Fi's Six Week Challenge - 1 February 2012

Second week of the challenge and it started off strong! The Bondi Crew are doing the same circuit each Monday morning for each week of the Challenge.   Last week I manged to get out 3 laps, but this week, I managed to finish a full extra lap (with each lap taking me just under 8 mins now instead of 10 ) - so I was really happy about. It's great to see some improvement after only one week - and gives me some motivation for training hard for the rest of the week! 

The Bondi Crew doing the Hill Circuit

I went back Monday night for a second round of punishment and did a weights session down at Bronte.  My trainers Kimmy and Troy have told me that I should be trying to get in at least two weights sessions a week as they help to burn heaps of calories, both before and after training and also will help me to increase my muscle tome.  This was the first time I did two sessions with the Crew in one day and at the end of the day my legs felt like lead.  

The running in the circuit in the morning was really tough.  I really think there are some people who are natural runners and some that are not.  Don’t get me wrong one of my main goals of doing this challenge is to build up my fitness so I can run longer distances.  But even when I came off Biggest Loser and my fitness was supposed to be at its peak I really struggled with running.  It just seems to hurt everything.   But I will remain positive and hope by the end of the six weeks it will get a bit easier.  Off to bed to get a good night rest for the run /swim tomorrow.

Run / Swim set at Bronte

Fi's Six Week Challenge - 30 January 2012

So week one of the six week challenge done and feeling great! Last week had its ups and downs but overall have come out the other end feeling strong and ready to  face another week. 

Last Wednesday I managed to do a morning and evening session which was awesome.  The evening boxing session in Bronte was amazing numbers were down due to the pouring rain so made it a bit more intimate and the session was intense, we all worked up a massive sweat.

During the week I am loving the meal plans, so easy to follow, its only been over the weekend  its been a bit tricky to follow, may have made a few wrong choices…but ready to get straight back in to it and go hard this week! I did also struggle like Kimmy with the no coffee, so loving being able to have at least one a day again.   So all pumped and ready for the circuit tomorrow morning, I am hoping I can smash last weeks attempt,  will keep you posted!

Fi's Six Week Challenge - 25 January 2012

The East Side Crew Six Week Challenge has begun!  On Monday morning (after nearly pressing the snooze button) I made it down to Bondi Beach at 6am to meet the other eager members of the East Side Crew.  Kimmy our trainer was there to greet us and hand out our packs, which included our meal plan and shopping list for the week.  Kimmy then produced a set of scales and we all jumped on, I knew things were a little out of shape, but thankfully not as bad as I thought.

After our weigh-in, it was up to start the fitness test which involved running a lap, starting at Hunter Park in South Bondi, around Icebergs and then back up the hill, followed by 20 sit ups and 20 push ups.  We all took off on our first lap; as usual I was lagging behind the group but did not stop.  When I made it back to the start Kimmy gave me some encouraging words, telling me next lap try not to stop just as long as I kept jogging the whole way…I tried to explain that I did that on the first lap but because my jog is more of a shuffle it takes me a long time, but because I was breathing so hard I don’t think she could make out what I was trying to say!

Fi and Jo in their new Crew singlets.

Most of the Crew managed to get out four, five or six laps, I managed three.  I was a little disheartened to learn that one of the other Crew members was extremely hung over but still managed to bang out six laps, but I just kept on reminding myself that things can only get better from here. 

On the walk home I was going through the meal plan for the week and realised there was no caffeine for the first few days.  This is going to be the hardest thing for me as I am a big coffee and tea drinker. I know I will struggle, but the rest seems pretty straight forward I just have to get to the supermarket to do my shop.

Day two of the Challenge, and I lost a kilo over night! Overjoyed, however I know my body can gain 4kgs in a day so I wont get too excited just yet! Today was the soft sand run and the ocean swim, I have already done one of these and today seemed harder than last time.  Running on soft sand to me is one of the hardest things to do, it hurts everything!  Before we took off, Troy our trainer reminded us all to stay together.  I inwardly groaned as I am training with others who have been doing this for months and within a few minutes once again I fell behind the pack.  The biggest problem about being the last one in the group is there is no recovery time, when I arrived at the other end of the beach it was straight in the water I was still hyperventilating from the run but struggled down to the water.   But I know this will help me to get fitter sooner, so I tried to stay positive!! 

