A mum who lost 11.5 kilos by joining a fitness program famous for its eight-week challenges has shared the secrets to her success.
Leanne Kenway, 52, from Robina on the Gold Coast, decided she wanted to make a lifestyle change in October 2021 after experiencing health problems and carrying far more weight than she’d like.
The physiotherapist was struggling from excess stress due to a high workload in lockdown and was suffering from a ‘frozen’ shoulder and stomach ulcers; she couldn’t get dressed without being in pain.
So right before her 51st birthday Leanne joined her local BFT (Body Fit Training) branch where she followed a program designed by elite strength and conditioning coach Cameron Falloon.
Cameron, who was Princess Diana‘s personal trainer at the start of his career, structured the popular program into progressive blocks of HIIT, cardio and strength sessions.
Before and after: A mum who lost 11.5 kilos by joining a fitness program famous for its eight-week challenges has shared the secrets to her success
The hybrid program is designed to help gym-goers avoid burn out and uses heart rate monitors to track members’ ability to stick to class goals.
Since starting out and completing two eight-week challenges Leanne has lost 11.5 kilograms which is enormous for her 156cm frame. She has also maintained her bone density, built muscle mass, reduced her visceral fat and lowered her biological age.
Leanne started out gently and as her shoulder pain began to settle she began rehabbing her shoulder mobility and strength.
She started training three to four days a week while she was recovering and in October 2022 she started her first challenge. She wanted to feel comfortable working out in the gym without covering up with a sweater on in each class.
Leanne achieved this goal in week five.
Before and after: Leanne Kenway, 52, from Robina on the Gold Coast, decided she wanted to make a lifestyle change in October 2021 after noticing some unwanted kilos had crept on
What is Leanne’s day on a plate?
Breakfast: Poached eggs and spinach and a nutrient dense fruit and protein smoothie
Lunch: A nice salad with either tuna or chicken
Dinner: Honey soy pork, pork & kimchi fried rice or okonomiyaki
Snacks: Protein balls alternated with carrot and celery sticks with hummus
‘I do a mixture of weights, strength, cardio, core work in balanced, and mixed sessions,’ Leanne told FEMAIL. ‘Each one is around 50 minutes.
‘In addition, on the weekends I try to have a walk at the beach, or with our Doberman. Today my colleagues and I have actually commenced a 10000 steps a day challenge for the next month – so I’m looking forward to motivating the team to stay on top of their steps.’
Leanne follows the meal plan included in the studio’s challenge program and continues eating the same meals for maintenance in off periods.
‘For breakfast I usually alternate between poached eggs and spinach and a nutrient dense fruit and protein smoothie depending on how much time I have available,’ Leanne said.
For lunch she keeps things light and quick with a salad paired with tuna or chicken before getting ‘a bit more creative’ for dinner.
For lunch she keeps things light and quick with a salad paired with tuna or chicken before getting ‘a bit more creative’ for dinner
Recipe: How to make my favourite choc chia yoghurt pot by BFT
Ingredients
530mL reduced fat milk
50g whey protein powder
25g cocoa powder
15mL maple syrup
60g almonds, roughly chopped
2tsp vanilla extract
135g chia seeds
450g high protein natural yoghurt
125g blueberries
SERVES FOUR
‘I do a mixture of weights, strength, cardio, core work in balanced, and mixed sessions,’ Leanne told FEMAIL. ‘Each one is around 50 minutes
‘My go-tos are Honey Soy Pork, Pork & Kimchi Fried Rice, I also really like the Okonomiyaki – and so do the family,’ she said.
‘I routinely create a batch of easy to make protein balls every couple of weeks and usually have one a day for a snack, alternated with carrot and celery sticks with hummus.’
Since being founded in 2017, BFT has sold over 300 franchises across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UK, Hong Kong and USA.
Programs have been designed by Body Fit Training’s joint CEO Cameron Falloon who had an extensive career as the S+C coach for high profile AFL and soccer teams. He was the PT for the late Princess Diana.
Australian fitness coach Cameron Falloon (left of left) trained Princess Diana (right in 1995) in the last months of her life. He was 24 at the time. He later founded BFT
The program uses science and technology to drive positive outcomes for people at all fitness levels. It shows high level visual content on multiple digital displays so coaches can spend more time concentrating on members opposed to showing them how to do an exercise.
The next challenge begins country-wide on October 2.