"Do it! You will feel so much better in terms of both mental and physical health."
Why did you decide to join the KICK17 course?
I had been following the nutrition advice from Fitism for 2 months prior to Kick – 8 hour eating windows and following the Life plan from the Transformation Programme – but after initial good results in terms of weight loss, I was beginning lapse a little and get bored. The Kick programme literally did what I needed – it kicked me back into thinking about every single item I consumed and forced me to commit to my exercise plan.
What did you achieve during KICK17?
I lost weight, 24cm across my body (I think) and I felt much clearer headed. As someone with Multiple Sclerosis, a foggy head is something I struggle with and I definitely saw improvements in this after having had such a great diet. I also felt so much fitter, which made me want to do more exercise because I was enjoying it!
How was the overall KICK17 experience for you?
I really enjoyed getting back to basics – cutting out any processed food (M&S Balanced for You meals were becoming a go-to on busy days) and, weirdly for someone who loves their wine, losing the alcohol was really refreshing. No hangovers for my weekend workouts!
The juicing was much better than I expected. And because I had 5 juices a day, I felt quite full. I also had lot of mint tea to fill me up in between the juices. The only issue I had was readjusting to food following the juicing and I think I should have introduced food more gradually over a few days, as my tummy had forgotten how to digest food by day 4!
The exercise plan suited me perfectly. The PTs seemed to focus a lot around cardio and I felt fitter by the end of the course. I liked (and hated in equal measure at the time!) the finishers – especially as you were able to compare results during the week and it incentivised you to try harder.
How did you find the community support at FITISM during KICK17?
I wasn’t able to join on the Wednesdays but I found the advice from Becci and Matt during the programme great. They were both available and offered loads of support. The Facebook community also did the same – I didn’t feel on my own with the programme as I could hear how others were doing.
How did the KICK17 course compare to other courses, diets, plans etc you have tried before?
It was great. I did combine it with calorie counting as it’s something I have found useful as I have a tendency to make too large a portion. I’m missing it now it has finished as I liked the structure it gave me day by day.
What would you say to anyone wanting to do the next KICK course?
Do it! You will feel so much better in terms of both mental and physical health. I really felt like I had a detox and the exercise sessions, combined with the nutritional advice, will undoubtedly mean you achieved fantastic results – you just need to commit to the programme and go for it.
Do you have anything else you would like to say about KICK17?
It would be great in the final week to do the finishers all again so you can see how much you’ve improved during the course – helps you to gauge how much fitter you have become.
Finally, please continue to do these great programmes. They’re exactly what I need and they engender team spirit and a community across FITISM.