The waves were a lot bigger today which made it harder and foggy goggles are not helpful in staying on the right track, a few times I popped my head out to find I had headed out to sea rather than along the beach.  I managed two of these laps and to my embarrassment had a couple of old men ask me if I was ok as I floundered around trying to swim back to shore.   After we all made it back to the beach we did some sprints down in to the water and back up the beach, this I really enjoyed as I can really push myself on short bursts like that.  Then it was a jog back to the car park and shower time.   As hard as it is to get up in the morning nothing feels better than the feeling when the session is over and walking home I felt ready to face the day…my coffee cravings might impact upon this in a few hours, but for now feeling awesome!   

Fi's Six Week Challenge - 19 January 2012

This Monday I have decided to start a six-week health and fitness challenge.  This time it is not about losing weight for a TV show or a corporation it is about getting fit and feeling good for me.  I have not trained boot camp style in almost a year so I am starting from scratch in the fitness department.  I have decided to join The East Side Crew a boot camp team that is run down on Bondi Beach, I chose the East Side Crew because firstly its only two blocks from my house, and secondly they are a really fun group to train with. 

The six-week challenge will involve doing five boot camp sessions a week a mixture of cardio and resistance training.   And going on a clean eating plan.  I will find out more about this on Monday and keep you posted. 

Since new years I have done a few sessions with The East Side Crew to warm up for the start of the challenge.  Lets just say at the moment I am the one lagging behind the group, I know this will be temporary and its only a matter of time that my fitness will increase but it is frustrating.

This morning’s session was soft sand running and ocean swimming.  I though the swim would be a walk in the park.  A few years ago I took a stroke correction course to get my swimming a lot stronger to be the ambassador for and compete in Triathlon Pink and all female Triathlon.  But these stroke correction classes were in the pool, it’s a whole different ball game when you’re out in the ocean! 

So at 5.30am I donned my Speedos, which have not seen the light of day in a while and headed down to the beach.  Today we had a new trainer, Troy Stewart who I had not met who I think might be one of the reasons there was such a large turn out to this class…mainly female lol.  So we started out jogging on the soft sand heading to North Bondi.  I started making a beeline for the harder sand near the waters edge, but was stopped by the trainer who encouraged me to stay on the soft sand.  So I puffed my way feeling like I was buried waist deep in sand to the other end of the beach.  Once at the other end it was straight in the water, I had goggles with me but I think I need new ones as they kept on fogging up and I would end up swimming in the wrong direction! The only thing that would get me back on course would be the voice of our trainer yelling out encouragement to keep going and not to stop.  So I struggled on taking in almost as much water as air.  Then finally made it back to the sand feeling very much like a drowned rat and told to get jogging back to the start and do it all over again.  So I plugged on, still the last one in the group but once again made it back to the beach eventually feeling very water logged.  Then it was time for some fun, attempting to catch waves.  This I have never been any good at I think I need one of those clips for my nose as with every attempt water would just rush up there and I would choke.  But as the trainer said it just takes lots of practice!  After many failed attempts at catching waves it was a sprint out of the water and to the back of the beach then a jog back to South end, this time we were allowed to jog on the hard sand, thank god, but I was still the last one to get back.  Then a quick stretch and maybe the part I look forward to most a coffee with the crew up at the café.   After getting home and a shower, nothing feels better than that after training feeling, I cant describe it, but I am guessing anyone who trains in the morning knows what I am talking about and you feel great for the rest of the day.

Fi's Six Week Challenge

 Fiona Falkiner who was previously a contestant on the Biggest Loser, and is now working in Sydney as a plus size model and make up artist, has joined the Crew and is starting the Six Week Challenge on Monday.

Fi is going to keep a diary of her experiences doing the East Side Crew Six Week Challenge

If you are doing the Challenge with us, or are trying to eat well, train hard to get fit and healthy, follow Fi's diary and share your experiences with us!

Good luck to all our Crew members starting on the Challenge on Monday.

Six Week Challenge

Six weeks of eating well, training hard and re-focusing our lives. The ESC Six Week Challenge will help you to:

•    Lose fat (up to 6 kilos in 6 weeks) and increase muscle tone.
•    Get a flat tummy and reduce bloating through a nutritious diet.
•    Get fitter, stronger and healthier.
•    De-stress and learn to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
•    Achieve your goals

DOWNLOAD OUR SIX WEEK CHALLENGE MANUAL

The East Side Crew Six Week Challenge is about making simple and easy changes to your lifestyle that will help you to be the best version of yourself. 

The Six Week Challenge is held four times per year and provides you with a focus on improved nutrition and performance for the duration of the Challenge.  The added bonus that we will help you to get in the best shape of your life.

We want to share with you all of the skills and knowledge that the trainers at East Side Crew use to help you to improve your lifestyle and well being.  These tools will enable you to perform at your peak and be your best, both mentally and physically.

