REBUILDING MEMBERS: Shedding 40kg, finding balance and sharing the Rebuild spirit

Caitlyn Davey • July 8, 2025

“I was over 100kg when I started, probably verging on 110,” explains Hayley. She’s been a member of Rebuild Health and Fitness for eight years and has shed nearly 40kg in her time here. “I had had enough, hit that brick wall where I had a little son, and it was just me and him then didn't want to be fat anymore.” Hayley has been training at Rebuild for the past eight years and has become a key part of the Rebuild family. She’s also the Rebuild Member of the Month for March. Not only is Hayley making strides in her own training, but she’s also hugely supportive of other members of the gym and encourages everyone around her. During the Rebuild Friday Night Lights events, Hayley supported other members to hit their own highs and managed to hit her own 1RM on the barbell complex. Hayley joined Rebuild when it was still called CrossFit 4178 at Glenora Street, she joined after a friend (who's also a familiar face at Rebuild now) moved over to the gym.  “I knew Rhani from boot camp. And one day she didn't turn up. It was pretty boring; you'd go there, and you'd do a half an hour boot camp. They used to talk for 10 minutes, you'd probably train for 10 to 15 minutes and then talk again, so the novelty wore off really quickly.” One day, Rhani didn’t show up, so Hayley looked her up on social media to see where she was training – and saw Rebuild. “It took me probably like a month from canceling that membership to actually getting the balls to walk through the doorway.” Hayley came to Rebuild looking to get her health in check. “Walking in here, I knew nothing about nutrition; you don't get 110 kilos and have a healthy relationship with food or knowledge. So it took me a long time to accept that I couldn't out-train my eating habits. That was probably the first thing.” Incrementally, over a long period, she got her weight down. “I was never like, ‘I want to be 60 kilos’ - I was never sort of that way oriented. I think if I went that way, it'd be too much in my head, I'd overthink it. So, each time I'd say ‘I just want to get to 100 kilos’ and then, ‘okay, I'm at 100 kilos, I just want to get into the 90s’, so, I just sort of went increment by increment.” She’s now a healthy 70kg – and has established a good balance in life now, even enjoying her holidays and down-time. She explains that even when you have a slip-up, it’s not about thrashing yourself. She says: “It's okay, we've done that so let's rein it back in and get back on track and keep doing what we do, train when we train and get those steps in and bring in the food and eat and get the protein in. So it's definitely a healthier balance where I probably was a bit obsessive, where you'd put off things for work or things for extracurriculars because I had to go to the gym and you get that bit selfish, but now we found a balance.” What’s kept Hayley coming back for so long – is the people. “It's not just the coaches are great, it's the people that train here, the people they've selected; not selected, but they've weaned out any egos, have weaned out anyone that's sort of a bit of a show pony and it's just genuinely good group supportive people. It doesn't matter what kind of day you're having. It could be a shit day; it could be a great day. If you don't turn up, you're accountable for not turning up. Whether it's one of the coaches messaging you saying are you alright? Or it's a mate saying where are you? Why don't you train today? Everything okay? Or whatever. You've always got that accountability with someone.” She's been described by members as 'a weapon', 'supportive' and 'encouraging', but says she's gained as much as she contributes to the gym. Hayley embodies Rebuild's values, about balance, the balanced model of health - overarching wellbeing and making balance a priority, as well as being a supportive and inspiring person around other members.  Hayley says: “What I've learned about training and health; and myself, since being here - you can't put a price on that.” 

