Putting Australia’s Top Online Fitness Programs To The Test

If your New Year’s resolution is to lose weight or get fit, listen up.

A Current Affair is delving inside the online celebrity fitness programs headed by Michelle Bridges, Sam Wood and Tim Robards.

So how much will you have to spend, how hard will you have to work, and which programs will deliver results? Three working mums are putting the programs to the test for four weeks, with visits from the trainers themselves on day one to kick-start their journeys.

We’ve partnered single mum of five, Kay, with fitness guru Michelle Bridges to take part in Michelle’s 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT).

Michelle Bridges is arguably the most controversial woman in the health and fitness industry, but with 20-plus years in the business she knows better than anyone how to get results – and how to make them last.

“I’ve had the truest beginner through to actual ex-Olympic athletes do the program, and everybody in between,” she says.

12WBT has been running for eight years and, together, members have lost more than one million kilograms.

Kay’s goal is to lose four to six kilograms, but she believes the challenge is about more than dropping a dress size – it’s a chance to make time for herself.

“I’m on the bottom rung, which isn’t the way it should be, but in terms of my health and my diet priorities I’m pretty much down the bottom so all that’s going to change.”

The transformation starts in Kay’s kitchen – the headquarters of the house and a focus point for Michelle, whose mantra is to opt for foods that are ingredients, rather than foods that have ingredients.

“This is an ingredient. It’s an apple. You need to have a couple of convenient things that can help put a meal together, but overall you want to be choosing whole foods,” she says.

“If you’re watching TV, work out during a TV commercial. Do squats for the duration of that TV commercial.”

Michelle’s 12WBT doesn’t come cheap, but it does come with 12 weekly meal plans and more than 900 recipes. For $199 up-front or $19.99 per week, Kay will also receive 12 exercise plans and two mindset videos per week.

Serial dieter, Simone, is teaming up with former ‘Bachelor’ and personal trainer Sam Wood for his program 28 By Sam Wood.

Despite years as a diet-holic, Simone has never achieved the results she’s hoped for. Now, she’s committing to shedding four kilograms and completing her first ever push-up.

“What appealed to me about 28 was hearing that it was only 28 minutes and you could do it from your home,” she says.

Sam’s program has his 18 years of experience behind it and he says anyone can do it, anytime, anywhere – including in the comfort of your own home.

“But that doesn’t mean we want to lose touch or we want to leave them to their own devices. We’ve got a great support team, seven days a week, day and night, to make sure people’s questions are answered,” he says.

“All my recipes are quick, easy, simple. If I can cook them, anyone can cook them.”

Pay $49 after a seven day free trial and receive a 28 minute workout each day, a weekly eating plan, meditation and online support.

Dedicated mother Karen wants to be the perfect role model for her son, who has autism, and believes celebrity chiropractor and TV personality Tim Robards can help get her there.

“My son is nine and he’s been diagnosed with autism, so I have a fear of leaving him, so that would be the thing that would be driving me. I need to get healthy so I can make sure I’m around, at least while he needs it,” Karen says.

She takes on Tim’s The Robards Method, with the goal of climbing to the top of the jungle gym at her local park – an activity she hopes to enjoy with her son.

Once the ‘Bachelor’, and now a fitness expert, Tim says The Robards Method is tried and tested.

“It’s not a diet – it’s a sustainable way to eat, it’s how I eat. You can eat that way for the rest of your life. It’s all about your body becoming more functionally strong, more mobile, and gaining that physical strength, which is linked to emotional (strength) as well,” he explains.

Tim says your diet should follow his ‘7, 2, 1’ formula – that’s 70 per cent super clean foods, 20 per cent sensible foods, and 10 per cent relaxed meals.

Pay $99 for a starter pack, which includes Tim’s wooden rings and resistance bands.  Pay another $8 per week and get access to over 70 recipes and 300 workouts.

Health and Fitness Editor at 9Honey, Sam Downing, tells A Current Affair commercial gyms can be intimidating places when you’re out of shape.

“If you give people a program they can use in their home, in their own time, away from everybody else, that will be a real motivating factor,” he says.

“I think these celebrity programs are really genuine, these guys are really passionate about health, they really do want Australians to get fitter.”

All three programs offer different difficulty levels, so you don’t need to be as fit as Michelle, Sam or Tim to achieve results.

On results day, our trainers return to check in with our three mums.

For Kay, the changes are more than just physical.

“I feel fantastic, I really do. I’ve got more energy, I think I look a lot brighter, and I’ve definitely got a spring in my step now,” she says.

Kay has achieved her goal to lose six kilograms in just four weeks on 12WBT, and is committed to complete the remaining eight weeks of the program.

“I asked the kids ‘what was the best thing about mummy doing this program?’ and they said ‘because we get to eat together as a family’,” Kay tells A Current Affair.

Simone comes close to her goal of shedding four kilograms – she’s lost 3.5 kilograms and completed that elusive push up, with Sam’s support.

“It’s all about weight – kilos – but what I’ve noticed is I’m feeling stronger and feeling more flexible. I think that part of it’s really important and that’s worth maintaining.”

Karen too has had success on The Robards Method program, reaching the top of the jungle gym on her first attempt.

“I couldn’t four weeks ago, there was no way in the world!”