F45 weight loss challenge blow-up after prize controversy

A runner up in the popular F45 eight-week challenge has told A Current Affair he feels he's been cheated after taking out second prize in the hotly-contested competition.

Lloyd Goodall weighed in at 113 kilograms when he signed up for the challenge, after an unhealthy lifestyle saw him pick up bad habits.

"I had a very busy work life, so you know, up early mornings, late home, just wasn't finding the time for it, bit of a bad diet, led to putting on the kilos," he told reporter Pippa Bradshaw.

Lloyd threw everything into the challenge in a bid to not only turn that all around but to also snag a brand new car.

For two months, Lloyd trained twice a day before dawn and after work and even started an Instagram page to promote his transformation.

"Obviously straight away you start noticing changes, but probably three to four weeks, I think at the halfway point I had lost 12 kilos," he said. 

By the end of the challenge Lloyd had achieved all his goals, and more, losing 25 kilograms and a total of 19 percent body fat.

He thought it would be enough to claim the top prize.

But instead that went to a fellow competitor who lost just four kilograms and 4.5 percent body fat.

"As soon as I walked off the stage, I was receiving comments, you know about that I was robbed of a prize," he said.

"It was pretty gut wrenching, I instantly just wanted answers."

The F45 eight-week challenge was judged on three main points: transformation photos, scan results which measure weight loss and body fat percentage and attendance to classes with the winner chosen by a judging panel.

Lloyd's gripe isn't with the winner, but instead the judges.

He says he's repeatedly asked for clarification on how they reached their decision but so far he hasn't received an answer.

"I was obviously confident I had put in 110 percent and that whoever was going to beat me would have something similar to mine," he said.

9Honey health and fitness editor Sam Downing said F45 use the winners for marketing and it could come down to who looks better in print but Lloyd should still be incredibly proud of his results.

"Whether or not he's won, has or hasn't won a prize, he's still a lot better off in terms of his health so I think that's really where his focus should be at the end," Downing told A Current Affair.

A Current Affair approached F45 for its side of the story but it declined to comment.