My friend Sia, like me, had struggled with her weight most of her adult life and she was another one who, like me, had tried everything.....other than putting in the "hard work" cause I mean who the fuck really "wants" to work at it right???
She had started doing Crossfit and eventually found this place called F45 and had been going there for over a year at that point. I had been watching her progress and she had lost a ton of weight and really loved it there.
I was still skeptical that it would do anything for me and I had lost the majority of the weight I wanted to lose but did still have SOME eight left to take off and now wanted to tone and get stronger more than anything.
In January 2022, I decided to do a free one-week trial at F45 Blackmud Creek where Sia and Ben had been going.
The classes were at 530am and I went to the first one with Sia and Ben on Monday, January 3, 2022 – Redline.
For those that have never been Redline is not so affectionately called DEADLINE and everyone was surprised that I went to that as my first ever class and more so that I actually came back…….They joked about how horrible Sia was for not warning me about Deadline and she said "well I figured if she does Deadline and actually comes back, then there is NOTHING that can stop her"........she was right.
I decided before the first free trial week was even done that I was joining. It’s crazy expensive but somehow, someway I instantly found a place I enjoyed going …..with people that immediately treated me like family and pushed me and spurred me on and made me want to actually drag my ass in there at 5:30 in the fuckin morning each day and was therefore willing to fork over the dough.
I was diligent and for the first while I was going 5-6 days a week. I had some old injuries and so some things I couldn’t yet do or I had to modify and that was fine.
The trainers were amazing and always helping me look for ways I could modify certain things.
The owner Ali was only there once in a while but was so nice, I loved her instantly.
The head trainer Susie was this tiny little gorgeous model like blonde thing. Sweetest chick ever and so encouraging and amazing. She has her own fitness business outside of this and runs that as well.
The other trainers were Christie, Charity, Ana, Deanne, Emily and Kat who were all just unbelievable in their own ways and I loved them all.
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| L-R: Charity, Christie, Kat, Susie, Deanne, Emily & Ali |
I joined the challenges almost immediately with the first one being in January just after I joined.
You get weighed in and do your body measurements and then you go hard core on the workouts and healthy eating etc. for the entire time of the challenge and then get re-measured/weighed etc at the end to see any changes.
By March 2022 I had completed my 50th class and by the end of June I had completed over 100 classes. That’s 100+ classes in 6 months!!
In late June, I managed to finally do box jumps…..box jumps are something I had avoided at all costs due to an old injury….and to the tremendous fear of falling on my face in front of everyone. What I didn’t realize was Kat was watching me do it and when I landed the first she never said a word, when I landed the second she lost her bloody mind and started taping and screaming and so literally the whole gym stopped to watch me do another and another. They all stopped doing their own workouts to yell and scream and clap and run over to high five me. The emotions I felt…….I can’t even describe that day to you.
Our "home" is closing.......
Unfortunately only about two weeks later on July 18, 2022, we got a devastating email from the owners Ali and Trevor advising that the studio was closing and the last class would be that Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Covid had wrecked many people’s businesses and livelihoods and theirs was no exception they simply couldn’t make it work anymore.
We all went to that last few classes and we cried and commiserated. This WAS OUR FAMILY. We didn’t know what to do next but knew that we HAD TO stay together.
Moving on........where do we go???
Sia started reaching out to other F45’s starting with Windermere to tell them what was going on and see if they would take us on, honouring the cost we had been paying. Although expensive it was still cheaper than other F45s……they agreed
Coming full circle I went to my first class at Windermere with my “family” on Monday July 25,, 2022, and appropriately it was Deadline again bahahaha.
They have a head trainer Joel, which meant Susie would NOT be coming with us and of course we understood that but it made us sad.
Christie and Kat were both offered jobs at Walker Lakes F45 so we would be losing them but thankfully Charity and Deanna were both offered coaching positions at Windermere so that meant we would at least see them.
I can’t say I’ve really lost weight per se but I have 100% changed my body – clothes fit differently, I feel stronger.
In July 2022 I decided to have my wedding dress “preserved” in a box so it wouldn’t get wrecked. I remember trying it on one last time before it got boxed up and although I was weighing in a few pounds heavier than when we got married the dress was almost falling off me – so much looser in the mid-section and the boobs so it was easy in that moment to tell that the scale is not always the indication you should go by (I know they say that but it’s hard to stay off the scale and ignore the weight when you’ve been bred to believe the scale is what matters your whole life)…….anyways, I weighed more but overall I had “shrunk” lol.
From July 25, 2022 to May 2, 2023 we have all faithfully worked out at Windermere and our family, for the most part (minus a few coaches) has remained intact.
One thing that started in 2023 were my headaches started getting much worse again and cardio days set them off big time so I stopped doing the cardio days and was only doing strength days but that’s what I loved anyways so I was okay with it.
I am trying EVERYTHING for the headaches – massage, chiropractor, physiotherapy, medications, blood work, a catscan of my brain to ensure there was nothing major going on (there wasn’t thank god), stretching…..I have asked for a referral to a neurologist and am waiting (impatiently) on that.
What in the actual fuck??? Again????
Anyways……..May 2nd it was announced that Windermere would now be closing ad the final day of classes would be May 6th. Of course we were all upset, blindsided and heartbroken. We didn’t want to go through this again.
Everyone immediately went into action mode – checking out Movati, a nearby gym or various cross fit locations…..trying ton determine what do we WANT to do and what CAN we potentially do where some of us can stay together.
Movati was offering a “deal” but only for a few more days. A few people jumped on that immediately.
Sia once more took the reins and contacted Man Made Crossfit on the southside here to see if they could give us a demo day, they agreed to do one on Sunday, May 7th.
A bunch of us showed up. Now to say that I almost died feels like an understatement. I seriously fucked up my elbow doing a “snatch” and the majority of the session was cardio and because it’s pairs I was pushing so hard that I got a massive migraine, almost puked and Krista (my partner) MADE ME sit out halfway through which is when I was so frustrated and angry I started crying.
Later on Sunday, we got the email from F45 that the owners are in talks with a potential investor and as such the doors would remain open for two more weeks (up to May 21) while they sort through things.
Tuesday the 9th I went to strength at F45 and was super excited it was open and I was back but quickly realized my elbow was MUCH worse than I had thought it was so then couldn’t go back at all until I sorted that out. I’ve been seeing massage and chiro trying to fix it.
Meanwhile we have lost a bunch of members that went to Movati and Sia and Ben decided to move on to Man Made Crossfit where we did our demo day, so only a few of the original folks are now left and I haven’t heard from any of them. It’s sad and I feel like my “family” is now gone. I am quickly losing my motivation.
May 21st Joel emailed to advise everyone that F45 would be remaining open. I told him I have been off due to my injury and that I have surgery coming up June 7th and will need to put my account on hold from June 7 to July 19th at which point I can come back.
Sigh…….the motivation is less and less and now with the injury and then my surgery where I have to be off……I guess I need to determine next steps for me after July 19th........