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July 22, 2025
If you live in Wynnum or Capalaba , chances are you’ve seen a bootcamp in action — high-intensity sessions in parks, with lots of burpees, sprints, and shouting. While bootcamps can be a fun way to get sweaty, there’s a reason more people are choosing structured strength training instead. At Rebuild, we often meet people who’ve jumped from one bootcamp to another, chasing results they never quite achieve, or can’t maintain. Here’s why strength training, not bootcamp-style fitness, is the smarter long-term approach for your health and body. 1. Progress Over Punishment Bootcamps often focus on burning calories and pushing people to their limits every session. It feels intense — but it’s usually random. There’s no plan beyond “go hard”. Strength training is different. It’s measured, progressive, and adaptable . Whether you’re lifting a barbell or doing bodyweight movements, the goal is to build skill, strength, and confidence over time. You're not punished for where you're at — you're coached toward where you want to be. 2. Stronger Muscles = Better Results Cardio-heavy bootcamps might help you lose weight quickly, but they rarely help you build muscle, and muscle is the key to long-term fat loss, strength, and mobility . When you train with resistance (weights, bands, or bodyweight), your body becomes more efficient. You burn more calories at rest, move better, and feel more capable in everyday life. And unlike bootcamps, strength training actually preserves lean mass while you're in a calorie deficit — which matters if your goal is body composition, not just weight loss. 3. Individual Coaching Matters Most bootcamps have one instructor yelling instructions to a big group. There’s rarely time to check your technique, let alone adjust for injuries, experience, or confidence levels. At Rebuild, our group sessions are coach-led and purpose-built . We take time to teach proper form, scale movements to your ability, and track your progress. You're not just surviving a workout — you’re learning how to move better and train smarter. 4. It’s Not Just About Today’s Workout Bootcamps often lack structure. You show up, do something exhausting, and leave. There’s no continuity or long-term planning. Strength training follows a programmed approach , meaning each week builds on the last. You’ll have sessions designed to improve specific movements and outcomes — whether that’s lifting more weight, increasing core strength, or mastering your first pull-up. That structure keeps you consistent, motivated, and injury-free. 5. Sustainability Over Shock Tactics If you’re tired of the “go hard or go home” mentality, strength training is for you. It’s adaptable to all ages, bodies, and goals . You’ll get fitter, stronger, and more confident — without burning out or breaking down. Ready to train with purpose? If you're looking for something better than a bootcamp in Wynnum or Capalaba , join us at Rebuild. We coach real people — not fitness models — to get real results. 📍 Structured training 📍 Expert coaches 📍 Community that has your back You don’t need to be fit to start. You just need to start.
July 22, 2025
A lot of people have completed a marathon but how many people have collapsed at 40km?

Sometimes you do everything right, and shit still doesn’t go to plan.
 Last weekend I ran in the Gold Coast Marathon, my first ever marathon. I trained properly, my body felt relatively good (all things considered when preparing to run 42.2km), I carb-loaded, and my race day nutrition was dialled in.
 I was ready.
 We set off. Jess and the kids met me at different points on the course with signs, the atmosphere was great. I loved seeing the kids with their signs. Pacing felt on point. The first 21km? Easy. I felt great. Maybe I should’ve drunk more water, but I didn’t think too much of it at the time.
 At 25km, I felt slower, but pace wise I was still holding well. I’d kept telling myself throughout the day "The race starts at 30km." And let me tell you, it does.
 By 30km, the sun was out, and I was starting to struggle. My watch started glitching so I had no real idea of my splits. I thought I was slowing down a lot (turns out I wasn’t), but the effort to keep the same pace suddenly felt 10x harder.
 I hadn’t taken on enough water. Usually, I can get away with lower fluids. Not this time. Dehydration crept in. hard.
 At 35km I was in survival mode, one foot in front of the other, flicking between moments of pain and little short lived waves of “let’s go.” But by 39km I was delirious. I could see the finish line, I hit the 40km mark (where I thought enjoyment might return to finish), and I collapsed.
 I was gone. Scary stuff.
 The last few hundred metres were a complete blur. All I remember is the crowd, the medics, and about five paramedics suddenly around me. I was vomiting, shaking, confused, in and out of it. I had this overwhelming, indescribable feeling, and honestly, for a moment, I thought I could die.
 My memory went. I couldn’t recall the day, the year, where I lived, or how to spell. I only knew who Jess and the kids were, and that I didn’t want them to see me with wires in me. 
 My temperature had hit 40°C. Blood pressure crashed. Thankfully, the medics and paramedics were incredible, I had a drip running into me within 10 to 15 minutes.
 As I already knew, I’m stubborn. I wanted to run it all. Not walk. Not stop and breathe and In hindsight, I should have. 
 Seems like my mind was just a bit stronger than my body on the day. I never thought I could push myself there in all honesty. 

Am I gutted? Of course, I was only 2km away but I gave it everything I had on that day. Heat stroke, exhaustion, and dehydration got me. 

I am always reminded here of the quote ‘The man in the arena’ look it up if you need. 
 Will I run 42.2km again? Yes, I feel I need to. 

Would I do things differently, now I’ve run 40km under race conditions? You bet, lessons learnt. Always lessons. Never be scared to not succeed. Be scared to never try in the first place. 
 We go again.
By Caitlyn Davey July 8, 2025
You Need To Earn The Right To Be Good At Something
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