MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
After a fast and furious 12 weeks of intense training, it’s the final moment of truth for DNA’s Make Me Hot Challengers!
This year we rolled out an online training program specifically to see how it would work on eight of our readers around the world. Yes – we went virtual, bringing gym and nutrition coaching to readers in five countries simultaneously! It was a fun time, a little bit crazy and a great experience that I feel sure will be a part of fitness in the future.
We selected eight entrants from over 160 applicants. Of these, seven carried through to the finish. They were then divided into two groups. Four would be featured in the print magazine and online; the other three would be featured in our online coverage.
THE CHALLENGERS
Craig. A social media co-ordinator living in Sydney. Gareth. An expat Aussie who moved to China to live with his boyfriend. Bill. An American boy who moved to Melbourne for work and study. Josh. Our ginger Canadian freezing away in Toronto. The Online Team: Marc. Uni student and hospitality worker on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Zack. Designer and world-traveller for the challenge period, from Manchester, UK. Kevin. Wisconsinite and another worldtraveller.
THE PROGRAM
From the outset I knew my work would be cut out for me. How do you co-ordinate people on multiple continents and time zones to work together online? And with their range of training experience, from Gareth who had never set foot in a gym to Craig who had been working out for over 10 years.
The early few weeks were spent hammering out the requirements. I expected 3 to 5 workouts per week, both weights and intense cardio sessions. I expected them to get familiar with one of our two nutrition plans and to get reading the first of two books educating their every eating decision. And I wanted them to keep records: every weight lifted, all meals eaten and body measurements – for their own motivation and so I knew what they were up to. I wanted to provide everything: webinars, written guides, books, exercise videos, and I did warn the intrepid eight that it would be pretty intense to start.
As I kept repeating, first to utilise the fear of being published semi-naked in a worldwide magazine, then later as encouragement for continuing to push through the challenge and beyond. Twelve weeks is only a short time! The first four weeks were to be the hardest, with many new ideas, plans and concepts. Even with videos and descriptions of each workout, the guys had to apply themselves. Learning exercises from watching someone else is pretty much the way everyone learns to start off with, so that aspect via video was straightforward. We changed programs at least once throughout the 12 weeks, and the motto was always progress – keep adapting the program as you get better at it.
Changing nutrition has the biggest potential to completely change body shape, but it is a harder ask because of learned habits and behaviours. I have a system that we use to get rapid change. I present the information, get you to record what you’re doing and then work through all the changes required, including supplements.
Along with my webinars and emails, we met each week in a Google Hangout, allowing face-to-face interaction and chat; plus a private Facebook group to share pictures, challenges, questions and support. It was the team nature of the program that really made the difference. Strangers came together and have now formed bonds that will last them much longer than our 12 weeks. I don’t think any of them were unchanged or unmoved by what they experienced as a part of our group!
ACCOUNTABILITY
I did chart how much the guys were keeping to their program. A simple tick per quality meal consumed and points for each workout measured how well they were eating and exercising. It let me see what they were doing well or could use extra guidance on. More importantly, it became the best indicator of commitment to the program. When a challenger told me they were struggling, I could check their charts to see they were either poorly being filled out or not even started.
It was remarkably easy to change workouts or eating plans based on travel, food or equipment availability. Travel was a big factor for both Kevin and Zack, but in this day and age all it requires is a bit of extra planning around using hotel gyms or bodyweight exercises – and avoiding indulgences at the buffet!
THE TRIUMPHS
Make Me Hot in 2013-4 was about the story of eight readers given the tools, resources and support online to make all the body shape changes they could in just 12 weeks. It was never a competition. I could have run an open program for 1,000 readers and hand-select only the best results to publish and call it a roaring success. Instead, here in your hands is the hard work of these “ordinary” guys who did their best despite illness, holidays, travel, temptation, parties and injury, to achieve all their best. All of my challengers should be proud of themselves.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I’d like to thank the Life Active team for all their hard work figuring out systems, preparing and answering emails and getting materials setup for this challenge. Two of our Australian entrants received Isagenix protein supplements, courtesy of DNA magazine. I’d personally like to thank all the photographers who offered their amazing services for the final photos.