‘I lost 5kgs in 6 weeks by streaming workouts’
Note: This article was first published on Body + Soul.
A rapid transformation doesn’t have to involve gym, equipment – or even leaving the house.
No dairy, no gluten and no sugar helped Candy Berger, 25, drop five kilos in six weeks.
But the secret to her rapid weight loss wasn’t just an updated eating plan.
This caterer streamed workouts from the comfort of her living room, and committed to doing one 40-minute online fitness class a day, five days a week, for six weeks.
“My health and body had taken a beating from not eating or training properly. I changed a lot mentally this year, and getting my body to match my mind was becoming increasingly important to me,” says Berger.
“I heard that Luke Istomin – one of the original trainers at F45 – launched a new program called Diced by Varlah. It’s a six-week program that lets you stream workouts, and also gives you nutrition and eating plans.
“I heard Luke’s programs were amazing and promised results, so I got in touch [with Luke] and signed up.”
The on-demand guide, which has been nicknamed ‘the Netflix of fitness’, recommends you do six workouts, six days a week and has a money back guarantee on it’s website should you not see results from the program, which costs $69.95.
Berger said that she “saved so much time and money by not needing to go to a gym or hire a trainer” and enjoyed the convenience of “waking up at 6am, and streaming the workouts every day from my living room.”
“The bodyweight workouts incorporate HIIT classes, low intensity, mobility and stretch sessions to help recover, and all vary in structure and intensity.
“But there is always a warm up and stretch to start each workout, which made sure I was never injured. Some sessions are athletic, some are Mixed Martial Arts and then some are focused on training the upper and lower body.
“The workouts are easy to follow and are streamed in real time, so you can really see and feel the people on screen struggle as much as you do, which gave me even more motivation. I never felt alone.”
As for her strict diet, Berger says “I never went hungry” and that the eating plan is simple: “You eat lots of whole foods, fibrous veggies, protein and good fats. A typical day starts with something like salmon or eggs on gluten-free toast with avocado for breakfast, followed by a salad with a lean protein for lunch and veggies with another protein for dinner.”
And while it’s only been six weeks, this Diced devotee has dropped 5.3 kilos – “but I don’t care about the scales,” she says.
“What I care about are my measurements. I’ve lost 8.5cm around my waist, 5cm from my hips, 3.5cm around my legs and my arms have gained size!”
It sounds appealing, sure, but this program doesn’t work unless you do.
“It was challenging to wake up on a Saturday morning to train,” admits Berger.
“But once I was up and finished, I felt amazing. Actually, it started to set the tone for my weekends – I ate well all of Saturday and Sunday, which usually would have been a write-off.”
And, while she’s only six weeks in, Berger plans to continue working out – sans equipment, from the comfort of her own home.
“It’s been life-changing, and if anyone out there is interested, my advice would be to get your water intake up, stay hydrated and try cutting down on alcohol, to start.
“Also, don’t focus on the scales – focus how you feel!”
