THE challenges have been issued. The participants in the Jamaica Observer/Gymkhana Fitness Challenge have been given four weeks to achieve specific goals, earning points as they go along.

Last Monday, the eight personal trainers sat down and came up with different challenges, based on the weaknesses of each challenger, and a consensus was reached.

One week is already down, so there are another three to go before the challengers will have to demonstrate that they can rise to the task.

Gisel will have to help Jodi reduce her body fat by four per cent from the current 25.60 per cent. For Eileen, Marcelo will have to work with her so she can drop six pounds from her current 243-pound weight. Francine and Trevor also have to lose a few pounds to complete their challenges. Francine’s trainer Kurt will have to help her cut eight pounds while Ruel will have to walk Trevor through dropping seven pounds. Trevor and Francine currently weigh 190 pounds and 269 pounds, respectively.

Like Jodi, Loraine also has to reduce her body fat by four per cent and Peter is committed to helping her do this. Her current body fat is 29 per cent.

Sandrine, Maureen and this reporter are not so much focused on losing weight over the next few weeks, but more about strength training and ticking a few things off their lists. Sandrine, who cannot do one push-up right now, is supposed to be able to complete 10 modified push-ups with the assistance of her personal trainer Mark. Keith is committed to getting Maureen in the best shape possible in a few weeks so she will be able to do 25 push-ups and run a 5K in 30 minutes. This reporter is not the strongest so my personal trainer, Damion, decided that my goal for the next few weeks is to be able to do 10 reps each of inclined dumb-bell chest press of 20-pound weights, squat with 85 pounds, and clean and press 25-pound weights.

Our work is definitely cut out for us, but the challengers will not be deterred and the personal trainers are right there with us.

Sandrine, who says she is already seeing results, says so far the experience has been good and it has been more than just health and fitness because she has also forged friendships with the other challengers.

“I put on my skirt today (last Friday) and I had to be holding it up,” shared Sandrine, adding that she is slowly reducing her body fat.

Jodi says so far her training is painful, but her trainer Gisel thinks she can achieve her goal, so she knows she can.

Some of the challengers have described the journey so far as hard, however, in spite of the sweat, lingering pain and extensive workout sessions, they told the Sunday Observer that they are not backing down.