
Marlo Ward
Mel Morey
Mel Brennan
Millie Miller
Phoebe Tucker
Paul Shaw
Rita Mansour
Robert Simmons
Sally Leslie
Sam Cannon
sarah Parry
Susie Sproston
Tony Grant
Tracie Burgess
Troy Parsons
Vicki Oliviero
Wendy Smart
