Sydney man unhappy with F45 competition judging process

Sydney man Ben thought he was a shoemaker to win a holiday to Fiji after signing up for a fitness challenge with his gym.

But now, after another winner has been crowned, Ben thinks the gym might be hiding something, after refusing to reveal the winners’ body scans.

“I took my challenge. I challenge you F45 – give us the results,” Ben said.

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Ben woke up with the sunrise, starting his first of four daily workouts with a run every morning.

For the past four weeks, he’s been taking protein powder, coconut water, and beets for breakfast, along with other prepared meals, and he’s been living that routine in hopes of winning a free holiday to Fiji after seeing a social media ad for the F45 fitness challenge.

It was the motivation the elementary school teacher and aspiring MMA fighter needed.

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“From day one, I was already prepared for the week,” Ben said. A topical matter.

“I told everyone I was going to win the challenge and from day one I decided to win it and spent every waking hour preparing food, training, go to bed at 8:30 p.m., get up at 3:30 p.m. Morning.

“At the end, I was eating, sleeping, breathing competition.”

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Ben paid F45 $60 a week for four weeks, plus he claimed it was an additional $140 for his body scans.

He thought it was money well spent.

“First my nine-year-old said, ‘Dad, you can win this,’ which was a big motivation,” Ben said.

And following Ben’s body transformation, he’s gotten leaner, meaner and almost nine kilograms lighter.

The contest winner lost 15 kilograms.

But Ben said he’s no longer sure if the competition is about weight loss or general health.

Ben has since moved to a gym that claims to judge his challenges using only body scans.

“We all had the scan before and after the challenge, so let’s see them,” Ben said of the winner’s results.

“I’m sure the winner would be pretty happy to show off their results if they won, right?

“Is there something to hide?

A topical matter asked F45 how the winner was selected, and to see the terms and conditions of the contest.

F45 Training Incorporated told us they have been made aware and are reviewing the situation.

“You really should be judging people’s fitness, health, strength, progress and improvement over this period using individual metrics,” says fitness expert Marcus Bondi.

“If it’s judged solely on weight loss, it becomes starvation competition.”

Ben said he had a message for anyone who might think he’s a sore loser.

“I took time out of my little boy’s life, my partner’s life… I paid my money to be in this competition and I wanted a fair shot,” he said.

And his message to the winner: “Enjoy your trip to Fiji. I think I should go, but enjoy your trip to Fiji.”

F45 Training Incorporated Statement

The F45 Challenge is a community-driven health transformation program designed to create life-changing results.

Each franchisee is responsible for the execution and delivery of the program and for defining the terms, conditions and criteria of the Challenge.

F45 Training Incorporated has been made aware and is reviewing the situation.