How the Challenge Works

Each week of the Challenge will focus on one or two healthy habits.  By making simple and manageable changes to your lifestyle, you will be able to achieve your goals of a leaner, healthier you, without any hassle or inconvenience. 

At times the stress of our day-to-day lives means that exercise and healthy eating fall by the wayside. We don’t want healthy eating and exercise to be another item on your “to do list.”  By focusing on one or two new habits a week, you will develop the knowledge of how to make simple changes that will lead to a healthy lifestyle.  We will take the hassle and stress out of becoming healthy.

Share Your Experience & Achieve More!

We recommend that you take on the six week challenge with someone who is of great influence to you, for example, a family member, close friend or partner.  Someone who will help to motivate you and keep you on-track when you are not with the Crew.

CREW TRAINING PHILOSOPHY

CREW PHILOSOPHY

The East Side Crew philosophy is simple and is the foundation for everything we do. The six key components of the East Side Crew philosophy are knowledge, goal setting, nutrition, exercise, enjoyment and community.

KNOWLEDGE

We believe that a sound knowledge and understanding of fundamental health and fitness principles is the key to improving your performance, achieving your goals and to living a healthy, balanced lifestyle.  At the Crew we are constantly seeking to improve ourselves and our training through learning new skills and gaining new knowledge. We want you to be able to share this knowledge with us, apply it in your daily life and in turn be able to share it with people close to you. 

GOAL SETTING

We believe that goal setting is vital for continued athletic and personal growth.  Goals provide a focus to your training and the motivation required to train well, week in, week out. We help you to set achievable goals that will challenge you, inspires you and ensures that you remain accountable to yourself.  Let us know what your goals are for your training and nutrition so that we can work with you to achieve them and create new goals.

NUTRITION

“You can never out-train a poor diet.”  We believe that good nutrition is the foundation of athletic performance, health and physical and mental wellbeing.  The Crew FRESH Food philosophy is a clean, healthy and sustainable way of eating that will increase your athletic performance, improve energy levels and lead to a healthier and happier you.

Nutrition is important not just for training and performance, but a healthy, balanced diet has so many other benefits that will impact in all areas of your life.  It is amazing how many Crew members tell us that by following the Crew FRESH Foods meal plans and eating Crew FRESH Foods they have improved concentration at work, brighter and clearer skin, reduced cellulite, more energy to play with their friends and family, a better understanding of how to feed and nourish themselves and their families, less illness and injuries and an overall sense of well-being.  Eating well will not only make you feel good, but will also make you look good! 

EXERCISE

Exercise is good for you in so many ways! Exercise is a great way for you to focus on you. We all lead busy and stressful lives.  A consequence of a busy lifestyle is that we don’t spend enough time working on our own health, sanity and wellbeing. Exercise is a great way to give a little bit back to yourself.  Exercise promotes the release of ‘feel good’ hormones, such as endorphins, which help to create a feeling of euphoria, help to reduce stress and anxiety and make us feel happier overall.
Together with the mental benefits of exercise, exercise will also make you look great! By training your body, you will increase muscle tone and definition, reduced body fat, improve posture and develop a new level of confidence. 

ENJOYMENT AND COMMUNITY

The core of the Crew is friendship and community. By joining the Crew, you are now part of the Crew community.  The Crew community is people that support, challenge and encourage each other and just enjoy being part of the Crew.

We truly believe that in today’s non-stop world, you have to take time out to enjoy yourself. The East Side Crew philosophy is underlined by a sense of enjoyment.  We love what we do and we want each Crew member to experience that sense of fun and enjoyment that comes from doing what you love and achieving your goals.

We think that one of the best things about Crew trainings is being able to get outdoors to enjoy the beautiful Eastern beaches and parks, to breathe fresh air and to be a part of nature. We are lucky enough to live in some of the most beautiful locations in the world, however for a lot of us, we don’t get to enjoy the amazing scenery and nature of where we live as much as we would like.  East Side Crew trainings give you the opportunity to be part of nature and enjoy these amazing locations. 

East Side Crew Group Fitness

WE BELIEVE FITNESS SHOULD BE FUN!

East Side Crew helps you achieve your goals in a great training environment.  Whether your goals are to improve your fitness, lose weight, increase lean muscle mass or just to get outdoors and meet new people, East Side Crew will help to achieve these goals and more.

We use fundamental health and fitness principles and we do them exceptionally well. Whether you choose outdoor group training, personal training or our events training, we will ensure you that your Crew experience makes you look and feel fantastic. East Side Crew allows you freedom from contracts and commitments.  You choose when, where and how often you train. You'll become addicted - we promise!